Han Xinrui slept exceptionally well that night.

In her previous life, she had suffered from depression and hadn’t slept through the night in years.

The feeling of falling asleep peacefully—it was wonderful.

She stepped out of the room to find Huo Hongtao sitting there waiting for her.

Seeing her come out, he spoke up at once. “Go make some porridge. Niuniu loves the porridge you make. He had a high fever all night and suffered a lot. Make something light.”

Han Xinrui looked at Huo Hongtao with a cold and mocking gaze when she heard his words.

His eyes darted, his tone turning irritable. “Han Xinrui, are you trying to pick a fight first thing in the morning? Go make the porridge, and then come with me to apologize to my sister-in-law. A woman’s reputation is so important these days. Don’t ever do something like that again.”

As Huo Hongtao kept talking, Han Xinrui suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Her smile only made him more annoyed. He snapped, “If I had known you were this petty, I would never have married you.”

Han Xinrui replied calmly, “Then let’s get a divorce.”

Huo Hongtao’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you say?”

Han Xinrui repeated herself, clearly and firmly. “I won’t get in the way of you taking care of your sister-in-law and her son anymore. Let’s get a divorce.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

Huo Hongtao watched her retreating back, a strange panic rising in his chest.

She… she was really angry this time.

Had he gone too far last night? It was their wedding night, after all.

Just as he was thinking of running after her to coax her, Bai Qingqing appeared.

“Brother Huo, did Xinrui make the porridge? Niuniu said he’s hungry.” Bai Qingqing stood at the door and peeked into the house.

Huo Hongtao looked up at the sound of her voice. “I’ll go get something from the canteen. Xinrui is still mad at me. I don’t know when she’ll ever be as gentle and understanding as you.”

At that, a subtle smile curled on Bai Qingqing’s lips. She walked over and gently took his hand. “Brother Huo, I really don’t know how to explain things to Xinrui so she’ll believe that nothing happened between us.”

Then she added sensibly, “It’s fine. If Xinrui is upset, I’ll try not to trouble you anymore. You’re married now.”

Huo Hongtao immediately replied in a stern voice, “Qingqing, I promised Ah Zhong. Don’t say things like that. I’ll handle Xinrui.”

Bai Qingqing smiled, pleased with his response. “Okay.”

Then she tugged his arm. “Since Xinrui didn’t cook for you, come eat at my place. I have to make something for Niuniu anyway.”

Huo Hongtao hesitated, about to decline, when Bai Qingqing softly asked, “Brother Huo, do you know why Xinrui always throws a tantrum?”

He frowned, puzzled.

“Because she knows it works,” Bai Qingqing said gently, watching his face for a reaction. “Whenever she doesn’t get her way, she makes a scene and gets what she wants. Just like a child who cries and fusses to get something, of course she’ll keep doing it. Think about it. Isn’t that how it’s always been?”

Huo Hongtao nodded in agreement. “Yes, every time she causes a fuss, I give in.”

“Then don’t give in this time. Let her calm down and reflect on herself,” Bai Qingqing said. “You two are married now. This isn’t how married life should be.”

“You’re right,” Huo Hongtao nodded again.

Satisfied, Bai Qingqing led him back to her place.

…

Han Xinrui returned from outside with two meat buns and some soy milk.

When she reached the gate of the residential compound, she found many people looking at her with curious expressions. Some were even whispering among themselves.

Han Xinrui acted as though she didn’t see them, smiling and greeting everyone as she passed.

In her past life, she had spent her whole life worrying about appearances, and still ended up disgraced.

In this life, she cared only about money and justice. Saving face meant nothing to her.

A few gossip-loving aunties came over and said, “Xinrui, I just saw your Hongtao coming out of Bai Qingqing’s place. You two just got married yesterday, and he’s already over there early in the morning!”

Han Xinrui smiled politely and looked surprised. “Really? Niuniu must be sick again. It’s not easy for a woman to raise a child on her own.”

The others tried to egg her on. “You should go check. Director Huo is your husband. He can’t keep running off to her house.”

Han Xinrui only smiled. “He’s my husband. Of course I trust him.”

With that, she quickened her pace and headed home, paying no attention to the women gossiping behind her.

Once home, she finished breakfast and began packing her things.

After sorting through her clothes, she searched the wardrobe for her dowry.

No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find the gold bars her parents had given her.

Those were what her adoptive parents had saved for her before they died.

Unable to have children of their own, they had taken her in after finding her at the logging site. They treated her very well.

They had died when the fertilizer factory collapsed. She was only twelve at the time.

The compensation had gone to the Huo family, who then raised her.

The gold bars had been left to her as a dowry.

Unable to find them, she decided to wait until Huo Hongtao returned to ask him about it.

She then checked her money box.

Five years ago, when she didn’t get into high school, she found work at the textile factory near the fertilizer plant. She could read, so she worked as a seamstress. Her monthly pay wasn’t as high as Huo Hongtao’s, but she still earned thirty-eight yuan a month.

She had saved all those wages in her money box.

But when she opened it, it was completely empty.

The money and ration tickets she had saved over five years were all gone.

Han Xinrui stared at the box in a daze for a long while before suddenly standing up.

She didn’t question Huo Hongtao.

She went straight to the local police station near the compound.

Walking in, she said to the officer, “Comrade, someone broke into my home. My dowry and savings were stolen.”

The police immediately followed her back to the compound to investigate.

Once there, she pointed out her wardrobe and the money box to them.

“My dowry included five gold bars, which my adoptive parents saved for me before they passed. I kept them in the bottom drawer of my wardrobe. The money box was under my bed. It held over two thousand yuan and some ration and meat tickets,” Han Xinrui explained clearly.

The officers thoroughly inspected the wardrobe and under the bed.

They also checked the locks on the doors.

…

Just as they were examining the front door, Bai Qingqing arrived.

Seeing so many officers, she was startled and rushed over to ask one of the onlookers, Aunt Liu, “Auntie Liu, what happened at Brother Huo’s house?”

Aunt Liu gave her a glance and said, “Got robbed.”

“Robbed?” Bai Qingqing was stunned. “This is the family compound. How could there be thieves?”

Aunt Liu went on, “I heard Xinrui’s dowry and money were stolen.”

She raised five fingers. “Five gold bars and over two thousand yuan. Who knows if they’ll ever get it back.”

Bai Qingqing turned pale when she heard that. She glanced down at the gold bracelet on her wrist.

After standing frozen for a moment, she suddenly stumbled away to find Huo Hongtao.

Soon after, she returned with him.

As soon as he entered, he stormed up to Han Xinrui. “Han Xinrui, what kind of nonsense are you stirring up now?”

Han Xinrui looked at the sweat-soaked Huo Hongtao and replied calmly, “The gold bars my parents left me are missing. The money and tickets from my money box are gone too. Of course I had to report it.”

Huo Hongtao’s face turned pale. He stammered, “They weren’t stolen. Tell the officers to leave.”