Chapter 4

The Abusive Ex-Husband Comes Knocking

“This woman looks kind of familiar…” Yang Wei murmured, rubbing his chin.

It felt like he had seen her somewhere before.

Suddenly, he pulled a black-and-white photo out of his pocket and exclaimed, “Isn’t she Hu Ouhua, the woman Third Uncle introduced to me? This morning, she was supposed to meet me for a blind date, but she ran off! I can’t believe she’s here, seducing some random man!”

Good, very good.

So, Hu Ouhua had cold feet because she thought she found a better catch?

What a joke.

Lu Yuetang was not a superficial man. He had already set his sights on Yang Jiao Jiao and promised that once he finished his work in Ningcheng, he would take her back to the capital to marry.

“Brother, what do we do? You have to help me!” Yang Jiao Jiao was on the verge of tears.

Yang Wei’s pockmarked face twisted into a fierce expression. Clenching his fist, he sneered, “She thinks she can do whatever she wants just because she has a pretty face? Don’t worry. I won’t let her get away with it.”

Third Uncle had once mentioned that Hu Ouhua was most afraid of Wang Chunlan.

So, he grabbed his cursing sister and left.

Hearing the footsteps fade outside, Hu Ouhua put down her book, feeling anxious. She could easily guess what Yang Wei was up to.

She knew a tough battle was inevitable.

She just hadn’t expected it to come so soon.

And something was puzzling—earlier, Yang Jiao Jiao had asked why she was in her fiancé’s house. Could that mean the man she was working for was… Lu Yuetang?

The thought made her knees go weak.

With growing unease, she went about preparing dinner as night fell.

At exactly 8 PM, the tall figure of Lu Yuetang, clad in his military uniform, walked through the cold night, opened the courtyard gate, and entered the house, exhausted.

“Boil a bucket of hot water. I need a medicinal bath,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

Hearing the words “medicinal bath,” Hu Ouhua’s breathing hitched.

“At home, you don’t have to be so formal with me. Just call me by my name. I forgot to introduce myself—I’m Lu Yuetang, and I’ll only be staying in Ningcheng for a month.”

He hung his military cap on the rack and turned back to glance at her, his gaze sharp and intense.

Lu Yuetang!

It really was him…

Hu Ouhua’s mind was in turmoil.

That night, the basement had been pitch dark. Even when the door opened, not a sliver of light came through. He probably didn’t even know whom he had taken advantage of.

How absurd.

Hu Ouhua clenched her fists, ready to slap him across the face.

Then she would throw away the advance payment he had given her and quit on the spot.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll grant you a day off,” Lu Yuetang said.

Then, as if remembering something, he took a Hero-brand fountain pen from his pocket and placed it on the table.

“I won this at today’s military drill. I have plenty of pens, so I’m giving this one to you.”

With that, he turned and headed toward the kitchen to boil water for his bath.

Still in a daze, Hu Ouhua saw him poke his head out of the kitchen and warn her, “When I’m taking my medicinal bath, don’t come in, no matter what. The effects of the medicine can cause me to lose control… I wouldn’t want to hurt you. Don’t worry, I’ll lock the door.”

Was that true?

So that meant… that night, she had accidentally walked into the basement and delivered herself straight to him, leading to the whole out-of-control incident?

Realizing the truth made her feel a little better.

But it didn’t erase the humiliation.

He had taken her innocence, and yet she still had to act like nothing happened—cooking and cleaning for him. It was beyond ridiculous.

But she needed this job.

Going home wasn’t an option either.

If she returned, Wang Chunlan would surely tie her up and throw her into Yang Wei’s bed.

Suppressing her shame and anger, she consoled herself: Forget it. Just treat it as getting bitten by a dog—no point biting back.

Keeping the job was more important.

Having come to terms with it, Hu Ouhua pushed the matter aside and went straight to the kitchen. She took the kettle from Lu Yuetang’s hands. “I’ll do it.”

Just as she was boiling the water, loud banging came from the door.

“Hu Ouhua, come out! I know you’re hiding in there! Always trying to seduce men with your body! You’re shameless! We found you a proper fiancé, but instead, you’re living with a man without any status or name! Do you have no shame?”

Wang Chunlan’s shrill voice pierced through the night as she barged inside.

“You vixen! Stop clinging to a man who doesn’t love you—”

Yang Jiao Jiao followed close behind.

No doubt, Yang Wei had come along too.

They were all eager to drag her into hell.

Hu Ouhua cast an apologetic glance at Lu Yuetang. “Sorry, Chief. You’ll have to boil the water yourself. I need to take care of some family matters.”

“Alright. If you need any help, just ask,” Lu Yuetang responded politely.

He was only staying in Ningcheng for a month. Having to replace housemaids over and over would be a hassle.

Hu Ouhua took off her apron and stepped outside.

There, standing neatly in a row, were two entire families—all the people who had made her life miserable.

“Sister, it really is you. I can’t believe you’re like this,” Hu Jing Sheng gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

“Ouhua, come home with me. This is the fiancé I arranged for you—Comrade Yang Wei. Since you’ve already done something so disgraceful, I won’t ask for Yang’s family’s bride price anymore. Just go home with him tonight. Consider it as me raising you for nothing.”

Wang Chunlan’s face was cold as ice.

She had been hoping to marry off her daughter while keeping her virtue intact so she could demand the full dowry. But now, this wretched girl had ruined everything, disgracing the Hu family.

She couldn’t even ask for the three hundred yuan dowry now.

It was infuriating.

Thinking about the money she had lost, Wang Chunlan felt a sharp pain in her chest.

“Hu Ouhua, if it weren’t for us trusting Auntie Wang’s word, I wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage in the first place. But if you marry into our family and change your ways, I won’t hold a grudge,” Yang Wei said, his pockmarked face gleaming ominously in the moonlight.

Their condescending tone and accusations of promiscuity rang in her ears, cutting through time itself.

It was always like this.

She had done nothing wrong, yet even her sister, Hu Jing Sheng, wanted her to “turn over a new leaf.”

Turn from what? She had never done anything “wrong” to begin with.

“Come on—”

Yang Wei reached for her arm, but she dodged him.

“What’s your attitude?”

Before Yang’s family could react, Wang Chunlan lashed out first, raising her hand to slap Hu Ouhua.

But before the slap could land, Hu Ouhua caught her wrist.

“Mother, I’m not leaving. Give up on that idea.”

“What did you say?”

Wang Chunlan was stunned.

What had happened in just a few days? Had Hu Ouhua completely turned against them?

“I said I’m not leaving. Chief Lu has hired me as his housekeeper, so I won’t be going home for the time being. And one more thing—”

She glanced indifferently at Yang Wei.

“Mother, since you think Yang Wei is such a good man, introduce him to my little sister instead. After all, you always say ‘don’t let good fortune go to outsiders.’”