Chapter 8: Slapping the Green Tea Sister and the Spoiled Sister-in-Law

The two who had just entered were none other than Lu Yanzhi and Lin Xuewei.

They found an empty table. Lu Yanzhi thoughtfully pulled out a chair for her and, without avoiding suspicion, sat down in the seat right next to her.

Anyone watching would assume they were a couple or married.

After ordering food from the waiter, Lu Yanzhi looked up and caught sight of Li Zhi and Fu Tingzhou sitting together, chatting.

They looked like a perfect match—handsome man, beautiful woman. The other customers couldn’t help glancing their way.

Seeing this, a tight pain gripped Lu Yanzhi’s chest. A flood of complicated emotions surged inside him, making it hard to breathe.

He wanted to rush over and drag Li Zhi back to his side. She was still his fiancée—how could she sit with another man like this?

But because of Fu Tingzhou’s identity, he could only stare daggers at Li Zhi, his eyes brimming with resentment and fury.

Li Zhi noticed his angry gaze but pretended not to see it, continuing her conversation with Fu Tingzhou.

They were discussing the procedure for requesting a marriage withdrawal through the military unit.

Fu Tingzhou patiently answered her questions.

Li Zhi nodded, signaling she understood and remembered everything.

Unable to hold back, Lu Yanzhi threw her another warning glare.

Heh.

He could spend all day glued to Lin Xuewei’s side, yet she wasn’t allowed to have a simple meal with another man?

Fine. Let him be mad. Serve him right.

“Yanzhi? Yanzhi, are you even listening? What are you looking at?” Lin Xuewei noticed his distraction, followed his line of sight, and also saw Li Zhi and Fu Tingzhou.

A flicker of surprise crossed her pretty eyes. “Li Zhi? What are you doing here?”

Though the tables were only one apart, she didn’t speak loudly.

Li Zhi still heard it. She curled her lips into a cold smirk. “This is a restaurant. You two are allowed to come, but I’m not?”

Lin Xuewei smiled gently and shook her head, gesturing at the two lunchboxes on the table. “That’s not what I meant. I just thought you were still recovering in the hospital, so I brought two boxes of food to take upstairs to apologize to you.”

Li Zhi wasn’t sure if she had misjudged Lin Xuewei in the past, or if she herself had grown wiser. She wasn’t so easily manipulated anymore.

She snorted coldly. “Not interested.”

Lin Xuewei was the same as ever—always pretending to be innocent, using false apologies after scheming to destroy her and Lu Yanzhi’s relationship.

Lin Xuewei looked slightly embarrassed but kept smiling. She glanced at Lu Yanzhi for support.

Lu Yanzhi was already angry and seized the moment to lash out. “Li Zhi, Xuewei doesn’t owe you anything. She’s always spoken well of you, telling me to make peace and apologize to you. She feels guilty and wanted to make amends. If you’re angry, take it out on me, not her.”

Li Zhi replied, “If you’re so protective of her, why not cooperate with my request to end the engagement and marry her instead? That way, you won’t have to resent me for standing in your way.”

Everyone had always said they were a perfect couple, and she was the obstacle. Let them be together. She wasn’t marrying in this lifetime anyway.

The table of diners between them had completely stopped eating and were now watching the drama unfold.

What a juicy scandal—too big to finish.

From the conversation, they gathered that Lu Yanzhi and Li Zhi were engaged, yet both had brought another companion for a meal—at the same restaurant, same time, and just one table apart. Now they were hurling insults across the room.

You couldn’t script something this dramatic!

Lu Yanzhi’s expression darkened. “I won’t break off the engagement. Our marriage application was already approved. If I don’t agree, it won’t go through. Give up. You can only marry me and become my wife.”

The more she wanted to end it, the more he refused.

He stared intently at her, trying to read her reaction. He feared she was trying to break the engagement because she had fallen for Fu Tingzhou.

But after being married to him for sixteen years in her previous life, Li Zhi could read him like a book. She knew what he was thinking.

So he could have his precious “white moonlight(Bai Yueguang),” but she wasn’t allowed any man in her life? How ridiculous.

Suddenly, a new and better idea for revenge flashed through her mind: find someone more powerful, more handsome, and rub it in his face.

That way, she could get back not just at Lu Yanzhi, but also Lu Jiaxin—the spoiled brat who had treated her like a servant and indirectly caused her miscarriage. After all, Fu Tingzhou was her crush.

But… Fu Tingzhou was a good man.

He didn’t deserve to be used as a tool for revenge.

Li Zhi stared blankly at him, lost in thought.

Fu Tingzhou’s narrow, phoenix eyes lowered slightly. Catching her gaze, he asked softly, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

His deep voice was warm and pleasant.

Feeling like he could see right through her, Li Zhi shook her head. “No, just a little hungry. Wondering when the food will arrive.”

Fu Tingzhou looked over and saw a waiter bringing dishes. “It should be soon.”

“Here’s your food. Enjoy.”

Fu Tingzhou rinsed their bowls and chopsticks with tea, even doing hers for her like a gentleman.

He really was a charming man. Hard to believe he wasn’t married at his age.

Unconsciously, she began comparing him to Lu Yanzhi.

Out of the corner of her eye, she looked over at the other table.

Lu Yanzhi also rinsed utensils—but not for her.

She should’ve realized sooner. What began as love became duty for their child. She had struggled in a loveless marriage for sixteen years until it drained her dry.

“Thank you, Commander Fu,” Li Zhi said as she reached for the bowl and chopsticks.

She had just gotten confirmation from the political officer about the marriage withdrawal. In a good mood, she ate happily.

At the next table, Lu Yanzhi couldn’t even focus on his food.

He had noticed that when he rinsed Lin Xuewei’s bowl, Li Zhi snuck a glance in their direction. That meant she still cared. She was just trying to make him jealous.

He’d explain everything to Fu Tingzhou later—tell him to stay away from Li Zhi or risk being used as a pawn in her revenge.

Just then, Li Moli and Lu Jiaxin walked in.

Li Moli opened her mouth with classic green tea hypocrisy. “Sister, I was wondering why you weren’t in your hospital room. You didn’t even tell me you were going out. I was so scared! What if something happened to you? How would I explain to Mom and Dad? Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

Li Zhi put her chopsticks down, eyes cold. “I don’t need you taking care of me.”

“Oh? Then what—do you want Commander Fu to take care of you for the rest of your life? That’s not proper, is it? A single man and woman… People might get the wrong idea,” Li Moli said, covering her mouth in mock embarrassment.

Next to her, Lu Jiaxin was practically itching to attack. Go on, hit her already! Beat that bitch Li Zhi into a coma, make her brain-dead if possible!*

Lu Jiaxin stormed up, screaming, “Li Zhi, you shameless tramp! You have family, so why are you clinging to Brother Fu? Are you faking your injury to seduce him?!”

“And who are you to question me? What right do you have? Who even are you to him?”

Lu Jiaxin choked. “I…”

Fu Tingzhou’s voice turned cold. “Comrade Lu, I don’t know you. Please stop interfering in my affairs.”

Li Zhi added, “Did you hear that? You’re nothing to him. Know your place. Don’t act like a mad dog, biting people at random.”

Lu Jiaxin shrieked, “AHH! Li Zhi, you b*tch, did you just call me a mad dog?!”

She screamed and was about to whine to Fu Tingzhou in a fake, sugary voice. “Brother Fu, don’t be fooled by this vixen. Back in school, she seduced boys into bringing her breakfast and snacks. They even fought over her!”

Fu Tingzhou’s frown deepened. He wasn’t amused. “I know how to handle my affairs. Don’t spread baseless rumors. You’ll be held legally accountable.”

Lu Jiaxin panicked. “Brother Fu, how can you say that? I’m doing this for your own good—ah!”

SMACK! Li Zhi slapped her across the face and yanked the gold bracelet off her wrist. It scraped her hand, leaving red welts and a burning pain.

“Ah! It hurts! Li Zhi, are you crazy?! That’s MY bracelet!”

“Oh? Is it? You sure? That’s the one you stole from me.”

SMACK! Another slap.

“You’re shameless—calling this your bracelet? You stole it from me!”

“Jiaxin!” Lu Yanzhi could no longer sit still seeing his sister getting slapped. He rushed over to catch her swaying body and shouted, “Li Zhi, are you crazy?! Why hit Jiaxin? Take it out on me if you’re mad!”

Li Zhi sneered, “I am taking it out on her. Her mouth is filthy, spreading rumors about me. Every time she does it, I’ll slap her again.”

Lu Yanzhi’s temples pulsed, veins popping. His red eyes glared as he raised a hand—“You…”

Seeing this, Li Zhi’s eyes widened, and she quickly stepped back, shielding her face.

She knew he wasn’t bluffing. He would hit her.

In her past life, every time she fought with Chen Guizhen or Lu Jiaxin, Lu Yanzhi always sided against her, slapping her hard. Once, while pregnant, she slapped Lu Jiaxin and he hit her so hard she fell to the ground.

This time, before the slap could land, she felt a broad chest at her back.

Fu Tingzhou.

He shielded her in his arms, catching Lu Yanzhi’s arm mid-air.

Their hands locked in a silent power struggle—one pushing down, the other gripping firmly.

They were at a standstill.

Lu Yanzhi, mindful of his position, withdrew his hand and growled, “Tingzhou, this is our family’s business. Stay out of it.”

Fu Tingzhou retorted, “As a man—no, as a soldier—is hitting a woman your idea of honor?”

Lu Jiaxin clutched her face, tears streaming down. She pitifully whined, “Brother Fu, why are you protecting her? It’s not fair! She hit me first, and it hurts so much, wuwuwu…”

“Comrade Lu, we’re not related. Don’t call me ‘Brother Fu,’” Fu Tingzhou said coldly. His phoenix eyes turned to Lu Yanzhi. “Li Zhi is not only your fiancée but also a patient. The doctor said she might have a concussion. Are you seriously going to hit her?”

He’d only met Lu Jiaxin once—when she visited Lu Yanzhi at the military base and was introduced by name.

They hadn’t had any further interaction.

Lu Jiaxin’s overly familiar attitude disgusted him.

In contrast, after spending just two days with Li Zhi, she still respectfully called him “Commander Fu” and was careful not to get too close.

Lin Xuewei tried to calm things down. “Yanzhi, Li Zhi isn’t well. She’s still your fiancée. Let it go.”

Li Moli couldn’t help herself. “Sister, how could you hit someone? It’s one thing to bully me at home, but Jiaxin is your sister-in-law!”

SMACK!

Li Zhi slapped her across the face.

The air went silent.

Li Moli was stunned, clutching her burning cheek. She stared at Li Zhi in disbelief before slowly turning her head. “You hit me?”

“Why not? You always claim I bully you. Well, now I am bullying you. Let’s show everyone what that looks like. You’re used to it, right? If not, go cry to your real parents. Stop clinging to mine and stealing my family.”

She rubbed her sore wrist and raised her hand again.

Terrified, Li Moli shielded her face with her arm and backed away. “Li Zhi! Mom and Dad told us to treat each other like real sisters. I’m telling them about this!”

“Go ahead. You’re an adult and still tattling? How childish!”

“You—!” Li Moli was enraged. She dropped the act and tried to slap back.

Before her hand could land, a large hand gripped her wrist.

The strength in it made her feel like her bones would shatter.

Searing pain radiated through her body. She trembled, face pale, and screamed, “Ahhh!”