Their interactions during the day had been relaxed and comfortable, but once night arrived, Lin Zhitang became somewhat awkward and at a loss.
She and Lu Ming’an had already been living under the same roof for some time, but now that they had officially registered their marriage, were they supposed to move into the same room?
In her previous life, Wu Jianguo had always forced himself on her. She believed Lu Ming’an was not that kind of person, but she still felt nervous and uneasy.
After returning to her room and taking a bath, Lin Zhitang sat absentmindedly in front of the dressing table. When she heard knocking at the door, her heartbeat quickened.
“Tangtang, open the door.”
“Coming.”
Lin Zhitang looked down at what she was wearing. Nothing seemed inappropriate, so she got up and opened the door.
“Brother Ming’an.”
When Lu Ming’an saw Lin Zhitang open the door, she was wearing a dark green spaghetti-strap dress that made her skin appear even fairer and more luminous, as though she were glowing. She had probably just finished bathing, and combined with her shyness, her cheeks were flushed pink beneath their pale complexion, pure yet carrying a trace of allure.
“Tangtang, we’re already married,” Lu Ming’an said. He had no intention of touching Lin Zhitang yet, but he still wanted at least a little sweetness.
“Ah… yes.” Lin Zhitang replied stutteringly.
“Then as husband and wife, we can’t sleep in separate rooms, right?” Lu Ming’an’s voice was low and slightly hoarse.
“B-but… I’m not ready yet.” Lin Zhitang avoided his gaze, her feet unconsciously rubbing against the floor.
“What do you need to prepare for?” Lu Ming’an chuckled softly.
“Don’t worry. We’re just sleeping in the same bed.” Lu Ming’an stopped teasing her.
“Ah… mm… Brother Ming’an, you did that on purpose!” Lin Zhitang instinctively raised a hand to touch her face, feeling like her entire body was burning. Both angry and embarrassed, she quickly turned around, climbed onto the bed, and buried her head beneath the blanket.
Seeing her like this, Lu Ming’an burst into laughter. Slowly and unhurriedly, he closed the door, turned off the lights, and lay down on the bed.
With the lights out, their vision disappeared, but their hearing became more acute.
“Tangtang, we’ve already registered our marriage. Sleeping in the same bed is perfectly natural. You don’t need to be shy.” Lu Ming’an pulled down the blanket covering her head and held her hand as he spoke.
“I’m not… I’m just a little unaccustomed to it.” Lin Zhitang’s voice was extremely soft. Fortunately, the room was quiet enough, and Lu Ming’an’s hearing was excellent.
“If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you. We’ll take things slowly.”
“Okay. Thank you, Brother Ming’an.”
“There’s no need to say thank you between us.”
After a long while, Lin Zhitang noticed there was no movement from beside her. She called out once, but received no response.
Lu Ming’an was only holding her hand, his breathing steady as though he had fallen asleep.
The stiffness in her body gradually faded away. Once she relaxed, drowsiness overtook her, and before long, she drifted off to sleep.
Hearing Lin Zhitang’s breathing gradually become even and calm, Lu Ming’an opened his eyes and looked at her in the darkness for a very long time.
At the Wu family home—
“You little slut, why are you dragging your feet with simple chores? You’ve been washing forever and still haven’t finished these clothes!” Seeing that Su Yun had not yet finished the laundry, Old Madam Wu grabbed a stick and struck Su Yun hard across the back twice.
Su Yun immediately toppled into the wash basin. Having not eaten, her body was weak and limp. She struggled to stand back up, but before she could steady herself, Wu Jianguo’s eldest son shoved her back down. After repeating this several times, the three children burst into loud laughter at Su Yun’s miserable appearance.
Wu Jianguo had already returned to the room after eating. Even if he saw it, he would pretend not to.
Old Madam Wu also did nothing to stop her grandsons from bullying Su Yun. Once she felt it was enough, she sent them back to their rooms to sleep.
Su Yun fell yet again, but endured the hunger and pain as she slowly climbed back up. Her lowered head concealed the hatred in her eyes.
“A slut will always be a slut. Since you married into the Wu family, you have to listen to me. You’re just an illegitimate bastard daughter. Being able to marry my son should already make you secretly grateful. Stop dawdling. Look at the time already! Hurry and finish washing the clothes, clean up the dishes, and then bring me my foot-washing water. Did you hear me?” The more Old Madam Wu thought about Su Yun being an illegitimate child, the angrier she became. After speaking, she viciously pinched Su Yun’s waist several more times before returning to her room.
“I heard you,” Su Yun replied emotionlessly.
Once only Su Yun remained, she slowly lifted her head. Her face was icy cold, both hands hanging rigidly at her sides, clenched so tightly that veins bulged visibly. Her eyes were filled with killing intent.
After a long while, Su Yun finally loosened her fists. She touched the pocket at her side, then bent down and mechanically resumed working.
The next morning, Lu Ming’an woke up right on time. He glanced at Lin Zhitang, who was still sleeping soundly in his arms.
Lu Ming’an found her incredibly adorable. After watching her quietly for a long time, he kissed her forehead, carefully released her from his embrace, and got up for his usual morning run.
By the time Lin Zhitang woke up, Lu Ming’an was already gone from the room.
After washing up and heading downstairs, she saw Lu Ming’an walking in. Before she could say anything, she noticed Wang Ma following closely behind him.
“Wang Ma, why did you come so early? How have you been lately? Are the neighbors where you live easy to get along with?” Lin Zhitang quickly hurried downstairs and walked over to Wang Ma.
“Miss, I’m doing very well. The neighbors are quite nice too.” Wang Ma looked at Lin Zhitang with smiling eyes.
“Wang Ma, I already told you to just call me Zhitang. It’s good as long as you’re doing well.”
“Zhitang, regarding the matter you asked me to handle before…” Wang Ma glanced at Lu Ming’an, hesitating slightly.
“Wang Ma, just say it. Brother Ming’an has met you before. The two of us are already married now, so there’s nothing he can’t hear.” Lin Zhitang smiled.
“Alright. Following your instructions, after leaving the Lin residence, I moved to…”
“What a perfect match indeed,” Lin Zhitang said with a laugh. “Wang Ma, in that case…”
“Alright then, I’ll be leaving now.”
After sending Wang Ma off, Lin Zhitang said to Lu Ming’an, “Brother Ming’an, there’s going to be another good show to watch.”
That evening, when Lin Zhitang and Lu Ming’an arrived outside a courtyard in Liuxiang Alley, it was around eight o’clock.
“Brother Ming’an, do you think she’ll come?” Lin Zhitang asked casually.
“Do you want her to come? Tangtang, lean against me and rest for a bit first. Are you sleepy?” Lu Ming’an did not care much about these matters. He only cared about Lin Zhitang.
“I don’t know. But she’s far too self-righteous and overconfident.”
Lin Zhitang had already adjusted her sleeping schedule. Normally by this hour, she would have already finished bathing.
Feeling slightly embarrassed but genuinely tired, she leaned backward and rested against Lu Ming’an.
Around eight-thirty—
“Tangtang, the person you were waiting for has arrived,” Lu Ming’an said softly when he saw Su Ya.
Lin Zhitang let out a sneer.
Following the address written on the note, Su Ya arrived at Courtyard Number Six in Liuxiang Alley.
Earlier that day, while buying groceries outside, someone had handed her a slip of paper with this address written on it, saying Song Zhiqiang was cheating with another woman.
Su Ya’s first reaction was disbelief. She refused to believe the man she had loved for nearly twenty years would betray her.
Back then, when she and Song Zhiqiang fell in love, Old Madam Song had fiercely opposed them. Ignoring her reputation entirely, she gave her body to Song Zhiqiang before marriage and even bore him a daughter, Su Yun.
After Song Zhiqiang came to Shanghai, he married another woman in order to secure a foothold in the city. For the sake of giving them a better life, Su Ya risked everything to scheme against Lin Chennian and marry into the Lin family, even giving birth to Lin Zhitang for him.
For more than ten years, she had secretly supported Song Zhiqiang financially, watching him have child after child with another woman and spend every day and night with someone else, while she could only occasionally meet him to ease her longing.
At long last, Lin Chennian had died. Although she failed to obtain the Lin family fortune, being able to marry Song Zhiqiang was enough for her. She did not care about anything else.
She had originally not wanted to come, but Song Zhiqiang had indeed been acting strangely lately. He claimed to be drinking with his brothers and often returned home late at night, sometimes not coming home at all. There was even the scent of another woman lingering on him.
She needed to confirm the truth personally.
The moment Su Ya reached the courtyard gate, she heard the sounds of a man and woman coming from inside. The man’s voice was unmistakably Song Zhiqiang’s.
Su Ya’s expression twisted viciously. She could not believe it. Song Zhiqiang had truly betrayed her. He actually had another woman outside.
Shaking with rage, Su Ya used all her strength to kick the door open.
Inside, a woman’s undergarment was hanging over Song Zhiqiang’s head. One of his arms wrapped around the woman’s waist while the other roamed over her body, his head buried against her chest. The scene was extremely intimate.
“Ahhh!” The woman inside screamed repeatedly in fright after hearing the door burst open.
Song Zhiqiang turned his head and locked eyes with Su Ya.