Chapter 6

Chi Daqiang and his wife were busy cooking in the kitchen.

Chi Bilian, furious upon hearing that Zhou Zixiao still insisted on marrying Chi Yiyi, had simply decided to stay in the hospital rather than return home.

Chi Junshu was helping out around the Chi household, running errands.

As Chi Yiyi came downstairs, she saw Zhou Zixiao holding bags upon bags of expensive gifts.

She didn’t expect the Zhou family to be this generous.
It only made her more suspicious — clearly, the Zhou family was still hiding a stash of shady valuables.

“Yiyi.”

Chi Daqiang came out of the kitchen intending to greet the guests. But seeing Zhou Zixiao’s eyes glued to Chi Yiyi, he beamed and said nothing.

In the kitchen, Lin Ru felt an overwhelming bitterness.
The man her daughter had fought so hard to win over was now standing here fawning over Chi Yiyi — while her own daughter was still lying in a hospital bed.

Chi Yiyi glanced over. The Zhou parents had come, yes, but they were as arrogant as ever. Good thing she had no intention of marrying into that family in this lifetime.

Zhou Zixiao, holding the gifts, sincerely apologized.
“Yiyi, please forgive me. I promise what happened yesterday will never happen again.”

Chi Yiyi remained silent.

Madam Zhou finally lost her temper.
“Chi Yiyi, what do you want? My son has lowered himself to beg you, and you’re still acting like this?”

Chi Daqiang quickly tried to smooth things over.
“Dear in-law, please calm down. I already talked things through with Yiyi last night. Let the young ones go out and clear their heads.”

“Yiyi, go out with Zixiao and get some air.”

“Yiyi, let’s go,” Zhou Zixiao added, trying to avoid further upsetting his parents.

Chi Yiyi smiled coldly.
“Dad, you’re really shameless. We didn’t even register our marriage or hold the wedding, and you already called in-laws over like we’re livestock being sold off. Even villagers selling daughters aren’t this eager.”

She couldn’t hold back anymore.
Disgusting — she was disgusted with these so-called relatives.

“Chi Yiyi!”
Chi Daqiang raised his hand, but before he could strike, Chi Yiyi caught it mid-air.

Thanks to drinking a full bowl of spirit spring water the night before, Chi Yiyi’s physical strength had vastly improved.

“You’ve gone too far,” Chi Yiyi said coldly as she shoved him back. Chi Daqiang staggered back several steps.

Then, she pulled out 500 yuan and threw it at Zhou Zixiao’s face.
The remaining 2,500 yuan she tossed at Chi Daqiang’s feet.

Chi Daqiang’s eyes lit up at the sight of the lost money. He eagerly picked it up, counted it, and stashed it away in his room.

“Zhou Zixiao, listen to me carefully. This 500 yuan is your family’s bride price. I’m giving it back.”

“What you did yesterday already proves you’re not someone I can trust for life. I don’t want to marry you — and I hope that’s crystal clear.”

Madam Zhou was both furious and gleeful.
Furious her son was being humiliated by a woman, but secretly relieved — now their family could finally shake off the leeches of the Chi household.

Suddenly, Zhou Zixiao dropped the gift bags and grabbed Chi Yiyi’s hand.

“Yiyi, how dare you! We’ve been childhood sweethearts. I know you’ve liked me since we were little. So how can you just say you won’t marry me? If not me, who do you want to marry?”

Chi Yiyi kicked him hard.
“In this lifetime, I’d marry anyone but you, Zhou Zixiao!”

Zhou Zixiao’s uncle was a soldier, and he had undergone military training as a child. He dodged her attack and firmly grabbed her wrist.

“Yiyi, what happened yesterday was an accident. I already explained everything to you. I wasn’t with another woman — Bilian is your sister!”

“Pah!”

Chi Yiyi spat right in his face, furious as past-life memories surged back — memories of what the three of them had done together.

“You shameless scum. Even if she’s my sister, she’s still a woman. On the day we were supposed to get married, you were sneaking around with her. And you still expect me to marry you?”

Zhou Zixiao saw the burning fury in her eyes and panicked.
“I was wrong! I admit it, okay? I’ve apologized! Isn’t that enough?”

Madam Zhou, now livid, snapped,
“Chi Yiyi, explain yourself! My son is a clean, upright man. You can’t just say such things without proof — do you even know what time it is right now?!”

Chi Yiyi sneered.
“What clean man gives his girlfriend’s movie ticket to her stepsister? What clean man always goes out of his way to help that same stepsister? What clean man mysteriously ends up with her on the day of his own wedding?”

Zhou Zixiao finally realized how terrible all of that sounded — but he still refused to admit guilt.

“You’re overthinking it, Yiyi.”

Seeing her son cornered, Madam Zhou suddenly turned her anger toward Chi Daqiang.
“Chi, did you hear what your daughter just said? With parents like you, no wonder she turned out this way. Let me make this clear — not one of your daughters is welcome in our Zhou family!”

Lin Ru, still in the kitchen, knew exactly who was being insulted. She couldn’t take it anymore. Holding a spatula, she charged out.

“Xiao Qin, who the hell are you calling ‘crooked’? Flies only stick to rotten meat — your son is just a pile of dog crap!”

SMACK!
Chi Daqiang stormed out and gave Lin Ru a vicious slap across the face.

Lin Ru stood stunned for a moment, then burst into tears and ran out of the Chi household.

“Chi Daqiang, you bastard!”

“We’re leaving.”
Madam Zhou yanked her husband and left in a huff.

Zhou Zixiao looked at Chi Yiyi and said,
“Yiyi, that’s enough. You’ve made your scene — now come with me.”

Chi Daqiang was shocked Zhou Zixiao still hadn’t given up. He quickly jumped in, “Yiyi, if you don’t go with Zixiao, I’ll kill myself!”

Chi Yiyi gave him a cold look.
“If I were you, I’d be out chasing my wife right now.”

Furious, Chi Daqiang stormed off.

Chi Yiyi turned and headed upstairs.

Zhou Zixiao angrily turned and left too. He was convinced she was just throwing a tantrum and that she’d come around after calming down.

With most of the family gone, Chi Junshu suddenly shouted from the living room,
“Sis, stop being dramatic. Ask yourself — can you really live without Zhou Zixiao?”

After all these years, if it hadn’t been for her relationship with Zhou Zixiao, Chi Yiyi would’ve been kicked out of the Chi family long ago.

Chi Yiyi turned around and stared at her ungrateful brother.
“Chi Junshu, have you really forgotten why I voluntarily moved into that cramped, suffocating attic all those years ago?”

Chi Junshu, of course, never reflected on his actions. He turned around and walked out too.