Naturally, Chu Zhi also knew. She was a little tranced when she heard the news. At this moment, a few straws from the stove fell out, the burning straw scalding her hands, making her tremble with pain.
Soon after, hearing the sound of the door, Chu Zhi shivered, and her husband walked in and grabbed her. Disregarding the unextinguished fire in the stove, he carried her into the house like a chook and threw her onto the bed, then pounced over.
Since the steward lost his glory, he sought medical advice everywhere, but how could this disease be cured so easily? At first, he even cherished and cared for Chu Zhi in all sorts of ways, but Chu Zhi disdained him. His nose was not a nose and his eyes were not eyes.1She often criticised him, was snappish and rude In the long run, the steward drank two drinks outside, and got tipsy. When he went back, he wanted to be affectionate with Chu Zhi, but was cruelly slapped by her. This pushed his buttons, and disregarding everything else he tossed Chu Zhi nearly to death. He was still swearing, his mouth filled with dirty words and profanities; just second-hand goods, a whore, he had really wronged himself by marrying her, otherwise, how could he suffer this suffering? Wasn’t it nice to be a comfortable steward in the Marquis residence?
It’s better to eat fragrant food and drink spicy wine every day2Basically, enjoy life than to run outside but earn less than a few pennies.
He hated Chu Zhi very much, and felt that this was all bad luck that she had brought. He dared to do it the first time, and naturally there would be a second and third time. Now, Chu Zhi no longer dared to show up in front of him. Everyday, she conscientiously didn’t dare to go out when he was about, which greatly satisfied the steward’s vanity. He also hated Yong An Marquis a little bit, so he gloated when he abused Chu Zhi, no matter how powerful you are, is your woman not at my mercy now?
Thinking this way, Chu Zhi’s sin was even greater.
“What, you still think Marquis could like you?!” Seeing Chu Zhi gritting her teeth with a teary face, the steward couldn’t help infuriating her. “You don’t even reflect on your own moral conduct. Marquis is now kneeling at the gate of the Prime Minister’s residence, how can you compare with Madam? You don’t even look in the mirror at your face, it’s just that bitter fate! Dare to think wishfully, full of dishonesty, if you let me catch you not keeping the feminine virtues, you just watch and see how I’ll deal with you!”
Chu Zhi was tortured by him until cried loudly. But what could she do if she just cried? She dazedly remembered the days when she was in the Prime Minister’s residence a long time ago. At that time, the Madam was not yet Madam, she was a Young Miss. It was a Young Miss with whom she had a good relationship with, with whom she regarded as a sister. How happy was she then, much happier than she was now. What sort of life was she living now? Humans were not like humans and ghosts were not like ghosts3Chinese idiom for torturous and miserable days… When would all this come to an end?
Why did she treat the Young Miss like that? When she was very, very young, she vowed to protect her forever, but what did she do to the Young Miss? Chu Zhi thought dazedly, then finally blacked out and fainted.
On the Prime Minister’s residence’s side, the Prime Minister and his wife were worried that their daughter would suicide, but Ling Long was not sad at all. She was busy tasting the Prime Minister’s residence chef’s specialty dishes. But her eating behaviour in the eyes of her parents was simply excessively sorrowful, and was just about to hurt the Prime Minister to death. He wiped the corners of his eyes and didn’t dare to let his daughter see his tears, sniffed his nose and said, “My child, there’s no need to be sad, with my child’s appearance and talent, Daddy can find you a better husband! Let that wolf-hearted4In all likelihood, an abbreviation of heart of a wolf and lungs of a dog little thing see that not just anyone is worthy of my daughter!” How could he let others ruin his treasure like this!
The Prime Minister’s wife nodded sharply: “Yes, that’s right, that’s right, there are many handsome young men under your Daddy’s tutelage. Let them stand in a row when the time comes, and my child will choose whoever you want!”
Ling Long swallowed a mouthful of sweet soup and blinked: “Who said I want to marry?”
“How could you not marry?” The Prime Minister was the first to disagree. “I have already finished writing the divorce letter!”
“Who said I want to divorce?”
? ? ?
“You’re not going to divorce? If you’re not going to divorce, then are you still going to live with that little beast!” The Prime Minister was furious with this daughter, and he trembled with anger. This stupid child was still eating calmly! “I will never allow you to go back! That little beast is not good enough for you, do you want Dad to send you back to be ruined by him?!”
“He ruins me?” Ling Long sneered. “Dad’s said it backwards, it’s me who’ll ruin him.” Her food was about to mature soon, she wanted to eat it, she wanted to be full, she didn’t care if Yong An Marquis is ungrateful or wolfish ambition or a beast. Either way, that person loves her now, that love belonged to her, and could become nourishment in her body, she would not give up so easily.
“You–” The Prime Minister was almost fainted by this daughter. “You’re not divorcing? He treated you like this, do you still have affection for him?!”
“That’s a thing of the past.” Ling Long smiled. “I didn’t let him feel any better either. How could it be possible to divorce him? I want him to serve me for the rest of my life, to please me and let me drive him like a cow and a horse.5Chinese idiom to mean worked to the bone Where else in this world could I find someone like him. “
Just looking at his conditions alone, even the Prime Minister had to admit that Yong An Marquis was outstanding, but in terms of character, Yong An Marquis did not even have the qualifications to carry his shoes! “You child—”
“Don’t worry, mother and father, I won’t be bullied in vain, Chu Zhi betrayed me, see where she’s ended up now?” Ling Long took a bite of the pastry and smiled without any warmth. “I know best how to make a person uncomfortable. Whoever lets me be uncomfortable, I must try my best to return it to them thousands of times over.”
The Prime Minister and his wife looked at their daughter’s weird smiles, and suddenly they felt like they couldn’t quite recognise her anymore. The Prime Minister hesitated for a moment, and tentatively asked: “My child…are you still well? We parents are here. If there is anything uncomfortable, be sure to say it, don’t bury it in your heart.”
Hearing these words, Ling Long smiled softly. She was not moved at all by the love of the husband and wife. They didn’t even know that their daughter was long dead. Not only was she dead, but even her soul was eaten. She had long ceased to exist in this world. Whether they were concerned or angry, the original owner wouldn’t even know anymore. It’s really winking to a blind man, it wasn’t like she would be moved. “I know, thank you mother and father for caring, it’s getting late, you two elders go back to rest, I’m also tired, and I’m going to sleep for a while.”
She wanted to take a rest. How could the couple not agree to it? It’s good to get a good night’s sleep, and when you wake up, you may have forgotten all your troubles.
When the noisy couple left, Chu Shuang and Chu Xia waited on Ling Long, took off her dress and put on her bedclothes, and went to the outer room to keep watch for the night. Ling Long laid on the bed for a while, and then heard something akin to prying open the window. She pretended not to know, and soon there was a “patter” landing sound. A figure approached the bed, and someone approached her without any malice. He just stared at her for a long time, then tremblingly stretched out his hand and gently stroked her cheek.
At the same time, Ling Long opened her eyes, and just happened to stare at the visitor. She raised her eyebrows and smiled: “It’s so late, Marquis is not kneeling at the door, what does he want to accomplish by breaking in? If I yell, someone will come in immediately, then you can just—”
Before she finished speaking, she was covered by a violent kiss.
To be fair, Ling Long really likes Yong An Marquis kissing her, especially when he used it only for her. She did not resist the kiss, but responded to him instinctively. Yong An Marquis kissed her hard before begging in a low voice: “Madam, I don’t want to get divorced.”
“Really.” Ling Long touched his handsome face, his body was frighteningly cold. It could be seen that he had been kneeling outside for a long time, and only when people stiffened, did he mix in under the cover of the night. “You don’t want to divorce, do you want to cast off your wife?”6Divorcing in the olden days was more civil and agreed upon by both parties, however, the husband could unilaterally divorce his wife on the grounds of filial piety, failing to bear a son, adultery, gossiping, contracting a disease, or committing theft
