Chapter 74 – Young Couple in a Spat

Xie Zhi turned a deaf ear to the girl’s pleas, though the force of his hand clearly lightened. But her buttocks were already swollen, and even the gentlest touch brought searing pain.

Xu Jiaojiao and Yang Mei had a great time playing by the stream. By the time they returned home, it was already six o’clock. They wouldn’t be eating dinner together with the family—just Jiaojiao and Xie Zhi, in their little room.

Xu Jiaojiao proudly brought back her spoils and showed off to the man, beaming: “Look! I picked these myself. Pretty impressive, right?”

Xie Zhi’s expression darkened, though his tone remained gentle: “These grow on the back mountain. It’s dangerous there. Did you go alone?”

The girl was squatting on the ground, wrapping mulberries in tissue paper. “Nope, Yang Mei and I went together.”

Xie Zhi didn’t even bother pretending anymore. His face lost all hint of a smile: “You went to find her.”

“No, she invited me to go pick fruit. We also played in the stream,” the girl said casually, popping one into her mouth and squinting her eyes in delight. “So sweet.”

She didn’t notice the dangerous look in the man’s eyes. The next second, the basket was kicked over violently. Xu Jiaojiao was yanked over with force and sprawled across his lap, followed immediately by the sound of slaps falling on her.

And so, the scene at the beginning of the chapter unfolded again.

Xie Zhi’s eyes were bloodshot, almost bursting with rage. “Didn’t I tell you not to go out alone with her? Have you forgotten that bitch’s look?”

Xu Jiaojiao sobbed, her cries heart-wrenching, completely unable to take in what he was saying. All she could feel was pain—humiliating, unbearable pain.

Being an adult, yet bent over someone’s knee and spanked like a child—it was utterly disgusting.

She shouted angrily, “You don’t get to control me! Even my parents never hit me!”

“I don’t want to be with you anymore. I want to break up. I want to break up!”

In that moment, rage took over her mind, and she blurted out the deepest thoughts in her heart—without restraint, not caring if they hurt him.

Xie Zhi’s pupils shrank, veins bulging on his neck. He lifted her into his arms and gently stroked her back.

He kept comforting himself: His wife was just too young—easily swayed by others, easily indulging in simple pleasures of the flesh. Only he truly cared for her.

“There, there, don’t cry, Jiaojiao. You haven’t had your milk yet tonight.”

He lifted her like a child, letting her lie against his shoulder. Then he poured warm water into a cup, mixed in cool water, and added a measured amount of formula.

Sitting her on his lap, he even placed a hand underneath her to cushion her soreness.

He brought the cup to her lips. “Come on, drink up. Poor Jiaojiao’s had a tough night.”

Xu Jiaojiao suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with indignation. In the next instant, she splashed the milk right onto Xie Zhi’s face—feeling extremely satisfied in that moment.

His sharp, well-defined features were instantly covered in white liquid. His eyelashes trembled. He was supposed to be the disciplinarian, yet now he looked utterly fragile.

But that vulnerability quickly vanished, replaced by a piercing gaze. He downed the remaining milk, grabbed Xu Jiaojiao’s chin, and fiercely kissed her, transferring the milk into her mouth.

The girl coughed uncontrollably. Xie Zhi, however, had tears in his eyes, his voice pained: “Why won’t you listen to me? After everything that’s happened, why still not?”

“Then why can’t you just talk to me properly? Why do you have to hit me?”

“Jiaojiao, that’s not hitting. That’s just… marital playfulness.”

Xu Jiaojiao blurted out before thinking, “We’re not married,” and immediately regretted it. Seeing the wounded look in Xie Zhi’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to take it back.

She knew he cared about her. But why couldn’t he just communicate? His violent behavior only made her more rebellious.

Xie Zhi smiled bitterly, looking at her with teary eyes: “Why won’t you marry me? I really don’t understand, Jiaojiao.”

“I thought I did everything I could. So why won’t you say yes? If you won’t marry me, then why are you willing to sleep with me?”

Even though he had lived abroad for a few years, it was during his childhood. Deep down, his values were still shaped by Confucian teachings and the cultural norms of his time—so he truly couldn’t understand.

Xu Jiaojiao sniffled. She used to think about marrying Xie Zhi, but now she really needed to reconsider.

“Why must we get married? Can’t we just be a good couple, enjoy the beauty of love? Isn’t that what men like you want the most?”

The two ended the night in a cold war. Xie Zhi sat on the bench all night, listening to her steady breathing. His palm still burned from earlier—Jiaojiao must have been in so much pain.

Bathed in moonlight, he gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, pulled out some ointment from the drawer, and carefully applied it. The herbal scent soon filled the room.

Jiaojiao whimpered in her sleep, pitifully.

The next morning, when she woke up, Xie Zhi was nowhere to be seen. The pain was already gone. Before he left, he had applied the ointment again and turned the fan toward her for a cooling breeze.

Jiaojiao touched her backside absentmindedly, then got up with a pout. She washed the apricots from the basket and started eating—one after another, more than ten in a row, biting angrily as if venting her frustration.

Xu Yan saw this and pinched her soft cheek. “Jiaojiao, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. They’re just really tasty.”

Just then, Xie Zhi walked in through the door. School ended early, so he was back around ten. Their eyes met, and he smiled as if nothing had happened.

He kindly reminded her, “Jiaojiao, eating too many apricots will make your teeth sore.”

Xu Jiaojiao snapped, “Mind your own business.”

Yan Fenglian quickly stepped in to shoo him away. “Oh my little ancestor, what are you doing? It’s hot and greasy in here. Get out, now.”

And so, the scene ended with Jiaojiao being kicked out. She sat alone in front of the fan, sulking. Xie Zhi brought her a bowl of freshly washed red berries and coaxed, “Jiaojiao’s so sweet.”

Everyone could tell something was off in the house. The usually affectionate couple wasn’t speaking. The girl wouldn’t even acknowledge him, though Xie Zhi remained attentive as ever.

Xu Yan couldn’t hold back anymore. “Jiaojiao, stop being mean to Xie Zhi.”

“Yeah, Ah Zhi’s always so good to you. He never even gets mad.”

Jiaojiao felt wronged. She had a mouth, didn’t she? Yet in the end, all she could shout was, “He hit me!”

“What? Xie Zhi, you hit my sister?” Xu Ze and Xu Yan spoke in unison, incredulous.

They immediately lifted her, examining her closely. “No bruises… where did he hit you?”

“My butt. He hit it for a long time last night.”

After saying this, she stomped off into the kitchen, crouched next to her mother, and stirred the ashes with a firewood stick, stewing in her frustration.