Chapter 4: The Daughter-in-law

The sharp smell of disinfectant and the occasional low whispers made Shen Zhansi feel a bit restless. She turned over and pulled the blanket up over her head.

Just as she moved, a sudden pain shot through her head, nearly causing her to faint. Her vision darkened, and she couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan from the pain.

“Ah! Little Shen is awake!”

In her dazed state, Shen Zhansi seemed to hear Aunt Zhang’s surprised voice, and at the same time, someone grabbed a corner of the blanket she had pulled over her head.

A faint, cool fragrance seeped in through a gap in the blanket, dispersing some of the irritating smell of disinfectant. Shen Zhansi froze for a moment.

This scent… it seems familiar, like something she had smelled on Yan Qingye?

Suddenly, Shen Zhansi recalled what had happened earlier. At the café, a woman named Hu Zhou had approached her, and then…

Had she really hit her head?

Her expression darkened as she connected the dots, remembering the woman’s words about being grateful to her. Shen Zhansi felt a twinge of anxiety.

How could she know that she needed to pretend to have amnesia?

Feeling the hand gripping the blanket start to lift it, Shen Zhansi quickly put on a pained expression, not entirely feigned, as the pain was indeed real.

The woman was swift and ruthless in her actions.

As the blanket was pulled away, the brightness of the room flooded in, and Shen Zhansi instinctively raised her arm to shield her eyes.

The call bell had already been pressed. In this somewhat noisy environment, Shen Zhansi didn’t turn to look at Yan Qingye, but even with her back turned, she could still feel the cold, suffocating pressure radiating from her.

The person behind her was angry, even more so than when they had met that morning. If she weren’t injured and lying in bed, Shen Zhansi would genuinely suspect that Yan Qingye might do something extreme.

“Shen Zhansi.”

A chilling voice came from behind her.

Shen Zhansi’s body instinctively tensed, but she remembered what she needed to do and slowly turned around, trying not to make any sudden movements.

As she turned, she raised her hand to cover her head, feeling the rough bandage. She looked up at the woman standing by the bed, her eyes slightly dazed, as if confused and uncertain.

“You… look so familiar,” Shen Zhansi said slowly.

Originally, when Yan Qingye saw her pale, bloodless face, her anger had surged, almost consuming her rationality. But upon hearing Shen Zhansi’s words, her expression froze for a moment, and her anger was temporarily suppressed. Her cold eyes scrutinized Shen Zhansi.

“Wh-what are you talking about, Little Shen?” Not only was Yan Qingye rendered speechless by her words, but Aunt Zhang also widened her eyes in shock.

Just then, the doctor pushed the door open and entered. Aunt Zhang hurried over to explain Shen Zhansi’s condition to the doctor.

As the doctor listened to Aunt Zhang while examining Shen Zhansi, he began to ask her some questions. When he heard her say that her memory stopped at the age of seventeen, his expression changed slightly.

After observing the injury on Shen Zhansi’s head, he fell silent for a moment before telling Aunt Zhang, “There’s no major issue with her body; she just needs to rest. However, regarding her memory… it’s possible that a blood clot in the brain is pressing on a nerve. We’ll need to do another scan later, but you don’t need to worry too much. In cases like this, once the blood clot dissipates, she should regain her memory.”

Aunt Zhang sighed in relief when she heard there was no major issue with her body, but her worry returned when it came to the memory aspect, and she began to ask the doctor many questions about precautions.

Throughout this, Yan Qingye stood silently beside them like a stranger, her gaze fixed on Shen Zhansi, which added to Shen Zhansi’s pressure.

Yan Qingye was also a smart person; it wouldn’t be easy to deceive her. But since Shen Zhansi had come this far, she could only brace herself and continue the act.

Suppressing her thoughts, she raised her gaze to meet Yan Qingye’s eyes.

It seemed Yan Qingye hadn’t expected Shen Zhansi to suddenly look her in the eye so calmly. In those dark pupils, there was confusion and curiosity about the current situation.

Yan Qingye’s expression darkened, and her face grew even more difficult to read. In that brief moment, it was as if she had seen the real Shen Zhansi.

Once Aunt Zhang finished asking her questions, she left with the doctor, needing to go back and gather some things, as it was clear that Shen Zhansi would need to be hospitalized.

Once they were gone, the hospital room was left with just the two of them. The air gradually thickened, creating a storm of oppression that seemed to radiate from Yan Qingye.

It was just a breath away from unleashing a violent tempest.

“Do you think that by using such clumsy tactics, I would believe you or like you?”

The cold, piercing words stabbed straight into Shen Zhansi’s heart, causing a sharp pain to rise within her.

Being treated this way by someone she liked was undeniably painful. Yet, amidst her sadness, she had to feign ignorance and spoke in a hesitant tone.

“Are you… Yan Qingye?”

Yan Qingye looked down at her from beside the hospital bed, her tone frigid, “Do you think I would still fall for your tricks?”

Shen Zhansi was momentarily taken aback, struggling to comprehend her words. Had she ever deceived her before?

What had happened to her in the past that made her so wretched?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only remember things before I turned seventeen.” As she said this, Shen Zhansi looked at Yan Qingye’s face and sincerely added, “You’ve changed so much; I can hardly recognize you.”

The change was indeed significant. If she had once been a youthful and gentle girl, now she was a fully bloomed rose, beautiful yet encased in ice, exuding a coldness that made her hard to approach.

However, upon hearing Shen Zhansi’s words, Yan Qingye’s icy gaze seemed to fracture slightly, as if the buried anxiety had been stirred by her comment.

If Shen Zhansi were to see her current self, would she not recognize herself, or even dare to approach herself?

Her expression darkened to an extreme, her lips curling into a cold arc. If looks could kill, Shen Zhansi would have died countless times already.

“You say you only remember things before you turned seventeen. Do you remember the exact day your memory stopped?”

Yan Qingye’s expression quickly returned to its previous state, not wanting this Shen Zhansi to see her vulnerable side.

Shen Zhansi was still somewhat concerned about Yan Qingye’s earlier demeanor. She realized she was increasingly unable to understand Yan Qingye. While she could once make guesses, now she didn’t even know which direction to guess in.

“The day after the college entrance exams.” She spoke in a low voice.

This specific time clearly struck a chord with Yan Qingye. Her gaze turned to Shen Zhansi, laced with mockery, “Do you remember what the weather was like that day?”

Her look made Shen Zhansi uncomfortable. She couldn’t adapt to the fact that Yan Qingye was using such a gaze on her, so her tone carried a hint of grievance as she replied, “It was a rainy day! A heavy rain!”

How could she possibly forget the weather from just yesterday? She had even prayed for good weather before going to sleep.

Yan Qingye’s expression remained cold, and upon hearing her words, she felt a suffocating pressure in her chest. She leaned closer to Shen Zhansi, bending down to gently touch the bandage wrapped around her head.

Her movements were careful and tender, yet the words that followed sent chills down Shen Zhansi’s spine.

“You let your body get hurt. What do you think we should do about that?”

Her tone was filled with resentment, as if she could reach out and strangle her at any moment.

What should they do?

Shen Zhansi truly couldn’t understand Yan Qingye’s behavior. Was she concerned or indifferent?

“How did I get hurt?” Shen Zhansi asked sincerely, her dark eyes wide open.

Yan Qingye narrowed her eyes, watching as Shen Zhansi forced a cool smile. Though she didn’t speak, her eyes seemed to say, “Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”

Shen Zhansi understood the meaning in her gaze. Even though she felt uncertain inside, she didn’t show any signs of weakness on her face.

“You were attacked at the café.”

Shen Zhansi could still hear the anger in her voice.

“Did they catch that person?” Shen Zhansi asked cautiously.

Yan Qingye seemed easily angered now, ready to destroy everything at a moment’s notice.

However, when Yan Qingye heard her question, her expression darkened even further, and she didn’t respond.

She didn’t answer, and Shen Zhansi already knew the answer.

That meant they hadn’t caught her.

Shen Zhansi felt a complex mix of emotions towards Hu Zhou, but she was also somewhat relieved that she hadn’t been caught. Instinctively, she felt that Hu Zhou must know many things she didn’t.

She had a premonition that they would meet again in the future.

“Who was the one who hit you?” Yan Qingye sat down beside her.

Even sitting there, the oppressive aura was still strong. Shen Zhansi found herself praying that Aunt Zhang would return soon; perhaps Yan Qingye would restrain herself in front of others?

“I don’t remember.”

Yan Qingye’s gaze fell on Shen Zhansi’s face, her eyes filled with loathing.

“How much do you have to be disliked to get attacked just for stepping outside?”

Shen Zhansi wrinkled her nose, feeling somewhat dissatisfied, “That sounds like victim-blaming.”

“If someone wants to hit me, am I to blame for making her uncomfortable?”

Yan Qingye’s tone was cold, “If you get hurt again, you can see what I’ll do.”

“My body is none of your business!” Shen Zhansi shot back, stung by her attitude.

Yan Qingye’s expression suddenly darkened, her face cracking with suppressed madness. Though she gripped Shen Zhansi’s hand as if she wanted to crush it, she restrained herself, her eyes reddening, gritting her teeth as if she could almost taste blood.

“Your body? You think you deserve it?”

“You…”

Shen Zhansi was taken aback by her demeanor, even missing what she had said, only noticing the wild, sorrowful expression on her face, which deeply shocked her.

Why did she look so distressed?

“What’s wrong with you?” Shen Zhansi reached out, wanting to touch her face, her eyes filled with concern.

What had happened to make Yan Qingye change so drastically?

However, before her hand could reach her, Yan Qingye grabbed it, originally intending to shake her off, but just then, Aunt Zhang pushed the door open and walked in, freezing Yan Qingye’s movements.

The two of them looked quite intimate in their current position. With Aunt Zhang present, the oppressive coldness lessened significantly, resembling a couple playfully bickering.

Aunt Zhang smiled upon seeing this situation, carrying a large bag of items, and while tidying up, she didn’t forget to speak up for Yan Qingye.

“Little Shen, you really need to be careful in the future. You have no idea how worried Miss Yan was when she found out you were hurt. Don’t let her worry like this again.”

Upon hearing Aunt Zhang’s words, Yan Qingye’s expression stiffened, especially when she saw Shen Zhansi’s eyes light up, feeling a surge of frustration.

She wouldn’t misinterpret this as Shen Zhansi having feelings for her, would she?

Yan Qingye’s face darkened, but to maintain the appearance of their relationship in front of others, she couldn’t act too overtly.

“With such concern for me, what exactly is our relationship?” Shen Zhansi deliberately asked in front of Yan Qingye.

Given her current amnesiac persona, it wouldn’t be strange for her to ask this question, right?

Yan Qingye’s expression darkened further.

Aunt Zhang, recalling Shen Zhansi’s amnesia, sighed lightly and turned to point at their hands, saying earnestly, “Little Shen, Miss Yan is your wife, the kind you’ve registered your marriage with. You need to treat your wife well, understand?”

“If you don’t treat your wife well, the household will be in disarray, and wealth will not flow in. Treat your wife well and listen to her, and your future will be bright.”

After hearing this, Shen Zhansi’s expression became somewhat dazed. Why did it feel like Aunt Zhang was trying to instill the idea that a wife is paramount while her memory was still stuck at seventeen?

Yan Qingye fell silent upon hearing Aunt Zhang’s words, feeling somewhat at a loss. She had never known Aunt Zhang had such a personality.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, Aunt Zhang grew anxious, patting Shen Zhansi’s bed, saying urgently, “Did you hear that? Your wife is so wonderful; if you don’t seize the opportunity, someone else will start to take notice!”

She was determined to instill a sense of urgency in Shen Zhansi.

Shen Zhansi slowly swallowed, wanting to nod, but the pain from her injury made her wince. Still, she raised a hand to cover the one Yan Qingye had on hers, speaking to Aunt Zhang in a very serious tone, “Okay, I understand!”

Yan Qingye narrowed her eyes, a cold light flashing.

Shen Zhansi tried her best to act as if she hadn’t seen it, even offering Yan Qingye a weak yet bright smile.

Seeing that smile, Yan Qingye momentarily lost her focus, quickly regaining her composure as she looked at the hand covering hers, wishing she could shake it off immediately!

However, Aunt Zhang, satisfied with Shen Zhansi’s response, finished tidying up and left to buy fruits and other items.

Once Aunt Zhang was gone, Yan Qingye immediately shook off Shen Zhansi’s hand, her voice cold, “Mind your behavior.”

Seeing her icy demeanor, perhaps due to familiarity, Shen Zhansi no longer found it as hard to accept as before. Instead, she winked at her playfully, saying, “What if I don’t mind?”

Yan Qingye’s expression grew even colder, her eyes filled with a murderous intent.

Shen Zhansi’s heart trembled for a moment, but she continued, “If I don’t mind, will you chop off my hand?”

“But I think you wouldn’t dare.”

Shen Zhansi felt strangely certain as she said the last sentence. She had already noticed that despite Yan Qingye’s poor attitude, she was still very concerned about her well-being.

What a contradictory behavior.

Yan Qingye’s body was already tense, on the verge of a breakdown, when Shen Zhansi weakly spoke, “I was just kidding; you wouldn’t dare.”

Yan Qingye looked truly frightening now. Lying weakly in bed, Shen Zhansi felt it was best not to provoke her.

Yan Qingye’s face twisted into a cold arc, gritting her teeth as she said, “I hope you can recognize your position!”

Shen Zhansi feigned being startled by her, her eyes slightly reddening as she spoke in a low voice, “Qingqing, you weren’t like this before.”

There was a twinge of bitterness in her heart. What did it mean to recognize her position? What position was she referring to?

“Is ‘Qingqing’ what you call me now?!”

“Uh, um…”

With a loud crash, Yan Qingye’s chair toppled over. At that moment, she radiated a heavy aura, her eyes bloodshot, her hands tightly gripping Shen Zhansi’s neck!

“I told you my patience has limits. Why do you keep challenging my boundaries, yearning for things that shouldn’t belong to you?”

“Uh…”

Shen Zhansi’s face turned bright red. Her head was already throbbing painfully, and now being gripped so tightly around the neck made her vision start to darken.

She struggled to pry the hand from her neck, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t break free, ultimately exhausting herself.

She hadn’t expected that a single term of endearment could send Yan Qingye into a rage. She truly felt the scent of death.

In an instant, she felt a sense of relief; perhaps after death, she could return?

As she sensed the struggle beneath her hand gradually weaken, Yan Qingye suddenly snapped back to reality, her face turning pale as she quickly released her grip and stepped back, her body swaying slightly.

“Cough, cough!”

Once Yan Qingye let go, Shen Zhansi immediately began to cough violently, finally able to breathe again, feeling pain in her lungs from the sudden influx of oxygen.

Seeing the bloodstains on the bandage deepen, Yan Qingye quickly pressed the call button and moved closer to gently pat Shen Zhansi’s back to help her breathe.

Her eyes were filled with urgency and anger, along with a deep sense of self-loathing.

With her help, Shen Zhansi’s breathing gradually stabilized, just as the doctor and nurse rushed in to check on her head injury.

“What happened to make the wound suddenly split open…” The doctor was puzzled, but upon seeing the clear handprint on Shen Zhansi’s neck, his shocked gaze turned to Yan Qingye.

There were only the two of them alive in this room; it couldn’t possibly be that Shen Zhansi had done this to herself, right?

Yan Qingye’s expression was tense, giving off a vibe of “stay away from me.”

“Sorry for making you witness this,” Shen Zhansi said with a weak smile.

“I hope you won’t spread the details of our little couple’s quarrel.”

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