The sweltering heat of July hung in the air like a thick, smothering blanket. Flynn Carter, drenched in sweat after a long trek up the mountain to gather herbs, couldn't stand it anymore. He tore off his clothes and plunged into the river, letting the cool water wash over him.Just as he surfaced for air, his breath caught in his throat.Right in front of him was a vision of pale, bare skin, glistening under the sunlight."Flynn, you pervert! You were spying on me while I was bathing!"Daisy Harper, the village chief's daughter, stood in the river, her face flushed with a mix of rage and embarrassment. She pointed a trembling finger at him, voice shaking with fury."You shameless bastard!"She was eighteen—fresh, delicate, in full bloom. The rippling water barely concealed the curves of her body, the soft swell of her chest, the tantalizing shadows that hinted at more.Flynn, who had never seen such a sight in his life, stood frozen, his mind blank."You're still looking?!" Dai
"Flynn, what's wrong?"Anne was puzzled. She had no idea why Flynn was so worked up."Ah, it's nothing, Auntie Anne. Let's head home."Flynn quickly suppressed his emotions, steadying Anne as they started making their way back. His mind was racing. He needed to find a chance to test himself—to see if he was truly healed.Anne nodded but gave him a serious look. "From now on, be more careful when you go out alone to gather herbs. If it weren't for Daisy, I would have lost you forever. When you have time tomorrow, go to the village market and buy a little something. I'll go with you to visit her family and thank her properly.""I got it, Auntie. I'll be more careful next time."Still, Flynn thought, if it weren't for Daisy, he wouldn't have had those dark thoughts in the first place.He scratched his head reluctantly. "Do I really have to go? She looks down on me too much.""What nonsense!" Anne scolded. "She saved your life. You should be grateful. Tomorrow, you're coming with m
Esme was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her body was fully ripe, tempting in ways that made Flynn's throat go dry."Esme, quit joking. I—how could I help you? If your in-laws find out, they'll kill me!"Flynn shook his head so fast it might as well have been a rattle drum. He had never been in a situation like this before."Come on, Flynn, don't worry. I won't tell a soul. Just help me this once," she coaxed, her voice turning softer.When Flynn still refused, Esme grew anxious. Her expression hardened. "If you don't agree, I'll go straight to your aunt and tell her what you were just up to…""Wait, no—I'll do it, okay?" The heat rushed to Flynn's head, making it impossible to think clearly. Before he knew it, his hands were at his waistband, fumbling to undo his belt.Esme beamed, but she quickly held up a hand. "Not so fast, Flynn. This is my first time. Yours is… kind of scary. If it hurts too much, your aunt might hear, and that wouldn't be good, would it?"She leaned
"What… what the hell? Get that thing away from me!"Daisy's face changed in an instant, her eyes welling up with tears.Flynn was actually—rock-hard.Panic hit her like a wave. There was no way she could stay calm now."What happened to all that arrogance?" Flynn sneered, baring his teeth. "Go on, mock me again. Let's see if you still have the guts. Take off your skirt. See if I don't have my way with you."Of course, he had no intention of doing anything. But watching Daisy tremble, her bravado shattering, gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction.She smelled too good, felt too soft against him. And those teary, pleading eyes—something about them sent a rush through his veins."I… I—" Daisy choked, sobbing uncontrollably. "Flynn, you bastard! Let go of me! If you touch me, I'll—I'll…""You'll what?" He gave her a mocking grin.Before she could answer, he raised a hand and smacked her sharply across the backside.The sound was crisp, almost absurdly loud.Daisy's eyes widene
Flynn quickly shook his head, mocking himself.Daisy had just told him: I'm leaving. Don't come bothering me unless it's important.She was only helping him out of pity, not because she actually cared.Besides, Esme was still waiting for him tonight.But right now, Flynn wasn't in the mood for that.The most important thing was figuring out how to get a medical license and keep the clinic running.The problem was, he barely knew how to read. Some of the medical books were impossible for him to understand. Even if Daisy bought him more time, could his half-baked medical skills actually get him through the licensing exam?The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. Before he knew it, he had already walked back to his small clinic.Hearing the door, Anne immediately stepped out, feeling her way forward. "Flynn, is that you?""It's me, Auntie. Come on, let's go home and eat."Just then, a scruffy middle-aged man with yellowed teeth and a ragged beard stood up ins
Flynn quickly raised his hands in defense. "I wasn't staring…""Bullshit!" Daisy shot him a glare. "Have you never seen a woman before? Your head is full of garbage, you pervert!""I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Flynn protested, panicked."Yeah, right." Her eyes narrowed, sharp with suspicion.Flynn groaned inwardly. Ever since he ate that little white snake, something had been off. Every time he got close to a woman, it was like an adrenaline rush hit him out of nowhere. But this wasn't the time for that—if Daisy ran off now, there was no way she'd sit down and teach him to read. And by the look on her face, she was already halfway out the door.Just then, a soft voice interrupted them."Is that Daisy? I thought I heard her voice."Anne had emerged from her room, carefully feeling her way forward.Flynn's mind clicked into action. He needed leverage. "Yeah, it's her. She came over to teach me how to read, Auntie." He turned to Anne with exaggerated sincerity. "I was ju
"How the hell did your memory get this good all of a sudden?"Daisy stared at him, eyes filled with disbelief.Normally, for someone who couldn't read, memorizing even a hundred words in a day would be impressive. But Flynn had just learned over five hundred in an hour. It didn't make sense."Can't help it. Just born smart, I guess," Flynn said smugly.At this rate, he figured he'd master everything in just a few days. And when that happened, Daisy would have no choice but to keep her promise—to be his girlfriend.A girl like her—pretty, fair-skinned, with a killer figure—would definitely be nice to hold at night.The thought made him grin."Heh.""Ugh, wipe that creepy smile off your face. I just know you're thinking something gross," Daisy said, wrinkling her nose.Flynn shrugged, unbothered. "What's it to you? Just keep teaching me. Who knows? If I memorize everything tonight, you'll have to be my girlfriend."Upon hearing the word "girlfriend", Daisy seemed flustered. Her
"I… I… Esme, this isn't right…" Flynn stammered, his face burning red. Just that morning, he'd been dead set on sleeping with Esme. But now that the moment was here, he couldn't bring himself to do it. His mind was a tangled mess—afraid Daisy would find out and refuse to date him, afraid his aunt would curse him for being a worthless bastard."If it's not right, then why were you thinking about it? Little liar!"Esme glanced down at him, rolling her eyes with amusement."Esme, I really didn't mean it like that…"Flynn shot a desperate look at his traitorous body. Ever since he'd eaten that little white snake, even the slightest stimulation from a woman made him lose control. But who would believe that?"Stop pretending, Flynn. From now on, I'm yours—no need to be shy!"Esme covered her mouth, giggling as she stepped closer."Esme, don't—don't do this!"Flynn retreated until the back of his knees hit the bed, and he sat down hard."Flynn, is this your first time? It's mine
Natalie was dead set on divorcing Peter. She spat on the ground, turned on her heel, and ran off without looking back.As she passed by Flynn, she hesitated for a moment."Flynn, I'm sorry. I didn't believe you, and I was pretty nasty to you just now," she said. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have seen this bastard's true colors. If you ever need anything, just reach out to me. Consider it my way of repaying you."Flynn nodded, saying nothing more."You son of a bitch! This is all your fault!" Peter's voice erupted with fury. "I won't let you get away with this!"Seeing that he couldn't convince Natalie to stay, he turned his hatred on Flynn instead.Flynn let out a cold laugh. "You brought this on yourself. If you hadn't kidnapped my aunt, would you be in this mess?"With that, he turned and walked away with Anne. There was no need to waste any more time on Peter. Peter was already half-crippled, his bones shattered. There was no way he could cause trouble again.On the
"Flynn, be careful! Don't act recklessly!"Anne's voice trembled with worry. She couldn't see exactly what was happening, but the thought of Flynn facing Mark and the others alone terrified her."Don't worry, Auntie. These bastards dared to lay a hand on you. I won't let them get away with it." Flynn's voice was steady, but the fury beneath it burned hot. He didn't even glance back."Quit the tough-guy act, you little punk! I'm no weakling! See if I don't smash your face in!" Mark's bloodshot eyes burned with rage. With a snarl, he lifted a wooden stool and swung it down toward Flynn with all his strength."Go to hell!" Flynn cursed. His fist lashed out like a bullet.Crack!The stool exploded into splinters mid-air, scattering across the floor like shrapnel. But Flynn's punch didn't stop there—it drove straight into Mark's shoulder, hitting a pressure point with pinpoint precision.With a sickening crunch, Mark crumpled to the ground, howling in agony like a pig being slaughter
"We have to do it. No holding back this time. Otherwise, we'd be letting that beating this morning go to waste."The voices belonged to Peter and Mark, along with a few others.It all started earlier that day. After getting humiliated by Flynn, they couldn't swallow their anger. So they kidnapped Anne, determined to take their revenge."Stay back! Stay away from me!" Anne's voice trembled with fear. She couldn't let these filthy men touch her. If that happened, she'd never be able to face Flynn again."We're all from the same village. If Flynn offended you in any way, I'll apologize on his behalf. There's no need to do this.""Your apology is worthless. Sleeping with you would be much more satisfying." Peter chuckled. He was already imagining the best way to take her, savoring the thought of her beneath him."That's right! And don't think that little punk Flynn is coming to save you. He's probably been ripped to shreds by a tiger by now! Not even a bone left!" Mark sneered, his e
"Who the hell did this?!"Flynn burst into the house, his breath ragged, his pulse hammering. But no matter where he looked, there was no sign of Anne. His heart clenched tighter.Then, a memory hit him like a gut punch—earlier that day, Peter and his gang had joked about r*ping his aunt."Peter, you son of a bitch! If this is your doing, I swear to God, I'll kill you!"His vision blurred with rage as he took off running, heading straight for the small store at the village entrance.After his parents passed, Anne was the only family he had left. If anything happened to her, he didn't know what he might do.What should've been a ten-minute run took him less than five.Flynn kicked the shop door open, his voice a raw roar. "Peter! Get the hell out here! Where did you take my aunt?!"Inside, a few middle-aged women playing poker jumped in shock.Flynn's gaze swept the room. No Peter. His gut twisted tighter."What the hell's gotten into you, barging in here like a mad dog? Get l
"Don't you dare! If you castrated me, I'd cry my eyes out!"Flynn's whole body tensed up, a chill creeping through his lower half."Haha, look at you, scared out of your mind..."Wendy hadn't even finished her sentence when her gaze accidentally landed on a particular spot. Her mouth fell open in shock."You... You're back to normal? Since when?""You just got back, didn't you? I haven't had the chance to tell you yet," Flynn said with a grin. "So? Wanna give it a try?""No way! Get lost! Just because you're back to normal doesn't mean you can lay a finger on me ever again!"Wendy's eyes were full of wariness. She could tell—Flynn was practically itching to strip her down and pin her beneath him.Not happening."You have no idea... Stuck out here in this godforsaken place, not a single woman around... Life feels so pointless," he sighed dramatically. "Why else would I come to you for help? It's not like I don't trust you the most."He put on a look of wounded sorrow, playing
"Come on, don't talk nonsense. I haven't peeked at widows bathing in ages."Flynn's face flushed instantly.Back when he was a dumb kid, he used to drag Wendy along to spy on widows while they bathed. Not that they ever saw much—back then, it was just pure curiosity about women."Oh wow, so now you actually know what embarrassment feels like?"Wendy giggled, and Flynn couldn't help but notice the way her chest moved with the motion."Well, I grew up, didn't I?"His eyes drifted downward, and he scratched his head. "Damn… you, uh, really grew up."She arched an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?""I mean… weren't your boobs barely bigger than oranges back then?" He frowned. "You sure you didn't, you know, stuff something in there?""Stuff something? Screw you, Flynn!"She punched him in the arm, irritated. "Ever heard of a second growth spurt?"Her eyes had this teasing glint, every expression of hers carrying a hint of playfulness. It made Flynn's heart itch."I don't
Flynn turned his head and saw that the guy he had just beaten up was now standing beside Noah. And judging by Noah's stance, this kid might actually have some connections."What a coward. Had to bring backup?" Flynn scoffed.He had no interest in arguing with Noah. Leaning close to Daisy, he whispered something in her ear—told her to come by later that night—then took off running."Damn! That little bastard's fast!"By the time Noah and the guy reached where Flynn had been, he was already gone."Hmph, lucky for him," the guy muttered, still fuming. "If he'd stuck around, I wouldn't have let him off so easily.""What did he say to you?" Noah turned to Daisy. "Why were you crying? Did that bastard mess with you again?""He didn't say much," Daisy murmured, avoiding eye contact. She twisted her fingers, hesitating. "Just told me to apologize to Caleb. Said he knew he was in the wrong."Hearing this, Caleb immediately puffed up with self-importance. "Now he knows he's wrong? Too la
"Ahh—!"The guy was tall, broad-shouldered, but he hadn't expected Flynn to knock him down with just one kick. Humiliation burned through him, especially with Daisy watching. His face darkened."You dare hit me? Do you even know who I am?"Flynn snorted. "Don't know, don't care. But I'm your daddy now." He straddled the guy and started throwing punches. Hard, fast, relentless. Soon, the guy's face was a mess—swollen, bloody, barely recognizable. He groaned, curling up to shield himself."Flynn, stop it! What the hell are you doing?!" Daisy's voice was sharp with panic as she rushed to pull him away."Don't touch me," Flynn snapped, yanking his arm free. His eyes burned into hers. "What, you feel bad for him? Why are you so protective of this guy?"She flinched, startled. Then, her expression crumpled, eyes welling up with tears. "What do you mean protective? He's just a classmate! He's visiting the village—that's all! It's not what you think!" Her voice shook with frustra
It was early afternoon—one or two o'clock—the hottest time of the day.Flynn stepped out under the scorching sun, but he barely felt the heat.The small convenience store stood near an old willow tree and a stretch of cornfields. This was the spot where he had once grabbed Daisy behind the willow and into the cornfield.Standing there now, the memory surfaced again—her body bent slightly forward, the way he had glimpsed that hidden, untouched place.'She's actually not bad. If I married her and held her every night, that wouldn't be so bad either,' he mused.As he lingered on the thought, Daisy suddenly appeared in the distance.But she wasn't alone.Walking beside her was a tall, lanky guy with fair skin and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. His clothes were neat, and he carried himself with a quiet, scholarly air.Daisy spoke to him, her tone light and casual, occasionally letting out a crisp, silver-bell laugh.The guy, however, was clearly entranced, his gaze fixed on