Chapter 35: Unwanted Child

Caught in the act, Jiang Yiyi became even more nervous. “I, I…”

Gu Yunze moved closer, his masculine scent enveloping her. Jiang Yiyi wanted to escape, but his strong hands encircled her. His hot breath sprayed on her face, slowly moving towards her lips.

“Gu…”

His lips sealed hers, their mouths entwined, invading slowly.

Jiang Yiyi’s body went limp. She clutched her clothes, her mind a blank.

Gu Yunze bent down, lifting her onto the bed, his body covering hers. His skin, still slightly cool from his shower, brought her a moment of clarity. She tried to push him away, but he didn’t give her the chance.

That night, Jiang Yiyi felt like a small boat adrift on the water for a long time, so long that she couldn’t bear it anymore, pleading softly. Gu Yunze, a young man in the prime of his life and newly initiated into sex, found her tearful pleas to be a powerful aphrodisiac, making him unable to stop.

…

The next day, Jiang Yiyi woke up stiff and sore. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, illuminating her.

The house was quiet, without a sound.

She sat up abruptly, then winced and lay back down, mentally cursing Gu Yunze hundreds of times. Last night, she had pleaded with him to stop, but he hadn’t let her go, causing her to not only wake up late but also be aching all over.

After lying down for a while, she slowly got up. Her body felt clean; Gu Yunze must have cleaned her, but that didn’t diminish his frenzy from the night before.

Remembering her tearful pleas and his relentless pursuit, Jiang Yiyi gnashed her teeth. Tonight, she would chase Gu Yunze out to feed the mosquitoes.

Getting dressed, she saw the crimson stains on the sheets and quickly removed them.

Hearing the commotion, Gu Yunze strode in from outside. “Wife, you’re awake.”

Jiang Yiyi glared at him without a good temper.

Gu Yunze knew he had gone too far last night. He took the sheets ingratiatingly. “You wash up first. I’ll heat up the food, and I’ll wash these later.”

After Jiang Yiyi washed up, the food was ready, along with two boiled eggs, which she ate, feeling revived afterward.

“Mother took Tiantian and Yuemue out visiting. No one’s home. You go back to bed and rest.”

Her mother-in-law rarely took the two children out, probably to avoid embarrassing her when she woke up. Jiang Yiyi glared at Gu Yunze again.

Her glare had no deterrent effect; instead, it rekindled Gu Yunze’s suppressed desire. He swallowed hard, but didn’t dare act on it.

His wife was clearly exhausted. If he dared to ask for more, the next few days wouldn’t be pleasant. Compared to one night versus several days, several days were more worthwhile.

“Mother, Tiantian, and Yuemue are wearing new clothes.”

Gu’s mother wasn’t someone who liked to show off. Even when Gu’s father had made money and built a big house and bought new furniture, she hadn’t boasted. But this time was different. These were clothes her daughter-in-law had bought her, from the city. After eating, she took the two children out.

Even though she knew she was wronging Gu Yunze, Jiang Yiyi was still annoyed with him. She got up and walked towards the room. After a few steps, she suddenly remembered something: last night, they hadn’t used contraception.

She didn’t want a child yet.

She needed to go to the hospital and ask about emergency contraception.

With that thought, she turned around. “I’m going to the county.”

“What’s wrong? I’ll go.”

Jiang Yiyi hesitated, then told him, “I don’t want to have a child so soon.”

On the one hand, she wasn’t ready. On the other hand, her career was just starting, and she didn’t want a child to hold her back.

As she spoke, she prepared herself to persuade Gu Yunze. In this era, couples who didn’t want children were rare, and the elders, especially Gu’s mother, would undoubtedly expect a grandchild soon. But she heard him say, “Go lie down in the room. I’ll go to the county hospital and ask about emergency contraception.”

Hearing his lack of objection, Jiang Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief, dragging her aching body back to the room. The bedsheets had already been changed.

After Gu Yunze cleaned himself and the bedsheets, he rode his bicycle out.

Not far from home, he was stopped by his aunt who had just returned from the fields. “Yunze, when did you get back?”

“Yesterday. It was already dark when I got home, so I didn’t go to your place.”

“It wasn’t just dark. You’re looking down on your uncle and aunt. Yunze, you can’t be heartless. Your uncle and I have helped your family a lot over the years.”

“Aunt, I remember your kindness.”

“It’s good that you remember. I don’t ask for much. Just have your wife teach me how to make the cold noodles. I’m not taking advantage of you; I’ll give you ten yuan.”

More people returned from the fields and joined in, having heard about the popularity of the cold noodles in the city, earning several yuan a day. They also wanted to learn.

“I can’t decide this. My wife has the final say.”

“Yunze, you can’t let her boss you around. You need to assert your authority. How can you let her have the final say?”

Gu Yunze frowned, not wanting to listen anymore. “I have something to do. I’ll go first. I’ll visit you and Uncle another time.”

His aunt grabbed his bicycle, preventing him from leaving. She had finally seized this opportunity and had to make Gu Yunze agree in front of everyone. He was a soldier, a man of his word. As long as he agreed, Jiang Yiyi would have to teach her, whether she wanted to or not.

“Yunze, when your father had his accident, it was your uncle who brought him back and helped with the funeral arrangements. Because of that, he was cursed with bad luck. Nothing goes well for him, not even his crops. His family is about to starve. You must agree to have your wife teach me how to make the cold noodles as compensation.”

Even the onlookers couldn’t stand her words. In rural areas, people help each other, especially during weddings and funerals. Using this as an excuse was too far-fetched.

Gu Yunze’s face turned cold. “It wasn’t just Uncle who helped back then. Why is everyone else fine, but only your family is starving?”

“Of course, it’s because your uncle did so much and incurred more bad luck, so you must agree to let your wife teach me how to make cold noodles.”

“Impossible!”

Gu Yunze said decisively.

His aunt sat down on the ground, still holding onto the bicycle. “He’s hitting someone! Gu Yunze is hitting someone! Gu Yunze is hitting someone!”

Gu Yunze wouldn’t dare hit her, but someone else would.

Gu’s mother, leading Tiantian and Yuemue, happened to walk by. Seeing her aunt harassing Gu Yunze, she told the children to wait, then rushed over, pried her aunt’s hand away, and pointed at her nose, scolding, “I’ve seen shameless people, but I’ve never seen someone as shameless as you!”

The aunt, having finally found an opportunity, was thwarted by Gu’s mother. She got up angrily, grabbed Gu’s mother’s hair, and Gu’s mother fought back, grabbing her hair as well. The two women instantly started fighting.

Gu Yunze dropped his bicycle and forcibly separated them. His aunt fell to the ground, yelling, “She hit me! Gu Yunze hit me! Gu Yunze hit me!”

Gu’s mother wanted to go after her, but Gu Yunze stopped her. “Take the children home. I’ll handle this.”

Seeing this scene, some of the onlookers, more shrewd than others, immediately ran to tell Jiang Yiyi.