“Stop crying, you little brat!”
Wang Yinghua’s face was full of impatience. Her dry, blackened hand tightly covered the infant’s mouth and nose in her arms. The baby’s face turned red from suffocation, soft cheeks already marked with a few red scratches.
Su Qian’an forced her eyes open. Turning her head, she saw Wang Yinghua’s twisted expression and heard the child’s weak crying. It felt like her heart was being sliced apart. She struggled to sit up from the wooden plank and said weakly, “Stop!”
Wang Yinghua seemed startled and quickly loosened her grip. Seeing that she had woken up, she said hesitantly, “Xiao He’s wife, y-you’re awake!”
Su Qian’an ignored her and stared directly at the swaddled infant in her arms. “Give me the child!”
Wang Yinghua looked down at the baby, a flash of guilt crossing her face. “Um… Xiao He’s wife, you just woke up and your body hasn’t recovered yet. I’ll hold the baby for you.”
Su Qian’an’s gaze was clear and piercing. When she looked at someone like that, it felt as if she could see through all their filthy thoughts. Wang Yinghua grew increasingly flustered under her stare.
Seeing that Wang Yinghua still didn’t move, Su Qian’an stood up and slowly walked over, snatching the child away. Seeing the baby’s bruised and flushed face, her heart twisted in pain as if it were being carved by a knife.
Her eyes turned colder than ice as she looked at Wang Yinghua. “Is this how you take care of a child?”
“I—I didn’t! Xiao He’s wife, listen to me, I—”
Su Qian’an didn’t want to hear her excuses. She raised her hand and slapped her across the face, cutting her off.
Wang Yinghua stared at her in disbelief, clearly not expecting Su Qian’an to be so tough today—bold enough to hit an elder like her.
“You—you little slut! You shameless—how dare you hit me?!”
Hearing this, Su Qian’an frowned slightly and slapped her again without hesitation.
“Watch your mouth!”
Two red, swollen handprints appeared on Wang Yinghua’s gaunt face. Her gaze turned venomous, like a poisonous snake.
She suddenly lunged forward, clearly intending to “teach this shameless daughter-in-law of the Huo family a lesson.”
Su Qian’an reacted quickly, dodging and tripping her in one smooth motion.
“Ah—!”
Wang Yinghua fell flat on her face, letting out a miserable howl.
“How dare you, you vile woman! Just wait until Xiao He comes back—I’ll have you thrown out of the Huo family!”
Hearing her nonstop insults, Su Qian’an grabbed a broom from the side and swung it at her, her expression fierce.
“You old hag! Get out!”
Wang Yinghua was beaten all the way to the door, screaming in pain and shouting for help. Unfortunately, it was working hours, and there was no one in the village around. No matter how loudly she screamed, no one came.
With a loud “bang,” Su Qian’an slammed the door shut, cutting off the noise outside.
“You little bitch, rotten woman…!” Wang Yinghua continued cursing from outside for a while before finally spitting on the door and leaving.
Listening to the fading footsteps, Su Qian’an finally relaxed, her small fair hand patting her chest as her fierce expression quickly softened into obedience.
She looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, frowning slightly in confusion.
When her eyes landed on the wall calendar, her pupils suddenly contracted.
October 5th, 1976.
She… had traveled to the future?!
“Hiss…”
A sharp pain came from her forehead. She reached up and felt it, only to touch a rough strip of cloth.
What happened to her head? And what about this child?
Her mind was a mess, like a tangled ball of yarn.
The light above her head was suddenly blocked. She looked up and saw a tall figure standing at the doorway.
The man’s expression was cold and fierce. There was a small scar at the end of his eyebrow. He was very tall, his muscular build strong and defined, veins visible along his arms—intimidating at first glance.
Huo Zheng had always known Su Qian’an was beautiful. Her delicate, palm-sized face looked pale and fragile. A bandage wrapped around her forehead, her long black hair fell loosely behind her. With her lowered gaze, she looked pitifully obedient.
When his eyes landed on the faint blood seeping from her wound, his gaze narrowed slightly.
Startled, Su Qian’an instinctively stepped back. Nervously, she said, “I’m sorry… I just hit someone…”
Huo Zheng paused. This was the first time in a long while she had spoken to him so gently.
He glanced at her from head to toe. The woman who usually ignored him now looked like a frightened child who had done something wrong.
He withdrew his gaze and placed something on the table. “These are medicine from the hospital. Remember to take them on time.”
Su Qian’an looked at the items, then at the room—bare except for a bed and a table with a few chairs. Had he spent all their savings on her treatment?
“Um… Huo—” She hesitated, realizing she didn’t even know his name.
She changed her words. “When did we get married? Where is the marriage certificate?”
The aunt earlier had called her “Xiao He’s wife.” She needed to understand what was going on.
Huo Zheng’s body stiffened. His dark eyes locked onto hers as if trying to see through her thoughts.
Feeling uneasy under his gaze, she stammered, “W-what’s wrong?”
Huo Zheng looked away and said calmly, “If you want, we can get the certificate tomorrow.”
He had brought it up before, but she had refused. So even after having a child, they never registered their marriage or held a wedding.
Su Qian’an was surprised, then asked again, confused, “We’re not registered? Why? And where are my parents?”
Why hadn’t her parents come to see her after she was injured?
Huo Zheng paused briefly, then said, “We didn’t have money for a wedding back then, and you weren’t in good condition during pregnancy, so it was delayed.”
“Now that the child is born, we should go get the certificate, right?”
Su Qian’an fell silent.
Huo Zheng’s expression darkened.
“Let’s eat first.”
His deep, rough voice broke the silence. Su Qian’an turned and met his dark, cold eyes—complicated emotions swirling within them.
At the dining table, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. The one who broke the silence first was Su Qian’an.
“How did I get injured on my forehead?”
Huo Zheng let out a cold laugh.
His face was already intimidating, and the scar at his eyebrow made him even more severe when he frowned.
Lowering her head, Su Qian’an’s fair face was stubborn. “I’m injured, and you’re still treating me so coldly.”
Huo Zheng pressed his lips together, his gaze dark and heavy.
“I heard from the villagers… that you were meeting your lover.”