The woman doesn't stop struggling for a moment. Despite being so thin, she's wild and knows where to hit him to make him feel pain. It keeps every ounce of strength to keep her still in the boat. She shouts crazily and abuses him verbally without any mercy. When they reach the ship, she wouldn't climb. Lastly, they tie her and lift her by a rope onto the ship.
"Lu Weixue." The old captain of the ship laughs when he sees the stinky woman. "You found a treasure indeed."
She hisses at him with anger. "I am not a treasure, you morons."
"Such a sharp tongue." The captain lets out a hearty laugh. The other men join the laughter. "A treasure indeed."
"She has her uses." One of the men shouts. "It's cold at night. She can warm our bed."
The men stare at the bare legs visible beneath the coat. Her small body shrinks into the coat under the lecherous gazes. It's been months. They haven't touched a single woman. Men at sea will take anything with a hole.
Lu Weixue shields her body from their eyes and looks at the captain gravely. "My brother and I paid you for the voyage. She belongs to me only. I hope that you remember these words."
This is the last trip that Lu Yuan and Lu Weixue decided to take to find the treasure. Ten years are lost in the search for the treasure and they end up with a suicidal woman. Treasure or not, Lu Weixue is keeping her with him.
"Hahaha! you got my word." The captain waves his hand at his men. "You should keep an eye on the woman. They will try to hold themselves back, but I can't promise that they won't try to do anything."
Lu Weixue gets the meaning. He grabs her arm and drags her with to their cabin. It's already small. Lu Yan and Lu Weixue are sharing it. The trip back to the port city will take another five days. She's at risk until then.
"You..." He points at her face. She narrows her dark eyes at him. She's only wearing his coat. He doesn't have anything for a woman. He finds a pair of his clothes and throws them at her. "First of all, clean yourself and wear these clothes."
He walks outside and slams the door. Lu Yuan has been waiting for him outside.
"Elder brother, what are we doing to do?" Lu Yuan asks him with a worried tone. "How are we going to manage everything?"
Lu Weixue sighs. Lu Yuan was 15 when he found the map. Lu Weixue should have been rational and not give in to the temptation of finding easy money. One can't change the past no matter what he does.
"We will find some ways."
Some time passes. He knocks the door. There is no sound coming from the cabin. Lu Weixue loses his calm. What if she hangs herself in the cabin?
Uneasy, he pushes the door. She is sitting on the bed with a deep melancholy in her eyes. He sighs when he sees his clothes on the floor. She didn't even pick them up.
"Lu Yuan." He turns to his brother. "Go. I need to have a talk with her."
Lu Yuan peeks at the woman once before he leaves. He wonders why his brother is interested in that woman.
Lu Weixue walks in and closes the door. He stands in front of her and crosses his arms. "Woman, are you interested in prostituting yourself to the men on the board?"
She looks at him with disgust. "Do I seem that kind of woman?"
"Then, why are you not wearing clothes?" He glances at her bare legs. "Women shouldn't show her legs casually. You displayed your complete body to me. I have no interest in bones, but that doesn't mean that the other men won't try something."
She purses her lips indignantly. The childish temper of her makes him chuckle. He leans closer and scans her face. She moves her head back and flares her nostrils, ready to punch him if he does anything indecent.
Is this the face of a person who wants to commit suicide?
Lu Weixue notices that she has pretty features. If he feeds her well, she will turn into a lovely woman. The corner of his lips curls up into a sly smile. "I am taking you back as my treasure. So, you must find a way to pay me back. If you want to do it by selling your body, I don't mind."
She slaps him hard on his cheek. "I am not your treasure, you filthy man."
He is surprised that she has that much strength despite being so skinny. He rubs his cheek. He probably deserves it. "From now on, do as I say. Otherwise, when the men are done with you, I will toss you to the sea to become the food of fishes."
Her eyes show some fear. Then, it's gone. She looks at him as if he lost his head. "Fishes won't eat me."
"..." Did she miss the part where he said that he would throw her to the fishes?
"Get out," She commands him with a low voice.
Lu Weixue scowls at her. "Why?"
She gnashes her teeth in anger. "Didn't you want me to change?"
He steps out of the cabin again and waits outside. After some time, he knocks the door. Nobody answers him.
"I am coming in." He hesitates before pushing the door. "It's not like there is anything that I didn't see."
She is already dressed in his clothes. The clothes are naturally big for her small frame. There is still some sand in her hair. The sash around her waist is tied clumsily. He lets out a breath. She reminds him of a little kid who doesn't know how to take care of herself.
"You don't even know how to wear clothes." He fixes her clothes, not realizing what he is doing.
She glowers at him vivaciously and pushes him away. "Keep your hands off me."
He realizes his mistake. She's still a female. He seems to forget that fact whenever he's around her. He scrutinizes her carefully. He can't tell if she is from a good family or not. But, her attitude is quite strong. An average girl won't have such a temper. In a few hours, she has bitten him, slapped him, punched him, and insulted him without any shame. That's not a bearing of a girl from her good family either.
"Do you have a family who will pay me for saving you?" He asks her in a straightforward manner.
Her grimaces at him. "No."
Lu Weixue sighs tiredly. Did he get a piece of extra baggage instead of a treasure? She's old enough to be married. He tries again. "Do you have a husband or a betrothed who is looking for your return?"
She looks away from him. The pain and hopelessness return in her eyes. The same look that he saw when he found her. Frustrated, he runs his fingers through his hair. Either she has no one or she doesn't want to tell him.
She could have been exiled by her family to that island.
This is inconvenient. Will he get into a problem for saving her?