The Zhou family had set up several banquet tables in the yard and at the entrance. The guests were all in high spirits, but the Zhou family members wore sour expressions.
When Mother Zhou saw Zhou Yue leading Xu Xi into the yard, her face instantly darkened.
Was this woman, dressed so plainly and unattractively, really her daughter-in-law?
Could she refuse to acknowledge her?
Zhou Yue introduced Xu Xi: “This is my mother.”
“Mother-in-law,” Xu Xi called out cheerfully to Mother Zhou.
Mother Zhou didn’t even spare her a glance, snorted coldly, and went inside.
It was clear that Mother Zhou looked down on such a daughter-in-law.
Earlier, she had discreetly asked Zhou Yue and learned that he had been introduced to the daughter of the brigade commander in his military district. They had both left a good impression on each other, and there was potential for things to develop further.
At the time, Mother Zhou had already decided that the brigade commander’s daughter would be her daughter-in-law. Who could have expected Xu Xi to interfere, drugging her son and forcing the matter to a point of no return?
Mother Zhou gritted her teeth in anger. Her son’s future had been ruined by Xu Xi!
Xu Xi didn’t mind either. She was led by Zhou Yue to his room.
He left after saying he had to go out and attend to the guests, leaving Xu Xi alone in the room.
The room was simply furnished, with only a bed, a wardrobe, and a table. Everything was neatly arranged, and even the quilt was folded into a perfect square.
Bored, Xu Xi glanced toward the doorway and noticed a little boy clinging to the doorframe, secretly watching her.
Her eyes lit up, and she beckoned him over.
When the child realized Xu Xi had spotted him, his eyes widened, and he scurried away as if she were a monster that ate children.
Xu Xi: “…”
Just then, a plainly dressed woman walked in carrying a plate. She apologized to Xu Xi, saying, “My son, Tiedan, doesn’t know any better. You must be hungry—have something to eat first.”
She placed the plate on the table beside Xu Xi and added, “Third Brother specifically asked me to bring this for you to fill your stomach.”
Xu Xi glanced at the pancakes on the plate. She was indeed a little hungry, so she picked one up and began eating.
Satisfied, she smiled and said to the woman, “Thank you.”
But she didn’t know who this woman was in the Zhou family. When she had entered earlier, Zhou Yue had remained cold-faced the entire time and hadn’t introduced anyone.
Xu Xi asked another question: “And you are?”
The woman realized and smiled, saying, “I’m Zhang Xiulan, your sister-in-law.”
Her gaze lingered on Xu Xi. She had heard that Xu Xi was sharp-tongued and unattractive, but from their brief interaction, she found Xu Xi to be quite polite.
“Go ahead and eat. I’ll step out now.”
Xu Xi watched Zhang Xiulan’s retreating figure and blinked. Just now, her sister-in-law had said that the pancakes were specifically brought over by Third Brother.
Wasn’t Third Brother in the Zhou family Zhou Yue? He was quite thoughtful.
Although Zhou Yue despised her, he was, after all, the male lead, and his character wasn’t bad. At the very least, he wouldn’t let her wait in the room on an empty stomach.
After eating two pancakes, Xu Xi grew bored again. She stood up and looked at her face in the mirror.
The blush on her cheeks was indeed a bit frightening. Without overthinking it, Xu Xi splashed some water on her face and washed off the blush.
She reached out and touched her face. The original host had likely spent a lot of time under the sun, leaving her skin tanned and rough.
In this era, everyone in the village had to work daily—how could they avoid the sun? Even though Mother Xu and her three brothers doted on the original host, she still had to go up the mountain to cut pig grass.
Xu Xi was fretting over how to restore her complexion when the sound of Mother Zhou talking with Zhou Yue drifted in from outside.
“Son, I still can’t accept this. Why don’t you send her back?”
Zhou Yue’s low voice responded, “Mom, I have to take responsibility for her.”
What responsibility? It was clearly Xu Xi who drugged her son. That wicked woman should be caught and thrown in a pig cage!
Mother Zhou sighed heavily. Why was their Zhou family so unlucky?
Inside the room, Xu Xi also sighed. If she had known she was transmigrating into a book that night, she would never have gotten intimate with Zhou Yue.
After waiting for a long time, Xu Xi grew drowsy.
She lay half on the bed, intending to nap for a while, but ended up falling asleep without realizing it.
…
Zhou Yue saw all the relatives who had come for the banquet out of the courtyard gate before turning back toward the house.
He glanced toward the room.
It was quiet, with no sound at all. Zhou Yue frowned in confusion.
Zhang Tianfu had told him that Xu Xi was spoiled by her family, with a fierce and willful personality. Today, he had left her neglected in the room for so long—how could she not have thrown a tantrum?
His fourth brother, Zhou Bin, seeing him standing at the door, walked over sympathetically and patted his shoulder.
“Third Brother, why don’t you come sleep on the floor at my place tonight?”
Who would dare share a bed with such a wicked woman as Xu Xi? What if you were poisoned to death without even knowing?
“No need.”
Zhou Yue’s dark eyes deepened slightly. He steadied his breathing before pushing open the door.
The wooden door creaked. Xu Xi, sleeping restlessly, was awakened by the faint sound.
She groggily opened her eyes. Through her blurred vision, a tall, straight figure entered her sight first.
The man pushed the door open, his broad shoulders and narrow waist making the entire room seem smaller.
When Xu Xi saw it was Zhou Yue, she couldn’t help complaining to him, “Why did it take you so long to finish up?”
Just awakened, her voice was soft, carrying a hint of laziness and a sweet, sticky tone. Zhou Yue’s ear inexplicably tingled, as if a fine feather had lightly brushed past.
He lowered his gaze to look at her. Seeing that the strange makeup on her face had been wiped off, his eyes finally felt more at ease.
Zhou Yue ignored her and walked to one side, rummaging for a straw mat, which he spread flat on the floor.
Seeing his actions, Xu Xi instinctively asked, “Are you going to sleep on the floor tonight?”
Hearing her voice, Zhou Yue looked up at her again, a hint of coldness flickering in his eyes.
“I married you only to take responsibility. Don’t think about anything else. I won’t sleep in the same bed as you.”
Xu Xi pouted. Who wanted to sleep with him? She was a victim too, okay?
In her original life, her family was well-off, her parents doted on her. After graduating with a master’s degree from a prestigious university, she went abroad for her Ph.D., showing remarkable talent and gaining some recognition.
When she returned from studying abroad, her parents even held a solo exhibition for her paintings.
Just because she had a couple of extra drinks that night, she woke up transmigrated into a book and inexplicably slept with a man.
In her original world, any man she slept with would have considered it an honor.
Now, in this era, Zhou Yue married her reluctantly. Xu Xi felt stifled with anger.
She had never suffered such grievances before. Her temper flared instantly. She turned over and lay down, deciding to ignore him.
Zhou Yue’s dark, deep eyes stared at the back of her head for a while. Only after confirming she wouldn’t make any further moves did he prepare to lie down and sleep.
The summer night was stiflingly hot. Out of habit, he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his military-green shirt. Suddenly remembering Xu Xi’s actions, he paused, then silently buttoned them back up.
…
Xu Xi slept soundly through the night without any dreams, waking up comfortably the next morning.
She rubbed her eyes and instinctively turned her head to look at the floor. It was empty—the straw mat had already been rolled up and placed in the corner of the wall.
Had Zhou Yue gotten up so early?
Xu Xi didn’t pay it much mind. After washing up, she finally stepped out of the room.
Mother Zhou, seeing her rise so late, raised her voice in a sharp, sarcastic tone and scolded, “Lazy good-for-nothing!”
Xu Xi ignored Mother Zhou. Her round eyes scanned the surroundings as she looked for Zhou Yue.
But Zhou Yue… didn’t seem to be at home.
The rest of the Zhou family had already left for work. Left with no other choice, Xu Xi could only ask Mother Zhou, “Where’s Zhou Yue? Where did he go?”
Mother Zhou snorted coldly. “He took the train back to his military unit early this morning.”