Chapter 4: Are You Crazy?

Upstairs, Fu Jingchen pulled Jiang Yuman into the room and slammed the door shut behind them.

“What are you doing?” As soon as they entered the room, Jiang Yuman said, “Let go of me.”

Not only did Fu Jingchen not let go, but he also tightened his grip, pulling her closer until their faces were almost touching.

His gaze was rare and intimidating as he said each word slowly, “Jiang Yuman, are you crazy?”

Just thinking about her announcing to everyone at the dinner table that she wanted to go to the countryside ignited a fire within him.

After their marriage, her demands for a luxury car to pick her up and her daily worries about what clothes to wear and where to go were all that mattered to her.

How could she possibly bear the hardships of rural life?

Jiang Yuman wrinkled her nose and struggled with her wrist, “Let go, you’re hurting me!”

Fu Jingchen looked down and noticed her fair wrist was slightly red, prompting him to instinctively release her grip.

Yet, even as he loosened his hold, his face remained enshrouded in a thick layer of coldness, still reflecting the frustration of her recent words.

Once her hand was free, Jiang Yuman rubbed her sore wrist and stepped back a bit.

This man was indeed strong, having come from the military!

“I don’t agree with your plan to go to the countryside,” he said, taking a deep breath and lowering his voice. “What do you think the countryside is, some paradise?”

From the very beginning, their family had only wished for her to keep the baby; they had never… never hoped that she would stay with them in this house.

Let alone want to go to the countryside with them.

She wouldn’t be able to endure such a life!

Fu Jingchen looked at Jiang Yuman standing before him.

From his perspective, the woman’s eyelashes drooped, her gaze flickering before it turned resolute.

“But I don’t want to be alone.”

Jiang Yuman lifted her head and looked him in the eye, “Before, I truly didn’t want to go to the countryside; I couldn’t handle farm work, and I was afraid of hardship.”

“That’s why I acted out and behaved like a madwoman.”

“But now, as the time to go to the countryside approaches, I’ve realized that what I fear the most isn’t the hardship of country life, but the thought of being apart from you all.”

As her words lingered in the air, the room fell into a brief silence.

Jiang Yuman understood the significant damage her previous actions had caused to the Fu family, especially to Fu Jingchen as her closest confidant.

She had to find a reasonable explanation for her sudden change.

Since she had decided to live well with him, she needed to earnestly try to gain his favor.

Her words certainly had a considerable impact on Fu Jingchen.

At least Jiang Yuman could feel a weighty gaze on her, almost as if it had substance.

After saying this, she felt a flutter of anxiety as to whether Fu Jingchen would believe her.

However, upon deeper reflection, given the original owner’s previous behavior within this family, even if Fu Jingchen disagreed, he couldn’t stop her from going to the countryside.

With this thought, her expression became much more relaxed.

Fu Jingchen withdrew his gaze, looking somewhat dazed.

Seeing his reaction, Jiang Yuman pressed on, “And with you there, you won’t let me and our child suffer, will you?”

It was still true that a malnourished camel is bigger than a horse.

In the plot of the story, after the Fu family went to the countryside, they didn’t live in a cow shed or do the hardest labor like other reformed elements.

Thanks to their connections, they would have a life in the countryside similar to ordinary young people; although they wouldn’t have the same food conditions as before, it would be manageable.

What’s more, she had arrived just in time; unlike the original plot where the Fu family was torn apart by anger.

The situation would not be worse than in the book; it would only get better.

Fu Jingchen looked at Jiang Yuman, at a loss for how to respond.

Understanding a woman’s heart is like finding a needle in the ocean. At this moment, Fu Jingchen found this statement to be painfully true. It was hundreds of times more challenging to understand a woman’s mind than to figure out a soldier’s intentions. He didn’t know why she abruptly changed her mind.

But if she truly intended to create a loving family, as she said, then after going to the countryside, he wouldn’t let her suffer.

The question was, could she really manage it?

Recalling how she had mocked him for his previous promises more than once, inexplicably, Fu Jingchen remained silent.

Jiang Yuman seemed to guess at his inner turmoil. “Honey, why aren’t you answering me?”

Hearing that endearing term, Fu Jingchen looked at her with a serious expression, feeling somewhat self-conscious.

How could she… so naturally call him that?

She had never referred to him this way before.

Not wanting to overthink it, and seeing he hadn’t responded, she tugged at his arm playfully.

She urged him for a response.

“…If you can do it,” Fu Jingchen finally relented.

Looking into her serious and deep black eyes, he said softly, “Before we set off, you can back out at any time.”

He knew she was accustomed to getting her way, so he offered her the chance to withdraw.

“I won’t back out.” When Jiang Yuman said this, her gaze was as determined as if she were about to join a party.

What kind of joke was that?

Why would she suffer first only to enjoy later? She wanted to enjoy life right next to Fu Jingchen, not endure hardship.

Moreover, it was uncertain if the hardship was even necessary…

She would not back down, not in this lifetime!

At that moment, she couldn’t help but glance at Fu Jingchen; his tall stature, perfect bone structure, and even the deep double eyelids of his eyes were so captivating.

He truly was her aesthetic ideal.

Unless one experienced it firsthand, who would imagine that upon waking, they suddenly had a husband and that she was even pregnant?

Since she was here, she might as well accept it.

Seeing Jiang Yuman so determined in her response, Fu Jingchen’s fist, which had been hanging at his side, tightened again.

He told himself he would trust her one more time. Even if her motives had been to seek the Fu family’s power before, the current Fu family was even less desirable than her maternal home!

In this situation, she was willing to face hardship in the countryside and bring their child into the world. How could he not be moved?

Remembering the porridge they hadn’t finished earlier, he asked, “Are you hungry?”

“Hungry… oh?” Jiang Yuman placed a hand on her growing belly and exclaimed in surprise, “The little one is hungry too; it’s kicking me.”

Before this, she had been a sheltered young lady, without even a boyfriend, and had no idea what pregnancy felt like.

Now, looking down at her belly, she felt for the first time that there was indeed a child inside her.

That feeling was truly wonderful.

Her long, curled eyelashes hung low, and as she touched her belly, a dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Fu Jingchen watched this beautiful scene, his dark eyes softening slightly. “Then let’s go downstairs.”

With that, he turned to open the door.

Just as he was about to step out, he saw a hand reaching out toward him.

He looked up at Jiang Yuman, seemingly puzzled.

“Hold my hand.” Jiang Yuman was looking at him confidently.

Fu Jingchen paused for a moment, then understood she wanted to do this for Fu Wangshan and his wife to see, so he took her hand.

At that moment, the few people at the dining table, consumed by their thoughts, were eating in silence.

Hearing movement on the stairs, they quickly turned their heads to look.

When they saw the two of them walking down hand in hand, everyone froze in place.

Especially Fu Haitang, her eyes nearly popping out. “Mom, am I dreaming in broad daylight?”

“Did I really see that bad woman holding my brother’s hand?”