Zhou Jianfeng’s sharply defined face looked like a morning in late autumn, frosted with a cold that chilled one to the bone. His thick, mountain-like brows were knit together as he barked, "Sutan, I’ve given you enough face. I thought this incident would teach you a lesson, so you’d finally know who’s in charge of this household!"
"It seems you haven't learned a thing."
With a faint taste of blood in her mouth, Sutan spat on the ground. "Teach me a lesson? How can you even say that? If you wanted my job for your precious 'white moonlight,' just say so! Why resort to such low-down, dirty tricks?"
"Don't forget we're married now. Ruining me won't do you any good, either!"
She pulled her sleeves tight and tucked both hands inside them, fury welling up in her chest. She had thought what she’d read in the script was infuriating enough, but reality was even worse. Zhou Jianfeng was truly lower than a beast. To coddle his "white lotus," he had not only abandoned his brand-new wife on their wedding night but was now willing to send her to prison just so his third sister could land a secure government job. And yet, he had the gall to say it was to "teach her a lesson."
This was past the point of endurance.
"Zhou Jianfeng, I’ll give you two choices: either you take her and leave right now—and never bring her back—or we go get a divorce this instant!"
Qin Hongmei’s eyes shimmered with excitement. She tilted her chin, casting a quick, meaningful glance at the man holding her. Had she known Sutan would be so easy to goad into a divorce, she wouldn’t have had to go through all that trouble to make Jianfeng send her to prison to suffer. Qin Hongmei’s slender fingers brushed inadvertently against Zhou Jianfeng’s cold, large hand. As if startled, she pulled back, then tremblingly broke away from his embrace to stand in the pouring rain.
"Sutan, you’ve misunderstood Jianfeng. It’s not what you think. If Jianfeng didn’t love you, why would he have married you?" Qin Hongmei’s eyes reddened. "Jianfeng just pities me because my husband died, leaving me alone and helpless with a child. If you feel like Jianfeng’s kindness toward me is a burden, I’ll try my best not to trouble him in the future!"
Before the rain could soak through her clothes, a black umbrella appeared, shielding her head once more. Zhou Jianfeng’s cold, stern face hardened like icicles in winter. "Sutan, don’t push your luck! Don't project your own dirty heart onto everyone else; I’m not as foul as you think!"
His black eyes were filled with disgust, yet when he looked down at the woman beside him, his expression softened like a warm breeze in early spring.
"Jianfeng, stop holding the umbrella over me. Sutan’s clothes are soaked through. Give it to her quickly. It’s just my own wretched fate that my husband died so young!" Qin Hongmei’s eyes welled up. "Sutan, please, be the bigger person. Don’t fight with Jianfeng because of me. I’ll be going now!"
As Qin Hongmei’s frail frame moved into the downpour, she deliberately bumped her shoulder against Sutan’s as they passed. Sutan stumbled twice and tipped toward a muddy puddle.
"Hongmei!"
Zhou Jianfeng lunged forward, scooping Qin Hongmei up from the puddle. He raised his right hand high, ready to strike down with force. Sutan’s eyes widened; she hadn’t realized Zhou Jianfeng was such utter scum that he would hit her out in public. She forgot to react and instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact.
"Zhou Jianfeng, do you still consider yourself a man, hitting a woman?"
A magnetic, steady voice sounded by Sutan’s ear.
Sutan snapped her eyes open. A man. She had to crane her neck to get a good look at his face. He had a strong, defined jawline and a natural, heroic air about his brows. The corners of his mouth turned slightly downward, giving him an unapproachable vibe even when he wasn't scowling. Beneath thick lashes, his eyes were deep and resolute, as if they could pierce through the very nature of the world. His furrowed brows revealed that he was currently in a foul mood. His neck was long and graceful, like a swan’s, and his Adam's apple was so prominent that it was impossible not to notice.
In her past life, she had seen plenty of handsome men, but she had never seen one so raw, natural, and radiating such simple, grounded energy. His brown eyes were as unfathomable as the vast, dark sky beneath the veil of rain.
"Hechengming, this is a matter between husband and wife! It’s not for an outsider like you to interfere!" Zhou Jianfeng struggled before yanking his hand free.
"If you hit people, then it becomes my business." Hechengming’s pursed lips carried a heavy, icy chill.
Seeing Zhou Jianfeng distracted by Sutan, Qin Hongmei pulled away from his arms. Covering her forehead with one hand and lifting her white skirt with the other, she rushed back into the pouring rain.
"Hongmei!"
The sight of her lonely, stubborn back stung Zhou Jianfeng’s eyes. He knit his brows tight and barked, "Sutan, stay home and reflect on yourself for the next few days. As soon as you realize you were wrong, go apologize to Hongmei! I only married you for the sake of your eldest brother-in-law, and my patience has its limits! It won't look good on you if we get divorced so soon after the wedding, so don't force my hand!"
With that, Zhou Jianfeng took off on long strides to chase after the slowing Qin Hongmei. Sutan watched the two of them, one following the other, and clicked her tongue. *What a pair of star-crossed lovers.*
Qin Hongmei wanted her to vacate the position? Well, she would just occupy the latrine and refuse to budge. Since the marriage wasn't her own choice, she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of a clean divorce. It was bad enough being a maiden who ended up with the reputation of a divorcée, not to mention having to deal with people pointing fingers at her for having been in prison. She would have to recoup everything she had lost from Zhou Jianfeng himself.
Another cold gust blew, and Sutan shivered. Sensing a sharp gaze locked onto her, she instinctively looked up. *Danger!* The moment she met the man’s intense, deep-set eyes, that word flashed through her mind.
"Thanks."
Cold raindrops trickled down her collar and inside her clothes. Sutan’s teeth chattered from the cold; she stepped into the house, black cloth shoes splashing in a puddle, and bolted the door from the inside.
"Uncle, just give it up. Auntie Sutan is already married. Even if you’ve taken a fancy to her, it’s none of your business!"
"Come inside quickly! If you catch a cold, there won't be anyone left to play with me!"
Hechengming’s thick brows furrowed, his eyes clouded with confusion. *Had Sutan forgotten him? Or did she simply not recognize him? The way she looked at him was so cold!*
Hechengming’s brown eyes lingered on the Zhou family’s closed door for a few moments before he calmly withdrew his gaze and strode into the house.
Once inside, the child in his arms slid down, his little mouth chattering away: "Mom, I’m back! Did you miss me? I missed you to death!"
"Mom, Auntie Sutan is back. She’s skinny as a ghost. She just had a huge argument with Uncle Zhou at the gate!"
"Uncle and I both saw it. Uncle wouldn't stop staring at Auntie Sutan!"
"Mom, it’s autumn, not spring—why is Uncle acting like he's in heat?"
Shitou played with the wooden pistol his uncle had made for him, running wildly around the room. Hechengming shot a sharp look his way: "Shitou!"
Shitou ducked his head, but seeing his mother emerge, he immediately hid behind her legs to tattle. "Mom, control your brother! He was staring at Auntie Sutan like he was going to eat her up."
"It’s a pity he’s too scary-looking. Auntie Sutan gave him a look of total disdain before she went inside!"
"Looks like this old ox is destined never to get his hands on the fresh grass!"
"You little brat, get into your room! Keep talking like that and see if your uncle doesn't tan your hide!"
Thinking of his hide being tanned, Shitou clutched his backside and darted into the room. He Chengfang noticed the right side of her brother’s clothes were damp, so she went to the bathroom, grabbed a dry towel, and handed it to him.
"You saw Sutan?"
Hechengming’s mind flashed back to Sutan’s ghost-thin face, contrasted by a pair of clear, piercing black eyes that seemed completely at odds with her features.
"She just got married—how did she end up in prison?"