Shao Wenye followed behind Wen Yu at an unhurried pace, his gaze fixed on the wound on her leg. For some reason, the bite mark looked especially irritating to him.
Rubbing his fingers together, he thought to himself that Shao Rong needed to be taught a proper lesson. The kid already knew how to bite people at such a young age—who knew what outrageous things he might do in the future?
Looking at Wen Yu’s slender back, Shao Wenye wondered if she was secretly crying again.
So delicate.
Seeing that no one was around, he quickly stepped forward and grabbed her arm lightly.
“Wen—”
Wen Yu was startled by his sudden movement and instinctively struggled free.
“What is it?”
She looked up at him calmly. She was not crying.
The hand holding her arm loosened unconsciously. Shao Wenye paused for a moment.
“Nothing.”
“Mm.”
Wen Yu nodded faintly and continued walking back.
No crying, no fussing, no emotional outbursts.
This was clearly the result Shao Wenye wanted, yet seeing her cold and distant attitude—completely different from before—made panic rise in his chest.
Was she still angry?
Out of the corner of his eye, he kept glancing at Wen Yu, trying to read something from her expression, but ultimately failed.
He truly did not understand women’s thoughts.
The two returned to the Shao family home one after the other.
Everyone was sitting in the living room, including Xu Wan and Shao Rong, who had already returned from the hospital.
The child clung tightly to his mother, looking timidly at Wen Yu. Judging from his expression, one would think he was the one who had been bullied.
Wang Xuemei asked anxiously, “Wenwen, I heard Xiaobao bit you. Are you alright?”
Wen Yu shook her head.
“I’m fine.”
“Sigh, this child has been spoiled rotten by us. Wenwen, don’t hold it against him, he—”
“Auntie, the wound has already been treated. It’s nothing serious.”
Wen Yu did not want to hear meaningless words.
In this household, she was the outsider. There was no reason for her to make things difficult for the family that owned the house.
Wang Xuemei opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.
Wenwen had come from Shanghai and had clearly grown up pampered. One look at her fair and delicate skin was enough to know she had never suffered hardship.
But now that she had come to the southwest, not only did she have to adapt to the harsh environment, she also had to endure grievances from the family itself.
For a young girl who had left her hometown behind, this was truly heartbreaking.
Shao Kai’s expression turned stern as he barked, “Hurry up and apologize to your aunt!”
If this weren’t Wenqing’s posthumous son, he would have beaten the child already. Throwing tantrums and rolling around at such a young age—it was utterly disgraceful!
Shao Rong pursed his lips resentfully.
“Sorry.”
He didn’t even look at Wen Yu, and his voice was so soft it was barely audible.
The moment he finished speaking, he immediately buried himself in Xu Wan’s arms.
Wen Yu could not be bothered arguing with a child. Just as she was considering how to bring up returning to Shanghai, the telephone in the living room rang.
Shao Kai was closest to the phone, so he picked up the receiver.
The moment he heard the voice on the other end, his stern face softened with an apologetic smile.
“Old Wen, did you already hear about what happened today? Don’t worry, I’ll give you an explanation. I’ll make Wenye personally go to Shanghai and apologize properly. You can punish him however you want—I won’t object.”
Although she could not hear what her father was saying on the other side, Wen Yu knew very well that he would never let her wrong herself.
“Wenwen, your father wants to speak with you.”
Wen Yu hurried over and took the receiver.
“Come home. We don’t need to suffer this kind of grievance. Don’t worry—your Uncle Shao and I fought side by side in the same trenches. Our relationship won’t be affected.”
The heavy stone pressing on Wen Yu’s heart finally lifted. She almost burst into tears again, her throat tightening so much that she could only respond softly.
“Mm.”
“One of Dad’s old comrades works at the train station. I’ll call him later and ask him to get you a sleeper ticket. You’ll come back tomorrow.”
“Mm.”
A sigh came from the other end.
“The southwest is too harsh. It’s better for you to come back.”
Shao Wenye had sharp hearing. Even from several meters away, he heard the contents of the conversation clearly.
His expression froze slightly.
He and Wen Yu had already held a wedding ceremony. Now she wanted to leave, and it sounded like she no longer intended to acknowledge the marriage at all.
What kind of situation was this supposed to be?
After hanging up, Wen Yu found everyone in the room staring at her, each with a different expression.
In the end, Shao Kai, as the head of the household, spoke first.
“Wenwen, what happened today was the Shao family’s fault. But the circumstances were urgent at the time. Can you give Wenye another chance?”
Wen Yu did like Shao Wenye, and she did have a gentle temperament, but she would never compromise unconditionally for a man.
This was not about competing with Xu Wan.
She had simply realized her place in this family.
There were people here more important than her.
She was human, not a saint. She was not that noble, nor did she possess a spirit of selfless sacrifice.
Some things were already painful enough to endure once. If they happened again and again, she did not know whether she would eventually become a bitter and resentful woman.
“Uncle, you also know my father is bedridden and paralyzed. Although we hired a housekeeper at home, it’s never as reassuring as having family around. Looking back now, I realize the previous arrangements were somewhat inappropriate, so… let’s forget about this marriage.”
She spoke the final words softly, but everyone’s expressions changed instantly.
“Comrade Wen, if this is because of me, then I can return to my parents’ home,” Xu Wan hurriedly said. “We all live in the same compound anyway, so it won’t matter.”
A faint smile curved Wen Yu’s lips.
“Whether I marry Shao Wenye or not is a matter between the two of us. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”
Wang Xuemei truly liked Wen Yu.
She was educated, gentle-tempered, and her father had once saved Old Shao’s life on the battlefield. Their families shared a life-and-death friendship.
Becoming relatives through marriage was something everyone had been happy to see, which was why the childhood engagement existed in the first place.
“Wenwen, marriage isn’t child’s play. Think it over carefully. Don’t rush back to Shanghai.”
Wen Yu smiled lightly.
“It’s precisely because marriage isn’t child’s play that I made this decision. Leaving aside my father’s health, just the matter of marrying far away from home is already far more difficult than I imagined.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, carrying the unique accent of the south, yet her words left no room for rebuttal.
Shao Wenye’s eyes darkened.
They had already held a wedding ceremony. Although it had been interrupted midway, he and Wen Yu had indeed stood together on the stage to take their vows.
And now she truly intended to deny it all.
Lowering his head, he suddenly noticed the large red flower still pinned to his chest—the symbol of him being the groom.
So she had married him, yet now wanted to return to Shanghai and marry someone else?
“You’re certain you want to go back to Shanghai?”
“Mm. I’m going back.”
“Suit yourself.”
Shao Wenye turned and walked out the door.
“Where are you going?” Wang Xuemei hurried after him anxiously. “Get back here!”
“I’ve got something to do.”
This brat had done something wrong and still dared to throw a tantrum. No wonder his wife didn’t want him anymore!
Shao Wenye strode away decisively without looking back.
For this wedding, he had taken three days of leave. Since Wen Yu no longer wanted to marry him, he might as well end his leave early.
Twice in one day, Wen Yu watched Shao Wenye leave.
Lowering her eyes, she suppressed the overwhelming sense of loss in her heart.
Maybe this was for the best.
At least in the future, she would no longer have to watch his back as he walked away.