Chapter 2: The Scumbag Came to Apologize? Smash Him with a Kettle

He was dressed in a military uniform. At just twenty-seven, he was already a battalion commander with a bright future. Tall, upright, and handsome—he was the prince charming in the hearts of countless women.

She used to believe that Lu Yanzhi was the most attractive man in the world.

But once the filter was gone, she found Fu Tingzhou to be ten, no—a hundred times better looking.

She had clearly been blinded by lard in her past life, stupid enough to sacrifice her entire life for a scumbag.

Lu Yanzhi frowned deeply. “Li Zhi, I can explain what happened yesterday. Huanhuan thought that after you and I got married, I would stop caring for her and her child. She refused to eat or drink and got seriously ill. She just came out of the emergency room and still needs to be monitored in the hospital. Once the child is discharged, I’ll make it up to you with an even grander wedding. Okay?”

Huanhuan’s child wasn’t even his—it was the daughter of his late comrade and sworn brother.

That comrade had died saving his life, and on his deathbed, entrusted Lu Yanzhi to care for his widow and daughter. Lu felt he was doing the right thing.

Li Zhi, as his wife, should understand.

But Li Zhi replied coldly, “No need. Just cancel the engagement. Also, the hospital fees I advanced for your mother’s treatment—three thousand. Plus three months of caregiving, one thousand five. And all the supplements I bought, the gold bracelet for your mom, jewelry and dresses for your sister—I kept the receipts. Return everything, or I’ll sue your whole family.”

Lu Yanzhi had always believed Li Zhi loved him deeply, so he was fearless.

He assumed she couldn’t live without him, even marrying him against her family’s objections.

She must just be angry about him ditching her at the wedding—or jealous again.

She had always complained he cared too much about Lin Xuewei and her daughter, and too little about her.

Lu Yanzhi took a deep breath to suppress his impatience and explained patiently, “Li Zhi, can you stop making a fuss? The doctor said if that child hadn’t been brought to the hospital in time, she could’ve ended up brain-damaged—or worse, dead. It was serious.

If something had happened to that child, what would Xuewei have done? I would’ve blamed myself for life. They are my responsibility, and I have to take care of them. You’re my future wife. You should understand and help me take care of them too.”

Li Zhi trembled with anger at his shameless words and let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Sure, I can be more understanding. I’ll step aside and let you two be together. Marry Lin Xuewei, be her husband, and play dad to her daughter. After all, a widow always draws gossip, right?”

She had noticed how distracted he was during the ceremony earlier that day, his eyes constantly drifting toward Lin Xuewei. She wasn’t blind.

He loved Lin Xuewei. Marrying her was just his way of getting a free nanny to care for his aging parents.

Lu Yanzhi could hear the sarcasm in her words. His face darkened and his gaze turned icy, like she had touched a nerve. “Li Zhi, can you stop this nonsense?”

His voice was cold and sharp, thick with impatience.

Li Zhi curled her lips into a frosty smile. “If you want me to stop, cancel the engagement and return my money. Then we’re done for good.”

Two years ago, Lu Yanzhi had saved her.

In return, she had taken his mother to the hospital and missed her college entrance exams. Her debt was paid.

In her last life, it was Lu Yanzhi and his family who ruined her.

Lu Yanzhi closed his eyes slightly, hiding the chill in them. He gave another perfunctory apology, “Okay, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad anymore. Let’s sit down and talk.”

He raised his foot, intending to step into the hospital room.

But Li Zhi’s eyes burned red at the memory of her sick, suffering self in the previous life. She snapped, pointing to the door, “Other than breaking off the engagement and returning the money, there’s nothing to talk about. Get out!”

In her past life, she had been too stupid. In this life, she would rather die than marry into the Lu family to become a free nanny again.

She would repeat a year of school, retake the college entrance exams, build a career, make money, and live a life with value—so she wouldn’t waste the second chance Heaven gave her.

Lu Yanzhi’s face darkened completely. The anger he had been suppressing finally broke through. “Li Zhi, this is a human life we’re talking about. A wedding can be rescheduled, but if a life is lost, it’s gone forever. I’ve already apologized. What else do you want from me?!”

Li Zhi gritted her teeth, her chest filled with hatred. She started to lose control, screaming hysterically, “Break off the engagement! There’s nothing to talk about. Get out of here! I don’t want to see you! If you don’t leave, I’ll smash you to death!”

There was a kettle on the nightstand.

She grabbed it and hurled it at him.

Lu Yanzhi, being a trained soldier, reacted quickly and jumped back.

BANG! A dull thud, followed by the sharp sound of shattering glass.

The inner lining of the kettle exploded. Shards and scalding hot water flew in all directions.

The bottom of Lu Yanzhi’s pants was soaked.

The shattered glass on the floor reflected the state of their relationship—broken beyond repair.

Lu Yanzhi’s face turned ashen. “Li Zhi, are you insane?! Yes, I wronged you, but my patience has limits. If you keep this up, I will break off the engagement!”

He still believed she was just playing hard to get.

Li Zhi’s bloodshot eyes burned with hatred. She screamed, “Then do it! Break it off! If you don’t, I’ll go even crazier!” Did he really think marrying him was some kind of favor?

A paralyzed mother, a stroke-stricken father, a bratty sister-in-law, an ungrateful son, and a husband who cheated emotionally while dumping all the family responsibilities on her—wasn’t that hell on earth?

Her family had begged her to divorce him. Every day she worked like a mule, slept less than a dog, and got up before dawn—she had been exhausted and miserable, and had wanted to leave too.

Lu Yanzhi had only kept her because she was a free maid. He had made her pregnant to tie her down for life.

The noise from the argument and smashing kettle drew a crowd.

“What’s going on in there? Even if you’re mad, you can’t destroy public property!”

“Why are young women nowadays so fiery? It’s like they’ve swallowed dynamite. Can’t they talk things through?”

“Yeah! She’s scarier than my wife. That kettle exploded—if it had hit someone, it could’ve killed them!”

Two or three people, who had heard bits of gossip from the nurses, whispered to those nearby.

“The couple fighting in there were supposed to get married today. But the groom’s war buddy’s daughter passed out sick, so the groom abandoned the bride at the wedding to take the kid to the hospital. The bride got so upset, she ran out and got hit by a car. Now she’s got a concussion.”

This instantly turned public opinion.

“So that’s what happened? That groom’s a real jerk.”

“There were so many people at the wedding—anyone could’ve taken the kid. But he had to go? Makes you wonder if the child is even his.”

“She did good smashing that kettle! Us women need to stay tough!”

The men who had been critical earlier fell silent.

Seeing Lu Yanzhi in uniform, no one dared say too much—though many were already scolding him in their hearts.

Li Zhi heard the murmurs outside and realized how stupid she had been in her past life. She had made a scene downstairs and ended up becoming the unreasonable party, apologizing and forgiving Lu Yanzhi in the end.

“You’re just upset now,” Lu Yanzhi said, forcing himself to stay calm. “I’ll pretend you didn’t mean what you said today. Rest and recover. Once you’ve cooled down, we’ll talk again.” He turned and left, his expression dark.

Li Zhi loved him so much—he was sure she couldn’t stay away. Give it a few days, she’d come begging to get back together.

Just then, Li Moli chirped innocently, “Sister, your plan worked. You want to break off the engagement, and Brother Yanzhi refuses—so now you’re using reverse psychology, right? I get it now.”

The hopeful looks in the Li family’s eyes vanished.

Especially Li Jingze.

He questioned angrily, “Li Zhi, is what Moli said true?”

Li Zhi lifted her eyelids, her cold eyes meeting his as she sneered, “Does it matter to you if it’s true? You’ve never believed me—only her. No matter what I say, it’s all lies to you.”

Li Jingze was speechless. “I…”

Li Moli blinked innocently. “Don’t blame Third Brother, sis. It’s not that we don’t want to believe you—it’s that the things you’ve done make it really hard to trust you.

You gave up the college entrance exams just to take Uncle Lu’s paralyzed mother to the hospital. You were so obsessed with marrying Brother Yanzhi… How could we believe you’d back out over something like this? Maybe you’ll forgive him tomorrow.”

Every word poured oil on the fire.

She had worked so hard to drive a wedge between Li Zhi and her family. There was no way she’d let them reconcile.

Li Yongge and his wife exchanged a glance. They felt Moli made sense. Li Zhi was just too stubborn.

Under the blanket, Li Zhi pinched her thigh hard. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, and she sobbed:

“Dad, Mom, I didn’t know any better before. I made you worry. Back in the Ling family, no one ever taught me about people or principles. I only knew how to do farm work—feed pigs, raise chickens, cut grass, and clean.

I didn’t know anything, not even how to love myself. No one ever taught me. I had to learn it all the hard way—bloody and broken.

If the Ling family hadn’t been so selfish, trying to make their daughter live well by forcing me to suffer… If I had grown up with you, I wouldn’t have made such stupid choices…”

Her words stabbed straight into Yuan Huilan’s heart. The tough woman finally broke down and hugged her daughter, crying.

“My poor child. Those damn Lings treated you like dirt!”

Li Zhi hugged her back, choking on her words. “Dad, Mom, I’ll listen to you from now on.”

Li Yongge patted her shoulder. “It’s good that you’ve come to your senses. I’ll definitely help you break off the engagement.”

Where no one could see, the corners of Li Zhi’s eyes lifted slightly as she glanced coldly at the panicked, helpless Li Moli.

She shouldn’t even be called “Li”—her surname should be Ling.

Li Zhi would never forget how in her last life, while she lay sick in bed, Li Moli stabbed her with needles, tortured her, and told her the Li family was ashamed of her and didn’t want her anymore—driving needles into her soul.

Li Moli, just wait. Everything you have now—I’ll take it all back. I’ll make sure you lose everything.