It was midday. The villagers had just finished lunch, and hearing the commotion, they all stretched their heads out to watch the excitement.
What they saw was Wang Yinghua being dragged by the hair by her own husband all the way to the Huo family house, followed by a large group from the Lin family. Some people who had heard small bits of gossip that morning immediately lit up with curiosity.
Huo Zheng frowned when he heard the noise outside.
Which bastard was causing trouble at his house again?
In the past, because of his notorious reputation in the village, people would run past his house without even daring to slow down, afraid of getting into trouble. But in just the past couple of days, people had been coming again and again to stir up trouble at his doorstep.
Tch. Annoying.
A trace of irritation flashed across his brows.
He opened the door.
Outside stood Wang Yinghua and a large group from the Lin family. His expression instantly turned cold.
Wang Yinghua’s husband, Lin Yu, went straight to the point.
“Huo Zheng, when she worked at your house taking care of the child, did you pay her twenty-five yuan a month?”
Su Qian’an looked at Huo Zheng in shock.
His gaze turned icy as he glanced at Wang Yinghua.
She immediately shrank her neck and avoided his eyes.
In her heart she was already cursing—who the hell had leaked this? They were trying to kill her!
Lin Yu’s son, Lin Zuyao, quickly explained,
“Huo Zheng, don’t misunderstand. We’re not here to question you. My mother told the family it was ten yuan a month, but today someone said it was twenty-five. We just want to clarify the situation.”
The crowd, always eager for drama, immediately perked up.
Oh ho—twenty-five yuan a month, but she only told her family ten? Then where did the extra fifteen go?
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Wang Yinghua, watching the show unfold.
Even Huo Zheng seemed mildly interested now.
He nodded.
“Yes. It was twenty-five yuan a month.”
The villagers gasped.
It really was twenty-five yuan a month!
Heavens!
They all looked at Huo Zheng in disbelief, unable to understand how this so-called thug could afford to pay that much every month.
From what they knew, Wang Yinghua had worked there for almost half a year. Twenty-five yuan a month—that was a fortune!
Some people nearly bit their teeth in regret. Why hadn’t they gone to work for him back then? That was more than field work by a long shot!
Regret. Deep regret.
At that moment, Lin family matriarch Old Madam Lin grabbed Wang Yinghua by the hair and slapped her twice hard.
“You shameless old woman! You even dared to hide money! Tell me, where did you hide it?!”
Despite her age, Old Madam Lin had plenty of strength. Wang Yinghua’s face swelled visibly from the blows.
Neither her husband nor her children defended her. They simply watched coldly.
In fact, they even urged her on.
“Mom, just tell us where the money is hidden. You’ll suffer less that way.”
Before coming, they had already searched the house thoroughly but found nothing. She had hidden it too well.
Being slapped in front of so many people, and seeing her own children not defend her, Wang Yinghua felt both humiliated and chilled to the bone.
Old Madam Lin grew angrier and slapped her again.
Then she turned to the crowd and cried out about how unfortunate her family was for letting her son marry such a liar.
“If you still won’t speak, I’ll make my son divorce you!”
At that, Wang Yinghua’s face went deathly pale.
Divorce at her age—how would she ever show her face again?
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I can’t divorce Old Lin!” she cried.
“All the money… I gave it to my maiden family…”
The Lin family erupted in rage.
“So shameless!”
“Go get it back! Go get it back!” Old Madam Lin shouted, trembling with anger as she grabbed her son.
Just as she looked like she was about to faint from rage, Huo Zheng leaned against the door and casually said,
“If she’s going to faint, faint somewhere else. Don’t do it at my doorstep. Bad luck.”
That single sentence made it awkward for everyone.
The Lin family thought he was being heartless, but the villagers shrugged. That was just how he was.
If even a passing dog barked too long at his door, it would probably get slapped.
Once the show was over, Huo Zheng closed the door with a bang, shutting out the noise.
Su Qian’an had been staring at him the whole time.
After a while, she finally asked,
“What did you do before?”
Being able to pay twenty-five yuan a month—it didn’t match the “idle thug” reputation others described.
She suddenly realized that everything she knew about his past came from other people, not from him.
And today, she intended to find out.
“Truck driver,” Huo Zheng replied.
It was a job introduced by an old master he knew, who also taught him how to drive.
That job had given him many advantages.
Su Qian’an was surprised. Truck drivers were a highly sought-after job—good pay and extra perks.
No wonder he could afford twenty-five yuan a month.
“So now you—”
She hesitated, worried she might be interfering with his work these past days by making him do farm labor.
He explained, “Truck driving isn’t something you do every day. You drive for a few days, then rest for a few days.”
Only then did she relax slightly.
So what he said about not lacking money before… it was true.
Then she asked, “Is there anything else you haven’t told me? From the past too.”
Now that they were married, things couldn’t remain unclear. She wanted to know everything.
Huo Zheng paused, thinking carefully.
Besides what he was currently doing… it seemed there wasn’t anything left.
But then he thought of the things he had done in the past. There was no need for her to know those—she would only worry.
“No,” he said.
“Really nothing?”
“Mm.”
“Hmph. If I find out you’re hiding something from me, I’ll… I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” His eyes narrowed dangerously.
“I’ll divorce you!”
“…Divorce? Not a chance. Try another one.”
“I won’t!”
His gaze dropped to her bright, slightly parted lips. With a low sound, he leaned down and kissed her.
“Change or not?”
Hot breath brushed her face, making her feel both itchy and flustered. Her face turned redder than the midday sun.
Still, she stubbornly insisted, “No change!”
He kissed her again.
“Change or not?”
“…Change…”