They had originally thought that as long as Shen Jiaojiao admitted her mistake and showed a better attitude, they could reluctantly forgive her.
Who would have thought that not only would she refuse to admit any wrongdoing, she would even act as though everything she had done was perfectly justified?
“Slap!”
Lu Yunshan’s mother angrily slammed her hand on the table. She clutched her chest, her fingers trembling as she pointed at Shen Jiaojiao.
“You—you have absolutely no upbringing! I don’t want a daughter-in-law like you. Get out!”
Although Lu Yunshan’s father wasn’t as emotional as his wife, he was trembling with anger as well.
“Fine! Since you think our Lu family isn’t good enough for you, then get out. Go back to the Shen family. Tomorrow, I’ll personally go to your house and call off this marriage. It has to be called off!”
“I’d like to ask how exactly the Shen family raised their daughter. On the very day of her wedding, she got into a fight with her husband and drove him out of the room. Then, on the very next day, she bullied her father-in-law and mother-in-law.”
That only made Shen Jiaojiao angrier.
Tears once again flowed uncontrollably down her face.
“You actually have the nerve to say that? Why do you think I fought with him last night? Why don’t you ask your own son!”
“What’s wrong with my son? My son is perfectly fine!”
Seeing Shen Jiaojiao trying to shift the blame onto her son made Lu Yunshan’s mother even more furious.
Shen Jiaojiao glared resentfully at the silent Lu Yunshan beside her.
“If it weren’t for your son not—”
“Enough!!!”
Lu Yunshan shouted, cutting her off.
“Enough. Stop making a scene.”
He was terrified that Shen Jiaojiao would reveal his secret, so he hurriedly took all the blame upon himself.
“Dad, Mom, it was my fault last night. I upset her, so she had every right to argue with me. Don’t blame her.”
“You’re still defending her? Lu Yunshan, are you even my son? You’re just going to let her bully your parents like this?”
Lu Yunshan’s mother shouted in exasperation.
Lu Yunshan looked ashamed, but there was absolutely no way he could let Shen Jiaojiao spread his secret.
“Dad, Mom, it really was my fault. It had nothing to do with her. Please don’t blame her. I was the one who wronged her.”
Before his parents could react, he grabbed Shen Jiaojiao and pulled her back into their room.
Shen Jiaojiao curled her lips mockingly.
“What? You finally know how to come forward now? Where were you just now when I was being accused?”
Afraid that she would say something reckless after they went back outside, Lu Yunshan hurriedly pulled out his bankbook.
“I’m sorry. This is my fault. I delayed your life, but I’m a man. I can’t let other people know that I… have a problem.”
“I know I’ve wronged you, but please help me. Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?”
“There isn’t much money here. Take it for now. From now on, I’ll leave the household affairs to you. Consider this money compensation for what I’ve done. I’ll give you more money in the future.”
Lu Yunshan nervously studied Shen Jiaojiao’s expression.
“Please. You have to help me keep this secret.”
Shen Jiaojiao opened the bankbook.
There were actually seven or eight hundred yuan in it.
For the sake of the money, she was reluctantly satisfied.
Her attitude became much calmer as well. Shen Jiaojiao gripped the bankbook in her hand and carefully considered what she should do next.
After all, the two of them were already married.
There was no way to regret it now.
Even if she divorced him, a woman who divorced in this era would still be subjected to endless gossip. She didn’t want to live the life she had lived in her previous life again.
Shen Jiaojiao took a deep breath.
What was done was done.
Even if Lu Yunshan couldn’t perform as a man, at least he would become a regiment commander before long.
A regiment commander!
And one who had become a regiment commander at such a young age.
So what if he couldn’t perform?
At least she would have plenty of money to spend, and in the future she could become the regiment commander’s wife and be envied by everyone.
The thought that she might have to live as a widow in name for the rest of her life almost made the money slip from Shen Jiaojiao’s hands.
She forced her tears back and squeezed out a smile.
It was fine.
Maybe him being unable to perform was actually a good thing.
He would feel guilty toward her and treat her even better.
Wasn’t that exactly what had happened with Shen Qingqing in her previous life?
No wonder Lu Yunshan had treated Shen Qingqing so well back then.
If that was the case, then surely he would treat her even better in this life!
After convincing herself of this, Shen Jiaojiao put away the bankbook and took Lu Yunshan’s hand.
“I’m sorry. I was just too emotional earlier. Now that I’ve thought about it, it’s okay if you can’t have children. I don’t mind.”
Lu Yunshan’s expression stiffened.
He felt extremely uncomfortable with Shen Jiaojiao holding his hand, but he couldn’t pull away. All he could do was stiffly cooperate with her.
Shen Jiaojiao’s smile didn’t reach her eyes either.
How many women in this world could truly accept having a husband who couldn’t perform?
But she could only desperately brainwash herself.
It was fine.
In just a few years, he’d become a regiment commander and earn one or two hundred yuan a month.
With that much money, what couldn’t she do?
And if she really couldn’t stand it in the future, she could always go find another man.
Thinking this way, Shen Jiaojiao’s smile became much more genuine.
“Since we’re married, we’re husband and wife now. Naturally, I’m on your side. Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t tell anyone in the family. I’ll help you keep this secret.”
Lu Yunshan hated women.
He hated being touched by women even more.
When he saw that Shen Jiaojiao had no intention of letting go, he almost vomited.
He forced an unnatural smile.
When he heard Shen Jiaojiao’s words, he even pretended to be so overwhelmed with emotion that he was about to cry.
“Really? That’s wonderful! I knew I hadn’t misjudged you. Thank you, Jiaojiao…”
Lu Yunshan gazed at Shen Jiaojiao as though he were deeply in love with her.
But inside, he was calculating how to persuade her later to take the blame for their inability to have children.
Lu Yunshan thought he had already gotten Shen Jiaojiao under control, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Little did he know that she was only putting on an act as well.
One was doing it for money.
The other was doing it for his reputation.
Neither showed their true thoughts on the surface, and together they put on quite the performance.
The thought of preserving his reputation in the future while still being able to stay with his beloved filled Lu Yunshan with barely contained excitement.
Shen Jiaojiao took his hand and led him outside.
“All right, let’s go out. Don’t make Dad and Mom worry. I’ll explain everything when we get out.”
Lu Yunshan was “deeply moved.”
“Jiaojiao, you’re too good to me…”
Meanwhile, after carefully investigating the warship, the patrol boat quietly sent the information back to the island.
After Zhou Yuanzheng learned the situation, he arranged the patrol teams and prepared the necessary countermeasures.
A sufficient supply of weapons and ammunition was loaded onto the boats, and the soldiers were informed and kept ready to mobilize at any moment.
However, until the other side made some further move, they wouldn’t take the initiative and alert the enemy.
In her previous life, the day before Shen Qingqing’s wedding, she and Zhou Yuanzheng had gone to register their marriage.
She had thought long and hard before making this decision.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered the possibility that she might be unable to change the outcome of his death.
But after spending all this time together, she had come to a decision.
If the person she was facing was Zhou Yuanzheng, she was willing to accept every possible outcome.
Zhou Yuanzheng, however, hesitated.
“Register our marriage now? This might not be the best time. Why don’t we wait a few more days, okay?”
Shen Qingqing stared into his deep eyes.
“I know what you’re worried about. But since I’ve decided to marry you, I’ve already prepared myself for the possibility that you might leave at any moment.”
“So, Comrade Zhou Yuanzheng, are you willing to become my husband?”
Zhou Yuanzheng stared blankly at the determination in the young woman’s eyes.
Then, suddenly, he smiled.
“Okay. I am!”
“Then let’s go. Let’s register our marriage. Today!”
Shen Qingqing raised a bright smile.