Chapter 2: I’m Afraid You Can’t Handle It

Tao Hua looked up at the man in front of her with a pitiful expression. “Can you help me up again? I can’t stand.”

The man was putting on his outer coat. Understanding the young lady’s predicament, he stepped forward.

However, just as he bent down to pull Tao Hua up, his movements suddenly froze.

Tao Hua didn’t know what was wrong with him; she only sensed that his gaze was a bit strange.

Unconsciously, she followed the man’s line of sight and looked down at herself, and her face flushed deep red all the way to her neck!

She!! When she jumped into the water earlier, she had taken off her cotton jacket and padded jacket, leaving only an inner garment on!

Now, her clothes were wet and clinging tightly to her body, leaving nothing hidden!

She instinctively raised her hands to cover herself, not daring to look at the man, and said, “Y-You should go! My clothes are on that rock over there. Could you throw them to me? I won’t tell anyone about today’s events, and please don’t mention it to anyone else. Is that okay?”

“Sure.” As soon as she finished speaking, the man’s voice replied from above.

Soon after, her jacket was placed by her side.

Watching the man stride into the woods, she hurriedly began to put her clothes on.

But she was still too slow. Just as she was flustered, Aunt Wang, who was rushing over to claim a spot, spotted her.

“Isn’t that Tao Hua? What are you doing here so early? I think I just saw a man heading into the woods—what’s going on here?!!”

“Oh my goodness, are you up to something? Is this a man’s belt?” Aunt Wang exclaimed as she bent down to pick up a black belt from the ground.

When Tao Hua looked closely, she realized with dread that this must belong to the man who had saved her.

He had taken off his outer coat to rescue her from the river, and in his hurry to get dressed, he had forgotten to fasten his belt.

What should she do? Tao Hua panicked.

Seeing her expression, Aunt Wang became excited, as if she had caught a thief.

“Tao Hua, oh Tao Hua! You’re just an unmarried girl, how did you learn to steal a man? How can you be so shameless?”

Before long, rumors about Tao Hua having an affair with the man by the river began to spread.

Her stepfather, Chen Dashan, relentlessly pressed her for the man’s name.

Tao Hua refused to tell him, as she didn’t even know who the man was.

She endured Chen Dashan’s beatings and scoldings without uttering a word.

She didn’t want to harm her life-saving benefactor.

She knew what Chen Dashan was after; he wanted to find out who the man was and demand money from him to sell her off.

But this time, she wanted to resist. She would not comply with Chen Dashan’s wishes. Just as that man had said, life is only one, and it must be cherished.

From now on, she would no longer allow her stepfather to trample on her life.

However, no one expected that the next morning, that strange man would come to their door with things in hand to propose marriage…

As the sound of ‘knock, knock, knock’ echoed from outside the yard, Tao Hua was sweeping the courtyard. Her mother, Mrs. Zhou, was preparing breakfast for the family, her younger sister Chen Xiaoguo was feeding the chickens, and her second sister Chen Xiaoye was taking care of their little brother.

Meanwhile, her stepfather, Chen Dashan, was lounging with his legs crossed, drinking while munching on a plate of peanuts.

He cursed at Tao Hua while drinking:

“You useless piece of trash! You know how to flirt with men, but why haven’t I seen you flirting with Li Gui? I thought you could become the young mistress of the Li family. I raised you to be plump and pretty, and yet you end up being someone else’s concubine without even getting noticed!

Pah! You’re just a useless money pit! What’s the point of raising you?! If you don’t tell me who that man is, I’ll sell you to a brothel tomorrow!”

Tao Hua had died once already, and now hearing her stepfather’s foul curses, she was no longer afraid.

She stopped her movements and turned around, glaring fiercely at Chen Dashan!

Just as she was about to grab the broom and confront him, the knocking at the door grew louder.

At the same time, the village chief’s wife’s voice called out: “Dashan, Mrs. Zhou, are you two home?”

Hearing someone call him, Chen Dashan glanced at Tao Hua, who was standing motionless with the broom in her hand, and finally gave her a proper look.

Just as he was about to scold her for being deaf and not opening the door, he noticed that Tao Hua’s gaze was different!

Her eyes, filled with resentment and hatred, looked like a little wolf cub!

Just then, a chill breeze swept through the courtyard, and Chen Dashan couldn’t help but shiver.

The knocking continued, and seeing that Chen Dashan was the only one not busy, Tao Hua kept sweeping further away.

She wasn’t going to open the door; if someone was going to do it, it should be Chen Dashan.

Thinking he would teach the troublesome girl a lesson later, Chen Dashan got up and headed for the courtyard door.

When the door opened, he saw the village chief’s wife standing outside with a tall, strong man beside her, followed by many neighbors—clearly there to enjoy the spectacle.

Before Chen Dashan could say a word, the village chief’s wife cheerfully announced, “Where’s your Mrs. Zhou? Why isn’t she here? Your family has good news! Someone has come to propose to Tao Hua!”

While sweeping, Tao Hua immediately turned back upon hearing the words “propose.”

When she looked toward the courtyard door, she froze in place.