Chapter 37

Li Ling and Li Yu

The next morning, Zhang Shiye arrived at the educated youth residence early with breakfast for Xia Wanyang: pumpkin millet porridge, egg pancakes, and shredded potato pickles.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Xia Wanyang, still half-asleep, heard a knock at the door. Eyes closed, she shuffled to the door, yawning as she asked, “Who is it?” Her voice carried the grogginess of morning and a hint of nasal tone.

Opening the door slowly, she was instantly wide awake upon seeing the person standing there—Zhang Shiye. His face radiated a bright smile, and his gentle eyes rested on her.

Caught off guard by her disheveled appearance, Xia Wanyang’s eyes widened, and she panicked, trying to shut the door. But Zhang Shiye held it firmly, stopping her.

“Wait!” she exclaimed, flustered, and quickly shut the door. She hurriedly freshened up, and within a minute, she opened the door again, now neatly dressed and well-groomed.

Feigning composure, she asked with a smile, “Why are you here so early?”

Zhang Shiye gestured to the basket in his hand. “Bringing you breakfast. You lost blood yesterday, so you need to recover. The food here isn’t nutritious enough,” he said plainly.

Xia Wanyang’s mouth twitched. “Come in, then.”

Zhang Shiye handed her the basket and said softly, “I have to get to work, so I won’t come in. Just leave the basket here after you’re done. I’ll bring lunch and pick it up later.” 

Xia Wanyang accepted the basket, glanced around nervously, then quickly leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you!” she whispered.

Zhang Shiye’s heart raced as if a wild rabbit were leaping inside his chest. His ears flushed bright red, and he coughed to mask his nerves. “I made it myself. Hope you like it,” he said, quickly turning and leaving as if fleeing from fire.

Inside, Xia Wanyang swayed with delight as she ate, marveling at how delicious his cooking was. “Looks like I’ll be eating well from now on,” she thought happily.

Just as she finished eating, another knock sounded at the door. Quickly wiping her mouth and checking her reflection, she opened the door, starting to say, “Why are you back agai—” But her words caught in her throat when she saw who was there.

Standing outside were Li Ling and her sister, Li Yu.

Last night, after being humiliated at dinner, Li Ling had gone home to persuade her sister to let it go. But Li Yu had thrown a tantrum, refusing to listen. Left with no choice, Li Ling brought her to confront Xia Wanyang directly.

Xia Wanyang frowned. How did these two know to find her here?

“Who are you?” she asked coldly.

Li Ling quickly ushered herself and her sister inside. “I’m Zhang Shiye’s third sister-in-law, and this is my sister. We need to talk,” she said, seating herself as if she owned the place.

Xia Wanyang’s face darkened. “What do you want?”

Li Ling sized her up and said, “I heard you’re dating Shiye?”

Xia Wanyang said nothing, but Li Ling pressed on, undeterred. “Well, his marriage isn’t up to him. My parents don’t approve of you. They want a reliable girl, and they’ve taken a liking to my sister here. Besides, you’re from the city, right? You’ll go back eventually. There are plenty of eligible bachelors in the city, so why hang yourself on our Shiye’s tree?”

Xia Wanyang sneered, her gaze cold. “Alright, you two sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

Before the sisters could react, Xia Wanyang stepped out and locked the door behind her with a loud click. 

Li Ling and Li Yu panicked, banging on the door, but the workday had started, and the youth residence was empty. They hadn’t anticipated this response at all.

Meanwhile, Xia Wanyang strolled to the fields where Zhang Shiye was working. Spotting her from afar, he immediately dropped his tools and ran toward her.

“Why are you here again? Didn’t I tell you to rest?” he scolded gently, frowning.

Xia Wanyang huffed. “Come with me.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked back toward the residence. Zhang Shiye hurriedly followed, asking, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

She ignored him until they reached her room. Unlocking the door, she pointed to the two women inside and said, “Zhang Shiye, your sister-in-law brought her sister here to tell me to break up with you. She claims your parents want her sister as their daughter-in-law.”

Zhang Shiye’s expression darkened instantly, his eyes cold enough to freeze the air. He stepped into the room slowly, each step making Li Ling and Li Yu tremble as if their hearts were being crushed.

Li Ling’s face turned pale, her body shaking uncontrollably. Clutching her sister’s hand, she forced a weak smile and stammered, “Shiye, Shiye, there’s been a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean—”

“Li Ling,” Zhang Shiye interrupted icily, “Have you been enjoying life too much since I became the brigade accountant? You think you can cross me now? You’ve forgotten, haven’t you, that I don’t hold back against women?”

Li Ling’s face drained of color as memories of the past flooded back—when she first married into the Zhang family, she had argued with her mother-in-law and even pushed her once. Without hesitation, Zhang Shiye had kicked her so hard that she was bedridden for two weeks.

“No, no, no, Third Sister-in-law was wrong. I shouldn’t have come to bother Xia Zhiqing with nonsense. Please forgive me this time, Shiye. I promise there won’t be a next time!” 

Zhang Shiye cast a cold glance at Li Yu, who was hiding behind her sister. “Have you heard the saying, ‘A toad lusting after a swan’s flesh’? It doesn’t just apply to women—it works for men too. Go home, take a good look in the mirror, and face reality. Delusions are a sickness; they need treatment.”

After saying that, he turned to Xia Wanyang, his deep eyes filled with apology. “Wanyang, I’m sorry. I promise this will be the last time. Nothing this disgusting will ever happen again. Please don’t be mad, okay?” 

Xia Wanyang raised her head slightly, her gaze firm as she looked at Zhang Shiye. Then, she stepped forward gracefully, gently took his arm, and let her fingers slide across the back of his hand before interlocking their fingers tightly. 

She turned her gaze toward Li Ling and Li Yu, a proud smile playing on her lips. “You two can forget it. For this lifetime, Zhang Shiye is mine, and mine alone.”

Li Yu burst into tears, wailing uncontrollably. Li Ling, flustered by Zhang Shiye’s disdainful look, hurriedly dragged her sister away.

Zhang Shiye gently pulled Xia Wanyang into his arms, his eyes smiling as he asked, “Who does Zhang Shiye belong to in this lifetime?” 

Xia Wanyang pinched his waist, though it didn’t seem to faze him. “I’ve completely offended your sister-in-law today. Will this affect your relationship with your brother?” 

“No, she is her, and my Third Brother is my Third Brother.” 

Feeling reassured, Xia Wanyang hugged him for a little longer before Zhang Shiye returned to work.