When Xue Zhi finally woke up, three days had already passed.
“She’s awake! She’s awake! She’s finally awake!”
A woman loudly shouted toward the courtyard outside.
“Madam Xue, you’ve finally woken up. You don’t even know how worried we all were.”
Still pale-faced, Xue Zhi looked confused and spoke hoarsely.
“Auntie Zhang… what happened to me?”
Auntie Zhang slapped her thigh and began explaining.
“Don’t even mention it. You had a fever. Scholar Fu carried you back here.”
She paused, then added cautiously,
“I only just heard about your situation too. Your mother-in-law truly isn’t human. At her age, and she can still do something so shameless.
Usually, tormenting you was already bad enough. Who would’ve thought she’d even try to kill you?
I’ve never seen such an evil mother-in-law in all the nearby villages.
It’s good that you divorced them. Better than being bullied by that family forever.
Who knows when they might have tortured you to death.
Madam Xue, don’t worry. We’re still young. Better days are waiting for us.”
Xue Zhi knew Auntie Zhang was comforting her, so she smiled faintly.
“I know. Auntie Zhang… this place is…”
Before she could finish, Auntie Zhang answered first.
“Look at me rambling. Your old house had a broken roof and no bedding at all. No one could live there.
Scholar Fu kindly brought you back to his house.”
The last two words made Xue Zhi sit upright immediately.
“His house?!”
Fu Shiyue’s house?!
Was he really that kind-hearted?
In her memory, Fu Shiyue had been a ruthless and decisive grand minister—someone who would rather kill the wrong person than let the guilty escape.
Back at the riverbank, the little tricks she used to manipulate him should have been obvious to someone as calculating as him.
The fact that he hadn’t interrupted her plan had already surprised her.
But now—
He had brought her home?
Her gaze accidentally dropped to the clothes she was wearing. She frowned and was just about to speak when Auntie Zhang quickly interrupted.
“Yes, yes. Scholar Fu is kind-hearted.
Your fever was so severe that he even spent money to hire a doctor for you.
Don’t worry. This room belongs to Scholar Fu’s parents.
Your clothes were soaked, and since he’s a man, he called me over to help you change.
Oh, and the clothes you’re wearing are my daughter’s.
Don’t dislike them.”
That long explanation instantly calmed Xue Zhi’s heart.
“Thank you for taking care of me, Auntie.”
At that moment, a voice came from outside the door.
Deep and magnetic.
“Auntie Zhang, has Madam Xue awakened? How is she?”
Through the closed door, Xue Zhi answered,
“Scholar Fu, I’ve already woken up.
Auntie Zhang told me everything that happened these past few days.
As for the doctor’s fee—how much was it in total? I’ll repay you as soon as possible.”
Standing outside, Fu Shiyue had not expected the first thing she would say after waking up was to repay him.
Suppressing the smile rising at the corner of his lips, he replied,
“There’s no hurry to repay it.
The doctor said your body has suffered too much damage and needs proper rest…”
Before he could finish, the door creaked open.
Facing him was Xue Zhi’s pale yet delicate face.
Fu Shiyue’s eyelashes stilled for a few seconds before he quickly regained composure.
“It’s cold outside. Madam Xue has only just recovered—it’s not suitable for you to be in the wind.”
Xue Zhi asked in return,
“Then what about Scholar Fu?
Why didn’t you come in just now?”
“I…”
He hesitated.
“There should be propriety between men and women.”
“With Auntie Zhang present, outsiders could hardly gossip.
Besides, this is Scholar Fu’s own home.
Why should you be made uncomfortable because of me?”
Auntie Zhang suddenly chimed in,
“Since Madam Xue is awake now, Scholar Fu, I still have matters at home, so I’ll leave first.”
With that, she walked past the two of them and left the Fu residence.
After a moment of silence, Xue Zhi spoke first.
“Scholar Fu, come in and speak.”
“Alright.”
The two entered the room and sat on the chairs.
Fu Shiyue asked,
“Madam Xue, how do you feel now?”
“I’m already much better.”
Xue Zhi thanked him sincerely.
“Thank you, Scholar Fu.
I will remember your kindness.
If there is ever anything you need from me, just say the word.
If there is nothing else, then I should leave now.”
She stood and started toward the door, only for Fu Shiyue to stop her.
“Madam Xue, wait.”
“Does Scholar Fu have other matters?”
“You probably haven’t seen your home yet.
Go look, and you’ll understand.”
Xue Zhi studied his expression, then stepped outside.
When she reached the courtyard and looked past the fence, she immediately saw the ruined state of the neighboring house.
The yard was overgrown with weeds.
The doors and windows were badly damaged.
Even part of the roof had long ago been blown away by some unknown storm.
The desolate sight made her throat tighten.
Four years.
A full four years.
While her mother had still been alive, she had at least reason to return and visit.
But ever since her mother died, she had not set foot there once.
Even though it was the same village—
One home at the village entrance.
The other at the far end.
If not for Li Honghua forcing her to work day and night, watching her constantly, how could she have been denied even a chance to come back and look?
Thinking of it, Xue Zhi clenched her fists tightly.
In this life, she swore the Fu family would repay blood with blood.
Hatred for hatred.
Suddenly, a voice sounded behind her.
“Ahem… Madam Xue, you… you’ve seen it now, haven’t you?
The Xue house is no longer fit to live in.
If Madam Xue has nowhere else to go…
Then stay here.”
Seeing the shocked look in her eyes, Fu Shiyue quickly explained,
“I—I mean…
I usually stay at the academy.
I only return home occasionally during breaks.”
Xue Zhi stepped closer to him, staring directly into his eyes.
“Why is Scholar Fu helping me so much?”
They had barely interacted in the past.
Why would he help her to this extent?
Especially since Fu Shiyue was not someone known for helping others.
Did he have some other motive?
But she had no money, no status, nothing special—
Except perhaps her slightly beautiful face.
She was not boasting.
In her previous life, she had seen countless beauties, especially in the capital.
Very few surpassed her.
Even the noble lady her fake-dead husband loved was not as beautiful as she was.
Of course, she had to thank her mother, Xue Wan, for that.
When she was young, she vaguely remembered many matchmakers coming to propose marriage.
Even wealthy merchants and rich men from the county had come.
But her mother’s heart had belonged only to her father.
Sadly, Xue Zhi had never met him.
She had only heard her mother say he too had been a gifted and handsome man, but heaven envied talent and took him young.
But who was Fu Shiyue?
Would someone like him be moved by beauty alone?
Besides, right now she was sallow, thin, and worn down.
There was no beauty left to speak of.
Hearing her question, Fu Shiyue froze briefly, then raised a brow.
“Consider it… repayment of a favor owed to Aunt Wan.”
After his father died, he had lived mostly at the academy.
With no one at home, it had been Xue Wan who often helped clean and watch over the house.
Now helping her daughter was only right.
“My mother’s… favor?”
Xue Zhi looked puzzled.
Fu Shiyue briefly explained a few things, then concluded,
“So, just stay here in peace.
Think of it as helping me watch the house.”
Faced with his explanation, Xue Zhi only half believed it.
But when benefits were delivered right to one’s door, why refuse?
Besides, given her current situation, the first thing she needed to solve was where to live.