Chapter 14

Thankfully, Chi Yiyi had chosen to go to the countryside. Out of sight, out of mind—otherwise, if she had to stay here and continue dealing with the hateful Chi and Zhou families, she was afraid she might be driven to murder out of sheer rage.

Chi Yiyi snapped, “I don’t care what any of you think. None of your damn business!”

After saying that, she turned to leave. This time, Zhou Zixiao forcefully grabbed her wrist.

“Yiyi, you’ve gone too far. I went to the community office, and they confirmed that you’ve really signed up to go to the countryside.”

Chi Yiyi reminded him coldly, “Zhou Zixiao, you’re overstepping. I’m not even married to you. My life isn’t your concern.”

“Chi Yiyi!”
Zhou Zixiao was so furious that it looked like fire was about to shoot from his eyes.

He had been woken up at the crack of dawn by the sound of his parents crying. No matter how he asked, they wouldn’t tell him what was going on—instead, they snapped at him. He was already frustrated. Now, on top of that, he found out Chi Yiyi was going to the countryside. His head felt like it was about to explode.

“Yiyi, if you’re upset with me, fine—go ahead and take it out on me however you want. But you can’t go to the countryside. Do you even know what kind of godforsaken place that is? You think you can just go and come back whenever you please? What if you’re stuck there for life? What about us then?”

Zhou Zixiao tried hard to suppress his anger, appealing to her emotionally and logically.

“Yiyi, please stop being so stubborn. You haven’t left yet, right? Good. I can still get your name withdrawn from the list.”

The Zhou family had a powerful relative—Zhou Yuanqiao, a political commissar in the Yuecheng military district. He had fought in the war when he was young, but was injured and later reassigned to underground work. The injury left him unable to have children, so he treated the two Zhou brothers like his own sons.

Chi Yiyi remembered that in her previous life, Zhou Yuanqiao had been kind to her. But he had started to lean dangerously left in recent years. Two years from now, he would be purged alongside the Northern City faction. In her past life, this incident ended Zhou Zixiao’s political career and forced him into business with a large sum of money from his mother.

If she were still with Zhou Zixiao in this life, she might’ve helped his uncle out. But not now.

Zhou Zixiao didn’t belong to her anymore, and whatever happened to the Zhou family had nothing to do with her. Why should she meddle in someone else’s affairs and end up helping another woman?

Still speaking gently, Zhou Zixiao coaxed, “Yiyi, just listen to me. I swear I won’t do anything to hurt you again. The community office said if you go there in person, I can help get your name off the list.”

Suddenly, Chi Yiyi raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

“Zhou Zixiao, you’re shameless! I already told you—we’re not married. Stop meddling in my life!”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She slapped him because she was disgusted. In her past life, she’d heard his sweet lies so many times her ears went numb. But this man—his nature was like a dog’s: it never changes. He couldn’t stop messing around with other women, no matter how many promises he made.

Maybe he never even realized he was in the wrong. He just liked playing people with empty vows.

Standing to the side, Chi Junshu couldn’t take it anymore. “Sis, how could you hit him? Don’t you know he’s doing all this for you? Stop being so willful!”

It was the first time in his life Zhou Zixiao had ever been slapped. And now that Chi Junshu had said what he wanted to say, Zhou Zixiao simply looked at Chi Yiyi, giving her one last chance.

But Chi Yiyi turned around and left without hesitation.

“Sis! Sis!”

Chi Junshu was panicking.

“Forget it,” Zhou Zixiao said, grabbing Chi Junshu’s arm.

Chi Junshu’s mind went blank. He turned to Zhou Zixiao in disbelief. “Zixiao-ge, you and my sister have been childhood sweethearts for over a decade. Are you really going to give up on her?”

Zhou Zixiao closed his eyes. He was reluctant to let go of their years of affection—they had a valuable history.

But back then, Chi Yiyi was always sweet-talking and catering to him. Now she was obsessing over their marriage dispute and wouldn’t let go. It annoyed him.

He thought,

“Let her go suffer in the countryside for a while. I’ll find a way to bring her back later.”

Chi Junshu thought this idea wasn’t bad either. His sister had really gotten a bit full of herself lately.

But then he remembered Chi Bilian, who was eyeing Zhou Zixiao like a tiger watching its prey.

“No, that won’t do!” Chi Junshu blurted out. “Zixiao-ge, don’t you remember Director Wu’s youngest daughter from the textile factory? She went to the countryside and not even a month later got assaulted by some local thug. In the end, she had no choice but to marry him. Can you really let my sister go to a place like that?”

“What do you expect me to do!?” Zhou Zixiao growled in frustration. He still had to go home and check on his parents, who’d been acting so strangely.

Chi Junshu shrank back after being scolded.

Before leaving, Zhou Zixiao patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry too much. Your sister’s a crafty little thing—she’ll be fine.”

When Zhou Zixiao returned home, his parents were no longer sobbing.

He sighed in relief—only for a wave of inexplicable anxiety to settle heavily on his chest.

His mother came up behind him and said, “Zixiao, did you hear the Chi family got robbed again last night?”

Zhou Zixiao nodded. “I know.”

His mother clenched her jaw. “Did Chi Yiyi come asking you for money again?”

“No, it was Chi Junshu. He came asking for a set of clothes.”

Madam Zhou pounded her chest in anger. “I’ve never seen a family as shameless as the Chi family! They even have the nerve to ask you for clothes! How do they not choke on their own words?”

Zhou Zixiao rubbed his temples, clearly pained. Just thinking about Chi Yiyi gave him a headache.

His mother’s tone suddenly turned stern.
“Zhou Zixiao, I’m warning you—don’t give the Chi family another cent. From now on, you’d better rein yourself in. And stay away from them, do you hear me?”

Zhou Zixiao frowned. “Why?”

Madam Zhou snapped, “Chi Junjie’s been mixing with street thugs. He’s so ruthless, he even robbed his own family blind. Do you think the Zhou family can afford to get tangled up in that mess?”

She was fuming. She already suspected Chi Junjie, but without evidence, she couldn’t report it.

It was driving her mad.

Zhou Zixiao said casually, “Mom, the police haven’t concluded anything yet. Don’t spread baseless rumors.”

Madam Zhou scoffed, “I’m not the only one saying it!”

By evening, two hours before the train was scheduled to take the educated youth to the countryside, Chi Daqiang called both Chi Junshu and Chi Junjie home for dinner, saying the family should eat together before the send-off.

But just as they sat down at the table, officials from the neighborhood office showed up—accompanied by two members of the revolutionary committee.