Chapter 53.1

“No.”

Li Xiaoyue pulled her hand away from him.

Compared to Captain Gu’s desperate pleas, Li Xiaoyue’s cold demeanor was strikingly indifferent.

But no one would blame her.

Seeing Li Xiaoyue as an example, the other two daughters-in-law immediately found their own mothers-in-law to be much more pleasant. In the past few days, they had been getting along well with their mothers-in-law, even finding their bad habits endearing.

Captain Gu’s face was pale. “Xiaoyue…”

Her eyes were slightly red, and she turned her head away, unwilling to look at him again.

“Xiaoyue, let’s not get divorced, okay?” Captain Gu was very panicked. “I’ll have her leave right away. Let’s not divorce, and live our lives well, alright?”

Captain Gu was the one who had fallen in love with Li Xiaoyue at first sight.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t live without him, but rather he couldn’t live without her.

Li Xiaoyue closed her eyes and remained silent.

Captain Gu wanted to say more to win her back, but was stopped by the auntie who had previously mediated.

“Young man, Xiaoyue is currently very angry. It’s useless to say more now,” the auntie said earnestly. “It would be better to take care of other matters. After she cools down, she might come to her senses.”

“She just had surgery and is still very weak. Don’t agitate her further.”

“This……”

Captain Gu hesitated.

But he had to admit, the older woman was right.

He glanced at the frail figure on the hospital bed, his eyes showing a hint of pain.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out several large banknotes, handing them to the older woman.

“Auntie, please take good care of her and make her something nice to eat,” Captain Gu said reluctantly, looking at Li Xiaoyue with a pained expression. He pressed his lips together. “I… I’m leaving now.”

Li Xiaoyue still did not respond.

With a sense of disappointment in his eyes, Captain Gu finally left.

“Eh…”

The older woman looked at the money in her hand and wanted to call him back, but he had already disappeared from view.

Captain Gu had given her four or five large banknotes.

Each one was brand new. She didn’t know where he had borrowed them from.

Such a large sum of money left the older woman in a dilemma—whether to take it or not. Li Xiaoyue seemed to understand the older woman’s predicament. “Auntie, just keep it. I’m really grateful for your help these days. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Alright then.”

The older woman accepted the money and walked over.

“Xiaoyue, how are you feeling now? Do you want some water?”

Li Xiaoyue shook her head and tried to sit up. However, after just having surgery, moving hurt her deeply. Sweat beaded on her pale forehead. The older woman quickly lent a hand.

She then poured a cup of warm water for Li Xiaoyue.

The older woman sat down on a nearby stool. “You’re really stubborn.”

Li Xiaoyue tasted bitterness in her mouth.

“Xiaoyue, listen to me,” the older woman continued, “it’s enough to make him send that old woman away. Just focus on getting back to a good life with him.”

“Child, I know you’re hurting, but being a woman always involves suffering.”

Li Xiaoyue listened quietly without rebutting.

The older woman continued, “I wouldn’t say this in front of Captain Gu, but since it’s just us two, I’m telling you these heartfelt words.”

“The outside world,” the older woman said, frowning, “where can you go with a child by yourself? Not to mention things like ‘Qing Sha Zhang’^[1]“Qing Sha Zhang” (青沙掌) is a term in Chinese martial arts, which can be translated as “Green Sand Palm” or “Youthful Killing Palm.” It often refers to a … Continue reading….”

Li Xiaoyue’s face turned pale.

“There are good people, of course, but you can’t gamble your life on other people’s kindness.”

“Xiaoyue, you have a child to think about…”

“If you get a divorce, Captain Gu is still young and will soon remarry,” the older woman sighed. “He’ll be warm and cozy with his new wife and children. And you?”

Will you be left to eat bitter vegetables?

The older woman added, “Don’t let your temporary anger lead you to ruin yourself. Since Captain Gu has regrets, try to keep him close. No matter how much that old woman stirs up trouble, she won’t be able to cause more waves.”

Li Xiaoyue’s brows were tightly knit, and her lips were pressed together.

Seeing that she was deep in thought, the older woman knew her words had made an impact.

“Captain Gu still cares about you. If you make a fuss now, he will send that old woman away, and you two can still have a harmonious life together. Xiaoyue, don’t make things too extreme.”

Li Xiaoyue stared blankly for a long time before slowly nodding.

“By the way, I found this when changing the baby’s diaper,” the older woman, seeing that Li Xiaoyue had come to terms, smiled even more deeply and took out a red envelope. “Luckily, I found it. It would have been bad if it was lost.”

Li Xiaoyue was slightly taken aback as she took it.

Inside were five large banknotes. Seeing the money, Li Xiaoyue was stunned, and tears began to fall from her eyes.

“Oh, so much money?”

Five large banknotes were equivalent to three months’ wages for a worker.

Such generosity was unexpected.

The older woman was somewhat envious. “With this money, you can take good care of yourself during the postpartum period.”

“Do you know who gave it?”

Li Xiaoyue wiped away her tears and looked up at the older woman.

“It’s from my neighbor.”

“Wow—”

The older woman gasped.

She had thought it was from a close relative, but it turned out to be from a neighbor.

Could a neighbor give so much money?!

The older woman was stunned.

Li Xiaoyue, holding the money, felt immense gratitude towards Ruan Mingfu and had more hope for her future.

….

In the evening, Xie Yanzhao returned home and was greeted by the aroma of fragrant tea eggs.

He ate one and met Ruan Mingfu’s sparkling eyes.

“How is it? Does it taste good?”

Although a bit salty, it should still taste quite good.

While she was confident in her tea eggs, she was still nervous in front of Xie Yanzhao.

“It’s good.”

He took another egg and ate it.

Ruan Mingfu was thrilled.

She lifted her chin slightly, knowing her tea eggs must have impressed everyone!

Seeing her delighted expression, Xie Yanzhao couldn’t help but pat her head. That night, as Ruan Mingfu lay in bed, to avoid Xie Yanzhao catching her again, she had been very well-behaved these days.

When Xie Yanzhao entered the room, he saw her long hair down, looking like a porcelain doll. The dim light cast a soft glow on her.

He swallowed hard and pulled her into his arms.

Ruan Mingfu furrowed her beautiful brows and pushed his hand away.

“What are you doing? I have something important to discuss with you.”

Every night, Xie Yanzhao would tirelessly indulge in his desires with her. Ruan Mingfu was quite helpless, wanting to sleep in separate rooms but was always carried off. After a few times, she resigned herself to it.

Although the nights were intense, he still had some restraint and never hurt her.

Xie Yanzhao didn’t let go.

His pajama buttons were slightly undone, revealing a strong chest… and beneath the covers, there were abs and powerful thighs…

The overpowering hormones were almost suffocating.

The man was so handsome that it pierced right into her heart.

Ruan Mingfu’s face turned subtly red.

“What is it you want to say?”

Faced with Xie Yanzhao’s eyes, the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat. After a long pause and a struggle to gather her thoughts, she finally spoke up.

“I heard someone recently complained about me to you?”

“Who said that?” Xie Yanzhao, not paying much attention, pulled her closer and gently caressed her red lips. “Did they cause you trouble?”

Ruan Mingfu pushed his hand away.

“Be serious. I’m talking about something important.”

“Okay.”

With a smile in his eyes, Xie Yanzhao withdrew his hand but continued to hold her tightly.

“So, someone really did complain about me?”

Ugh! This annoying man’s mind is so small.

In this era, they were lucky. In another fifty or sixty years, they’d be left alone.

“Hmm,” Xie Yanzhao’s gaze wandered, “Don’t take those people’s words to heart.”

Ruan Mingfu pushed his hand away from her waist and sat up.

“Do they really not have any sense? Doesn’t he know why his wife is arguing with him?”

They came to her to complain, even though their own marriage was a mess because of these jerks.

Getting increasingly frustrated, Ruan Mingfu saw Xie Yanzhao’s hand reaching towards her again and pushed it away.

“You’re not any better yourself!”

Xie Yanzhao: “…”

He was a bit confused about why the anger seemed to be directed at him.

“All men are like that,” Ruan Mingfu struggled to get out of bed but was pulled back by Xie Yanzhao. She was furious and slapped his arm. “You jerk, let go of me!”

Jerk?

Xie Yanzhao narrowed his eyes and firmly held Ruan Mingfu, suppressing her struggles.

“I’m not a good person?”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Indeed, Xie Yanzhao could easily control her. Ruan Mingfu moved slightly and realized that only a few of her fingers were free to move.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

“Let me go!”

Xie Yanzhao looked at her dangerously. “You still haven’t answered me.”

“……Fine, you’re a good person.”

Xie Yanzhao: “…”

He suspected that Ruan Mingfu was just using this as an opportunity to insult him.

If she said things like that… he certainly wouldn’t let her off the hook easily.

That night, Ruan Mingfu learned what true torment was. With Gu Yilin sleeping in the next room, she tried to stifle her cries by biting her own lip. She was someone who could endure, but her delicate lips were marked with deep bite marks.

By the time dawn broke, Xie Yanzhao had not stopped. Infuriated, Ruan Mingfu bit his arm hard.

The jerk had such tough skin that her bite felt like a light kiss. He only intensified his efforts.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Later, she didn’t even know when she fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already bright. Ruan Mingfu felt sore with every move.

Damn it!

She had to get a divorce, absolutely.

She couldn’t continue living like this!

If that man were in front of her right now, she’d bite a piece of flesh off him.