《My Multiple Identities Revealed After Marrying the Bigshot》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 We Are Getting Divorced

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: We Are Getting Divorced Chapter 1: Chapter 1: We Are Getting Divorced ¡°Youxi is back!¡±


    At 10 p.m., as soon as Lu Youxi entered the house, Mrs. Lin greeted her with rare enthusiasm.


    Upon closer inspection, the entire Lin Family was present.


    Lu Youxi scoffed sarcastically, surely it wasn¡¯t to celebrate her becoming the CEO of Lin Group that day?


    She had met Lin Jingshen in college, and they had been married for 15 years now.


    The Lin Family had always looked down on her for coming from a rural background, never showing her a pleasant face.


    Now that an outsider had taken the CEO position at Lin Group, how could these people be happy?


    The Lin Family had three sons, with Lin Jingshen being the youngest.


    Unfortunately, all three sons were useless; they nearly bankrupted Lin Group, but she had saved it from collapsing.


    Before Mr. Lin died, he made a will instructing Lu Youxi to be the CEO of Lin Group, on the condition that she not divorce Lin Jingshen, or she too would be kicked out of Lin¡¯s.


    Mr. Lin had a clever plan, enslaving her to work like an ox for the Lin Family, earning money to support them.


    The Lin mother and sons still thought she had taken advantage of a great deal.


    They always hung on to the notion that everything she had was given by the Lin Family.


    Lu Youxi mocked with a laugh. Yet, with her capabilities, she could make a career at any company¡ªwhy should she settle for the mere Lin¡¯s?


    In the vast Imperial Capital, Lin¡¯s truly was insignificant.


    ¡°Elder sister-in-law, congratulations on finally getting your wish and becoming the CEO of Lin¡¯s,¡± the eldest son of the Lin Family said with a veiled sting, even his smile thick with barely hidden schadenfreude.


    ¡°Elder sister-in-law, today is truly a double celebration for you!¡± the Second Son of Lin Family added.


    Before Lu Youxi could react, Mrs. Lin gestured toward another direction, ¡°Quick, bring the child over.¡±


    Everyone watched for Lu Youxi¡¯s reaction like they were watching a drama unfold. Lu Youxi turned and saw Lin Jingshen leading a boy who looked to be three or four years old.


    The boy was not at all shy; he even looked arrogantly up at Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Youxi,¡± Lin Jingshen cautiously observed her expression, ¡°This is our son.¡±


    Lin Jingshen gently nudged the boy, ¡°Say ¡®mom¡¯.¡±


    The boy did not move or make a sound, mockingly watching Lu Youxi.


    Mrs. Lin laughed it off, ¡°He¡¯s just too nervous, it¡¯s fine, they¡¯ll get along better over time.¡±


    ¡°How old is the child? Who did you have him with? I certainly haven¡¯t had a child,¡± said Lu Youxi coldly.


    ¡°The child... is three years old,¡± Lin Jingshen explained cautiously, ¡°Youxi, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already broken up with his mother. I just wanted to have a child.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Youxi, and you see, up until now, you and Jingshen haven¡¯t had children. You are 38 now, if you couldn¡¯t have them when you were younger, then later it becomes even...¡± the elder sister-in-law of Lin Family said in a manner suggesting there was more to say, covering her mouth with a giggle, ¡°Now Jingshen has brought back a son, saving you the pain of pregnancy and childbirth.¡±


    ¡°Youxi, don¡¯t worry, from now on, there will only be one mom for this child, Jingshen promises to break it off with the other woman,¡± Mrs. Lin tried to persuade, her gaze glued on the child and a wide grin on her face.


    ¡°Lin Jingshen, let¡¯s get a divorce,¡± Lu Youxi said coldly. ¡°If you think I¡¯ll accept this cuckold, you¡¯re mistaken!¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, think carefully. If you divorce, you¡¯ll lose everything in Lin¡¯s!¡± the Second Son of Lin Family shouted, ¡°You¡¯ve just become the CEO of Lin¡¯s! Everything you have now is given by the Lin Family!¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, Jingshen is your husband! You can¡¯t have a child, and you won¡¯t allow him to have one of his own? Do you want the Lin Family to die out happy?¡± Mrs. Lin accused Lu Youxi with a breakdown.


    ¡°How can the Lin Family not have a successor?¡± Lu Youxi said with a sneer. ¡°The eldest and the second brother have plenty of children, not just those at home; the elder brother also has two sons and one daughter outside, and the second brother has a son and a daughter outside; there should be enough to continue the Lin Family lineage.¡±


    The elder and second sister-in-law who were originally watching Lu Youxi with glee, were all stupefied.


    ¡°Is she telling the truth?¡± the eldest sister-in-law glared at the eldest brother, appearing ready to fight.


    ¡°Lin Jingming, clarify this for me now!¡± the second sister-in-law screamed hysterically at the second brother.


    By then, the elder sister-in-law was already grappling with the eldest brother.


    ¡°Stop! All of you stop!¡± Mrs. Lin stomped her feet and screamed until her voice was hoarse, but nobody listened to her.


    Seeing the situation degenerate further into chaos, Mrs. Lin bitterly accused Lu Youxi, ¡°Lu Youxi, are you that pleased to see our family in disarray? If you¡¯d just willingly accept this child, none of this would have happened!¡±


    Lu Youxi sneered and ignored her, only telling Lin Jingshen, ¡°Tomorrow, my attorney will discuss the divorce with you.¡±


    After saying that, Lu Youxi left the noisy villa and returned to her own place, situated near the company.


    She was busy with work, often working overnight. To make it convenient, she spent most of the year living here.


    Once at home, Lu Youxi changed into sportswear.


    After a long day at work, and after being disturbed by the Lin Family till 10 p.m., she was physically and mentally drained.


    At these times, she relied on exercising to vent.


    She started on the treadmill, gradually increasing the speed, and as she ran, she suddenly felt a wave of palpitations so painful she couldn¡¯t move and fell off the treadmill.


    A sharp pain radiated from her heart, halting her breath momentarily.


    Lu Youxi felt her body lighten and float above the room, observing her body lying on the floor.


    She watched the night pass and the sun rise, saw her assistant enter the room with the property manager and the police.


    She saw the hospital issue her a death notice.


    Then the scene shifted; she saw her younger brother, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in years, limping and hobbling into the Lin Family¡¯s gate.


    She saw Lin Jingshen welcoming his lover and the three-year-old boy into the house, a harmonious family scene.


    Youxue, with red eyes, charged at Lin Jingshen, knocked him down to the ground, beating him brutally before being thrown out of the villa by the security.


    Lu Youxi recalled how, in her family home, her grandparents favored males over females, never treating her as part of the family.


    The best food, drink, and items were always reserved for her cousins and brother, never even considering her.


    This made Lu Youxi increasingly detest her biological family, and by extension, her brother, whom she hadn¡¯t contacted since marrying Lin Jingshen.


    She remembered that her brother had been very affectionate towards her as a child, and it was her repeated cold treatment that pushed him away.


    The image of her brother¡¯s young, disappointed face became especially vivid now.


    She had thought her brother would hate her, the sister who had never treated him well.


    But unexpectedly, after her death, it was still her brother who fought for her rights, who cried for her.


    Lu Youxi curled up in midair, heart aching, reliving the palpitations she felt just before her death.


    Following that, she was swallowed by darkness once again.

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 Reliving Life

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Reliving Life Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Reliving Life ¡°Get up, you lazy girl! I have never seen a girl as lazy as you in any other family! It¡¯s all because your mother spoils you!¡± In the darkness, Lu Youxi heard a series of familiar yet strange scoldings.


    With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the door was rudely pushed open, and within a few seconds, she was yanked out of bed by someone pulling off her quilt.


    Lu Youxi now completely woke up, opened her eyes, and saw Old Madam Lu¡¯s face, every wrinkle filled with disgust, confronting her own.


    ¡°Get up and cook already! You do nothing to help out during your days off, just sleep in! Are we raising you for nothing?¡± Old Madam Lu let go of Lu Youxi and scolded, ¡°You¡¯re so lazy, I don¡¯t see who would want to marry you. Get up this instant!¡±


    With that, Old Madam Lu strode out the door.


    Lu Youxi stood there stunned, watching Old Madam Lu¡¯s retreating figure.


    Wasn¡¯t she dead?


    She had died suddenly from overwork followed by exercise.


    And Old Madam Lu had been dead for many years too.


    But now...


    Lu Youxi looked at her hands, coarse from too much labor, not at all resembling those of a young girl.


    Her hands at the age of 38 had been much more delicate than they were now.


    Looking around at the environment, it was the shabby village house.


    When Lu Youxue was still young, she used to share a room with him. Later, as Lu Youxue grew up and she became an adult woman, even though they were siblings, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for them to share a room.


    It was only then that her grandparents cleaned out a storage room for her to use as a bedroom.


    The room was dark and damp, with patches of moisture on the wall plaster.


    Lu Youxi climbed out of bed and went over to the calendar hanging on the wall.


    She truly had returned, returned to twenty years ago.


    Lu Youxi could not believe all this, even pinching herself hard.


    The real pain reminded her that all of this was true.


    ¡°Lu Youxi, what are you dawdling for!¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s loud voice came from outside the door again.


    Lu Youxi quickly got ready and went to the kitchen.


    In reality, it had not been long since dawn had broken.


    Upon entering the kitchen, she saw her mother, Liu Yushu, adding firewood to the stove.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s voice was hoarse, somewhat difficult to speak.


    ¡°Eh!¡± Liu Yushu pulled Lu Youxi in and secretly handed her a boiled egg, ¡°Eat this first, you don¡¯t need to do any chores. When your grandma comes in a bit, just get up and pretend you¡¯re busy.¡±


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders were severe in their preference for sons over daughters, but Liu Yushu still cherished her daughter.


    She had no authority in the household, unable to stand up for herself, but she couldn¡¯t just watch her daughter suffer.


    Lu Youxi looked down at the egg in her hand, still hot. She also didn¡¯t overlook her mother¡¯s rough hands, bearing wounds from work.


    In her previous life, she resented her grandparents for favoring males over females, resented her father for his foolish filial piety, resented her mother for her weakness, allowing her to be bullied, resented her brother for taking everything from her.


    So, when her mother secretly gave her something or treated her kindly, she was even more annoyed.


    Being children of the same family, why did everything good have to be done in secret for her?


    Why did she have to eat an egg like a thief?


    As if she was eating something from the house illicitly, as if she weren¡¯t entitled to eat it at all.


    So, every time her mother secretly gave her something, she would throw it back, refusing it.


    She still remembered one time, her mother also secretly gave her an egg to eat and told her not to tell anyone; she just turned her face away, said she didn¡¯t want it, and left.


    Lu Youxi closed her eyes, to soothe her reddened, sore eyes.


    After a while, she looked up only to collide with Liu Yushu¡¯s nervous face, fearing she would refuse again.


    Lu Youxi sniffed and nodded with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Youxi carefully peeled the eggshell as if it were a treasure.


    Liu Yushu watched her movements, feeling even more upset.


    If the family hadn¡¯t treated Lu Youxi poorly, why would she need to treat a mere egg with such treasured delight as if she had obtained some precious gem?


    Lu Youxi threw the peeled eggshells into the fire to destroy the evidence, lest Old Madam Lu see it and create a commotion.


    She got up and saw Liu Yushu busy chopping vegetables.


    Lu Youxi then broke the egg in two, walked over to Liu Yushu¡¯s side, ¡°Mom, you eat too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t...¡± Liu Yushu was about to refuse since she had specially saved it for Lu Youxi, not being able to bear to eat it herself.


    In this family, only Old Master Lu, Lu Youxi¡¯s dad, and Lu Youxue could have an egg every day.


    No one expected Liu Yushu or even Lu Youxi to have any, not even Old Madam Lu.


    But Lu Youxi took advantage of the moment Liu Yushu opened her mouth to decline, and promptly stuffed half of the egg into her mother¡¯s mouth.


    She also stuffed the other half into her own mouth and ate while watching Liu Yushu with a smile.


    Liu Yushu smiled helplessly yet joyfully, looking down and cutting vegetables as she cherished and slowly swallowed down the half egg.


    Lu Youxi washed her hands, rolled up her sleeves, and went over to help.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to rest?¡± Liu Yushu hurriedly said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll help you. If we work together, it¡¯ll be faster and you¡¯ll have an easier time,¡± Lu Youxi said with a smile.


    In her past life, Liu Yushu didn¡¯t want her to work, only to pretend. But Lu Youxi harbored resentment, and if Old Madam Lu caught her, she would be beaten.


    So, she thought Liu Yushu, clearly unable to protect her, always gave her bad advice.


    Every time, she would work reluctantly, filled with resentment, making a loud clamor.


    Liu Yushu was startled for a moment, then bowed her head and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I am useless...¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± Lu Youxi interrupted Liu Yushu¡¯s words. She used to hate when Liu Yushu blamed herself while being unable to change anything, sounding like a perpetual, plaintive mantra. But now, hearing these words, Lu Youxi only felt closeness and heartache. Yet, being tough all her life, she didn¡¯t know how to comfort her mother and could only change the subject to distract Liu Yushu, ¡°Has Youxue left yet?¡±


    Lu Youxue attended school in the town, and since it was quite far away, he left every day before dawn.


    ¡°Yes, I packed him a bun and an egg, plus a bag of milk to eat on the way,¡± Liu Yushu said, then suddenly stopped, regretting mentioning it.


    Lu Youxi knew it was because of the milk.


    Liu Yushu could secretly give Lu Youxi an egg, but she dared not give her milk.


    The milk was bought from the town; one box was bought at a time. The two adult men in the family, plus Lu Youxue, accounted for the days¡¯ consumption.


    A missing bag would be noticed by Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°Mom,¡± said Lu Youxi softly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so cautious. Before, I was immature and couldn¡¯t understand your difficulties, but I¡¯ve grown up now. I am an adult; I can¡¯t act capriciously like before.¡±


    Since heaven had given her a second chance, she would definitely live differently.


    She would no longer be involved with Lin Jingshen, nor have any connections with the Lin Family.


    She would also lead her parents and brother to a better life, repaying what she owed them.

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 Asking for Money

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Asking for Money Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Asking for Money ¡°Okay,¡± Liu Yushu nodded incessantly, ¡°You... Once you go off to university, it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯ll be good once you pass the entrance exams.¡±


    Lu Youxi bowed her head to cook the noodles, her eyelashes trembling slightly.


    She had never heard Liu Yushu say such a thing in her past life.


    After preparing breakfast, the family went out to work in the fields together in the morning.


    By the time it was almost lunch, Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi went back home early to prepare lunch.


    Old Master Lu and Lu Zhenguo continued to stay in the fields.


    When lunch was nearly ready, Old Master Lu and Lu Zhenguo returned home.


    They had just arrived when they heard Ge Guifen, the Second Aunt, shouting at the door, ¡°Dad, Mom, Big Brother, Sister-in-law!¡±


    Following her voice was that of Lu Zhenjia, the Second Uncle.


    Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi were in the kitchen; the dishes had just been served.


    Lu Youxi, hearing Ge Guifen¡¯s voice, curled her lips in derision, ¡°They really do come sniffing around when they smell food.¡±


    Liu Yushu paused, feeling that Lu Youxi¡¯s words were somewhat off.


    As if... they were describing a dog?


    Sniffing around and then coming over.


    ¡°Shh!¡± Liu Yushu, who was timid, quickly hushed Lu Youxi, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone hear you.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t hear,¡± Lu Youxi said with a smile, knowing that Liu Yushu¡¯s timidity wasn¡¯t developed overnight, nor could it change so quickly.


    Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t in a hurry; she would take her time.


    She and Liu Yushu carried the dishes into the dining hall, where Lu Zhenguo and Ge Guifen were already waiting at the table for their meal, quite consciously.


    The lunch was simple: steamed buns with three stir-fried dishes, and a bowl of pickles to accompany the buns.


    Ge Guifen nudged Lu Zhenjia with her elbow.


    Lu Zhenguo, who was honest and straightforward, seeing Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen hesitate to speak, was about to ask.


    Lu Youxi, seeing these two, knew they didn¡¯t come with good intentions; they never visited unless there was a reason.


    As she noticed Lu Zhenguo about to speak, Lu Youxi said, ¡°Dad, Grandpa, you¡¯ve been working hard in the fields all morning. You must be tired. I¡¯ll go get some white liquor; Uncle and Auntie have come, too. We can all have a drink together.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia had a liking for liquor, and upon hearing Lu Youxi¡¯s proposal, he couldn¡¯t say anything to object.


    Old Madam Lu saw it was for her two sons and therefore had no objections.


    Old Master Lu nodded his head, feeling that his granddaughter seemed to be acting sensible today.


    ¡°Where did we put the liquor again, Dad?¡± Lu Youxi asked, concerned that Lu Zhenguo might bring it up again if she were not there, pulling Lu Zhenguo along with her.


    Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t think too much about it and stood up to get the liquor with Lu Youxi.


    ¡°You Big Girl, make sure to remember the place, so you don¡¯t always have to trouble your dad,¡± Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t bear to see her son doing housework.


    Lu Youxi pretended not to hear and returned with the liquor, pouring some for the three men at the table.


    Unfortunately, while she had stopped Lu Zhenguo from speaking up, she hadn¡¯t managed to stop Old Master Lu.


    ¡°What brings you two over today?¡± Old Master Lu asked.


    Lu Zhenjia quickly took his chance to speak up, ¡°Dad... It¡¯s time for Youbang to pay tuition fees and his living expenses for the next two months; we really can¡¯t come up with the money.¡±


    Old Master Lu pondered for a long while before speaking, ¡°Zhenguo...¡±


    ¡°Uncle, demanding that our family pays for cousin¡¯s tuition and living expenses isn¡¯t appropriate, is it?¡± Lu Youxi said coldly.


    Lu Zhenjia slammed his chopsticks down hard on the table, ¡°Men are speaking; what place does a girl like you have to interject?¡±


    Old Master Lu also scowled, scolding Lu Youxi, ¡°The elders are still here, since when does this family allow you to talk?¡±


    ¡°You may not want to hear it, but I have to say it. Our family has strained its resources to send our cousin to university; we¡¯ve done more than enough,¡± Lu Youxi said loudly. ¡°Hasn¡¯t my mom and dad contributed enough money? To support my cousin through university, Youxue has to go to the town before dawn every day, and how far is that from our village! He can¡¯t even afford to eat at the school cafeteria at noon and has to come back home for food, then rush back to school, sacrificing his rest time. If it weren¡¯t for funding my cousin, Youxue could at least eat lunch at school and rest properly at noon, to better focus on studying in the afternoon. My cousin needs to study; doesn¡¯t Youxue need to study as well?¡±


    Hearing this, Lu Zhenguo fell silent.


    He was honest and willing to help his nephew, but he could distinguish between kith and kin.


    Youxue was his son; his loyalty was due to Youxue.


    Lu Youxi had not realized, and honestly, he himself hadn¡¯t seen how hard Youxue had been working.


    ¡°The money for my cousin comes from scrimping on what Youxue eats. My cousin is over twenty, a university student; is it so hard for him to work part-time and study? Does he have to pinch pennies from the mouth of a twelve-year-old child to support himself?¡± Lu Youxi declared emphatically.


    ¡°Big Girl, that¡¯s going too far. It sounds like we owe Youxue,¡± Ge Guifen couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡°Is Youbang attending an ordinary university? He is at Jing University ¨C the top institution in Hua Country! Youbang isn¡¯t just the first university student from our village; he¡¯s the first to attend the nation¡¯s premier institution! Youxi, when you get to university, Youbang will even tutor you for free! You don¡¯t realize how much Jing University¡¯s talents charge for private tutoring. But he¡¯d be available to tutor Youxue at no cost.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying, Auntie? That my cousin had also planned to ask Youxue for money? If he needs tutoring, I can tutor Youxue as well,¡± Lu Youxi countered coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a university student,¡± sneered Lu Zhenjia.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just finished the college entrance exams and will be attending university soon. And I¡¯m confident I will be admitted,¡± Lu Youxi responded. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve always been at the top of my class. Forget the university; I am perfectly capable of tutoring Youxue.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia had no comeback for that.


    Regardless of anything else, Lu Youxi¡¯s academic achievements were indeed outstanding.


    ¡°Besides, since it¡¯s so profitable to tutor as a student of Jing University, my cousin must have made a fair amount, right? Why is he still asking for money for tuition and living expenses? Is it that he can¡¯t earn it through tutoring? Even if he can¡¯t earn tuition, isn¡¯t it possible to make enough for his own living expenses?¡± Lu Youxi challenged.


    Ge Guifen was dumbstruck by Lu Youxi¡¯s questioning.


    Lu Zhenjia was quicker to react, immediately justifying, ¡°Your cousin has a heavy study load; where does he have the time to tutor others? He¡¯s only willing to sacrifice his time to teach Youxue, who is our own family, and doesn¡¯t even charge for it!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Besides, we¡¯re asking mom and dad for a loan, not a handout, and certainly not asking for anything from you,¡± Ge Guifen yelled, her voice growing louder.


    ¡°The grandparents live with us, and the daily expenses are all covered by our family without using the grandparents¡¯ money. In addition to the daily expenses, we also provide them with extra retirement money. The grandparents say they¡¯re saving it for their old age. How did they manage to save their retirement fund? It¡¯s because we support them, and they don¡¯t spend the money they save. Moreover, that retirement money? It¡¯s what our family manages to give the grandparents every month. When you ask the grandparents for money, remember that it¡¯s also coming from us.¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Im Not Done with Her Today

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4: I¡¯m Not Done with Her Today! Chapter 4: Chapter 4: I¡¯m Not Done with Her Today! ¡°And also, when you say you ¡®borrow¡¯ Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s retirement money, can you really pay it back? When have you ever paid it back before?¡± Lu Youxi said.


    Lu Zhenjia looked at his niece, who seemed like a completely different person, amazed at how articulate she had become!


    Old Master Lu said with displeasure, ¡°Girl, are you implying that we are spending your money?¡±


    ¡°Grandma and Grandpa,¡± Lu Youxi was not afraid, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for being straightforward, but this is what has always been happening. Just because my parents don¡¯t talk about it doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t happening.¡±


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re just a young lady who has never traveled far or seen the world, I don¡¯t blame you,¡± Guifen added, ¡°But what kind of place is the Imperial Capital? It¡¯s the capital of the country, a major city among other major cities. Living and studying there is not easy; there are many expenses, beyond what you could imagine in your lifetime.¡±


    Lu Youxi laughed, ¡°Is that so? Then we definitely can¡¯t give the money.¡±


    ¡°Dad, cousin is about to go to university. Doesn¡¯t Youxue need it too? Can our family just produce one university student?¡± This was directed towards Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Dad, we still need to think about Youxue. Think about it, cousin going to university in the Imperial Capital will cost so much! It¡¯s spent half of our family¡¯s life savings. Shouldn¡¯t we start saving again now to prepare for Youxue?¡±


    ¡°Just now, Auntie mentioned how studying in the city for university costs a lot. We can¡¯t save up enough in three to five years,¡± Lu Youxi continued, ¡°I hope Youxue can also get into a university there. There are many good universities in the Imperial Capital, not just Jing University, but others too. By then, wouldn¡¯t Youxue also need a lot of money? We can¡¯t just give all the money to cousin now, and then make him unable to afford university later.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t mention her own university expenses.


    She had never planned to spend the family¡¯s money.


    Even in her past life, she attended Jing University on a scholarship.


    Her daily expenses were covered by her own part-time work; she hadn¡¯t spent a cent of her family¡¯s money.


    Given the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ preference for males over females, using herself as an example was pointless.


    In the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ eyes, only their grandson mattered.


    So she had to use Youxue as an example.


    Although the Lu Family¡¯s elders were selfish and uneducated, they were very persistent about their grandson attending university, knowing that it was the only way out.


    Their village wasn¡¯t wealthy, and having Lu Youbang as a university student was a huge deal in the village. Even the village chief showed Old Master Lu a lot of respect, which further solidified his desire to have Youxue go to university in the future.


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive to study in the city, but Auntie said it herself,¡± Lu Youxi smiled, ¡°I might not have seen much and never been to a big city. But cousin must have told Auntie a lot, and she is knowledgeable. What she said must be true.¡±


    This made Lu Zhenguo even more hesitant.


    Lu Youxi knew that Lu Zhenjia and his wife came to ask for money, seemingly reaching out to the elders.


    But the Lu Family¡¯s elders, though they loved their grandson, loved themselves more.


    Especially Old Master Lu, a remarkably selfish man.


    How could he possibly take money out of his own pocket for Lu Youbang?


    After Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family left, the Lu Family¡¯s elders would definitely still ask Lu Zhenguo for money.


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t mind the elders giving money to Lu Youbang.


    But they absolutely should not ask from their own household.


    Next, she saw Old Master Lu glance at Lu Zhenguo.


    Lu Youxi then knew that Old Master Lu was indeed planning to ask Lu Zhenguo for money.


    This uproar she caused wasn¡¯t to stop the money going to Lu Youbang but to eventually make Old Master Lu pay, not targeting their own assets. If so, her commotion would be deemed a success.


    Lu Zhenjia and Guifen wouldn¡¯t have expected that Lu Youxi would turn their own words against them.


    But those were their words, and they couldn¡¯t very well contradict themselves.


    Speaking of Youxue, Lu Youxi glanced at the time, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Youxue returned yet?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Liu Yushu thought as well.


    Caught up in Lu Zhenjia¡¯s drama, she hadn¡¯t noticed the time, ¡°By now, Youxue should have been home.¡±


    Suddenly, Lu Youxi remembered that in her past life, the reason why Youxue was limping was due to an accident when he was hit by a motorcycle on his way home from school at noon.


    The motorcycle driver fled the scene, and Youxue was discovered too late, which delayed his treatment and resulted in his permanent leg injury.


    Now recalling this, it seemed today was the day.


    Because Lu Zhenjia came to ask for money, Lu Zhenguo initially hesitated, but overwhelmed by Lu Zhenjia¡¯s insistence, he had to give the money to him.


    When villagers found Youxue after being hit, they notified the family, but quite some time had passed.


    By the time Youxue was taken to the hospital, the family money had already been given to Lu Zhenjia.


    The money given to Lu Zhenjia was like water spilled; it was never going to return.


    Lu Zhenguo could not get the money back for Youxue¡¯s treatment.


    At that time, Lu Zhenjia said that since Youxue¡¯s treatment was delayed, even returning the money to Lu Zhenguo would be useless.


    Lu Zhenguo had to raise money elsewhere. This delay meant Youxue¡¯s leg would never fully heal.


    Youxue¡¯s leg injury affected his entrance exam for middle school, and as he grew older, his disability made it even harder for him to find a job.


    It could be said that this leg injury ruined Youxue¡¯s life.


    Lu Youxi, recalling how after her death, her spirit floated, watching Youxue limp to defend her and being insulted by the Lin family as a cripple, hated herself intensively.


    She believed that Lu Zhenguo, swayed by her earlier words, wouldn¡¯t be fetching money anytime soon.


    Without delay, she shot a fierce glare at Lu Zhenjia, then bolted out, leaving behind the words hanging in the air, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up Youxue!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia was left stunned by Lu Youxi¡¯s glare, only regaining his senses after a long while, furiously saying to Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Brother, what was that look in the girl¡¯s eyes! How dare she glare at me like that! I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not done with her today!¡±


    Lu Youxi knew Lu Zhenjia was definitely seething back there, but she didn¡¯t care.


    She dashed out of the village and on the main road leading to the village, she saw Youxue walking towards the village entrance with a classmate.


    Lu Youxi let out a sigh of relief as she saw Youxue¡¯s still young, innocent face and his legs functioning normally, and tears immediately started rolling down her cheeks.


    Just then, a motorcycle surged from behind Youxue, swerving in an S-shape.


    The driver wore a basic helmet that didn¡¯t completely cover his face, showing his noticeably flushed face from drinking.


    ¡°Youxue!¡± Lu Youxi screamed, then ran towards Youxue at full speed.

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 You Shouldnt Harm Others for Such a Little

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5: You Shouldn¡¯t Harm Others for Such a Little Amount of Money Chapter 5: Chapter 5: You Shouldn¡¯t Harm Others for Such a Little Amount of Money She didn¡¯t know how she could have so much strength, so much speed at that moment.


    All she could think about was that she must save Lu Youxue, even if she herself ended up injured and crippled.


    Lu Youxue, shocked by her shout, stopped in his tracks.


    He watched as Lu Youxi, with tears streaming down her face, sprinted towards him.


    Just as the motorcycle was about to hit Lu Youxue, Lu Youxi, in the nick of time, tackled him to the side of the road.


    But she was still a bit slow, and Lu Youxi¡¯s leg was hit by the motorcycle.


    The driver, seeing that he was about to hit someone, also swerved to the side.


    So the motorcycle merely grazed Lu Youxi¡¯s leg as it passed, thankfully not running over it directly.


    Even so, the injury to Lu Youxi was quite severe.


    In trying to avoid them, the motorcycle lost balance and crashed into the roadside.


    ¡°Grab him! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Lu Youxi shouted loudly.


    Lu Youxue and his classmates were so scared that they froze, not daring to move.


    Lu Youxi, dragging her injured leg, rushed over.


    At this moment, Lu Youxi completely ignored the pain in her leg; she was determined to catch this person!


    The motorcyclist was pinned under the bike and couldn¡¯t free himself for a while.


    By the time he finally managed to lift the bike and crawl out, Lu Youxi had already tackled him again.


    Lu Youxi knew she was injured, and even though this man had been slightly crushed by the bike, she wasn¡¯t going to subdue him on her own.


    So she put all her weight on the man, glancing back to see Lu Youxue and his friend still dazed.


    Lu Youxi yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, come help!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Lu Youxue was the first to react and rushed over promptly.


    His friend followed closely behind.


    The three of them together pinned the man down.


    Lu Youxi recognized Lu Youxue¡¯s classmate.


    There were many children from the village who went to school in the town, but only the two of them went home for lunch every day.


    ¡°Hu Zi, quickly go to the village chief¡¯s house, explain the situation to him, and ask him to bring his tricycle over to take me to the hospital,¡± Lu Youxi told Hu Zi.


    The village chief¡¯s tricycle had a flatbed in the back, ideal for loading goods and suitable for her current situation.


    ¡°And remember, don¡¯t tell anyone from my family,¡± Lu Youxi instructed. ¡°Go to the village chief quietly, don¡¯t let others know, especially not my family, and don¡¯t let the village chief say anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not telling your family?¡± Hu Zi, now trembling with fear, asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s already something going on at home, and they can¡¯t be bothered with me,¡± Lu Youxi said with her own plan in mind. ¡°Just ask the village chief to come over, hurry! If we delay further, it might be too late to treat my leg!¡±


    Lu Youxi scared Hu Zi, but she knew her own condition.


    While she was hurt from the impact, it wasn¡¯t as severe as what Lu Youxue experienced in the past life.


    Certainly, her leg wasn¡¯t broken.


    Hu Zi, spurred by her urgency, immediately ran towards the village chief¡¯s house.


    Luckily, they were already at the village entrance, and it wasn¡¯t far to the village chief¡¯s house.


    Hu Zi, who usually sprinted around in the fields, was sturdy and fast.


    It wasn¡¯t long before, although the village chief hadn¡¯t yet appeared, Lu Youxi could already hear the ¡°putt-putt¡± sound of the tricycle starting up.


    The village chief parked the tricycle in front of Lu Youxi. ¡°I sent Hu Zi back home, what happened to you guys?¡±


    Hu Zi had been so rushed and frantic that the village chief only got the gist of it.


    Fearing a major incident, he hadn¡¯t delayed and came over regardless of whether he understood the situation completely.


    Upon arrival, he saw Lu Youxi and Lu Youxue were still holding the driver, refusing to let go.


    Lu Youxi and Lu Youxue both feared that the slightest relaxation might allow the driver to escape.


    Especially Lu Youxue¡ªhe was furious the driver had hit Lu Youxi, and his eyes were red with anger, resolute that the man couldn¡¯t be allowed to escape.


    ¡°Just let me go, adults are here, where can I run? I won¡¯t run!¡± the driver said helplessly.


    By now, his drunkenness had mostly sobered up, and knowing that Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t seriously hurt, he figured he might just have to pay some medical expenses, so he wasn¡¯t planning to run.


    ¡°Youxue, go home. I¡¯ll take your sister to the hospital and then report it to the police,¡± the village chief took out his phone.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Lu Youxi stopped the village chief. ¡°Village chief, take him to the hospital before reporting to the police. I need him to be responsible for my medical expenses! If we report now and he¡¯s taken away by the police, what if he reneges on my medical fees later? He has to pay upfront!¡±


    Driver: ¡°...¡±


    How could this girl still think of so much despite her injuries!


    The village chief hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxi to think so thoroughly, but then again, contemplating further, the man clearly wasn¡¯t from their village, so if they let him go, it would indeed be difficult to get the money later.


    ¡°Alright,¡± the village chief nodded. ¡°Then Youxue, you...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going home, I have to accompany my sister to the hospital,¡± Lu Youxue insisted stubbornly.


    The village chief, now worried about delaying Lu Youxi¡¯s treatment, gave in. If Lu Youxue wanted to come along, he could.


    So, the village chief helped Lu Youxi onto the tricycle¡¯s flatbed, while Lu Youxue firmly held onto the driver, refusing to let go.


    Despite Lu Youxue¡¯s young age, he was strong, using all his might; the driver, his strength diminished by alcohol, really couldn¡¯t break free.


    After making sure Lu Youxi was securely aboard, the village chief and Lu Youxue together pushed the driver onto the flatbed.


    The village chief then rode the tricycle, taking them to the town hospital.


    Lu Youxue and Lu Youxi remained on the flatbed, keeping a vigilant eye on the driver.


    The driver, under their intense gaze, felt uneasy all over.


    At the hospital, the doctor treated Lu Youxi and, just as she had thought, the injury wasn¡¯t particularly serious, nor was the leg broken, but it would still need some time to heal.


    The driver promptly paid all the treatment expenses and the cost of the medications.


    Back in the room, he told Lu Youxi, ¡°Young girl, I¡¯ve paid for all the medical and treatment expenses. Let¡¯s settle this privately, no need to report it to the police. I¡¯ll give you...¡±


    The driver reluctantly agreed, ¡°two thousand yuan!¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s eyes brightened.


    For the Lu Family, two thousand was a significant amount.


    But unexpectedly, Lu Youxi shook her head. ¡°No, you were drunk driving. If I hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, my brother¡¯s injuries would definitely have been worse than mine; his whole life would have been ruined. I was lucky, my injuries weren¡¯t severe, but you must learn a lesson. If you continue to drink and drive, others might get hurt next time. And they might not be as lucky as I was.¡±


    It might have been like what happened to Lu Youxue in his previous life, or possibly even worse.


    She couldn¡¯t risk harming others for such a small amount of money, even if those potential victims were unknown and it was uncertain whether it would happen.


    For the people in their village, two thousand yuan wasn¡¯t a trivial amount.


    But Lu Youxi, who had once held the position of CEO at the Lin Group in her previous life, wouldn¡¯t consider such a small sum significant, refusing to lose a whole watermelon just to pick up a sesame seed.


    The driver, thinking the children from the village were easy to deceive and that a small amount of money would seem a lot to them, hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxi to be unmoved.

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Lu Youxi Says It He Listens

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Lu Youxi Says It, He Listens Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Lu Youxi Says It, He Listens The village chief called the police, and the officers arrived quickly to take the people away.


    ¡°Can I call your family now?¡± the village chief asked Lu Youxi helplessly, ¡°Such a big incident can¡¯t go unmentioned to your family.¡±


    Although he knew that the Lu Family favored boys over girls, when a child was injured, the family couldn¡¯t possibly ignore it.


    Lu Youxi had been waiting for the driver to leave before letting her family know. At this moment, she nodded and gratefully said to the village chief, ¡°Thank you, Uncle, please tell my family for me.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, the village chief breathed a sigh of relief. As he took out his phone to call the Lu Family, he thought to himself that Lu Youxi was really clever.


    Lu Youxue sat beside the hospital bed, looking at Lu Youxi with eyes red, hesitating to speak.


    After a while, he finally called out, ¡°Sis, you...¡±


    Unexpectedly, before he could finish, Lu Youxi had pulled him tightly into her embrace.


    Clutching Lu Youxue tightly, Lu Youxi shed large tears that fell on his ears and neck.


    Lu Youxue felt the warmth on his neck turn cool and heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re okay, I¡¯m glad I made it in time.¡±


    This time she had indeed made it in time, and Lu Youxue wouldn¡¯t end up lame.


    Lu Youxi had been tense up until now, but finally relaxed.


    She hugged Lu Youxue for a while before letting him go.


    Lu Youxue wiped the tears from his face messily, ¡°I thought... you didn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my brother! How could I not like you?¡± Lu Youxi, with tears in her eyes, both crying and laughing.


    Lu Youxue pouted, having always felt that Lu Youxi didn¡¯t like him.


    He knew the grandparents favored boys over girls, and even though his parents outwardly couldn¡¯t contradict them, they still treated Lu Youxi well behind closed doors.


    But that secret kindness was limited, and there were many things he had that Lu Youxi didn¡¯t.


    So, he also wanted to secretly share his belongings with Lu Youxi.


    But Lu Youxi would refuse them; she was too heartbroken by her family, and that included disliking him.


    After a long time, he knew that Lu Youxi disliked him and stopped trying to be close to her.


    Now he realized that Lu Youxi had always liked him after all.


    No matter what, he was her brother, and she still cared for him in her heart.


    Lu Youxue thought, putting himself in her shoes, if he were Lu Youxi, he would dislike himself too.


    ¡°Sis, thank you.¡± Thank you for saving me.


    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sorry that you got hurt.


    Lu Youxi hugged Lu Youxue again, sniffing, ¡°It was my fault before; I owe you an apology.¡±


    Lu Youxue, being hugged so tightly his ears turned red, felt a bit embarrassed. To cover up his awkwardness, he changed the subject dryly, ¡°Sis, why didn¡¯t you let Hu Zi and the village chief tell our family earlier?¡±


    Lu Youxi let go of Lu Youxue and explained, ¡°When I went out to find you, my second uncle and his wife were at our house asking our grandparents for money to cover my cousin¡¯s tuition and living expenses.¡±


    Lu Youxue pursed his lips and muttered, ¡°Asking from the grandparents, but in the end, it¡¯s still our family that pays.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lu Youxi nodded, not expecting Lu Youxue to see this aspect, showing just how blatant and unguarded Zhenjia and his wife usually were. ¡°Our family spent all the money to help get my cousin through school initially, what savings are left? I told dad that we can¡¯t think only of my cousin, we have you too. So dad hesitated, and I guess he at least wouldn¡¯t give the money to my second uncle¡¯s family so readily today.¡±


    That was why she dared to delay and not tell her family about her accident immediately.


    Temporarily, she wasn¡¯t worried about the money being demanded by Zhenjia¡¯s family.


    Besides, the family wouldn¡¯t have that much cash on hand; they would definitely need to go to the credit union, which would take time.


    Lu Youxi said, glancing toward the door.


    There was a silhouette outside, hiding.


    She had caught a glimpse of the color of the clothes of the person outside; it seemed like the village chief returning after the phone call.


    He probably heard her talking, which is why he didn¡¯t come in.


    Good, Lu Youxi hoped that the village chief would hear what she was going to say next.


    ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t let our family know about my accident immediately is to keep them from knowing that the driver had already compensated for my medical expenses. I wanted to wait until the driver had left before telling my family,¡± Lu Youxi instructed Lu Youxue without caring about the village chief outside, ¡°When someone from our family arrives, no matter who it is, don¡¯t let them know that my treatment has been paid for by the driver, including mom and dad.¡±


    In the previous life, giving money to Lu Youbang had led to the family having no money for Lu Youxue¡¯s treatment.


    Although Zhenjia eventually managed to gather the funds, the delay in treatment had consequences for Lu Youxue¡¯s whole life.


    Fortunately, this time, such a situation wouldn¡¯t happen again.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Lu Youxue nodded, he would listen to anything Lu Youxi said now.


    Seeing that Lu Youxi seemed to have finished, the village chief entered.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t pretend he hadn¡¯t heard and couldn¡¯t restrain himself from saying, ¡°Youxi, I heard everything you and Youxue were discussing.¡±


    Lu Youxi looked at the village chief and didn¡¯t speak.


    Seeing this, the village chief said, ¡°Youxi, although this is your family¡¯s private matter, I must say, people shouldn¡¯t be so stingy. You¡¯re all one family, isn¡¯t it expected to help each other? Besides, Youbang is the only university student from our village, and not just any university, but the best in our country, Jing University.¡±


    ¡°A talent like Youbang should be supported by any family to the greatest extent possible. If Youbang succeeds, your entire family will benefit,¡± the village chief kindly advised. ¡°You should look at the long-term picture.¡±


    Lu Youxi knew the village chief meant well, but he didn¡¯t know that, in the past life, to support Lu Youbang, their family had given everything they had.


    But in the end?


    Even Lu Youbang¡¯s own parents hadn¡¯t received much help and had spent their entire lives in Hexing Village.


    Instead, it was Zhenjia¡¯s family who had moved into the city because of Lu Youxi, but they had never received any help from Lu Youbang.


    ¡°Village chief, I know you¡¯re speaking for my benefit,¡± Lu Youxi started by flattering him.


    Sure enough, the village chief smiled, clearly pleased that Lu Youxi understood his intentions.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know, our family has already drained all its resources for my cousin. We even paid for his four years of college tuition all at once when my second uncle¡¯s family came asking for money. They said that they wouldn¡¯t ask for money again after that, knowing our family really had no money left,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°We¡¯ve already provided for his four years of tuition, and I didn¡¯t expect my second uncle¡¯s family to come asking for school funds again today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that family should help each other, but my cousin is my second uncle¡¯s own son. If my uncle doesn¡¯t contribute and keeps asking us for money, our family really doesn¡¯t have any left,¡± Lu Youxi sighed, ¡°And I haven¡¯t mentioned this to anyone, not even our own family members. Since you are a good person and understand reason, I felt I could discuss it with you.¡±

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Lu Youxi Really Knows How to Climb up the

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Lu Youxi Really Knows How to Climb up the Pole Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Lu Youxi Really Knows How to Climb up the Pole The village chief was already wavering a bit after what Lu Youxi had said; he hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family would actually pay for all four years of Lu Youbang¡¯s college tuition.


    Honestly, for Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family to have reached this point was quite commendable.


    Their village wasn¡¯t wealthy, and supporting a college student indeed meant draining their entire savings.


    Moreover, at the end of her spiel, Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t forgotten to praise the village chief for being understanding, which kept a smile on his face the entire time.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The village chief¡¯s expression grew more gentle and affectionate.


    Lu Youxi sighed with a look that said she found it difficult to speak.


    She glanced at the village chief several times before lowering her head, keeping his curiosity piqued.


    Lu Youxi felt the atmosphere was set and then said, ¡°The reason my cousin is short on money isn¡¯t because of high living costs in the city, but because he got a girlfriend. He¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll look down on him and afraid she¡¯ll be unhappy, so he blew through the tuition money our family provided in advance. For the sake of keeping up appearances before his girlfriend and classmates, acting like a rich man when he¡¯s not, he spent all his money and refuses to earn some by taking a part-time job. A part-time job would get in the way of his social life and dates with his girlfriend. The money our family gave was sufficient, but it couldn¡¯t withstand his splurging! Uncle, you know the situation of our family, supporting a college student isn¡¯t easy. We already gave it our all. We can provide him with tuition and living expenses, but we can¡¯t allow him to just squander our family¡¯s money! It¡¯s not easy for our household.¡±


    Lu Youxi lowered her head and sighed again, ¡°That¡¯s why I disagree with giving him more money.¡±


    The village chief¡¯s face turned serious as he frowned and said, ¡°How did you come to know about this?¡±


    Lu Youxi knew about it from her past life, but in this life, up until now, she didn¡¯t know.


    So, she said to the village chief, ¡°It was when my family went to the city to visit my cousin, I accidentally discovered it. But I didn¡¯t tell my family to avoid causing another upset. You know the temperament of my second uncle and aunt; they love to make trouble out of nothing, and my parents are honest folks. Moreover, my grandparents are biased toward my second uncle and aunt, and having a college student like my cousin in the family, if I spoke out about his behavior, it would only cause turmoil at home without affecting the outcome, so I chose not to say anything.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s different with you, Uncle. Being the village chief, you¡¯re knowledgeable and fair, and you don¡¯t unconditionally side with one party. I can¡¯t let you misunderstand our family, which is why I¡¯ve told you the truth.¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s expression flickered.


    It was true that their family had gone to the city to see Lu Youbang.


    One reason was to see Lu Youbang¡¯s college life, and the other was to take the opportunity to see the big city.


    But if he remembered correctly, Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t gone with them.


    Going to the city costs money, and while his parents were willing to take Lu Youxi, the grandparents would definitely not agree.


    The village chief hadn¡¯t expected such issues and, even as the village chief, he couldn¡¯t be expected to know every detail of a family¡¯s private matters.


    Seeing Lu Youxi¡¯s helpless expression, he heard her say, ¡°If it weren¡¯t absolutely necessary, I wouldn¡¯t want to deceive my family like this.¡±


    The village chief sighed, ¡°You¡¯ve got it tough, too.¡±


    A good girl, quick to work, respectful, and good at studying.


    She might just become the second college student to emerge from their village.


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders just couldn¡¯t understand why they were so heavily biased against girls.


    Fingers are of different lengths; adults unavoidably have favorites among their children, neglecting some, but even that didn¡¯t compare to the extreme bias of the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay out of this matter; just go ahead as you suggest,¡± the village chief sighed.


    Lu Youxi breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to ask the village chief, ¡°When my family comes later, could you say that you covered the medical expenses first?¡±


    The village chief: ¡°...¡±


    Lu Youxi bowed her head slightly and said with embarrassment, ¡°That way, I¡¯ll have a reason to get the money from my dad first without it being taken by my second uncle.¡±


    As for whether to pay back the money after getting it, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t say.


    The village chief was at a loss for words; thinking to himself Lu Youxi really knew how to seize an opportunity, now that he didn¡¯t oppose her actions, she was even asking him to join in deceiving older family members.


    ¡°I want to save some money for Youxue,¡± Lu Youxi explained with a pitiful yet sincere look, ¡°Because of the costs of my cousin¡¯s education, our family hasn¡¯t been able to save a penny for Youxue¡¯s schooling. Everything else aside, when it comes to Youxue¡¯s education, it can¡¯t be compromised. In order to save money and provide for my cousin, Youxue has to rush back home to eat and then return to the town every midday up to now. Without any time to rest at noon, he has to hurry back to school after gobbling down a few bites of food. At the current stage, I¡¯m not asking for much, just that Youxue can at least have a warm meal at school and not have to race home in the cold and heat at noon.¡±


    ¡°Just take today as an example, had it not been for me being there, Youxue would have been the one hit,¡± Lu Youxi said as tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The village chief sighed, ¡°Youbang is too much.¡±


    Squandering the entire family¡¯s savings in the city.


    ¡°Alright, I agree to it,¡± the village chief finally conceded.


    Only then did Lu Youxi fully relax.


    The reason she had continued to speak so openly to Lu Youxue, even knowing the village chief was listening outside, was to get the village chief¡¯s help.


    With the village chief¡¯s assistance, the matter would be much simpler and smoother.


    ¡°Your family should be arriving soon; I¡¯ll go to the entrance to meet them,¡± the village chief said and left the hospital ward.


    No sooner had the village chief left than Lu Youxue went to the door, made sure the village chief had indeed gone, then closed it and came back to the bedside to ask Lu Youxi, ¡°Sis, you¡¯ve never been to the Imperial Capital, how do you know...¡±


    ¡°I said those things just to make the village chief believe me,¡± Lu Youxi didn¡¯t hide the truth, ¡°I definitely haven¡¯t been to the Imperial Capital to see for myself, but I didn¡¯t wrongly accuse Lu Youbang. What I said is true, do you believe me?¡±


    ¡°I believe you!¡± Lu Youxue said emphatically without hesitation, he believed whatever Lu Youxi said.


    Seeing how her brother blindly trusted her to such an extent, Lu Youxi could not help but reflect on the past life; she seemed never to have seen Lu Youxue trust her like this.


    What had she missed in her previous life?


    After a while, Lu Zhenguo¡¯s couple, along with Lu Zhenjia¡¯s couple, arrived, accompanied by Old Madam Lu.


    It was unclear whether the village chief had already returned or felt it was inappropriate to come in at this time.


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t see the village chief.


    ¡°Youxi!¡± no sooner had Liu Yushu called out her name when she was suddenly pushed aside from behind.


    Then a figure rushed forward quickly, followed by Old Madam Lu¡¯s loud and raspy voice, ¡°Youxue, how are you? Where are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine, my sister saved me,¡± Lu Youxue struggled to free himself from Old Madam Lu, ¡°Sister hurt her leg trying to save me.¡±

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 Why Spend So Much Money on Her

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Why Spend So Much Money on Her? Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Why Spend So Much Money on Her? Seeing that Lu Youxue was unharmed, Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu hurried to Lu Youxi¡¯s bedside. ¡°Youxi, what did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°Although I was hit by the car, fortunately, I dodged a bit, so once I¡¯m healed, it won¡¯t affect my future mobility,¡± Lu Youxi explained to Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Liu Yushu said with reddened eyes, slightly relieved.


    ¡°Even so, Youxi¡¯s leg needs to be well taken care of and treated,¡± Lu Zhenguo said, clearly prioritizing his children¡¯s well-being at this critical moment. ¡°On the way here, I withdrew some money to cover your medical expenses.¡±


    Liu Yushu breathed a sigh of relief, for she had indeed feared that the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia¡¯s couple might have convinced Lu Zhenguo not to fund Lu Youxi¡¯s treatment.


    Upon hearing Lu Zhenguo¡¯s words, she nodded vigorously in agreement.


    Ge Guifen heard that Lu Zhenguo intended to spend the money on Lu Youxi¡¯s medical expenses rather than on Lu Youbang¡¯s needs and was immediately anxious.


    Earlier, when Lu Youxi had gone to find Lu Youxue who wasn¡¯t at home, they had nearly persuaded Lu Zhenguo, with only the task of accompanying him to withdraw the money remaining.


    Lu Youxi truly seemed to be the bane of their family. Why did she have to have an accident just when Lu Youbang needed tuition fees?


    Ge Guifen¡¯s face was full of dissatisfaction and indifference as she pointed out, ¡°Big brother, she¡¯s just a girl. Why spend so much money on her? Besides, spending on a daughter is in vain since she¡¯ll marry into someone else¡¯s family eventually and will no longer be related to us. Why waste money on her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Zhenjia quickly agreed, turning to the Lu Family¡¯s elders, ¡°As the saying goes, a married daughter is like water that¡¯s been poured away. What¡¯s the use of spending so much money on a girl? It¡¯s all for nothing. But Youbang is different; he will bear the Lu surname for life, and his children will too. If he does well, he will lift up our entire family.¡±


    Old Master Lu and Old Madam Lu indeed showed tempted expressions and began to weigh their options seriously.


    Spending money on Lu Youxi truly pained them.


    Old Madam Lu finally spoke up, ¡°Zhenguo, what Zhenjia and his wife have said makes sense. Youxi is different from Youbang; we must spend our money where it counts.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lu Youxue immediately showed dissatisfaction and was about to speak when he heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°Grandparents, if my leg is crippled, it won¡¯t be easy to get married.¡±


    Lu Youxi knew she was beautiful and that the Lu Family¡¯s elders had always planned to use her marriage to secure a significant dowry.


    Of course, that was merely the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ scheming.


    In both her past life and now, Lu Youxi had never allowed the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ schemes to succeed.


    She would not use her marriage to gain any benefit.


    Yet her words now made Old Madam Lu fall silent in deep thought.


    ¡°Indeed, if Youxi¡¯s leg is crippled, it would be bad for marriage,¡± Old Madam Lu said, implying that the dowry would be less.


    Her implication was clear ¨C she wasn¡¯t opposed to Lu Zhenguo paying for Lu Youxi¡¯s leg treatment.


    Ge Guifen glared at Lu Youxi hatefully. This little girl had always been cunning since childhood.


    With just one sentence, she had hit the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ soft spot.


    Lu Zhenguo breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go make the payment.¡±


    Lu Youxi immediately said to Lu Zhenguo, ¡°The village chief has already covered my medical expenses for me. Just give me the money, and later, I¡¯ll repay the village chief.¡±


    Just as Lu Zhenguo was about to hand over the money, he was stopped by Zhenjia, ¡°Wait a minute, it¡¯s not right to give so much money to a child, better to give it directly to the village chief.¡±


    Zhenjia¡¯s eyes rolled slyly as he added, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Youxi! It¡¯s just not very safe to give so much money to a child. What if it¡¯s lost?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo hesitated once more.


    ¡°Where has the village chief gone now?¡± Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t worried, she had already made arrangements with the village chief.


    Even if Lu Zhenguo insisted on giving the money directly to the village chief, it would merely be a formality; the money would still end up in her hands.


    Everyone looked around, but the village chief was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°The village chief was just waiting for us at the door, why didn¡¯t he come with us?¡± Lu Zhenguo wondered.


    He had been so worried earlier that he had focused all his attention on Lu Youxi and indeed hadn¡¯t noticed the absence of the village chief.


    ¡°Maybe the village chief went back to the village when he saw us coming,¡± Liu Yushu speculated.


    ¡°The village chief isn¡¯t someone who would leave without a word; he would tell you if he had gone back,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°Maybe he had something to deal with and went off somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Dad, sister is very responsible. What¡¯s there to worry about giving her the money? It won¡¯t be lost, and she certainly won¡¯t spend it,¡± Lu Youxue chimed in to help.


    Lu Zhenguo trusted Lu Youxi very much, and Lu Youxue¡¯s words prompted Lu Zhenguo to explain in a fluster, ¡°Youxi, I don¡¯t mean I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lu Youxi smiled. ¡°I was thinking that there¡¯s still work to be done in the fields, and you can¡¯t just wait here all the time. So, if you give me the money first, I can give it to the village chief when he returns.¡±


    ¡°Besides, if you don¡¯t believe that the village chief received the money, grandparents and uncle can just ask him later. Would the village chief lie for me?¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s words left the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Zhenjia with no room to argue.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lu Youxue nodded in agreement.


    Lu Zhenguo handed the envelope containing the money to Lu Youxi, ¡°Then Youxi, you give the money to the village chief.¡±


    He also said to Lu Youxue, ¡°Youxue, you should head back to school now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Youxi has me here,¡± Liu Yushu added.


    Lu Youxue glanced at the clock on the wall of the sickroom, ¡°There¡¯s a little bit of time left; I want to stay with my sister a little longer.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu knew that Lu Youxue and Lu Youxi didn¡¯t get along very well typically.


    At home, they barely even talked to each other, probably because Lu Youxi had saved Lu Youxue that noon, which had brought them closer together.


    Old Madam Lu, hearing Liu Yushu¡¯s intention to stay with Lu Youxi, expressed her displeasure, ¡°Youxi is not incapacitated, and she said herself that her injury is light. Is your company needed? If you stay here, who will do the work at home? Do you expect me to do it? If you just want to be lazy and avoid work, say it outright!¡±


    Liu Yushu lowered her head at these harsh words, feeling wronged and aggrieved, yet typically meek as she was, for her daughter¡¯s sake, she made the rare move to speak up against Old Madam Lu, ¡°Mother, do you think this is a light injury? Look at that thick plaster on her leg. She was hit by a car!¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Sister said her injury wasn¡¯t serious just to keep Dad and Mom from worrying, not because it truly isn¡¯t serious.¡±


    Lu Youxue had witnessed Lu Youxi get hit by the car firsthand, lending credibility to his statement.


    The corners of Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo¡¯s eyes grew red with emotion.

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Old Madam Lus Heart is Bleeding

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Old Madam Lu¡¯s Heart is Bleeding Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Old Madam Lu¡¯s Heart is Bleeding Her own daughter had always been sensible at home, putting up with so much injustice. Yet now, although she was seriously injured, she still insisted on saying her injuries were not severe to ease their minds.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she already in the hospital?¡± Old Madam Lu was originally upset that Lu Youxi¡¯s hospital fees were using up the family¡¯s money, affecting Lu Youbang¡¯s tuition fees.


    She had just heard that Liu Yushu was planning to neglect her household duties to stay with Lu Youxi at the hospital, and she immediately felt as if Lu Youxi was a jinx to the family, someone who only knew how to hold them back without contributing anything positive.


    At that moment, Old Madam Lu seemed to have entirely forgotten that if it weren¡¯t for Lu Youxi, Old Master Lu would have been the one lying in the hospital bed.


    ¡°There are doctors and nurses around, what could possibly happen to her! Besides, didn¡¯t she just injure one leg? The other leg seems quite active to me, it¡¯s not like she can¡¯t move!¡± Old Madam Lu curled her lip, ¡°If she needs to get out of bed, she can hop on one leg!¡±


    Liu Yushu felt this was unjust. How could Old Madam Lu say such things?


    Lu Youxi held Liu Yushu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Mom, you go back. There¡¯s no need to stay here with me. I can manage on my own. If there¡¯s anything, I¡¯ll call the nurses for help. The chores at home are more important. And Dad has to attend to the fields in the afternoon, too.¡±


    Liu Yushu hesitated, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t resist Lu Youxi¡¯s persuasion and agreed to go home.


    Before leaving, she also instructed Lu Youxue, ¡°Pay attention to the time, don¡¯t be late for school in the afternoon.¡±


    Only then did Lu Youxi turn to Lu Zhenjia, and with a sigh of regret, said, ¡°Second Uncle, now you¡¯ll have to ask Grandpa and Grandma for my cousin¡¯s tuition and living expenses.¡±


    Old Master Lu: ¡°...¡±


    Old Madam Lu: ¡°...¡±


    If you could hide the smile at the corner of your eye, you would appear more sincere.


    Lu Zhenjia was well aware of Lu Zhenguo¡¯s financial situation; although Lu Youxi was annoying, she was speaking the truth.


    Lu Zhenjia immediately turned his head to look at Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    Old Madam Lu¡¯s heart ached, it felt as if it was bleeding, but she had no choice but to nod at Lu Zhenjia, ¡°When we get home, I¡¯ll get the money for you with your father.¡±


    ¡°Ai!¡± Lu Zhenjia joyfully responded, ¡°When push comes to shove, it¡¯s still up to mom and dad.¡±


    Now that the money issue was resolved, Lu Zhenjia couldn¡¯t be bothered to stay and watch Lu Youxi,


    Even if Lu Youxi died in a car accident, it would have nothing to do with him.


    Ignoring that Lu Youxi was still lying on the hospital bed, Lu Zhenjia cheerfully said, ¡°Mom, Dad, let¡¯s go home first.¡±


    Money was still the priority.


    Just as everyone was about to leave, the village chief came back.


    He had overheard quite a bit of what the Lu Family had said and felt some pity for Lu Youxi.


    What kind of life did this girl lead at home!


    He became even more convinced that Lu Youxi had not lied to him.


    Upon seeing the village chief, Lu Zhenjia quickly ran back a few steps to the bedside and snatched the money that Lu Zhenguo had given Lu Youxi, which she had yet to put away.


    Then he ran back to the village chief, with a fawning smile, handed over the envelope filled with money, ¡°Village chief, the eldest girl said you fronted the money for her medical expenses, here¡¯s the money for you!¡±


    The village chief glanced at Lu Youxi, nodded, and said, ¡°Good.¡±


    And with that, he took the money.


    Lu Zhenjia saw that Lu Youxi really hadn¡¯t lied.


    Seeing the village chief take the money, everyone in the Lu Family breathed a sigh of relief.


    Except for Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, the others all felt it wasn¡¯t safe to leave the money with Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll head home,¡± Lu Zhenjia continued with a fawning face, ¡°There¡¯s so much work waiting in the fields.¡±


    The village chief knew no one would stay with Lu Youxi, but he still couldn¡¯t help but pretend to be surprised and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone staying to keep Youxi company? She¡¯s hurt her leg and has trouble moving around. Going to the restroom and such may be difficult for her alone.¡±


    Liu Yushu wanted to say that she still wished to stay and take care of Lu Youxi, but Lu Youxi spoke first, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll ask the nurses for help if I need anything.¡±


    ¡°The eldest girl is capable and sensible; she doesn¡¯t want to interfere with the household chores.¡± Ge Guifen¡¯s face was full of smiles, all insincere.


    The village chief twisted his brow, seriously saying, ¡°Zhenjia, I need to say this to you, Youxi¡¯s becoming a young lady now. It¡¯s one thing to call her ¡®eldest girl¡¯ at home, but it¡¯s not appropriate to call her that outside. Youxi has such a nice name. ¡®Eldest girl¡¯ sounds bad, and she could be laughed at.¡±


    Guifen brushed it off, superficially agreeing.


    The Lu Family then left.


    As they departed, only Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu gave Lu Youxi instructions filled with concern.


    ¡°Once I finish the morning¡¯s work, I¡¯ll come see you with your mom,¡± Lu Zhenguo said.


    Liu Yushu nodded in agreement.


    Lu Youxi smiled as she bid them goodbye, while the village chief didn¡¯t leave and handed the money back to Lu Youxi, ¡°Here, this is for you. I don¡¯t know where you get so much savvy from.¡±


    ¡°But even though you¡¯ve managed to get hold of the money and don¡¯t need to give it to Youbang, what are you going to do with it? How do you plan to pay back your parents?¡± the village chief asked again.


    Holding an envelope filled with money, Lu Youxi grinned and said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it saved up here, for Youxue¡¯s future education. He may only be 12 now, but time flies by in the blink of an eye. I want Youxue to go to a university in the Imperial Capital in the future. It will cost quite a bit, so I need to start saving for him early on; I can¡¯t let Uncle take the money away time and again. What then for Youxue?¡±


    ¡°Sister, what about you?¡± Lu Youxue was anxious.


    He had thought that Lu Youxi was keeping this money for her own university education.


    ¡°I have six more years before university, but you¡¯ll be starting this year.¡± Lu Youxi had always done well academically, and Lu Youxue never doubted that she would pass the college entrance exams.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Lu Youxi said with a warm smile, ¡°I believe I can win a scholarship with my grades, and once I move to the city, I can earn my living expenses through part-time work while studying.¡±


    ¡°I can do that too,¡± Lu Youxue quickly added, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t make things so hard on yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Lu Youxi dismissed, ¡°Besides saving for your university, if possible, I want you to study in the city.¡±


    ¡°Studying in the city is a different perspective; the schools teach more comprehensive content.¡± In her past life, Lu Youxi had seen the splendor of all parts of the world, but the furthest Lu Youxue had ever been was only to the town.


    Lu Youxi hoped not only for Lu Youxue to receive a better education but also for him to have a broader perspective.


    The village chief, seeing that Lu Youxi was saving the money not for herself but for Lu Youxue, was surprised and secretly admired her selflessness, as she was so considerate of Lu Youxue.


    It was clear that Lu Youxi was not stingy and unwilling to help the family. The fact that she refused to let the family give the money to Youbang, even joining forces with Youxue to deceive the family, showed that Youbang really had gone too far.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Applying to Jing University

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Applying to Jing University Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Applying to Jing University Lu Youxi was discharged from the hospital the next day and continued to recover at home.


    Otherwise, just the cost of staying in the hospital would have been substantial.


    However, her mobility was now limited, and she couldn¡¯t do many chores, so she could only do tasks that didn¡¯t require frequent movement of her legs.


    By the end of June, Lu Youxi¡¯s leg injury hadn¡¯t fully healed, but she was now able to move around.


    The accident made Lu Zhenguo and his wife realize that it was indeed too tiring for Lu Youxue to travel back and forth to school at noon.


    Liu Yushu then went to town every noon to bring Lu Youxue his lunch.


    Now that Lu Youxi was able to move around, she suggested that she should be the one to deliver lunch to Lu Youxue.


    ¡°Your leg hasn¡¯t fully healed yet; how can you walk that far?¡± Liu Yushu disagreed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that far to walk, most of the way is by car. I just have to leave home a bit earlier and walk slower,¡± Lu Youxi explained to Liu Yushu, ¡°I can bring my own share and eat with Youxue. It¡¯s different for you. After you deliver the meal to Youxue, you have to hurry back. By the time you return, where would you find a hot meal? If you¡¯re late, the grandparents will suspect that you¡¯re either dilly-dallying around town to slack off or secretly spending money on something.¡±


    When Liu Yushu delivered the meals, it was always Lu Youxi who slyly kept aside a portion for Liu Yushu before the food was served.


    Otherwise, although Lu Zhenguo would keep a portion aside, it would inevitably lead to some grumbling and blaming from the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    It was fortunate that the Lu Family¡¯s elders didn¡¯t do any household chores now.


    Even something as simple as carrying plates wasn¡¯t touched by Old Madam Lu, which gave Lu Youxi the chance to secretly set aside food for Liu Yushu.


    ¡°And Youxue is going to have summer vacation soon; I won¡¯t need to deliver for many days,¡± Lu Youxi hugged Liu Yushu¡¯s arm, ¡°You¡¯ve been running back and forth for almost half a month, and it¡¯s really tiring.¡±


    Indeed, in three more days, Lu Youxue was going to start his summer vacation.


    Lu Youxi would only need to deliver lunch for three days.


    Only then did Liu Yushu agree.


    The second day Lu Youxi delivered lunch to Lu Youxue, Grandma Xu from the village was going to town to sell eggs laid by her chickens. She made an arrangement to go to town with Lu Youxi.


    ¡°I walk slowly; I might delay you, right?¡± On the way, Grandma Xu cheerfully spoke to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°My leg hasn¡¯t healed yet, and I walk slowly too. Neither of us can complain about the other, heh heh.¡± Lu Youxi smiled broadly in response.


    Grandma Xu patted Lu Youxi¡¯s hand with pity.


    If it were her own granddaughter, she surely wouldn¡¯t know how to pamper her.


    But those two old folks at the Lu family were really outrageous. Their treatment of Lu Youxi could chill the hearts of onlookers.


    Grandma Xu¡¯s children had all gone to the city to work, leaving her to live alone.


    Even when she was at home by herself, she had grumbled that the Lu Family¡¯s elders were too partial towards Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family, which was unreliable.


    Ultimately, they have to rely on Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family for their old age.


    After alienating Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family, she wondered how Lu Zhenjia would provide for their elder care?


    Grandma Xu took a warm egg out of her basket and put it into Lu Youxi¡¯s hand.


    The egg was still warm, distinctly different from the other eggs in the basket.


    ¡°I just boiled it at home; you can eat it while walking,¡± Grandma Xu kindly said.


    ¡°Grandma Xu, it would be better for you to sell it!¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s eyes reddened.


    Hexing Village wasn¡¯t wealthy, and since Grandma Xu lived alone, without strong labor at home, she rented out her land for others to cultivate, which meant she naturally earned much less.


    She did odd jobs she could manage and saved up eggs laid by her chickens to sell in town.


    Because she only had a few eggs, wholesale buyers weren¡¯t interested.


    Grandma Xu¡¯s life wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable.


    ¡°Do I really need this one egg?¡± Grandma Xu said with a chuckle, ¡°I know your family situation; just eat it.¡±


    ¡°Actually, my mom always sneaks some to me,¡± Lu Youxi explained quietly.


    ¡°I know. What mother wouldn¡¯t dote on her own children? What your mom sneaks to you is hers to give. What I¡¯m giving you is from me. Besides, it¡¯s just one egg; what¡¯s that worth? I can¡¯t do much, but if I can help you out with a little something, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. You don¡¯t eat as well as the men in your family¡ªyour brother even gets to drink milk, so what¡¯s one more egg for you?¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled with teary eyes, not rejecting Grandma Xu¡¯s kindness. She sniffled, peeled the egg, and ate it.


    When they arrived in town, Grandma Xu temporarily parted ways with Lu Youxi; she went to sell her eggs, while Lu Youxi carried the lunchbox to the entrance of Lu Youxue¡¯s school.


    From afar, she saw Lu Youxue waiting at the school gate.


    Lu Youxue, spotting the familiar figure in the distance, was surprised and hurried over, ¡°Sister, why are you the one delivering lunch? Your leg hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡±


    ¡°Taking it slow, it¡¯s not a big issue,¡± Lu Youxi gave the lunchbox to Lu Youxue, ¡°Hurry up and take it inside to eat.¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s keen eyes noticed another lunchbox in the bag Lu Youxi was carrying, ¡°Sister, did you bring your own lunch too?¡±


    ¡°I came with Grandma Xu, and she went to sell her eggs. So, I¡¯m planning to wait for her to finish selling and then go back together, that¡¯s why I brought lunch,¡± Lu Youxi explained to Lu Youxue, ¡°You should head back to school now.¡±


    But Lu Youxue didn¡¯t move, holding the lunchbox, he said to Lu Youxi, ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat with you, sister, come with me.¡±


    Saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for Lu Youxi to answer, but instead walked towards the right, and Lu Youxi could only follow.


    They didn¡¯t walk far before following Lu Youxue to a set of stairs beside the school.


    The stairs were quite clean. Lu Youxue found a spot in the shade to sit and wiped the adjacent spot with his clothes hem, ¡°Sister, sit down.¡±


    Lu Youxi sat down alongside him, realizing the surroundings were pretty nice. Sitting on the stairs, they faced the town square with an open view, accompanied by the chorus of cicadas on a summer noon.


    It reminded Lu Youxi of her past life when she was abroad on business, stealing moments of leisure in a park, sitting on the ground eating a sandwich while feeding the pigeons.


    Once Lu Youxi took out her lunchbox, Lu Youxue saw it contained the same meal as his and heaved a sigh of relief.


    With no Lu Family¡¯s elders watching, Liu Yushu had sneakily prepared a lunchbox for Lu Youxi, naturally on par with the standard for Lu Youxue.


    As they ate, Lu Youxue spoke, ¡°Sister, your leg hasn¡¯t fully healed; don¡¯t come to deliver lunch tomorrow. Let mom rest too; I¡¯ll eat back at home.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m on vacation now and have nothing else to do. At home, I can¡¯t do heavy work because of my leg injury and I have to endure the grandparents¡¯ scorn; I might as well come to bring you lunch,¡± Lu Youxi explained, ¡°And the day after tomorrow you¡¯ll officially be on vacation, so I¡¯ll just have to deliver for two more days.¡±


    Lu Youxue mainly found Lu Youxi¡¯s earlier reasoning very sound¡ªrather than suffering scorn at home for being unable to work, it made sense to come over.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, sister, which university did you apply for?¡± Lu Youxue scooped up a spoonful of rice and asked Lu Youxi.


    ¡°I applied for Jing University,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    In her previous life, she had attended Jing University, and this life, when she came back, the college entrance exams were already over, suggesting her results were the same as in her previous life.

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Picking Up a Man on the Roadside

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Picking Up a Man on the Roadside Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Picking Up a Man on the Roadside She was admitted to Jing University; there was no suspense at all.


    However, her choice to apply to Jing University was not only because she was absolutely certain she would get in but also because she genuinely liked Jing University and wanted to return.


    Even if Lin Jingshen was also there, it didn¡¯t matter.


    At worst, this time, she wouldn¡¯t interact with Lin Jingshen at all.


    Even if they met, she would ignore him.


    After all, she wouldn¡¯t give up on attending the university she liked because of a guy.


    Lu Youxue¡¯s eyes lit up; he even forgot to chew his food as he excitedly said, ¡°Sis, if you also get admitted to Jing University, Youbang won¡¯t be the only college student in our village anymore, much less the only one from Jing University! Then we¡¯ll see if uncle and aunt still have the nerve to show off! They won¡¯t be able to use helping Youbang with his college expenses as an excuse to take advantage of our family anymore. You going to college means you don¡¯t have to stay at home and endure our grandparents¡¯ disdain.¡±


    Lu Youxi reached out and rubbed Lu Youxue¡¯s head a few times, which made Lu Youxue somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m a boy, and I¡¯m grown up now,¡± Lu Youxue said, embarrassedly touching the back of his head and blushing, ¡°My classmates would laugh at me if they saw this.¡±


    Lu Youxi paused briefly, then smiled and apologized, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Lu Youxue raised his right hand, which was holding chopsticks, and waved it a few times, ¡°When no one¡¯s around... it¡¯s still okay...¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lu Youxi held back a laugh, ¡°I think there¡¯s no one around right now, and nobody saw just now, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lu Youxue blushed and nodded head, feeling rather at a loss as he clumsily picked up a piece of celery and stuffed it into his mouth, not really knowing what he was eating.


    Lu Youxi then said, ¡°When I go to the city, I want to find a way to bring you and mom and dad over too.¡±


    ¡°Dad is filial; the grandparents are his parents, he is willing to endure. But mom has suffered too much injustice at home,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Mom takes such good care of the grandparents, but never gets a good word from them, they treat her like they would a thief. They even hide good food and drinks from her.¡±


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips, ¡°I don¡¯t expect them to treat mom like their own child, but at least think of her when it comes to benefits, right? But the grandparents treat her purely as a free maid. No, even worse than a free maid.¡±


    ¡°If dad agrees later on, that¡¯s better, but even if dad doesn¡¯t agree, I still want to bring you and mom over,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Otherwise, both of us will be studying in the city, leaving mom alone at home, and I really can¡¯t rest easy.¡±


    Lu Youxue nodded; he would listen to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Lu Youxi packed up both her and Lu Youxue¡¯s lunch boxes, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Grandma Xu; you should head back and rest well.¡±


    By now, Lu Youxue didn¡¯t need to endure the blistering midday sun to travel back and forth to Hexing Village; he had time to nap at school.


    Lu Youxue watched Lu Youxi leave, then returned to school.


    When Lu Youxi arrived at Grandma Xu¡¯s, Grandma Xu had just sold the last of her eggs.


    The eggs from Grandma Xu¡¯s own chickens were tasty and reasonably priced, so she had many repeat customers in the town, meaning the eggs were always in demand.


    Lu Youxi helped Grandma Xu pack up the stall, and then they went back together.


    The bus between the town and Hexing Village only ran three times a day¡ªin the morning, at midday, and in the evening.


    They caught the midday bus back.


    The bus stop was about a fifteen-minute walk from Hexing Village.


    As Lu Youxi and Grandma Xu got off the bus and were walking into the village, suddenly a hand fell out from the half-person tall wheat field on the roadside with a ¡°thump¡± hitting the ground heavily.


    It startled both Lu Youxi and Grandma Xu.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Grandma Xu, frightened, shuddered and patted her chest, gasping in alarm.


    ¡°Grandma Xu, don¡¯t move here,¡± Lu Youxi finished speaking to Grandma Xu, then moved forward.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous for you alone,¡± Grandma Xu grabbed Lu Youxi, although she couldn¡¯t be much help herself, she couldn¡¯t let Lu Youxi, a young girl, be at the forefront alone.


    Thus, Grandma Xu went with Lu Youxi, and Lu Youxi parted the dense wheat and saw a man lying there.


    The hand that had fallen out earlier was still properly attached to the man¡¯s body, not severed.


    Lu Youxi cautiously did not move closer but looked around instead, picked up a thick branch a few steps away from the roadside, and ran back to prod the man lying on the ground.


    With the experiences from Lu Youxi¡¯s previous life, even just from the back, she could tell the man¡¯s clothes were pricey.


    Even in a big city, the tailoring and design were of the expensive sort.


    Even more so, Lu Youxi found the clothing somewhat familiar.


    However, she would need to see the front to confirm.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lu Youxi poked him a few times vigorously, rocking the body of the face-down man, almost turning him over; Lu Youxi really put a lot of strength into it, not worried about hurting the other person.


    But even with such prodding, there was still no response from the man.


    Lu Youxi then simply used the thick branch attempting to turn him over.


    However, compared to the man¡¯s weight, the branch was a bit too thin.


    Just as the man was halfway turned over, the branch couldn¡¯t bear his weight and snapped with a ¡°crack.¡±


    Lu Youxi reacted quickly, pushing by hand, and managed to turn the man over.


    The man¡¯s face was pale, his clothes were muddy, and no obvious injuries were visible on his body.


    Lu Youxi used the remaining half of the branch to slap the man¡¯s face, ¡°Hey, wake up! Wake up!¡±


    Grandma Xu: ¡°...¡±


    This child, really cautious!


    After a long time without a response from the man, Lu Youxi now recognized that the man¡¯s clothing was from an internationally renowned luxury brand.


    In her previous life, she had been a VVIP customer of that brand, liked their tailoring and design, which suited her mature, steady professional image.


    Lu Youxi frowned slightly, as now, a man dressed like that definitely belonged to the rich or noble class.


    ¡°Grandma Xu, let¡¯s call the police, whether it¡¯s to get him to a hospital or to investigate his identity, we should let the police handle it,¡± Lu Youxi suggested.


    ¡°I see he¡¯s injured so gravely; waiting for the police and then getting him to the hospital might be too late,¡± Grandma Xu worried, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a human life; we can¡¯t just ignore it. Let¡¯s first get him to a hospital.¡±


    But she felt that Lu Youxi¡¯s caution was very good; at least this way, she wouldn¡¯t be easily taken advantage of outside.


    Seeing that Grandma Xu was truly compassionate, Lu Youxi could only say, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Youxi went to a phone booth by the road and called for an ambulance.


    ¡°I can go with him,¡± Grandma Xu told Lu Youxi, ¡°You go home.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, how can I rest easy leaving you alone?¡± Without a second thought, Lu Youxi followed onto the vehicle.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 Zhou Shuyan

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Zhou Shuyan Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Zhou Shuyan After examination, it was found that although the man showed no visible injuries, his internal injuries were quite severe, especially a serious trauma to the head.


    Grandma Xu didn¡¯t have much money either, and Lu Youxi clenched her teeth, went to the credit union to withdraw the medical fund that Lu Zhenguo had previously given her, and together with Grandma Xu, they put together the medical fees for this stranger.


    That money was originally saved by Lu Youxi for Lu Youxue¡¯s schooling.


    Either do not save him, but now that they had decided to save him, they should do their utmost.


    The remaining issue now was when this person would wake up.


    Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t stay overnight in the hospital¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be acceptable to her family, nor was it reassuring to leave Grandma Xu there at her old age.


    Just when Lu Youxi and Grandma Xu were somewhat conflicted, the man woke up.


    This relieved both Lu Youxi and Grandma Xu.


    As soon as the man woke up, Lu Youxi said, ¡°Grandma Xu, I¡¯ll go make a call and get the police here.¡±


    No sooner had Lu Youxi finished talking than the man on the hospital bed suddenly clutched his head and frowned, ¡°Who are you??¡±


    Lu Youxi looked at him in surprise.


    Honestly, this man was incredibly handsome¡ªtoo handsome.


    Even though she had seen many people through her work in her past life.


    Whether domestic or international, from ordinary people to celebrities in person, she had seen quite a few.


    But none as handsome as the man before her.


    Even now, with his head wrapped in gauze, his partially exposed face still very clearly told those looking at him that he was exceptionally attractive.


    His facial features, taken individually, were excessively excellent.


    Put together, they were extraordinarily harmonious, with no one feature overshadowing the others.


    At this moment, the man frowned slightly, his lips tightly pursed, a look that was somewhat stern yet also somewhat helpless, which unexpectedly sparked a feeling of compassion.


    These two contradictory expressions managed to coexist harmoniously on his face without giving off any abrupt or peculiar vibes.


    Moreover, this man¡¯s demeanor didn¡¯t seem at all like that of an ordinary person.


    In her previous life, Lu Youxi had met many business owners, yet none could compare with the aura of the man before her.


    She even felt that this man seemed to be intentionally restraining his own presence.


    Lu Youxi trusted her own judgment; she wasn¡¯t mistaken.


    ¡°This is Hetai Town,¡± Lu Youxi explained. ¡°Grandma Xu and I found you beside the wheat field outside Hexing Village. How did you end up lying in the wheat field?¡±


    The man frowned, looking down and pinching his brow, his face showing discomfort, ¡°I don¡¯t remember...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Grandma Xu asked.


    The man paused, then when he looked up again, his face was full of disbelief, ¡°I don¡¯t remember that either!¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    What kind of cliche? amnesia plot had she stumbled into?


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll call the police,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°You were injured and found beside the wheat field, with no memory at all. We can only have the police help check your identity.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan bowed his head, his hand supporting his forehead, concealing the momentary squinting of his eyes upon hearing this, and after a while, he said with difficulty, ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    Lu Youxi thought to herself that since the man didn¡¯t oppose contacting the police, he probably wasn¡¯t a fugitive.


    After a while, the police arrived.


    Naturally, they couldn¡¯t find out anything either.


    Moreover, Zhou Shuyan had no identification on him.


    But the quality of the man¡¯s demeanor, as Lu Youxi observed, was truly atypical.


    In the end, they could only take a photo of Zhou Shuyan to see if later someone would report a missing person.


    The internet now had not yet developed as extensively as it had in Lu Youxi¡¯s previous life when she became the President of Lin Group. It was still very difficult to use the internet to ascertain the man¡¯s identity.


    ¡°By the way, do you have any money on you?¡± Lu Youxi asked, having known, of course, that he wouldn¡¯t have any.


    When he was brought to the hospital, his pockets had been searched, and nothing was found.


    Zhou Shuyan felt his clothing pockets, which now were cleaner than his face.


    He shook his head and then heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°Your medical fees were put together by Grandma Xu and me.¡±


    Grandma Xu pinched Lu Youxi¡¯s hand and asked him, ¡°You don¡¯t remember who you are, nor do you remember anything else. What do you plan to do now?¡±


    ¡°I will repay the medical fees,¡± Zhou Shuyan said sternly, for in his life, he really had never owed anyone money, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided where to go yet, but I¡¯m young and strong. Even if I don¡¯t do anything else, I can still do physical work.¡±


    ¡°You currently have no ID, don¡¯t know your own name, who would dare employ you?¡± Lu Youxi raised an eyebrow.


    Zhou Shuyan froze for a moment, this was a minor issue, but he had actually overlooked it.


    Zhou Shuyan had never encountered such an embarrassing situation before, with nothing on him, no ID, a penny stumping a hero.


    Grandma Xu thought for a moment and said, ¡°Young man, why don¡¯t you come back with me for now?¡±


    ¡°Grandma Xu!¡± Lu Youxi quickly protested, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to bring someone home when we know nothing about him.¡±


    Grandma Xu smiled and said, ¡°Everyone in our village lives close by. Even if he really is a bad person, what dare he do?¡±


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m somewhat confident in my judgment of people,¡± Grandma Xu smiled again. ¡°This young man is not only good-looking but also has a clear and proper gaze. Even if he can¡¯t remember anything now, judging from his demeanor and speech, he doesn¡¯t seem like some lowlife. It¡¯s just a temporary downfall.¡±


    Grandma Xu then looked towards Zhou Shuyan and said, ¡°My children have all gone to the city to work, and I live alone at home. Because of my age, living alone is somewhat inconvenient. As for the land at home, others are cultivating it. After harvesting, because I cannot sell the produce alone, I would have to turn the produce over to the strong and young villagers who then take a cut from the sales. If you are around, you can help me handle this and I wouldn¡¯t have to pay others as much. Since you¡¯ll be eating and staying at my place, after deducting the costs of board, I¡¯ll give you some salary. How does that sound?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan hadn¡¯t expected that, although Grandma Xu had lived in the village her whole life, with the farthest she had probably ever been being Hetai Town, she had such calculations in her mind.


    Grateful, Zhou Shuyan nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t conveniently return to the Imperial Capital right now.


    Given that the man had been deliberately set up, rushing back to the Imperial Capital would only put him in danger.


    Moreover, now, without even an ID card, how could he travel back?


    The doctor had checked him and he could be discharged from the hospital, but he would still need to rest afterwards, unable to do strenuous exercise or heavy work.


    Afterward, Zhou Shuyan followed Grandma Xu and Lu Youxi back to Hexing Village.


    On the road, Lu Youxi said, ¡°You don¡¯t remember your own name, but you¡¯ll still need a temporary name for us to call you.¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 Is She His Mother

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Is She His Mother? Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Is She His Mother? Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    What, does this girl want to give me a name too?


    Is she my mom?


    Lu Youxi, touching her chin, said, ¡°Otherwise, I can¡¯t always just call out to you, can I?¡±


    Grandma Xu nodded in agreement, ¡°That is indeed a problem.¡±


    ¡°See!¡± Lu Youxi clapped her hands and looked towards Zhou Shuyan, as if seeking his approval.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    I¡¯m not illiterate, at least let me name myself.


    However, ¡°Xu Mai¡± doesn¡¯t sound too bad.


    Zhou Shuyan reluctantly agreed in his heart and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Okay, what okay?


    His response seemed like she was a subordinate reporting to him.


    Lu Youxi had been a high-level executive for many years and eventually became a CEO; it had been a long time since she had any experience being a subordinate.


    Upon entering the village, the Lu Family¡¯s house and Grandma Xu¡¯s house were in two different directions.


    Lu Youxi said goodbye to Grandma Xu and then turned back towards her own home.


    Zhou Shuyan turned his head and followed Lu Youxi with his gaze, watching the direction she went home.


    Seeing this, Grandma Xu suddenly smiled when Zhou Shuyan looked away and said, ¡°Youxi is a beautiful girl, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    What does that have to do with anything?


    ¡°I was just curious to have a look,¡± Zhou Shuyan explained.


    Grandma Xu nodded, but with a look that said, ¡°I hear you, but I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Just as Lu Youxi entered her house and had not yet seen anyone, she heard Old Madam Lu vehemently complaining, ¡°I always say my granddaughter pretends to have a leg injury to avoid work at home. Why suddenly is she so eager to go to town to deliver food to Youxue? It must be an excuse to play in the town! It¡¯s nearly dark, and she¡¯s not back yet; she likes wandering outside so much, she might as well not come back!¡±


    ¡°Mom, Dad, I¡¯m back,¡± Lu Youxi heard Old Madam Lu¡¯s complaints and nonchalantly stepped over the threshold.


    ¡°You still know to come back!¡± Old Madam Lu came out and immediately picked up the thick broom standing by the door, raising it and charging towards Lu Youxi.


    Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo quickly followed her out.


    Lu Zhenguo stopped Old Madam Lu, while Liu Yushu shielded Lu Youxi behind her.


    ¡°Mom, Youxi must¡¯ve run into something that made her late. Let¡¯s find out what happened first before saying anything,¡± Lu Zhenguo said, taking the broom out of Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand.


    Even though Old Madam Lu was particularly fond of Lu Zhenjia, Lu Zhenguo clearly held more weight in her heart compared to Lu Youxi and Liu Yushu.


    Liu Yushu was furious inside, thinking how could they hit a girl like Lu Youxi so easily!


    ¡°Youxi, did something happen outside?¡± Liu Yushu grabbed Lu Youxi¡¯s arm, looking her up and down to check for injuries, relieved to see she was unharmed.


    ¡°I was just returning with Grandma Xu after having dinner with Youxue when we found someone injured at the entrance to the village¡¯s wheat field. We took him to the hospital together, which caused the delay,¡± Lu Youxi briefly explained.


    ¡°Injured? Was it serious?¡± Liu Yushu asked instinctively.


    ¡°Grandma Xu took him back to her place to recuperate,¡± Lu Youxi explained.


    ¡°Why would she bring him home if it¡¯s not your fault?¡± Lu Zhenguo asked upon hearing this.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember anything, not even who he is. Grandma Xu felt sorry for him, so she took him in. Since she lives alone, she thought he could help out with some farm work.¡±


    ¡°Oh, bringing home someone with an unclear background is too risky,¡± Liu Yushu frowned.


    ¡°Grandma Xu said our village is small, and since we all live close to each other, we¡¯d know if something happens,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°plus, Grandma Xu trusts him.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Old Madam Lu scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Bringing someone so unclear into the home, she¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    Old Madam Lu looked around and suddenly said, ¡°How old is this person? He might be a companion she found for herself.¡±


    After saying this, Old Madam Lu felt very clever and laughed mockingly.


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips and said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember anything and doesn¡¯t have an ID, but he looks to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old¡ªenough to be Grandma Xu¡¯s grandson!¡±


    Old Madam Lu pursed her lips, found it boring, and scolded Lu Youxi, ¡°Why bother with this nonsense? You¡¯re back so late, go help your mom cook!¡±


    Grandma Xu bringing home a young man with amnesia quickly spread throughout Hexing Village.


    Hexing Village wasn¡¯t large; it took less than an hour for the whole village to know.


    Many people ran to Grandma Xu¡¯s house to see what was going on.


    Upon seeing Zhou Shuyan, everyone gasped.


    The young man Grandma Xu brought back was too good-looking.


    Better keep a close eye on their own daughters.


    This kind of person with an unclear background might just lure their daughters away.


    Grandma Xu, too, bringing unclear people into the village, was really not a good thing!


    As Zhou Shuyan recuperated at Grandma Xu¡¯s house, he also did some work according to his physical condition.


    Zhou Shuyan realized that Grandma Xu previously mentioned the lack of manpower at home. Perhaps it was the truth, but more so an excuse.


    It was just to make him feel at ease about coming back with her to recuperate.


    Grandma Xu was a particularly kind old lady.


    Zhou Shuyan could not return to the Imperial Capital for now, and the current situation there didn¡¯t allow him to go back rashly, so he stayed here for now.


    And as initially stated, Grandma Xu really did pay him wages.


    Lu Youxi would from time to time come to check on him at Grandma Xu¡¯s house.


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t believe Lu Youxi was starting to have feelings for him; more likely, she was just coming over to watch over him.


    One day, feeling better, Zhou Shuyan took the money he had earned and went to an internet cafe in town.


    This was Zhou Shuyan¡¯s first time entering an internet cafe; even after living for 25 years, he had never known what an internet cafe looked like or how to operate things once inside.


    Fortunately, there was someone getting on the internet when he walked in, and Zhou Shuyan watched and memorized the steps.


    When it was his turn, he mimicked smoothly.


    After getting the internet card, he found a computer corresponding to the number.


    But as soon as he sat down, Zhou Shuyan was confused again; it wasn¡¯t like the computers he used at home that could be directly used once turned on.


    Zhou Shuyan looked to the person on his left, who was wearing headphones and playing games, too busy to be disturbed, and the person on his right was chatting with someone. So he asked the person on his right.


    Only then was he able to turn on the computer and connect to the internet successfully.

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Theres a Traitor Among Us

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14: There¡¯s a Traitor Among Us Chapter 14: Chapter 14: There¡¯s a Traitor Among Us Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t even need to search intentionally.


    As soon as he opened the news website, he saw a headline on the front page.


    ¡°Head of the Zhou family missing, fate unknown to this day.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan clicked in, and the gist of the article was that the Family Head of the Zhou family, Zhou Shuyan, had gone missing and his life or death was uncertain.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s father had passed away early on, leaving only his widow mother at home.


    Therefore, all affairs of the Zhou family were temporarily being managed by Zhou Shuyan¡¯s second uncle, Zhou Xueyi.


    Zhou Shuyan then searched for other news related to the Zhou family.


    Many personnel changes had also occurred in the Zhou family¡¯s company, Chengzhou Group.


    Zhou Shuyan noticed that Zhou Xueyi had promoted some people, or made lateral moves, or subtly demoted others, or even directly dismissed some people.


    And these people just happened to be Zhou Shuyan¡¯s confidants.


    They were not only Zhou Shuyan¡¯s confidants but also executives and key members of the Chengzhou Group.


    All were talents Zhou Shuyan had personally promoted.


    Based on their abilities in various fields, he had assigned them to their respective positions within the Chengzhou Group.


    And they all did not disappoint Zhou Shuyan¡¯s trust and promotion.


    During the period when Zhou Shuyan was in charge of Chengzhou, the company continually widened the gap with its competitors in the industry, becoming a dominant force with few rivals in Hua Country.


    Zhou Shuyan meticulously collected the online news, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and sorted through this information.


    His second uncle, Zhou Xueyi, had always been coveting the position of Family Head and was not short of schemes.


    But this time, he had actually aimed for Zhou Shuyan¡¯s life, and even though Zhou Shuyan had been on guard, it was ultimately impossible to guard against every eventuality.


    From the current information, his mother was very safe.


    In the eyes of Zhou Xueyi, Mrs. Zhou knew nothing and posed no threat to him, she served as a mascot for the Zhou family, and he could also gain a good reputation for treating his elder sister-in-law well.


    Zhou Xueyi just needed to deal with those die-hard loyalists of Zhou Shuyan who could actually threaten his position.


    Zhou Shuyan began to tally up a list of his close confidants in his heart.


    This trip of his was naturally confidential, and the fact that Zhou Xueyi knew of it meant there was a traitor among his close confidants.


    He knew his mother must be worried, but he could not contact her now.


    His mother was a simple person, easily tricked, and facing Zhou Xueyi, an old fox, contact from him would only put her in danger.


    As for those confidants, Zhou Shuyan repeatedly reconsidered them in his mind but ultimately didn¡¯t contact any of them.


    He wouldn¡¯t randomly suspect anyone without any clues, but he also didn¡¯t dare to trust anyone blindly.


    In the end, Zhou Shuyan logged off the internet.


    He was unsure whether the network cafe?¡¯s system would allow the next user of the computer to see the previous customer¡¯s records.


    At least when he used it, there was no trace of someone else¡¯s records.


    But Zhou Shuyan still cautiously cleared all browsing and search histories before shutting down and leaving.


    Upon leaving the internet cafe?, he didn¡¯t immediately head back to Hexing Village but instead found a telephone booth by the roadside and made a call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± The person on the other end picked up, his deep voice brimming with obvious impatience.


    Qi Sishenn always treated unfamiliar numbers without a contact name as telemarketing calls.


    Only this time, his mobile phone didn¡¯t indicate it was a telemarketing or scam call, so out of the principle of not wrongfully ignoring a call, he still picked up.


    Hearing his good friend¡¯s familiar voice, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and for the first time in days, he felt genuinely relaxed and at ease.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± said Zhou Shuyan.


    If there was one person in this world he could trust unconditionally at any time, it would undoubtedly be Qi Sishenn.


    Qi Sishenn¡¯s tone changed instantly, ¡°Where the hell have you been!¡±


    Being able to make a call and speak meant he was still alive.


    And judging by the sound, he seemed to be in good health too.


    Otherwise, Qi Sishenn would have found the word ¡°dead¡± too ominous to use.


    ¡°Ran into some trouble, indeed nearly died. But a kind person saved me,¡± Zhou Shuyan explained.


    Qi Sishenn immediately said, ¡°Your second uncle¡¯s doing?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan dared to contact Qi Sishenn not only because of trust but also confident that Zhou Xueyi could not meddle with Qi Sishenn himself.


    He was also not worried that his call with Qi Sishenn could be monitored or leaked to Zhou Xueyi.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just gone missing, and the Zhou family has been wholly taken over by Zhou Xueyi, it¡¯s too obvious,¡± Zhou Shuyan said sarcastically. ¡°He¡¯s so impatient, no wonder he¡¯s never succeeded at anything.¡±


    ¡°Glad you¡¯re okay, when are you coming back?¡± Qi Sishenn sighed in relief.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go back right now,¡± Zhou Shuyan said. ¡°There¡¯s a traitor among my people, I need some time to take a good look at this.¡±


    ¡°What can I do to help you?¡± Qi Sishenn immediately offered.


    Zhou Shuyan pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°First, I need you to get me an identity card.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t keep being undocumented forever.


    Qi Sishenn: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Boy, you¡¯re really in a tough spot now,¡± Qi Sishenn, now knowing Zhou Shuyan was okay, had the mood to joke, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll come in person, take a look at you. And since we know it¡¯s Zhou Xueyi, I don¡¯t trust anyone else to handle your affairs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in Hetai Town.¡± Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t mention Hexing Village, not out of distrust of Qi Sishenn, but he estimated it would scare the villagers if Qi Sishenn ran to Xing Village.


    Even if the villagers didn¡¯t recognize Qi Sishenn, they would know he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.


    So, it was safer to meet in Tai Town.


    They agreed on a time to meet, and Zhou Shuyan cautioned him, ¡°Be careful yourself, don¡¯t get targeted by Zhou Xueyi.¡±


    ¡°Got it, don¡¯t worry,¡± Qi Sishenn told Zhou Shuyan, and without delay, hung up the phone to start arranging his trip to Tai Town.


    The two deliberately chose a date a few days out.


    This gave Qi Sishenn time to schedule his work and prevent leaving too hastily which might draw Zhou Xueyi¡¯s attention.


    Qi Sishenn was reliable in handling things and Zhou Shuyan was at ease.


    By the time Zhou Shuyan had handled all these matters and returned to Hexing Village, it was already dark.


    Lu Youxi, worried about Zhou Shuyan, had been silently keeping watch and seeing Zhou Shuyan returning so late, grew suspicious and paid more attention to Zhou Shuyan¡¯s every move.


    Suddenly, the day arrived for Zhou Shuyan to meet with Qi Sishenn.


    In order to avoid drawing attention, Qi Sishenn didn¡¯t dare to stay away from the Imperial Capital for too long.


    So he came and returned on the same day.


    When Qi Sishenn arrived at Hetai Town, it was already past four in the afternoon.


    Zhou Shuyan and Qi Sishenn had arranged to meet at an inconspicuous little restaurant in Hetai Town.


    Although the small restaurant wasn¡¯t eye-catching, it still had private rooms.


    The two discussed some matters in the private room.


    Zhou Shuyan gave Qi Sishenn two names, ¡°Keep an eye on these two people for me; if there¡¯s no issue, I¡¯ll contact one of them.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Qi Sishenn memorized the names and took out his lighter, burning the list on the spot.

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Can You Step Back a Bit

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Can You Step Back a Bit? Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Can You Step Back a Bit? Zhou Shuyan and Qi Sishenn had not seen each other for a long time, especially since Shuyan had narrowly escaped death. Qi¡¯s visits were rare to avoid suspicion and he couldn¡¯t come often.


    Now without a cell phone, Shuyan had no choice but to wait passively for contact after Qi returned to the Imperial Capital.


    Therefore, their meeting this time lasted longer than usual.


    Unknowingly, they talked late into the night.


    Qi glanced at the time, 10:37 PM, ¡°Well, I have to go now. I can¡¯t stay any longer.¡±


    Shuyan nodded.


    Qi left and returned to the Imperial Capital.


    By this time, there were no more buses back to Hexing Village.


    Shuyan walked back.


    Although he was the Head of the Zhou family and had been wealthy since birth, he had adapted well to life in Hexing Village these days.


    Even walking back to the village from the town seemed like a routine chore.


    If it weren¡¯t for his innate demeanor, which he couldn¡¯t hide even in plain clothes, he would fit perfectly into rural life.


    By the time Shuyan reached Grandma Xu¡¯s house, it was almost midnight.


    There were no streetlights in Hexing Village, and at night, the only light came from the villagers¡¯ homes.


    Most villagers turned off their lights early in the evening to save electricity.


    So, outside of the moonlight, there was hardly any light.


    Not to mention that it was now the middle of the night, and Shuyan was walking on a pitch-dark village road.


    The village houses on both sides were all dark, their shadows looming under the moonlight, giving off a somewhat eerie feel.


    The wind rustled the leaves, accompanied by the chirping of cicadas. Although it was loud, it oddly made the environment feel even quieter.


    It was so dark on the road that Shuyan couldn¡¯t even see the stones beneath his feet.


    But he was familiar with the path here and walked steadily.


    When he reached the front of Grandma Xu¡¯s house, the ginkgo tree outside the wall rustled in the wind, and its shadow cast on the ground under the moonlight looked strangely eerie.


    Shuyan suddenly stopped, his gaze sharply piercing through the night, almost gleaming coldly under the moonlight.


    ¡°Come out!¡± Shuyan said sharply.


    Lu Youxi had already felt something was off.


    She had always felt that Shuyan, walking alone under the night, had a completely different aura from during the day.


    It was as if he usually reined in his own momentum.


    Usually reserved and taciturn, his work transitioning from clumsy to skilled gave people a sense of a reliable young man.


    Not at all like now, when his presence was almost suffocating.


    Lu Youxi, even with her past life¡¯s demeanor as the CEO of Lin Group and seasoned in the business world, couldn¡¯t compete with Shuyan at this moment.


    Youxi pursed her lips and came forward. Seeing her, Shuyan froze for a moment and then raised his eyebrows as he approached, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for you,¡± Youxi said. ¡°I¡¯ve been here all night, just to see when you would return.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for me?¡± Shuyan looked at Youxi, suddenly letting out a scoff, ¡°A young woman, waiting here in the middle of the night for me? What for?¡±


    As Shuyan looked down, his eyelashes cast a thin shadow beneath his eyes, as cold as the moonlight above.


    Even his eyes carried an unmistakably chilly jest.


    But, he was a bit too close to her.


    Shuyan stepped closer, and Youxi instinctively backed away.


    She hadn¡¯t moved back more than two steps before she was stopped by a tree trunk.


    Youxi trembled nervously.


    Shuyan scoffed again, his eyes filled with deeper mockery.


    Youxi pursed her lips, secretly adjusting her breathing, forcing herself to look up at Shuyan and not be influenced by his overwhelming presence, ¡°You come and go early and late these days. I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re doing or your purpose, but don¡¯t involve Grandma Xu, don¡¯t harm her.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Grandma Xu took you in when you needed help the most.¡±


    Shuyan was slightly surprised, then suddenly said, ¡°Have you ever thought that it¡¯s very dangerous for a girl to wait here for me in the middle of the night? What if I did something to you?¡±


    Youxi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, she calmly said, ¡°If I dared to do this, I naturally had my assurance.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Shuyan suddenly lowered his head closer to her.


    Youxi, caught off guard, instinctively dodged back, but her head hit directly against the tree trunk.


    But unexpectedly, the sensation wasn¡¯t the hard and rough texture of the trunk but a warm and soft protection.


    It turned out Shuyan, quick to react, had reached out to cushion her head, preventing it from hitting the tree directly.


    However, they were now uncomfortably close.


    Youxi¡¯s heartbeat skipped abruptly.


    Under the moonlight, Shuyan¡¯s face seemed excessively devastating.


    Even his breath fell on the tip of her nose, intensely unsettling.


    Youxi tightly pressed her lips together, even holding her breath for a few seconds.


    Then she spoke, ¡°I know you¡¯re not an ordinary person.¡±


    Shuyan seemed surprised she would say that. He withdrew his hand that was protecting her head, but he did not step back.


    For some reason, he just stood still, not wanting to move away.


    He carefully examined Youxi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Can you back off a bit?¡± Youxi was really overwhelmed.


    Maintaining such an excessively close distance with Shuyan, she was already at her limit.


    Under the moonlight, Youxi¡¯s fair face was tinged with a faint red.


    Somehow, Shuyan wanted to look at her a bit longer.


    It seemed this girl wasn¡¯t as composed as she appeared.


    He had once thought she housed a soul of an old, desire-less, indifferent person in her young body.


    ¡°I already told you, a young girl waiting here in the middle of the night for a man, it¡¯s very dangerous,¡± Shuyan didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t want to step back.


    Indeed, Youxi had said she was confident to come here.


    But there was something very vile within him that wanted to see her lose composure, even to cry.


    To crush her current calm.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t follow me,¡± Shuyan lowered his head even further, almost whispering in Youxi¡¯s ear.


    As he looked down, his gaze fell on her earlobe, as translucent as the moonlight.


    In the moonlight, even her ear was veiled in a misty light.


    Shuyan was a bit captivated, watching as Youxi¡¯s ears visibly turned red, the redness spreading down her T-shirt¡¯s neckline.


    The rising heat brought out the scent from her body.


    Shuyan¡¯s heart surged, and he suddenly stepped back.


    Youxi¡¯s tumultuous heart was startled by his sudden retreat, replacing the previous chaos.


    Youxi took several deep breaths, then said, ¡°I won¡¯t follow you, not today, not ever, you can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish, knowing nothing is the safest for me,¡± Youxi said.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 Suddenly reaching out and grabbing her

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Suddenly reaching out and grabbing her neck Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Suddenly reaching out and grabbing her neck Zhou Shuyan hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Youxi, so young, would be so cautious.


    He chuckled softly, a sound that under the serene moonlight seemed particularly clear, as if it were the splash of a teasing water droplet hurled into a pool under the moon, the sound of it sending ripples through the stillness.


    ¡°In the middle of the night, waiting here for a man whose background you don¡¯t know anything about, that doesn¡¯t quite fit with the caution you preach,¡± Zhou Shuyan mocked coldly.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    This man sure held a grudge, still remembering what she had said the first day she brought him back when she stopped Grandma Xu.


    At that time, she had said that she didn¡¯t know anything about him and that bringing him back might be dangerous.


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips and said, ¡°Yes, if it were only me, I wouldn¡¯t come over, nor would I care what you were up to. But for Grandma Xu¡¯s sake, I had to come.¡±


    ¡°Grandma Xu is a good person; she took you in when you needed help the most. I hope that no matter what you do, you¡¯ll remember this and not drag Grandma Xu into it,¡± Lu Youxi said solemnly. ¡°I know you¡¯re no ordinary person, and whether you¡¯ve really lost your memory or not, you won¡¯t stay in the village for long. You must have more important matters to attend to than what Xing Village can offer.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re only treating this place as a temporary stay, I hope you won¡¯t cause any trouble for Grandma Xu while you¡¯re here,¡± Lu Youxi pursed her lips again, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are or why you had an accident, but as long as you don¡¯t harm Grandma Xu, I won¡¯t pry or be the slightest bit curious about your affairs.¡±


    Against the moonlight, Zhou Shuyan lowered his gaze to look at Lu Youxi.


    He had initially thought Lu Youxi was someone full of schemes, highly guarded.


    Kind-hearted yet vigorously eliminating anything that could pose a danger to herself.


    Despite having saved him, she disagreed with Grandma Xu taking him back.


    But after Grandma Xu insisted on bringing him home, she made sure to ensure Grandma Xu¡¯s safety.


    She was indeed a somewhat contradictory person.


    But Zhou Shuyan found it rather agreeable.


    The people and things in this world were not just black and white.


    Having a guard up could keep oneself safe, could let one live well.


    He looked down on those with an overwhelming martyr complex.


    But before tonight, he felt that Lu Youxi was smart only within the scope of Xing Village.


    After all, Lu Youxi was still a village girl, intelligent but limited by her upbringing.


    Now, however, a smile flickered in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s eyes.


    This young lady was far smarter than he had originally thought.


    ¡°I promise you,¡± Zhou Shuyan said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll walk you back.¡±


    Lu Youxi breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I can go back on my own.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t speak, but when Lu Youxi started walking back, he automatically followed her.


    On their way, both had only heard their own footsteps, lonely and desolate in the night.


    But now there were two sets of footsteps beside each other, gradually synchronizing their pace.


    The feeling was foreign and wondrous.


    Neither of them spoke, and yet Lu Youxi¡¯s ears tinged a bit red.


    She inexplicably thought of the image of Zhou Shuyan suddenly coming close earlier.


    While Lu Youxi was somewhat lost in thought, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s voice suddenly broke out of the dark, ¡°Do you think that because you¡¯re in the village, where everyone knows each other, there are no dangers?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She actually did think so.


    Having lived here for two lifetimes, she knew every villager very well.


    But then she heard Zhou Shuyan say, ¡°It seems your caution is also limited. Many crimes are committed by acquaintances. Don¡¯t assume you really know someone.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    After all, she had lived to 38 in her previous life, and was actually much older than Zhou Shuyan.


    Did this kid know he was actually facing his elder?


    ¡°Have you ever thought that if I killed you here, no one would know?¡± Zhou Shuyan suddenly remarked.


    Lu Youxi was startled, only to hear Zhou Shuyan continue, ¡°No one knows who I am here, ¡®Xu Mai¡¯ is just a temporary name you gave me. I have no ID, even the police haven¡¯t figured out my identity. I haven¡¯t lived here long; if I killed you now and ran, by the time the villagers found out tomorrow, I would be long gone, without a trace and no one could provide any information about my identity.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°!!!¡±


    That really was the case!


    Zhou Shuyan suddenly stopped walking, his gaze fixing on her, ¡°Do you still think coming to find me tonight was safe?¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡± Lu Youxi halted alongside Zhou Shuyan, turned around, and looked up at him.


    Under the night sky void of any light, it was somewhat difficult to make out Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face clearly.


    His features were deeply set.


    High brow bones, and a high nose.


    The lines of his lips were so firm they seemed severe.


    The pale and lackluster moonlight on his face only made the raised parts stand out even more.


    Those raised areas cast a shadow on his face, making it difficult to see the rest of his features.


    Lu Youxi strained to see his eyes, to discern through his gaze whether he was serious or joking, but she failed.


    Just as Lu Youxi finished speaking, Zhou Shuyan suddenly extended a hand to grasp her neck.


    His palm was warm, and the tips of his fingers, perhaps due to recent labor, became a bit rough.


    The contact felt ticklish on the skin of her neck.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s heart surged, and she raised her hand instinctively to seize his wrist, trying to remove his hand from her neck.


    Being held by the neck by someone was far too dangerous.


    Lu Youxi, overwhelmed by tension, even overlooked the fact that Zhou Shuyan¡¯s grip on her neck was not forceful at all.


    He was merely lightly holding it.


    But the man¡¯s grip was indeed too firm.


    Even though it was gentle, it wasn¡¯t something she could pull away from.


    His wrist was too strong, solid as rock or iron.


    Lu Youxi, drenched in nervous sweat, exclaimed, ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    But when she spoke, she froze.


    How could she speak normally?


    If her neck had truly been seized, she would hardly be able to breathe, let alone talk.


    It was then that Lu Youxi realized that Zhou Shuyan had not been applying force at all.


    His hand was simply resting on her neck.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Zhou Shuyan said as he took his hand off Lu Youxi¡¯s neck.


    Because he hadn¡¯t exerted any force, not a single mark was left on Lu Youxi¡¯s neck.


    ¡°But in such a situation, with someone else, it could have been another outcome,¡± Zhou Shuyan said indifferently. ¡°Do you still feel confident that you can stay safe?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan had no intention of harming her, but Lu Youxi still felt a residual fear as she clutched her neck.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 What University Can She Get Into

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17: What University Can She Get Into? Chapter 17: Chapter 17: What University Can She Get Into? ¡°I understand,¡± Lu Youxi said, covering her neck; her voice had returned to calm, ¡°I was presumptuous this time.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan was somewhat surprised.


    Lu Youxi was really very receptive to advice.


    Her quick admission of her mistake had left him with prepared words that he couldn¡¯t say anymore.


    A sensation of being choked welled up in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s throat, even bringing a hint of frustration.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he muttered, turning around and walking away.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s lips curled slightly as she followed him.


    He had definitely prepared a whole bellyful of words to educate her just now.


    But she had truly realized her mistake this time, acknowledging her presumptuousness.


    However, it was also because she believed that Zhou Shuyan would not harm her.


    Soon, Zhou Shuyan had escorted Lu Youxi to the gate of the Lu Family¡¯s courtyard.


    Lu Youxi had wanted to wish him goodnight, but felt it was too strange to say so.


    Thus, Lu Youxi ended up saying nothing and silently entered the gate.


    Zhou Shuyan watched the Lu Family¡¯s gate close and then headed to Grandma Xu¡¯s house.


    Lu Youxi quietly returned to her room, tidied up briefly, changed her clothes, and got into bed.


    She lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Although the room was damp and dark, a bit of moonlight still managed to seep in at night, casting a pale light on the slightly moldy ceiling.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s thoughts drifted, and she couldn¡¯t help but think back to the moment at Grandma Xu¡¯s doorstep when Zhou Shuyan had approached her with a mix of testing and intimidation.


    She couldn¡¯t resist stretching a hand out from under the covers, her fingers lightly pinching her ear as if the warmth of Zhou Shuyan¡¯s breath still lingered there.


    Then, she covered her neck, where it seemed the warmth of Zhou Shuyan¡¯s palm and fingertips remained.


    Lu Youxi sighed and thought to herself that she really shouldn¡¯t get too involved with this man.


    From her experience and understanding of people in her past life, she felt that Zhou Shuyan was no simple character.


    He wouldn¡¯t stay long in Hexing Village and surely had some secrets; he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.


    *


    The next morning, after finishing her chores, Lu Youxi prepared to head to the entrance of the village.


    She calculated the time, thinking the acceptance letter should be arriving these days.


    Since yesterday, she had been estimating the courier¡¯s arrival time and waiting at the village entrance to see if the admission notice would come.


    When she guessed the courier was about to arrive, she prepared to go again.


    Old Madam Lu saw Lu Youxi heading out and yelled, ¡°Big girl, where are you off to again?¡±


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m just going to the village entrance to check.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing at the village entrance every day? Hoping to pick up a man?¡± Old Madam Lu spat out her nasty words with full malice, ¡°There¡¯s so much work to do at home, and you run off to slack?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, the acceptance letters are supposed to arrive these days.¡± At that moment, a girl about Lu Youxi¡¯s age passed by the doorway and stepped over the high threshold into the Lu household.


    Lu Youxi glared coldly at her smirking cousin, Lu Youzhen.


    Lu Youzhen was half a year younger than her; due to their birthdays, she started school a year later than Lu Youxi.


    She would only be starting her senior year after the summer break.


    ¡°Big sister, which prestigious university did you apply to? Running to the village entrance every day, waiting eagerly?¡± Lu Youzhen¡¯s eyes gleamed with derision and mocking as they curved into crescents.


    Indeed, Lu Youxi had good academic performance, and it was no suspense that she could get into a university.


    But getting into a university and getting into Jing University, the top university in Hua Country, were not the same.


    So what if Lu Youxi got into a university?


    She still wouldn¡¯t compare to her brother.


    ¡°Get into a university? What university could she get into?¡± Old Madam Lu scoffed with disdain, ¡°If it¡¯s not Jing University, attending any other university is a waste of money. A girl like you should just wait obediently to get married.¡±


    The neighbor, Aunt Lin, was throwing out a bucket of dirty water in the yard. Hearing the noise from the Lu Family, she zealously climbed the ladder, peering over the wall between the two houses, and chimed in like she was watching a drama, ¡°Right, your Youxi is applying to university this year. Getting into university is a good thing, even if it¡¯s not Jing University, getting into any other university is still good.¡±


    ¡°Who needs an ordinary university graduate? Just a waste of money!¡± Old Madam Lu rolled her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s better to stay home and get married, live a good life!¡±


    ¡°And what university could she get into anyway? Everyone thinks they can be like our Youbang, getting into Jing University?¡± Old Madam Lu disdainfully glanced at Lu Youxi, ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass yourself by saying that out loud! Just stay home and work properly!¡±


    ¡°I actually did apply to Jing University,¡± Lu Youxi said loudly, ¡°So Youbang brother isn¡¯t the only university student from our village.¡±


    ¡°Pah! Shameless brat!¡± Old Madam Lu spat, ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed for you! You, getting into Jing University? How dare you even say it? You¡¯ll be disgraced if you don¡¯t get in!¡±


    ¡°Whether I get in or not, we¡¯ll know when the admission letter arrives,¡± Lu Youzhen interjected, watching the excitement, ¡°Big sister has been waiting for the courier every day, right? I see she hasn¡¯t received anything yet; probably no hope there.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, stop shouting about applying to Jing University and embarrassing the Lu Family!¡± Uncle Lu, holding a cigarette, came out just in time to hear Lu Youxi and Lu Youzhen¡¯s exchange and spoke displeasedly, ¡°What university are you applying to? Our family doesn¡¯t have the money to send you to university. Just wait to get married for me!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, that¡¯s not something you can just say,¡± the neighbor spoke again, ¡°Our village has only Youbang as a university student so far. Even if Youxi doesn¡¯t get into Jing University, getting into another university is still good! Hua Country isn¡¯t just made up of Jing University.¡±


    Lu Youxi lips twitched; Aunt Lin, the neighbor, always liked gossip, especially since she lived close to their family, she knew the Lu family¡¯s gossip very well.


    Unexpectedly, she could actually thank Aunt Lin for her help this time.


    ¡°If she gets into Jing University like Youbang, then I¡¯ll agree for her to go to university, otherwise, it¡¯s just wasting money!¡± Uncle Lu knocked his smoking pipe against the wall decisively.


    ¡°Uncle, I have to disagree with that.¡±


    Before Aunt Lin could finish, Old Madam Lu interjected, ¡°Xiao Lin, this is our family¡¯s matter, what are you meddling for?¡±


    Aunt Lin was about to get angry when Lu Youxi spoke up, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, if I get into Jing University, you¡¯ll let me go to university, right?¡±


    ¡°You really think you can get into Jing University?¡± Old Madam Lu looked at Lu Youxi contemptuously. ¡°That¡¯s Jing University! Can you just talk your way in?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that; I¡¯m just asking if I get in, can I go?¡± Lu Youxi smiled, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t even need to ask for your permission. The money for university comes from my parents, not from Grandpa and Grandma; why would you have a say in whether I go or not?¡±

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 What joke did you show the neighbors

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18: What joke did you show the neighbors! Chapter 18: Chapter 18: What joke did you show the neighbors! ¡°My parents haven¡¯t even objected to me going to college yet.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± The voice of Aunt Liu, the neighbor to the right of the Lu Family, also piped up.


    But she was not seen.


    Only the sound of moving things next door could be heard, and after a while, Aunt Liu also emerged, halfway up a ladder, popping out from the other side of the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been listening for a good while now. Youxi getting into college is a good thing, why would you stop her?¡± Aunt Liu pursed her lips. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like the Lu Family¡¯s elders are paying for it. What¡¯s wrong with her parents supporting her through college?¡±


    ¡°Our family¡¯s money all went to sending Youbang to college; we don¡¯t have money to support Lu Youxi too,¡± Old Madam Lu said, standing her ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s even more wrong. If you can support Youbang going to college, why can¡¯t you support Youxi?¡± Aunt Liu had always disapproved of the way the two Lu Family elders treated Lu Youxi and Liu Yushu.


    But she was always an outsider and couldn¡¯t really say anything.


    But to clearly have the child capable of getting into college and then not letting her go, that¡¯s too much!


    How difficult it is for their village to produce a college student!


    ¡°Aunt Lin, Aunt Liu,¡± Lu Youxi said loudly, ¡°since you¡¯re both here, I would like to ask you to be witnesses for me.¡±


    ¡°Speak,¡± replied Aunt Lin. Unlike Aunt Liu, who might have come purely out of indignation, whether she also had a schadenfreude attitude for a bit of spectacle was unknown, but she responded particularly promptly, even a few seconds faster than Aunt Liu.


    Aunt Liu nodded too, ¡°Youxi, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°My grandpa just said that as long as I get into Jing University, he won¡¯t stop me from going to college,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°I hope Aunt Liu and Aunt Lin can witness this here. If I really do get into Jing University, I want you two to be witnesses so that my grandparents can¡¯t deny what they¡¯ve said.¡±


    ¡°Even though the tuition fees won¡¯t come from my grandparents after I get in, my dad is filial, my mom is honest and kind, and they have never gone against my grandparents¡¯ wishes. So to prevent some unpleasantness, it is better to make things clear now.¡±


    ¡°Youxi! What are you talking about?¡±


    Lu Youxi turned around and saw Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu returning from the fields with their tools, just in time to hear Lu Youxi¡¯s words.


    Lu Zhenguo, furious and alarmed, strode toward Lu Youxi and said in a low voice, ¡°Why can¡¯t we discuss these matters within the family? Why do you have to say this in front of outsiders?¡±


    He knew little of books but was aware that one should not air one¡¯s dirty laundry in public!


    What was Lu Youxi doing!


    Lu Zhenguo grabbed Lu Youxi¡¯s arm and started to head home.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re not asking what this is all about, Old Lu?¡± Aunt Liu hurried down the ladder and after a little while, she ran out of her own front gate and into the Lu Family¡¯s, ¡°Why come back and blame the child for anything!¡±


    ¡°This is our family¡¯s affair; why do you meddle in other people¡¯s business! Aren¡¯t your own children enough for you to worry about?¡± Old Madam Lu spat at her.


    ¡°Dad, my grandparents said they won¡¯t let me go to college, even if I get in,¡± Lu Youxi looked up at Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Dad, will you let me go to college?¡±


    ¡°So is it for this matter that we become the laughingstock of others?¡± Lu Zhenguo still felt the loss of face.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t home, and only the grandparents were here. They said they wouldn¡¯t let me go to college but wanted me to marry someone.¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, if going to college doesn¡¯t cost them anything, why won¡¯t they let me go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Old Lu, I and Old Liu were listening to it.¡± Aunt Lin said, ¡°Youxi is a good student; everyone in the village knows that. She¡¯s definitely capable of getting into college. How can you let the child miss out on college? Your family¡¯s preference for boys over girls shouldn¡¯t go this far! If my daughter could study that well, I¡¯d sell everything I have to let her continue her education!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and it¡¯s as if only Youbang is your real son. You can support your nephew to go to college, but you can¡¯t support your own daughter?¡± Aunt Liu said unhappily, ¡°Uncle Lu even said if Youxi doesn¡¯t get into Jing University, she shouldn¡¯t go to another college either, claiming it¡¯s a waste of money!¡±


    ¡°Who says I don¡¯t support Youxi going to college?¡± Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, he said loudly, ¡°If Youxi gets into college, I¡¯d sell everything I have to support her education, too! Youxi, if you have concerns, talk directly to me, would I not let you study? Why let the neighbors laugh at us!¡±


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips, thinking to herself that it was precisely because Aunt Liu and Aunt Lin were there that Lu Zhenguo was now pushed to say these words outright.


    Otherwise, she would still have to argue with the Lu Family¡¯s elders later.


    Even if Lu Zhenguo eventually agreed to let her attend college, she considered it a nuisance!


    Better to settle things quickly.


    ¡°It was Grandma shouting in the yard that caught both aunts¡¯ attention.¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Our yard doesn¡¯t have a roof over it, the sound carries over, you can¡¯t expect people to cover their ears, can you?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Go back to the house first!¡± Lu Zhenguo said.


    ¡°I need to go to the entrance of the village to wait for the courier; the acceptance letter should arrive in these next few days.¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Lu Youxue, who had returned with Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, hurried to Lu Youxi¡¯s side.


    Lu Zhenguo took a deep breath, finding it now impossible to argue with Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi shook off Lu Zhenguo¡¯s arm and, taking Lu Youxue with her, walked away without even looking back at Lu Zhenguo.


    Lu Youzhen hurried after them, curious to see what kind of college Lu Youxi would get into.


    ¡°Lu Youxi, you come back here!¡± Old Madam Lu shouted at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Mom! Let¡¯s talk inside about anything concerning us!¡± Lu Zhenguo quickly pulled Old Madam Lu into the house.


    Old Master Lu, not wanting to be the joke of the neighborhood either, didn¡¯t stop them.


    After they finally entered the house, Old Madam Lu shook off Lu Zhenguo¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯ve really turned against us now!¡±


    ¡°Zhenguo, do you really want to send that girl to college? Do you have the money?¡± Old Master Lu asked unhappily.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t have the money, I¡¯ll borrow it. There¡¯s no reason why, if the child gets into college, I won¡¯t let her attend. If other children can study, so can she,¡± Lu Zhenguo muttered.


    ¡°People have money, do you?¡± Old Madam Lu said angrily, ¡°If you ask me, she should just marry someone. It¡¯s a waste of money to go to college! What good will it do after she graduates? She¡¯ll still be unaccomplished and still have to marry someone, college will have been for nothing! Since she¡¯ll end up married anyway, better to do it now and save the cost of college!¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Liu Yushu gathered her courage to speak softly, ¡°Youxi is a good student, always first in the school; she is sure to get into a good college.¡±


    Liu Yushu harbored resentment.


    Old Madam still had the nerve to ask Lu Zhenguo if he had money?


    Wasn¡¯t it because all the money was given to Youbang that they were short on funds?


    Now, their own daughter wanted to go to college, but they supposedly didn¡¯t have the money.


    But she couldn¡¯t point this out, even Lu Zhenguo would say that Youbang was part of the Lu Family, how could it be so clearly divided?


    Liu Yushu lowered her head and muttered quietly, ¡°Youbang got into Jing University, but he never got first place in school before.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 Why cant you understand this simple thing

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Why can¡¯t you understand this simple thing! Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Why can¡¯t you understand this simple thing! ¡°You have no say here!¡± Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t bear to hear anyone speak ill of her eldest grandson, ¡°A girl, once she¡¯s married, she belongs to someone else¡¯s family and has nothing to do with ours. Even if she talks about going to Jing University, no matter how much she studies, it has nothing to do with our family. It¡¯s a waste for Zhenguo to spend money on her!¡±


    ¡°Mom, Youbang is my nephew, and I can afford to pay for his education, let alone Youxi, who is my own daughter,¡± Lu Zhenguo said, ¡°I¡¯ve planned for a long time that as long as Youxi and Youxue can get into college, I will make sure they attend. If other children can go to college, so can mine!¡±


    The whole Lu Family pooled together to support Lu Youbang¡¯s education at Jing University.


    But now it was Lu Youxi¡¯s turn, and regardless of the others, he would take care of it!


    *


    Over here, Lu Youxi was taking Lu Youxue to the village entrance, with Lu Youzhen following them all the way.


    Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t be bothered with Lu Youzhen; she knew exactly why Lu Youzhen was following them.


    But this episode didn¡¯t happen in her previous life.


    In her previous life, she hadn¡¯t had a blowup with the Lu Family¡¯s elders at home before she received the admission letter. She quietly waited for the express delivery, so there was no situation where Lu Youzhen came with her to get the parcel.


    After all, Lu Youxi had lived to the age of 38 in her previous life, over 20 years since she graduated, so she couldn¡¯t remember the exact day the express delivery had arrived.


    She only remembered a rough timespan, which was why she often came to wait.


    Lu Youxi ignored Lu Youzhen, but Lu Youxue couldn¡¯t stand it.


    He frowned and asked Lu Youzhen, ¡°Youzhen, why are you following us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for the courier together to see if big sister can get it, and if she does, which university¡¯s admission letter it is,¡± Lu Youzhen said with a sarcastic smile at the corner of her mouth.


    Even if Lu Youxi was a good student, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get into a good university.


    The grandparents would never support Lu Youxi the way they supported Youbang. They would only choose an affordable school for Lu Youxi, and it was even possible that even if Lu Youxi got into college, they wouldn¡¯t let her study.


    Just now in the yard, the grandparents had already hinted at this intention.


    That¡¯s why Lu Youxi insisted that if she got into Jing University, she would make the grandparents agree to let her attend.


    Lu Youzhen¡¯s eyes spun around, ¡°Big sister, you didn¡¯t really apply for Jing University, did you?¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t even look at her, nor did she respond, acting as though she didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°Lu Youxi, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Lu Youzhen said, dissatisfied.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Lu Youxi retorted unkindly.


    ¡°We¡¯re all family here, what¡¯s wrong with me caring about you?¡± Lu Youzhen immediately said.


    ¡°Then you might as well worry about what your fate will be when it¡¯s your turn for the college entrance exams next year,¡± Lu Youxi said with a cold laugh, ¡°You¡¯d better get into college since your uncle and auntie might actually fight for you. But with your grades, that seems difficult.¡±


    ¡°Plus, you¡¯d better get into a good university, because if it¡¯s some third-rate one, your uncle and auntie probably won¡¯t bother fighting for you,¡± Lu Youxi scoffed sarcastically.


    Lu Youzhen had the nerve to look forward to watching her own big sister¡¯s drama.


    Lu Youzhen: ¡°...¡±


    Being talked to like that by Lu Youxi, Lu Youzhen suddenly didn¡¯t feel like it anymore.


    Arriving at the village entrance, after about five or six minutes, they saw a courier riding an electric tricycle coming, preparing to drop off a package at the village¡¯s collection point.


    Lu Youxi quickly went up to inquire, ¡°Do you have a package for me?¡±


    The courier was in charge of the express delivery for several nearby villages.


    Not many people were in Hexing Village, and Lu Youxi had also waited for the express delivery yesterday, so the courier remembered her.


    On her inquiry, he sifted through a pile of letters and found one for her, ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s one for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Lu Youxi took it and glanced at the sender on the express form; it was indeed sent from Jing University!


    An express delivery from Jing University meant nothing other than an admission notice.


    Even with the experience from her past life, knowing that in this life she would without a doubt be admitted to Jing University, and even receive a scholarship, the moment she received the admission letter, Lu Youxi¡¯s mood still soared with joy.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Your admission letter?¡± Lu Youzhen leaned in.


    Lu Youxi immediately put on a cold face and turned the express bag upside down, not letting Lu Youzhen see.


    ¡°What is it really? Which school?¡± Lu Youzhen asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get home,¡± Lu Youxi said indifferently. ¡°Why the rush?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve got something you can¡¯t say now?¡± Lu Youzhen, failing to get an answer, resorted to goading, ¡°Could it be that you didn¡¯t do well and it¡¯s some third-rate university, so you¡¯re too embarrassed to say?¡±


    Sadly, Lu Youzhen¡¯s little tricks were no match for Lu Youxi.


    Regardless of what Lu Youzhen said, Lu Youxi ignored her.


    All the way back to the Lu Family¡¯s house, they hadn¡¯t even entered when they heard arguing inside.


    ¡°Mom, Youbang is my nephew, and I can afford to pay for his education, let alone Youxi, who is my own daughter,¡± Lu Zhenguo said. ¡°I¡¯ve planned for a long time that as long as Youxi and Youxue get into college, I will make sure they attend. If other children can go to college, so can mine!¡± Lu Youxi heard Lu Zhenguo¡¯s words as she arrived at the door.


    Lu Youxi hurriedly stopped Lu Youxue, who was about to go inside.


    Seeing this, Lu Youzhen joined Lu Youxi and Lu Youxue outside the door to eavesdrop.


    She loved to see the joke that was her uncle¡¯s family.


    ¡°How can you not understand!¡± Old Master Lu stomped his foot in dissatisfaction, ¡°Youxi is a girl who will have to marry someday! Once she¡¯s married, she¡¯s part of someone else¡¯s family, all the money you spend on her now is for naught!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a girl, but she¡¯s still our child!¡± Liu Yushu couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Moreover, Youxi wouldn¡¯t neglect us.¡±


    After Liu Yushu spoke, she tugged at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s sleeve, hoping he wouldn¡¯t listen to the elders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you, a woman, meddle in our Lu Family¡¯s affairs!¡± Old Master Lu rebuked angrily.


    Liu Yushu was stunned, tears flowing uncontrollably as she stared at the Lu Family¡¯s elders, then turned to look at Lu Zhenguo.


    She may not have the surname Lu, but she married into the Lu Family twenty years ago, taking care of the whole family, bustling about.


    And now, after all this time, Old Master Lu told her not to interfere in their family matters?


    ¡°Zhenguo, do you also think I shouldn¡¯t speak up? I¡¯m not a Lu, even after doing a lifetime of chores at home, looking after you all, am I still an outsider?¡± Liu Yushu turned and asked Lu Zhenguo.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Lu Youxi shouted as she stepped inside, no longer wanting to listen.


    Lu Youxue¡¯s little face was serious as he quickly ran forward, shielding Liu Yushu behind him, and looked up at Lu Zhenguo with displeasure, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s disheartening to hear Grandpa and Grandma talk about Mom like this, won¡¯t you say a word?¡±


    No wonder his sister said Lu Zhenguo was blindly filial.


    His sister planned to move him and Mom to the city and wouldn¡¯t let Mom continue to suffer here.


    As for whether Dad would come or not, his sister didn¡¯t care for the time being.


    At the time, he didn¡¯t understand, although the grandparents weren¡¯t nice to Mom, at least with Dad around, they wouldn¡¯t let things go too far.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Oh no Lu Youxi got into Jing University

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Oh no, Lu Youxi got into Jing University Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Oh no, Lu Youxi got into Jing University However, after hearing what the grandparents had said, Lu Youxue understood.


    If neither he nor his sister were home, there would be no one to protect their mother.


    His father was an honest and upright man, a good person, but not necessarily a good husband or father.


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, I have to disagree with you here,¡± Lu Youxi said coldly, ¡°Especially Grandma, you too are a daughter-in-law of the Lu Family. It seems you¡¯ve never considered yourself a true member of the Lu Family either, always thinking of it as foreign.¡±


    Old Master Lu, having heard this, his face instinctively darkened, and he couldn¡¯t help but look towards Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, you wretched girl!¡± Old Madam Lu raised her hand to strike Lu Youxi, her years of being a daughter-in-law evolving into a mother-in-law, who not only favored sons over daughters but was near sadistic towards her daughter-in-law.


    She herself had suffered much in the Lu Family, and now that she had the upper hand, she wanted to doubly impose it on her daughter-in-law, making her taste the same bitterness.


    But Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand had not yet fallen when it was blocked by Lu Youxue.


    Lu Youxue, with his slight frame, stood firm in front of Lu Youxi and Liu Yushu.


    Lu Youxi, looking at Lu Youxue¡¯s back, felt that this small frame was nevertheless much more reliable than Lu Zhenguo.


    ¡°So, if you think my mother, as a woman and a daughter-in-law, doesn¡¯t deserve to speak here, then you shouldn¡¯t speak either. You¡¯re a woman and a daughter-in-law too, with no right to speak in the Lu Family,¡± Lu Youxi said coldly. ¡°At least I still bear the Lu surname! You don¡¯t even have that!¡±


    Aren¡¯t the Lu Family¡¯s elders always going on about ¡®the Lu Family¡¯ this and ¡®surname Lu¡¯ that?


    Then she would fight magic with magic!


    ¡°You wretched girl! Is that how your mother spurs you on normally?¡± Old Madam Lu was furious, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, are you just going to watch her talk back to us? Lu Youxi, this thankless child! You still want to support her through university, hoping she¡¯ll support you in old age? She probably despises us!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo opened his mouth, awkwardly saying, ¡°Mom, Youxi wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    Then he turned to Lu Youxi and said, ¡°Youxi, how can you talk to Grandma and Grandpa like that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you today, you family-destroyer!¡± The old lady looked around for a stick and, seeing a broom in the corner, moved to grab it.


    Lu Youxi lifted the express mail envelope, charged into the courtyard, and shouted loudly, ¡°I was admitted to Jing University!¡±


    Lu Youzhen, who had been amusedly watching from the side, expecting Lu Youxi to be beaten, of course, wouldn¡¯t speak up for Lu Youxi. She was just waiting to see Lu Youxi get beaten when she suddenly heard Lu Youxi say this.


    Lu Youzhen, shocked, followed her to the courtyard, still in disbelief, ¡°You got into Jing University?¡±


    ¡°Let me see your admission notice!¡± Lu Youzhen rushed over, trying to snatch the express package from Lu Youxi¡¯s hands, wanting to see for herself if it was true.


    But Lu Youxi hid the admission notice behind her, ¡°Just look from there, don¡¯t touch my admission notice.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure she could trust Lu Youzhen¡¯s character; she might crazily tear up the admission notice.


    Lu Youxi stepped back a few more steps, putting some distance between herself and the Lu family members, and shouted loudly, ¡°Aunt Lin, Aunt Liu, are you home?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here, we¡¯re here.¡± The voice of Aunt Lin came from next door, and soon she entered through the Lu Family¡¯s main gate.


    Aunt Liu quickly followed suit, ¡°I¡¯m here too!¡±


    ¡°I need you to witness something. Just now, you both heard what my grandparents said, that if I was admitted to Jing University, they would not stop me from going to university,¡± Lu Youxi said loudly. ¡°Now I¡¯ve been admitted!¡±


    Lu Youxi, in front of everyone, tore open the express mail envelope and took out the admission notice inside.


    She didn¡¯t trust Lu Youzhen, but she trusted Aunt Lin and Aunt Liu.


    Lu Youxi handed the admission notice to Aunt Liu, ¡°Aunt Liu, Aunt Lin, look, this is the admission notice from Jing University, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aunt Lin and Aunt Liu leaned in to look, ¡°Yes! It¡¯s the admission notice from Jing University!¡±


    Aunt Liu held the admission notice from Hua Country¡¯s top institution, feeling it almost scalding her hands. After a quick glance, she hurriedly returned it to Lu Youxi, ¡°You better keep this safe.¡±


    ¡°Yes, keep it safe!¡± Aunt Lin echoed quickly, ¡°Such an important document!¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought, another university student from our village, and from Jing University no less!¡± Aunt Liu handed the admission notice back to Lu Youxi, her hands still slightly trembling with excitement.


    Liu Yushu excitedly rushed over, tears in her eyes, ¡°Youxi, you got into Jing University!¡±


    At that moment, Liu Yushu didn¡¯t care about in-laws or Lu Zhenguo, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else and blurted out, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I have to pawn everything, I will make sure you go to Jing University.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t mention that she could win scholarships.


    She had memories from a past life and knew she would win scholarships, but her parents didn¡¯t know.


    Events that hadn¡¯t happened yet, even if she promised confidently, couldn¡¯t fully convince anyone.


    Lu Youxi carefully put the admission notice back into the envelope, and when she looked up, she caught Lu Youzhen glaring at the admission notice, her eyes filled with disbelief and resentment, almost wishing she could tear the document to shreds.


    Carefully gripping the admission notice, she then saw Lu Zhenguo also nearly crying with excitement.


    ¡°Youxi, rest assured, I will definitely support your education,¡± Lu Zhenguo promised. ¡°As long as you continue your studies, even if it¡¯s for a Ph.D., I¡¯ll support you!¡±


    Only then did Old Master Lu and Old Madam Lu come out, their faces dark and unwilling.


    ¡°Grandma, Grandpa, just now you promised that if I got into Jing University, I could go. Well, now I have been admitted,¡± Lu Youxi stated loudly.


    ¡°Yes, just now I and Xiao Liu both heard it,¡± Aunt Lin chimed in.


    Aunt Liu had already thought about it, if it really came to it, they would bring in the village chief.


    Not to mention just getting into Jing University, even being admitted to an ordinary university would still mean being a university student; there was no reason to stop someone from studying.


    Old Master Lu scoffed, ¡°Suit yourselves!¡±


    He turned and walked back into the house, Old Madam Lu also no longer wanting to see Lu Youxi¡¯s happy expression.


    Lu Youxi was really a losing deal!


    Now that she was admitted to the university, they still had to pay her tuition!


    Lu Youzhen¡¯s eyes flickered, and she ran off, rushing home to inform her parents.


    ¡°Mom, Dad! It¡¯s bad!¡± Lu Youzhen hurried into the house, already shouting before she even stopped, ¡°Lu Youxi got into Jing University!¡±


    Ge Guifen was feeding the chickens. Hearing this, she came out with her basket, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi has been waiting at the village entrance for the admission notice for the past couple of days, and today she indeed received it. It¡¯s the admission notice from Jing University!¡± Lu Youzhen stated, ¡°I was just at Uncle¡¯s house, I saw it with my own eyes. And the neighbors from both sides, Aunt Lin and Aunt Liu, even witnessed it!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia hurriedly came out of the house, ¡°Lu Youxi got into Jing University?¡±

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 This dead girl full of cunning

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21: This dead girl, full of cunning! Chapter 21: Chapter 21: This dead girl, full of cunning! Lu Youzhen nodded emphatically, ¡°Originally, the grandparents didn¡¯t agree with Lu Youxi attending university. They wanted her to marry directly.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia nodded; he was all too familiar with the thinking of the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    They believed that since Lu Youxi was a girl, education was a waste, and it would be better for her to marry and bring in some dowry.


    In the future, Lu Youxi¡¯s dowry could be used for Lu Youbang to marry a bride.


    As for Lu Youxue, he was still young. They could consider the money for his marriage after Lu Youxue had grown up.


    ¡°But after Lu Youxi argued with the grandparents, she challenged and convinced them. They agreed that if she could get into Jing University, then she could pursue higher education,¡± Lu Youzhen recounted what he had seen at the Lu Family home, ¡°and at that time, Aunt Liu and Aunt Lin from uncle¡¯s family were also present. Lu Youxi even had them witness the agreement, preventing the grandparents from reneging.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lu Youxi actually got into Jing University. When she brought the acceptance letter home, the grandparents didn¡¯t say a word.¡± Lu Youzhen anxiously asked Lu Zhenjia, ¡°Dad, the grandparents won¡¯t really just let Lu Youxi go to Jing University, will they?¡±


    ¡°Even if your grandparents agreed, I won¡¯t let her succeed!¡± Lu Zhenjia said grimly, grinding his teeth.


    ¡°But, that¡¯s Jing University,¡± Ge Guifen reminded worriedly. ¡°Can mom and dad really oppose her to the end?¡±


    ¡°Just because it¡¯s Jing University, we can¡¯t let Lu Youxi go there,¡± Lu Zhenjia said darkly, ¡°Once Lu Youxi attends Jing University, Youbang will no longer be the only high achiever from our family or even our village in Jing University. How can we then expect uncle¡¯s family to keep funding Youbang?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about Youbang¡¯s educational expenses, but also his future job, and marrying a bride¡ªthose too would require uncle¡¯s financial support,¡± Lu Zhenjia added, ¡°As long as Youbang is the most successful child in our family, uncle will have to keep paying for him! But if Lu Youxi also studies at Jing University, it won¡¯t be possible to deny her education. Then with all the family¡¯s money spent on Lu Youxi¡¯s education, what will be left for Youbang?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s right!¡± Lu Youzhen nodded vigorously, ¡°When I was there, I even heard uncle and aunt say they¡¯d break the pot to sell iron to fund Lu Youxi¡¯s education. Moreover, uncle said, as long as Lu Youxi continues her studies, he will continue funding her. I estimate if Lu Youxi could make it to a PhD, uncle would support her through that as well.¡±


    ¡°How can that work?¡± Ge Guifen panicked upon hearing this, ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t Lu Youxi become a bottomless pit? What about our Youbang then?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Lu Zhenjia looked up fiercely, his eyes fixated on the door, ¡°And if Lu Youxi goes to university and doesn¡¯t marry, there¡¯ll be no dowry. Without her dowry, what will we use for Youbang¡¯s bride?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Ge Guifen realized, ¡°So, what do we do now? How do we stop Lu Youxi? She got into Jing University and even had neighbors witnessing it.¡±


    ¡°What does a neighbor¡¯s witness count for? They just enjoy watching the drama; can they really intervene in other people¡¯s family matters? Even the village chief can¡¯t interfere when we teach our children behind closed doors!¡± Lu Zhenjia¡¯s narrow eyes glinted maliciously, ¡°Let alone Jing University, I won¡¯t let her attend any university. She¡¯ll obediently marry and provide a dowry for our Youbang!¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t know about Lu Zhenjia¡¯s plan when she took her admission letter and left the Lu household.


    As she went out, she heard Lu Zhenguo calling from behind, ¡°Youxi, where are you going? Why are you still carrying the admission letter? Don¡¯t lose it!¡±


    At that moment, Old Madam Lu also appeared at the entrance of the main house, saying viciously, ¡°Showing off with that admission letter, huh! You got into Jing University and now you don¡¯t even remember your own surname, parading around with that letter!¡±


    Old Master Lu came over too, knocking his smoking pipe against the doorframe, and whispered to Old Madam Lu, ¡°Did she take the admission letter to see the village chief for some sort of witness?¡±


    ¡°This damn girl, always so cunning! Seeking the village chief as a witness, she¡¯d shout it so the whole village knows we won¡¯t let her study!¡± Old Madam Lu cursed, ¡°She isn¡¯t even ashamed!¡±


    Liu Yushu heard Old Madam Lu¡¯s words and thought to herself, ¡®You¡¯re ashamed of not letting the child study.¡¯


    You have the nerve to do it, what does Lu Youxi have to be embarrassed about?


    Ignoring the conversation behind her, Lu Youxi left the house.


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders thought she had taken the admission letter to see the village chief.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu thought the same.


    Lu Zhenguo supported Lu Youxi studying but felt that taking the admission letter to the village chief was a bit much.


    He only realized what was happening when he heard the words of the Lu Family¡¯s elders and hastened after Lu Youxi, only to be grabbed by Liu Yushu¡¯s arm. ¡°Zhenguo, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going after Youxi!¡± Lu Zhenguo said. ¡°I can¡¯t let her go to the village chief! Our family isn¡¯t preventing her from studying, it¡¯s really too shameful for her to take this matter to the village chief!¡±


    ¡°Zhenguo!¡± Liu Yushu hurriedly said, ¡°Youxi wouldn¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say!¡± Lu Zhenguo shook off Liu Yushu¡¯s hand, ¡°Youxi is too opinionated now; she might just do it!¡±


    But by the time Lu Zhenguo came out the door, Lu Youxi was already out of sight.


    As Lu Zhenguo looked around, he heard from the backyard Old Madam Lu saying, ¡°What can¡¯t she do? She¡¯s made it so the neighbors know, why wouldn¡¯t she tell the village chief? That dead girl would shame our family into oblivion! I always say girls are too outgoing¡ªeven if surnamed Lu, they won¡¯t consider the family¡¯s interests, not as reliable as Youbang!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo clenched his teeth and hurried towards the village chief¡¯s house.


    But Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t gone to the village chief¡¯s house at all; instead, she went in the opposite direction to Grandma Xu¡¯s house.


    Her quick steps took her out of sight from Lu Zhenguo as she turned the corner from the Lu household.


    Lu Youxi arrived at Grandma Xu¡¯s house, where the yard gate was wide open. Just as she approached the gate, she saw Zhou Shuyan chopping wood in the courtyard.


    In the heat of summer, Zhou Shuyan had removed his shirt, wearing only long pants with the legs rolled up to reveal his ankles.


    As he raised the axe high and brought it down forcefully, the muscles on his back tensed and moved.


    Sweat dripped from his nape down to his shoulders and then along his back to his waist.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s gaze unconsciously followed the beads of sweat, settling on his narrow waist.


    Strangely, despite the man¡¯s slim waist, it conveyed a sense of strength.


    The muscles along the waist looked especially graspable.


    It was Lu Youxi¡¯s first time seeing him shirtless; she usually saw him clothed.


    She had always thought Zhou Shuyan was thin.


    But unexpectedly, when he took off his clothes, he had an impressively fit physique, muscular yet not excessively so, displaying strength but also full of aesthetic appeal.


    It was exactly the type of muscle Lu Youxi liked¡ªsmooth lines, not just blindly pursuing bulkiness.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 What a Terrible Temper

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22: What a Terrible Temper! Chapter 22: Chapter 22: What a Terrible Temper! Sweat trickled down his muscles, glinting under the sunlight.


    Lu Youxi felt as if she were momentarily dazzled.


    She thought to herself, in her past life, she was nearly 40 years old. By logic, she was more than a dozen years older than Zhou Shuyan. Hadn¡¯t she seen it all before?


    And yet, here she was, inexplicably mesmerized by the sheer beauty of someone as young as Zhou Shuyan. She felt it was utterly ridiculous.


    But even knowing this, Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t pull her gaze away.


    Just as Lu Youxi was still staring in a daze, someone suddenly bumped into her.


    She stumbled a few steps back from the impact and then heard a sweet, coquettish voice exclaim, ¡°Brother Xu Mai!¡±


    The bump jolted Lu Youxi back to her senses, and upon hearing that sugary voice, she involuntarily shivered a little.


    She looked up and saw¡ªit was Xiao Fen, a girl from the same village.


    Two years older than her, she came from a family that wasn¡¯t as gender-biased as the Lu Family.


    In fact, even though Hexing Village wasn¡¯t affluent, extreme cases of gender bias like in the Lu Family were relatively rare.


    Xiao Fen had attended a ¡°3+2¡± program¡ªthree years in vocational school followed by two years in a technical college. After graduating, she worked at a bubble tea shop in town.


    Today, it seemed to be her day off, so she stayed home.


    Lu Youxi noticed Xiao Fen holding two cups of bubble tea in her hands. Without waiting for an invitation, Xiao Fen strode into the yard and headed straight toward Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°Brother Xu Mai, I brought bubble tea for you. It¡¯s ice-cold and perfect for a hot day,¡± Xiao Fen chirped cheerfully as she walked to Zhou Shuyan, who was chopping firewood.


    She saw Zhou Shuyan drenched in sweat, his physique glistening in the sunlight.


    Her heartbeat sped up as she fixated on his firm chest, and then her eyes wandered down to his abs.


    Everything about him seemed breathtakingly attractive. She couldn¡¯t look away.


    Suddenly inspired, Xiao Fen pulled some napkins bearing the bubble tea shop logo from her bag and reached out, trying to wipe Zhou Shuyan¡¯s sweat. ¡°Brother Xu Mai, you must be tired! Take a break and have some cold bubble tea,¡± she said eagerly.


    But before Xiao Fen¡¯s hand even touched him, Zhou Shuyan took a big step to the side, ax in hand, avoiding her entirely. Her outstretched hand was left awkwardly hovering in midair.


    Xiao Fen: ¡°...¡±


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face remained stone-cold, his lips pressed into their habitual stern line.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock before coming in?¡± Zhou Shuyan asked in a cold, expressionless tone.


    Xiao Fen froze for a moment before stammering a dry explanation, ¡°Well, I saw the main gate was open...¡±


    The village had always had a custom of leaving courtyard gates ajar, making it convenient for neighbors to visit without needing to shout at the door for someone to come and unlock it.


    Although Zhou Shuyan wasn¡¯t used to it at first, he had since adapted to the custom.


    ¡°Just because the gate is open doesn¡¯t mean you can walk in uninvited,¡± Zhou Shuyan said icily. ¡°Are you part of this household?¡±


    Xiao Fen: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What gives you the right to enter without the homeowner¡¯s permission?¡± he continued, his expression dark.


    Xiao Fen pouted, feeling wronged, and then snapped angrily, ¡°Xu Mai! I brought you cold bubble tea because it¡¯s hot and I just got off work. Instead of being grateful, you¡¯re scolding me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink this kind of stuff,¡± Zhou Shuyan responded bluntly. ¡°I also don¡¯t like women hovering around me. And I especially dislike people who are rude and barge into my home.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t even your home! This is Grandma Xu¡¯s house! You¡¯re just someone Grandma Xu took in. You don¡¯t even know who you are!¡± Xiao Fen retorted, her frustration boiling over. ¡°What¡¯s there to be so proud of? What¡¯s so great about you, anyway?¡±


    After all, she didn¡¯t even mind that he didn¡¯t know his origins, and she had been willing to consider a future with him.


    And yet, he had the nerve to treat her with disdain and act so cold toward her!


    ¡°Get out,¡± Zhou Shuyan said firmly, his expression unyielding, clearly unwilling to engage further with her.


    ¡°Xu Mai!¡± Xiao Fen yelled his name in frustration, her voice rising in anger.


    Without another word, Zhou Shuyan set down the ax and grabbed Xiao Fen by the arm, pulling her toward the gate.


    If Xiao Fen had been willing to leave on her own, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to touch her at all, he thought irritably.


    After dragging Xiao Fen all the way out, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face remained as cold as ever as he stated, ¡°Remember what I just said. Don¡¯t bother me again.¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai!¡± Xiao Fen shouted furiously, her voice brimming with indignation. And with Lu Youxi standing nearby, Xiao Fen felt even more humiliated.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxi to show up looking for Xu Mai either.


    Normally, Lu Youxi acted all high and mighty, as if nothing and no one in the village were worth her attention.


    Plus, she was practically a college student at this point.


    Who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d also fall for Xu Mai¡¯s face?


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s lips twisted into a faint smirk of scorn, and he said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t let me keep you.¡±


    Even though Xiao Fen adored Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t bear his attitude toward her.


    Especially not with Lu Youxi standing right there.


    If Lu Youxi weren¡¯t here, Xiao Fen might have swallowed her pride and stayed to argue with Zhou Shuyan a little longer.


    After all, they say it¡¯s easy for a bold woman to win over a reserved man.


    In Xiao Fen¡¯s eyes, aside from his handsome face, Zhou Shuyan had nothing going for him.


    Her willingness to like him gave him a chance to have a stable home and life. He had no reason to reject her.


    But with Lu Youxi present, Xiao Fen bit her lip in frustration. Feeling utterly humiliated, she stomped her foot twice and left in a huff.


    Lu Youxi prided herself on being good at reading the room. Judging by Zhou Shuyan¡¯s mood, it was clear he wasn¡¯t in the best of spirits, and she inwardly lamented her bad timing. If only she had come two minutes earlier.


    Thinking it best to avoid another awkward exchange, she decided to leave and not push her luck. She turned to go without saying a word.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zhou Shuyan¡¯s voice stopped her just as she turned away.


    She instinctively doubted that he was speaking to her.


    But at this moment, apart from Xiao Fen, only she remained.


    It was even less likely he was talking to Xiao Fen, so Lu Youxi froze mid-step, stiffly turned back around, and looked at him, silently questioning with her gaze.


    Xiao Fen, who had also heard his words, stopped and turned to look at Zhou Shuyan as well.


    Seeing that he was staring at Lu Youxi, Xiao Fen¡¯s attention shifted to her.


    When did Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan become so familiar with each other?


    Xiao Fen sneered inwardly. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxi to be so sneaky. She must have been quietly cozying up to Xu Mai all along.


    Lu Youxi, noticing the way Zhou Shuyan was looking at her and confirming he was talking to her, replied awkwardly, ¡°I just remembered I have something to do. I¡¯ll come back another day.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you won¡¯t say it today, don¡¯t bother saying it another day.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    What was wrong with his attitude?


    ¡°Come in,¡± Zhou Shuyan said after giving her a quick once-over. His gaze lingered for a moment on the parcel she was holding, and then he added again, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t dare look at Xiao Fen but could feel Xiao Fen¡¯s intense, hostile gaze boring into her face as if she wanted her gone.


    Summoning her courage, Lu Youxi walked past Xiao Fen without sparing her a glance. She repeated to herself silently, *If I don¡¯t feel awkward, the awkwardness belongs to someone else.*


    Under Xiao Fen¡¯s piercing glare, Lu Youxi finally crossed the threshold into Grandma Xu¡¯s house.

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 This Girl Too Shameless

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23: This Girl, Too Shameless Chapter 23: Chapter 23: This Girl, Too Shameless Xiao Fen remained unwillingly outside the door, gazing through the unshut gate at Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi in the courtyard.


    Zhou Shuyan took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, seeing Xiao Fen still at the door, he turned again and walked back to the gate.


    Xiao Fen¡¯s eyes brightened, knowing it was impossible but still hoping a bit.


    Could it be that Zhou Shuyan was inviting her in?


    Or did he realize that his attitude was bad just now and was about to apologize?


    Yet, Zhou Shuyan stopped in front of the door and, in front of her, closed the gate.


    Xiao Fen: ¡°...¡±


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t care if Xiao Fen had left or not and asked Lu Youxi as he walked back, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Until they entered the house, Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t responded, Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help but turned his head and raised his eyebrows, only to see that Lu Youxi had just met his gaze and then guiltily looked away, not daring to look at him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it something you can say?¡± Zhou Shuyan asked, lifting his eyebrows.


    ¡°Can you put on your shirt first?¡± Lu Youxi said uncomfortably, his voice murmuring softly.


    Even Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t expected the voice that came out to be so delicate, timid like a sheltered young girl.


    Lu Youxi even felt that her life in the past was like a dream, making her so unimpressive now in front of Zhou Shuyan.


    Zhou Shuyan was stunned for a moment before realizing that he hadn¡¯t worn a shirt because of chopping wood in the hot weather.


    He had forgotten it because of the disturbance by Xiao Fen and wondering what Lu Youxi wanted from him.


    ¡°Seems it¡¯s not a big deal, for you to mind whether I¡¯m wearing a shirt first,¡± Zhou Shuyan chuckled, ¡°But on TV, you see people wearing even less; do you mind that too?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She really didn¡¯t mind when watching TV.


    Even during intimate scenes, she watched without blushing or skipping a beat.


    Being an adult, and having lived two lifetimes, she wouldn¡¯t mind the small scenes on TV.


    But facing Zhou Shuyan without a shirt now, Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t even dare to look, feeling flustered just by a glance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that much,¡± Lu Youxi stubbornly said, not wanting to give in in front of Zhou Shuyan, ¡°If you think it¡¯s okay, then I don¡¯t mind either.¡±


    Lu Youxi consoled herself, Zhou Shuyan was handsome, had a good physique, and giving her a free show; it was a gain for her no matter how you looked at it.


    Thus, Lu Youxi bravely looked straight at Zhou Shuyan, her gaze slowly dropping from his face down to his waist.


    Even putting on an air of her past life as a CEO, she provocatively smirked at Zhou Shuyan¡¯s waist as if seasoned by many romances.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    What¡¯s with this girl!


    Zhou Shuyan might keep to himself, but he wasn¡¯t nai?ve or ignorant.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t been with a woman, he¡¯d seen plenty of scenes.


    He was used to women flirting with him, trying all sorts of tricks to get his attention.


    Yet, he always remained unmoved, only to nearly lose it when teased by Lu Youxi like this.


    Unexpectedly, it was Zhou Shuyan who ended up conceding first and went inside to put on a T-shirt and come back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve put on a shirt now, what do you want?¡± Zhou Shuyan sat opposite Lu Youxi and asked as he returned.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to keep my admission notice safe.¡± Lu Youxi took the moment when Zhou Shuyan had left earlier to calm herself down, now handing him the admission notice, ¡°I got admitted to Jing University.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows, didn¡¯t take it, and simply said, ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°But why would you want to give something so important to me to keep?¡± Zhou Shuyan finally asked.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not safe at my place,¡± Lu Youxi honestly said, ¡°My grandparents don¡¯t want me to go to university, thinking it¡¯s a waste of money for a girl. Though I provoked them into agreeing that if I got into Jing University, I could attend, and my father even promised to pay for it, with neighbors as witnesses. But I don¡¯t trust my grandparents¡¯ morals, nor do I trust that my uncle¡¯s family won¡¯t create trouble. So even with their assurances, I dare not leave the admission notice at home.¡±


    ¡°In this village, there¡¯s no one I can trust.¡± Lu Youxi continued, she hadn¡¯t thought of giving it to the village chief, as if Zhenguo demanded it, the chief would still give it back to Zhenguo, ¡°After thinking it over, you¡¯re the only person I can trust.¡±


    ¡°You trust me?¡± Zhou Shuyan eyebrows shot higher, ¡°Who was the person who waited for me at midnight and warned me then?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to drag Grandma Xu into your mess,¡± Lu Youxi thought to herself that this man still remembered to bring up old issues at a time like this, ¡°Everything about Hexing Village and its people doesn¡¯t involve you, and you won¡¯t stay here for long, so you have the least reason to harm me. Harmful things that benefit no one, clever people wouldn¡¯t do them.¡±


    And clearly, Zhou Shuyan was a clever man.


    ¡°Besides, with you here, no one should be able to break in and steal the admission notice,¡± Lu Youxi confidently said.


    She had been hidden behind a tree all night without making a sound, and he still noticed, showing how alert this man was.


    ¡°But why should I help you? As you said, I¡¯m not involved with Hexing Village or its people,¡± Zhou Shuyan slightly curled his lips, derisively saying, ¡°I¡¯d rather not get involved and watch from the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°I saved your life with Grandma Xu, even your medical fees were paid by us together,¡± Lu Youxi retorted, ¡°You still owe me.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it for now, if you need help with something, you can also ask me. We can benefit mutually,¡± Lu Youxi continued, ¡°You don¡¯t want to get involved with village people, but if there are matters that need handling, I¡¯m probably the most suitable person. At least you can talk to me after all.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan paused for two seconds, then took the admission notice Lu Youxi handed over, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lu Youxi finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Seeing how visibly relaxed Lu Youxi had become, Zhou Shuyan also marveled at her confidence in him.


    After doubting him just last night.


    ¡°I won¡¯t disturb your wood chopping then,¡± said Lu Youxi, and without bothering about where Zhou Shuyan would keep the admission notice, simply waved and left.


    It wasn¡¯t until Lu Youxi¡¯s figure had disappeared that Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft laugh.


    Lu Youxi was indeed a rather amusing girl.


    Lu Youxi turned out from Grandma Xu¡¯s house and started heading home.


    She ran into Zhenguo, who was just returning from the village chief¡¯s house.


    He had just chased out from home, failed to find Lu Youxi, and thought she must have gone to the village chief, so he headed straight there.


    Little did he know, Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t there.

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 Want to Study at University Get Married

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Want to Study at University? Get Married First Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Want to Study at University? Get Married First The village chief even asked him why he was in such a hurry to find Lu Youxi.


    Lu Zhenguo was not someone who could tell lies, so he could only stammer as he told the village chief about Lu Youxi¡¯s admission to Jing University.


    Well, that was something. Upon hearing that Hexing Village had produced another high-caliber student who got into Jing University, the village chief was overjoyed and immediately announced the good news through the village broadcast system.


    Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t find Lu Youxi, and so he returned from the village chief¡¯s house.


    ¡°Youxi, where did you just go?¡± Lu Zhenguo saw Lu Youxi coming towards him and hurried over to ask.


    ¡°I had someone keep my admission notice safe for me.¡± Lu Youxi didn¡¯t try to conceal her lack of trust in her own family.


    Lu Zhenguo said, somewhat unhappily, ¡°Such an important document, and you don¡¯t keep it at home but give it to someone else to look after?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safer to put it with someone else than at home,¡± Lu Youxi said without any hesitation.


    ¡°What are you talking about! Who in our family would steal your admission notice?¡± Lu Zhenguo said, displeased. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten into Jing University, and we are all happy for you. Youxi, by saying this, you really chill the hearts of the whole family.¡±


    ¡°You know whether or not grandpa and grandma want me to go to university,¡± Lu Youxi said, not wanting to linger on the subject, and then asked, ¡°Where did you just go?¡±


    This time, Lu Zhenguo was at a loss for words again.


    Lu Youxi saw the direction Lu Zhenguo had come from and her lips curved in a mocking smile, ¡°You went to the village chief¡¯s house?¡±


    Lu Youxi laughed mockingly, ¡°Do you think I went to the village chief¡¯s house to complain?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo hung his head and averted his eyes, unable to look directly at Lu Youxi.


    He felt guilty for suspecting Lu Youxi with ill intentions and for wronging her.


    Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t gone to complain to the village chief at all.


    Lu Youxi just laughed, said nothing more, and turned to head home.


    Feeling guilty, Lu Zhenguo couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask her where she had hidden the admission notice.


    *


    Thanks to the village chief and Aunts Lin and Liu, the whole village now knew that Lu Youxi had been accepted into Jing University.


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders couldn¡¯t back out now even if they wanted to.


    There were so many eyes in the village watching them.


    Now, whenever the Lu Family¡¯s elders went out and met villagers, they would be congratulated.


    Having two Jing University high-caliber students was like burning incense at their doorstep.


    That day, Lu Zhenjia took the opportunity to go see the Lu Family¡¯s elders while Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu were out working in the fields.


    ¡°Mom, Dad,¡± Lu Zhenjia burst in anxiously, looking around, ¡°Where¡¯s that girl Lu Youxi?¡±


    ¡°She went to work in the fields with your older brother,¡± Old Madam Lu replied. ¡°What do you want with her?¡±


    ¡°That damn girl is so shameless!¡± Lu Zhenjia spat out angrily.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s face fell immediately upon hearing it was about Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been out recently?¡± Lu Zhenjia feigned ignorance with a look of astonishment.


    He knew all too well just how unreasonable and stubborn the Lu family¡¯s old couple were.


    But, since they were older, he couldn¡¯t show his impatience with them. One wrong move, and they would lie down in front of you, ready to accuse you of harming them¡ªwho could stand that!


    So, the villagers¡¯ dissatisfaction with the Lu family elders was talked about behind their backs, but never to their face.


    One extra word, and Old Madam Lu would clutch her chest and claim you gave her heart disease.


    Naturally, no one dared to gossip in front of the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    Even if they wanted to see the Lu family¡¯s joke, they would share it with someone else instead of with the elders.


    ¡°I did go out for a few walks,¡± Old Madam Lu replied impatiently, ¡°but I haven¡¯t heard anything. What is it? Just tell me quickly!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia looked around and back at the yard outside the door before lowering his voice to tell the Lu Family¡¯s elders, ¡°Everyone is saying that Lu Youxi is getting too cozy with that Xu Mai brought by Old Madam Xu, sloppy and underhanded.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Old Master Lu asked loudly, ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°It was Old Wang¡¯s daughter who works in the milk tea shop in town, Xiao Fen,¡± Lu Zhenjia said. ¡°She saw Lu Youxi go to Old Madam Xu¡¯s house to look for Xu Mai.¡±


    ¡°Old Madam Xu wasn¡¯t home at the time. Xu Mai let Lu Youxi in and specifically closed the courtyard gate,¡± Lu Zhenjia continued with serious implication. ¡°Who closes doors in our village if not disciplining children? What good could they be up to?¡±


    ¡°Old Madam Xu wasn¡¯t home, and it was just Xu Mai and Lu Youxi, two young people alone, at the prime of their years, behind closed doors,¡± Lu Zhenjia clicked his tongue. ¡°Moreover, Xu Mai had no shirt on at that time! So bold, under everyone¡¯s nose, without any regard... ugh...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking, does Lu Youxi feel that since she got into Jing University, no one can reign her in? Our village is small, everyone knows each other, any trivial family matter becomes common knowledge. She dares to do something this disgraceful, is she planning never to come back? Otherwise, why would she dare?¡±


    Lu Zhenjia said, then suddenly hissed, as if he had just realized something, ¡°Mom, Dad, don¡¯t tell me that girl Lu Youxi is really planning to use going to university as a chance to never come back?¡±


    ¡°Even though a married daughter is like spilled water, that should wait until she actually gets married! Right now, she is still part of our family!¡± Lu Zhenjia¡¯s small triangular eyes twinkled with cunning as he spoke.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Old Master Lu slammed his hand on the table furiously.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she dare?¡± Seeing his words had an effect, Lu Zhenjia couldn¡¯t hide his glee, which showed on his face. He went on, ¡°Once she goes to university in Jing University, living in the Imperial Capital, who can control her? High as the sky for birds to fly! Then who will know what she¡¯s up to in the Imperial Capital?¡±


    ¡°Besides, Lu Youxi has always been very attentive and ambitious. Seeing the splendor of a big city, her heart will grow wilder, how could she be content to come back? She might even take matters into her own hands and secretly get married in the Imperial Capital,¡± Lu Zhenjia scoffed. ¡°Is there anything she wouldn¡¯t dare?¡±


    ¡°By then, marrying whoever she wants, we certainly won¡¯t have a say,¡± Lu Zhenjia said in a quieter voice. ¡°We couldn¡¯t even make her come back.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Dad, right now Lu Youxi is still part of our family, and she should listen to our decisions. If she gets married in the city, we won¡¯t be able to control her anymore,¡± Lu Zhenjia urged as he saw the Lu Family¡¯s elders deep in thought.


    ¡°Besides, the man she finds in the city could be anybody; how could we rest easy?¡± He added.


    ¡°You make sense,¡± Old Madam Lu nodded.


    ¡°City folks are savvy. They might even look down on her for coming up from a rural area. By then, we wouldn¡¯t even get a decent dowry,¡± Lu Zhenjia mentioned dowry, and the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ expressions immediately changed.

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 The House of Foolish Hu from the

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The House of Foolish Hu from the Neighboring Village Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The House of Foolish Hu from the Neighboring Village ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Old Master Lu promptly agreed.


    ¡°What do you think, then?¡± Old Madam Lu asked Lu Zhenjia.


    This youngest son always had plenty of ideas, and he had even raised a talented scholar like Lu Youbang.


    Therefore, compared to the honest and slow-witted Lu Zhenguo, the Lu Family¡¯s elders preferred to hear Lu Zhenjia¡¯s opinions.


    Lu Zhenjia said so much just waiting for this moment.


    Seeing the opportunity, he hurriedly said, ¡°We must get her married off first, then discuss the bride price after it¡¯s in our hands.¡±


    ¡°But now the whole village knows she got into Jing University, and the two families next door even witnessed you and your father promising her to go to Jing University,¡± Old Madam Lu frowned, struggling to say, ¡°If we go back on our word now, our family¡¯s reputation in the village won¡¯t be good.¡±


    ¡°Mom, we said let her marry, not that we won¡¯t let her go to university!¡± Lu Zhenjia said cheerfully, ¡°If she wants to go to university, fine, but let¡¯s arrange the marriage here in our village first.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, she shouldn¡¯t even think about leaving!¡± Lu Zhenjia finally couldn¡¯t help it and showed the ruthlessness on his face, ¡°Just say our family doesn¡¯t have the money to send her to university. Didn¡¯t big brother and sister-in-law say it? They¡¯d have to break the pot to sell the iron to send her. Does she really expect her parents to break the pot and sell the iron just for her university education?¡±


    Lu Zhenjia sneered, ¡°Let her marry, and we¡¯ll use the bride price to cover her tuition. Otherwise, where would the money for her university come from?¡±


    ¡°Pay it from the bride price?¡± Old Madam Lu immediately showed a pained expression, ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money!¡±


    ¡°The bride price, I plan to keep it all for Youbang to take a wife,¡± said Old Madam Lu.


    Hearing what Old Madam Lu said, Lu Zhenjia immediately felt reassured.


    ¡°Anyway, this is just to appease her.¡± Lu Zhenjia continued, ¡°For the sake of going to university, she would definitely agree to marry! But once she is married, she becomes the property of another family. Whether her husband¡¯s family is willing to let her go to university is up to them. If her husband¡¯s family doesn¡¯t agree, there¡¯s nothing we can do!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia spread his hands, ¡°By then, it¡¯s not us going back on our word, blocking her from the university, but her in-laws. If the villagers want to blame or gossip, it can¡¯t fall on our family.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re clever!¡± Old Madam Lu exclaimed, slapping her thigh in excitement, ¡°Then, if she can¡¯t go to university, the bride price will remain entirely with us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± Lu Zhenjia then turned to ask Old Master Lu, ¡°Dad, what do you think?¡±


    Old Master Lu, seeing that his son still respected his opinion the most and that his position as head of the family was unshakable, nodded in satisfaction, ¡°It¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°However...¡± Old Master Lu frowned and pondered for a few seconds, ¡°Where can we find her a husband so quickly? And most importantly, just talking about receiving a satisfactory bride price will also take some time.¡±


    ¡°It just so happens that I have a particularly suitable family in mind,¡± Lu Zhenjia had been waiting for Old Master Lu to say this and now his eyes lit up.


    ¡°Which family?¡± Old Madam Lu leaned forward, asking eagerly.


    Lu Zhenjia seemed to see the symbol for RMB in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s Foolish Hu¡¯s family from the next village over,¡± Lu Zhenjia said.


    ¡°His family?¡± Old Madam Lu was startled.


    ¡°Yes, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother came over to our Guifen just a while back, asking her to find a wife for Foolish Hu,¡± Lu Zhenjia said, ¡°Guifen was even worried, thinking who would be willing to marry Foolish Hu? But the good thing about Foolish Hu¡¯s family is that they are aware their son has mental deficits, and regular folks wouldn¡¯t want to marry into their family, so they¡¯re willing to offer a very substantial bride price.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled.


    Lu Zhenjia chuckled and held up a secretive index finger, then held up the index finger of his left hand, laying it horizontally on top of the right one, ¡°This many.¡±


    Old Master Lu was also shocked, nearly falling off his chair, ¡°One... one hundred thousand?¡±


    Lu Zhenjia nodded with a smile, ¡°His family knows it¡¯s hard to find a wife for their foolish son, so they¡¯re particularly generous with the bride price.¡±


    ¡°Originally, Guifen was worried; even though the bride price is high, how could we let our family¡¯s girl marry a fool, right?¡± Lu Zhenjia said, ¡°Who would have expected that Lu Youxi would bring such great disgrace upon herself? Given the scandalous matter with her and Xu Mai, which family in ten miles would want such an improper woman? Even being a university student wouldn¡¯t matter. Moreover, with her admission to Jing University, she¡¯s in dire need of money right now, that¡¯s when I thought Foolish Hu might be the most suitable match for Lu Youxi. The bride price he could offer was enough to cover her university, and Foolish Hu¡¯s family isn¡¯t in a position to be picky. For our family to be willing to marry Lu Youxi to them is already enough; what right have they to complain?¡±


    ¡°But, after all, he¡¯s a fool. Would Lu Youxi be willing?¡± Old Madam Lu was quite eager.


    ¡°Talk to her properly, fool doesn¡¯t mean stupid; this can benefit her. Her husband being a fool won¡¯t be able to keep her tied down; she can do whatever she wants in the city,¡± Lu Zhenjia said in a low voice.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you just say, as long as the man¡¯s family doesn¡¯t let her study, the bride price is all ours?¡± Old Madam Lu asked again.


    ¡°What I said was just to persuade Lu Youxi to agree to marry,¡± Lu Zhenjia explained, ¡°For Lu Youxi, fool means he can¡¯t control her. But for the Hu Family, they need a wife to take care of their foolish son. They¡¯ve offered so much bride price; would they allow Lu Youxi to go to the city for university? Besides, if she gets more exposure to the city, she¡¯ll dislike their foolish son even more, and what if she runs off? Wouldn¡¯t the bride price have been given for nothing? The Hu Family isn¡¯t foolish just because the son is. All the money has been spent, can they just let her go?¡±


    ¡°By then, once Lu Youxi is married and our family has received the bride price, whatever the Hu Family does with Lu Youxi, that¡¯s their business, not ours,¡± Lu Zhenjia spread his hands, saying with a smile, ¡°We can¡¯t exactly say we deceived her, right? It¡¯s just that the Hu Family didn¡¯t keep their word.¡±


    Old Madam Lu finally understood completely, slapping her thigh happily, ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°With Lu Youxi¡¯s current reputation, hoping to marry into a good family is probably difficult,¡± Old Master Lu nodded, ¡°She might as well marry Foolish Hu.¡±


    Lu Youxue carefully hid outside the window, listening.


    Because the Lu Family¡¯s elders favored sons over daughters, they had sent Lu Youxi to work in the fields early with Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, while Lu Youxue was not asked to go.


    But how could Lu Youxue be content letting his parents and sister work while he stayed at home to play?


    After completing today¡¯s summer homework, he planned to go help in the fields.


    Who knew that as soon as he left the house, he heard Lu Zhenjia conspiring with the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    As soon as he heard Lu Youxi¡¯s name, Lu Youxue became alert.


    The elders and Lu Zhenjia were never kind to Lu Youxi to begin with.

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Are They Still Human

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Are They Still Human? Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Are They Still Human? Hearing the name Lu Youxi coming from their mouths could mean nothing good.


    So, Lu Youxue quietly hid beneath the window and, to his surprise, overheard such outrageous matters.


    After listening enough, only when the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia were discussing what to do with the dowry of 100,000 yuan from the Hu Family did Youxue quietly leave.


    Once out of the Lu Family¡¯s gate, he sprinted like mad toward his own fields.


    There was hardly any breeze in the summer at Hexing Village, but Youxue¡¯s eyes still stung and reddened as the wind hit them.


    How could his family behave like this?


    How could his grandparents and uncle behave like this?


    Are they even human?


    Youxue hated his grandparents, hated his uncle.


    He was even more heartbroken for Lu Youxi.


    Why did Lu Youxi have to be born into their family!


    With Lu Youxi¡¯s abilities, if she were born into another family, even an ordinary one, as long as they didn¡¯t have the same gender bias as the Lu Family, she could have lived a better, more comfortable life!


    With Youxi¡¯s abilities, she could have carved out a world of her own.


    Even knowing that would mean Youxi would no longer be his sister, he would rather she was born into a family that would have given her an easier life, not the Lu Family that sucks the blood of their daughters!


    When Youxue was eavesdropping beneath the window, he nearly couldn¡¯t hold back the urge to barge in and confront Lu Zhenjia, wondering why they wanted to harm Youxi instead of Youzhen!


    But Youxue restrained himself.


    He knew the most urgent matter was to inform Youxi as soon as possible.


    He didn¡¯t know what Youxi would do, but he believed she would definitely have a way to resolve this situation.


    Somehow, he had this unwavering confidence in Youxi.


    Breathless from running to the edge of the fields, upon seeing his parents and Youxi toiling in the field, Youxue called out, ¡°Sis!¡±


    Youxi straightened her back and lifted her face, shielded by a straw hat, to look his way.


    ¡°Sis, come over, I have something to tell you,¡± Youxue shouted, noticing his parents also looking over, he said to Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, ¡°Dad, Mom, I have something to tell Sis.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo nodded, saying to Youxi, ¡°Youxi, go see what it is.¡±


    Setting down her tools, Youxi wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist, barely clean, and walked over to Youxue.


    Youxue glanced back at Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, then pulled Youxi further away.


    Lu Zhenguo watched them, chuckling, ¡°Who knows what important thing Youxue has to tell Youxi, making it all secretive.¡±


    ¡°It might not be anything so important, it¡¯s just that the siblings are really close,¡± Liu Yushu said with a smile.


    Lu Zhenguo thought it made sense, the siblings¡¯ relationship had improved a lot compared to before.


    Youxue brought Youxi to a secluded spot before he whispered what he¡¯d overheard beneath the window.


    Youxue tried to recount the details accurately, without omitting a thing.


    He had a good memory; indeed, he restored much of the story.


    ¡°Sis, what should we do?¡± Youxue asked urgently after he finished retelling.


    Youxi¡¯s mind was racing.


    This was something that had never happened in her past life.


    Of course, the encounter with Xu Mai, saving him, and bringing him back to the village hadn¡¯t occurred in her past life either.


    In her previous life, there was no person like Xu Mai in her life.


    But with only a few thoughts back and forth, Youxi had understood the situation.


    In her previous life without Xu Mai, she had to hide her admission notice herself, which almost got destroyed by the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia.


    There were no rumors with Xu Mai to give Zhenjia an excuse to marry her off to Foolish Hu.


    This life, having Xu Mai, Youxi took lessons from her previous experience and had Xu Mai safeguard the admission notice.


    Avoid trouble where she could.


    Yet, by entrusting Xu Mai with the admission notice this life, it ended up causing gossip, which Lu Zhenjia seized as an opportunity to plot against her afresh.


    The village¡¯s loose talk had reached her ears, and without having to look into it, she knew it stemmed from Xiao Fen.


    Youxi didn¡¯t trouble Xiao Fen nor did she clarify the rumors; she wanted to use the gossip to put an end to the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ thoughts of marrying her off.


    With such gossip, who nearby would want to marry her?


    It was a convenient way for her to avoid a lot of trouble.


    As for her tarnished reputation, she didn¡¯t care.


    Youxi, who died of overwork in her past life and was reborn this life, hated troublesome matters the most.


    This life, be it work or personal life, she didn¡¯t want it to be so exhausting.


    She just wanted to take better care of her health, live healthily, and live to a ripe old age, not dying so early once again.


    Troubles were to be avoided when possible.


    Who would have thought it would become even more trouble than her previous life?


    After figuring things out, Youxi consoled Youxue, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let me think it over.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know I am aware of this situation,¡± Youxi instructed.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Youxue nodded emphatically.


    Seeing Youxi so calm and collected, Youxue also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Youxi definitely had a way to handle this.


    ¡°But, Sis, why did you directly tell me instead of mentioning it to Dad and Mom first?¡± Youxi was curious about Youxue¡¯s thinking.


    Youxue glanced at their parents working in the distant fields before explaining to Youxi, ¡°Mom is soft-hearted and is surely no match for the grandparents and uncle. Telling her would only make her worry and suffer without a purpose. As for Dad...¡±


    Youxue paused a moment then said, ¡°Dad is filial and has always felt the need to be good to his younger brother as a dutiful elder brother. There¡¯s no guarantee the grandparents and uncle won¡¯t persuade him, so I thought it¡¯s better not to tell him and that we should figure out a way on our own.¡±


    Youxi patted Youxue on the shoulder approvingly, ¡°Our Youxue has grown up.¡±


    Youxue, unlike her, was pampered from childhood at home.


    Yet under such circumstances, Youxue could step out of the influence of Lu Zhenguo¡¯s favor, and objectively view Zhenguo¡¯s relationship with the other members of the Lu Family.


    In the future, she could rest assured and leave matters to Youxue.


    Youxue blushed with the compliment from Youxi, ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve grown up, if there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just tell me, and I¡¯ll take care of it, as long as it¡¯s within my power.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Youxi pinched Youxue¡¯s cheek.


    Youxue was still a child, what could she entrust to him?


    However, having Youxue help out at home a bit could work.


    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m off to work; you rest, you should use this time to think about what to do,¡± Youxue said, not waiting for Youxi to reply before heading back to work in the fields.


    Youxi didn¡¯t reject Youxue¡¯s kindness.


    She did need the time and space to think clearly about how to deal with the trap set by the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia.

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Zhou Shuyan lifted his hand to cover his

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Zhou Shuyan lifted his hand to cover his heart Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Zhou Shuyan lifted his hand to cover his heart Suddenly, an image of a person popped into Lu Youxi¡¯s mind.


    Lu Youxi thought for a moment and then made up her mind to head towards Grandma Xu¡¯s house.


    As soon as she approached Grandma Xu¡¯s door, she heard Xiao Fen¡¯s voice from inside the yard, ¡°Brother Xu Mai, even if you don¡¯t like me, there¡¯s no need to be so harsh! What have I ever done to offend you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t offended you either; you¡¯re the one spreading rumors about my relationship with Lu Youxi everywhere,¡± Zhou Shuyan said coldly.


    ¡°No... I didn¡¯t say it!¡± Xiao Fen vehemently denied, ¡°I don¡¯t know how such rumors got out.¡±


    ¡°However, the last time Lu Youxi came to see you, it was broad daylight and I certainly wasn¡¯t the only one who saw it! You never know who else might have seen, how can you say it was me who spread the rumor?¡± Xiao Fen argued.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Zhou Shuyan said bluntly.


    ¡°Xu Mai! I came over in good faith! We had a disagreement last time, and I admit I was also at fault. I came to apologize and make amends. Why do you have to keep this attitude!¡± Xiao Fen protested, her voice becoming shrill.


    ¡°We were never good; where is there a need for making amends?¡± Zhou Shuyan sneered, ¡°Or do you also hope that the village spreads gossip about us?¡±


    Xiao Fen paused for a moment, her eyes involuntarily darting around, seriously considering the possibility.


    If the village began to gossip about her and Xu Mai, her family would surely force Xu Mai to marry her.


    Her family wasn¡¯t like the Lu Family that undervalued women.


    She was the treasure of her family.


    On the other hand, Xu Mai¡¯s background was unclear, and he had no family.


    If her family forced Xu Mai to marry her, he had no choice but to agree.


    Apart from Hexing Village, Xu Mai had nowhere else to go.


    Seeing Xiao Fen¡¯s reaction, what else was there for Zhou Shuyan not to understand?


    A look of intense mockery crossed his face.


    ¡°Xu Mai.¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice came from outside the door.


    Zhou Shuyan turned in surprise and saw Lu Youxi smiling unusually tenderly, her eyes brimming with sweet laughter, her crescent-like eyes completely focused on him as if he was the only one in her gaze.


    Zhou Shuyan was so startled by Lu Youxi¡¯s abnormal demeanor that he couldn¡¯t react for a moment, standing there somewhat foolishly.


    He even had the illusion that Lu Youxi was wholeheartedly fond of him.


    Even his heart involuntarily began to beat faster.


    Zhou Shuyan frowned, subconsciously placing his hand over his heart.


    What was this uncontrollable heartbeat all about!


    By then, Lu Youxi had also reached Zhou Shuyan¡¯s side, turned with a beaming smile to Xiao Fen, ¡°Why are you here again? Didn¡¯t I just drive you away last time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here, why can¡¯t I be?¡± Xiao Fen retorted angrily, her eyes reddening upon seeing Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Xu Mai drove you away, not me; of course, I have the face to come. On the contrary, you, after making harsh threats last time, you came again; are you that shameless?¡± Lu Youxi taunted.


    Xiao Fen¡¯s eyes reddened, her finger trembling as she pointed back and forth between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan, ¡°The village rumors must be true then, you two really are having an affair!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense; I came here in broad daylight to visit; how does that become having an affair?¡± Lu Youxi rolled her eyes, ¡°Are you perhaps hoping to use this excuse as a counterattack, saying you and Xu Mai are having an affair so that your family can force a marriage?¡±


    Xiao Fen: ¡°...¡±


    How could Lu Youxi guess right!


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    What a thought process.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe it?¡± Seeing Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face which was clearly showing ¡®this idea is sick¡¯, Lu Youxi turned her lips towards Xiao Fen, ¡°Look at her expression; isn¡¯t she caught by what I said?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Indeed...


    Previously, he thought Lu Youxi was a smart person and Grandma Xu was also aware of herself and was a very thorough-minded person, giving Zhou Shuyan an illusion that even ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be stupid.


    He underestimated the situation.


    Because he was guided by smart people like Lu Youxi and Grandma Xu.


    Zhou Shuyan suddenly became serious and began to reflect on his thoughts.


    Living a too peaceful life in Hexing Village had made him careless.


    Zhou Shuyan suddenly felt that saying one more word to Xiao Fen would make himself appear foolish; he was momentarily lost for words.


    But he still had to say, ¡°I can¡¯t even remember what you call yourself, spreading rumors about you and me everywhere is useless. If your family really forces marriage, do you think I won¡¯t run? You know my background is unclear, and I don¡¯t have a home here, alone without attachments, isn¡¯t it easy if I want to leave?¡±


    Xiao Fen: ¡°...¡±


    She... she actually hadn¡¯t thought of that...


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Seeing Xiao Fen¡¯s reaction, he realized he had overestimated Xiao Fen¡¯s intelligence.


    ¡°No escort for you,¡± Zhou Shuyan said coldly to Xiao Fen.


    Xiao Fen, unwilling to give up, pointed at Lu Youxi, ¡°Then why is she still here!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the village exactly spreading gossip about us two?¡± Lu Youxi raised an eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity for you to witness today and continue spreading the word, how great.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of gossip, so you don¡¯t need to worry for me,¡± Lu Youxi said to Xiao Fen.


    Following that, Zhou Shuyan delivered the most crushing blow to Xiao Fen with a single line, ¡°I know her, I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    Xiao Fen: ¡°!!!¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Xiao Fen, furious, her face flushed with jealousy and rage, pointed at Lu Youxi, ¡°Fine, fine! I¡¯ll see what kind of end you two will have! Xu Mai himself said, he¡¯s alone and can leave whenever he wants. When the time comes, don¡¯t let him deceive you of money and body, leaving you with nothing!¡±


    After Xiao Fen finished, she stormed out of Grandma Xu¡¯s yard.


    ¡°Here to pick up the acceptance letter?¡± Xu Mai turned and asked Lu Youxi, seemingly unaffected by Xiao Fen.


    ¡°Not really, I have something I want to discuss with you.¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Seeing Lu Youxi was unusually serious, just like the night she waited for him outside Grandma Xu¡¯s house, Zhou Shuyan silently watched her for a few seconds before nodding and following Lu Youxi into the house.


    The two sat in the living room, Lu Youxi sat on the sofa, and as the moment approached, she finally became somewhat uneasy.


    She held her hands tightly together, her fingers intertwining.


    Zhou Shuyan looked down and noticed her fingers were so entangled they turned white.


    ¡°What is it that you want to talk about?¡± Zhou Shuyan sat across Lu Youxi.


    Unlike Lu Youxi¡¯s nervousness, Zhou Shuyan seemed much more relaxed, his whole demeanor radiating a casual and confident ease.


    Lu Youxi had always known that avoidance was not the solution; in her previous life, she had saved Lin¡¯s by never running away, charging headlong until the end.

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Lets Get Married

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Let¡¯s Get Married Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Let¡¯s Get Married But at this moment, facing Zhou Shuyan, Lu Youxi felt an unusual nervousness.


    She had thought through everything clearly on her way here, yet she had never felt this nervous before in her previous life, even when dealing with the most difficult situations.


    Taking a deep breath, Lu Youxi forced herself to look directly at Zhou Shuyan, ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan, ¡°...¡±


    Zhou Shuyan considered himself someone who had been through many ups and downs, but he felt that he had never been as shocked in his life as he had since arriving in Hexing Village.


    First, he was saved by this young lady, then she had cornered him at his door in the middle of the night to warn him.


    And now she was proposing to him?


    Even with his composure, he almost fell off his chair.


    Zhou Shuyan pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice tinged with helplessness, ¡°You don¡¯t want to marry me just because of the village gossip, do you?¡±


    In his memory, Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t the kind of person to make such a decision.


    Having stated her purpose, Lu Youxi let out a sigh of relief. Like an arrow released from its bow, there was no turning back for her now.


    ¡°My grandparents and my second uncle are calculating to marry me off to Foolish Hu from the neighboring village,¡± said Lu Youxi.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve come to marry me instead?¡± Zhou Shuyan frowned. ¡°To replace one unwanted marriage proposal with another is not a wise move. Besides, I believe even without resorting to this, you have ways to cope.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have, and it¡¯s more troublesome. But marrying you would put an end to their future schemes of using my marriage to make money,¡± Lu Youxi explained, ¡°They¡¯ve always wanted to use my marriage to collect a dowry to finance my cousin¡¯s wedding. To prevent them from constantly meddling in my marital affairs, I wanted a permanent solution.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not expecting to ensnare you for long. As soon as I go to the Imperial Capital to study, we can get a divorce,¡± Lu Youxi continued, ¡°It¡¯s just that during these days in Hexing Village, maintaining a marital status will do.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can play along and tell your family that we¡¯re married,¡± offered Zhou Shuyan.


    Lu Youxi shook her head. ¡°How would that be convincing? My grandparents and second uncle might not be smart, but they aren¡¯t as foolish as you think. They would definitely need proof before they¡¯ll believe it. They won¡¯t just take your word for it.¡±


    Seeing Zhou Shuyan¡¯s disapproving expression, Lu Youxi said, ¡°Don¡¯t reject me in a hurry, I¡¯ve thought this through very carefully before coming to you.¡±


    ¡°The day I found you, I told you that I know you won¡¯t stay in Hexing Village for long. In fact, you¡¯ve stayed longer than I expected,¡± said Lu Youxi. ¡°You¡¯re definitely planning to leave.¡±


    ¡°I boldly predict that by the time I go to the Imperial Capital for university, you will also have left.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows. He had not expected Lu Youxi to guess this accurately.


    He had not been waiting intentionally for Lu Youxi to leave before he did.


    It was purely coincidental that as soon as things were settled in the Imperial Capital and it was time for him to leave, it happened to be around the same time Lu Youxi was leaving for school.


    What a coincidence indeed.


    Seeing Zhou Shuyan not denying it, Lu Youxi knew she had guessed right.


    ¡°I remember the day I found you, you were lying in the field injured, clinging to life,¡± Lu Youxi said, looking at Zhou Shuyan. ¡°I don¡¯t know what caused those severe injuries or who inflicted them, but I¡¯m sure the reasons are not simple.¡±


    ¡°Your original life must have been fraught with trouble,¡± continued Lu Youxi. ¡°And you¡¯re about to return to it, to face many difficulties. Perhaps, I might be able to help you in some way. If our marriage could somehow benefit you upon your return, then we could refrain from divorcing for the time being.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan lifted an eyebrow. If he wasn¡¯t certain that Lu Youxi knew nothing about him and had never left Hexing Village this whole time, Zhou Shuyan would have suspected Lu Youxi knew his true identity.


    ¡°In your original circle, if they knew you had married a village girl, I wonder if they would let their guard down?¡± Lu Youxi spoke with the confidence of someone who had been the President of Lin Group in her past life.


    The air pressure around Zhou Shuyan dropped sharply, his piercing gaze like knives bearing down on Lu Youxi, as if trying to bore a hole through her forehead.


    At that moment, Lu Youxi felt her breathing become difficult, and she nearly couldn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°What do you know about me?¡± asked Zhou Shuyan. Although he was confident in his findings that Lu Youxi never left Hexing Village and knew nothing about him, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel uncertain at this moment.


    If Lu Youxi had guessed all this, then she was indeed too clever for her own good.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Lu Youxi forced herself to speak. Under Zhou Shuyan¡¯s oppressive aura, even normal conversation became an exceedingly difficult task.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize it yourself?¡± Lu Youxi took a deep breath. ¡°Your demeanor, the aura you carry, they are not something common folks possess. Anyone with a bit of sense wouldn¡¯t think you are ordinary. Not to mention, you¡¯ve been seriously injured, which isn¡¯t something one would normally experience.¡±


    ¡°So I guess, in your original circle, there might be a lot of troubling matters,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°Having me around might make your adversaries lower their guard, right?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Lu Youxi¡¯s argument made sense.


    Zhou Shuyan actually took a moment to seriously consider the feasibility of Lu Youxi¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the distant future; let¡¯s discuss the immediate one,¡± said Lu Youxi. ¡°There must be more than just Xiao Fen in Hexing Village who are interested in you, right?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan, ¡°...¡±


    ¡°She just happens to be the one I bump into every time I come over, but from what I know, there are quite a few young girls in the village who fancy you. Regardless of whether their families approve, the girls themselves are willing, constantly seeking opportunities to get close to you,¡± said Lu Youxi with a smile.


    Zhou Shuyan, ¡°...¡±


    He rarely sought her out, so how was it that she knew so much?


    ¡°Hexing Village isn¡¯t big, and Aunt Lin from next door loves to gossip. Even if I don¡¯t go out, I can still know everything that happens in the village,¡± Lu Youxi explained.


    However, recently, Aunt Lin¡¯s gossip had centered around her.


    Now, the hottest gossip in Hexing Village was about her relationship with Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°If we get married, given the speed at which gossip spreads in Hexing Village, if we get our marriage certificate in the morning, the whole village would know by noon,¡± Lu Youxi said with a mocking smile. ¡°And I will inevitably have a big fight with my family over getting the certificate. This way, the whole village will learn even faster. Once everyone knows we are married, who else will bother you? At least during your stay in Hexing Village, you will be able to live in peace.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Send Me My Household Register

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Send Me My Household Register Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Send Me My Household Register Zhou Shuyan quietly listened to Lu Youxi before smiling slightly, ¡°You did well in persuading people.¡±


    Lu Youxi¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Does that mean you agree?¡±


    ¡°I agree with you,¡± Zhou Shuyan nodded, ¡°about the point of still considering you as my wife after we return. We¡¯ll see about that when the time comes. You might really be of help to me.¡±


    Lu Youxi breathed a sigh of relief, finally showing the first genuine, relaxed smile since her arrival.


    ¡°However,¡± Zhou Shuyan added, causing Lu Youxi¡¯s heart to leap once again, ¡°how can you trust me so easily? Aren¡¯t you afraid that my previous life was dangerous? Like... being involved in the underworld?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She had indeed overlooked that point.


    In both her past life and this one, she had never touched any grey areas.


    In business, she always operated cleanly.


    But why hadn¡¯t she considered that Zhou Shuyan might belong to those grey areas?


    Lu Youxi looked at Zhou Shuyan.


    Perhaps it was because, even though Zhou Shuyan¡¯s origins were unclear and he seemed mysterious, his demeanor was righteously dignified, without a hint of darkness.


    Seeing her reaction, Zhou Shuyan chuckled lightly, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you, don¡¯t worry, I have nothing to do with those dark or grey areas. Just don¡¯t be so careless with others in the future.¡±


    Having resolved this issue, Lu Youxi felt somewhat relieved, ¡°Then let¡¯s go get our marriage certificate this afternoon!¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Zhou Shuyan said helplessly.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Lu Youxi stood up, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just agree?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking that Lu Youxi was finally showing some eagerness typical of a young girl.


    ¡°I need time to get my household registration book,¡± Zhou Shuyan said helplessly.


    He had his ID card, but he hadn¡¯t expected that living in Hexing Village would necessitate marrying someone.


    Thus, he hadn¡¯t asked Qi Sishen to send it over.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She had really forgotten about that.


    ¡°Do you have your ID card then?¡± Lu Youxi calmed down, finally able to think of these details.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Shuyan nodded.


    Lu Youxi squinted slightly, ¡°So you really haven¡¯t lost your memory, right?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan smiled faintly, not hiding anything, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always thought so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just officially confirming it and wanted to hear you admit it yourself,¡± Lu Youxi sat down, ¡°Now that we are getting married, you should tell me your real name, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know on the day we get the certificate,¡± Zhou Shuyan said calmly, ¡°If you¡¯re worried, you can back out.¡±


    After all, he wasn¡¯t urgently in need of marriage.


    Lu Youxi now really didn¡¯t have a better option.


    Getting married to Zhou Shuyan was the quickest and most complete solution to her current problem.


    Thus, even though she didn¡¯t know much about Zhou Shuyan, Lu Youxi still didn¡¯t plan to change her mind.


    As long as Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t sell her out, it would be fine.


    ¡°So when can you get the household registration book?¡± Lu Youxi asked again, ¡°My uncle and grandparents will soon contact the Hu Family, it¡¯s happening soon.¡±


    They were sure to seal the deal before she had to report back.


    ¡°Very soon, I will have someone send it this afternoon, and I¡¯ll have it by tomorrow at the latest,¡± Zhou Shuyan looked up at Lu Youxi, ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    Since he had decided to cooperate with Lu Youxi, Zhou Shuyan wouldn¡¯t shirk.


    He honestly told Lu Youxi, and even in his simple words, he revealed some information about himself.


    He knew, Lu Youxi was very intelligent.


    Since they decided to cooperate, both had to show some sincerity.


    He had to subtly give Lu Youxi some clues in his future actions and words.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She could wait that bit of time.


    After sending Lu Youxi off, Zhou Shuyan went to contact Qi Sishen.


    Qi had delivered an ID card to him once and also sent him a mobile phone.


    But it didn¡¯t come with a SIM card, to prevent any chance of being traced by Zhou Xueyi¡¯s side.


    Zhou Shuyan had gotten himself a SIM card in town, and he didn¡¯t use it regularly, only for contacting Qi Sishen.


    ¡°Why did you think of looking for me today?¡± Qi Sishen¡¯s voice carried a teasing tone, sounding as if Zhou Shuyan had jilted him.


    Usually, Zhou Shuyan wouldn¡¯t contact Qi Sishen unless he had some business to handle.


    ¡°What do you need this time?¡± Qi Sishen asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Recently, whenever Zhou Siyan contacted him, it was surely for some pressing matter.


    ¡°Send me my household registration book,¡± Zhou Siyan said.


    ¡°What do you need the household registration book for?¡± Qi Sishen asked casually, not really thinking much of it, ¡°Getting married?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Zhou Siyan casually responded.


    Unexpectedly, there was a long silence from the other end of the phone, as if something had fallen.


    ¡°Okay, Zhou Shuyan, joking about returning to the countryside is one thing,¡± Qi Sishen picked up the pen Zhou Siyan¡¯s casual ¡°Mhm¡± had knocked off his desk, twirling it between his fingers, convinced that Zhou Shuyan was joking and didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Zhou Shuyan said calmly.


    Qi Sishen choked on his words, pausing for five to six seconds to digest Zhou Shuyan¡¯s response, ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Zhou Shuyan said somewhat helplessly, ¡°You know me, when have I ever been not serious?¡±


    He never joked.


    Qi Sishen: ¡°...¡±


    It was exactly because he knew Zhou Shuyan never joked that he was all the more shocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡± Qi Sishen, momentarily at a loss for words, sat in his office, swiveled his chair to face the floor-to-ceiling windows, and looked up at the slowly drifting clouds, which always helped him calm down, ¡°You¡¯ve been staying in that village this whole time, mostly just going into town to gather some information. Your circle is so small, who are you marrying?¡±


    ¡°Do you really have so many suitable, eligible girls around you?¡± Qi Sishen pondered but couldn¡¯t figure it out, ¡°And there are so many families in Hua Country, sharpening their knives to introduce their daughters to you, not to mention all those female celebrities in the entertainment industry, yet none caught your eye. How did you find someone to marry after spending some time in the village?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Just the right fit,¡± Zhou Shuyan said calmly.


    Even the clouds floating above couldn¡¯t help Qi Sishen calm down this time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you didn¡¯t find anyone suitable throughout the whole nation when you were in the Imperial Capital, but you found someone suitable in a village?¡± Qi Sishen deeply felt that this was unreasonable!


    ¡°What kind of village are you in, hiding so many hidden dragons? Are there any more suitable ones to introduce to me?¡± Qi Sishen genuinely wanted to see what kind of unusual village it was!

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Shes Young

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30: She¡¯s Young Chapter 30: Chapter 30: She¡¯s Young Zhou Shuyan, a man of discerning taste, was willing to marry someone.


    What kind of fairy must she be?


    Zhou Shuyan never allowed him to follow him back to the village, claiming his demeanor made it obvious he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person and could arouse suspicion at the village entrance.


    Qi Sishenn thought this made sense, so they always met up in the town instead.


    But now, he really wanted to see Hexing Village for himself.


    What kind of magical place could it be to make Zhou Shuyan marry!


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Wait, is she from the village or the town?¡± Aside from these locations, Qi Sishenn couldn¡¯t think of other possibilities.


    Yet even mentioning these places made his teeth ache.


    Even if she were from the town, the place wasn¡¯t big!


    No one across the whole country could make Zhou Shuyan marry, but someone in this small place could?


    Even now, Qi Sishenn felt like it was all a dream, too surreal to be true.


    ¡°No need for so many questions,¡± Zhou Shuyan really didn¡¯t feel like explaining to Qi Sishenn.


    Moreover, according to Lu Youxi¡¯s plan, they were supposed to get divorced after moving to the Imperial Capital.


    Although Lu Youxi¡¯s proposal was quite tempting to him.


    Zhou Xueyi would be thrilled if he knew he brought back a village girl who¡¯d never entered a city, and she was his wife.


    At least he wouldn¡¯t worry about using arranged marriages to expand his influence, causing greater pressure on Zhou Xueyi.


    This would undoubtedly make Zhou Xueyi lower his guard and even underestimate him and Lu Youxi.


    But then, Lu Youxi was not someone to be underestimated.


    Underestimating her and Youxi would only lead to losses.


    That was the main reason he agreed to Lu Youxi¡¯s proposal at first.


    However, upon further thought, he was reluctant to involve Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi was smart, but she was just an ordinary girl. She deserved a normal and stable life.


    Not to be entangled in a bunch of family messes.


    He believed that with Lu Youxi¡¯s capabilities, she could definitely keep up with his pace.


    She might not know yet, but she could learn quickly.


    Although she had never been exposed to his circle, she would manage quite well once she saw it.


    But if she could have a more relaxed life, why make her part of all that trouble?


    So, after thinking it through, Zhou Shuyan changed his mind.


    But since he had already promised Lu Youxi, he¡¯d still marry her, help her through her difficulties, and consider it a repayment for saving him.


    Originally, he should repay her anyway.


    ¡°Send your household registration book today, so I can receive it tomorrow,¡± Zhou Shuyan instructed Qi Sishenn.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re in such a hurry to marry?¡± Qi Sishenn was even more shocked, ¡°It seems you really like this future bride.¡±


    Pausing, Qi Sishenn cryptically added, ¡°Zhou Shuyan, if you¡¯ve been kidnapped or threatened, send me a Morse code message.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Stop joking and just send me the household registration book,¡± Zhou Shuyan rarely was at a loss for words with Qi Sishenn.


    It had been a while, and Qi Sishenn¡¯s imagination had grown richer.


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for being shocked. You¡¯ve been out of touch for a long time, and now suddenly come telling me you want to marry. Considering all the talented, beautiful, virtuous girls in Hua Country, you didn¡¯t fancy any, yet after living in the village for a while, you¡¯re ready to marry. You haven¡¯t fallen into some human trafficking ring, have you? Is Hexing Village actually a hidden den of traffickers? If so, I¡¯ll help you alert the authorities, just give me a sign by saying ¡®okay¡¯, and I¡¯ll know.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Quit it, if I were really being held against my will, could I still go into town to meet you, or manage affairs from the Imperial Capital?¡± Zhou Shuyan replied, resigned.


    Qi Sishenn: ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Send me your household registration book today,¡± Zhou Shuyan could only keep reminding him.


    ¡°No way, it¡¯s the important Zhou Family household registration book; how could I trust it with courier?¡± Qi Sishenn stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it personally.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    It wasn¡¯t about trusting the courier; he suspected this guy was just curious about Lu Youxi.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy an airplane ticket right now and can be in Tai Town by tonight,¡± Qi Sishenn, holding his phone, navigated to a ticket purchasing website. Managing this task had always been something Qi Sishenn undertook personally to prevent any leak.


    He could trust his own assistant but not the tactics of Zhou Xueyi.


    A lapse at any stage would be problematic.


    Handling it himself was the safest option.


    Qi Sishenn chose a flight and after placing the order, he told Zhou Shuyan, ¡°I should arrive in Tai Town between 5:30 and 6 PM, then I¡¯ll contact you with the specific time.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    That should be fine.


    Qi Sishenn insisted on personal delivery, which would also let him receive the household registration book earlier to repay Lu Youxi and resolve her urgent issue, lifting a weight off his heart.


    When Qi Sishenn called again, it was half-past four in the afternoon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just left the airport, will head to the town in a bit,¡± Qi Sishenn said over the phone, ¡°should arrive around 5:40, still at the same place we met last time.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Shuyan nodded.


    ¡°Hey, bring your fiance?e along,¡± Qi Sishenn rushed his words before Zhou Shuyan could hang up.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see?¡± Zhou Shuyan retorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to get married and you won¡¯t even show your fiance?e to your best friend?¡± Qi Sishenn raised an eyebrow, ¡°Something fishy here.¡±


    To be honest, just mentioning the word ¡®fiance?e¡¯ made Qi Sishenn¡¯s teeth ache.


    Regardless of whether she came from Hexing Village or Hetai Town, imagining her as Zhou Shuyan¡¯s fiance?e was really hard for Qi Sishenn.


    Although they would divorce later, Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t plan to let Lu Youxi be the subject of gossip.


    Moreover, since they were going to divorce, why involve Lu Youxi at all?


    ¡°She¡¯s young,¡± Zhou Shuyan stated flatly, ¡°It¡¯s too early now; maybe later.¡±


    Qi Sishenn couldn¡¯t help but hiss. Zhou Shuyan was really serious.


    After hanging up, Zhou Shuyan also started preparing to head to the town.


    Hetai Town was close to Hexing Village, but due to infrequent buses, the next one was at five o¡¯clock.


    Worried about missing it, as buses weren¡¯t very punctual, he decided to head to the nearby bus stop earlier to wait.


    When he arrived at the small restaurant in Hetai Town where he and Qi Sishenn had agreed to meet, it was just 5:30 PM.


    Actually ten minutes earlier than the time Qi Sishenn had mentioned on the phone.


    But by the time Zhou Shuyan arrived, Qi Sishenn was already there waiting.

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 The name Zhou Shuyan sounds quite

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The name Zhou Shuyan sounds quite familiar Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The name Zhou Shuyan sounds quite familiar The small restaurant had a private room, so Qi Sishen took one.


    When Zhou Shuyan walked in, he saw Qi Sishen sitting there, drinking tea.


    Upon seeing him, Qi made a ¡°yo¡± sound, ¡°You arrived early too.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only a 5 p.m. bus to town,¡± Zhou Shuyan explained.


    Qi Sishen, still not giving up, walked to the door and looked around outside.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Zhou Shuyan asked without turning his head, as he took a seat.


    ¡°I was hoping to see a miracle happen, like you bringing your fiance?e over,¡± Qi Sishen said, finally losing hope when he saw no one and came back in.


    ¡°Household registration book,¡± Zhou Shuyan urged.


    ¡°Here,¡± Qi Sishen produced a household registration book from seemingly nowhere and handed it to Zhou Shuyan, ¡°When are you getting your certificate?¡±


    ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, tomorrow,¡± Zhou Shuyan said.


    Lu Youxi must be pretty anxious.


    ...


    Qi Sishen shifted in his chair, ¡°If you put it that way, I don¡¯t feel like leaving tonight.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan was getting his certificate tomorrow, and of course, he would have to bring his fiance?e to the civil affairs bureau.


    If Qi just stayed here, wouldn¡¯t he be able to see her tomorrow?


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I really want to see what kind of woman is able to put her name in the spouse column next to yours, Zhou Shuyan,¡± Qi Sishen sighed.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    It seemed that unless Qi Sishen saw her, he wouldn¡¯t rest.


    And if Qi Sishen was determined, he would definitely be able to see her.


    Qi Sishen himself didn¡¯t look it up, insisting on finding out from Zhou Shuyan in an official and open manner, which really showed Qi was a good friend.


    ¡°If you really want to see, just sneak a peek tomorrow without showing your face,¡± Zhou Shuyan said helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t scare her.¡±


    Qi Sishen almost couldn¡¯t believe his ears that Zhou Shuyan had agreed.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Qi Sishen quickly agreed, afraid that if he missed this chance, there wouldn¡¯t be another.


    But now he was even more curious about Zhou Shuyan¡¯s fiance?e, the one he cherished so much that he was even afraid of frightening her.


    Could Zhou Shuyan really have found such an unflappable wife?


    So, that evening, Qi Sishen stayed in town.


    The conditions in the town were average, and naturally, so were the hotels.


    It wasn¡¯t just about comparing them to the five-star hotels Qi Sishen was used to; they couldn¡¯t even compare with ordinary hotels in small cities.


    But to see Zhou Shuyan¡¯s wife, Qi Sishen didn¡¯t mind roughing it for one night.


    Zhou Shuyan took the household registration book and went back to the village.


    Early the next morning, he found a chance to contact Lu Youxi.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought the household registration book; you still have time to change your mind,¡± Zhou Shuyan reminded Lu Youxi at the end.


    But as soon as he had said half of it, he saw Lu Youxi¡¯s entire face brighten up.


    Zhou Shuyan knew then that Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t likely to change her mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and get the certificate now!¡± Lu Youxi immediately said.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Are you in such a hurry?


    ¡°Best not to delay,¡± Lu Youxi said seriously.


    ¡°Have you brought out your household registration book?¡± Zhou Shuyan asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had my book for a while now, claimed I needed it for university registration,¡± Lu Youxi never did anything without being prepared.


    Since she decided to get a certificate with Zhou Shuyan, she would certainly take care of all her own matters first.


    ¡°Wait for me a moment,¡± Lu Youxi said to Zhou Shuyan, then she ran back into her yard.


    Not long after, she returned with the backpack she used to carry for school.


    The Lu Family wasn¡¯t wealthy, and with the Lu Family¡¯s elders around, Lu Youxi only had that one backpack to her name.


    Zhou Shuyan saw Lu Youxi carrying her backpack and thought she still looked like a student.


    He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    Even if marrying Lu Youxi for the certificate was fake, it still felt like he was taking advantage of a young girl.


    Lu Youxi, on the other hand, was relieved. Thank goodness the new marriage law hadn¡¯t come out; you could still get a certificate at 18.


    She remembered that in another month, the legal age for marriage would be pushed back.


    It seemed like the heavens were helping her.


    Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan arrived at the civil affairs bureau.


    Because today wasn¡¯t a special day with a nice-sounding date, there weren¡¯t many people queued at the civil affairs bureau for marriage registration.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long before it was their turn.


    Early marriages weren¡¯t unusual at the time, especially in villages and towns, where they were even more common.


    Therefore, the staff wasn¡¯t surprised by Lu Youxi¡¯s age.


    The two of them smoothly obtained their marriage certificate.


    Lu Youxi still remembered Zhou Shuyan¡¯s real name.


    Before, Zhou Shuyan had said that once they got the certificate, she could see it.


    Once out of the civil affairs bureau, Lu Youxi opened the marriage certificate to look.


    ¡°Zhou Shuyan?¡± Lu Youxi murmured.


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t respond, knowing that Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t asking for an answer.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your name to sound so nice,¡± Lu Youxi looked at Zhou Shuyan¡¯s name, ¡°But the name Xu Mai I came up with is also nice.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Lu Youxi vaguely felt that the name Zhou Shuyan sounded familiar, like she had heard it somewhere.


    But at the moment, she couldn¡¯t recall.


    Having lived twice, she had forgotten when and where she had heard the name.


    It must have been a faint impression, maybe just mentioned by someone in passing, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have just a faint impression with no clear memory of who it was.


    Unable to remember, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t bother thinking about it anymore.


    She kept the marriage certificate safe and went back to the village with Zhou Shuyan.


    On the way, Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t help saying to Zhou Shuyan, ¡°Actually, if you used the fake name Xu Mai to marry me, I wouldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan looked at her indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s illegal to marry under a false identity.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Who knew Zhou Shuyan would chuckle lightly, ¡°So it seems the law doesn¡¯t apply to you, you don¡¯t care.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She just suddenly remembered such a thing and mentioned it casually.


    Lu Youxi pursed her lips, since the purpose of getting the certificate with Zhou Shuyan was achieved, she didn¡¯t want to argue with him.


    When the two of them returned to the village, just as they reached the village entrance, Ge Qiangzhuang from the same village saw her walking with Zhou Shuyan and paused.


    He couldn¡¯t help letting his gossipy gaze wander back and forth between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    Earlier, there had been rumors about the two of them in the village.


    No wonder the Lu Family was eager to marry off Lu Youxi.


    Could it be that Lu Youxi already had someone inside?


    Thinking this way, Ge Qiangzhuang couldn¡¯t help his eyes from landing on Lu Youxi¡¯s belly.


    Otherwise, he really couldn¡¯t understand why the Lu Family would marry off a nice girl to Foolish Hu from the next village.


    Speaking of which, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s background was unclear, no one even knew his full name, and he lived off the little money Grandma Xu gave him; certainly not a good match.


    But if the Lu Family really wanted to find Lu Youxi a good match, they wouldn¡¯t have married her to Foolish Hu.


    The most important thing was that Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t afford a hefty bride price.


    Thus, Ge Qiangzhuang had already concocted a complete backstory for Lu Youxi in his mind.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Foolish Hus Parents Bring a Matchmaker

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Foolish Hu¡¯s Parents Bring a Matchmaker and a Dowry to Your House Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Foolish Hu¡¯s Parents Bring a Matchmaker and a Dowry to Your House Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t come up with that much money, and since Lu Youxi was pregnant again, finding another sucker to marry her was next to impossible; she had no choice but to marry Foolish Hu.


    At this moment, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t take Ge Qiangzhuang¡¯s reaction seriously.


    After all, the scandalous rumors of her affair with Zhou Shuyan were spreading like wildfire throughout Hexing Village.


    Seeing the two of them walking together, Ge Qiangzhuang¡¯s reaction seemed to be within expectation.


    However, after walking only a short distance farther, she ran into her neighbor, Aunt Liu.


    Aunt Liu, seeing her walking with Zhou Shuyan, was also taken aback but didn¡¯t harbor the same ill will as Ge Qiangzhuang, merely expressing some surprise.


    But Aunt Liu¡¯s expression was quickly replaced by urgency.


    She dashed toward Lu Youxi, grabbed her hand, and said frantically, ¡°Youxi, where have you been running off to? Hurry back home and check on things!¡±


    Then Aunt Liu glanced at Zhou Shuyan, paused for a couple of seconds, ¡°Take Xu Mai with you. He might be able to help when you get there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happened at home?¡± From what Aunt Liu was saying, it seemed related to her rather than a problem with her elders.


    Aunt Liu then remembered, realizing by the direction Lu Youxi had come from, she must have just returned to the village and didn¡¯t know what had happened at home.


    Her cryptic words no wonder left Lu Youxi puzzled.


    ¡°Your grandparents and second uncle even talked to you about Foolish Hu from the next village,¡± Aunt Liu continued, ¡°Now Foolish Hu¡¯s father and mother are at your house with the matchmaker and a dowry.¡±


    Hearing it was this matter, Lu Youxi was not in a hurry at all.


    After all, she had already gotten her marriage certificate; what could Lu Family¡¯s elders do to her?


    Lu Youxi was more concerned about another matter, ¡°Where are my parents?¡±


    ¡°Your father and mother are working in the fields; they probably don¡¯t know about this.¡± Aunt Liu wasn¡¯t certain, but she felt that Lu Zhenguo and his wife were decent people who, despite their naivete, wouldn¡¯t agree to throw Lu Youxi into the fire pit of Foolish Hu¡¯s household.


    And Aunt Liu didn¡¯t have the heart to mention any other possibility to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°I had Aunt Lin go to the fields to call your parents. I originally planned to look for the village chief, but I ran into you first,¡± Aunt Liu explained.


    Lu Youxi expressed gratitude, ¡°Aunt Liu, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± Aunt Liu stamped her foot, ¡°When something like this happens, anyone with a little conscience would get involved!¡±


    Even Aunt Lin, who usually loved to gossip, when she saw Lu Youxi faced with such an outrageous situation, set everything aside to find Lu Zhenguo and his wife in the fields.


    It was just incomprehensible what the Lu Family¡¯s elders were thinking!


    Even if they really didn¡¯t like their granddaughter, Lu Youxi, they shouldn¡¯t push the girl into a blazing inferno!


    And that Lu Zhenjia, he wasn¡¯t up to any good either!


    ¡°Quick, get back home!¡± Aunt Liu urged Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi nodded, ¡°Aunt Liu, please take the trouble to find the village chief.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Aunt Liu agreed, nodding, ¡°We must have the village chief stand up for you! Even if they are your grandparents, they can¡¯t treat their own granddaughter like that. Our village might be poor, but we don¡¯t sell off our daughters like that!¡±


    So Lu Youxi, accompanied by Zhou Shuyan, headed for Lu Family¡¯s house, while Aunt Liu hurried off in search of the village chief.


    When Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan arrived at the Lu Family¡¯s doorway, they saw quite a crowd of villagers and many children gathered, there to watch the excitement.


    After all, it¡¯s not every day you see a family marry off their daughter to a simpleton.


    Some children, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, held sticks and branches, jumping up and down, chanting, ¡°Marrying a simpleton! Marrying a simpleton!¡±


    ¡°Really can¡¯t figure out what the Lu Family is thinking, wanting to marry their daughter to a simpleton.¡±


    ¡°The Lu Family¡¯s old man and his wife are famously biased towards sons and careless about their granddaughter¡¯s happiness.¡±


    ¡°Those two old folks probably sold Lu Youxi for a good price.¡±


    ¡°Sure, a daughter is considered water splashed out, but this is just too much.¡±


    Many families here treated their daughters and sons differently.


    But none went to such extremes as the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    ¡°Still, hasn¡¯t Lu Youxi gotten into university? What¡¯s that university called again?¡±


    ¡°Jing University! The number one institution in Hua Country, she got into the same university as Lu Youbang.¡±


    ¡°With such a promising daughter, why the rush to marry her off? Going out to study, she¡¯ll be a university student, and not just any but from the leading university in Hua Country. It¡¯s not just about pride; she¡¯ll find a good job later, earn more money, provide for her retirement¡ªwhy the haste to marry her off?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Considering the way those two old folks from the Lu Family treat Lu Youxi, do you think she will provide for them in their old age once she becomes successful?¡±


    ¡°What a sin!¡±


    ¡°They probably figure since Lu Youxi would bring them no benefit even if she makes something of herself, they might as well cash in on her while she¡¯s still in the village, sell her to Foolish Hu¡¯s family, and make a tidy sum.¡±


    ¡°Those two old folks are really blinded by money.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, even you can¡¯t stand to watch; goes to show they¡¯ve really gone too far.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®even I can¡¯t stand to watch¡¯?¡± A man wearing a shabby tank top, unkempt and reeking of alcohol, sounded displeased upon hearing this.


    The previous speaker didn¡¯t continue.


    Everyone knows this man lives off his hardworking wife and barely contributes anything, spending any money he gets on alcohol and ignoring his children.


    But even he thought the Lu Family¡¯s elders had gone too far, which said a lot.


    However, this man was a notorious troublemaker in the village, and most people preferred to steer clear of him.


    So after his retort, the other villager didn¡¯t continue, avoiding any further trouble.


    Under normal circumstances, this man would have made a big fuss, but now the commotion at the Lu Family¡¯s seemed far more intriguing, distracting him from any immediate quarreling.


    At that moment, a skinny, stooped man with tiny eyes and a sharp chin, who looked rather sleazy, suddenly commented, ¡°We all think that, no matter how much you dislike Lu Youxi, you wouldn¡¯t push a child into a pit of fire. It couldn¡¯t be because Lu Youxi did something disgraceful, forcing the Lu Family to hasten her marriage, could it?¡±


    Some busybodies blinked and picked up on this, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a recent rumor about Lu Youxi and that Xu Mai? Xiao Fen was adamant she saw Lu Youxi enter Old Madam Xu¡¯s house, and Xu Mai even closed the door. Young and spirited, who knows what they might have done inside.¡±


    ¡°Could she be carrying already?¡± someone followed up.


    ¡°With such commotion, what¡¯s going on?¡± Suddenly, a crisp voice rang out from the back of the crowd.


    ¡°That voice sounds familiar.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s familiar, it¡¯s Lu Youxi!¡± someone said awkwardly.

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Zhou Shuyan naturally grasped Lu Youxis

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Zhou Shuyan naturally grasped Lu Youxi¡¯s hand in return. Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Zhou Shuyan naturally grasped Lu Youxi¡¯s hand in return. People turned their heads towards the source of the sound and saw Lu Youxi standing side by side with Zhou Shuyan, smiling yet not smiling, but their gazes were full of clear mockery.


    Although the villagers liked to gossip, it was inevitably awkward to be caught gossiping directly by the subjects themselves.


    Without needing Lu Youxi to say anything, the crowd watching the excitement spontaneously made way for Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    Yet, everyone couldn¡¯t help but let their eyes wander back and forth to the faces of Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan, their eyes filled with barely hidden curiosity.


    These two having returned together seemed to confirm the village rumors were true.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Lu Youxi directly grabbed Zhou Shuyan¡¯s hand and led him towards the Lu Family¡¯s main gate.


    Someone in the crowd gasped loudly first, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    But right after, sounds of surprised gasps came from all around Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    But who was Zhou Shuyan anyway!


    The head of the Imperial Capital Zhou Family, he wouldn¡¯t care about such a small scene.


    In her past life, Lu Youxi had also been used to grand scenes and naturally wouldn¡¯t be affected.


    Zhou Shuyan naturally grasped Lu Youxi¡¯s hand back, exerting a slight force.


    Lu Youxi turned around in surprise to look at him, his grip was firm and heavy but did not hurt her, it simply made her feel his determination.


    It was as if no matter what difficulties were there, he would be by her side to face them together.


    The steadiness of his grip was comforting, making her already calm heart feel even more settled.


    Lu Youxi was just surprised, surprised that Zhou Shuyan would do such a thing, and even more surprised that Zhou Shuyan could give her such a reassuring sense.


    All of Lu Youxi¡¯s surprise was observed by Zhou Shuyan, who then hooked his lips towards Lu Youxi, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lu Youxi nodded, and finally, she and Zhou Shuyan crossed the crowd and entered the Lu Family¡¯s courtyard.


    The gossiping voices outside seemed to be blocked by the courtyard gate.


    In replacement, there were laughter and talking voices coming from the house ahead.


    A strange woman¡¯s voice came out, ¡°You can rest assured, once Youxi is part of our family, I will definitely treat her like my own daughter. I can only be grateful that she is willing to marry my son, and I will treat her just as well as I treat my own son. As long as she makes my son happy, I don¡¯t need her to do anything, whether it¡¯s chores inside or outside, my husband and I can handle them.¡±


    ¡°You are a good person, we, of course, believe you,¡± Old Madam Lu said cheerfully.


    It was hard to imagine hearing such a welcoming tone from Old Madam Lu¡¯s mouth one day.


    ¡°Our Youxi is also a diligent person; she helps with all the big and small tasks at home and outside. You have a kind heart and treat her well, how could she possibly not do anything? She will definitely become a reliable helper in your household,¡± Ge Guifen added.


    ¡°Yes, you and Guifen are on such good terms, I always hear Guifen praising how dependable your household is,¡± Lu Zhenjia¡¯s voice came through, ¡°We are very relieved to have Youxi join your family.¡±


    Inside the house, Lu Family¡¯s elders, Lu Zhenjia and his wife, along with Foolish Hu and his wife all burst out laughing.


    Suddenly, there was an atmosphere of joy filling the room.


    At this moment, including Lu Youxi, no one knew that in a small room inside the Lu Family¡¯s courtyard, Lu Youxue was in the room, his face flushed red with fury, his eyes bloodshot with desperation.


    But he was powerless to do anything, tied to a chair with a large cloth stuffed into his mouth.


    Lu Youzhen, on the other hand, was guarding nearby, seeing Lu Youxue¡¯s desperate look like a trapped beast, she curled her lips proudly, her gaze filled with undisguised mockery.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use, once the two families finalize everything and the Hu Family sends the bride price, just wait for your sister to marry Foolish Hu,¡± Lu Youzhen boastfully paced in front of Lu Youxue.


    ¡°Mmmhm¡ªMmm!¡± Lu Youxue couldn¡¯t speak, his mouth gagged with the cloth, filled with anger and desperation, he could only make muffled sounds.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s no use,¡± Lu Youzhen, taking pleasure in his misfortune, cradled her chin while speaking to Lu Youxue, ¡°This is something the grandparents have agreed upon, no one¡¯s opposition counts once they¡¯ve decided. Your uncle is obedient, and your aunt never disagrees with the household matters, your sister is definitely marrying Foolish Hu.¡±


    ¡°What use is there in getting into Jing University? If you can¡¯t go, it equals nothing!¡± Lu Youzhen said proudly.


    Thinking of the days when Lu Youxi was proud and pleased after passing the examination for Jing University, Lu Youzhen now felt extremely delighted!


    Lu Youxi was only happy for that short period.


    From now on, her life will plunge into darkness, without a glimmer of future!


    What¡¯s the use of being beautiful?


    What¡¯s the use of being academically excellent? She still has to marry a fool!


    ¡°Mmmhm!¡± Lu Youxue, like a small trapped beast, was so agitated he desperately tried to rush forward.


    Perhaps out of sheer desperation, he managed to stand up a little and dragged the chair forward.


    Lu Youzhen was startled, not expecting the little runt to have so much strength.


    Frightened, she hurriedly pulled the chair back, pressing hard on the back of the chair.


    Usually, Lu Youzhen¡¯s strength might not match Lu Youxue¡¯s, but now that Lu Youxue was tied to the chair and couldn¡¯t exert his strength, he was immobilized by Lu Youzhen.


    In the courtyard, as Lu Youxi was about to enter the house with Zhou Shuyan, suddenly a figure hurriedly dashed past by her side.


    Lu Youxi only caught a fleeting glimpse, not clearly seeing who it was.


    But as the person passed by her side, she smelled the familiar scent of earth on him.


    Although she hadn¡¯t seen the person¡¯s face clearly, Lu Youxi already knew that the one who had just run past was Lu Zhenguo.


    As Lu Zhenguo entered the house, Liu Yushu, because she was running slowly, hurried over huffing and puffing.


    She saw Lu Youxi, stopped in surprise, opened her mouth as if to say something, then noticed Zhou Shuyan standing next to Lu Youxi.


    Liu Yushu was utterly stunned, ¡°You two...¡±


    She knew about the village gossip, but she trusted her daughter to be a self-respecting person, how could she casually fool around with someone?


    Even if there really was love, it would be an official and open relationship.


    However, despite it being a relationship, Liu Yushu still had reservations about Zhou Shuyan.


    After all, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s background was unclear; he didn¡¯t even know who he was, currently only helping Grandma Xu and without a proper job.


    How could she feel reassured about her daughter being with Zhou Shuyan?


    As for the village gossip, Liu Yushu scoffed at it.


    Until just now when she heard from the informant, Xiao Lin from next door, about the plans of Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family, an idea arose in Liu Yushu¡¯s mind; rather than marrying Foolish Hu, it would be better for Lu Youxi to be with Zhou Shuyan.


    But this thought flashed by quickly, and Liu Yushu even shook her head, wondering why she would think such a thing.


    Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t marrying anyone; she was supposed to go study at Jing University.


    And there she was seeing Lu Youxi standing with Zhou Shuyan.

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 We Dont Sell Daughters

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34: We Don¡¯t Sell Daughters! Chapter 34: Chapter 34: We Don¡¯t Sell Daughters! Liu Yushu subconsciously harbored a thought, ¡°Did Lu Youxi come to clarify the rumors with Zhou Shuyan?¡±


    But no sooner had this thought arisen than Liu Yushu caught sight of Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan¡¯s hands tightly clasped together.


    At that, Liu Yushu was utterly shocked and found herself at a loss for words.


    Gaping, she looked at Lu Youxi, then at Zhou Shuyan, and finally managed to stammer out, ¡°You... you...¡±


    Just then, a loud voice came from the front room, ¡°I do not agree!¡±


    Lu Youxi looked over and saw it was Lu Zhenguo, who was usually honest and compliant with the Lu Family¡¯s elders and rarely lost his temper.


    Liu Yushu breathed a sigh of relief and tried to grab Lu Youxi¡¯s hand.


    But as she reached out, she remembered that Lu Youxi was holding hands with Zhou Shuyan.


    Liu Yushu awkwardly opened her mouth and finally said, ¡°About this, your father and I were not aware. Don¡¯t worry, your dad will definitely not let you marry Foolish Hu. We had all agreed that you were going to attend Jing University.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not about attending Jing University, your dad wouldn¡¯t let you marry such a person!¡± said Liu Yushu.


    ¡°My family doesn¡¯t sell daughters!¡± Lu Zhenguo said loudly, but he still retained some politeness towards Foolish Hu¡¯s parents, trying to control his emotions. To curb his anger, his voice sounded somewhat stiff, ¡°Hu...¡±


    He almost blurted out ¡®Foolish.¡¯


    Fortunately, Lu Zhenguo caught himself and harshly changed his address, ¡°Old Brother Hu, Sister-in-law, please take your things and go back. We had no idea about this marriage arrangement. My parents and her second uncle never told us. Tell me, in whose family does a daughter get betrothed without her parents knowing?¡±


    ¡°Now you know, don¡¯t you?¡± Old Madam Lu said with a stern face, unhappy.


    Lu Zhenguo, for the sake of such a detrimental issue, was openly opposing their decision.


    Rushing back home in such haste to oppose the marriage.


    How audacious of him!


    Lu Zhenjia blinked, thinking somewhat mockingly, I never expected Lu Zhenguo would actually be so affectionate towards Lu Youxi.


    He was acting rather like a father now.


    Lu Zhenjia chuckled and said to Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Brother, we thought you were too busy with work and couldn¡¯t take care of things at home. So for minor issues, mom, dad, and I helped you handle them.¡±


    ¡°This is no minor issue, this is about my daughter¡¯s marriage! A father should certainly know and agree to his daughter¡¯s marriage!¡± Lu Zhenguo clutched his fists tightly, struggling to contain his trembling, ¡°My good daughter, who¡¯s going to attend Jing University!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo was tongue-tied; he wanted to add that no matter how busy he was, he always came home to eat.


    During mealtime discussions, how could no one mention this matter?


    ¡°Big brother, we never said your daughter couldn¡¯t go to school!¡± Ge Guifen said with a smile, ¡°After marrying Hu¡¯s eldest son, she can still attend Jing University. Marriage and schooling won¡¯t interfere with each other. Moreover, Old Brother Hu and Elder Sister Hu have already discussed with us, after getting married, they will support her in attending Jing University.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Old Master Lu said coldly, ¡°What a favorable match! The Hu Family is sensible, supporting her schooling even after marriage! Try changing to another family, who would agree!¡±


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was somewhat displeased; they had never discussed this.


    Besides, once they had a daughter-in-law, how could they possibly let Lu Youxi go to school?


    Letting Lu Youxi see the world in the city, how could they keep her then?


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t seem to be the type to settle down quietly.


    The rumors in Hexing Village were something she had also heard about.


    It was only because they couldn¡¯t find a suitable wife for her son that she had reluctantly agreed to the marriage with the Lu Family.


    On the day of the wedding, she would see to it that Lu Youxi was inspected.


    She couldn¡¯t let her son marry a tainted woman; if a child were born later, they might even need a paternity test.


    They could never blindly be the father to someone else¡¯s child!


    Could it be that the Lu Family was playing a trick, trying to swindle them somehow?


    Just as Foolish Hu¡¯s mother looked towards Ge Guifen, wanting to clarify, she saw Ge Guifen give her a look.


    It was clearly to fool Lu Zhenguo.


    ¡°Going to school costs money; can you afford it?¡± Old Master Lu asked sternly.


    ¡°Our family has already spent all our money on Youbang¡¯s education; now we don¡¯t even have a penny, what will you use to finance her schooling?¡± Old Master Lu slammed the table and asked.


    ¡°I can borrow it!¡± Lu Zhenguo said, clenching his fists.


    ¡°Who would lend it to you?¡± Lu Zhenjia taunted with his narrow triangular eyes.


    ¡°The situation of other families in our village is clear to everyone, who has spare cash? Besides, everyone knows our family¡¯s situation, even if someone really has the money to lend, they would worry whether our family can pay it back or not,¡± Lu Zhenjia scoffed coldly.


    ¡°Is it your sister-in-law¡¯s family who is willing to lend the money?¡± Lu Zhenjia mocked coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the stance of your sister-in-law¡¯s family? Don¡¯t I need to tell you that? You know it better than I do.¡±


    Previously, because of the dowry, and due to various issues before and after the marriage, there had been serious disputes between Liu Yushu¡¯s family and the Lu Family.


    One could say that neither Liu Yushu¡¯s family nor the Lu Family was easy to deal with.


    Lu Zhenjia scoffed coldly, ¡°Big brother, you keep shouting about selling everything to send your daughter to university, it sounds nice, but where will the money come from? Our family¡¯s pots and iron are not worth much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ge Guifen quickly added, ¡°Big brother, we¡¯ve already discussed with Old Brother Hu and Elder Sister Hu, and the dowry has been decided. When the time comes, the money for her schooling will come from the dowry.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Lu Zhenguo stamped his foot in anger.


    He was tongue-tied and did not want to say anything unpleasant in front of Foolish Hu and his wife.


    He was honest and upright, but he was not stupid.


    Would the Lu Family¡¯s elders give the dowry to Lu Youxi?


    Even if they really gave it to Lu Youxi as tuition money, and even if Lu Youxi went to Jing University and graduated, what use would it be?


    Her life would still be ruined by being tied to Foolish Hu, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Lu Youxi going to school was meant to stand out from others.


    If after completing her studies, she was still bound by the Hu Family, wouldn¡¯t all of Lu Youxi¡¯s efforts be in vain?


    Furthermore, Foolish Hu¡¯s son, how could he be a match for Lu Youxi!


    The Hu Family was just in the neighboring village, and the two villages were close, knowing each other well.


    The Hu couple was notoriously tough, especially when it came to their foolish son, they were extremely protective.


    Would Lu Youxi fare well after marrying into the Hu Family?


    Would she not suffer endless grievances?


    Lu Zhenguo, with reddened eyes, said loudly, ¡°I, Lu Zhenguo, may not be capable, but even if I have to sell my kidneys and blood for money, I will support Youxi¡¯s education! I can¡¯t let her marry a...¡±


    Fool!


    Lu Zhenguo, still maintaining his decency, did not say it out loud.

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Divorce

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Divorce Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Divorce But the Hu Family couple both understood the unspoken meaning in Lu Zhenguo¡¯s words, how could they be happy?


    Their faces immediately darkened.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo!¡± Old Madam Lu slammed her hand on the table and stood up, her hand trembling with anger as she pointed at Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Are you trying to turn against the heavens? Are you trying to kill us with worry over Daya going to school? Or do you no longer recognize us as your parents? To ensure Daya continues her studies, are you going to sacrifice the whole family?¡±


    ¡°You talk about selling blood and kidneys so lightly!¡± snapped Old Madam Lu, ¡°Are you trying to put your life on the line just so she can study? When the time comes, will we, the elderly, have to support you? Or are you expecting us to send off our white-haired selves for our black-haired child? Lu Zhenguo! You can¡¯t be so selfish!¡±


    ¡°Bring Daya here! Let Daya come over!¡± Old Master Lu shouted, his neck veins bulging, ¡°Her father is even ready to sell his blood and kidneys for her education. What is she doing? Does she still insist on studying?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Such an unfilial creature!¡± Old Madam Lu also stood up, leaning over and slapping her thighs as she sobbed, ¡°Dead set on going her own way, her father sells his blood and kidneys and she doesn¡¯t care! She wants to go to university, let her do it without spending her family¡¯s money!¡±


    Standing next to Lu Youxi, Liu Yushu could no longer hold back upon hearing this and rushed into the room, her eyes red, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have money for Youxi to attend university? The whole village knows, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Our family emptied our savings to send Youbang to university, resulting in our own child having no money for school. Now you have the nerve to exchange our Youxi for a dowry!¡± Liu Yushu cried out loud, ¡°Our Youxi, who was admitted to Jing University as a top student! You want to marry her to a fool! You have lost all conscience! Aren¡¯t you still Youxi¡¯s grandparents and aunt and uncle? Have your consciences been eaten by dogs?¡±


    ¡°How can their fool be worthy of our Youxi!¡± Liu Yushu shouted angrily.


    Lu Zhenguo was too embarrassed to say it, so she did!


    In this family, no one ever listened to her.


    To avoid more quarrels, she usually kept silent when scolded by Old Madam Lu.


    If Youxi suffered injustice at home, she could only compensate her secretly, bit by bit.


    But now she could not bear it any longer!


    These jackals, wanting to marry off Lu Youxi to a fool, would ruin Lu Youxi!


    If she endured any longer, what would happen to her daughter?


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother immediately became unhappy, standing up and pointing at Liu Yushu, shouting, ¡°What kind of words are those!¡±


    ¡°Your son is a fool, and you won¡¯t let others say it?¡± Liu Yushu shouted angrily.


    A fool, daring to covet their Youxi!


    ¡°Your daughter flirts outside, unclear and unclean, we¡¯re generous even considering her, and you still look down on us?¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother shouted, ¡°Your daughter has long been filthy beyond recognition!¡±


    ¡°What era is it now? My daughter, no matter how many boyfriends she has, is not someone a fool could be worthy of! Besides, she was admitted to Jing University, will move to the city, and has a future ahead of her.¡± Liu Yushu shouted angrily, ¡°Your family is dreaming, pah!¡±


    In Lu Youxi¡¯s memory, Liu Yushu had always been a person who suffered but never dared to speak up, always cautious and restrained.


    This was the first time Lu Youxi had seen Liu Yushu so outspoken, raising her voice and arguing with someone.


    Liu Yushu ignored Foolish Hu¡¯s mother, no matter what she said, her son was a fool.


    It was an indisputable fact.


    No matter how loudly Foolish Hu¡¯s mother howled here, it was useless!


    Liu Yushu pointed directly at Ge Guifen, ¡°You took our money and it¡¯s not enough, you still want to sell my daughter. Pah! Your whole family, just disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go marry there yourself? Why don¡¯t you let Lu Youzhen go? Since Lu Youzhen is not good at studies and can¡¯t get into university, why don¡¯t you suggest sending her to marry there, using the dowry to fund our Youxi¡¯s studies?¡± Liu Yushu shouted loudly, ¡°Just right since the money we paid for Youbang¡¯s schooling hasn¡¯t been paid back by you, take this opportunity to pay it back!¡±


    ¡°You still have the audacity to ask us, whose money to borrow?¡± Liu Yushu shouted angrily, ¡°We don¡¯t need to borrow from others, just returning our money would suffice!¡±


    ¡°Big brother! Are you going to let this woman spout nonsense at us?¡± Lu Zhenjia couldn¡¯t take it anymore, ¡°Youbang is your nephew; are you really going to be so calculating toward your own nephew?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo opened his mouth; he truly saw Lu Youbang as one of his own.


    The money he paid for his nephew¡¯s tuition and living expenses was never intended to be reclaimed.


    Liu Yushu said these things, and indeed, he was not really in agreement.


    Old Madam Lu glared venomously at Liu Yushu, ¡°Youbang is a boy, the hope of our family, can Lu Youxi compare to him? Even if Lu Youxi becomes successful, she will still not belong to our family in the future!¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo! Are you just going to watch as your wife speaks to us like this?¡± Old Master Lu said discontentedly, ¡°Can you not control your own wife anymore?¡±


    ¡°If you are so dissatisfied with our family, just roll back to your Liu Family!¡± Old Madam Lu pointed fiercely at Liu Yushu.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo!¡± Liu Yushu also burst out, ¡°Youxi is eighteen, they¡¯ve been saying for eighteen years that Youxi is inferior to Youbang, that Youxi is just a girl and won¡¯t belong to our family in the future. But how is Youxi not? Youxi is the child I carried for ten months, my precious child!¡±


    ¡°Youxi is successful, not inferior to Youbang at all, is it just because she¡¯s a girl? So what about that? Ask around the village, which child can outshine Youxi! She never spends extra money from home, never gives us any worries. She does chores at home, never falling behind in her studies. Do you think Jing University is for just anyone?¡±


    ¡°He, Lu Youbang, when he was admitted to Jing University, the whole village set off firecrackers, why doesn¡¯t she deserve it?¡± Liu Yushu cried, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, touch your own heart and tell me, if Youxi becomes successful in the future, will she be unfilial to us?¡±


    ¡°I believe in Youxi, she has been a filial child since she was young!¡± Liu Yushu poked at her own chest, word by word, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t mention these, Lu Youzhen is also a girl, right? Why do the in-laws not despise Youzhen, yet look down on Youxi at every turn? Both are granddaughters, why must Youxi be bullied by them like this?¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo, it¡¯s wrong to bully people like this, it¡¯s just not right!¡± Liu Yushu continued to cry inconsolably, pulling at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s shirt violently, ¡°Why should they bully Youxi like this! You say we are family, I follow you, respectful to my in-laws, never refusing to give money to your brother¡¯s family. But why do they bully our daughter so much, why!¡±


    ¡°If anyone else¡¯s child got admitted to Jing University, they would throw a grand banquet! Our Youxi gets nothing, yet they want to marry her to a fool! Why! Why!¡± Liu Yushu threw off Lu Zhenguo¡¯s shirt, ¡°This cannot end here today! I must seek justice for my daughter! If you can¡¯t get justice for Youxi, then we¡¯re getting a divorce! I¡¯ll take Youxi and Youxue and leave!¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 This family is so shameless

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: This family is so shameless Chapter 36: Chapter 36: This family is so shameless ¡°Anyway, your family doesn¡¯t care about Youxi and Youxue. Having Youbang is enough. For Youbang, you would let Youxue run back and forth four times a day in the extreme heat and cold, and force Youxi to marry a fool even though she got into Jing University,¡± Liu Yushu said, ¡°My Youxi and Youxue are both promising, I¡¯ll take them with me, and I don¡¯t believe we can¡¯t make it on our own!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo looked at Liu Yushu in shock; she had never spoken to him like this before.


    Now she was even demanding a divorce.


    ¡°Divorce! Fine, divorce!¡± Old Madam Lu yelled, ¡°Our Lu Family doesn¡¯t need you, a liability! But don¡¯t even think about taking the children with you! They bear the Lu surname!¡±


    ¡°Now you remember they bear the Lu surname? When it came to selling off Youxi and making Youxue suffer, how come you didn¡¯t consider them part of the Lu Family then?¡± Liu Yushu screamed.


    Youxi¡¯s eyes reddened as she saw Liu Yushu arguing for her fiercely.


    All these years, Liu Yushu never complained about her own grievances.


    But now, she was confronting the entire family for her sake.


    So much so that Youxi froze, unable to move, her mind blank for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really turned your back on us!¡± Old Madam Lu fumed, ¡°Zhenguo, Zhenjia! Are you just going to watch her make a scene?¡±


    Old Madam Lu clutched her chest, pretending to be on her last legs.


    Lu Zhenguo was still reeling from Liu Yushu¡¯s declaration of ¡°divorce.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia had long wanted to tear Liu Yushu¡¯s mouth apart.


    They had given all the money to Youbang; how could this woman still fantasize about taking it back?


    And now she wanted to prevent Youxi from marrying Foolish Hu.


    Without Youxi marrying Foolish Hu, how could they get the betrothal money?


    Without the betrothal money, where would they find the funds for Youbang to take a wife?


    Liu Yushu, this woman, was trying to ruin their plans!


    How could Lu Zhenjia possibly tolerate this!


    Old Madam Lu¡¯s words hit right at the heart of what Lu Zhenjia wanted.


    Lu Zhenjia¡¯s face twisted with ferocity, and he raised his hand to slap Liu Yushu.


    Lu Zhenjia was determined, intent on leaving Liu Yushu with a concussion or half paralyzed from a beating!


    As a daughter-in-law of the Lu Family, if he hit her, what could Lu Zhenguo do about it?


    Just as Lu Zhenjia¡¯s hand was about to strike, someone firmly grasped his wrist and threw it aside harshly.


    Lu Zhenjia staggered back, eventually stopped by a chair, and fell onto it.


    Even with the chair cushioning his fall, the impact on his rear and back was severe enough to cause him significant pain.


    Lu Zhenjia winced in agony, wanting to see who had attacked him with murderous eyes.


    When he looked up, he saw Zhou Shuyan standing in front of him, protecting Liu Yushu.


    Without a doubt, it was the work of Zhou Shuyan.


    Youxi was also in the hall, and just at that moment, the village chief and Aunt Liu hurried in together.


    The village chief, still out of breath, had clearly come as quickly as possible.


    Youxi took out her marriage certificate with Xu Mai from her bag and, holding onto Liu Yushu¡¯s hand, headed to the courtyard to meet up with the village chief.


    Finally snapping out of it, Lu Zhenguo had been lost in Liu Yushu¡¯s earlier cry for ¡°divorce¡± and hadn¡¯t come back to his senses for a long time.


    When Lu Zhenjia tried to hit Liu Yushu, Lu Zhenguo suddenly became alert, but was a moment too late to stop him.


    Luckily, Zhou Shuyan arrived in time.


    Now, Lu Zhenguo glared fiercely at Lu Zhenjia.


    He was willing to suffer many injustices for his family and didn¡¯t mind the debt from Youbang¡¯s education.


    In his view, Lu Zhenjia was his brother, Youbang his nephew; they were all family and should be treated the same.


    However, he would never allow Lu Zhenjia to raise a hand against Liu Yushu!


    At the moment when Lu Zhenjia laid a hand on Liu Yushu, Lu Zhenguo felt a chill in his heart.


    He had treated these people as family, not caring about profit or loss.


    But Lu Zhenjia could think of hitting his wife without the slightest consideration for family feelings.


    Lu Zhenguo followed everyone into the courtyard.


    Old Madam Lu frowned and followed suit.


    When she moved, the rest naturally did too.


    But when they reached the courtyard, they realized the Lu Family¡¯s gate hadn¡¯t been closed.


    It was left open when the village chief and Aunt Liu came in and didn¡¯t have time to shut it.


    However, closing it made no difference, as the noise from the house had long since spread, and the curious villagers outside had heard everything clearly.


    ¡°What a shameless family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, living off Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family¡¯s money, planning to sell their daughter, and beating their daughter-in-law.¡±


    Although the comments were aimed at Lu Zhenjia, whether Lu Zhenjia felt ashamed or not was unknown, but Lu Zhenguo certainly did.


    It was precisely because nobody took him seriously that his wife and daughter had been subjected to such bullying!


    Especially when spoken by others, it seemed even more egregious.


    The members of the Lu Family arrived in the courtyard, and Lu Zhenjia, upon seeing the village chief just entering the courtyard, quickly put away the threatening demeanor from inside the house and approached with a smile, ¡°Uncle Village Chief, what brings you here?¡±


    The village chief also knew that even he, as the village chief, couldn¡¯t interfere with family affairs, so he found an excuse, ¡°Youxi got into Jing University, and I still haven¡¯t congratulated her. I remembered today, so I came to see Youxi.¡±


    The Lu Family members: ¡°...¡±


    Aunt Liu breathed a sigh of relief, their village chief was reliable indeed.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the village chief!¡±


    ¡°With the village chief here, we can rest assured; the Lu Family can¡¯t just do whatever they want.¡± Outside the courtyard, the villagers continued to gossip.


    Although they came for the spectacle and the gossip, besides a few, most were still kind-hearted.


    Beyond the gossip, they couldn¡¯t bear to see a promising young girl like Youxi marry a fool.


    Lu Zhenjia was just about to find a reason to send the village chief away when he began to resent Aunt Liu.


    It wasn¡¯t her daughter being married off, so why was this busybody interfering!


    But before Lu Zhenjia could speak, he saw Youxi suddenly take out a small red book from her bag and raise it high.


    In the sunlight, the characters on it were not very clear.


    Everyone instinctively squinted to see.


    Yushu, standing closest, thought she saw ¡°Marriage Certificate¡± printed on the booklet.


    But she suspected she was mistaken due, to crying earlier.


    Immediately after, they heard Youxi say, ¡°Right here, I ask Uncle Village Chief and all the uncles and aunts to witness for me, I¡¯ve already registered my marriage with Xu Mai!¡±


    Even knowing Zhou Shuyan¡¯s real name, Youxi didn¡¯t mention it.


    Zhou Shuyan had pretended to have amnesia, not revealing his identity, obviously for a reason.


    Since Zhou Shuyan was willing to help her register their marriage, as Zhou Shuyan¡¯s teammate, Youxi certainly wasn¡¯t going to do anything to hold him back.


    She aimed to prove to Zhou Shuyan through every small detail that she was a careful and reliable teammate.


    Therefore, Youxi had no intention of showing anyone her marriage certificate with Zhou Shuyan.


    For some reason, Zhou Shuyan seemed to understand Youxi¡¯s intention. Hearing her words, Zhou Shuyan stood beside her, the corners of his mouth showing a faint smile.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 What is this tactic

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37: What is this tactic? Chapter 37: Chapter 37: What is this tactic? But at the scene, apart from Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi, it seemed that nobody else could remain calm.


    Once Lu Youxi spoke, the entire place fell silent.


    Including those villagers who stood in layers inside and out, watching the excitement, all quieted down, they all involuntarily opened their mouths wide, as if they could swallow an egg whole.


    Liu Yushu was at a loss for words as she looked back and forth between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    Although Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan were no longer holding hands, Liu Yushu¡¯s gaze still involuntarily fell on their hands.


    She didn¡¯t even know what she wanted to see, she just instinctively looked over.


    It was only when she saw their bare fingers that Liu Yushu realized, she was looking for rings.


    Neither of them wore wedding rings on their hands.


    She and Lu Zhenguo did have wedding rings, two silver ones.


    Normally, for convenience while working, and because silver rings easily oxidize and discolor, Liu Yushu didn¡¯t wear hers usually, she kept it locked up in a drawer.


    Liu Yushu even thought about, in order to gather university tuition for Lu Youxi later on, selling that silver ring.


    No matter how much it would sell for, whatever she could gather would be something.


    But now, Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t even have wedding rings.


    The Lu Family, stingy as they were, had at least provided silver rings.


    Lu Youxi married Zhou Shuyan without a word, not even wearing a symbolic ring.


    Even one bought from a jewelry stall would do!


    ¡°What did you say!¡± In the quiet yard, a shocked shout suddenly erupted.


    It was from Lu Zhenguo.


    He looked at Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan in disbelief.


    His most promising and sensible daughter had secretly married this man from the village with a dubious background, who couldn¡¯t even remember his own name!


    Lu Youxi glanced at Zhou Shuyan, who pretended it was real, and said, ¡°I like him, and he likes me, so we got our certificate. It¡¯s perfect since I need to report to Jing University soon, Xu Mai will go with me, which is convenient for working in the city.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan seriously nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll work, then I can earn money for Youxi¡¯s university. The Lu Family won¡¯t need to spend a dime.¡±


    The Lu Family: ¡°...¡±


    You don¡¯t even have an ID card, and you want to find work in the Imperial Capital?


    What are you thinking?


    ¡°Youxi, but his background is unclear!¡± Liu Yushu hurriedly said.


    ¡°He can now remember some things,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry, he isn¡¯t a person of unclear background. The police have also helped him find his identity, even got his ID card made. How else could we have gotten our certificate?¡±


    Only then did Liu Yushu come to her senses.


    Yes, how else could they have gotten their certificate!


    ¡°Then he...¡± Liu Yushu wanted to ask about Zhou Shuyan¡¯s specific situation, where he lived, what his family was like?


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be worse than their own.


    Lu Youxi interrupted Liu Yushu first, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll tell you about Xu Mai¡¯s background later. But you relax, Xu Mai isn¡¯t a person of murky origins, marrying him isn¡¯t a loss for me. I know who he is, where he¡¯s from, what his family does, what job he previously had, I¡¯ve confirmed all this clearly before getting the certificate with him. He has a legitimate job in the Imperial Capital, going back there means just returning to his old job, earning money for my tuition.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow; Lu Youxi had crafted quite a believable story.


    He wondered whether she had thought this through in advance or had just come up with it on the spot.


    But Zhou Shuyan had already planned it, given the Lu Family¡¯s situation, it was impossible for them to afford Lu Youxi¡¯s university fees, so he had already planned to take responsibility for Lu Youxi¡¯s university expenses.


    Getting a certificate with Lu Youxi was a way of repayment, but Lu Youxi had saved his life, Zhou Shuyan believed that any help within his ability was justified.


    Lu Zhenguo opened his mouth and wanted to ask more, but Lu Youxi didn¡¯t give him the chance, looking mockingly towards Lu Zhenjia and Lu Family¡¯s elders, ¡°Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, I¡¯m truly sorry, I¡¯m already married, but there¡¯s no way I could marry Foolish Hu.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be forced to divorce just so that I can marry Foolish Hu, can I?¡± Lu Youxi scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you can¡¯t force someone to divorce!¡±


    ¡°Forcing Lu Youxi to divorce and marry Foolish Hu would be blatantly trying to use Lu Youxi to make money. These people¡¯s consciences have really been eaten by dogs.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling Foolish Hu!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother didn¡¯t like it when others called her son a fool; her son was just a bit intellectually challenged, not that foolish. Hearing Lu Youxi and the villagers watching the spectacle call him ¡°Foolish Hu,¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother immediately frowned and started shouting towards the outside.


    ¡°Your son is a fool, and I can¡¯t even speak the truth!¡± someone in the crowd, unable to watch any longer, spoke up loudly.


    ¡°No one discriminates against a fool, but you insist on bringing disaster upon this fine young lady, that¡¯s shameless!¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed, and still coveting someone destined for Jing University!¡±


    Aunt Liu followed, ¡°If this young lady genuinely liked your son, we wouldn¡¯t have said anything, and sincerely wished you well! But you concealed your intentions from the young lady when you came to propose, planning to drag her into marriage when she plainly doesn¡¯t fancy your son, who¡¯s about to head off to the Imperial Capital for university. That¡¯s too much!¡±


    ¡°How was I to know she wasn¡¯t aware!¡± Although Foolish Hu¡¯s mother had long colluded with the husband and wife of the Lu Zhenjia, she couldn¡¯t admit it at this time, ¡°When the Lu Family discussed it with me, of course, I assumed that Lu Youxi was informed and willing.¡±


    Of course, no one believed what Foolish Hu¡¯s mother said.


    Immediately someone outside shouted, ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Which girl accepted into Jing University would fancy your fool? Keep dreaming that he¡¯s some treasure!¡±


    ¡°Who says!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother fumed.


    Just as she was about to go out to settle the score with the person who had just spoken, she heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°Aunt Hu, I originally had a not-so-good reputation in Hexing Village. The rumors about me and Xu Mai were rampant in the village, everyone said I and Xu Mai were having an affair, even Sister Xiao Fen of Zhou Family saw me and Xu Mai entering a house and shutting the door tightly. Did you know about this?¡±


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was suddenly at a loss.


    She was uncertain about why Lu Youxi was suddenly bringing this up.


    Which young woman would voluntarily speak about baseless rumors concerning herself?


    Lu Youxi, after all, was about to attend university at Jing University, wouldn¡¯t she fear such talk spreading, making it sound unpleasant at school?


    It was really strange, coming from Lu Youxi, yet she was the one bringing it up voluntarily.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t sure what Lu Youxi was scheming, she quickly and repeatedly pondered in her mind, ultimately deciding she should pretend to be unaware.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 Throwing Steamed Buns at a Dog

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Throwing Steamed Buns at a Dog Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Throwing Steamed Buns at a Dog At least this way she could seem a bit more innocent and avoid being branded as someone who tarnished Lu Youxi¡¯s reputation.


    So, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother shook her head, with an evasive gaze and an uncertain tone, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Lu Youxi had no extra expression, simply nodded and said, ¡°Then my uncle and aunt definitely didn¡¯t tell you that I¡¯m in love with Xu Mai, and we have reached the point of discussing marriage, right?¡±


    Having just denied it, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother could only keep denying, ¡°Never said that!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know!¡± Lu Zhenjia saw that something seemed off and immediately countered loudly.


    Lu Youxi, smiling, said, ¡°Uncle, how could you not know? You know every penny in our family¡¯s possession, so how could you not know about me and Xu Mai? Besides, my involvement with Xu Mai is known throughout the entire village. To say you¡¯re unaware, doesn¡¯t that sound a bit false?¡±


    ¡°Just now, I even heard some uncles speculating whether I¡¯m already carrying Xu Mai¡¯s child,¡± Lu Youxi turned her head and called out to those outside, raising her voice, ¡°Uncle Zhao, Aunt Hu, I heard what you were saying just now, right?¡±


    Uncle Zhao: ¡°...¡±


    Aunt Hu: ¡°...¡±


    What kind of ears did Lu Youxi have, to be able to hear from such a distance who was speaking.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu glared angrily at the crowd.


    These people were actually gossiping about Lu Youxi like this!


    Uncle Zhao and Aunt Hu said nothing, but there were busybodies nearby who spoke up one after another, ¡°That¡¯s right, it was them who said it, we all heard it!¡±


    ¡°Go! Get out of here! Stop making a scene!¡± Aunt Hu frantically tried to stop them.


    In the end, she could only thicken her skin and force out an embarrassed smile, slapping her own mouth lightly, ¡°Look at my big mouth!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you see, the whole village knows, and you claim you¡¯re unaware, you might be able to fool Foolish Hu, but can you fool Uncle and Aunt Hu?¡± Lu Youxi said, raising an eyebrow.


    The Hu couple: ¡°...¡±


    Why did they feel like Lu Youxi was indirectly scolding them?


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was even feeling exhausted!


    She had made her stance so clear just moments ago, disliking when people called her son a fool.


    Yet Lu Youxi kept referring to Foolish Hu, every mention like a stab to her heart.


    No matter how she rebuked, it wasn¡¯t heeded.


    Perhaps Lu Youxi had landed too many blows; Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was now somewhat numb and unable to retort.


    Ge Guifen caught on and jumped up, saying, ¡°The business with you and Xu Mai, even your parents didn¡¯t know! They were just as shocked as everyone else when they heard you got your certificate today. Everyone saw it!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lu Zhenjia also came to his senses, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just have to explain to your parents about you and Xu Mai getting the certificate?¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled faintly, unhurriedly said, ¡°My parents only didn¡¯t know that Xu Mai and I went to get the certificate today, not that the two of us are together. Since the village has been spreading rumors about me and Xu Mai, how could my parents not ask me about it? And if they asked me, how could they not know?¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone thought Lu Youxi¡¯s words made perfect sense.


    ¡°However, uncle and aunt, knowing full well that I was with Xu Mai, you still tried to marry me off to Foolish Hu. You not only deceived me but also the entire Hu Family,¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s gaze filled with sarcasm as she looked at Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen.


    After saying this, Lu Youxi turned her attention to Foolish Hu¡¯s parents, ¡°Uncle and Aunt Hu, despite knowing my situation, my uncle and aunt insisted on recommending me to your son and even hid the truth from you. I reckon they just wanted to swindle your bride price. Luckily, today I happened to come back just after getting the certificate with Xu Mai, and you hadn¡¯t had the chance to give the bride price yet. If Xu Mai and I had already obtained the certificate and they still didn¡¯t tell you, but went ahead and took your bride price...¡±


    Lu Youxi paused, waiting for the reaction of the Hu couple.


    Sure enough, the Hu couple was taken aback, their heads almost exploding at the possibility.


    ¡°When the time comes, your bride price would be like a meat bun thrown at a dog, never to return,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°You surely know what kind of people my uncle and aunt are, and even if you don¡¯t, just ask our village uncles and aunts, they¡¯ll tell you. They¡¯d keep their own money without spending it, always asking for money from my family to send their son to school, and they never repay us. They never return the money they borrow from others.¡± Lu Youxi sneered, ¡°Once you¡¯ve handed over the bride price, hoping to get it back? I think you¡¯re dreaming.¡±


    Actually, Lu Youxi was quite eager to see Foolish Hu¡¯s mother tear into Lu Zhenjia and his family.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was well-known in the village to be a shrew, not someone anyone would want to provoke lightly.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s parents exchanged glances, suspicion flashing clearly in their eyes.


    As Foolish Hu¡¯s mother¡¯s doubtful gaze turned towards Ge Guifen, Lu Youxi said with a smile, ¡°Aunt Hu, I imagine you were seeking my aunt¡¯s help to find a daughter-in-law for your son, right?¡±


    Naturally, Lu Youxi was not privy to this matter, but the task of finding a bride for Foolish Hu was almost certainly Foolish Hu¡¯s mother¡¯s responsibility.


    There was no way Foolish Hu¡¯s mother would have asked Lu Zhenjia.


    Even though such things are not a concern in big cities, conservative norms still held sway in their village, where gossip spread quickly.


    It was definitely Ge Guifen whom Foolish Hu¡¯s mother had sought out.


    ¡°Aunt Hu, if you could seek my aunt¡¯s assistance, your relationship must be good,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°But despite being so close, my aunt had the nerve to deceive you like this. Heh! If it were me, I definitely couldn¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    ¡°But how could Foolish Hu¡¯s mother be close with Ge Guifen!¡± someone outside chipped in.


    ¡°Yeah, everyone in our village knows Ge Guifen has a bad character, selfish and greedy. How could she help anyone? She¡¯d sell them out first chance she got!¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen, neither of them are good people.¡±


    ¡°It was rumored that Foolish Hu¡¯s mother is quite formidable. I didn¡¯t expect her to be duped by Ge Guifen too.¡±


    With her face contorted in anger, Ge Guifen pointed at Lu Youxi and said furiously, ¡°Lu Youxi, stop spouting nonsense!¡±


    She knew Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was not someone to be messed with; upsetting her would mean suffering in the future.


    She might not know how severe the consequences would be, but they were sure to be profoundly unpleasant.


    Ge Guifen hastily said to Foolish Hu¡¯s mother, ¡°Big sister, please don¡¯t get carried away by this damned girl¡¯s nonsense. I honestly didn¡¯t know! It was because I thought this niece of mine was capable, pretty, and had been admitted to Jing University, that¡¯s why I recommended her to your son.¡±


    ¡°Shameless!¡± someone outside said again, ¡°With such capabilities, she could have found anyone, and yet you arrange for her to marry a fool?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really rich of her to say!¡±


    ¡°No matter whether Lu Zhenjia and his wife knew about it or not, they can¡¯t be exonerated.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If they were unaware, then marrying off their perfectly good niece to a fool means they¡¯re worthless. If they did know, then they¡¯re basically aware of the relationship between Lu Youxi and Xu Mai and still tried to deceive the Hu family out of their money, which still makes them worthless.¡±

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 I Thought You Were My Friend But You

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39: I Thought You Were My Friend, But You Betrayed Me Chapter 39: Chapter 39: I Thought You Were My Friend, But You Betrayed Me ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all good for nothing!¡± someone chimed in right after, causing everyone in the courtyard to burst into laughter.


    Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen, with their thick skins, naturally didn¡¯t blush at all. In a fit of rage, Zhenjia hustled to disperse the crowd outside the courtyard, ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with you all! This is our family¡¯s private matter, why meddle in it! Get lost! All of you, get lost!¡±


    ¡°Ge Guifen, I thought of you as a friend, and you betray me!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother rolled up her sleeves, ready to have a go at Guifen.


    On one hand, she genuinely felt that Guifen had deliberately deceived her, and on the other, she was trying to clear her own name.


    Regardless of whether anyone believed it, right now she just wanted to appear as if she was the innocent one, completely deceived by Guifen.


    Thanks to Lu Youxi who had just given her a good excuse, allowing her a way out!


    ¡°Aunt Hu, please resolve your issues with my uncle and auntie some other time,¡± said Youxi, interrupting Foolish Hu¡¯s mother. But it was just a verbal intervention; she didn¡¯t step forward to separate them.


    ¡°The village chief is still here, let¡¯s sort out today¡¯s issue first,¡± said Youxi.


    The village chief nodded, but it was a pity that Youxi, a courageous, clever, and talented young woman, had married Zhou Shuyan. It really was a shame.


    Aside from being good-looking, Shuyan really wasn¡¯t a match for Youxi!


    But the village chief felt Youxi probably didn¡¯t have much choice.


    If she didn¡¯t hurry up and marry Shuyan, she would be sold off by the Lu family, these pack of jackals.


    Even in these times, how could there still be people like Old Master Lu, Old Madam Lu, and the Zhenjia couple!


    The village chief was visibly upset and said, ¡°Youxi and Xu Mai have registered their marriage, and obviously cannot marry anyone else. Today, I¡¯ll bear witness here, and later on, you shouldn¡¯t target Youxi again!¡±


    ¡°They got married without us knowing and without the family elders¡¯ approval. We do not agree to this marriage; it doesn¡¯t count!¡± Lu Zhenjia shouted at the top of his voice, furiously waving his arms.


    Everything had been planned well and they had specifically kept it from the Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family, only to be thwarted again by Youxi.


    ¡°They¡¯re already registered,¡± regardless of what was between Youxi and Shuyan, at least now, the village chief supported them¡ªwhich was surely better than the Lu family scheming.


    The village chief then asked Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, ¡°You two are Youxi¡¯s parents, what do you say? Do you agree to their marriage?¡±


    Zhenguo looked at Old Master Lu, Old Madam Lu, and the Zhenjia couple, and saw their still unrepentant attitudes.


    If he said he disagreed, they would just force Youxi to marry Foolish Hu.


    Fearing that Zhenguo might be confused, Yushu quickly said, ¡°I agree, we agree!¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Old Master Lu roared, ¡°Men are speaking, why does a woman intervene!¡±


    Seeing this, the village chief thought that if Old Master Lu could act like this in public, he must be even more dismissive of women at home.


    Without further delay, the village chief said, ¡°Uncle Lu, what era are we in that you still hold onto this male supremacy thing? To use a cliche?, where would you be without a woman? Do you look down on your mother too? Without Youxi¡¯s mom managing the household, could you dress so neatly and eat so well? If you look down on women, why would you use Youxi as a bargaining chip for money?¡±


    ¡°Who is using her to make money!¡± Old Master Lu bellowed, ¡°I was just... just finding her a good family to marry into.¡±


    ¡°Pah! Good family, Foolish Hu¡¯s family?¡± Aunt Liu couldn¡¯t help but spit.


    ¡°It¡¯s our family¡¯s business, what does it have to do with you!¡± Old Madam Lu snapped harshly.


    Ignoring them, the village chief looked toward Zhenguo, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, your wife agrees, what about you?¡±


    Fearing Zhenguo might slip up again, the village chief added, ¡°Anyway, I would say, their marriage isn¡¯t wrong. The two of them are close in age and have feelings for each other. Free love marriage is nothing bad. Plus, Youxi just mentioned that Xu Mai is gradually regaining some memory and knows his identity. When the two children go to the Imperial Capital, they can support each other. Xu Mai is even willing to earn money to fund Youxi¡¯s college education.¡±


    ¡°That man Xu Mai is reliable!¡±


    ¡°Yes, achieving that much is quite commendable.¡±


    The villagers outside chimed in again.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo, what do you say, do you agree?¡± Liu Yushu tugged at Zhenguo.


    Looking over, Zhenguo suddenly remembered Yushu mentioning divorce.


    Zhenguo shuddered, feeling that if he disagreed, Yushu might really be determined to divorce him.


    His marriage with Yushu had also been arranged by their families, and they hadn¡¯t interacted much before the marriage.


    But having inquired ahead, the families knew that Yushu was honest, hardworking, and good at household chores.


    Indeed, after they married, Yushu proved hardworking and orderly, managing the house well and respecting her in-laws.


    Even though Old Master Lu and Old Madam Lu were not kind to her, Yushu never complained and kept diligently taking care of the house and bearing children.


    In fact, it might be said that Yushu had a somewhat weak nature.


    Today was the first time he saw Yushu this angry.


    A person usually soft and yielding suddenly bursting out, Zhenguo subconsciously couldn¡¯t help but believe her.


    He nodded, saying, ¡°I agree.¡±


    Yushu breathed a sigh of relief, and the village chief stated, ¡°Since Youxi¡¯s parents both agree, there¡¯s nothing anyone else can say.¡±


    ¡°Hu Family, you are not from our village, so I can¡¯t manage you, but you should head back now. As for the matter with the Zhenjia couple, you can resolve it yourselves later,¡± the village chief declared, clearly not intending to meddle in their future private grudges.


    After this ordeal, it was indeed impossible for Youxi to marry into the Hu family.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s parents held back their anger, blaming the Zhenjia couple for everything.


    The pair indignantly stepped out of the Lu family¡¯s gate.


    Outside the Lu house, curious villagers had tightly packed the area, three layers inside and three around. Seeing this crowd, Foolish Hu¡¯s parents became even more infuriated.


    ¡°Make way!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother, noticeably enraged, waved her arms, parting people away. Just as she walked halfway, she suddenly burst out with an exasperated ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother quickly stopped Foolish Hu¡¯s father in front, ¡°Wait! His dad, our gifts are still at the Lu¡¯s!¡±


    They had come to discuss marriage today, and despite discussing the dowry, it was their first visit, so they had brought some gifts.


    On this, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother was rather particular, though the gifts weren¡¯t much¡ªjust five kilograms of rice and a box of milk.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Wanting something back after it has

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Wanting something back after it has entered her hands? Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Wanting something back after it has entered her hands? But now that the marriage arrangement had fallen through, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother didn¡¯t want the Lu Family to benefit in any way.


    Even a single grain of rice, a drop of milk, she wanted nothing left for the Lu Family.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s father stopped and turned around just to hear Foolish Hu¡¯s mother say, ¡°Our marriage agreement wasn¡¯t finalized, we can¡¯t let them benefit!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s father agreed, finding the reasoning sound, and immediately pushed Foolish Hu¡¯s mother to head back, ¡°Let¡¯s go, take back our stuff!¡±


    So, the two of them squeezed through the crowd again, ¡°Move! Everyone move!¡±


    ¡°Scram!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s father grew furious from the crowd¡¯s pressure, ¡°What are you staring at!¡±


    Is other people¡¯s business that interesting to watch?


    The two once again emerged disheveled from the crowded throng, their hair messy and clothes wrinkled.


    They re-entered the main gate of the Lu Family¡¯s residence.


    The Lu Family members saw them return and thought they had changed their minds. But then they heard Foolish Hu¡¯s mother say, ¡°We¡¯ve come to take back what we brought!¡±


    Old Madam Lu heard this and turned her eyeballs feigning ignorance, ¡°What stuff?¡±


    What a joke!


    Old Madam Lu was always about taking, and never about giving.


    Getting something back from her possession?


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother scoffed coldly, thinking to herself: What a despicable old lady, every one of the Lu Family is just the same!


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother didn¡¯t bother arguing with Old Madam Lu and directly addressed the still-present village chief, ¡°Village chief, we brought a box of rice and a box of milk thinking that our families were about to become relatives. But now that¡¯s not the case, we need to take back what we brought. We won¡¯t have any dealings with the Lu Family anymore, nor do we have any reason to leave those things for them for free!¡±


    Foolish Hu¡¯s father hadn¡¯t expected Old Madam Lu to be so shameless and became enraged, jumping up and down, ¡°A box of rice and a box of milk, and you even think of hoarding these! Lucky we didn¡¯t form ties with your family; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t know how much more your family would take from us!¡±


    ¡°You also said it¡¯s just a box of rice, a box of milk! Which family visits without gifts? Where are the manners now? Your family came to ours, drank our tea, ate our food; does that not cost money?¡± Old Madam Lu counted on her fingers, deciding to minutely calculate everything with the Hu couple, ¡°If you want to calculate like that, you can pay us for these costs!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo heard it and felt utterly humiliated!


    He kept silent, clenched his fists, entered the house, and stood in the center quickly searching around. Eventually, in a corner, he saw a box of rice and a box of milk, still nicely packed, evidently brought by the Hu Family.


    Lu Zhenguo strode forward, grabbing a box of rice in one hand and a box of milk in the other, then hurried back to the courtyard and threw both at the feet of the Hu couple, ¡°Here¡¯s your stuff, take it!¡±


    Thinking about how they had brought these two boxes wanting to marry Lu Youxi, Lu Zhenguo was seething.


    He hadn¡¯t known they had brought gifts, and had he known, he wouldn¡¯t have waited for them to come back for them; he would have thrown it back at them from the start.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Foolish Hu¡¯s mother coldly snorted, with a dark expression, she picked up the box of milk near her feet.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s father picked up the other box of rice, and the two left with their items.


    Outside, the shouts and curses of Foolish Hu¡¯s parents resounded again.


    Until the sound grew fainter, it was clear the two had left.


    The village chief was about to leave, but suddenly he heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°Uncle Village Chief, I¡¯m afraid I have to trouble you to stay a bit longer.¡±


    As the crowd, originally there for the spectacle, was dispersing, they halted their steps upon hearing Lu Youxi¡¯s words and crowded back around outside the courtyard.


    As long as Lu Youxi spoke, there was bound to be some excitement!


    The village chief stayed, curious about Lu Youxi¡¯s intentions.


    Lu Youxi looked around the courtyard, but didn¡¯t see Lu Youxue.


    However, Lu Youzhen somehow appeared from somewhere and was now standing next to Ge Guifen.


    Lu Youxi then asked Liu Yushu, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Youxue?¡±


    Liu Yushu had been working in the fields with Lu Zhenjia and rushed back only after hearing that the Lu Family¡¯s elders intended to have Lu Youxi marry into Foolish Hu¡¯s family, unaware of Lu Youxue¡¯s whereabouts.


    Lu Zhenguo felt the same and turned to ask Lu Family¡¯s elders, ¡°Dad, mom, where¡¯s Youxue?¡±


    Old Madam Lu of course knew where Lu Youxue was, but how could she say so at this moment?


    Letting people see that to push forward Lu Youxi¡¯s marriage to Foolish Hu, they had locked up Lu Youxue, would likely place her under the condemnation of the entire village.


    Old Madam Lu could only strain her voice to say, ¡°He seems to have gone out to play, not at home now.¡±


    Lu Youxue, in the room, heard Old Madam Lu¡¯s words outside and tears streamed down in desperation.


    But his mouth was gagged, having struggled too much earlier, he had no strength left now and could only be tied to the chair squirming anxiously.


    This time, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t suspect otherwise, not just Lu Youxi, but also Lu Zhenguo, Liu Yushu, including the village chief, no one doubted Old Madam Lu¡¯s words.


    After all, everyone in Hexing Village knew Old Madam Lu favored sons over daughters.


    She would mistreat Lu Youxi, but would never mistreat Lu Youxue.


    So Lu Youxi didn¡¯t pursue further about Lu Youxue, instead, he turned to Lu Zhenguo saying, ¡°Dad, as you saw, grandpa and grandma agreed to sell me to Foolish Hu¡¯s family for just a few words.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo moved his mouth, ashamed, and lowered his head.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you want to say, ¡®this time it wasn¡¯t sold successfully?''¡± Lu Youxi sarcastically tugged at his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s not...¡± Lu Zhenguo¡¯s tone sounded a bit too hesitant.


    Lu Youxi knew, there was at least a small part in Lu Youxue¡¯s heart that indeed thought so.


    ¡°I was even admitted to Jing University, and they could sell me without blinking an eye. If it didn¡¯t happen this time, wouldn¡¯t there be a next time? Are you counting on grandpa and grandma to keep their words, to act honorably? Or for aunt and uncle not to plot against us again? Initially, grandpa and grandma also agreed to let me attend Jing University, even without asking them to pay the fees, they had agreed just days ago but turned around sold me.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo remained silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to Jing University, but I¡¯m truly uneasy about leaving mom behind in Imperial Capital,¡± Lu Youxi declared.


    Liu Yushu looked at Lu Youxi in surprise.


    ¡°With Youxue and me here, grandma, grandpa, aunt, and uncle can bully my mom. If I¡¯m not here, and Youxue goes to school, there¡¯ll be no one at home to speak for my mom. I¡¯m really afraid they might wear her down to death,¡± Lu Youxi spoke coldly.


    ¡°You impudent girl, spouting nonsense! Stop defaming us in front of the village chief!¡± Lu Zhenjia jumped angrily.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to argue this with you.¡± Lu Youxi was too lazy to talk more, ¡°Who in the village doesn¡¯t know your true nature, why do I need to defame you in front of the village chief? Besides, what I¡¯m saying is the truth, how can that be defamation?¡±


    ¡°Dad, mom has suffered enough with you for a lifetime,¡± Lu Youxi took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m going to university, and I¡¯m definitely bringing mom and Youxue with me. Letting Youxue go to the city to study provides higher quality education and would make him more insightful. Either you come with us, or as mom mentioned, you divorce her, and I¡¯ll take mom and Youxue with me.

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Isnt This What You Should Do

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Isn¡¯t This What You Should Do? Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Isn¡¯t This What You Should Do? ¡°Lu Youxi, you¡¯ve really grown some tough wings, even inciting your parents to divorce!¡± Old Madam Lu stamped her foot in exasperation.


    Lu Youxi was actually surprised, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just supporting my parents¡¯ divorce when you were inside the house?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should be the one to suggest it!¡± Old Madam Lu declared, without allowing for any argument, whatever Lu Youxi said was wrong!


    Lu Youxi ignored her, and turned her head to ask Liu Yushu, ¡°Mom, what do you think? Was bringing up the divorce just a spur-of-the-moment outburst, or can you really make up your mind about it?¡±


    Liu Yushu was sobbing with her head lowered, silent the whole time.


    Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t in a hurry. She had anticipated Liu Yushu¡¯s reaction long ago.


    After all, she had been a passive person for most of her life.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t formed overnight, nor could she change it so quickly.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s character was related to her original family background.


    The Liu Family was also from a nearby village. During Liu Yushu¡¯s youth, families favoring sons over daughters were not uncommon, definitely not as good as it is now.


    And even now, the Lu Family still favored sons over daughters, which could be considered quite odd.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s family favored sons over daughters, treating Liu Yushu badly, similar to the current mindset of the Lu Family¡¯s elders who believed that a daughter would eventually marry and become part of another family.


    Before she married, they only allowed Liu Yushu to attend school up to high school and then no longer allowed her to continue, believing that there was no necessity for further education.


    All she needed was to learn all the household duties and do them well. As long as she could manage the household work in her in-laws¡¯ home in the future and not cause them to criticize her parental home.


    Even during New Year, from the eve to the second day, Liu Yushu was not allowed to visit her parental home.


    Growing up in such an environment, marrying into a peculiar family like the Lu¡¯s, and continuing to accept a similar set of beliefs, even more intensified, her passive character had gradually deepened.


    Lu Youxi never intended to completely change Liu Yushu¡¯s character; she just wanted to bring Liu Yushu away from this home, to make Liu Yushu¡¯s life a bit more relaxed in the future.


    With a lighter life, less psychological pressure, there would still be some change in character, albeit slight.


    But even if Liu Yushu changed her mind now, and didn¡¯t want a divorce, Lu Youxi could have predicted it.


    At that moment, the villagers gathered outside the courtyard began to discuss among themselves in hushed tones.


    ¡°The Lu Family¡¯s daughter really is formidable, even instigating her parents to divorce.¡±


    ¡°The Lu Family¡¯s elders are no good, but their daughter is no pushover either!¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Ha! If it wasn¡¯t for Lu Youxi¡¯s strong character and her ability to make her own decisions, she would have long been worn down by the Lu Family¡¯s elders and turned into another Liu Yushu.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, how can she cope living with the Lu Family if she isn¡¯t formidable?¡±


    At this moment, Liu Yushu slowly looked up, ¡°I meant what I said.¡±


    Lu Youxi looked at Liu Yushu in amazement; she truly hadn¡¯t expected Liu Yushu to have such courage this time.


    It made Lu Youxi think that perhaps she had been too narrow-minded herself.


    Having been reborn, she had decided to see Liu Yushu in a new light, to understand her, but deep down, she still somewhat underestimated Liu Yushu.


    Yet it was Liu Yushu who had shown resilience worth admiring.


    ¡°Yushu!¡± Lu Zhenguo cried out in shock.


    He, too, had thought that Liu Yushu¡¯s words were just spoken in the heat of the moment.


    She had been in this family for most of her life, how could she leave easily?


    But he had never expected Liu Yushu to truly have made up her mind.


    In front of Lu Youxi, the village chief, and numerous villagers outside the courtyard, she spoke those words.


    ¡°Ah! The two old folks from the Lu Family must treat her so badly normally for the daughter to be unwilling to leave her mother alone.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea.¡± Aunt Lin, who had been present in the crowd, spoke out, ¡°I live right next door to them, and every day I can hear the old couple from Lu¡¯s cursing Youxi¡¯s mother so nastily. They treat Youxi and her just like beating chickens and scolding dogs; even I, as an outsider, can¡¯t bear to listen. I always complain to my husband, wondering how Youxi¡¯s mother endures it. If my in-laws dared to treat me that way, I would have divorced and left long ago. All the inside and outside chores are done by me, everyone is attended to by me. Getting up before dawn to wash clothes and cook, serve tea and pour water, and then to be cursed like that? Ungrateful wretches! I say, Youxi¡¯s mother should have divorced long ago. Such a household, it¡¯s like a den of wolves!¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to divorce me?¡± Lu Zhenguo couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, and he looked at Liu Yushu with equal disbelief.


    ¡°Zhenguo.¡± Liu Yushu turned towards Lu Zhenguo, ¡°I ask you, have I ever done anything wrong to your family since I married into it?¡±


    ¡°Ever since marrying over, I¡¯ve been dutiful to your parents, keeping the household chores tidy, and still helping you with farm work after I¡¯m done with the housework.¡± Liu Yushu seemed calmer as she spoke.


    But the calmer she appeared, the more anxious Lu Zhenguo became.


    ¡°Wretch! Isn¡¯t that what you should be doing?¡± Old Madam Lu pointed at Liu Yushu and cursed.


    Liu Yushu retorted sarcastically, ¡°See, that¡¯s how my mother-in-law usually curses at me, even worse than that. Lu Zhenguo, ask yourself, should she curse at me like that? Do I deserve it?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo remained silent.


    Liu Yushu continued, ¡°Even when she cursed me like this, did I ever say one bad word about her to you?¡±


    ¡°In this household, Youxi and I are the lowest. Just because she¡¯s a girl, she doesn¡¯t even deserve to eat an egg!¡± Liu Yushu, as if throwing caution to the wind, turned to face the crowd outside, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of being laughed at, but I also want you all to know what era we are living in now. Who can¡¯t afford an egg nowadays? Even if there is no money, the eggs laid by our own chickens should be enough for the children. But in my household, even if we can afford it, they won¡¯t give Youxi an egg! Because my in-laws say, Youxi is a girl, giving her an egg is a waste!¡±


    ¡°The meat in the house never goes to Youxi and me either. Even getting some meat soup to mix with rice is considered to be treating us well.¡± Liu Yushu, eyes red with crying, said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault as a mother, being useless in this family, not being able to protect my own daughter. From the time she was born until now, she hasn¡¯t even eaten a single egg!¡±


    Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t expected Liu Yushu to be so shrewd.


    She always privately saved eggs for her to eat.


    But in public, the Lu Family indeed did not allow her to eat them.


    Liu Yushu didn¡¯t mention these things; she only said the Lu Family didn¡¯t allow her to eat.


    ¡°This is too much,¡± the crowd said.


    ¡°Yes, now eggs aren¡¯t some precious thing that is unaffordable, how can they not even give a child an egg?¡±


    ¡°Just giving the child meat broth is too excessive,¡± someone said. ¡°Our village may not be wealthy, but we aren¡¯t so poor that we can¡¯t give our children eggs.¡±


    ¡°Those two old things from the Lu Family are just biased, thinking it¡¯s wasteful to feed eggs to the children!¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 If I tell a lie may lightning strike me

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42: If I tell a lie, may lightning strike me down Chapter 42: Chapter 42: If I tell a lie, may lightning strike me down ¡°I wish I had never given birth if I knew it would only bring suffering to my child, what nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness Lu Youxi is promising!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s hands trembled with anger, ¡°What do you know! Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Which of my words is nonsense? If there is a single untruthful word, let lightning strike me down, let me die a horrible death!¡± Liu Yushu swore to the heavens.


    Everyone was taken aback, as the usually timid Liu Yushu showed such grit.


    It was evident that even the meekest of people can be pushed to their limits and become capable of anything!


    ¡°And the couple, Lu ZhenjiaLiu Yushu continued, pointing to Lu Zhenjia and his spouse, ¡°It was great news that Lu Youbang got into Jing University, and our whole family was happy for them. When Lu Zhenjia came to us saying they were short on money, we didn¡¯t hesitate to give them all we had, just so the child wouldn¡¯t miss out on schooling.¡±


    ¡°Our thought was that we¡¯re all family, when your house has urgent needs, we help, and when our house has urgent needs, you help. We support each other and the family grows stronger and more prosperous together,¡± Liu Yushu explained to the crowd.


    This won applause from everyone, ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s truly so, we¡¯re all family, helping each other is proper.¡±


    ¡°But these two ingrates took the money and disowned us!¡± Liu Yushu, with eyes red and grinding her teeth, exclaimed, ¡°We weren¡¯t even expecting them to repay the money. Honestly, knowing them, they definitely held some back, they had money. They spent all of ours. We know, Youxi and Youxue know, and I believe Lu Zhenguo knows too! But that¡¯s his brother, his nephew¡¯s education at stake, so even if he knows, he wouldn¡¯t speak. After all, they are family, there are no distinctions.¡±


    At this, Liu Yushu couldn¡¯t help but reveal a mocking expression and tone.


    Lu Zhenguo moved his lips but found no arguments because he indeed knew and actually thought the same. Liu Yushu, his wife of many decades, understood him very well.


    ¡°Now our Youxi has also been admitted to Jing University, and her score was much higher than Youbang¡¯s was!¡± Liu Yushu said, ¡°But all our money went to paying for Youbang¡¯s education. Now when we need help from Lu Zhenjia, they not only forget the help we gave but also plan to marry off our Youxi to Foolish Hu to get money! They dress it up as using the bride price for tuition, but what family would force their child to marry a fool just to afford education? Youxi has a bright future, why should she marry a fool!¡±


    ¡°And after taking the money, would they really use it for Youxi? Or would they instead use it for Youbang to get married?¡± Liu Yushu scoffed coldly, ¡°After all, in my in-laws¡¯ eyes, only Youbang counts as a person, everyone else doesn¡¯t! Even my son Youxue is barely considered! To send Youbang to university, Youxue had to travel from the town school to home four times a day to save money! Once he almost had an accident during one of the midday trips; it was Youxi who saved Youxue and got hit herself!¡±


    ¡°How could they be so heartless! Youxue is just a twelve-year-old kid, yet he had to save money for a man in his twenties. Including Youbang, don¡¯t they feel guilty using this money? And now they want to sell off our Youxi! Such a cannibalistic family, why should I stay!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡±


    The village chief grimaced, ¡°Normally, I always encourage reconciliation rather than separation, but this time, I fully respect Liu Yushu¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°You Lu family, have indeed done too much!¡± the village chief declared bluntly.


    Lu Zhenguo, utterly ashamed, said, ¡°Yushu, I know, these years with me have been tough for you. But we¡¯ve been married for so many years, do you really mean to say divorce just like that?¡±


    Liu Yushu looked at Lu Zhenguo pleading, and unable to bear the sight, turned her head away.


    She did have feelings for Lu Zhenguo.


    Though they met through a matchmaking arrangement, through years of marriage, she had built a relationship of trust and familial love with this honest and straightforward man.


    Aside from having no limits when it came to his own family, Lu Zhenguo was actually good to his wife and children privately.


    The elders of the Lu Family favored sons over daughters, and so did Lu Zhenjia.


    But Lu Zhenguo did not.


    Privately, he treated Lu Youxi and Lu Youxue the same and would even secretly save some treats for Lu Youxi.


    He truly supported Lu Youxi¡¯s university education.


    If it were not for the elders and the blood-sucking ways of Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family, even if Lu Zhenguo was not financially well-off, Liu Yushu would have gladly endured hardships with him.


    ¡°Dad.¡± Lu Youxi spoke.


    Lu Zhenguo looked over, a bit hesitant to face Lu Youxi.


    He felt guilty towards Lu Youxi, but there was also a hint of resentment.


    Just now Liu Yushu had blurted out about divorce in her anger. If Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t brought it up, maybe Liu Yushu could have let it go.


    Or perhaps they could have settled it privately.


    But Lu Youxi had to bring it up in front of the village chief and so many villagers.


    ¡°Just now, all the things mom mentioned, aren¡¯t they enough? Do you still want to let grandma and grandpa, let uncle¡¯s family keep exploiting us, draining our blood?¡± Lu Youxi said dispassionately, ¡°You can be filial, but why does your filial piety have to come at the cost of sacrificing us all? Why does uncle¡¯s family get to benefit from our sacrifices? Mom has suffered for your sake for most of her life. If you don¡¯t divorce, do you really intend to drag her down into the abyss of the Lu family to suffer through the few remaining years?¡±


    ¡°Every time, grandma and grandpa loudly claim that mom is an outsider. She¡¯s been in this family for decades, serving them, never competing or grabbing, watching as you gave all the family¡¯s money to uncle. In the end, she is still treated as an outsider by grandma and grandpa and uncle. She has never been recognized by this family, so what right do you have to ask her to stay?¡±


    ¡°Grandma and grandpa are your biological parents, they have the grace of raising you, you can be filial to them, fine, but why must you drag mom, an outsider, into this? What have they offered her? Except for resentment, they have given her nothing. Why should mom be filial with you?¡±


    ¡°And Youxue, if grandma and grandpa favor boys over girls and disregard me, then why do they also disregard Youxue? Youxue might have a slightly better living condition than me. But his textbooks and school bags are all hand-me-downs from Lu Youbang. Lu Youbang is nine years older than him. What condition are the leftovers in when they get to Youxue? All to save money for Lu Youbang. How can Lu Youbang stand to spend it!¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Its Time for a Decision

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: It¡¯s Time for a Decision Chapter 43: Chapter 43: It¡¯s Time for a Decision ¡°He has his own hands and feet, why doesn¡¯t he go work and save money himself, instead of making Youxue, a 12-year-old child, save money from his own expenses for him? Youxue is your son! You¡¯re wronging your wife and even your own biological son, for what? Last time after the car accident, if I hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Youxue would have been crippled! If he had been crippled, do you think the grandparents would have allowed him to continue his studies? Do you think he could have found a good job in the future? Youxue¡¯s life would have been over! His life, starting at the age of 12, hasn¡¯t even begun and you can already see its end!¡±


    ¡°Why should Lu Youbang spend the money Youxue saved while living in the city, yet leave Youxue unable to even properly treat his injuries? Think about it, when your second uncle came to borrow money, if you had given it to them, where would the money for Youxue¡¯s leg treatment have come from?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo suddenly lifted his head.


    Yes, last time, he really was about to give the money to Lu Zhenjia, what would have happened to Youxue¡¯s treatment then?


    He knew how Lu Zhenjia was, saying anything nice when borrowing money, but once the money reached Lu Zhenjia¡¯s hands, no matter what anyone said, even if it was a matter of life and death, you could never get the money back from Lu Zhenjia.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lu Youxi arriving in time, and the money had indeed gone to Lu Zhenjia...


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s pupils dilated, and he shivered suddenly.


    The consequences were unimaginable.


    Seeing Lu Zhenguo¡¯s expression, Lu Zhenjia quickly jumped in, pointing at Lu Youxi and said, ¡°But you¡¯re fine now, aren¡¯t you? And all this you¡¯re saying is just hypothetical.¡±


    But Lu Youxi knew this wasn¡¯t hypothetical; all this had truly happened in her previous life.


    Her eyes fixated intensely with hatred on Lu Zhenjia.


    Lu Zhenjia felt a chill down his spine from her gaze; he knew Lu Youxi was very discontent with him but had never imagined she could hate him so much.


    Lu Zhenjia subconsciously took a half step back as he heard Lu Youxi say, ¡°This is not hypothetical.¡±


    ¡°Youxue is fine because I arrived in time, because it was me who was hit by the car, because I am six years older than Youxue, an adult who can react faster than Youxue. Even so, I was still struck by the car, which means, undoubtedly, if it had been Youxue, he would have been seriously hurt. This isn¡¯t a matter of hypotheses; this is a certainty,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Uncle, it surprises me that, not only do you show no remorse, but you even have the nerve to point fingers and blame me. Do you have no shame, no conscience? My dad treats you like family, what do we mean to you?¡± Lu Youxi stepped forward as Lu Zhenjia started to retort, leaving no room for him to answer.


    In her previous life, it was with her tongue that she had secured investments and negotiated deals for Lin¡¯s everywhere.


    Could Lu Zhenjia¡¯s eloquence possibly surpass hers?


    Lu Youxi sneered inwardly, but outwardly her eyes were bloodshot as she turned to face Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Dad, this is the ¡®family¡¯ you treat like your brother! You treat them like family, but they¡¯ve never thought of us that way!¡±


    ¡°Now, my uncle and aunt, even including the grandparents, are willing to sacrifice my interests for Lu Youbang, wouldn¡¯t they sacrifice Youxue¡¯s interests in the future? No, not even in the future, they have already sacrificed Youxue¡¯s interests, haven¡¯t they? If there were no conflicting interests, Youxue would be the beloved grandson. But once it involves Lu Youbang¡¯s interests, Youxue has to step aside, everything must serve Lu Youbang.¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia is the grandparents¡¯ son, so are you! Lu Youbang is their grandson, so is Youxue! Why is it only Lu Zhenjia and Lu Youbang who are treasured? Is it because the grandparents think that Lu Youbang is now an adult, soon able to make money for them, enabling them to benefit sooner, while Youxue is still too young? What will Youxue become in the future is still unknown, so it¡¯s better to prioritize everything for Lu Youbang¡¯s benefits. After all, Lu Youbang is already a student at Jing University, already partially successful, without having to wait much longer like Youxue, whose success is still uncertain.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Even Old Master Lu couldn¡¯t hold back this time.


    In family matters, it was always Old Madam Lu who took the forefront, and Old Master Lu who stayed back.


    But this time, even Old Master Lu couldn¡¯t help it, showing how much Lu Youxi¡¯s words had hit a nerve.


    Lu Youxi slowly questioned Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Youxue and I are your children. Are you really willing to watch them repeatedly bully us, bully mom, suck our blood to transfuse to Lu Youbang? When Lu Youbang succeeds while Youxue and I end up like dirt, do you think Lu Zhenjia will help you? Will they treat you well? Do you think Lu Youbang will know gratitude?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say anything else, just ask yourself, over these years, do you really think you have done right by my mom, by Youxue and me? Do you really think you have done enough, have been a competent husband and father?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo remained silent this time.


    Because with every word Lu Youxi said, he had no way of, nor the right to, rebut.


    ¡°What will it take for you to let mom, let Youxue have better days? I¡¯ve grown up, I can go to the city for university, I can have my own life, nobody can command me,¡± Lu Youxi said, glancing at Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    Old Master Lu and Old Madam Lu choked at her look.


    They were not yet blind, so they understood very well to whom Lu Youxi was directing her words.


    Not to mention, Lu Youxi had deliberately glanced at them.


    ¡°But my mom has already suffered decades with you; what reason do you have to make her continue to suffer? Doesn¡¯t she deserve to live a good, dignified life? Must she continue to be treated like a dog under this roof!¡± Lu Youxi spoke loudly, ¡°And Youxue is only twelve, he will need at least six more years to go to university. Do you want to let Youxue continue to be unfairly treated like this?¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t provide mom and Youxue even slightly more comfortable days, then on what grounds do you keep them unhappy?¡±


    ¡°Dad, when will you see the things that the grandparents, uncle, and aunt have done to us! Isn¡¯t the harm they¡¯ve caused us enough already? If it¡¯s not enough, how much more harm do they need to inflict to be satisfied?¡±


    Liu Yushu walked over to Lu Youxi, hugging her.


    She was a bit shorter than Lu Youxi, but in her arms, Lu Youxi still looked like just a child.


    Crying, Liu Yushu said to Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, look at us! Isn¡¯t what I¡¯ve done in these decades enough? Haven¡¯t Youxi and Youxue sacrificed enough? How long do you plan to let us live like this? If you are unwilling to divorce me, you at least need to make a decision that makes me feel I can continue with you!¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 What is Aunt Afraid of Youxi Finding Out

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44: What is Aunt Afraid of Youxi Finding Out? Chapter 44: Chapter 44: What is Aunt Afraid of Youxi Finding Out? ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to make a decision!¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo is filial enough, but the Lu Family elders are not just Lu Zhenguo¡¯s parents; it¡¯s time for another son to take care of them,¡± someone outside the courtyard discussed.


    ¡°Yes, taking care of the elderly can¡¯t rely on just one person; that would exhaust the child, right?¡±


    ¡°Since the Lu Family¡¯s elders like their second son so much, why not let the second son take care of them?¡±


    ¡°Either you take daily care of the elderly, and if one doesn¡¯t put in the effort, they should contribute more money. Lu Zhenjia neither puts in the effort nor contributes money, and he reaps all the benefits.¡±


    ¡°I support Lu Zhenguo if he suggests that Lu Zhenjia take the Lu Family¡¯s elders back this time.¡±


    ¡°Right, I support it too. It¡¯s not that Lu Zhenguo is unfilial. On the contrary, Lu Zhenguo is extremely filial, so much so that his wife and children suffer.¡±


    ¡°Any family would be overwhelmed with in-laws and grandparents like the Lu Family elders.¡±


    ¡°This kind of filial piety might have a good reputation, but it¡¯s at the cost of suffering for one¡¯s own wife and children. Such filial piety, I could do without.¡±


    ¡°Lucky for us, our family doesn¡¯t have such extreme and bizarre elders.¡±


    ¡°In our family, the siblings take turns taking care of the elderly.¡±


    ¡°Although my parents live with me and my household takes care of them, my siblings regularly send things over to nourish the old man and woman. It¡¯s not like Lu Zhenjia¡¯s case; he not only doesn¡¯t send anything over, he even siphons money from home.¡±


    ¡°The whole village knows Lu Zhenguo is filial. Now if someone else goes to care for the Lu Family¡¯s elders, no one will criticize Lu Zhenguo.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, if Lu Zhenguo continued this way, neglecting his own wife and children, it would actually be disgraceful.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lu Zhenjia finally panicked and yelled out at the people outside.


    He really feared that Lu Zhenguo would cease taking care of the Lu Family¡¯s elders and push them towards his home.


    He knew all too well just how extreme his parents were.


    With Lu Zhenguo, there were no problems.


    He didn¡¯t have to lift a finger, and he wouldn¡¯t miss out on any benefits.


    But the idea of trading places with Lu Zhenguo? He would hate that.


    Not only was Lu Zhenjia panicking, but even Guifen beside him had a change in expression.


    It was clear the two of them knew all too much about the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ character and were unwilling to take them back home.


    Seeing how desperate Lu Zhenjia was, the onlookers outside only grew more excited.


    The village chief raised his hands high to the crowd outside, ¡°Everyone, quiet down for a moment and let the Lu Family settle their family affairs.¡±


    If you all keep making noise, how will the Lu Family get a word in? Then you wouldn¡¯t get to hear the gossip either.


    The village chief didn¡¯t say that last part, but the crowd outside understood his implication.


    So this time, the spectators outside maintained a disciplined silence in unison.


    The sudden silence caught Lu Zhenjia and Guifen completely off guard¡ªthey were stupefied.


    Although they wanted silence, there was no need for it to be this quiet.


    Just then, during this silence, a sudden ¡°bang¡± came from the direction of the row houses nearby.


    The sound was loud enough to make it hard to ignore.


    But nobody was concerned about the noise at that moment.


    Only Lu Youzhen, standing beside Guifen, tensed up for a second.


    That very second was captured by Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi frowned slightly, wondering what could be making Lu Youzhen so nervous.


    Soon after, another noise came from the same direction where the sound had originated.


    This time, after the sound, another followed quickly, though much fainter.


    After the ¡°bang,¡± there then came a faint ¡°whimpering¡± sound¡ªif you didn¡¯t listen carefully, you might miss it.


    This ¡°whimper¡± was much softer than the earlier ¡°bang.¡±


    Fortunately, the scene was exceptionally silent at that moment, allowing the ¡°whimper¡± to be heard.


    Lu Youzhen quickly grasped Guifen¡¯s arm.


    Guifen, of course, knew who had made that noise.


    But at this moment, it was definitely not the right time to be discovered.


    It wouldn¡¯t matter if they found out later; even if Lu Youxi made a fuss, it wouldn¡¯t cause much of a stir.


    But right now, there were too many people.


    Guifen patted Lu Youzhen¡¯s hand gently, then raised her voice, ¡°Village Chief, this is our family¡¯s private matter. Please disperse the crowd outside! What¡¯s so interesting about our private affairs?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Lu Zhenjia also reacted, following suit, ¡°As the village chief, shouldn¡¯t you intervene? It¡¯s inappropriate for outsiders to be spectating our private matters like a show!¡±


    Before the village chief could respond, the people outside started voicing their displeasure, clamoring to watch.


    ¡°Do you really think you can hide your shameful deeds and not let others see?¡±


    ¡°What private matters? Everyone in the village knows everybody¡¯s business!¡±


    ¡°Even if you close your doors now, do you think you can hide anything from us?¡±


    But Lu Youxi ignored the clamor outside and strode towards where the noise had come from.


    Lu Youzhen immediately became anxious and whispered urgently, ¡°Mom!¡±


    Guifen, removing Lu Youzhen¡¯s tense hand from her arm, stepped forward to block Lu Youxi, ¡°Big girl, where are you going? Let¡¯s first clear up what we were talking about!¡±


    Lu Youxi glanced at Guifen, then gave Lu Youzhen a look.


    Guifen seemed a bit more composed, but Lu Youzhen, who usually seemed quite clever, was only superficially so. She couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness at all.


    Especially after being glanced at coldly by Lu Youxi, she got even more startled.


    With Lu Youzhen¡¯s reaction, it was clear there was something fishy.


    Lu Youxi brushed past Guifen with a flick, ¡°Move aside.¡±


    Guifen didn¡¯t expect Lu Youxi to be so strong.


    She got pushed aside by Lu Youxi¡¯s simple gesture.


    As Lu Youxi moved past her, Guifen rushed to stop her, but someone blocked her way.


    Looking up, Guifen saw it was Zhou Shuyan, who had just registered for marriage with Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Move!¡± Guifen said sternly.


    ¡°Do you have something that you¡¯re afraid of Youxi finding out, which is why you¡¯re blocking her?¡± Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow, his tone mocking.


    He didn¡¯t touch Guifen, not wanting to give her any reason to accuse him.


    He merely stood there, effectively blocking Guifen¡¯s path.


    ¡°I... what do I have to hide from her?¡± Guifen got more defensive, raising her voice even louder, shouting, ¡°It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t come to a conclusion about what we were just discussing. Why is Lu Youxi going somewhere else?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t budge, ¡°This is Youxi¡¯s home, she can go wherever she wants. Why do you need to stop her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping anything! She needs to resolve the problem at hand first; what happens after that is up to her, I don¡¯t care!¡± Guifen argued, ¡°Right now, I just can¡¯t let her ignore the issue and do something else, leaving us elders hanging here. How could that be proper?¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 How did you get tied up

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45: How did you get tied up! Chapter 45: Chapter 45: How did you get tied up! Ge Guifen saw Zhou Shuyan utterly unwilling to move and decided to take action herself, only to find, once her hand was placed on Zhou Shuyan¡¯s arm, that he was incredibly solid. Just by touching, she could tell he was very strong.


    Far more so than Lu Zhenjia.


    Of course, Lu Zhenjia was older and a lazybones. Even though he had his own land, he spent less time working it than she did, not to mention he paled in comparison to Lu Zhenguo, whose flesh was loose on his body.


    But Ge Guifen, having worked in the fields all year round and taking care of all household chores, had developed considerable strength.


    Ordinary men who exercised less would likely struggle to match her.


    Yet at this moment, when Ge Guifen tried to forcefully drag Zhou Shuyan aside, she found she wasn¡¯t able to budge him!


    At this point, Ge Guifen was even beginning to question life itself.


    Lu Youxi was so strong that she had dragged her away with ease.


    And now, when it was her turn, she couldn¡¯t even pull Zhou Shuyan aside!


    Lu Youxi turned around, saw Ge Guifen¡¯s actions, and shouted with a sneer, ¡°Auntie, I know Xu Mai is good-looking, but he¡¯s your nephew-in-law. Be mindful of the distance and influence, don¡¯t take the chance to take advantage of Xu Mai.¡±


    As soon as this came out of Lu Youxi¡¯s mouth, it infuriated Ge Guifen beyond words.


    Even Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Lu Youxi¡¯s words.


    To take down Ge Guifen, Lu Youxi really would say anything.


    Now, the more Zhou Shuyan looked at Ge Guifen, the more something seemed off.


    Although he knew Lu Youxi¡¯s intention was to mock Ge Guifen, Zhou Shuyan subconsciously took a step back, his desire to keep a distance from Ge Guifen couldn¡¯t be more obvious.


    Ge Guifen: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Shameless! At your age, you¡¯re still trying to take advantage of a young man!¡± The villagers watching the excitement outside immediately started shouting uproariously.


    ¡°Xu Mai does look good, ha! He¡¯s quite popular in our village!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no shame in liking beauty; I¡¯ve even told my spouse how good-looking Xu Mai is. But admiration is one thing, you can¡¯t take advantage of it in reality! Especially at such an old age, that¡¯s really shameless.¡±


    ¡°This is exactly the sort of thing Ge Guifen is capable of. Taking advantage of Old Master Lu¡¯s family, not sparing even the children Lu Youxi and Lu Youxue, and trying to marry her niece to Foolish Hu¡ªsuch shameless acts show there¡¯s nothing she wouldn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Sh!¡± Someone hissed, ¡°Lu Zhenjia is still around, and Ge Guifen dares to make a move directly!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± Now Ge Guifen couldn¡¯t care less about continuing to drag Zhou Shuyan away.


    She hastily turned around and shouted at those outside, ¡°Have you no decency?!¡±


    ¡°You sold Lu Youxi to Foolish Hu and took the betrothal money to get your son a wife, and you don¡¯t feel indecent, but accuse us of being indecent?!¡± Aunt Lin retorted from the crowd.


    When it came to arguing, Aunt Lin truly had a talent.


    ¡°Tch!¡± Ge Guifen, hopping mad, ¡°You speak without evidence! Say less, or I¡¯ll call the police on you!¡±


    ¡°Sh!¡± The crowd agitated again. ¡°Lu Youxi herself said you fancied Xu Mai and took the opportunity to take advantage of him.¡±


    This reminded Ge Guifen that if it weren¡¯t for Lu Youxi raising this issue, she wouldn¡¯t have been talked about like this.


    Angrily turning around, Ge Guifen cursed Lu Youxi, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, you wretched girl, I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart!¡±


    But Zhou Shuyan stood before her, and how could he allow her to get past? Once more, he blocked Ge Guifen¡¯s way.


    This time, Ge Guifen no longer had the heart to make a move.


    The gossip from the people outside knew no bounds.


    Ge Guifen still had to consider the face of the Lu family.


    Zhenjia was one to hold grudges and retaliate for even the slightest slight.


    Even if Zhenjia knew she was wrongly accused, there would be an inevitable quarrel when they got back.


    Ge Guifen could only turn to Zhenjia and say, ¡°Youbang¡¯s dad, come and pull this kid away!¡±


    Zhenjia, of course, knew that Ge Guifen was falsely accused. At this moment, not taking it to heart, he stepped forward to pull Zhou Shuyan away.


    But in the meantime, Lu Youxi had already arrived at the door of the room where Lu Youxue was being kept.


    Separated by the door, Lu Youxi could hear the muffled ¡°woo-woo¡± sounds more clearly.


    Sounds like Youxue!


    Lu Youxi¡¯s face changed, and she hurriedly pushed the door open.


    Lu Youzhen didn¡¯t have the key to this door. Moreover, having just heard Lu Youxi returning, she hurried out in a panic, only managing to shut the door tightly without locking it and unable to bolt it from the inside.


    Thus, the door was immediately pushed open by Lu Youxi.


    The door burst open with a loud ¡°bang.¡±


    The room was small, and without entering, the whole interior could be seen.


    Without yet stepping in, Lu Youxi could see Lu Youxue tied to a chair, his mouth stuffed with a cloth gag.


    At that moment, Youxue lay on the floor, seemingly trying to crawl out.


    Hearing the sound of the door, Youxue desperately looked towards it. Seeing it was Youxi, he became excitedly continuous ¡°wooing,¡± struggling more fiercely.


    ¡°Youxue!¡± Lu Youxi shouted his name. While she was anxious for Youxue, she didn¡¯t forget to loudly inform the village chief and the onlookers outside about the person inside, ¡°How did you get tied up!¡±


    ¡°What? What happened?¡± The crowd outside couldn¡¯t see what was happening, hearing only Lu Youxi¡¯s words, they were all shocked and curious.


    Hearing this, the village chief was alarmed and hastily followed after Lu Youxi.


    Shuyan glanced at Guifen and hastily ran over as well.


    Lu Youxi had already entered the room to untie Youxue.


    Having been tied up for so long, and with Youxue¡¯s strength, Youzhen worried she wouldn¡¯t contain him, thus she tied the knots exceptionally tight.


    Youxue hadn¡¯t stopped struggling, and now with the hot weather and wearing only a short-sleeve undershirt.


    His exposed arms and wrists were marked with red and purple from the rope.


    Seeing Lu Youxi, tears of urgency appeared in the corners of Youxue¡¯s eyes.


    He had heard everything while inside the room¡ªYouxi wouldn¡¯t marry Foolish Hu, and at last, Youxue had felt some relief.


    The tears now were purely born of his frantic state.


    Seeing the rope burns on Youxue¡¯s arms and wrists, Youxi immediately knew he must have struggled fiercely, causing the marks to deepen and chafing the skin.


    ¡°Youxue!¡± Zhenjia and Liu Yushu rushed in, seeing Youxue¡¯s condition, Yushu let out a cry and hurriedly embraced him.


    ¡°When I came in, Youxue was tied to a chair and fell to the ground, struggling,¡± Lu Youxi got to her feet and explained to the village chief.


    At this point, the Zhenjia couple and Youzhen came over, their eyes shiftily betraying their guilt.


    Old Madam Lu and Old Master Lu remained outside.


    Seeing Youxue¡¯s condition, the village chief urgently said, ¡°Hurry, take Youxue to the village clinic.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go,¡± Youxue spoke up, his mouth had been blocked for so long, his saliva dried up by the gag, now his voice was hoarse and dry, ¡°at least not now.¡±


    Youxue glared hatefully at the Zhenjia family of three, pointing at them, he said, ¡°Today Foolish Hu¡¯s family brought gifts over to discuss marrying my sister. I wanted to object, but my auntie and Youzhen bound me here.¡±

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Lets Split Up

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Let¡¯s Split Up Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Let¡¯s Split Up ¡°They¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll ruin their plans!¡± Lu Youxue pointed accusingly at Ge Guifen and Lu Youzhen, with thick hatred emanating from his still childish face, making it especially prominent and shocking.


    Recognized as the culprit by Lu Youxue, even Ge Guifen panicked, clinging to Lu Youzhen¡¯s hand, frantically lost for excuses.


    At this moment, Liu Yushu truly detested this entire family; she released Lu Youxue, and lunged at Ge Guifen, ¡°Beasts! All of you, a family of beasts!¡±


    Ge Guifen hurriedly dragged Lu Youzhen toward the yard¡¯s exit, both flustered and disheveled.


    Lu Youxi intercepted Liu Yushu and also escorted Lu Youxue out of the courtyard.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying Youxue went out to play? Such a big child was locked in a room, and you told me he was out playing?¡± Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t even bother to say more to the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    She merely exposed the bruises on Lu Youxue¡¯s arms and legs for Lu Zhenguo to see.


    Although Lu Zhenguo and the village chief had already seen them inside the house previously.


    ¡°Dad, how long will you keep deferring to them?¡± Lu Youxi confronted Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Uncle was about to hit Mom in front of you, they wanted to marry me off to Foolish Hu, they even tied up Youxue. Grandma and Grandpa knew well Youxue was tied up in the room, but said nothing. Aren¡¯t these enough for you to consider our situation?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, this is too much!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing like this.¡±


    ¡°The Lu Family is too absurd.¡±


    ¡°People say the Lu Family¡¯s elders favor boys over girls, but they don¡¯t even treat Lu Youxue that well.¡±


    ¡°I see, although they indeed favor boys over girls, in reality, they only care about Lu Zhenjia and Lu Youbang. As for Lu Zhenguo, no matter how many sons he has, it¡¯s useless.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Lu Family¡¯s elders would sacrifice even little child Lu Youxue for the sake of Lu Youbang, showing that all their care is truly only for Lu Zhenjia and Lu Youbang, and no one else matters to them in their eyes.¡±


    ¡°As an outsider, I feel for Lu Zhenguo. Usually, it¡¯s him and his wife who take care of the Lu Family¡¯s elders, yet whenever there¡¯s a good opportunity, it never comes to Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family first, always to Lu Zhenjia and Lu Youbang. When sacrifices are needed, they remember Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo is truly filial, enduring so many wrongs, yet he still treats them like his own family, wholeheartedly and devotedly.¡±


    ¡°Is this really something to be proud of? Lucky that my own husband isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he might have a reputation for being filial, but it¡¯s his wife and children who suffer, that¡¯s no good at all!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got the good reputation, but it¡¯s his wife and kids who are miserable; people like that, whoever associates with him is unlucky!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo, originally shocked by the wounds on Lu Youxue¡¯s arms and legs and unable to speak, now heard these condemning words incessantly drifting from outside the yard.


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face turned red and then pale.


    He felt the world spinning around him, overwhelmed with self-reproach.


    Lu Zhenguo couldn¡¯t help but reflect, what had he done over the years?


    Just by closing his eyes and ears, he had pretended those injustices didn¡¯t exist.


    Yet he let his wife and children bear so much.


    Indeed, the words from those outsiders might not be pleasant to hear, but what they said was indeed true.


    He had been too selfish all along, in the name of filial piety, but had caused his wife and children so much suffering.


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders were his relatives, but so were his wife and children!


    He had looked after his parents for so many years, and since they still preferred Lu Zhenjia, then they should live with Lu Zhenjia.


    This didn¡¯t mean he was unfilial, right?


    Whatever was due to them, he would still deliver.


    They all lived in the same village; visiting his parents would still be convenient.


    Most importantly, he could no longer let his wife and children suffer every day like this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split the family.¡± Lu Zhenguo clenched his fists, his shoulders slumped slightly, his voice still clear amidst the chaos of the courtyard.


    ¡°Good! You¡¯ve finally come to your senses!¡± To everyone¡¯s surprise, the person who spoke was Old Madam Lu.


    Old Madam Lu looked smug, her voice becoming even sharper and filled with a confident edge, ¡°Your wife and daughter are nothing but burdens who only create debts. Which family¡¯s woman doesn¡¯t do housework at home? A little work and look how aggrieved they are! Especially that eldest girl, your wife has been led astray by her. Every day, she listens to that girl badmouth us, brainwashed into thinking we don¡¯t treat her well!¡±


    ¡°You split with them, and without that troublemaker eldest girl, we can live our lives well again.¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s face was filled with relief and pride, thinking how wonderful life would be without Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi was born to settle debts; from the moment Lu Youxi was born, she disliked this granddaughter.


    Initially, she even thought of using Lu Youxi to earn a substantial dowry.


    After all, Lu Youxi had not been cheap to raise all these years.


    Their family had not treated Lu Youxi harshly.


    They provided Lu Youxi with food and clothes and also supported her schooling.


    Now that Lu Youxi had grown up, it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable to collect some dowry money, right?


    Who could have known that Lu Youxi would secretly register marriage with this mysterious Xu Mai?


    She simply wouldn¡¯t let her family benefit at all from her.


    Old Madam Lu realized that their family would never see any benefit from Lu Youxi in this lifetime.


    If it was impossible to gain anything more from Lu Youxi, then it was better to just drive her out.


    That would save the money spent on raising Lu Youxi.


    Old Madam Lu plotted triumphantly, snorting, ¡°Didn¡¯t the eldest girl say it? She will have Xu Mai earn her university tuition fee; our family doesn¡¯t need to worry about it. She looks down on us anyway. It¡¯s just right to split the family. From now on, she¡¯ll have nothing to do with our family.¡±


    ¡°She can attend university, whatever the cost, she¡¯ll figure out a way!¡± Old Madam Lu coldly curled her lips, with somewhat malicious anticipation, as if waiting to see Lu Youxi¡¯s misfortune unfold, ¡°I have to see what good end will come from Lu Youxi following this Xu Mai!¡±


    Lu Youbang studies at Jing University, costing a lot of money!


    Lu Youxi really has no sense of reality, thinking Xu Mai is so reliable?


    They registered marriage after knowing each other for such a short time?


    Such a relationship could never be stable.


    In the big city with its seductive, dazzling world, would Xu Mai still be willing to work hard to support Lu Youxi and earn her tuition fees?


    Eventually, Lu Youxi would have nothing!


    Then Lu Youxi will realize just how much the Lu Family has done for her to the best of their abilities!


    The village chief subconsciously felt that Old Madam Lu might have misunderstood Lu Zhenguo¡¯s intention.


    But then again, the way the Lu Family thinks is not something ordinary people can understand.


    Which normal family would not nourish a girl as outstanding as Lu Youxi, instead, thinking of marrying her off to a fool for money?


    So the village chief thought it best to wait and see what Lu Zhenguo meant.


    Upon which, a look of surprise crossed Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face.

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Because of These Few Jinxes

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Because of These Few Jinxes Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Because of These Few Jinxes Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face displayed obvious astonishment, clearly not expecting Old Madam Lu¡¯s train of thought to be quite like that.


    Far from being reassuring, Old Madam Lu¡¯s words seemed to confound Lu Zhenguo even more.


    The decision to split the family, a term he¡¯d found extremely difficult to utter, now seemed less arduous thanks to her perplexing response.


    Lu Zhenguo instinctively said, ¡°Mom, what I mean is, we want to split the family. Yushu, Youxi, Youxue, and I will separate from you and Dad.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s voice suddenly rose, her anger making her stamp her foot.


    Old Master Lu had also not expected this intent from Lu Zhenguo, his anger making his fingers tremble as he pointed at him, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo, shocked by Old Madam Lu¡¯s previous statements, now felt less burdened emotionally.


    He began, ¡°Dad, Mom, just because you go to live with Zhenjia doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m being disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that, big brother!¡± Lu Zhenjia was alarmed, not wanting to take in the Lu family¡¯s elders.


    Lu Zhenguo, now less concerned about Lu Zhenjia¡¯s feelings, retorted, ¡°Zhenjia, ever since you got married and moved out, Mom and Dad have been living with me and your sister-in-law. We have diligently cared for mom and dad for twenty years. We¡¯ve been looking after them no matter what. We¡¯re all their sons, we all need to do our filial duties. It¡¯s time they stayed with you for a while.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, wasn¡¯t it you who just said that? Even if Mom and Dad live with us, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m being unfilial!¡± Lu Zhenjia quickly argued.


    Lu Zhenguo was taken aback and asked, ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to live with Mom and Dad?¡±


    Initially, the Lu family¡¯s elders were just angry that Lu Zhenguo was willing to forsake his duties for his wife and children.


    But now, after hearing Lu Zhenguo¡¯s retort, they turned and looked towards Lu Zhenjia.


    Indeed, why was Lu Zhenjia so reluctant to take them in?


    Was it a lack of willingness to fulfill his filial duties?


    They always loved Lu Zhenjia the most, even more than Youbang.


    Even though they would be angry if Lu Zhenguo wanted to stop caring for them, what about Lu Zhenjia whom they adored the most?


    ¡°Zhenjia, are you unwilling to take care of us?¡± Old Master Lu¡¯s and Lu Zhenjia¡¯s triangular eyes, almost invisible under the sunlight, squinted down at Lu Zhenjia¡¯s face.


    Startled, Lu Zhenjia hastily clarified, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant...¡±


    Lu Zhenguo took a deep breath and said, ¡°Zhenjia, Mom and Dad have lived with us for over twenty years. During this time, you haven¡¯t contributed a penny to their living expenses. But I¡¯ve never minded; we¡¯re all one family. There¡¯s no need for such distinctions. However, your sister-in-law has indeed been working hard for too long and needs a break.¡±


    ¡°Also, Youxi is going to the Imperial Capital to study, and she¡¯s right¡ªYouxue should also go to the city to study, to learn more, to see more. So, my wife and I definitely need to go with the kids,¡± Lu Zhenguo continued, ¡°This means we simply can¡¯t continue to stay here to look after Mom and Dad. So they¡¯ll have to live with you.¡±


    Unexpectedly, although Lu Zhenguo was often plain-spoken and somewhat slow, his words now were compelling, leaving Lu Zhenjia speechless.


    Then, Lu Zhenguo added, ¡°Fortunately, the village chief is here, and I would like him to bear witness. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m refusing to take care of Mom and Dad. I will still provide for them as I always have. It¡¯s just that the daily care will need to be handled by you, Zhenjia.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Lu Zhenguo turned to the village chief, ¡°You saw just now that Yushu and the kids have indeed suffered a lot.¡± Lu Zhenguo wiped his face, ¡°I can say with a clear conscience that I have not wronged my parents or my younger brother¡¯s family. However, for their sake, Yushu and the children have endured a lot of hardship. I have fulfilled my duty to my parents and my brother, but I have failed my wife and children.¡±


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll certainly continue to show filial respect to mom and dad, but I can¡¯t let Yushu and the children suffer anymore,¡± Lu Zhenguo told the village chief. ¡°Yushu has been married to me for many years without a single day¡¯s enjoyment, and she didn¡¯t get a chance to rest even when she was pregnant. She mentioned divorce because she was driven to her limit. But I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo turned to Liu Yushu and said, ¡°Yushu, I don¡¯t want a divorce. Let¡¯s have a good life together. I won¡¯t let you be mistreated anymore.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, I really don¡¯t like to hear you say that. What do you mean by ¡®mistreated¡¯?¡± Lu Zhenjia still tried to struggle.


    Lu Zhenguo ignored him.


    Youxue also made sure to occasionally show his injuries to Lu Zhenguo, subtly reminding him of how unreasonable the Lu family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family had been.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo finally has a clear mind, for once,¡± the onlookers outside the courtyard discussed.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo, you¡¯re unfilial!¡± Old Madam Lu furiously stamped her foot. ¡°For these calamities, you dare deny your own parents!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not denying you,¡± Lu Zhenguo explained. ¡°But Mom, since you also prefer the younger brother, living with him and being closer isn¡¯t that also good?¡±


    Who says Lu Zhenguo is slow-witted?


    He¡¯s just not a talker.


    In fact, he was also holding back anger and feeling aggrieved.


    After sacrificing so much for the Lu family¡¯s elders, for the sake of the second brother¡¯s family, he had even neglected his own wife and children.


    And yet Old Madam Lu dared to accuse him of being unfilial?


    ¡°Unfilial? What more do I need to do to be considered filial?¡± Lu Zhenguo said, his eyes reddening, ¡°Am I supposed to give all my savings to Youbang, agree to marry Youxi to Foolish Hu for a dowry to give to Youbang, watch as Youxue is bound with injuries and say nothing, and even join you in binding him, letting Yushu ask for a divorce in disappointment¡ªIs that what you call filial?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± someone outside shouted, ¡°All of our village knows Lu Zhenguo is decent and filial, and he¡¯s been so for twenty years. It¡¯s time for Lu Zhenjia to show some filial piety too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is simply unable to continue living with you, it¡¯s not that he said he¡¯s unfilial. Did he not say he would still provide for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just about having the old Lu couple live with Lu Zhenjia instead. It¡¯s hardly unfilial.¡±


    ¡°If Lu Zhenguo continues to care, I¡¯d lose respect for him.¡±


    ¡°Yushu...¡± Lu Zhenguo sought Liu Yushu¡¯s thoughts.


    Liu Yushu hastily wiped away tears, asking incredulously, ¡°Do you really want to stay with us?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo nodded. ¡°This house belongs to mom and dad, as does the land.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia had a house built for him by the family funds when he got married.


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family continued to live with the Lu family¡¯s elders in the old Lu household.


    According to the elders, that house naturally belonged to Lu Zhenjia.


    This place was supposed to be left for Lu Zhenguo after the elders passed away.

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 We Pay the Rent

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48: We Pay the Rent Chapter 48: Chapter 48: We Pay the Rent Lu Zhenguo actually knew that the Lu Family¡¯s elders were afraid he wouldn¡¯t take care of them anymore, so they wanted to use the house to bind him.


    He wanted the house, so he had to take good care of them.


    But in reality, whether these things existed or not, Lu Zhenguo would never neglect his parents.


    Including the farmland, the Lu Family¡¯s elders held it all in their own hands.


    Therefore, when Lu Zhenjia came to ask for money, he had a good case. He was asking for the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ money, not Lu Zhenguo¡¯s money.


    Because if one really considered it, the harvest from the farmland indeed still belonged to the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    Lu Zhenguo had always felt that they were one family and there was no need to make such distinctions.


    As their parents aged, he did more work, and the money he earned belonged to the whole family.


    But now, Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t care anymore. Who did the work in the fields was not his concern any longer.


    ¡°Why are you always meddling in our affairs?¡± Ge Guifen angrily waved her arms at the people outside the courtyard.


    Why were these people even here stirring up excitement?


    Every time it looked like they were about to succeed, the group outside would help speak for Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family, completely turning public opinion around.


    The village chief nodded and said, ¡°What Lu Zhenguo says is actually true, and there¡¯s no reason to overly exploit one son. Besides, Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu are going to accompany their children to study in the city. They won¡¯t live here and really won¡¯t be able to take care of the Lu Family¡¯s elders anymore.¡±


    ¡°Thus, I¡¯ve decided to agree. Starting today, the Lu Family¡¯s elders will live with Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family,¡± the village chief declared.


    Lu Zhenjia wanted to say something, but the village chief spoke up first, ¡°Lu Zhenjia, you wouldn¡¯t refuse to support your parents, would you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that your elder brother doesn¡¯t want to support them. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s not in a position to, as his family is going to the city with the children for their education. They can¡¯t take care of the elderly. Do you want the Lu Family¡¯s elders to live by themselves at their age?¡± the village chief countered.


    Lu Zhenjia noticed that the expressions on the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ faces were off.


    If he opposed further, the Lu Family¡¯s elders might really start to doubt his intentions toward his parents, so he reluctantly agreed.


    There was immediately a commotion outside the courtyard, with people even congratulating Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi in front of the Lu family for escaping the torment and finally getting rid of the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    Seeing the inevitable, Ge Guifen knew they had no choice but to take the Lu Family¡¯s elders back home.


    But even so, she wouldn¡¯t let Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family get off easily!


    Ge Guifen¡¯s eyes spun around, and then she thought of a malicious idea.


    She walked over to Old Madam Lu and whispered a few words into her ear.


    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face immediately lit up and she burst out loudly, ¡°Lu Zhenguo, you unfilial thing, we raised you, and now you treat us as a burden?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo wiped his face, feeling a profound sense of helplessness.


    He didn¡¯t know what to say in his defense anymore.


    He felt he had made himself clear enough, but Old Madam Lu still berated him for being unfilial.


    And then, Old Madam Lu said, ¡°You want to drive us away, fine! But you¡¯re not allowed to live here either!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face, which had been buried in his palms, lifted in astonishment as he looked disbelievingly towards Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°This house is still ours,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a look of relief. ¡°Thank goodness we didn¡¯t transfer it to you. Otherwise, we, this old couple, wouldn¡¯t even have a place to live!¡±


    After speaking, she tugged at Old Master Lu, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Old Master Lu had also reacted by now, and hurriedly said, ¡°Right! You want to drive us out? Fine! This house is ours, we¡¯d rather it stay empty than let you, an unfilial son, live in it! You also move out of our house!¡±


    The village chief furrowed his brows¡ª the Lu Family¡¯s elders were really being unreasonable.


    Usually, they never said a word when Lu Zhenguo was filial.


    A little dissatisfaction, and they wouldn¡¯t even give someone a place to live.


    ¡°Are these parent and child or enemies?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not even giving their child a place to live, wanting to drive him out, what kind of people are they?¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo and his spouse have been filial for twenty years for nothing.¡±


    ¡°It turns out that previously letting Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family live there was because they were willing to take care of them. Isn¡¯t this just like exchanging their labor for a place to live? It¡¯s like paying rent!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve really gained insight from these two old members of the Lu family.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention anything else, just that Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family sacrificed so much for the Lu family previously. Now that they can¡¯t take care of the elderly, they want to drive them out¡ªit¡¯s really disheartening.¡±


    ¡°Just look at Lu Zhenjia¡¯s manner, can he be considered filial?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo looked in disbelief towards the Lu Family¡¯s elders, ¡°Dad, Mom, are you really driving us out like this?¡±


    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face tightened, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were taking the children to the city for school? Anyway, you won¡¯t be living here anymore.¡±


    ¡°But... but it¡¯s not like we¡¯re leaving immediately! Where are we supposed to live before we leave?¡± Lu Zhenguo asked incredulously.


    ¡°Your eldest daughter is so capable, she has the ability to demand a severance, doesn¡¯t she have the ability to find a place to live?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s eyes glared fiercely, her attitude not at all like speaking to her own son, but rather to an enemy.


    Old Master Lu pondered for a few seconds with a grave face and said, ¡°Zhenguo, this house belongs to us old folks. All this time, we¡¯ve let you all live together, but it¡¯s not your house. Have you lived here so long that you¡¯ve forgotten that?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo moved his lips and said, ¡°Zhenjia got married, and we paid for him to build a new house. You said this house would be mine, and our whole family would live with you. Now, you¡¯re saying this. How can you give Zhenjia a house to live in, but not be willing to give us even a place to stay?¡±


    Lu Youxi walked up to Lu Zhenguo¡¯s side, holding his arm and gently pinched it, ¡°Dad.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo looked down at Lu Youxi, seeing her shake her head at him.


    Although Lu Youxi didn¡¯t speak, Lu Zhenguo understood her meaning.


    These things, as long as he understood, there was no need to discuss them with the Lu Family¡¯s elders.


    The Lu Family¡¯s elders weren¡¯t unaware; they just favored Lu Zhenjia more and didn¡¯t really consider Lu Zhenguo as their son.


    Whenever they needed something from Lu Zhenguo, they might reluctantly give him a little, but now knowing that they couldn¡¯t rely on Lu Zhenguo, they didn¡¯t leave him anything.


    But for Zhenjia?


    From the start, there was never anything gained from Lu Zhenjia¡¯s end, yet the Lu Family¡¯s elders could unhesitatingly keep giving to Lu Zhenjia¡¯s side.


    Even Lu Zhenguo couldn¡¯t accept this.


    But seeing Lu Youxi¡¯s calm reaction, Lu Zhenguo realized that from the beginning, she had never had any expectations.


    The attitude of the Lu Family¡¯s elders was even within Lu Youxi¡¯s predictions.


    So that¡¯s why Lu Youxi was so composed.


    Lu Youxi turned to the Lu Family¡¯s elders and said, ¡°We¡¯ll pay rent.¡±

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Ill Burn This Place Down With a Fire

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49: I¡¯ll Burn This Place Down With a Fire Chapter 49: Chapter 49: I¡¯ll Burn This Place Down With a Fire Old Madam Lu was stunned for a moment, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Before my parents move to the city, they lived here, paying you rent monthly, is that okay?¡± Lu Youxi asked.


    Old Madam Lu hesitated this time.


    She loved money.


    The rent offered was truly hard for her to refuse.


    Not to mention Ge Guifen.


    Her eyes darted around wildly, quickly signaling Lu Zhenjia with a look.


    Lu Zhenjia understood instantly, rushed forward, and whispered a few words to Old Madam Lu.


    Old Madam Lu nodded repeatedly, finding Lu Zhenjia¡¯s words reasonable, then finally made a reluctant expression and nodded, ¡°Alright, if you want to pay rent, you can stay here.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo was taken aback, then suddenly let out a low chuckle.


    What a mess this family was!


    To suddenly ask him to pay rent for the house he had lived in for most of his life?


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s heart was cold!


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha!¡± Lu Zhenguo laughed bitterly, tears streaming down his face.


    Lu Youxi did not comfort him, instead, she felt relieved that the Lu Family¡¯s elders were truly heartless towards Lu Zhenguo, pushing him to this point, and also making Lu Zhenguo completely lose heart in them.


    Otherwise, later on, Lu Zhenguo might soften again and stir up some disgusting issues.


    Old Madam Lu was worried Lu Zhenguo wouldn¡¯t keep his word, and while the village chief was present, she pulled Lu Zhenguo aside to finalize the rent.


    Now, no matter how much money Old Madam Lu asked for, Lu Zhenguo felt nothing, agreeing listlessly as if his soul had departed.


    Seeing that things at the Lu Family were embarrassingly chaotic, but also seemed to be concluding, the village chief told the people outside to disperse.


    Lu Youxi took the opportunity to pull Lu Zhenguo away and said, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you take Youxue to the clinic first? Let the doctor check him over, for peace of mind.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zhenguo came back to his senses, saw the injury on Lu Youxue¡¯s arm, and without overthinking, immediately pulled Youxue to the village clinic.


    He really had no energy to look at his own parents and brothers then.


    As soon as Lu Zhenguo left with Lu Youxue, Lu Youxi quickly said to Liu Yushu, ¡°Mom, today Grandma and Grandpa are going with Uncle and Aunt, we¡¯d better pack up their things quickly and send them over.¡±


    The village chief had not left yet, and the Lu Family¡¯s elders didn¡¯t dare to make a scene and renege at that moment. However, hearing Lu Youxi¡¯s words, Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t help but point at Lu Youxi, jumping angrily, ¡°You damned unlucky dog! Your dad just walked out, and you can¡¯t wait to drive us away! Your mother and daughter both have black hearts!¡±


    She then pointed at Liu Yushu, ¡°How could I have agreed to let such a scheming, unlucky creature into the house, causing unrest and giving birth to a daughter who is also a home-wrecker!¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± Zhou Shuyan said sternly.


    Hearing Zhou Shuyan speak made Old Madam Lu even more aggressive, and she immediately jumped out, pointing back and forth at Jhiang Xun and Zhou Shuyan, saying, ¡°Lu Youxi, this little bitch, at such a young age, knows how to seduce men. You haven¡¯t been in the village long, and she¡¯s already hooked up with you. So desperate for a man, what¡¯s wrong with marrying an idiot? In the end, they¡¯re all men, that thing isn¡¯t missing, it¡¯s all the same!¡±


    After that, Old Madam Lu let out a spiteful long laugh filled with malice.


    Liu Yushu trembled with anger. What nonsense was Old Madam Lu saying!


    At such an old age, not holding back a single word of decency, spewing all these filthy remarks at Lu Youxi.


    The village chief really couldn¡¯t listen anymore, ¡°Aunt Lu, Youxi is your granddaughter, watch your language. How can you speak about your own granddaughter like this? And what are those things you¡¯re saying? Should a child hear that?¡±


    ¡°She can hear it, can¡¯t she? Isn¡¯t she already registered?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s eyes spun around, not caring about the village chief¡¯s opinion at that moment, filled with rage and spite, ¡°She¡¯s married, could she still be a child? Hey! For all we know, the girl knows more tricks than even we do put together!¡±


    Liu Yushu¡¯s hands shook with anger. She couldn¡¯t help but burst out, ¡°Mom, Youxi is your granddaughter, how can you speak so horribly!¡±


    ¡°You mother and daughter, both raised by bitches!¡± Old Madam Lu became even more agitated, clearly intending to completely sever ties with them.


    Then Old Madam Lu turned to Zhou Shuyan, her face full of malice, and said, ¡°Xu Mai, if you don¡¯t want to lose both your money and your woman, you better watch her closely.¡±


    Old Madam Lu sneered coldly, ¡°You suffer amnesia, and your background is unclear. Even so, Lu Youxi managed to hook up with you. Once you¡¯re in the city, with its dazzling world and full of college students from Jing University, who knows how many green hats Lu Youxi will make you wear? Don¡¯t let your money go to waste, and lose your woman too.¡±


    Old Madam Lu said this triumphantly, grinning to reveal two rows of big yellow teeth, her sinister cursing demeanor enough to cause nightmares in children and leave a psychological shadow on them.


    Unexpectedly, while Old Madam Lu was enjoying her moment, Zhou Shuyan silently walked away.


    Lu Youxi was somewhat surprised. Although she had no proof, she felt that Zhou Shuyan was not the type to shy away from problems.


    That was the impression Zhou Shuyan gave her.


    Old Madam Lu grew even more spirited, shouting at Zhou Shuyan¡¯s retreating back, ¡°What, leaving already? Regret it, and thinking about divorcing Lu Youxi? I don¡¯t know what love potion Lu Youxi gave you, or do you think now that Lu Youxi is going to be a college student, marrying her wouldn¡¯t be a loss?¡±


    But as she shouted, Old Madam Lu sensed that something was off; why did Zhou Shuyan head toward the woodshed?


    After a while, they saw Zhou Shuyan carrying a bundle of firewood to the door of the Lu Family¡¯s elders¡¯ bedroom, then casually lighting a stick, smiling as he looked at Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°Xu Mai, what are you doing?¡± Old Madam Lu instinctively felt uneasy, alarms ringing in her heart.


    Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows slightly and said nonchalantly, ¡°Go on, talk! I will just burn this place down.¡±


    ¡°You... You dare! I will call the police and have you arrested!¡± Old Madam Lu shouted angrily.


    ¡°Do you know my real name? Xu Mai is just a temporary name I adopted after losing my memory,¡± Zhou Shuyan scoffed.


    Old Madam Lu: ¡°...¡±


    Knowing Old Madam Lu was not well-educated, Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°If damage is done, I will just pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! If you burn my house, you still have to pay!¡± Old Madam Lu immediately retorted.


    Zhou Shuyan chuckled lightly, ¡°Who said I would pay you? I¡¯ll pay my father-in-law instead.¡±


    Old Madam Lu was taken aback. Xu Mai continued, ¡°My father-in-law is your son, you¡¯re family, right? I¡¯ll directly compensate him; what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Old Madam Lu suddenly realized the point.


    She might not understand the law, but she knew that to outsiders, they indeed appeared as one family.


    Compensation from Zhou Shuyan to Lu Zhenguo would look the same to others as compensation to her.

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Settling Accounts with Her

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Settling Accounts with Her Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Settling Accounts with Her But they had already had a falling out with Zhenguo and his family.


    Shuyan really were to give compensation to Zhenguo, Zhenguo wouldn¡¯t pass on the money to them.


    It was as if their house had burned down, and Zhenguo had pocketed the money for free!


    Old Madam Lu realized this and immediately backed down.


    She could live without the money, but she couldn¡¯t stand to see Zhenguo with money!


    Shuyan slightly curved his lips, ¡°Go on, say it again.¡±


    Old Madam Lu pursed her lips in frustration but kept quiet.


    Meanwhile, Youxi, accompanied by Yushu, continued to pack up the elders¡¯ belongings.


    The old lady saw this and was displeased again, ¡°Don¡¯t touch them, I think they¡¯re dirty!¡±


    Moreover, there was also the couple¡¯s private savings, what if Youxi took the chance to pocket it?


    Old Madam Lu suddenly thought of this and hastily grabbed Guifen, ¡°What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pack for us!¡±


    Old Madam Lu pulled hard, causing Guifen to stagger.


    Guifen¡¯s face contorted in distress, as if crying in her heart.


    Old Madam Lu hadn¡¯t even moved in yet, and she was already so domineering.


    One could imagine the miserable days Guifen would have once Old Madam Lu moved in.


    ¡°You lazy woman, you have no awareness at all!¡± Old Madam Lu chided as she dragged Guifen into the house.


    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t trust Youxi, and Youxi was happy to rest on the sidelines, so she pulled Yushu along and told her not to lift a finger either.


    After a while, Zhenguo returned with Youxue.


    The doctor had treated Youxue and his arm was still stained with the color of the medicine.


    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t let Youzhen rest either and had Guifen and Youzhen help pack for them.


    She also sent Zhenjia back home to prepare a bedroom for her and Old Master Lu.


    When Old Master Lu saw Zhenguo had returned, he brought up the issue of rent he had been mulling over.


    ¡°How long do you plan to stay? Give us the rent all at once, so I don¡¯t have to come asking you every month,¡± Old Master Lu said to Zhenguo.


    Zhenguo found it extremely ironic.


    Now, his parents treated him like a complete stranger.


    Zhenguo silently went back to his room, took out some money, and gave it to Old Master Lu, ¡°This is for three months¡¯ rent.¡±


    Zhenguo hadn¡¯t planned to give too much.


    He wasn¡¯t sure when he would move to the city, but Youxi probably had a plan.


    But three months seemed fairly safe, not too long, giving too many months¡¯ rent in advance, in case the Lu Family¡¯s elders regretted it later.


    Youxi was going to the city for studies, and he needed to settle down first; it wasn¡¯t something he could do at the drop of a hat.


    He had to first check out the situation in the city.


    Old Master Lu accepted the money without hesitation, and once Guifen and Youzhen had packed their belongings, they all headed back to Zhenjia¡¯s place.


    Zhenjia had prepared a temporary room for the Lu Family¡¯s elders. When the elders returned, he explained, ¡°Dad, Mom, we really should have given our own room to you. But things are too rushed right now, and our room is too cluttered, so we¡¯ll have to put you up here temporarily. We¡¯ll sort it out slowly later.¡±


    The elders were not happy but given the circumstances, they reluctantly agreed.


    Guifen helped to move the elders¡¯ luggage into the room and slowly began to unpack.


    At Zhenguo¡¯s place, shortly after the Lu Family¡¯s elders left, Youxi also went out.


    ¡°Youxi, where are you going?¡± Zhenguo asked.


    ¡°I need to see Lu Youzhen about something,¡± Lu Youxi said with a stern face.


    Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t think too much of it, feeling that Lu Youxi and Lu Youzhen couldn¡¯t possibly get into any more trouble together, but still he said, ¡°Things are chaotic over there right now, find her in a couple of days.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t respond and left with a somber expression on his face.


    After taking a few steps, he realized that Zhou Shuyan was following him.


    ¡°Why did you follow me?¡± Lu Youxi asked in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re alone; you can¡¯t possibly handle so many of them by yourself.¡± Zhou Shuyan was just here to assist.


    Lu Youxi blinked, slightly taken aback, ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m going to do?¡±


    ¡°Lu Youzhen has tied up Youxue and even hurt him; you can¡¯t just let that go, can you?¡± If you let this go, you wouldn¡¯t be Lu Youxi, ¡°I just didn¡¯t have the chance to get to her earlier, but now that I¡¯m free, you¡¯re definitely going to settle the score with her.¡±


    ¡°Actually, you might have already helped me a lot by registering our marriage,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to get involved in this mess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing else to do,¡± Zhou Shuyan replied nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t really need to do anything, just being there to show presence.¡±


    Lu Youxi was silent for a few seconds.


    Zhou Shuyan made it sound easy, but even just showing presence meant getting involved.


    This was completely unnecessary for Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Everyone in the village knows we¡¯ve registered our marriage,¡± Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°You stepping up without me would make people question my backbone.¡±


    Lu Youxi laughed.


    As they talked and walked, they soon arrived at Lu Zhenjia¡¯s house.


    The courtyard gate was closed; Lu Youxi sneered and kicked the gate open forcefully.


    Entering the yard, they could still hear the sounds of bustling cleanup inside.


    Lu Zhenjia, hearing the loud ¡°bang¡± from outside and not knowing what it was, went out to check.


    ¡°Lu Youxi? What are you doing here?¡± Seeing his own gate wide open, he knew that Lu Youxi had probably kicked it open.


    Lu Youzhen heard the noise and ran out to see what was happening.


    This was her family¡¯s home, so she wasn¡¯t afraid.


    But she had just come out when she heard Lu Youxi ask, ¡°Where is Lu Youzhen?¡±


    Lu Youzhen sensed something was off from Lu Youxi¡¯s tone. Seeing his aggressive appearance, she turned and ran.


    But Lu Youxi had already spotted her and wouldn¡¯t let her escape.


    Zhou Shuyan, in perfect understanding, stayed at the gate, blocking the only exit.


    Lu Youxi rushed forwarded and caught Lu Youzhen by the hair, pulling her back.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lu Youzhen cried in pain as Lu Youxi pulled her hair, trying to protect it, yet couldn¡¯t free her hair from Lu Youxi¡¯s grasp, ¡°Dad! Mom! Help me!¡±


    Ge Guifen was busy inside, and at the sound of Lu Youzhen¡¯s voice, she came out breathing heavily.


    ¡°Lu Youxi! What are you doing causing a scene here!¡± Lu Zhenjia was infuriated as Lu Youxi dared to lay hands on Lu Youzhen right in front of him, as if he didn¡¯t even matter!


    ¡°Lu Youxi! What are you doing!¡± Ge Guifen screamed as she came out.


    Ge Guifen and Lu Zhenjia both stepped forward, trying to pull Lu Youxi away.


    Just then, Zhou Shuyan lazily walked up, but strongly grabbed Lu Zhenjia¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Lu Zhenjia felt a sharp pain in his wrist, rendering his hand powerless.


    Zhou Shuyan gave a kick to Lu Zhenjia¡¯s knee.


    Lu Zhenjia¡¯s knee buckled, and he fell to the ground.


    Then, Lu Youxi directly kicked Ge Guifen away.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 There is no such thing as a free lunch

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51: There is no such thing as a free lunch with me Chapter 51: Chapter 51: There is no such thing as a free lunch with me Ge Guifen covered her stomach, fell to the ground, and for a moment couldn¡¯t get up. Lu Youxi then grabbed Lu Youzhen¡¯s hair and dragged her out of the courtyard.


    Lu Youzhen, while clutching her own hair, was forced to lower her head and twist her neck by Lu Youxi, which made her extremely uncomfortable.


    But what made her the most uncomfortable was that Lu Youxi was embarrassing her like this.


    Though Lu Youzhen wasn¡¯t as favored as Lu Youbang at home, she was still quite pampered.


    Her status in the family was much better than that of Lu Youxi.


    Since she was a child, Lu Youxi had done the heavy and rough work, while Lu Youzhen did much less.


    Being pampered at home, she wasn¡¯t exactly delicate, but definitely not someone used to hard labor. Naturally, she was no match for Lu Youxi in strength.


    Now, she could only be dragged away by Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Lu Youxi! What the hell are you doing? Ah!!!¡± Lu Youzhen screamed desperately, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Ge Guifen covered her stomach, got up, and like crazy, charged towards Lu Youxi, ¡°Lu Youxi, what are you doing at my home! Let Youzhen go!¡±


    ¡°You little bitch! Let Youzhen go!¡± yelled Ge Guifen as she rushed over.


    But she hadn¡¯t even touched Lu Youxi¡¯s clothes when Zhou Shuyan stopped her.


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t even touch Ge Guifen; he truly had developed a psychological shadow because of Lu Youxi.


    This girl, Lu Youxi, truly had no filter.


    If he accidentally touched Ge Guifen, Lu Youxi might take the opportunity to concoct some scandal about him and Ge Guifen, and he would have nightmares about it.


    Thus, when Zhou Shuyan arrived, he specifically brought a wooden stick from Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family.


    As Ge Guifen charged, Zhou Shuyan poked her away with the stick, not using force, just using the stick as a ruler to maintain distance.


    ¡°Xu Mai! How dare you hit me!¡± Ge Guifen yelled furiously.


    Who knew Zhou Shuyan would be holding a stick in one hand and filming with his phone in the other, ¡°I¡¯m not hitting you, I¡¯m filming the whole process.¡±


    Ge Guifen: ¡°!!!¡±


    Even though Zhou Shuyan had been in the village for a while, his mysterious nature meant he wasn¡¯t often seen wandering around the village. Ge Guifen¡¯s understanding of Zhou Shuyan was limited to some village gossip.


    She had not expected Zhou Shuyan to be as annoying as Lu Youxi!


    Lu Youxi was relentless, but Zhou Shuyan was slippery as an eel!


    At that moment, Lu Zhenjia charged up again.


    But Zhou Shuyan, unexpectedly taking on both Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen, didn¡¯t let them get anywhere near Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi easily dragged Lu Youzhen home, thinking to herself, luckily Zhou Shuyan had followed.


    Even if she was alone, she could still have dragged Lu Youzhen away, just with a bit more effort.


    Although Zhou Shuyan kept Ge Guifen and Lu Zhenjia at bay, they still followed.


    Ge Guifen, unable to reach Lu Youxi, yelled from behind, ¡°Lu Youxi, you son of a bitch, shame on you, whatever you have, bring it to me, what are you bothering Youzhen for!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch Youzhen, you whore, we Youzhen despises your dirt!¡± She cursed nastily, yet Lu Youxi remained unmoved.


    After cursing for a while, Ge Guifen saw more and more villagers gathering to watch, and quickly thought it over and then changed her approach, slapping her thigh as she walked, ¡°Everyone, judge for yourselves! Who could be so unreasonable!¡±


    ¡°We were just tidying up the room for our in-laws at home when Lu Youxi all of a sudden brought a man to our house and dragged Youzhen away!¡± Ge Guifen cried out tearfully and loudly accused, ¡°Lu Youxi can¡¯t be so unreasonable! Look what she¡¯s done to our Youzhen! Her man even stopped us from getting near!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia charged forward again, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    But Zhou Shuyan still firmly blocked him.


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s all the commotion?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite lively at the Lu family today.¡±


    More and more onlookers gathered.


    Lu Youxi spoke loudly, ¡°Lu Youzhen tied up Youxue and locked him in a room, leaving Youxue covered in bruises. Lu Youzhen doesn¡¯t treat Youxue like a brother, she¡¯s actually harming Youxue like this. But as Youxue¡¯s biological sister, I must seek justice for him!¡±


    ¡°What? When Lu Youzhen hurt Youxue, I didn¡¯t see you uncles and aunts stand up. Now, the three of you still haven¡¯t even said a word of apology.¡± Lu Youxi continued as she dragged Lu Youzhen, ¡°Now I¡¯m just seeking justice for Youxue and you finally feel concerned?¡±


    ¡°Oh right, now I remember, poor little Youxue, tied up in a room, how miserable!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I was outside the yard earlier, I couldn¡¯t see the inside, but seeing Lu Zhenguo so angry he wanted to split the family, it¡¯s clear how unreasonably Youxue was hurt.¡±


    ¡°I saw it before while I was outside. Youxue¡¯s arms and legs were sticking out of the room, all bruised!¡±


    ¡°I heard it, Lu Youxue said Lu Youzhen was the one who locked him in the room.¡±


    ¡°She really went too far in hurting her own little brother!¡±


    ¡°This really went too far without even a single apology.¡±


    ¡°Well, Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family even does more outrageous things. This is nothing yet. If you think they would realize their mistake and apologize, they wouldn¡¯t have thought of marrying Lu Youxi to Foolish Hu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family has Lu Youxi who is strong enough to stand up for Youxue, otherwise Youxue¡¯s loss would¡¯ve been in vain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, to say Lu Zhenguo and his wife are honest people, but they are overly honest. Their child suffered so much yet they haven¡¯t sought justice for him.¡±


    Ge Geifen did not expect, that these villagers who came to watch, none of them sided with her.


    They all actually thought Lu Youxi was doing the right thing. ¡°Lu Youxi, Youzhen is your sister!¡± Ge Guifen shouted sharply. ¡°Youxue is also my brother,¡± said Lu Youxi coolly, dragging Lu Youzhen into the Lu family¡¯s courtyard.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu were cleaning.


    Previously, Ge Guifen and her daughter had cleaned up for the Lu family¡¯s elders, but they had intentionally made a mess of the house.


    Although Lu Youxue had some superficial injuries, Liu Yushu did not let him help.


    All of a sudden they heard the noisy commotion outside, and the next second, they saw Lu Youxi dragging Lu Youzhen by her hair into the house.


    Seeing Lu Youzhen¡¯s hair looking like a bird¡¯s nest, held in Lu Youxi¡¯s hand, her whole body trembling.


    Liu Yushu was startled, ¡°Youxi, what is...¡±


    Lu Zhenguo felt wearied; he truly couldn¡¯t manage Lu Youxi anymore. Before, he perhaps harbored some resentment towards Lu Youxi, feeling that her temper was too hot, and if she wasn¡¯t so rash and unyielding, they wouldn¡¯t have had so many problems.


    But now that things had escalated to this point, Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t have the energy to feel resentful anymore.


    No matter what Lu Youxi did, he couldn¡¯t control her, he only felt weary. ¡°She tied up Youxue like that, I¡¯ll tie her up the same way,¡± said Lu Youxi coldly, ¡°She locked up Youxue for so long; I¡¯ll lock her up for just as long. With me, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch!¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 A Slap on Each Side Not Too Much Right

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52: A Slap on Each Side, Not Too Much, Right? Chapter 52: Chapter 52: A Slap on Each Side, Not Too Much, Right? Lu Youxi, while speaking, dragged Lu Youzhen toward the small room where Lu Youxue had previously been confined.


    Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen charged in, desperate and furious. Lu Zhenjia, both angry and frantic, spat wildly as he shouted at Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Are you just going to watch her bully people like this? Look at what she¡¯s done to Youzhen!¡±


    Perhaps Lu Zhenjia thought Lu Zhenguo would help stop Zhou Shuyan, so he charged at Lu Youxi again.


    But as soon as he moved forward, Zhou Shuyan blocked him, and Lu Zhenjia angrily said, ¡°Big brother, are you really just going to stand there and watch them bully us?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo hesitated before saying, ¡°I... I can¡¯t be in charge right now...¡±


    How could he be in charge of Lu Youxi!


    Liu Yushu¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, surprised as she looked at Lu Zhenguo.


    Was Lu Zhenguo genuinely feeling that way, or was he deliberately shirking responsibility?


    Anyway, Liu Yushu herself wanted to take revenge for Lu Youxue.


    Look at how Lu Youxue had been bullied!


    ¡°Big brother, big sister-in-law, are you just going to stand by and watch?¡± Ge Guifen said, trying to step forward.


    But this time, Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t need to stop her, Liu Yushu had already stepped forward to stop Ge Guifen, ¡°When Youzhen tied up Youxue, weren¡¯t you watching too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you might have even helped!¡± Liu Yushu, suddenly turned fierce today, her fighting spirit astonishing, ¡°Whatever hardship our Youxue went through, let Lu Youzhen go through the same. No problem!¡±


    Liu Yushu wouldn¡¯t necessarily have been so assertive under other circumstances.


    But today she was truly hurt by the despicable acts of the Lu family; whenever they appeared before her, Liu Yushu subconsciously switched into protective mode for her child, not giving her brain a chance to react.


    ¡°Ge Guifen, are you trying to turn the world upside down?¡± Ge Guifen was driven mad, ¡°All these years you pretended to be docile, but today you finally don¡¯t want to play the part anymore?¡±


    Ge Guifen was blocked by Liu Yushu, and Lu Zhenjia by Zhou Shuyan.


    Lu Youxi successfully dragged Lu Youzhen into the small room.


    Lu Youzhen resisted, and Lu Youxi struck her squarely on the face with a slap.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lu Youzhen was stunned at first, then a burning pain spread over her face, and she immediately burst into tears.


    Lu Youxue eagerly assisted with the rough handling.


    Being tied to a chair, he moved it over, dutifully saying, ¡°Sister, I was tied to this chair.¡±


    Lu Youxi nodded and asked, ¡°They wanted to tie you up, you must have fought back, did they hit you?¡±


    ¡°They did!¡± Lu Youxue partially feared that Lu Youxi would be distressed, but he knew Lu Youxi was seeking revenge for him, and he had to make Lu Youxi aware of all the injuries he suffered. He couldn¡¯t cover up for Lu Youzhen; otherwise, if Lu Youxi sought less revenge, it would let Lu Youzhen off too easily.


    Thus, Lu Youxue lifted his clothes, revealing his chest and back.


    There were two handprints on his chest and two pinch marks on his back.


    ¡°There are also some on my arm.¡± Lu Youxue rolled up his sleeves, ¡°They hit me because I didn¡¯t let them tie me up.¡±


    The more Lu Youxi looked, the grimmer her expression became, and a chill seemed to radiate from her.


    Lu Youzhen, frightened, began to tremble, ¡°I didn¡¯t... I didn¡¯t lay a hand on him, it was... it was my mom!¡±


    Without hesitation, Lu Youzhen betrayed Ge Guifen, ¡°It was all done by my mom; I was just responsible for tying him up!¡±


    When Ge Guifen heard Lu Youzhen¡¯s words from outside, her head throbbed with pain.


    That girl, Lu Youzhen, could betray her mother so easily!


    Ge Guifen felt a chill; she had loved Lu Youzhen for nothing!


    Ge Guifen felt a bit cold-hearted; if Lu Youzhen could betray her over such a trivial matter, what if in the future, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do the same?


    Lu Youxi wouldn¡¯t lay a hand on Ge Guifen.


    Now she was taking revenge on Lu Youzhen, and no one would say a word.


    But Ge Guifen was an elder; if Lu Youxi hit Ge Guifen, even if she was in the right, people would find fault.


    Lu Youxi said coldly, ¡°She hit my brother, so I hit her daughter, no problem.¡±


    Having said that, Lu Youxi slapped Lu Youzhen¡¯s face again.


    ¡°Ge Guifen feared someone might see Youxue¡¯s injuries, so she intentionally inflicted them where they¡¯d be covered by clothing,¡± Lu Youxi explained, ¡°But I¡¯m not afraid of people seeing the bruises on your face. It¡¯s perfect. I¡¯ll let the whole village see when someone bullies my family, I pay them back!¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡± once again, Lu Youxi¡¯s hand smacked the other cheek of Lu Youzhen, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always thought you looked rather pretty? Cherishing your face? Thinking you could rise above on your looks?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hit me anymore!¡± Hearing what Lu Youxi said, Lu Youzhen shuddered all over, feeling like the fourth slap might fall at any second.


    Why are Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen so useless, unable to stop Lu Youxi!


    Lu Youxi sneered, ¡°It has to be symmetrical. Two slaps on each side, that¡¯s not too much, right?¡±


    After speaking, Lu Youxi added another slap to the other cheek of Lu Youzhen and then shoved her onto the chair.


    As soon as Lu Youzhen sat down, she tried to struggle up and escape, but was kicked back by Lu Youxi¡¯s foot.


    The rope that had been used to tie up Lu Youxue was still on the floor of the small room.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu hadn¡¯t had the chance to clean up.


    Lu Youxue quickly picked up the rope from the ground and handed it to Lu Youxi, and he helped press down on Lu Youzhen.


    Lu Youxi wound the rope around Lu Youzhen, tightly binding her.


    ¡°Alright, from what time did they confine you?¡± Lu Youxi asked Lu Youxue.


    ¡°The Hu Family incident happened this morning, around 9:30 am,¡± Lu Youxue said, ¡°That¡¯s when they tied me up.¡±


    Lu Youxi estimated, ¡°So, three hours.¡±


    Lu Youxi, holding Lu Youxue, came out and locked the door from the outside, ¡°Then keep Lu Youzhen confined for three hours.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, you¡¯re insane!¡± Ge Guifen exclaimed, her eyes wide.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it, I¡¯m letting Lu Youzhen experience everything Youxue went through. Youxue was confined for three hours, so will Lu Youzhen, it¡¯s fair,¡± Lu Youxi said coldly.


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia!¡± Lu Zhenjia was desperate, no longer using respectful terms for his brother, ¡°Are you just going to watch?¡±


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo!¡± Liu Yushu also looked at Lu Zhenguo, ¡°You heard everything, they even hit Youxue!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo truly hadn¡¯t known before.


    He took Lu Youxue to the village clinic, and since Lu Youxue probably didn¡¯t want to worry him, he had only mentioned the wounds that were visible beneath his clothing; he hadn¡¯t spoken of the ones under.


    Now, Lu Youxue approached Lu Zhenguo and lifted his shirt, ¡°Earlier at the clinic, I didn¡¯t want to worry you, so I didn¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Upon seeing the injuries beneath Lu Youxue¡¯s clothing, Lu Zhenguo¡¯s eyes instantly reddened.


    Now, whatever Lu Zhenjia said was in vain.


    Liu Yushu screamed frenziedly, ¡°How could you be so cruel to him! You beasts!¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 An Eye for an Eye Fair and Square

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53: An Eye for an Eye, Fair and Square Chapter 53: Chapter 53: An Eye for an Eye, Fair and Square ¡°Youxi was so young yet endured all this, Youzhen has no excuse not to endure it.¡± Lu Zhenguo, seeing the injuries on Lu Youxue, could not be overly generous to overlook them.


    ¡°Lu Zhenguo, are those even human words?¡± Lu Zhenjia angrily stomped his foot.


    Lu Youxi locked the door and came out, ¡°Since you¡¯re not dealing with human affairs, naturally there¡¯s no need to speak human words to you.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Lu Zhenjia now truly despised Lu Youxi; he got angry every time he saw her face.


    At that moment, upon hearing Lu Youxi¡¯s words, his head throbbing with rage, he raised his hand without thinking to hit Lu Youxi.


    Just as the slap was about to land, Lu Youxi raised her hand to block it, and at the same time, Lu Zhenguo¡¯s expression drastically changed as he hurried forward to stop it too.


    But a hand was quicker than theirs.


    Zhou Shuyan reacted swiftly and seized Lu Zhenjia¡¯s wrist in time, not appearing to exert much force, as if merely giving a gentle twist.


    Lu Zhenjia then yelped in pain, bending his knees and falling to the ground.


    Zhou Shuyan, with a cold face, shook off Lu Zhenjia¡¯s hand, and holding Lu Youxi¡¯s wrist, he protected her behind him.


    Ge Guifen pointed at them furiously, ¡°I¡¯m calling the police to arrest you! This is illegal detention! Initially, considering we¡¯re family, I didn¡¯t stoop to your level, thinking of negotiating to release Youzhen. But since you¡¯re unwilling, we¡¯ll let the police handle it.¡±


    This sent Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu into a panic.


    But Lu Youxi, unruffled, raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Sure, go ahead and call the police. And while you¡¯re at it, mention the illegal detention of Youxue by Lu Youzhen.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youzhen tying up Youxue and restricting his freedom was seen by the whole village; the village chief can testify for us,¡± Lu Youxi stated calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s resolve it slowly, no rush.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, do you not plan to attend university anymore? Even if it¡¯s tit for tat, having a criminal record won¡¯t look good for university admissions,¡± Lu Zhenjia rubbed his wrist and got up from the ground.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Lu Youxi chuckled, ¡°That wouldn¡¯t stop me from attending university.¡±


    ¡°It was me who tied up Lu Youzhen,¡± Lu Youxue¡¯s somewhat youthful voice chimed in.


    Everyone looked at him in surprise, yet Lu Youxue, composedly, said, ¡°I¡¯m still young, only twelve, not yet fourteen, so I¡¯m not legally responsible.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxue to be absorbing such knowledge secretly.


    She would have to remind Lu Youxue later not to act rashly just because of this technicality.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re all ganging up to bully others now!¡± Lu Zhenjia¡¯s extended arm trembled with anger.


    ¡°How dare you say that!¡± Liu Yushu pulled over Lu Youxue, ¡°You locked up Youxue, lied to us that he was out playing, and allowed Youxue to be injured without a single word of apology. All we did was let Youzhen experience what Youxue went through!¡±


    Lu Youxi tugged at Zhou Shuyan, ¡°Do me a favor.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan looked at her curiously, and after being tugged a few times, obediently followed Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi led Zhou Shuyan into the house and pointed at a small square dining table, ¡°Help me move this table out.¡±


    As she spoke, Lu Youxi was ready to lift one side of the table to carry it out with Zhou Shuyan.


    However, Zhou Shuyan stretched out his long arm, grabbed one side of the table, and lifted it by himself.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t she noticed his strength before?


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t need help, Lu Youxi went to move the chairs.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Did Lu Youxi need to act so composed?


    What was this ghostly behavior of just glancing at him and walking away?


    Right now, he seemed to have boyfriend... no, husband strength, and Lu Youxi neither praised nor seemed amazed?


    ¡°Not that...¡± Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to say?¡±


    ¡°What is there to say?¡± Lu Youxi, carrying two chairs, stopped and looked utterly puzzled, appearing very innocent.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    This girl was so clever at other times, almost demonically so.


    Why was she playing ignorant now!


    Forcing himself to say it out loud, Zhou Shuyan found himself unable to, only gritting his teeth and lifting the table a bit higher.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She guessed Zhou Shuyan¡¯s thoughts, but wasn¡¯t sure, so she ventured, ¡°You¡¯re really strong?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    While Lu Youxi¡¯s statement wasn¡¯t wrong, it still felt a bit off.


    ¡°Why use a questioning tone?¡± Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious enough?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Surprisingly, Zhou Shuyan seemed to care about such matters...


    Thus, Lu Youxi switched to a more affirmative tone and nodded emphatically, ¡°You are really strong.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like he wanted Lu Youxi to praise his strength!


    But then Zhou Shuyan looked at the table he was holding and sighed.


    It seemed that all he had shown was his strength.


    Zhou Shuyan glanced at Lu Youxi, even suspecting she did it on purpose.


    Silently carrying the table out into the yard, Zhou Shuyan turned to ask Lu Youxi, ¡°Where should I put it?¡±


    ¡°Place it in front of the door of that small room,¡± Lu Youxi, dragging chairs, gestured with her chin toward the door that contained Lu Youzhen.


    Zhou Shuyan understood then that Lu Youxi planned to keep watch here.


    Not feeling too sorry for herself, she even arranged for tables and chairs.


    Zhou Shuyan moved the table as Lu Youxi requested.


    Lu Youxi moved two chairs over and arranged them, then retrieved another two for Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, ¡°Dad, Mom, if you¡¯re not too busy, come join us for tea.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia saw and was angered to the point of staggering backward.


    Lu Youxi checked the time and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send Lu Youzhen home when it¡¯s time. It¡¯s time some people learned that wrongdoing comes with consequences, right?¡±


    ¡°Lu Youzhen hurt Youxue, and that¡¯s an irreversible fact, so we can only let Lu Youzhen taste the pain Youxue suffered. An eye for an eye, it¡¯s fair,¡± Lu Youxi said calmly, ¡°Youxue¡¯s injuries saddened my parents and me. This way, you can also experience how agonizing it feels when your own child is hurt.¡±


    Ge Guifen also took action against Lu Youxue.


    Although she couldn¡¯t retaliate against Ge Guifen, she could still make Ge Guifen suffer!


    ¡°Lu Youxi, I see you¡¯re aiming for the skies!¡± Lu Zhenjia shouted angrily.


    ¡°Say whatever you like, but I¡¯m staying here today. Unless you kill me, no one can release Lu Youzhen before time is up,¡± Lu Youxi declared, sitting down in the chair facing the door.


    Zhou Shuyan then stepped forward, grabbed Lu Zhenjia by one hand and Ge Guifen by the other, holding them like two small chicks.

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Zhou Shuyan Failed to See the Bright Look

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Zhou Shuyan Failed to See the Bright Look in Lu Youxi¡¯s Eyes Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Zhou Shuyan Failed to See the Bright Look in Lu Youxi¡¯s Eyes ¡°What are you doing!¡± Ge Guifen was both shocked and angry, struggling incessantly, twisting like a twister.


    But Zhou Shuyan was tall and had long legs, and his arms were long too.


    Stretching his arms out to the sides, Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen, being not very tall, couldn¡¯t even reach Zhou Shuyan despite stretching their arms and legs.


    The key was, Zhou Shuyan had even lifted them off the ground.


    The couple flailed helplessly in the air, like turtles being carried, their hands and feet waving but unable to touch the ground or reach Zhou Shuyan.


    Unfortunately, at that moment, Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t see the shocked and astonished expression in Lu Youxi¡¯s eyes behind him.


    Lu Youxi really hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Shuyan, who appeared slim and was indeed in good shape, to possess such strength. In her impression, he was similar to most men who enjoy fitness.


    His physique was nicely toned, and his strength remarkable but still within what one would expect from fitness routines.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Shuyan¡¯s strength to be so immense, even surpassing what fitness alone could achieve.


    Furthermore, Zhou Shuyan, holding one in each hand, still stood straight and slender, effortlessly upright, not even bending at the waist.


    In her previous life, Lu Youxi had also enjoyed fitness and knew that for Zhou Shuyan to achieve this, his core strength had to be insanely strong.


    Effortlessly, Zhou Shuyan threw Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen outside the front door and then shut it firmly.


    Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen naturally wouldn¡¯t just let it go.


    Outside the door, they banged, kicked, and yelled loudly.


    But as long as they didn¡¯t enter the courtyard, Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi could pretend they didn¡¯t exist.


    Zhou Shuyan locked the front door from inside before he came back.


    ¡°Mom, you haven¡¯t had lunch yet, have you?¡± Lu Youxi stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make some.¡±


    She and Zhou Shuyan had just registered their marriage that morning and then ran into this issue with the Hu Family.


    It had been a commotion until now, already half-past one, and they still hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat lunch.


    ¡°I just finished cooking. Don¡¯t bother,¡± Liu Yushu said. ¡°When you left earlier, I took the opportunity to cook.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo was in charge of cleaning the house.


    ¡°I was waiting for you to come back so we could eat,¡± Liu Yushu said with a smile, not having expected that after Lu Youxi returned, such a scene would occur, delaying the meal further. ¡°The food is all covered in the pot; I¡¯ll go get it.¡±


    Liu Yushu went to the kitchen, and Lu Youxi followed to help.


    It was evident, despite the chaos today, Liu Yushu¡¯s mood was quite good.


    Lifting the pot lid, inside were dishes Liu Yushu had already prepared and kept warm on the stove.


    Liu Yushu had made a plate of oil-fried bok choy, a plate of cabbage, scrambled eggs with cucumber, and stewed pork bone soup.


    The pork bones were bought cheaply by Liu Yushu at the market days ago when she went to buy pork for dumplings.


    There wasn¡¯t much meat on the bones, and they were heavy, so not many people wanted them, but the vendor gave them to Liu Yushu for a good price.


    ¡°If your grandparents were still around, we couldn¡¯t have afforded scrambled eggs,¡± Liu Yushu said with a laugh. ¡°The eggs would have been boiled and divided among the men.¡±


    According to the Lu Family¡¯s elders, a plate of scrambled eggs, if divided among the women, would mean they gained an advantage.


    It would be better to boil three eggs, one each for Old Master Lu, Lu Zhenguo, and Lu Youxue, so no one else could share.


    ¡°From now on, our family won¡¯t differentiate who can eat what,¡± Liu Yushu said cheerfully. ¡°Actually, I wanted to stew some meat for you this noon. But since your grandparents just moved out, if I made delicious food, I feared your father would be uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°In a few days, once he¡¯s accustomed to it, we¡¯ll have a good meal,¡± Liu Yushu said quietly to Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi smiled and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Lu Youxi and Liu Yushu were about to carry the dishes out, Zhou Shuyan unexpectedly entered the kitchen.


    ¡°Xu Mai, what brought you here?¡± Liu Yushu was surprised.


    ¡°I came to help,¡± Zhou Shuyan said, seeing that the dishes were all ready. ¡°Will these be okay to bring out?¡±


    Liu Yushu was genuinely surprised¡ªmen from their Lu Family never entered the kitchen.


    While other families in the village might not be as strict, it was standard that men worked in the fields and women took care of the household chores. Men helping in the kitchen were rare.


    Liu Yushu nervously glanced at Lu Youxi, fearing it might affect their relationship, and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to help, just going to carry a few plates. Go sit down.¡±


    ¡°Today, we really owe you for your help, and you exerted a lot of effort. You must be very tired,¡± Liu Yushu had unconsciously taken on the perspective of a mother-in-law, hoping to treat her son-in-law well so that he would treat her daughter well in return. ¡°Go rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very tired,¡± Zhou Shuyan smiled. ¡°Honestly, Youxi is probably more tired than I am.¡±


    ¡°You go rest. I¡¯ll carry them,¡± Zhou Shuyan again told Lu Youxi.


    This time, Liu Yushu was truly astounded.


    Zhou Shuyan was truly a good catch.


    In all of Hexing Village, there was no other man who let his wife rest while he worked.


    Every household had an excessive amount of chores, both inside and out, and even the children had to help.


    Who in the family could afford to rest?


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it together,¡± Lu Youxi said, handing Zhou Shuyan two plates, not standing on ceremony, then took another two herself, and together they carried out the dishes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get the rice,¡± Lu Youxue stood up, intending to head to the kitchen.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured, just sit,¡± Lu Youxi pressed Lu Youxue back down. ¡°Dad, can you help me bring over five bowls of rice?¡±


    Everyone at home started moving; Lu Youxi wouldn¡¯t let Lu Zhenguo sit as comfortably as when Lu Family¡¯s elders were around. He used to watch Liu Yushu and her rush about.


    If it continued like this, once they moved to the city, it would still be Liu Yushu working while Lu Zhenguo played the lord.


    But this couldn¡¯t be changed overnight; they still needed to gradually alter Lu Zhenguo¡¯s habits.


    Starting with such small things would help Lu Zhenguo get accustomed to them.


    Lu Zhenguo paused, as he was used to sitting at the dining table waiting for Liu Yushu to serve food and drinks.


    He had just been waiting for Liu Yushu to bring him spirits and cups.


    ¡°Okay.¡± After a brief pause, Lu Zhenguo somewhat blankly nodded, stood up, followed Lu Youxi to the kitchen where she scooped some rice and gave him two bowls to carry out.


    Lu Youxi then carried another three bowls out.


    Outside, the voices of Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen grew fainter, and the intervals between their shouts of abuse also lengthened, presumably because they were getting tired.


    While Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family had been unable to have lunch, Lu Zhenjia and his wife hadn¡¯t eaten either.


    Locked in a small room, Lu Youzhen was still hungry.


    Although the three members of Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family weren¡¯t together, they all simultaneously smelled the scent of food wafting from Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family¡¯s courtyard.

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Where Are You Staying Tonight

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Where Are You Staying Tonight? Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Where Are You Staying Tonight? The three of them, already hungry, were now even hungrier.


    Thinking about how Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family was comfortably dining inside while they were too drained to even curse made their own hunger intensify.


    Lu Youzhen, locked in the room, felt her stomach itch with hunger as it growled; yet, the persistent scent of food wafted into the yard.


    Unable to eat anything, she wept from hunger.


    Liu Yushu had a few bites of food and glanced back and forth between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan, her expression conflicted.


    ¡°Mom, if you have something to say, just say it,¡± Lu Youxi saw Liu Yushu¡¯s extreme indecision and took the initiative to speak up.


    Liu Yushu gave a dry laugh, steeled herself internally, and then asked, ¡°So, um... since you two have gotten your certificate, where are you staying tonight?¡±


    Liu Yushu had been pondering this even while cooking earlier.


    As of now, Zhou Shuyan was still staying at Grandma Xu¡¯s, without a place of his own.


    Logically, having married Zhou Shuyan, Lu Youxi should be living together with him.


    But for Lu Youxi to stay with Zhou Shuyan at Grandma Xu¡¯s just didn¡¯t seem right.


    Most importantly, up until now, Liu Yushu still hadn¡¯t truly felt that Lu Youxi was actually married.


    She had admitted the marriage between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan in front of everyone and the Lu Family¡¯s elders just a moment ago.


    But deep down, she still felt she understood Lu Youxi well.


    This summer, Lu Youxi had spent most of her time working at home, and Zhou Shuyan¡¯s visits weren¡¯t long.


    Even though they inevitably saw each other in the village, they hadn¡¯t spent enough time together to be ready for marriage.


    Lu Youxi was different from her parents¡¯ generation.


    Liu Yushu thought about how her own generation met through introductions, decided the other was passable and capable of sharing life, and then married.


    There was hardly any emotional attachment.


    Feelings, for the most part, developed after marriage, and love wasn¡¯t really a factor.


    Take her and Lu Zhenguo, for example, they didn¡¯t truly have love between them for a long time after marriage; it was simply about partnership in living.


    Now, having lived together up to this moment, what they had was familial affection.


    It wasn¡¯t about being inseparable; it was just habit.


    Lu Zhenguo had his minor faults, but Liu Yushu saw none of them as grave, intolerable mistakes.


    But Lu Youxi¡¯s generation was different; they dated freely.


    She had always felt that if Lu Youxi married, it would be to someone she loved, not in a rush just for the sake of marriage, and not through someone setting them up.


    Liu Yushu always suspected that there was something off about Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan¡¯s marriage.


    To this day, she still hadn¡¯t felt any reality to the fact that Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan had actually gotten married.


    Her daughter was able, good in her studies, beautiful, and was preparing to study at Jing University.


    Who knew that without even starting college yet, she¡¯d get a marriage certificate?


    Privately, Liu Yushu wasn¡¯t keen on them moving in together so soon.


    Even if the two truly had feelings for each other behind everyone¡¯s back, they should still wait.


    Lu Youxi was still young.


    The idea of her daughter now living with a man she had only recently met was incomprehensible to Liu Yushu.


    Even though they were already married.


    Lu Youxi was so startled by Liu Yushu¡¯s remarks that she almost bit down on an egg, but instead chomped on her chopsticks, causing a slight pain in her teeth.


    She hadn¡¯t considered this at all.


    Her marriage to Zhou Shuyan was fake, a temporary certificate obtained due to circumstances.


    Zhou Shuyan had agreed to help only to repay the debt for saving his life; there were no feelings between them.


    If they had to claim any, it could only be characterized as revolutionary camaraderie.


    Thus, Lu Youxi had never considered living together.


    Even though they were married, she would certainly stay where she did before, not together.


    Lu Youxi then said, ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it already. Since Xu Mai has no place of his own, and it¡¯s not appropriate for me to live at Grandma Xu¡¯s. It¡¯s also not right for Xu Mai to stay at our place; he¡¯s not a ¡®live-in son-in-law.¡¯ If he really moved in, the village would surely start gossiping again.¡±


    Liu Yushu nodded in agreement, and Lu Zhenguo too nodded, saying, ¡°What you said makes sense.¡±


    ¡°So, the two of us will live separately as before. He at Grandma Xu¡¯s, and I at our home,¡± Lu Youxi concluded.


    Zhou Shuyan gave her a look.


    The girl clearly hadn¡¯t consulted him at all, and the words she had just improvised, she now dared to say they had discussed.


    ¡°Xu Mai, do you feel the same way?¡± Liu Yushu asked Zhou Shuyan.


    She was worried he might not be happy.


    Lu Youxi could be a bit domineering, and marrying Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t seem to change her nature.


    An occasional submission was fine, but Liu Yushu feared Zhou Shuyan might become upset over time.


    It was best to respect Zhou Shuyan¡¯s wishes.


    Zhou Shuyan looked at Lu Youxi but did not answer right away, causing Liu Yushu¡¯s anxiety to grow.


    Under the table, Lu Youxi discreetly kicked him.


    Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows at Lu Youxi, ¡°Why did you kick me?¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°My mom was asking you a question,¡± Lu Youxi had to say, ¡°You should answer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t kick people!¡± Liu Yushu quickly added.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Of course, her mother was still her mother.


    She had been stiff for a moment in front of the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia and his wife, but now she softened again.


    Zhou Shuyan, propping his chin with one hand, tilted his head looking at Lu Youxi with a self-satisfied lift of a single eyebrow.


    Lu Youxi noticed he loved to raise his eyebrows, and each time, he conveyed a different mood, making it easy to read.


    Sometimes it was mockery, sometimes speechlessness.


    But this time, his thick brows were clearly filled with smugness.


    ¡°I just accidentally touched his foot,¡± Lu Youxi rolled her eyes at Zhou Shuyan, ¡°He¡¯s just overreacting.¡±


    After a few seconds, Zhou Shuyan, smiling, said, ¡°It must have been accidental.¡±


    ¡°As for what Youxi just said, although she hadn¡¯t consulted me, my thoughts are not much different,¡± Zhou Shuyan put down his chopsticks, seriously, ¡°One reason is that I don¡¯t have my own place here, and it¡¯s indeed not right to have Youxi stay with me at Grandma Xu¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Another bigger reason is that Youxi is still young. Here in Hexing Village, she thinks I¡¯m handsome, a good person, so she got the certificate with me. But I feel it¡¯s because she hasn¡¯t seen enough people,¡± Zhou Shuyan stated.


    Lu Youxi thought, had she seen too few people?


    In her previous life, she had seen countless individuals.


    Technically, Zhou Shuyan should even call her ¡®auntie¡¯.


    ¡°When she gets to the city, she¡¯ll meet more people, many outstanding ones. Including the campus at Jing University,¡± Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°I think if by then Youxi realizes she doesn¡¯t like me that much after all, or that she misunderstood her feelings for me now, wanting to break up, we can still part ways without any strings attached. If I divorce her, it won¡¯t cause her any loss.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Zhou Shuyan Why are you still so pale

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Zhou Shuyan: Why are you still so pale? Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Zhou Shuyan: Why are you still so pale? Zhou Shuyan¡¯s words completely shocked Liu Yushu.


    Even Lu Zhenguo couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Shuyan.


    He had always thought that Lu Youxi got the marriage certificate with Zhou Shuyan just to avoid being married off to Foolish Hu.


    He was somewhat displeased with Zhou Shuyan and had never really looked at him properly.


    Now he couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Shuyan.


    Could Zhou Shuyan really be so open-minded to agree to marry Lu Youxi and even support her if she fell for someone else?


    However, given that all this was beneficial for Lu Youxi, Lu Zhenguo, honest as he was, would not object.


    Liu Yushu was nodding repeatedly, ¡°Good, good, good!¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai, just because of what you said, I know our Youxi has good judgment and didn¡¯t choose the wrong person!¡± Liu Yushu said, moved.


    After the five of them finished eating, Zhou Shuyan helped clean up, and Lu Zhenguo was also busy.


    Though he didn¡¯t clean the dishes, he continued to tidy up the house.


    At last, Liu Yushu insisted that Zhou Shuyan not wash the dishes and let him rest, so he stopped.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back now,¡± Zhou Shuyan said.


    Hearing this, Liu Yushu noticed that Zhou Shuyan, indeed, as he said, had no intention of staying with Lu Youxi.


    Liu Yushu glanced around and picked up about a dozen eggs and four boxes of milk to give to Zhou Shuyan.


    Now that the Lu Family¡¯s elders were not around, there were more eggs and milk at home.


    The family¡¯s conditions were not good, but Liu Yushu didn¡¯t want Zhou Shuyan to leave empty-handed.


    Not to mention that Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi had just gotten their marriage certificate today, but also because of the things Zhou Shuyan said earlier, Liu Yushu wanted to be kind to him.


    Unfortunately, their family¡¯s conditions did not allow for more, so she could only give him that much.


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t act polite, taking them and expressing his thanks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± Lu Youxi offered.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s eyelids twitched, and seeing Lu Youxi¡¯s behavior, it seemed like she really liked Zhou Shuyan quite a bit.


    Zhou Shuyan slightly curled his lips and nodded, walking out the door with Lu Youxi only to find that Lu Zhenjia and Ge Guifen were no longer there.


    ¡°No wonder it was so quiet just now,¡± Lu Youxi murmured, ¡°have they really left?¡±


    ¡°They really left,¡± Aunt Lin said from behind the yard gate to Lu Youxi, ¡°They got tired of arguing and waited here for a while, but couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I heard them planning to go home for dinner. They said that before the time was up, you wouldn¡¯t let Lu Youzhen go, so they might as well wait until the time was up, and if Lu Youzhen still hadn¡¯t returned home, they would come here to get her.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    That really was just like that couple.


    ¡°Got it, thanks Aunt Lin,¡± Lu Youxi said with a smile.


    Having a gossip-loving neighbor like Aunt Lin could be bothersome at times, but it was useful in situations like this.


    Aunt Lin gave a thumbs up to Lu Youxi, ¡°Youxi, what you did today was really satisfying!¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled and walked away with Xu Mai.


    After walking a bit further, Zhou Shuyan asked, ¡°Do you have something you want to say to me?¡±


    Lu Youxi paused and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you play along with me just now?¡±


    ¡°Which time?¡± Zhou Shuyan put his hands in his pockets and looked up as if thinking, ¡°I have been pretty cooperative.¡±


    Lu Youxi let out a cold laugh, thinking to herself, ¡®keep playing dumb,¡¯ ¡°I was talking to my mom about us sleeping in separate houses.¡±


    That¡¯s when Zhou Shuyan seemed to remember, ¡°Oh, that matter.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...We don¡¯t have that many matters to discuss.¡±


    ¡°If you also agree that we should sleep in separate houses, why didn¡¯t you just cooperate with me?¡± Lu Youxi asked.


    Zhou Shuyan slightly raised his eyebrows, ¡°I realized that you seem too accustomed to making decisions yourself, so you often make spontaneous decisions and then say they were discussed with me. But clearly, we did not discuss.¡±


    Lu Youxi was slightly stunned, thinking about it, that seemed quite true.


    ¡°It just so happened that the decisions you made on your own were something I could go along with, and also what I was thinking. But what if there comes a time when I can¡¯t accommodate?¡± Zhou Shuyan¡¯s expression became somewhat serious.


    Even the sunshine on his face couldn¡¯t soften his features.


    ¡°I hope that before you make decisions in the future, you¡¯d discuss them with me,¡± Zhou Shuyan said seriously, ¡°With your intelligence, it won¡¯t delay anything. Even if it¡¯s delayed by a minute, find an opportunity to check with me.¡±


    ¡°Like today and the previous times, it was all good luck that I could cooperate and that I was also thinking the same,¡± Zhou Shuyan continued, ¡°But neither you nor I can guarantee that I will always be able to go along with every matter in the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lu Youxi bowed her head slightly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t thoughtful. Actually... I only thought about myself, only thought about making things convenient for myself, so I didn¡¯t consider the impact on you, didn¡¯t think that you might have your own difficulties.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t expect Lu Youxi to apologize so quickly.


    From what Zhou Shuyan knew about people he had met throughout his life, no matter their gender, many found it difficult to humble themselves to apologize for their mistakes.


    Many people, clearly in the wrong, try to muddle through, hoping time will dilute everything, and after a while, they shamelessly pretend nothing wrong ever happened.


    Some apologize verbally but clearly reluctantly, and the attitude while apologizing seems like the one being apologized to is the one in the wrong.


    As if having made a mistake and being asked to apologize was profoundly unreasonable.


    Truly being able to admit wrongdoing generously and without hesitation is, in fact, very rare.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s magnanimity was somewhat eye-opening for Zhou Shuyan.


    Lu Youxi stopped walking, and Zhou Shuyan stopped too.


    She looked up at him, ¡°I won¡¯t do it in the future. This time, thank you for giving me a small lesson, otherwise, I would surely make a bigger mistake later.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan gave a light smile, ¡°When you put it like this, I don¡¯t even know what would be appropriate to say.¡±


    ¡°Also, thank you for understanding my meaning and not getting angry,¡± Zhou Shuyan continued walking.


    This time, Lu Youxi mimicked Zhou Shuyan¡¯s expression and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you see me as such a petty person?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan chuckled softly, ¡°You have a broad mind, but indeed, not a small one.¡±


    Lu Youxi inhaled sharply, widened her eyes, and without thinking, slapped his arm, ¡°Listen to yourself, don¡¯t you see the contradiction in your words?¡±


    ¡°Not contradictory,¡± Zhou Shuyan caught her hand to prevent any more ¡°attacks,¡± and gestured with his other hand, ¡°You can have a mind this big, but keep only a little bit of it for small matters.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    You know how to explain things.


    Just as she was inwardly ridiculing him, Lu Youxi suddenly felt an intense heat on her hand.


    Only then did she realize that Zhou Shuyan was holding her hand.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Lu Youxis face crashed into Zhou Shuyans

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Lu Youxi¡¯s face crashed into Zhou Shuyan¡¯s chest Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Lu Youxi¡¯s face crashed into Zhou Shuyan¡¯s chest Lu Youxi¡¯s face involuntarily reddened, and her ears felt intensely hot.


    The flush spread from her ears down to her neck.


    She subconsciously struggled to pull her hand away, but her effort was so slight that to Zhou Shuyan, it felt no different from a tickle.


    Still, Zhou Shuyan noticed the strength of her pull and looked down, puzzled, only to freeze for a moment.


    He saw that Lu Youxi¡¯s hand was clasped in his own.


    His skin had darkened a bit from helping Grandma Xu with chores every day, which made Lu Youxi¡¯s skin appear even whiter by contrast, as if he was holding a soft piece of tofu in his palm.


    Zhou Shuyan experienced a brief moment of mental blankness, and without any thought, he instinctively pulled Lu Youxi¡¯s hand closer to his eyes, examining it carefully. He blurted out, ¡°We both work outdoors every day, and you¡¯ve been in the sun too. How come you¡¯re still so pale?¡±


    Lu Youxi¡¯s face turned ¡°whoosh¡± red, bright as a boiled shrimp.


    She felt like she was being teased.


    ¡°You... you let go!¡± Lu Youxi exclaimed with a voice that trembled uncontrollably.


    Zhou Shuyan finally snapped back to reality and also couldn¡¯t help but blush. He promptly let go of her hand.


    As he watched the petite, pale hand instantly slip away, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s palm suddenly felt empty.


    The wind on a summer afternoon was hot,


    but without Lu Youxi¡¯s hand, Zhou Shuyan¡¯s palm felt not only empty but also a bit cool.


    Zhou Shuyan awkwardly drew back his hand and silently hid it behind his back.


    His long fingers curled, and the fingertips that had been gently encased in his palm began to rub against it covertly as if savoring the sensation of when Lu Youxi¡¯s hand was still in his.


    Two seconds later, Zhou Shuyan realized what he was doing and inwardly berated himself for acting like some sort of sleazy old creep.


    The red on Zhou Shuyan¡¯s face faded a bit, but he was still embarrassed to continue the previous topic.


    He had no idea why he had abruptly asked that question.


    Asking someone why they were so pale?


    Zhou Shuyan once again scorned himself, thinking, ¡°Well done, really!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to see me off,¡± Zhou Shuyan said. He feared that if he continued walking with Lu Youxi, he might blurt out something foolish again. ¡°You¡¯ve finished asking everything you wanted to ask, right?¡±


    Lu Youxi nodded, her face still flushed, not daring to look at Zhou Shuyan, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going back.¡±


    Without waiting for Zhou Shuyan to respond, Lu Youxi turned and started walking home.


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Zhou Shuyan suddenly remembered something.


    Lu Youxi stopped. Hadn¡¯t this man just told her to go back?


    Why was he stopping her again?


    Then she saw Zhou Shuyan quickly take a few steps forward, returning to stand in front of her, ¡°This time, Lu Zhenjia won¡¯t let things go so easily.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lu Youxi nodded, ¡°He probably still wants to stop me from getting into university.¡±


    ¡°What are you planning to do about it?¡± Zhou Shuyan¡¯s lips curled up unconsciously, pleased that Lu Youxi had come to the same conclusion.


    ¡°I can only deal with his moves as they come. I can¡¯t predict his next step, so I¡¯ll just have to prepare,¡± Lu Youxi shrugged.


    Thinking about constantly having to guard against Lu Zhenjia, Lu Youxi felt annoyed.


    But fortunately, she would be heading to the Imperial Capital to study soon, and then she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Lu Zhenjia anymore.


    Zhou Shuyan frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried that Lu Zhenjia will resort to despicable measures.¡±


    Lu Youxi was puzzled. Lu Zhenjia¡¯s tactics were always quite desperate.


    Could it be that, in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s eyes, they still weren¡¯t despicable enough?


    Seeing Lu Youxi¡¯s expression, Zhou Shuyan thought that although the girl was quite resolute, she was somewhat naive in some respects.


    Zhou Shuyan pinched the bridge of his nose and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he might take advantage of Foolish Hu from the neighboring village.¡±


    Lu Youxi raised her eyelids slightly, ¡°What can he do with Foolish Hu?¡±


    As a powerful woman in her previous life, Lu Youxi had experienced all sorts of major events.


    But she had never dealt with such filth.


    During the two years Lu Youxi and Lin Jingshen were in love and before they got married, they indeed shared true love.


    After they married, Lu Youxi never ceased climbing the ladder at Lin¡¯s, promoting step by step.


    The means she employed were always upfront and based on her capabilities; she disdained underhanded tactics.


    Thus, even with all the life experience from her past life, Lu Youxi was still at a loss when Zhou Shuyan mentioned his concerns.


    Zhou Shuyan sighed, looked around to make sure they were alone, but still wanting to be cautious, he stepped closer to Lu Youxi.


    Their toes were almost touching.


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly get so close¡ªshe could already feel the heat emanating from Zhou Shuyan¡¯s body from their previous distance, and on such a hot day.


    Now that they were even closer, the warmth radiating from him became more intense and pronounced.


    His scent became more distinct as well.


    Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t wear any cologne; in the village, the conditions didn¡¯t allow for it, and he feared it would stir up rumors if he did.


    But his body carried the scents of earth and grass.


    It was like the fragrance that moist soil and grass emit after rain.


    Lu Youxi had always liked that smell, but at this moment, it made her panic.


    She quickly stepped back, ¡°Why are you suddenly getting so close?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Although it seems like we¡¯re alone, we can¡¯t be sure someone isn¡¯t hiding nearby listening.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being a little careless now,¡± Zhou Shuyan added.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°!!!¡±


    She had the feeling that he was playing a game of ¡°the thief crying ¡®stop thief¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Then you tell me.¡± Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t believe she was being criticized by Zhou Shuyan for not being cautious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m fearmongering,¡± Zhou Shuyan said. ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother overhear Lu Zhenjia discussing with your grandparents about marrying you off to Foolish Hu? If it weren¡¯t for that, how could you have had the chance to prepare in advance?¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Lu Youxi felt the situations weren¡¯t quite the same, but she couldn¡¯t deny that Zhou Shuyan had a point.


    Zhou Shuyan smiled and motioned to Lu Youxi with his fingers. ¡°Come closer.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...Can¡¯t you just move forward a step?¡±


    ¡°If I move forward,¡± Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°it seems like I¡¯m taking advantage of you.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I feel like even if I move forward, you¡¯d be taking advantage of me,¡± Lu Youxi said stiffly.


    Zhou Shuyan laughed softly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to put it that way, we might as well just stand here and get nowhere.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to stand here for?¡± Lu Youxi pouted, seemingly convincing herself, ¡°We¡¯re just collaborators; there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush.¡±


    Having said that, Lu Youxi took a step closer to Zhou Shuyan.


    To show that she really didn¡¯t mind, she confidently and firmly took a large step.


    It was perhaps a little too big, as her toes ended up stepping right onto the tip of Zhou Shuyan¡¯s shoes.

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Dont move yet Ill let go in a moment

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Don¡¯t move yet, I¡¯ll let go in a moment. Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Don¡¯t move yet, I¡¯ll let go in a moment. She stumbled and almost didn¡¯t catch her balance, teetering sideward twice.


    Zhou Shuyan hurriedly reached out to pull her back, his palm pressing against her back.


    The inertia of pulling Lu Youxi back was somewhat strong, and Lu Youxi¡¯s face crashed directly into Zhou Shuyan¡¯s chest.


    Through his thin T-shirt, Lu Youxi could distinctly feel the heat and texture of his chest beneath the fabric.


    The thin layer of the T-shirt did almost nothing to block the sensations.


    She couldn¡¯t tell if it was her face that was burning hot, or if Zhou Shuyan¡¯s body temperature was too high.


    Lu Youxi only felt her face burning up, as if she had a fever, the heat from her cheeks spreading outward until her entire face and body were aflame.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s throat moved with difficulty several times; Lu Youxi¡¯s face was buried in his chest, her heat and breath spilling onto it, scorching as if a brand had been pressed against his skin.


    Zhou Shuyan had just pulled her back, his palm still unconsciously resting on Lu Youxi¡¯s back.


    His palm was already hot, pressing against her back, instantly penetrating the thin T-shirt she wore.


    The searing temperature of his palm ironed onto Lu Youxi¡¯s back, and he could even feel the softness of Lu Youxi¡¯s skin beneath his hand.


    The softness against his palm at her back was one thing, but what clung to him at the front was even softer, even hotter.


    Zhou Shuyan wasn¡¯t even aware that his fingertips, pressed against Lu Youxi¡¯s back, were slightly feverish and were unconsciously exerting pressure.


    Without realizing it, he made Lu Youxi cling even more tightly and snugly in his embrace.


    Lu Youxi had never been held this tightly before; her breathing became hot and tight, so much so that it was slightly difficult to breathe.


    She unconsciously parted her lips slightly to breathe, which gave her some relief.


    But as her lips moved slightly, they brushed against his T-shirt and, by extension, the chest beneath it.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s chest trembled involuntarily, and he looked down, his lips nearly grazing Lu Youxi¡¯s forehead.


    Since he had known Lu Youxi, he had never seen her wear makeup.


    Her complexion was a healthy, rosy white that looked better than any foundation could offer.


    He had always thought her hands were pale, but now Zhou Shuyan realized that her face was even paler.


    His nose was almost touching her hairline.


    A sweet scent wafted from her hair.


    Zhou Shuyan hadn¡¯t been deliberately inhaling, but the fragrance from her hair penetrated his nostrils relentlessly.


    He looked down to see a hint of red in the corners of Lu Youxi¡¯s eyes, her long, thick lashes shadowing the tender red above her eyes.


    The red at the corner of her eyes, like a blooming peach blossom, looked exceptionally enticing against her fair skin.


    Zhou Shuyan found himself so captivated that he forgot his original purpose, looking on stupidly and infatuated.


    Even his breath, unintentionally cast on the corner of her eyes, seemed to make them even redder.


    His throat suddenly tightened, and he felt his lips go dry with a scorching sensation inside his mouth.


    ¡°Zhou Shuyan,¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s lips still pressed against his chest as she spoke, the soft, mushy touch of her lips stimulating his chest.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s chest unconsciously tightened, and he responded in a husky voice, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Lu Youxi finally confirmed that she was getting breathless, which might have been due to the nervousness, but definitely also because Zhou Shuyan was holding her too tightly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Shuyan blinked, not comprehending.


    For the first time in his life, he felt that his brain was acting too slowly, and he was completely stupefied.


    Held tightly by him, Lu Youxi could only strain to push against the sides of his ribs.


    That was as high as her hands could reach in this situation.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s hands grabbed at Zhou Shuyan¡¯s ribs, trying to push him away a bit, but it seemed to have no effect.


    Lu Youxi had no choice but to push at him while struggling to slip out from under his arm.


    Twisting and struggling, she silently complained in her heart about Zhou Shuyan, wondering what had gotten into him for him to have turned into such an idiot all of a sudden.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s voice came out as a constrained and suppressed groan.


    When Lu Youxi was still, Zhou Shuyan could barely keep it together, like dry kindling ready to ignite.


    Now he only felt the little lady in his arms squirm excessively, soft excessively, like she was boneless.


    The softness continually stimulated Zhou Shuyan¡¯s senses.


    A fervent, uncontrollable blaze kindled within his body.


    ¡°Stop moving,¡± Zhou Shuyan said in an abnormally husky voice, now mortified beyond belief!


    He wondered if Lu Youxi had noticed.


    Zhou Shuyan licked his lips.


    At the moment, it seemed worse than his typical morning condition.


    At least then, he was alone in bed, without a woman in his arms to arouse him.


    Now it was different, even standing up, he was aroused to the extreme.


    Just a moment ago, he had even wanted to pick Lu Youxi up, to press her closely to him.


    ¡°First, let go of me,¡± Lu Youxi said in a muffled voice, ¡°Zhou Shuyan, what¡¯s wrong with you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move first, I¡¯ll let go in a moment,¡± Zhou Shuyan said with difficulty, and he couldn¡¯t explain to Lu Youxi.


    He already felt awkward enough and didn¡¯t know how to explain.


    He just feared Lu Youxi might really think he was a pervert.


    Sometimes, certain reactions were out of his control.


    Zhou Shuyan sighed helplessly, feeling that since the moment he had grasped her hand unconsciously, things had gotten a bit out of hand.


    Lu Youxi finally noticed something off in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s voice.


    She immediately stopped moving and her eyes widened.


    After all, she had been given a second chance at life; she understood what was happening.


    She had been too nervous before, so she had overlooked it.


    Now that she realized Zhou Shuyan was off, she stopped and instantly her entire face turned almost liver-colored, as if smoking from her head!


    ¡°Zhou Shuyan!¡± Lu Youxi was both angry and embarrassed, yet didn¡¯t dare to raise her voice.


    The slightest stir could draw the villagers¡¯ attention.


    She definitely didn¡¯t want them to be seen in their current state.


    Lu Youxi clenched her teeth, yet had to keep her voice subdued, making her sound even tenser.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zhou Shuyan¡¯s old face turned red too, and he dryly said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...don¡¯t talk anymore!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Zhou Shuyan asked subconsciously.


    Lu Youxi hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°Can¡¯t you hear how husky your own voice is?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Cough!¡± Zhou Shuyan hadn¡¯t expected Lu Youxi, young as she was, to be so quick to react, and quite knowledgeable on the subject.


    ¡°When... when can you let go of me?¡± Lu Youxi felt even more embarrassed being held by him after knowing his condition.


    She didn¡¯t know how to react, feeling somewhat at a loss while staying in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s embrace.


    Zhou Shuyan felt awkward too; holding on for too long was taking advantage of her, but letting go now would be even more humiliating.

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 His Smile Was A Bit Too Seductive

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59: His Smile Was A Bit Too Seductive Chapter 59: Chapter 59: His Smile Was A Bit Too Seductive ¡°Give me a little more time,¡± Zhou Shuyan said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Then, can you... let go of me a little?¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s voice trembled softly as she spoke in a delicate manner.


    Yet her voice made Zhou Shuyan swallow, ¡°Could you also stop talking?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lu Youxi asked subconsciously, the same question Zhou Shuyan had just asked.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    How was he supposed to answer that?


    Was he supposed to admit truthfully that her soft voice was leading him to have some unsuitable thoughts?


    Zhou Shuyan could only sigh, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t understand, but she felt that it didn¡¯t bode well, and annoyedly slapped the side of his ribs.


    Which elicited a light chuckle from Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°Lu Youxi,¡± Zhou Shuyan said with a hint of laughter in his hoarse voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Lu Youxi pouted unhappily, reddening in the face as she tried to put on a sullen expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re becoming more and more casual with me,¡± Zhou Shuyan said in a raspy voice.


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°By now, we should have a bit of revolutionary sentiment, right?¡± Lu Youxi rolled her eyes and said.


    She felt that talking more, beating around the bush, would help divert attention away from the physical and positional awkwardness between the two.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zhou Shuyan responded half-heartedly and insincerely.


    He was finding it difficult to pay attention to what Lu Youxi was saying, and even if he did hear her, it went in one ear and out the other.


    Besides, Zhou Shuyan thought that the two of them had only collaborated this one time today, and it was hard to reach the stage of revolutionary sentiment.


    He and Qi Sishenn were the ones who truly shared revolutionary feelings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t tell you¡¯re brushing me off,¡± Lu Youxi pouted, ¡°Anyway, I think we¡¯re now quite familiar with each other, so it¡¯s natural to speak more casually.¡±


    Lu Youxi paused for a few seconds, then continued talking in her usual prattle, ¡°Or would you prefer I was more respectful towards you?¡±


    ¡°But why should I be respectful towards you?¡± Lu Youxi added, ¡°You¡¯re not that much older than me.¡±


    If she remembered correctly after seeing his ID when they registered their marriage, he was only 25 years old.


    To Lu Youxi, it seemed she was actually quite a bit older than Zhou Shuyan.


    She just couldn¡¯t bring herself to show Zhou Shuyan much reverence.


    At the end of her words, she heard another light laugh from Zhou Shuyan above her.


    His laugh was low and husky, resonating in his throat as he barely let out a sound.


    Yet because they were so close to each other, Lu Youxi could still hear it clearly.


    It was as if the sound was rolling over her forehead.


    Even his breath, shaky with chuckles, fell lightly on her forehead.


    Lu Youxi had just managed to steady her emotions a bit by diverting her attention with her ramblings, but they were now swaying again.


    The blush on her face which had faded somewhat, leaving only a hint of pink, began to burn red again at Zhou Shuyan¡¯s gentle laugh.


    ¡°Could you stop laughing?¡± Lu Youxi murmured.


    ¡°...¡± Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows, helplessly saying, ¡°You won¡¯t let me talk, can¡¯t I even laugh?¡±


    How could Lu Youxi explain to him?


    Could she tell him candidly that his laughter was a bit too seductive?


    Hearing his light laughter, she felt her ears go soft and fuzzy, her legs weakened as if ailing, the entirety of her feeling dizzy.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Lu Youxi muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.


    But it seemed as if the scent of Lu Youxi¡¯s hair lingered in his breath and remained in his mouth and nose.


    Zhou Shuyan let go of Lu Youxi. Embarrassed, Lu Youxi touched her nose and coughed several times, then striking up a conversation about nothing in particular, said, ¡°You recover pretty quickly.¡±


    That was fast.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    All he heard was the word ¡°fast¡±!


    He couldn¡¯t help grinding his teeth and it took great control to refrain from proving to Lu Youxi that he wasn¡¯t that fast.


    He just felt that he shouldn¡¯t embarrass himself to the extent that Lu Youxi could tell.


    After all, they couldn¡¯t always be hugging each other.


    Who would have thought that Lu Youxi would think he was fast?


    Huh!


    Zhou Shuyan took another deep breath, finally calming himself down.


    Now feeling extremely awkward, Lu Youxi said, ¡°Maybe you could talk about that matter tomorrow?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan, now calm, raised the corners of his eyes teasingly, ¡°You might not even have the nerve to see me tomorrow.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    Thinking about it, she realized he was right.


    Right now, Lu Youxi wished she could just run home and not see him again, not to mention tomorrow.


    ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t,¡± Lu Youxi refused to concede, looking up at Zhou Shuyan, ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡±


    ¡°But since we¡¯ve already brought it up, why don¡¯t you just finish what you were saying, so we don¡¯t have the trouble of meeting again,¡± Lu Youxi continued.


    Zhou Shuyan teasingly observed Lu Youxi for a while, making her feel uneasy, ¡°Are you going to talk or not?¡±


    His gaze seemed to see right through her feigned bravado.


    Zhou Shuyan smiled and took a step toward Lu Youxi.


    When he had just let go of Lu Youxi, due to the awkwardness, she had taken a big step back, creating a considerable distance between them.


    Lu Youxi, holding back her embarrassment, did not retreat further as Zhou Shuyan leaned in, lowering his head to speak near her, ¡°Ever since you came to me last time, asking for my help with the marriage registration, I¡¯ve looked into the Foolish Hu from the neighboring village.¡±


    Lu Youxi really didn¡¯t expect this; she looked up in surprise, and her nose nearly brushed Zhou Shuyan¡¯s lips.


    She felt a warmth rush over her nose tip.


    Her face, which had just improved, flushed red once more.


    Especially as Zhou Shuyan lightly pursed his lips.


    Lu Youxi¡¯s face went even redder.


    His lips hadn¡¯t even touched her, what was he pursing his lips for!


    ¡°How did you investigate?¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s face was burning up.


    ¡°I actually get along pretty well in the village,¡± Zhou Shuyan modestly claimed.


    He was, in fact, quite popular in the village.


    Lu Youxi blurted out in surprise, ¡°Really? I haven¡¯t seen you out much!¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to pay so much attention to me that you even know I don¡¯t go out much.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...The village is small, and I usually work in the fields with my family, which is a thoroughfare in the village. Anyone who goes out has to pass by the fields. Why would I be paying attention to you for no reason?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Zhou Shuyan drew out his response, feigning realization, ¡°I thought you were keeping tabs on me because I owe you medical fees, worried that if I left without a word, you¡¯d never see that money.¡±


    Lu Youxi glared at him, grinding her teeth, ¡°You¡¯re becoming more and more casual with me too, even starting to toy with me!¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 Theres No Such Thing as Guarding Against

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60: There¡¯s No Such Thing as Guarding Against Thieves for a Thousand Days Chapter 60: Chapter 60: There¡¯s No Such Thing as Guarding Against Thieves for a Thousand Days Zhou Shuyan shook his head, ¡°How am I playing you? It was just a small joke, after all, we are on the same household registry now.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    She prided herself on her eloquence, but why did she always lose to him?!!!


    So frustrating!


    ¡°I just go out less, it¡¯s not like I never go out,¡± Zhou Shuyan chuckled lightly, explaining casually, ¡°Moreover, the aunties in the village actually like me quite a bit.¡±


    Lu Youxi thought to herself, that¡¯s for sure.


    You look good, and the aunties¡¯ age doesn¡¯t prevent them from appreciating beauty.


    Especially when they usually face those rough men at home, seeing someone as good-looking as Zhou Shuyan, they ought to feast their eyes a bit more.


    ¡°The aunties just happen to be the biggest gossips, so I don¡¯t need to do much inquiring; I hear quite a bit about Foolish Hu just from what the aunties say,¡± Zhou Shuyan continued, ¡°But hearing from others is not as good as seeing for myself. After hearing some from the aunties, I then went myself to the neighboring village to take a look.¡±


    Lu Youxi did not expect that Zhou Shuyan had actually done so much behind the scenes.


    ¡°From my observation of Foolish Hu, due to his intellectual issues, he¡¯s been overly pampered by his parents and is rather domineering. Actually, it¡¯s not that he¡¯s completely foolish; in my view, his IQ is probably at the level of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old. But are fourteen- or fifteen-year-old kids foolish? Not at all, they are quite smart already. You see, Lu Youxue is only 12, and he already has his own cognition, values, and ideas. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s not as mature as an adult.¡±


    ¡°And truth be told, adults aren¡¯t necessarily mature either; some live to be very old without maturing,¡± Lu Youxi didn¡¯t know who Zhou Shuyan was thinking of, but she could hear a considerable dose of sarcasm in his words.


    Then she saw Zhou Shuyan snort, ¡°I¡¯ve gone a bit off-topic, the point is that the IQ of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old isn¡¯t considered foolish. It¡¯s just because his mental development never progressed, combined with his family spoiling him into an exceedingly domineering personality, and people calling him ¡®the fool¡¯ so much that he got used to it, which gives the impression that he is truly a fool.¡±


    Lu Youxi nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. So Foolish Hu¡¯s parents have never given up on him because he isn¡¯t that foolish. He has an older sister, and then he was born. Foolish Hu was not foolish at first; it was only after an accident during a fight in middle school that his mental development stayed at that point. After noticing that no matter how much Foolish Hu studied, he could not comprehend new knowledge, and his exam scores were in single digits, his parents took him for an examination only to find out his mind would remain that way forever.¡±


    ¡°The family responsible for the accident with Foolish Hu paid the Hu Family a substantial sum, so the Hu Family¡¯s conditions in their village are actually not bad.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan nodded, ¡°Which is why they could afford such a big dowry.¡±


    That dowry isn¡¯t much in the city, it wouldn¡¯t even be considered a lot.


    But here, it¡¯s quite substantial.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Lu Youxi nodded, ¡°When they found out that Foolish Hu¡¯s mental capacity stayed at that time, and he could no longer continue to learn, his parents thought about having another child, but they never succeeded. Despite getting compensation, money is finite, and they didn¡¯t have the means to try something like IVF. Plus, their level of education was limited, so they didn¡¯t even think about that option.¡±


    ¡°They tried for many years to conceive again but eventually gave up,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°They previously told people that fortunately, although Foolish Hu¡¯s mind no longer developed, the mind of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old was sufficient, enough to be a normal person. Now Foolish Hu can work in the fields at home and accompany his father to sell their produce in town.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, Foolish Hu¡¯s parents feel that relying on Foolish Hu for support in their old age isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Lu Youxi continued.


    Zhou Shuyan snorted, ¡°They¡¯ve overlooked their daughter once again.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s generally the case around here,¡± Lu Youxi spoke indifferently.


    ¡°You¡¯re different,¡± Zhou Shuyan suddenly said, ¡°I still don¡¯t know much about your father, but from the conversations with your mother and observing her words and actions, it¡¯s clear that she treats both you and Lu Youxue the same, without making any distinctions.¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled, ¡°I know, you don¡¯t need to comfort me. As long as my grandparents aren¡¯t around, my family¡¯s living environment is still not bad. My dad is somewhat blindly filial, but aside from that, there really isn¡¯t much difference between how he treats me and my brother. At most, since my brother is younger, I do give way to him in many things. But that¡¯s also a common issue in most families with multiple children. It¡¯s impossible to be completely fair.¡±


    ¡°However, the people in the village mostly still hold the notion of ¡®raising sons for security in old age.¡¯ That¡¯s why Foolish Hu¡¯s family, even though Foolish Hu¡¯s mind will forever remain at the stage of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old, even though their eldest daughter is smart and capable, they still feel that once their daughter marries off, she belongs to another family, and they have to rely on Foolish Hu to provide for their old age. After all, a person at fourteen or fifteen should understand what they need to, they are practically little adults, old enough to get married and have children in ancient times. So, it doesn¡¯t hinder Foolish Hu from supporting them in the future.¡±


    ¡°So, Foolish Hu¡¯s parents still treat Foolish Hu like a treasure, and dote on him excessively.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve observed that they spoil Foolish Hu to the point where he has a big temper; he gets upset and throws tantrums, breaks things, and might even resort to hitting people at the slightest dissatisfaction.¡±


    ¡°It seems Foolish Hu¡¯s temperament was cultivated from a young age. That¡¯s why he got into such a severe fight in middle school that he damaged his brain,¡± Zhou Shuyan said.


    ¡°You think... Lu Zhenjia will exploit Foolish Hu?¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s mind was quick; in her past life in the business world, those old foxes always spoke with hidden meanings, and one couldn¡¯t just listen to the surface of their words.


    So, hearing Zhou Shuyan talk so much about Foolish Hu, Lu Youxi immediately thought of a deeper layer.


    A smile flickered in Zhou Shuyan¡¯s eyes, and he nodded, ¡°Because Foolish Hu¡¯s mental capacity has always remained that of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old, there¡¯s usually no problem with what he says or does. But because his emotional maturity isn¡¯t there, without an adult¡¯s complexities and considerations, it¡¯s very easy for him to act impulsively and be exploited. From my observations, some fifteen- or sixteen-year-old kids in their village are quite skilled at exploiting this trait of Foolish Hu¡¯s. Sometimes Foolish Hu can tell, but most of the time, he gets exploited.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a question of what Lu Zhenjia will use Foolish Hu for.¡± Lu Youxi had long since stopped wanting to call Lu Zhenjia ¡®uncle¡¯; the man wasn¡¯t worthy.


    However, for some reason, Lu Youxi did not doubt Zhou Shuyan¡¯s judgment.


    ¡°My point is, instead of being passive and constantly guarding against the unknown intentions of Lu Zhenjia, why not take the initiative and draw him into our own game,¡± Zhou Shuyan suggested, ¡°After all, there¡¯s no such thing as guarding against a thief for a thousand days, and it¡¯s too exhausting.¡±

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 This Woman Has No Heart

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: This Woman, Has No Heart Chapter 61: Chapter 61: This Woman, Has No Heart Lu Youxi looked down and thought for a few seconds, ¡°If that¡¯s what you say, then do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart, can¡¯t you think of anything yourself?¡± Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Since you brought it up first, you must already have an idea in mind. If you¡¯ve got it all figured out, why should I bother straining my own brain cells?¡± Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t the type to puzzle over problems when she had nothing better to do.


    It was more relaxing to have someone else think for her.


    ¡°You!¡± Zhou Shuyan lifted his hand, wanting to flick her nose.


    His long finger was already approaching her nose when he suddenly stopped.


    Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t believe his own hand.


    How could he have such a thought!


    It must be his hand acting on its own whims!


    He really needed to go back and rest properly; today was simply too out of the ordinary.


    Lu Youxi became so tense she didn¡¯t dare to move; her facial features stiffened.


    Only her eyes slid downward, catching sight of his fingertips, so close at hand.


    Zhou Shuyan awkwardly withdrew his hand and, just like Lu Youxi had done earlier, rubbed the tip of his own nose.


    ¡°Ahem!¡± In an act of self-deception, Zhou Shuyan cleared his throat and said, ¡°I do indeed have an idea.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan lowered his head, edging a bit closer to Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi instinctively wanted to retreat but restrained herself, standing rigidly still without moving.


    She didn¡¯t want to be laughed at by Zhou Shuyan.


    Like she could be embarrassed in front of him.


    Zhou Shuyan slightly raised his eyebrows, a touch of mirth twinkling in the corner of his eyes, careful not to get too close to Lu Youxi¡¯s ear.


    After all, it was enough to guard against anyone possibly eavesdropping nearby.


    As long as no one was hanging on their every word, they wouldn¡¯t hear him if he spoke softly.


    Zhou Shuyan was always cautious, and this time, after following his Second Uncle Zhou Xueyi¡¯s lead, he was all the more determined to be overly cautious.


    It wasn¡¯t about taking advantage of Lu Youxi.


    In fact, it¡¯s often she who took advantage of him, and Zhou Shuyan never stooped to such base conduct.


    Zhou Shuyan whispered something to Lu Youxi.


    After he finished, he waited for Lu Youxi¡¯s response.


    Lu Youxi pondered for a while, looking down, and Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t rush her.


    ¡°Otherwise, you go home and think it over,¡± Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°and give me your answer later. However, we don¡¯t know when Lu Zhenjia will make his move, so it¡¯s best if you decide quickly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to think it over at home.¡± Lu Youxi looked up at Zhou Shuyan and said, ¡°Your idea is good, I¡¯ll cooperate.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan nodded, feeling more and more that consulting with Lu Youxi on matters was truly a breeze.


    Say anything to Lu Youxi, and she would get it in no time, with no need for him to break it down and explain thoroughly.


    Her decisions were prompt and decisive, without much hesitation or looking back and forth¡ªonce decided, she acted.


    Zhou Shuyan couldn¡¯t help thinking that once Lu Youxi graduated, no matter which company she joined or what field she entered, she would surely make a great impact.


    He even considered offering her a position when she eventually graduated and entered the workforce.


    So, the two of them simply went together to Grandma Xu¡¯s house to discuss the details.


    ¡°But, you were just saying such nice things at my house, claiming that you really wanted the two of us to live separately. Now, not long after I escorted you out, I¡¯m saying I want to live with you. Aren¡¯t you afraid my parents will think you were just saying pleasant things to deceive them?¡± Lu Youxi¡¯s smile was full of playfulness, as if she was looking forward to watching Zhou Shuyan squirm, with a hint of teasing in her demeanor.


    Zhou Shuyan glanced at her nonchalantly, thinking to himself that all this was for whom?


    Lu Youxi had no conscience, and here she was enjoying his predicament.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a sham marriage; we¡¯ll get divorced soon enough, so I¡¯m not worried about your parents being angry with me.¡± Whether he would even see them in the future was uncertain.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Lu Youxi nodded, Zhou Shuyan was here to help her out, and he wouldn¡¯t have to face her parents in the future; indeed, there was no need to worry about her parents feeling that he had gone back on his word.


    However, hearing Zhou Shuyan say so made Lu Youxi feel an indescribable sense of dejection inside her heart.


    Seeing Lu Youxi agree so readily, Zhou Shuyan was also taken aback for a moment.


    This woman, heartless!


    After they had discussed things, Lu Youxi went home and began to pack her things simply.


    ¡°Sister, where are you going?¡± Lu Youxue, seeing Lu Youxi packing in her room from the doorway, came over to ask.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu had always been confident in Lu Youxi, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to what she was doing; but hearing Lu Youxue¡¯s words, they felt something was off.


    Especially since Lu Youxi had silently accomplished several big things today, which had them both rather tense.


    Thus, upon hearing Lu Youxue¡¯s words, they hurried over.


    Liu Yushu arrived at Lu Youxi¡¯s doorway in shock, ¡°Youxi, why are you packing? Isn¡¯t it still a while until you have to report for college?¡±


    Lu Youxi, having nearly finished packing, straightened up and told them, ¡°I¡¯m going to move to Grandma Xu¡¯s house for a few days.¡±


    Liu Yushu was startled and quickly said, ¡°Why are you moving there again? Grandma Xu isn¡¯t Xu Mai¡¯s family. Although Xu Mai temporarily bears the Xu surname, it¡¯s just temporary. Hasn¡¯t he already realized who he actually is? It¡¯s just a temporary stay at Grandma Xu¡¯s house; it¡¯s not appropriate for you to move in and live with him, is it?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo also furrowed his brows and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree earlier that you two would maintain the status quo? Why change your mind again?¡±


    ¡°Is it because Xu Mai is unwilling?¡± Liu Yushu came into the room and took Lu Youxi¡¯s hand with concern. ¡°Earlier, he implied that you didn¡¯t actually discuss it with him. Could it be that he just agreed to it in front of us, and then when you escorted him out, he changed his mind?¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s too unreliable,¡± Lu Youxue pouted unhappily. ¡°How can someone say one thing to your face and another behind your back? If he¡¯s not happy, he shouldn¡¯t have agreed.¡±


    With a gloomy face and without a word, Lu Zhenguo suddenly threw out a statement, ¡°I¡¯ll go find him.¡±


    He then turned and headed for the door.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Lu Youxi quickly grabbed hold of Lu Zhenguo. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Xu Mai¡¯s idea.¡±


    Although Zhou Shuyan said he didn¡¯t mind, for some reason, Lu Youxi truly didn¡¯t want her parents to have a bad impression of Zhou Shuyan.


    Moreover, Zhou Shuyan was there to help her; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have to bear negative impressions that shouldn¡¯t belong to him.


    ¡°I gave it some thought and felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate,¡± Lu Youxi explained. ¡°Xu Mai thought it best we lived separately for my sake. But you also know how the people in the village love to gossip, and they often spread the most outrageous rumors. If I really lived separately from him, who knows what kind of nasty things they would say?¡±


    ¡°So after thinking it over, I feel that what I told you earlier just doesn¡¯t seem right. Xu Mai has already done so much for me, and if I¡¯m only thinking about myself and not considering his feelings, that would be too selfish.¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Dad, haven¡¯t you always told us not to be so selfish? In any kind of relationship, there needs to be give and take, to consider things from the other person¡¯s perspective, and not only focus on one¡¯s own advantage. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to keep anyone by your side in the end.¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 I Should Go Live with Xu Mai

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62: I Should Go Live with Xu Mai Chapter 62: Chapter 62: I Should Go Live with Xu Mai Lu Zhenguo opened his mouth, ¡°That¡¯s true, but Xu Mai also makes sense. You¡¯re still young, and so far, you¡¯ve mostly seen the people in the village or at most, those from Hetai Town. You haven¡¯t met many people, and Xu Mai just happens to be very good-looking, so it¡¯s understandable that you like him for now. But once you get to the Imperial Capital, such a bustling big city with so many outstanding young people, once you meet more people, will you continue to like Xu Mai?¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai has a point, especially since you got into Jing University, where there are many bright young students like you,¡± Liu Yushu added. ¡°You¡¯ll meet many peers your own age, and you might not like Xu Mai by then.¡±


    ¡°If you move in with Xu Mai now, when you get to the Imperial Capital and meet the boy you truly fancy, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll regret it,¡± Liu Yushu said, a worried look on her face as she held Lu Youxi¡¯s hand.


    Liu Yushu felt that Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan were at an energetic age, and living together, it might be difficult to keep from doing something rash.


    Especially since they obviously liked each other and were both so attractive¡ªfirst of all, they both certainly fit each other¡¯s idea of attractiveness.


    How could she not be worried?


    ¡°Mom, Dad, I know your concerns,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°Even if I meet many people and eventually marry someone I like, there is still the possibility of divorce. When that time comes, if Xu Mai and I no longer like each other, we¡¯ll just get a divorce. Living with him now doesn¡¯t conflict with that.¡±


    ¡°How can that be the same? You...¡± Liu Yushu stammered, not knowing what to say, and feeling embarrassed to discuss this with Lu Youxi, ¡°You and him... sleeping together, you two...¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± Lu Youxi held Liu Yushu¡¯s hand reassuringly, ¡°What happens here, people in the Imperial Capital won¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°But the villagers will gossip!¡± Liu Yushu said anxiously.


    ¡°Let them gossip. Besides, have they gossiped less about me?¡± Lu Youxi said nonchalantly. ¡°Even before, they spread nasty rumors about me and Xu Mai, saying things like Xu Mai was not dressed and locked in the house with me doing who knows what.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk!¡± Liu Yushu hurriedly stopped Lu Youxi, ¡°You child, why do you speak so freely?¡±


    Lu Youxi said this without much reaction, but Liu Yushu was already embarrassed.


    But then Liu Yushu thought that Lu Youxi was still young at heart and probably didn¡¯t grasp the essence of matrimonial matters.


    Their town school didn¡¯t focus much on physiological hygiene or education related to the development of boys and girls.


    She remembered when Lu Youxi had her first period; she was so scared she almost cried.


    It was because she hadn¡¯t learned about it at school.


    Probably, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t even understand what she just said.


    Thinking like this, Liu Yushu felt a bit more relaxed.


    ¡°This is the truth; they gossiped like that before, even worse,¡± Lu Youxi said indifferently, ¡°In the eyes of the villagers, I have long been tarnished with Xu Mai. Just us living separately won¡¯t change their minds. In fact, living apart might even give them new gossip fodder.¡±


    Liu Yushu felt a bit dizzy with all that Lu Youxi had said, thinking there might be some sense in her words.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s better if I move to Grandma Xu¡¯s place,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°Grandma Xu lives alone, and there are two bedrooms free at her house, one for me and one for Xu Mai.¡±


    ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry, we will sleep in separate rooms, we won¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°I know where to draw the line. I¡¯m still young, and even though Xu Mai and I have registered our marriage, I¡¯m not thinking about rushing into anything...¡±


    Liu Yushu didn¡¯t expect that Lu Youxi was quite sensible!


    Lu Youxi was always assertive.


    Once she made a decision, nothing anyone else said could sway her.


    Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo, unable to persuade her, didn¡¯t know what else to do and could only watch helplessly as Lu Youxi left with her simple luggage.


    ¡°Here, let me carry your luggage!¡± Lu Youxue hurried after her.


    Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo followed to the doorstep, Liu Yushu¡¯s eyes turning red as she watched her daughter leave home and move to someone else¡¯s house, her heart uncomfortably heavy.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Lu Youxi said helplessly, ¡°don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m never coming back. I¡¯ll be going to school soon anyway, and I would¡¯ve left in a few days regardless.¡±


    ¡°But how can that be the same?¡± Liu Yushu hesitated, ¡°Now you¡¯re going away as a married woman...¡±


    ¡°Now grandpa and grandma keep saying that a married daughter is like water poured out of a jug, do you really think that as well?¡± Lu Youxi countered.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Liu Yushu quickly shook her head in clarification, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean that. I¡¯ve always felt that no matter where a child goes, they¡¯re always a part of the family, and we¡¯ll always be a family. There¡¯s no reasoning in saying that getting married equates to belonging to someone else¡¯s family. Once I get to the Imperial Capital, settle down, and find a house, I¡¯ll bring you all over to live together. By then, won¡¯t we still be together?¡±


    ¡°Plus, when I¡¯m in the school dormitory and Xu Mai is busy with his stuff, we won¡¯t even be together. I can still come home on weekends or holidays to spend time with you,¡± Lu Youxi continued.


    Listening to Lu Youxi describe it, Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo already pictured it in their minds.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s eyes were no longer reddening, becoming amused instead by the imagery Lu Youxi painted.


    Lu Youxi hugged Liu Yushu, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad.¡±


    Liu Yushu sighed, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for worrying you.¡±


    After comforting Liu Yushu a bit more, Lu Youxi left with her luggage, Lu Youxue quickly following after her.


    Seeing Lu Youxi carrying a large bag and a backpack, Lu Youxue couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sister, didn¡¯t you say you were just staying a few days before reporting to Imperial Capital? Why are you bringing so much luggage?¡±


    Lu Youxi thought to herself that if she didn¡¯t bring so much, how could she make it obvious?


    She needed to let the villagers see she was leaving packed with luggage to stay with Zhou Shuyan.


    Her items weren¡¯t many, so to fill up, she even packed bed sheets, duvets, and her high school textbooks.


    ¡°A girl¡¯s stuff is quite a lot,¡± Lu Youxi casually replied to Lu Youxue.


    ¡°Here, let me carry one for you,¡± Lu Youxue offered, reaching out to Lu Youxi.


    Lu Youxi weighed her options and handed Lu Youxue the smallest, lightest bag.

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Why Do I Despise You

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Why Do I Despise You? Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Why Do I Despise You? On the way, Lu Youxi intentionally spoke loudly with Lu Youxue, and sure enough, it drew the attention of many villagers.


    ¡°Youxi, you¡¯re carrying so many things, where are you going?¡± someone asked without any hesitation.


    Lu Youxi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve just gotten my marriage certificate! I¡¯m going to move in with Xu Mai.¡±


    ¡°So quick to move in together?¡± another person commented.


    ¡°What are you talking about, we¡¯re married now, isn¡¯t it normal for us to live together?¡± Lu Youxi replied.


    In just a short while, the gossip spread far and wide, and more and more people came to see Lu Youxi.


    As Lu Youxi walked along, she saw Zhou Shuyan approaching from a distance.


    Seeing another main character appear, the villagers got even more excited.


    This was exactly the effect Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan wanted.


    Lu Youxi immediately flashed a sweet smile at Zhou Shuyan and waved at him.


    Zhou Shuyan hesitated a bit. He had never seen Lu Youxi smile so sweetly before.


    Even sweeter than when she deliberately irritated Xiao Fen that day.


    Zhou Shuyan was dazzled for a moment by Lu Youxi¡¯s smile. As he came back to his senses and saw villagers stretching their necks on both sides to watch, he realized that Lu Youxi was already deep in her role.


    They had agreed earlier that for everyone in the village to know that Lu Youxi was moving in with him, it would be best if Zhou Shuyan showed up halfway to meet her.


    Zhou Shuyan chuckled and quickly walked up to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Xu Mai, how did you get here?¡± Lu Youxi expressed surprise, her eyes sparkling so brightly that Zhou Shuyan found it hard to look directly at her.


    Zhou Shuyan thought to himself that Lu Youxi¡¯s acting skills were being wasted by not going into acting.


    ¡°You are moving over, of course I had to come and pick you up,¡± Zhou Shuyan said with a light smile, glancing at the luggage in her hands and on her back, ¡°Is this everything?¡±


    Lu Youxi looked down shyly, ¡°You know the situation at my home, I don¡¯t have much, these are all my belongings.¡±


    Lu Youxue gasped in surprise.


    Did her sister really like this Xu Mai so much?


    ¡°You...¡± Lu Youxi asked with a nervous look, ¡°won¡¯t you despise me? I don¡¯t have a dowry, and even my own belongings are so few.¡±


    Villagers saw this and shook their heads, ¡°The Lu Family is really too much, a girl like Lu Youxi, and all her belongings put together are just these few things.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, three bags might look like a lot, but when you consider her clothes and daily essentials, it¡¯s pitifully little.¡±


    ¡°My kid¡¯s things fill a whole room and it¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    ¡°You can see how harshly the elders of the Lu Family treat Lu Youxi at home, poor child!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, Lu Zhenguo is also irresponsible. Liu Yushu is too gentle, and the elders of the Lu family treat their daughter-in-law like she isn¡¯t a person. She has little say at home, and him being the man of the house, yet he allows his own child to suffer so much.¡±


    Lu Youxi had not expected this. She originally just wanted to make a spectacle to let everyone know she had moved out, not intending to stir up talks about the elders of the Lu Family.


    Yet there was this unexpected effect.


    As for the villagers¡¯ criticism of Lu Zhenguo, Lu Youxi did not think it was unjustified.


    Because what they said was the truth.


    The current condition in their family, including the elders, Lu Zhenguo, Luo Lu¡¯s entire family¡ªnone of them were innocent.


    In this regard, Lu Youxi did not intend to defend Lu Zhenguo.


    Then Zhou Shuyan smiled slightly and said, ¡°Why would I despise you? You are great on your own, having gotten into Jing University. That alone is more valuable than any material possessions, not to mention I haven¡¯t given you any bride price either.¡±


    ¡°Right, what Xu Mai said is correct.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Xu Mai to be so sensible.¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai is quite reasonable, he¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai is right. Youxi is about to become a top student at Jing University. That¡¯s more important than anything. Students from Jing University, once they graduate, won¡¯t they earn good money? By then, the young couple can live a comfortable life. Why worry about the bride price and dowry now?¡±


    ¡°Let me take it,¡± Zhou Shuyan reached out.


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t argue with him, as this was the time to show affection in front of others.


    Lu Youxi then handed over the biggest bag on her back to Xu Mai and gave him another handbag as well.


    Zhou Shuyan slung the bag over his shoulder, holding one in his right hand, and seeing that Lu Youxue also had a small handbag, he said, ¡°Let me take it.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Lu Youxue, originally holding the bag in one hand, immediately gripped it tightly with both hands as if afraid that Zhou Shuyan would take it away, ¡°I¡¯ll carry it for my sister.¡±


    Lu Youxue didn¡¯t yet understand what sending off his sister for her wedding meant, but subconsciously, he felt that since his sister was getting married, he should see her off.


    ¡°Let him carry it,¡± Lu Youxi smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not heavy.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Shuyan didn¡¯t insist.


    Lu Youxi chatted and laughed along the way with Zhou Shuyan, while Lu Youxue sulked on the side.


    Normally, he was not familiar with Zhou Shuyan and didn¡¯t interact much, so he had no particular liking or dislike for him.


    But now, looking at Zhou Shuyan, he found him unbearable.


    Until they delivered Lu Youxi to Grandma Xu¡¯s house. Grandma Xu had heard at noon that Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi had gotten their marriage certificate and had cleaned out a room in her house.


    She didn¡¯t know whether Lu Youxi would come to stay, but she prepared just in case.


    It would be too impolite if Lu Youxi really came to stay and found there was no place for her to live.


    She didn¡¯t clean out the room Zhou Shuyan originally lived in but prepared a separate room for them as a bridal room.


    And indeed, earlier when both Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi came back and learned Lu Youxi was really moving in, Grandma Xu was very pleased.


    Ever since Zhou Shuyan had arrived, the house had become much livelier.


    With Lu Youxi coming over, it was bound to be even livelier.


    ¡°Xu Mai, Youxi,¡± Grandma Xu, seeing Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi from a distance, and then seeing Lu Youxue, a shorter figure beside Lu Youxi, smiled, ¡°Youxue came too?¡±


    ¡°Grandma Xu, I¡¯ve come to see off my sister,¡± Lu Youxue replied politely when walking up to her.


    ¡°Your parents must be reluctant to let you come, right?¡± Grandma Xu pulled Lu Youxi inside.


    ¡°Yes, my mom¡¯s eyes were red,¡± Lu Youxi nodded.


    ¡°No worries, you can go back after a few days,¡± Although Grandma Xu hadn¡¯t asked Zhou Shuyan, she guessed that it might be because Zhou Shuyan wanted to help Lu Youxi avoid marrying Foolish Hu, so he got the marriage certificate with her temporarily.


    And Lu Youxi, not wanting the villagers to speak ill of Zhou Shuyan, moved in.


    ¡°I cleaned out a room for you, you can stay there for now,¡± Grandma Xu said with a smile, ¡°Come, see how you like the room.¡±


    Lu Youxi¡¯s eyes lit up, as she always felt that among everyone in the village, Grandma Xu was actually the smartest.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Lu Youxi Sure Has Her Share of Scheming

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Lu Youxi Sure Has Her Share of Scheming Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Lu Youxi Sure Has Her Share of Scheming Grandma Xu was open-minded, usually a woman of few words, but she had a clear grasp of pretty much everything and possessed her own wisdom.


    Grandma Xu didn¡¯t know about the series of plans she and Zhou Shuyan had, but she could guess the important points, which Lu Youxi greatly admired.


    ¡°Youxue, come and have a look as well,¡± Grandma Xu said, seeing Lu Youxue stretching his neck at the door, curious yet too shy to intrude, ¡°See what you think, so you can go back and assure your parents, and they can be at ease.¡±


    Lu Youxue looked at Lu Youxi, his face clearly etching out the words ¡°I want to see.¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled and waved toward Youxue, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Lu Youxue quickly stepped over the high threshold and came to Lu Youxi¡¯s side.


    So the siblings followed Zhou Shuyan into a room with Grandma Xu.


    Grandma Xu said with a smile, ¡°Across from here is Xu Mai¡¯s room.¡±


    What Grandma Xu referred to as ¡®across from here¡¯ was on the other side of the courtyard.


    The room Zhou Shuyan and Grandma Xu had prepared for Lu Youxi was across the yard, as well.


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, opened the door, and saw that Grandma Xu had cleaned everything spotlessly; even the blankets had been sun-dried.


    Opening the door, one could instantly smell the distinct scent of sunshine.


    The room was bright and tidy, and even though the wardrobe wasn¡¯t new, it was scrubbed clean.


    The room was lustrous, and the sunlight streaming through the large windows made it feel naturally bright inside.


    This room was completely different from the small storage room converted bedroom she had stayed in at the Lu Family¡¯s home.


    That small room also had a window, but it was tiny and faced north, seldom letting in sunlight, making the room cold and damp.


    Grandma Xu was genuinely making an effort with the room preparations, and Lu Youxi was so moved that her nose tingled with emotion, ¡°I really like it, thank you, Grandma Xu.¡±


    ¡°You all are living here; it¡¯ll be lively,¡± Grandma Xu said with a laugh.


    Lu Youxue blinked and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Brother Xu Mai living with my sister?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t living together, but you can¡¯t tell anyone when you go back, including Dad and Mom. Do you understand?¡± Lu Youxi instructed Lu Youxue.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Lu Youxue promised vigorously.


    He would definitely fulfill any task assigned by Lu Youxi.


    Now, hearing that Lu Youxi wasn¡¯t going to live with Xu Mai, Lu Youxue¡¯s smile broadened, and he no longer pouted like he had on the way there.


    He didn¡¯t know exactly what married couples did when living together, he just thought it meant simply sharing a bed to sleep.


    But even if it was just sharing a bed, he didn¡¯t want Lu Youxi to share a bed with Zhou Shuyan.


    From what he gathered from Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu, that wasn¡¯t good.


    Now that Lu Youxi was living in separate rooms from Xu Mai, Lu Youxue was surely pleased.


    Lu Youxi still wasn¡¯t entirely at ease, pulling Youxue closer to say, ¡°When I move in, there¡¯s bound to be some unpleasant gossip in the village. But no matter how distasteful it is, don¡¯t pay it any mind, don¡¯t argue with them and especially don¡¯t explain to them that Xu Mai and I are living separately.¡±


    Lu Youxue obediently nodded, then curiously asked, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Lu Youxi explained, ¡°We have certain plans, so you absolutely mustn¡¯t let others know we are living apart. It would spoil our plot.¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s eyes lit up instantly.


    ¡°Is it like the time you got hurt and ended up in the hospital and tricked...¡± Lu Youxue abruptly stopped, feeling it was inappropriate to say Lu Youxi tricked people. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Lu Youxi was no stranger to clever ploys.


    Even Youxue knew about it.


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Lu Youxi awkwardly glanced at the ceiling before continuing, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a bit of a plan, so we need your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡± Lu Youxue said, thumping his chest in assurance, ¡°I won¡¯t say a word, and I won¡¯t ruin your plan.¡±


    Lu Youxue was happy that Lu Youxi didn¡¯t hide anything from him.


    He felt he was truly her partner now.


    It had been the case at the hospital before and today as well.


    Each time, Lu Youxi didn¡¯t conceal anything from him.


    He definitely wouldn¡¯t let down Lu Youxi¡¯s trust!


    ¡°Sis, is there anything else you need me to do?¡± Youxue said, eager to be involved, ¡°Just tell me if you need anything!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll contact you whenever,¡± Lu Youxi nodded.


    Coming here, Youxue wasn¡¯t too excited, but leaving Grandma Xu¡¯s home, he was absolutely thrilled.


    *


    When Lu Youxue got back, he saw Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu muttering in front of Lu Youzhen¡¯s small room.


    As Youxue approached, they didn¡¯t notice him.


    Then he heard Liu Yushu say, ¡°The time is almost up, but Youxi has already left. What do we do now?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo was silent; he wanted to ask Youxi for advice, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the words.


    What kind of father would go to his daughter for counsel? It would show how useless he was.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m back,¡± Lu Youxue spoke up at that moment.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu immediately turned their attention to him.


    ¡°Youxue!¡± Liu Yushu quickly grabbed Lu Youxue, ¡°How are things at your sister¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Really great!¡± Lu Youxue said. ¡°Grandma Xu had prepared a room for Sis and Brother Xu Mai early on, it¡¯s big and bright, much better than the small room at our place. There are no odd smells, just the smell of sunshine. The wardrobe might not be new but is spotless and big enough to hold lots of Sis¡¯s things. The blankets and everything else are also all clean, and the windows are big and south-facing, with excellent sunlight!¡±


    Lu Youxue¡¯s description made Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu hang their heads.


    ¡°In a bit, I¡¯ll go tidy up the parents¡¯ room for Youxi,¡± Lu Zhenguo said, ¡°Even though Youxi is married now, she might come back to stay, right?¡±


    The room of the Lu Family¡¯s elders was the biggest and best in their home.


    Concerned that it might make Youxi uncomfortable, Liu Yushu suggested, ¡°The parents¡¯ room is a bit too nice; the villagers will talk if they find out, saying nasty things about Youxi. Let¡¯s move there instead, and Youxi can stay in our room.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo thought it made sense and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start tidying up right now,¡± Liu Yushu said cheerfully and left.


    Leaving Lu Zhenguo once again worrying about the small room.


    ¡°Dad, Sis said when I came back, it would be about time to release Lu Youzhen,¡± Lu Youxue no longer wanted to call Youzhen his sister.


    His only sister was Lu Youxi.


    What was Lu Youzhen to him!


    Lu Zhenguo exhaled a sigh of relief, ¡°Okay.¡±


    So, he quickly took the keys and unlocked the small room.


    Upon seeing them enter, Lu Youzhen let out wails of excitement.


    Without a word, Lu Zhenguo untied Youzhen, ¡°You can go back now.¡±


    Youzhen¡¯s limbs were numb from being bound. When she first tried to get up, her feet were so numb that she couldn¡¯t even feel the firmness of the ground beneath her.

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 How Can You Compare Me to Lu Youxi

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65: How Can You Compare Me to Lu Youxi Chapter 65: Chapter 65: How Can You Compare Me to Lu Youxi She had no guard up at first, and just as she lifted her foot, she realized she couldn¡¯t feel them at all and fell forward onto the ground, almost in the same position Lu Youxi had found Lu Youxue when she opened the door.


    Then, Lu Youzhen felt an uncomfortable tingling in her feet, indescribable whether it was pain or itchiness, but although there was some sensation, she couldn¡¯t muster any strength.


    Lu Youzhen knew her feet were numb and were recovering, so she breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as her legs and feet were okay.


    Enduring the discomfort in her legs, Lu Youzhen supported herself to stand up and turned her head to glare fiercely at Lu Zhenguo and Lu Youxue.


    Pointing at them with hatred on her face, she said, ¡°You wait, I won¡¯t let you have an easy time! All of you just wait!¡±


    Lu Youzhen¡¯s mouth had been stuffed with a cloth gag at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s house the whole afternoon, the cloth had absorbed much of the moisture in her mouth, leaving her now parched and hoarse, sounding as rough as parched, cracked earth.


    Hearing her own voice, Lu Youzhen was startled.


    Additionally, due to dehydration, her throat also hurt significantly.


    Furious and aggrieved, Lu Youzhen hurled out her threats before storming out.


    On her way home, she overheard gossip about Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    Lu Youzhen slowed her steps, listening the entire way home.


    After getting the gist of the situation, she quickened her pace, rushing home.


    Ge Guifen was washing dishes in the kitchen.


    Since their return, they had to cook lunch from scratch, plus with the addition of Lu Family¡¯s elders present, they had to cook portions for two more people than usual.


    Moreover, coming back hungry and exhausted, Ge Guifen was also scolded by Old Madam Lu.


    She said Ge Guifen didn¡¯t know how to manage a household or how to be a daughter-in-law.


    She accused her of not thinking to come back to cook, making Old Madam Lu tremble with hunger.


    While Old Madam Lu¡¯s scolding still echoed in her ears, Ge Guifen went to make lunch.


    After all this hassle, they had only just finished lunch.


    During the meal, Old Madam Lu was very picky, criticizing Ge Guifen¡¯s cooking, comparing it unfavorably with Liu Yushu¡¯s, complaining one dish was too salty and another did not have enough meat.


    Ge Guifen was so angry that she could barely digest her meal, feeling bloated with gas.


    She really wanted to tell Old Madam Lu, ¡°If you like Liu Yushu¡¯s cooking so much, you should go back to her place and see if she still lets you in.¡±


    But with Lu Zhenjia present, she didn¡¯t dare speak.


    After barely managing to finish the meal, Ge Guifen was washing up in the kitchen when she heard Lu Youzhen¡¯s loud voice, ¡°Dad, Mom, Lu Youxi has moved to live with Xu Mai at Grandma Xu¡¯s house!¡±


    ¡°Dad, Mom, where are you?¡± Lu Youzhen called out in the courtyard.


    ¡°Annoying girl, stop yelling, you¡¯re killing me with the noise!¡± Old Madam Lu came out and unleashed a torrent of scolding at Lu Youzhen.


    Lu Youzhen sulked with a pout, her mouth having been gagged for three hours, leaving her lips dry and swollen.


    Moreover, since she hadn¡¯t had a drink of water from the time she left Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family to her arrival back home, her voice was still rough.


    She wanted to inform her family as soon as possible about Lu Youxi with firsthand information, ignoring her own discomfort, but Old Madam Lu ended up scolding her instead.


    Tears streamed down Lu Youzhen¡¯s face laced with a sense of injustice, but instead of sympathizing, Old Madam Lu scolded her even more, ¡°Crying, why are you crying! Cry, cry, cry, that¡¯s all you know! Coming back and crying right away, what a jinx!¡±


    ¡°Grandma, you never used to scold me like this before,¡± Lu Youzhen sobbed.


    Old Madam Lu of course didn¡¯t use to scold her in the past.


    Lu Family¡¯s elders used to live at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family, and Old Madam Lu spent her days scolding Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi.


    She vented all her inexplicable irritations at Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi, and once there was nothing left to vent, naturally, there was no need to lash out at anyone else.


    Besides, Lu Youzhen didn¡¯t visit Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family every day, mostly just occasionally to enjoy some schadenfreude and to act coquettishly around Old Madam Lu once she had finished venting her anger, so of course Old Madam Lu wouldn¡¯t scold her.


    But now that Lu Family¡¯s elders were living at their house, there was no one else to scold but Ge Guifen and Lu Youzhen.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you could be so disgraceful before!¡± Old Madam Lu scolded, ¡°You¡¯re no better than Lu Youxi!¡±


    ¡°How... how can you compare me to Lu Youxi!¡± Lu Youzhen angrily said.


    ¡°Of course you can¡¯t compare to Lu Youxi, she at least got into Jing University. Did you?¡± Old Madam Lu pointedly said, ¡°Your grades at school were always at the bottom, and getting into university is tough for you, let alone Jing University.¡±


    ¡°Now you think Lu Youxi is good again, if you think she¡¯s so great, why don¡¯t you go back to her place!¡± Lu Youzhen retorted.


    Old Madam Lu, fuelled with rage, widened her eyes and grabbed a nearby broom, charging at her, ¡°Fine! You don¡¯t want us living here, do you? I¡¯ll beat you, the unfilial wretch! You are far worse than your brother! Poor in studies and disrespectful!¡±


    Hearing the noise, Ge Guifen hurriedly dropped the dish she was washing and rushed out, grabbing the broom from Old Madam Lu¡¯s hands, ¡°Mom, what are you doing! All this scolding and hitting as soon as you arrive!¡±


    ¡°Are you rebelling too?¡± Old Madam Lu pointed at Ge Guifen and scolded.


    Ge Guifen was no Liu Yushu; she had tolerated Old Madam Lu for a long time during lunch, ¡°Mom, we are all dutiful to you, but you can¡¯t just hit and scold people for no reason! It¡¯s just Youzhen¡¯s character to be loud when she speaks, what¡¯s the big deal? Can¡¯t one even control the volume of their own voice at home?¡±


    ¡°She raised her voice too high for me! Did you not hear what she just said to me?¡± Old Madam Lu angrily replied.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re getting older and your hearing isn¡¯t great; we always speak loudly when talking to you,¡± Ge Guifen rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia! Come out here! Can you not control your wife and daughter anymore?¡± Old Madam Lu trembled with anger.


    ¡°Mom, calm down,¡± Lu Zhenjia came running out, but instead of blaming Ge Guifen or Lu Youzhen, he asked, ¡°Youzhen, what were you saying when you came in? Where did Youxi move to?¡±


    Ge Guifen protected Lu Youzhen, wiping her tears.


    Although earlier at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s house, Lu Youzhen had betrayed her without hesitation, Ge Guifen still couldn¡¯t help but protect Lu Youzhen.


    ¡°Stop crying, and tell us what happened,¡± Ge Guifen said, annoyed by the continued weeping.


    Constant crying solves nothing!


    ¡°I need a drink of water first,¡± Lu Youzhen rasped, ¡°I haven¡¯t had water all afternoon, my mouth was gagged, and it¡¯s all dry. Then I endured a sore throat all the way here to gather information. Who knew that upon returning...¡±


    Lu Youzhen glanced at Old Madam Lu, signaling that she was scolded upon her return.


    Old Madam Lu, seeing that glance, was about to explode again in rage, but then Lu Zhenjia interjected, ¡°Then come inside and have a drink of water, and tell us everything in detail.¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 Ruin Her

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Ruin Her! Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Ruin Her! It was his own son who said it, so Old Madam Lu could only close her mouth again, pulling a long face as they entered the house together.


    She could scold Guifen and Youzhen, but she absolutely couldn¡¯t disrespect Zhenjia.


    Guifen poured a glass of water for Youzhen, who was truly thirsty. She gulped down a full glass in one go and burped from being so full.


    Zhenjia hurriedly urged, ¡°What did you find out on the way?¡±


    He and Guifen had been so busy since they got back. Old Madam Lu had also dragged him to complain about Zhenguo and his family.


    So neither of them had been out.


    Even though gossip was spreading wildly outside, they didn¡¯t know a bit of it.


    After drinking enough water and feeling more comfortable, Youzhen put down the cup and said, ¡°On my way back, I heard that Youxi packed up her things and moved to Grandma Xu¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this about? Her parents didn¡¯t even stop her?¡± Guifen said with a face full of schadenfreude, enjoying the drama. ¡°Is Grandma Xu¡¯s home her in-law¡¯s place or what? She just moved in? Isn¡¯t she afraid of being laughed at?¡±


    Youzhen pursed her lips. ¡°What ridicule could she fear? She was unclear with Xu Mai before they even registered their marriage, it¡¯s already a mess¡ªthey could be alone in a room with Xu Mai not dressed. Could the two of them be innocent? Even if they¡¯re registered now, how does that erase their past scandals? Everyone still remembers.¡±


    ¡°Keep talking,¡± Zhenjia saw that Youzhen was drifting off topic. ¡°Get to the important part.¡±


    Youzhen bit her lip and continued, ¡°She took quite a lot of luggage, and on the way, she ran into Xu Mai coming to pick her up.¡±


    Youzhen scoffed, ¡°They really aren¡¯t keeping a low profile at all.¡±


    Guifen thought to herself that they were married now, why would they need to be low profile?


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Zhenjia asked.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s it,¡± Youzhen said.


    ¡°That¡¯s useless! Can¡¯t you find out something more useful?¡± Zhenjia said disdainfully.


    ¡°What do you mean useless? If I hadn¡¯t mentioned it, would you have known Youxi moved to Grandma Xu¡¯s?¡± Youzhen retorted, unhappy.


    Old Master Lu spoke unhappily, ¡°How can you talk to your father like that, with no respect!¡±


    Youzhen pouted, unhappy. At home, it had always been like this when she spoke.


    Now with Lu Family¡¯s elders living here, it made her feel like she couldn¡¯t speak freely.


    ¡°Then do you know how long Youxi plans to stay there? Is it until she leaves for school or just for a few days to stop the rumors before she returns?¡± Zhenjia said.


    Youzhen really was stumped. She assumed, ¡°She should probably stay for good, right? Didn¡¯t she already marry Xu Mai? You can¡¯t expect Xu Mai to move into her family¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°But after all, Grandma Xu¡¯s isn¡¯t her real in-law¡¯s place. How can she stay there permanently?¡± Guifen said.


    Only then did Youzhen realize.


    ¡°You go find out,¡± Zhenjia stroked his chin and told Guifen.


    ¡°What, you have a plan?¡± Guifen leaned in to ask.


    Old Madam Lu and Old Master Lu suddenly forgot to stay angry at Guifen and Youzhen and looked at Zhenjia, filled with curiosity.


    ¡°First you find out, I need to know the facts to make any judgments,¡± Zhenjia said while stroking his chin. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t let Youxi have it easy.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Guifen got up to go outside and find out more.


    It took her about forty to fifty minutes to come back.


    Guifen returned with a face full of joy, ¡°I found out, I got the information!¡±


    ¡°Why did you need so long to find out?¡± Old Madam Lu suspected Guifen might have used the excuse to rest outside, avoiding chores at home.


    These women at home, each one lazier than the next!


    Guifen didn¡¯t take offense with Old Madam Lu and explained, ¡°To dig gossip out of someone, you can¡¯t just ask directly. You have to chat up a bit. Once you make them happy, they¡¯ll spill the gossip. Moreover, now that Youxi has broken ties with our family, and the whole village knows, getting gossip about her is even harder.¡±


    ¡°Alright, get on with it,¡± Old Master Lu urged.


    ¡°Youxi moved to Grandma Xu¡¯s, making quite a scene on her way, everyone in the village knows now. That¡¯s the part Youzhen just told,¡± Guifen said. ¡°They dug further and found out Youxi plans to stay there until she goes to school. Youxi said so herself. She won¡¯t be staying long anyway since she¡¯s heading to the Imperial Capital soon, so she¡¯ll just stay with Xu Mai at Grandma Xu¡¯s and not make a fuss anymore.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s bold, sacrificing her reputation for a man,¡± Youzhen said with sneering sarcasm.


    Zhenjia revealed a malicious cold smile, ¡°I know what to do now.¡±


    ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Guifen and Old Madam Lu asked in unison.


    ¡°Ruin her!¡± Zhenjia said through clenched teeth, ¡°She wanted to take advantage from Youbang, I¡¯ll ruin her!¡±


    *


    Next to Hexing Village is Hejia Village, where Foolish Hu¡¯s family lives.


    Foolish Hu is now 26 years old, and due to issues with his intellect and personality, he¡¯s had significant difficulties with marriage.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s mother had been looking for a match for him since he came of age, but found no one willing to marry their daughter to Foolish Hu even by the time he reached 26.


    Seeing how hard it was for Foolish Hu to find a wife made his mother even more anxious, wanting to settle the matter before Foolish Hu turned thirty. Otherwise, as he got older, it would only become harder.


    At that moment, Foolish Hu was holding a pack of potato chips as he walked through Hu Family¡¯s gate.


    Nearby, four teenagers were huddled together, fiercely playing a mobile game.


    Foolish Hu faintly heard them saying, ¡°Direction 70, there¡¯s a person over here.¡±


    ¡°And another behind that rock.¡±


    Foolish Hu went over, ¡°I¡¯ll play with you guys.¡±


    One of the boys looked up briefly, ¡°We¡¯re full.¡±


    ¡°Make someone leave,¡± Foolish Hu asserted forcefully.


    He looked at the four, randomly choosing one he didn¡¯t particularly like, pointing at him, ¡°You, quit after this round.¡±


    The one pointed at didn¡¯t say anything, just gave a look to his friends.


    All four stood up together, ¡°We¡¯re going home to eat.¡±


    Foolish Hu was stunned, eat?


    It¡¯s only 10 am, what meal is it?


    Who are they fooling!


    Foolish Hu quickly caught on and started to chase after them.


    But the four of them had already run ahead.


    Though Foolish Hu was tall and ran faster than them and was about to catch up, someone called out, ¡°Brother Xiao Hu!¡±


    Foolish Hu stopped.


    Behind his back, people called him Foolish Hu, but to his face, it was always Brother Xiao Hu.


    Turning his head, Foolish Hu saw a middle-aged man with narrow, triangular eyes approaching, then he quickly turned back and shouted at the fleeing foursome, ¡°Just wait, don¡¯t let me catch you!¡±


    Then he turned around again and asked coarsely, ¡°What do you want?¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 Scheming

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Scheming Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Scheming ¡°Brother Xiao Hu, I¡¯m Lu Zhenjia from the neighboring village,¡± Lu Zhenjia squinted his triangular eyes, smiling at Foolish Hu with calculation.


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia? The name sounds familiar.¡± Foolish Hu frowned in thought, wondering where he had heard the name. ¡°You¡¯re not from our village.¡±


    Didn¡¯t I just tell you that I¡¯m from the neighboring village? Lu Zhenjia thought.


    But he still smiled and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from Hexing Village next door. It sounds familiar because you must have heard your mom mention Lu Zhenguo and Lu Youxi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ve heard your names and how similar they sound.¡± Mentioning Lu Youxi, Foolish Hu became unhappy, ¡°I heard she married someone else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she didn¡¯t want to marry you, so she just randomly picked a guy named Xu Mai from our village to register their marriage,¡± Lu Zhenjia said.


    ¡°Huh? She didn¡¯t marry for love?¡± Foolish Hu, who had been eating chips, couldn¡¯t eat anymore upon hearing this. ¡°She looked down on me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s been talking about it around the village, saying she looked down on you. She said you¡¯re too old, and she said...¡± Lu Zhenjia stuttered, carefully observing Foolish Hu¡¯s emotions.


    Foolish Hu glared, displeased, ¡°Did she call me stupid?¡±


    Although people didn¡¯t call him that to his face, he knew they all called him Foolish Hu behind his back!


    Lu Zhenjia nodded, then quickly cleared himself, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it, it¡¯s Lu Youxi spreading it around. I just feel for you, Lu Youxi is nothing special, unloved by her parents and grandparents. Your mom treated her so well, saying she would treat her like her own daughter and even give her a handsome dowry, yet she still didn¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°That Xu Mai, who¡¯s only been in the village for about twenty days, how well could he know Lu Youxi? And even if they did get along well, wouldn¡¯t her parents know something? But this time, her parents really knew nothing. She hid it from her entire family. When your parents went to her house to ask for her hand, she suddenly brought Xu Mai back home, telling her family they just registered that very morning. Isn¡¯t this intentionally picking the moment to humiliate your family? It¡¯s nothing but...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because she looked down on me!¡± Angered, Foolish Hu clenched the chips bag so tightly that he crushed the chips into smithereens and furiously threw the bag on the ground.


    The crushed chips fell from the bag, scattering on the floor.


    Foolish Hu, still not over his anger, furiously stomped on the chips bag, generating a rustling sound.


    ¡°I think those two didn¡¯t really get married. That Xu Mai is just a shield for Lu Youxi.¡± Lu Zhenjia moved closer to Foolish Hu, ¡°I heard they sleep in separate rooms.¡±


    ¡°You know all this?¡± Foolish Hu stopped stomping.


    Of course, Lu Zhenjia didn¡¯t know, but he still told Foolish Hu, ¡°I am her uncle, how could I not know?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know about her sudden marriage registration,¡± Foolish Hu blurted out roughly.


    Lu Zhenjia: ¡°...¡±


    You didn¡¯t seem to have such a good memory just now!


    ¡°That time was deliberately hidden from me, even her parents didn¡¯t know, it¡¯s normal for me to be unaware. But this time, everyone in our family knew,¡± Lu Zhenjia fabricated boldly.


    ¡°She deserves to die!¡± Fury filled Foolish Hu¡¯s eyes as he spat the words through clenched teeth.


    Lu Zhenjia looked around, seeing no one nearby, then grabbed Foolish Hu¡¯s arm.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Foolish Hu was on guard, trying to shake off Lu Zhenjia¡¯s hand.


    Lu Zhenjia: ¡°...¡±


    This damned fool!


    ¡°Let me share a secret with you! Didn¡¯t you say Lu Youxi deserves to die? I know how to get back at her,¡± Lu Zhenjia whispered.


    ¡°How?¡± Foolish Hu asked curiously.


    ¡°You¡¯re 26 this year, right?¡± Lu Zhenjia smiled with ill intentions.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Foolish Hu nodded.


    ¡°In our neighboring villages, men your age are already married,¡± Lu Zhenjia spoke softly, ¡°They even have kids, and you still don¡¯t have a wife. It took so much effort for your parents to find you a bride, and she preferred to register with a man she barely knew for twenty days rather than choose you. As a man, how can you let a woman look down on you?¡±


    ¡°Here it¡¯s not like the city; if a woman gets into trouble, everyone in every household will know, and she won¡¯t be able to show her face,¡± Lu Zhenjia lowered his voice more, ¡°You just need to... hehe...¡±


    ¡°What are you hehe-ing about? What should I do?¡± Foolish Hu looked puzzled.


    Lu Zhenjia thought, what a fool ¨C he had made it so clear, yet Foolish Hu still hadn¡¯t understood.


    Out of patience and remembering he was dealing with a fool, Lu Zhenjia whispered, ¡°I can explain it clearly, but you must promise me one thing: you cannot tell anyone, and you can¡¯t say it was me who told you.¡±


    Foolish Hu looked at him, thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Okay, I promise you.¡±


    Lu Zhenjia, still not reassured, extended his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s pinky-swear!¡±


    Foolish Hu: ¡°...¡±


    Who¡¯s the real fool here?


    He had long stopped doing things like pinky-swearing.


    But Foolish Hu, to reassure Lu Zhenjia, still extended his pinkie, ¡°Alright, pinky-swear.¡±


    After they swore, Lu Zhenjia finally said, ¡°All you have to do is sleep with Lu Youxi. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Foolish Hu blinked, confused, ¡°Sleep? How? Should I just go sleep with her?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear,¡± Lu Zhenjia shook his head and clucked, realizing Foolish Hu meant literally sleeping, ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents explain this to you when they were finding you a bride? Once you have a wife, will you know what to do?¡±


    ¡°What are you really saying!¡± Foolish Hu became impatient.


    Lu Zhenjia checked around again to make sure no one was there, then pulled out a USB drive from inside his clothes, ¡°You have a computer at home, right?¡±


    Foolish Hu nodded; his parents doted on him and had bought him a computer to play games when he had nothing else to do.


    ¡°Here, take a look at this.¡± Lu Zhenjia handed the USB drive to Foolish Hu, ¡°By ¡®sleep,¡¯ I mean this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also a 26-year-old man; how come you¡¯ve never experienced a woman?¡± Lu Zhenjia chuckled, ¡°Let me tell you, once you¡¯ve tasted it, you¡¯ll be hooked.¡±


    Foolish Hu looked at the USB drive in his hand, lost in thought.


    Lu Zhenjia then said, ¡°So what if Lu Youxi and Xu Mai are registered? It might not even be true. Even if it is, if you ¡®sleep¡¯ with Lu Youxi and she¡¯s not ¡®clean¡¯ anymore, will Xu Mai still want her?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I get arrested if I did this?¡± Foolish Hu frowned.


    Lu Zhenjia thought, surprisingly, Foolish Hu wasn¡¯t completely foolish after all, and sweet-talked him, ¡°Your situation is different, you¡¯re considered disabled...¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 It Really Was a Trap You Set Up

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: It Really Was a Trap You Set Up Chapter 68: Chapter 68: It Really Was a Trap You Set Up Lu Zhenjia saw that Foolish Hu¡¯s expression was off and quickly corrected himself, ¡°No, you are a special case, you don¡¯t have to be responsible.¡±


    ¡°But this is too dangerous,¡± Foolish Hu added.


    Lu Zhenjia inwardly complained about how Foolish Hu had so many issues, all these concerns, now he didn¡¯t seem like a fool at all.


    ¡°How could it be? You¡¯ve forgotten about me!¡± Lu Zhenjia smiled like a villain luring children with candy, ¡°I can help you monitor Lu Youxi and Xu Mai¡¯s movements at any time. Xu Mai is secretive, sometimes even going out at night, and regularly takes Grandma Xu¡¯s produce to sell in town during the day. As long as Xu Mai is not at home, and I trick Grandma Xu away, you can go find Lu Youxi, then wouldn¡¯t the deed be done?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so tall and strong, dealing with a Lu Youxi should be a piece of cake for you,¡± Lu Zhenjia said with a smile.


    Foolish Hu thought about it and felt Lu Zhenjia made sense, so he nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, you go back and study up,¡± Lu Zhenjia pointed to the USB drive in Foolish Hu¡¯s hand, ¡°When the time is right, I will let you know.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Foolish Hu nodded in agreement.


    ¡°You remember what you promised me, not to tell anyone I came to see you, including your parents, you can¡¯t say anything,¡± Lu Zhenjia anxiously reminded him again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Foolish Hu waved his hand magnanimously, ¡°When I make a promise, I keep my word!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Although Lu Zhenjia was still not completely assured, until the situation was solved, he could never be totally at ease, he could only keep a closer watch on Foolish Hu.


    Fortunately, Foolish Hu was not very smart, and he was simple-minded. Lu Zhenjia felt confident that he could control Foolish Hu.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving,¡± Lu Zhenjia informed Foolish Hu.


    Foolish Hu, however, was taken aback, clearly surprised, ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡±


    ¡°Do you have something else?¡± Lu Zhenjia asked in confusion.


    Foolish Hu pocketed the USB drive, suddenly hugged Lu Zhenjia tightly with both hands, and shouted, ¡°Now, come out!¡±


    Lu Zhenjia was startled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Immediately after, two people emerged from behind the wall by the road¡ªit was Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi!


    Lu Zhenjia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, suspecting he had been set up!


    He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes as he looked at Foolish Hu, and with all his might, tried to break free from Foolish Hu¡¯s grasp.


    But Lu Zhenjia was not wrong about one thing, Foolish Hu was indeed tall and built very sturdily, and very strong.


    Every time Lu Zhenjia almost broke free, Foolish Hu managed to hold him down again tightly.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Lu Zhenjia was both anxious and angry, ¡°What are you trying to do!¡±


    By then, Zhou Shuyan had rushed over and kicked the back of Lu Zhenjia¡¯s knees a couple of times.


    A numbing weakness spread through Lu Zhenjia¡¯s knees, his legs went soft instantly, and he fell to his knees with a ¡°pthump.¡±


    Lu Youxi took out some rope she had prepared earlier and handed it to Zhou Shuyan.


    With Foolish Hu¡¯s help in controlling Lu Zhenjia, Zhou Shuyan tied him up with practiced ease, securing a tight knot.


    Lu Youxi, watching Zhou Shuyan¡¯s expert movements, thought whether he had done this sort of thing often before?


    Zhou Shuyan tied Lu Zhenjia up while Lu Youxi made a call to the police, ¡°Officer, this is Hejia Village. A man from Hexing Village, called Lu Zhenjia, has incited a mentally disabled individual to attempt sexual assault on a woman, and we¡¯ve caught him.¡±


    Lu Youxi reported the exact location, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    After hanging up, Lu Youxi said, ¡°The police will arrive any moment now.¡±


    Seeing Foolish Hu looking a bit uneasy again, Lu Youxi explained, ¡°I had to say that to get the police to take it seriously and to ensure he gets a severe punishment. You must be smart, otherwise how could you agree to work with us?¡±


    These words made Foolish Hu¡¯s complexion improve slightly, and Lu Youxi continued, ¡°We really have to thank you for this. Without your cooperation, things wouldn¡¯t have progressed this smoothly. Plus, by catching him early, he won¡¯t have the chance to think of any more dirty tricks to use against me. I won¡¯t have to live in constant fear.¡±


    Lu Youxi spoke sincerely, his eyes filled with gratitude.


    Foolish Hu felt embarrassed under Lu Youxi¡¯s gaze, his face slowly turning red, but his mood completely lifted.


    ¡°So it really was a trap you set!¡± Lu Zhenjia angrily exclaimed, ¡°Lu Youxi, I am your uncle, and you betray me like this!¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯re my uncle, yet you still instigated someone to harm me!¡± Lu Youxi, recalling what Lu Zhenjia had just proposed, became so furious her face turned red and she kicked Lu Zhenjia hard in the stomach, making him cough violently.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Lu Zhenjia was now truly desperate. Seeing no use in talking to Lu Youxi, he looked up at Foolish Hu, ¡°We have no grudges, why bother to team up with them against me? Brother Xiao Hu, let me go, we can talk this out. Let me go, and I promise it¡¯ll be worth your while.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Foolish Hu also kicked Lu Zhenjia, ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? You take me for a fool and deceive me! Saying things like ¡®you don¡¯t have to be responsible¡¯? Pah!¡±


    Foolish Hu, still not satisfied, thought that if it weren¡¯t for Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi reaching out to him in advance, his life would have been destroyed!


    Even if he managed to escape punishment, Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi were right, his future would have been over.


    Never again could he hold his head up high.


    Everyone who saw him would spit on him, despising him, looking down on him.


    People already called him a fool behind his back, and now they would no longer regard him as a human being.


    ¡°I hate it the most when people think I¡¯m stupid and use me!¡± Foolish Hu, filled with hatred, kicked Lu Zhenjia again, ¡°Taking advantage of me is one thing, I consider it as buying friends with my losses if you can cheer me up, but thinking of harming me? Not a chance! Pah! You really thought I was foolish!¡±


    Lu Youxi was somewhat surprised by Foolish Hu¡¯s open-mindedness.


    He knew all along about the behavior of those who bullied him for being foolish and took advantage of him; he just never bothered to fuss over it.


    As long as they were friendly and made him happy after taking advantage of him, that was enough for him.


    But on second thought, Foolish Hu also had the mind of a fourteen-fifteen-year-old boy and couldn¡¯t really be considered foolish.


    Otherwise, his parents wouldn¡¯t have given up on the idea of trying for another son, choosing to focus on treating Foolish Hu well, clear evidence that they knew Foolish Hu wasn¡¯t that foolish after all.


    The police arrived swiftly, and upon seeing Lu Zhenjia tied up, Zhou Shuyan directly shared a video with them.


    It was the footage that he and Lu Youxi had secretly filmed while hiding behind the wall.


    Zhou Shuyan had also specially purchased a noise-canceling microphone, the kind that internet celebrities use for filming videos, small and unobtrusive, which could connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth.


    The microphone was cleverly hidden on Foolish Hu¡¯s clothes, connected to Zhou Shuyan¡¯s phone via Bluetooth.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 Stop Picking

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Stop Picking Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Stop Picking Even though there was a distance between Foolish Hu and Lu Zhenjia, Zhou Shuyan managed to record their voices clearly when filming the video.


    The police played the video on the scene, and upon hearing Lu Zhenjia only giving his name and identity and then hearing him instigating Foolish Hu, their expressions immediately changed, and they looked at Lu Zhenjia sternly.


    The police never showed a good face to such scum.


    At that moment, Lu Youxi said, ¡°I am the Lu Youxi he mentioned, the one he was inciting Brother Xiao Hu to prepare...¡±


    Lu Youxi paused and added, ¡°The person being plotted against. He is my husband, Xu Mai, we just got our marriage certificate not long ago.¡±


    The police nodded. Foolish Hu didn¡¯t wait for them to ask; instead, he said, ¡°Xu Mai and Lu Youxi approached me earlier. They weren¡¯t sure if Lu Zhenjia would come to me, but they followed Lu Zhenjia to see how exactly he planned to plot against Lu Youxi. If Lu Zhenjia came to me, they hoped I would help them.¡±


    ¡°You did very well!¡± The police gave Foolish Hu a thumbs up, ¡°You weren¡¯t instigated by the bad people and even helped to catch them. Xiao Hu, your actions were very righteous and admirable! When I go back to the station, I¡¯ll apply to award you a banner.¡±


    Foolish Hu, feeling embarrassed by the police¡¯s praise, blushed rarely and kept scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need you to come to the station with us and explain the details of the incident,¡± the police said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhou Shuyan nodded.


    ¡°Lu Youxi, you can¡¯t do this, I am your uncle!¡± Lu Zhenjia panicked, ¡°Officer, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! I was just joking!¡±


    At that moment, Foolish Hu took out a USB drive that Lu Zhenjia had given him and handed it to the police, ¡°This is what he gave me, told me to go home and watch it to learn. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside.¡±


    The police, having already guessed what it was from the conversation in the video, took it and said displeasedly to Lu Zhenjia, ¡°And you still have the face to say it was a joke?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted him to learn some knowledge about this matter; kids have to get married eventually. Can¡¯t get married and know nothing, right! Officer, I¡¯m really wronged!¡± Lu Zhenjia wailed with a somber face, ¡°Lu Youxi, you heartless person, I¡¯m your uncle, how could you do this to me!¡±


    Lu Youxi now found even one more look at Lu Zhenjia disgusting and told the police, ¡°Officer, I don¡¯t have any intention of harming my uncle like this. He¡¯s not my uncle, he¡¯s a devil, out to ruin my whole life. Anyway, I won¡¯t plead for him, let the law decide how to deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, you curse-worthy, utterly heartless woman, even plotting against your own uncle!¡± Lu Zhenjia cursed foully, ¡°You have no regard for family ties, you are a calamity, deserving to be unloved at home. Just wait! You¡¯ll end up alone and forsaken without a single family member to your name, you wretched creature, spit!¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± the police shouted angrily, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The police handcuffed Lu Zhenjia and pushed him into the vehicle.


    Zhou Shuyan, Lu Youxi, and Foolish Hu also went to the police station together.


    During the ride, Lu Youxi was still so agitated that she couldn¡¯t calm down.


    Zhou Shuyan, noticing that Lu Youxi was acting a bit off, said, ¡°Lu Zhenjia has been arrested; we will head to the Imperial Capital in a few days. None of them will have the chance to harm you anymore.¡±


    Lu Youxi took a deep breath and said, ¡°I always thought Lu Zhenjia was just selfish, taking my dad for a fool, and liked to take advantage of our family. He was a bit manipulative and cunning, but I never expected him to lose his humanity. To stop me from attending university, he even stooped to using such disgusting methods to harm people!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, my going to university wouldn¡¯t cost him a dime. Even if it did, it would be our family¡¯s money; clearly, he sees my family¡¯s money as his own,¡± Lu Youxi said as her thumb unconsciously picked at the edge of her index nail, ¡°Just for a little profit, he wanted to harm me like this!¡±


    Lu Youxi scoffed, ¡°And he still has the nerve to call himself my uncle!¡±


    Zhou Shuyan could not help but reach out to hold her hand to comfort her.


    He saw Lu Youxi trembling with anger.


    But he caught sight of her thumb unconsciously picking at the edge of her middle nail.


    The nail edges had been picked red, and there was a tendency for the skin to break and bleed.


    Zhou Shuyan promptly took her hand, ¡°Stop picking.¡±


    Lu Youxi paused for a moment, only then noticing that she had started picking at her fingers again.


    This was actually a habit she had formed in her previous life just after she married into the Lin Family.


    Back then, everyone in the Lin Family looked down on her, putting a lot of pressure on her both publicly and privately.


    Unconsciously, she had formed a habit of picking at her nails whenever she felt stressed.


    Later, having entered Lin¡¯s and climbed the ranks through her abilities, she faced even greater pressures but gradually the Lin Family people couldn¡¯t pressure her anymore.


    She had overcome the habit.


    Yet, it had reappeared now.


    Zhou Shuyan held her hand, and his index finger covered her middle nail, ¡°If you keep picking, it will break.¡±


    Lu Youxi stayed silent for a while before Zhou Shuyan added, ¡°If you really want to pick, pick at mine.¡±


    Lu Youxi: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a good habit, I need to overcome it,¡± Lu Youxi responded, ¡°I will control myself.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s best.¡±


    Lu Youxi¡¯s hands were completely enveloped in his, his palm heating her hand, distracting Lu Youxi from her anger toward Lu Zhenjia, as her gaze involuntarily fell on their intertwined hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop picking; you can let go now,¡± Lu Youxi said, her face flushed.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s hand, covering Lu Youxi¡¯s, stiffened for a moment before he realized.


    He simply couldn¡¯t admit that holding Lu Youxi¡¯s hand felt too comfortable.


    After Lu Youxi was reborn, she did much less work.


    Liu Yushu was sympathetic toward her, and whenever the elders were not around, she firmly refused to let her do any chores.


    Furthermore, due to a previous leg injury, Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t do many activities, so the calluses on her hands had disappeared.


    Her hands were much finer than before, though still rougher than those of most girls.


    But Zhou Shuyan was not worldly in terms of women; he had not touched another woman¡¯s hand.


    He just felt Lu Youxi¡¯s hand was already soft enough, definitely softer than his.


    Unconsciously, he had simply forgotten to let go of her hand.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Zhou Shuyan coughed awkwardly and released Lu Youxi¡¯s hand.


    Lu Youxi looked nervously out the car window, and to mask her agitation, she raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.


    Busying herself with this and that, she just didn¡¯t turn her head back.


    Until they arrived at the police station.


    Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan cooperated with the police to explain the events.


    Including how Zhou Shuyan had been worried that Lu Zhenjia would plot against Lu Youxi.

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 I heard that the man in your family was

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70: I heard that the man in your family was taken away by the police! Chapter 70: Chapter 70: I heard that the man in your family was taken away by the police! Therefore, he had been following Lu Zhenjia, watching his every move.


    Upon noticing that Lu Zhenjia had been lingering around Foolish Hu¡¯s house for two days, Zhou Shuyan began to suspect.


    Since he had previously speculated with Lu Youxi that Lu Zhenjia might use Foolish Hu to scheme against Lu Youxi, no matter what Lu Zhenjia intended to use Foolish Hu for.


    Even if Lu Zhenjia eventually did not approach Foolish Hu, Zhou Shuyan had contacted Foolish Hu in advance, explaining the situation and the stakes involved.


    Knowing Foolish Hu¡¯s personality beforehand, Zhou Shuyan had deliberately accommodated Foolish Hu¡¯s temperament, first getting Foolish Hu willing to talk and listen to him.


    After cheering Foolish Hu up, Zhou Shuyan got to the crux of the matter, explaining the whole story to Foolish Hu, so he understood what was going on.


    In this way, even if Lu Zhenjia came to stir up trouble with Foolish Hu, because Zhou Shuyan had already given him a heads-up, Foolish Hu would not be deceived again.


    Because Zhou Shuyan¡¯s words suited Foolish Hu¡¯s temperament, and also because Foolish Hu really hated others thinking him foolish and taking advantage of him.


    At least when Zhou Shuyan spoke to him, his attitude was that of treating an equal, a normal person, analyzing and reasoning with him.


    Not treating him like a fool.


    Whether someone treated him as a fool or not, after so many years, Foolish Hu could definitely tell.


    Foolish Hu then agreed to cooperate with Zhou Shuyan.


    Zhou Shuyan told Foolish Hu, if Lu Zhenjia didn¡¯t come looking for him, then so be it.


    But if Lu Zhenjia did come, he could listen to what Lu Zhenjia intended and judge for himself whether Lu Zhenjia had any ulterior motives.


    Moreover, Zhou Shuyan had already given a tape recorder to Foolish Hu in advance, so if Lu Zhenjia came, Foolish Hu could just turn it on.


    Foolish Hu also wondered, if Lu Zhenjia came to see him, how would he contact Zhou Shuyan?


    Zhou Shuyan did not let Foolish Hu worry about this issue.


    Because he would always be following Lu Zhenjia.


    If Lu Zhenjia went to see Foolish Hu, then he would also be there.


    Today, when Lu Zhenjia came looking for Foolish Hu, and Foolish Hu heard what Lu Zhenjia said, he confirmed that Zhou Shuyan was right.


    Lu Zhenjia was indeed up to no good.


    Once Lu Zhenjia had used him, he wouldn¡¯t care whether he lived or died, there was not a single reliable word from his mouth.


    Foolish Hu naturally cooperated with Zhou Shuyan without any hesitation.


    He had no ties to Zhou Shuyan, but he also had no connection to Lu Zhenjia, yet Lu Zhenjia was going to use him, to ruin him.


    He could not let Lu Zhenjia get away!


    Zhou Shuyan, Lu Youxi, and Foolish Hu made their statements at the police station, explaining the whole situation to the police.


    Furthermore, with video and conversation evidence, Lu Zhenjia had no grounds for defense.


    Lu Zhenjia was suspected of inciting someone to commit a crime, and the person incited was a mentally challenged individual. Although the incited Foolish Hu did not follow his instructions, Lu Zhenjia¡¯s actions still constituted a very serious criminal offense, leading directly to his detention, with sentencing awaiting him.


    *


    Hexing Village.


    Lu Zhenjia¡¯s home.


    Ge Guifen was washing clothes in the yard, while Old Madam Lu sat not far away, basking in the sun, holding a handful of melon seeds, cracking them and ¡°puffing¡± their shells onto the ground.


    A circle of melon seed shells had already formed around Old Madam Lu¡¯s feet.


    Ge Guifen, infuriated, stood up and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s fine you want to eat melon seeds, but can¡¯t you place a trash can by your feet and spit the shells into it? I just cleaned the courtyard!¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± Old Madam Lu said with a ¡°puff,¡± spitting another shell onto the ground and pouting, ¡°Just that little bit of melon shells, is it that hard to clean up? It¡¯s just a matter of sweeping, do your work properly!¡±


    Ge Guifen, furious beyond words, knew that ever since Old Madam Lu had moved in, she hadn¡¯t done any housework and only knew how to boss her and Lu Youzhen around.


    Even if she asked Lu Zhenjia to help carry a bottle, Old Madam Lu was unwilling, arguing that men shouldn¡¯t do household chores, otherwise what was the use of having a woman at home?


    Old Madam Lu seemed eager to turn Lu Zhenjia into a useless ¡®lord¡¯ who just sits at home waiting to be served!


    Old Madam Lu not only refused to help, but she was constantly finding ways to make her work harder.


    Ge Guifen, having just squeezed out some water from the clothes she had taken out of the basin, walked over to Old Madam Lu, swinging the clothes while saying, ¡°It¡¯s even less effort to have that trash can over here to catch the melon shells! It could be so much cleaner, why must I keep cleaning over and over again!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Old Madam Lu hurriedly stood up as Ge Guifen had just shaken the water from the clothes all over Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°Ge Guifen! You home wrecker! All I asked was for you to clean up some melon shells, and you splash water on me!¡± Old Madam Lu spit a melon shell forcefully at Ge Guifen¡¯s face, ¡°Your sister-in-law never complains about me, I do whatever I like at home! She still keeps it neat and tidy. If she can do it, why can¡¯t you!¡±


    Melon shells sprayed onto her face by Old Madam Lu made Ge Guifen feel disgustingly upset, thinking about the saliva on them, and she jumped, ¡°Ah! If you miss Liu Yushu that much, go live with them! Too bad, they don¡¯t want you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I will talk to my son!¡± said Old Madam Lu, ¡°How could he marry someone as unfilial as you. I¡¯ve barely been home a few days and you complain about this and that. You just don¡¯t like seeing me comfortable, do you, not wanting to provide for me in my old age!¡±


    Old Madam Lu spoke and then headed for the door, ¡°I¡¯m going to let everyone in the village judge this, is there anyone as unfilial as you? You can¡¯t stand to see me relax, I can¡¯t even eat some seeds without you complaining!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and tell!¡± Ge Guifen was unafraid, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know your current reputation in the village! The whole village knows you¡¯re a wicked mother-in-law, who would believe you if you told them! Besides, I¡¯m in the right, even if you do tell, if I speak the truth about what happened, no one will say I did wrong.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡± Old Madam Lu, shaking, pointed a trembling finger at her, ¡°I think you just need a beating! Just you wait, I¡¯ll have Zhenjia come back and beat some sense into you, you wicked wife!¡±


    Old Madam Lu turned and walked to the door, just about to cross the threshold when she unexpectedly ran into Aunt Lin from next door to Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family.


    She appeared to be on her way in.


    Ge Guifen also saw her and wondered to herself what the one surnamed Lin was doing here.


    They generally had no dealings with the Lin family.


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten that day when Foolish Hu¡¯s parents had come to propose, and this Lin had been jumping around, messing up her good fortune.


    Seeing her now, Ge Guifen did not hide her displeasure.


    ¡°Ah, Xiao Ge, heard your man got taken away by the police!¡± Aunt Lin, anxious, stepped over the high doorstep, craned her neck towards Ge Guifen not far behind Old Madam Lu, and shouted.

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 I Knew You Had No Good Intentions

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71: I Knew You Had No Good Intentions Chapter 71: Chapter 71: I Knew You Had No Good Intentions Aunt Lin rushed out of her house as soon as she heard the news and first went to ask Liu Yushu next door.


    Lu Zhenguo was working in the fields. Previously, when Lu Family¡¯s elders were around, Liu Yushu had to go too.


    Now that Lu Family¡¯s elders were not watching, Lu Zhenguo had Liu Yushu focus on housework at home, so she no longer needed to double her workload in the fields.


    Alone at home, Liu Yushu exhaled deeply. The house without Lu Family¡¯s elders felt like even the air was fresher, and her spirits were lifted.


    Aunt Lin asked Liu Yushu whether the news about Lu Zhenjia being taken away was true. Liu shook her head, clueless about the situation.


    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to enquire about Lu Zhenjia¡¯s situation.


    Aunt Lin thought about it and decided to ask Ge Guifen instead.


    Before entering, she tried hard to mask her schadenfreude.


    However, when she did inquire Ge Guifen at the door, her expression still gave her away a bit.


    Ge Guifen realized that Aunt Lin was there just to gawk and immediately got infuriated, ¡°Pah! Who cursed that vicious curse!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Old Madam Lu, also angered, spat in Aunt Lin¡¯s direction.


    Fortunately, Aunt Lin was quick to retreat after seeing Old Madam Lu¡¯s expression change, managing to dodge it.


    ¡°Oh my, you old lady are really bad luck.¡± Aunt Lin disdainfully brushed off her clothes. Even though the spit didn¡¯t hit her, she still felt the air was tainted, ¡°Could I possibly make this up? It¡¯s all over the next village. Even Foolish Hu¡¯s Hejia Village saw it, Lu Zhenjia was taken away by the police.¡±


    Initially, Ge Guifen didn¡¯t believe it, but her face changed when Aunt Lin mentioned Foolish Hu.


    Previously, Lu Zhenjia had indeed mentioned going to find Foolish Hu, saying he was gullible and easy to deceive, intending him to target Lu Youxi.


    ¡°No... it can¡¯t be...¡± Ge Guifen started to panic, ¡°My man is out working in the fields.¡±


    ¡°Really? But I just passed by your field, and I didn¡¯t see Lu Zhenjia there,¡± Aunt Lin was well-prepared, ¡°Oh dear, maybe you should check it out yourself.¡±


    Having said that, Aunt Lin left.


    It seemed that Ge Guifen truly didn¡¯t know about Lu Zhenjia being taken away. She still needed to inquire elsewhere.


    ¡°Pah!¡± Old Madam Lu spat behind Ge Guifen, ¡°What a despicable woman, harboring ill intentions, cursing my son!¡±


    Hearing that, Aunt Lin sneered coldly and walked away.


    But Ge Guifen¡¯s face turned pale, and she immediately went back inside to call Lu Zhenjia.


    Just as she entered, the home phone rang.


    Ge Guifen hurried to answer it, ¡°Hello, this is Lu Zhenjia¡¯s residence. I am from the Hetai Town police station. Lu Zhenjia is suspected of inciting someone to commit a crime and is now detained by us.¡±


    While the police continued speaking, Ge Guifen¡¯s legs buckled, and she sat down on the floor.


    ¡°How... how should I handle this...¡± Ge Guifen was utterly lost and mumbled to herself, not knowing what to do.


    She was so panicked that she even asked the police, ¡°How much money will it take to bail him out?¡±


    This response actually made the officer chuckle, ¡°Bail? He committed a crime. Bail is not allowed. I am calling today just to inform you. Of course, you have the right to hire a lawyer.¡±


    Even hiring a lawyer seemed futile as Lu Zhenjia¡¯s criminal charges were severe.


    After hanging up, Old Madam Lu came in and saw Ge Guifen sitting on the ground crying.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Old Madam Lu asked with a frown.


    Ge Guifen got up and grabbed Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Mom! What do we do, Zhenjia has been arrested!¡±


    ¡°Arrested?¡± Old Madam Lu was shocked, ¡°Who arrested him?¡±


    ¡°Who else could have arrested him? He was really taken by the police,¡± Ge Guifen sobbed, ¡°What do we do? How do we get Zhenjia out?¡±


    ¡°Why would the police arrest him?¡± Old Madam Lu was frightened and flustered, ¡°Zhenjia has always been honest and obedient. Why would the police arrest him!¡±


    ¡°The police... the police said he...¡± Ge Guifen struggled to speak.


    Old Madam Lu, anxious, slapped Ge Guifen on the head, not sure whether she was genuinely desperate or just seizing the opportunity to hit Ge Guifen, ¡°Say what? Speak clearly! You¡¯re mumbling. You¡¯re driving me crazy! Do you not want to save Zhenjia?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I knew you were up to no good!¡± Old Madam Lu slapped Ge Guifen again. ¡°At this crucial time, you deliberately mince words, hoping to delay, don¡¯t you? Do you wish to be rid of him?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Ge Guifen was infuriated by the slap.


    Initially, she didn¡¯t react to the first slap, but Old Madam Lu hitting her a second time was clearly driven by personal grudge.


    But now, Ge Guifen gathered some strength, stood up suddenly, and blurted out the harsh truths from the police, ¡°The police said he instigated Foolish Hu to sleep with Lu Youxi and got caught.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Old Madam Lu staggered back two steps, almost falling over but managed to steady herself by grabbing the door frame, ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s impossible? The police told me themselves!¡± Ge Guifen said shrilly.


    As for the details, the police obviously couldn¡¯t discuss that with her.


    ¡°Old Master!¡± Old Madam Lu called for Old Master Lu.


    Old Master Lu had actually already come over and heard Ge Guifen¡¯s words.


    ¡°What are we going to do!¡± Old Madam Lu lamented to Old Master Lu.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a scam call?¡± Lu Youzhen was skeptical, ¡°Didn¡¯t they ask for money?¡±


    ¡°No, I mentioned paying to get your dad out, and they weren¡¯t even pleased, saying this is a criminal offense!¡± Ge Guifen said, crying.


    ¡°Lets first go to the town police station to find out,¡± Old Master Lu decisively said, ¡°Best if it¡¯s a scam. If it¡¯s real...¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s seek out Daya. This whole ordeal started because of her. As the victim, as long as she doesn¡¯t press charges, it¡¯s just an internal family matter. If the victim doesn¡¯t pursue it, what would the police arrest him for?¡± Old Master Lu naively stated.


    Lu Youzhen felt that something was off with Old Master Lu¡¯s reasoning but couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what.


    Thus, the family hurried to the town.


    But they didn¡¯t expect that it was actually true!


    When they requested to see Lu Zhenjia, they were also denied.


    Only a lawyer could see Lu Zhenjia, and any messages would have to be conveyed through the lawyer.


    But in their town, where would they find a lawyer?


    ¡°Call Youbang!¡± Old Master Lu decisively said, ¡°Our Youbang is the most educated in our family; he definitely knows what to do!¡±


    ¡°Right, right.¡± Ge Guifen was still frantic, and now reminded by Old Master Lu, she hurriedly found a phone booth to call Lu Youbang.


    In their family, only Lu Youbang and Lu Zhenjia had cell phones.


    Lu Zhenjia often went out for work, so having a cell phone was convenient for contact.

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 Lu Youxis Man Hits Someone

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Lu Youxi¡¯s Man Hits Someone Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Lu Youxi¡¯s Man Hits Someone Lu Youbang was attending university in the Imperial Capital, so naturally, he needed it.


    Plus, Lu Youbang said that everyone in the city had a cell phone, and without one, he would be laughed at.


    The Lu Family couldn¡¯t allow Lu Youbang to be ridiculed, so naturally, they had to buy one for him.


    As for everyone else, they were usually at home, and even if they occasionally went to town, a telephone booth would suffice to make contact.


    Ge Guifen got Lu Youbang on the phone and explained the situation to him.


    ¡°Youbang, what should we do about this? Now they won¡¯t even let us see your dad, saying we can only get a lawyer to meet him and relay any messages,¡± Ge Guifen said, ¡°And they said your dad is going to be transferred to the city, not staying here anymore. It¡¯ll be even harder for us to contact your dad then!¡±


    ¡°How could Dad be so foolish to do such a thing!¡± Lu Youbang¡¯s head felt like it was struck by lightning in shock.


    This meant he would now have a father sitting in jail, right?


    ¡°Youbang, what should we do now?¡± Ge Guifen cried, ¡°Youbang, you¡¯re in the Imperial Capital where there are many talents. Can you find a lawyer from there?¡±


    ¡°The lawyers who make it in the Imperial Capital don¡¯t come cheap,¡± Lu Youbang frowned and said, hesitantly, ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, even if we went to the lawyer closest to us in Fengnan City, a full lawsuit would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan. Tens of thousands of yuan, can our family afford that?¡±


    Ge Guifen went silent; not only could their family not come up with the money, but even if Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family scraped everything together, they still couldn¡¯t afford it!


    ¡°If we can¡¯t afford a lawyer, does that mean we just watch your dad go to jail?¡± Ge Guifen cried.


    ¡°Find Lu Youxi,¡± Lu Youbang said with a stern face, ¡°This matter involves Lu Youxi as the victim. Although the attempt was unsuccessful, it¡¯s still related to her. If she pleads on his behalf, the sentence might be lighter. If we don¡¯t get a lawyer, the only thing we can do now is to find Lu Youxi.¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi, of all people, had to take family matters to the police,¡± Lu Youbang said discontentedly. His cousin had always been self-centered, unsympathetic to the family, and emotionally detached ¨C a ¡®real ungrateful wolf.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m telling you! Plus, she deliberately set a trap for your dad to fall into,¡± Ge Guifen said, her words laced with anger and disgust, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a vile and despicable person in my whole life!¡±


    ¡°Now that dad is...¡± Lu Youbang looked around to make sure no one was nearby before lowering his voice, ¡°detained, no matter what, we¡¯re at a point where we need to ask Lu Youxi for help. So even if we have a huge issue with her, when we need something from her, we have to soften our tone. After dad¡¯s issue is resolved, then we can settle the score with her!¡±


    Lu Youbang too was seething with anger.


    When he¡¯s not at home, Lu Youxi wreaks havoc.


    Now she has directly sent Lu Zhenjia to jail.


    How on earth did Lu Youxi become so capable?


    ¡°Aye, okay,¡± Ge Guifen agreed, then inquired about Lu Youbang¡¯s well-being in the Imperial Capital, ¡°How are you doing in the Imperial Capital? Is your studying going smoothly?¡±


    Lu Youbang, slightly annoyed at Ge Guifen for asking this question, nonchalantly responded: ¡°It¡¯s going pretty smoothly.¡±


    ¡°And do you have enough money?¡± Ge Guifen asked further.


    ¡°Now I can only try to spend as little as possible. After all, dad will definitely need a lot,¡± Lu Youbang said, growing more agitated. Lu Zhenjia really knew how to cause trouble for him.


    ¡°You¡¯re really suffering,¡± Ge Guifen lamented with sympathy.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s not talk about this now. Let¡¯s prioritize getting dad¡¯s situation resolved,¡± Lu Youbang said.


    After hanging up, Ge Guifen relayed Lu Youbang¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Yuobang always knows best,¡± Old Madam Lu said with satisfaction when she heard about her eldest grandson.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go back and find Lu Youxi,¡± Old Master Lu tapped his smoking pipe against the wall twice and said.


    Thus, they took a car back to the village.


    While they were still on their way, Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan had already returned to the village ahead of them.


    Foolish Hu went back to his own home.


    Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan, on the other hand, returned to the Lu Family home.


    ¡°Dad, Mom,¡± called Lu Youxi.


    They arrived around 12 noon when, according to their usual routine, Lu Zhenguo should have finished his morning work and returned home.


    Hearing her voice, Liu Yushu hurried over and clutched Lu Youxi¡¯s hand, whispering, ¡°Youxi, Aunt Lin from next door came by just now and said that she heard from the next village that Lu Zhenjia was taken away by the police?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡± Lu Youxi asked, seeing only Liu Yushu come to meet her and scanning the interior of the house.


    ¡°Your dad was originally working in the fields. He wasn¡¯t here when Aunt Lin came to tell us about it,¡± Liu Yushu explained. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a cell phone, so I couldn¡¯t get in touch with him. And besides, I wasn¡¯t sure if the news was true or not. Around 11:30 a.m., your dad came back from the fields, and I told him. He thought about it and, not being reassured, went to check on Lu Zhenjia¡¯s place. He had just left not long before and hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡±


    Liu Yushu then scoffed dismissively, ¡°If you ask me, why bother inquiring at all? Those bloodsuckers, whether they¡¯re good or bad, what does it have to do with us? They never treated your dad like family, only seeing him as an easy mark. We¡¯re living in this house, yet we still pay them. Just a few days ago this happened, and now your dad is all healed from his past hurt and can¡¯t help but go concern himself with their matters.¡±


    Lu Youxi sighed, Lu Zhenguo was kindhearted, a virtue indeed.


    But his excessive benevolence, and the speed with which he could forget the harm others had done to him in order to play the good Samaritan, was honestly a headache.


    Nevertheless, the change in Liu Yushu was quite drastic.


    Now she could even join in griping about the Lu Zhenjia folk.


    Lu Youxi smiled, and Liu Yushu followed up with another question: ¡°You haven¡¯t answered yet, did the police really take away Lu Zhenjia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Lu Youxi nodded.


    ¡°What for?¡± Liu Yushu pressed.


    Just as Lu Youxi was about to answer, suddenly there was a shout accompanied by a figure bursting in fast.


    ¡°Lu Youxi!¡± Ge Guifen shouted as she charged in, ¡°How could you be so heartless and send your uncle to jail!¡±


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just settle whatever issues you have with your family in private? Why did you have to land your uncle in jail!¡± Ge Guifen sobbed.


    ¡°Lu Youxi, come with me to the police station!¡± Old Madam Lu stepped forward to grab Lu Youxi, but was stopped by Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Old Madam Lu shouted angrily, ¡°Why are you always involved? This is our family¡¯s business, none of your concern!¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Zhou Shuyan retorted with disgust.


    Old Madam Lu sat down sharply on the ground, shouting towards the yard, ¡°Help, I¡¯ve been assaulted! Lu Youxi¡¯s man has hit me!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hit an old person, Lu Youxi¡¯s man has hit an old person!¡± Ge Guifen also started to scream.


    Lu Youzhen¡¯s eyes darted around as she chimed in, ¡°Lu Youxi, come with us to the police station and tell the police you won¡¯t pursue the case against my dad, and we¡¯ll consider the matter settled. We won¡¯t pursue the matter of Xu Mai hitting an old person either.¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 They Said It Would Be a Heavy Sentence

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73: They Said It Would Be a Heavy Sentence Chapter 73: Chapter 73: They Said It Would Be a Heavy Sentence Old Madam Lu and Guifen¡¯s wails once again drew the attention of the surrounding villagers.


    Some families rushed over upon hearing the cries, while others didn¡¯t forget to phone their close acquaintances in the village, ¡°There¡¯s a commotion at Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family again! It¡¯s happening right in the courtyard and it¡¯s really loud, hurry and see!¡±


    Aunt Lin next door had already propped a ladder against the wall, climbed it, and was peering over the wall to watch the excitement in the Lu Family¡¯s courtyard.


    At that moment, still eager for a spectacle and seemingly indifferent to the consequences, she shouted towards Guifen in the Lu Family¡¯s courtyard, ¡°I told you Lu Zhenjia was taken away by the police, didn¡¯t I! You still didn¡¯t believe it!¡±


    Guifen, who couldn¡¯t care less about her at the moment, said to Youxi, ¡°Lu Youxi, do you want your aunt to kneel before you agree? We are clearly a family, what grudge can be so deep that you insist on sending your uncle to jail?¡±


    At this, the villagers who had hurriedly come to watch were all startled.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, how did it end up involving jail!¡±


    ¡°The Lu family, they have troubles every other day!¡±


    ¡°But, what did Zhenjia do?¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi too, no matter what, it¡¯s still family, isn¡¯t this too extreme?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right, if the police took him, it means Zhenjia must have committed something significant. If he¡¯s done something wrong, shouldn¡¯t he be arrested? It has nothing to do with Youxi being ruthless. Suppose he¡¯s a murderer, just because the victims are family, does that mean they shouldn¡¯t pursue it and he should get away scot-free? You can¡¯t say that!¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, but it doesn¡¯t seem like Zhenjia would do something so severe, he wouldn¡¯t have the nerve.¡±


    ¡°But as long as he¡¯s arrested, it definitely means he did something wrong.¡±


    Yushu infuriatedly said, ¡°Enough! What does Zhenjia¡¯s arrest have to do with Youxi?¡±


    ¡°How can you say it has nothing to do!¡± Guifen, with red eyes and full of resentment, pointed at Youxi, ¡°It was her who conspired with Xu Mai to set up Zhenjia and get him arrested.¡±


    Yushu was stunned; she didn¡¯t know the details, as Youxi hadn¡¯t had the chance to explain yet.


    But she only hesitated for a few seconds before retorting, ¡°What do you mean ¡®Youxi set him up¡¯? If Zhenjia hadn¡¯t harbored crooked thoughts and actually done something wrong, would the police have arrested him? If he was a good person, no trap would work against him!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk as if Youxi harmed him; it was all his own wrongdoings from the start!¡± Yushu firmly stated, ¡°The police wouldn¡¯t wrongly accuse an innocent person!¡±


    ¡°If he were good, the police wouldn¡¯t have arrested him!¡± Yushu, embracing Youxi¡¯s arm, trusted Youxi unconditionally.


    Youxi, moved, held Yushu¡¯s hand; Yushu was slowly changing.


    At this time, Zhenguo returned.


    He had just been to Zhenjia¡¯s house, and found no one there, the main door securely locked.


    He waited for a while but saw no one; he then went to the fields and didn¡¯t find Zhenjia or Guifen, so he had no choice but to return first.


    Little did he know, as soon as he saw his own front door, he found it surrounded by villagers again.


    Zhenguo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, worrying Youxi might have caused some trouble again.


    ¡°Make way, make way!¡± Zhenguo hurriedly squeezed through the crowd, finally managing to reach his own doorstep.


    Only to hear the conversation between Guifen and Yushu as he entered.


    ¡°Zhenjia was really arrested?¡± Zhenguo exclaimed, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Mom, why are you sitting on the floor!¡± Zhenguo then inquired of Old Madam Lu.


    Zhenguo¡¯s head buzzed, everything had been fine when he left; how could it have turned into a complete mess upon his return?


    Seeing her eldest son, Old Madam Lu quickly scrambled up from the ground, saying to Zhenguo, ¡°Your dear daughter, and son-in-law! The two of them conspired to set a trap for your brother and had the police take him away! They say he¡¯ll face severe punishment, your daughter and son-in-law, they¡¯ve gotten your brother into prison! And your wife, instead of blaming them, stands by and watches idly, accusing us!¡±


    ¡°Zhenguo, you must make Youxi release your brother!¡± Old Master Lu said.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Old Madam Lu aggressively agreed.


    ¡°Youxi does have many disagreements with Zhenjia, and indeed you had conflicts before,¡± Old Master Lu said while holding his smoking pipe, ¡°but no matter what, we are still a family. Why escalate family disagreements to the extent of sending someone to prison?¡±


    Zhenguo blinked, confused by their accusations.


    ¡°Youxi, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zhenguo eagerly looked at Youxi.


    He felt he was growing less familiar with Youxi by the day.


    Youxi surprisingly had the ability to get Zhenjia into prison!


    Youxi thought to herself that Zhenguo finally seemed to be acting reasonably, at least he had not immediately believed the words of Old Madam Lu and her group and accused her without knowing the true situation.


    Youxi said coldly, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you mention what Zhenjia planned to do to me?¡±


    ¡°Zhenjia thought Foolish Hu was foolish, and went to find...¡± Youxi had not finished speaking when Guifen hastily interrupted.


    She knew too well what Zhenjia had done, thus she couldn¡¯t let Youxi reveal it!


    ¡°First release your uncle then we¡¯ll talk!¡± Guifen screamed loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t mention those useless things!¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me speak? If you think Zhenjia was wronged and I framed him, shouldn¡¯t you want to hear what I have to say?¡± Youxi retorted coldly.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Aunt Lin, perched on the wall, now somehow had a bag of sunflower seeds and was cracking them while listening.


    There was also a little paper box made from folded newspapers on the wall.


    She tossed the cracked seed shells into the paper box.


    Seeing Aunt Lin¡¯s setup, Youxi couldn¡¯t help but twitch her mouth.


    Thinking to herself that Aunt Lin took her sunflower seed eating seriously.


    ¡°If Zhenjia did nothing wrong, let Youxi speak, see if she can make head or tail of anything?¡± Aunt Lin spat a seed shell into the box, ¡°You not letting Youxi speak, how are people supposed to judge?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± the villagers watching from the yard also chimed in.


    ¡°Enough of you!¡± Old Madam Lu angrily said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s your business or not, you always come to gawk. This is our family¡¯s matter, what does it have to do with you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re shouting so loudly in the yard, you can¡¯t stop people from listening.¡± Aunt Lin retorted, ¡°Youxi, don¡¯t mind her, you speak.¡±


    Old Madam Lu, angered, looked around the yard for something to throw at Aunt Lin.


    Only to find the yard had been cleaned spotlessly by Yushu, nothing was left.


    That really infuriated Old Madam Lu.


    ¡°Youxue, go back inside, no eavesdropping,¡± Youxi instructed Youxue.


    ¡°Why? I also want to hear,¡± Youxue anxiously said, curious about what Zhenjia had done and how Youxi managed to get him into prison.

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 I sever ties with my kin for the sake of

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74: I sever ties with my kin for the sake of righteousness; there should be nothing wrong with that, right? Chapter 74: Chapter 74: I sever ties with my kin for the sake of righteousness; there should be nothing wrong with that, right? ¡°Some things aren¡¯t suitable for you to hear right now, it will dirty your ears,¡± Lu Youxi said. ¡°If you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re fifteen or sixteen.¡±


    Boys at that age, in fact, should know it all.


    Moreover, Lu Youxi had already decided to send Lu Youxue to the Imperial Capital for schooling.


    Since she planned to bring her family to the city, she would bring them a little farther, straight to the Imperial Capital.


    Schools would teach children of that age the necessary knowledge.


    Liu Yushu¡¯s face changed, and she looked at Ge Guifen with eyes so red it was as if she wanted to devour her.


    But at this moment, her hands and feet trembling, she restrained herself and said to Lu Youxue: ¡°Youxue, listen to your sister, she¡¯s right.¡±


    Lu Youxue didn¡¯t really understand the meaning of Lu Youxi¡¯s words but couldn¡¯t disobey her either, so he said to Lu Youxi: ¡°Sister, you have to keep your word. Tell me when I turn fifteen!¡±


    There were three more years; he could wait, he would definitely not forget it.


    ¡°Okay, I promise you,¡± Lu Youxi replied with equal seriousness, not to brush off Lu Youxue.


    Then Lu Youxue obediently went to his room, halfway there he even promised: ¡°I promise I won¡¯t eavesdrop.¡±


    Lu Youxi smiled and nodded at Lu Youxue.


    After Lu Youxue had gone back to his room, Lu Youxi said: ¡°Lu Zhenjia really thought Foolish Hu was stupid, so he went to Hejia Village to find Foolish Hu and gave him a USB drive with that kind of pornographic video on it. He told Foolish Hu to learn from it, and then, when Xu Mai was out in town and Grandma Xu wasn¡¯t at home, he¡¯d go to Grandma Xu¡¯s house and... do that kind of thing to me.¡±


    As Lu Youxi said this, she put on a look of grief and indignation.


    When Lu Youxi finished, everyone fell silent.


    It would take such immense courage for Lu Youxi to speak of such unspeakable things!


    ¡°Lucky for me, Xu Mai had been wary of Lu Zhenjia for a while. We didn¡¯t know what Lu Zhenjia was really planning to do, but we were sure that he would scheme against me again; he wasn¡¯t going to let me off so easily to go to school. He still needed to save on my school fees for Lu Youbang¡¯s wedding,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Wait, why use your school fees for Lu Youbang¡¯s wedding?¡± someone asked, confused.


    ¡°Oh, I know that. Lu Zhenjia even thought of using the dowry money from marrying Lu Youxi off to Foolish Hu for Lu Youbang¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°If you ask me, that Lu Youbang is just shamefully disgraceful. A top student from Jing University, instead of earning his own money, relies every day on his parents to scheme against relatives to finance his needs.¡±


    ¡°He might not know about it, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that was Lu Zhenjia¡¯s plan. The tuition and living expenses for Lu Youbang¡¯s study in the Imperial Capital were all provided by my family, his family didn¡¯t contribute a penny. Now that my family is also paying for me to move to the city for schooling, the expenses are certainly not small. You all know the situation at my house,¡± Lu Youxi continued, ¡°To support Lu Youbang¡¯s education, my family has been drained. If they have to add me to the equation, there¡¯d be nothing left. Where would the money come from for Lu Youbang¡¯s marriage?¡±


    Lu Youxi scoffed, ¡°To put it bluntly, Lu Zhenjia treated my family like a cash vault, taking from us as needed, thinking we are easily exploited. If Lu Zhenjia¡¯s schemes really worked, then according to the customs here, I would definitely not be able to go to the city to study. I¡¯d have to take my belongings and go live with Foolish Hu. Naturally, Foolish Hu¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t give dowry money then. But then, I wouldn¡¯t need to have living expenses and tuition paid for by my family anymore, and any way you look at it, it still saves money for Lu Youbang.¡±


    ¡°At first, we didn¡¯t know the plans of Lu Zhenjia, but how could we keep our guard up forever? There¡¯s no reason to guard against a thief every single day, right? My nerves were always on edge every day, not knowing how else Lu Zhenjia planned to scheme against me, I couldn¡¯t even sleep well, all worn out by anxiety. How could we continue like this? So, Xu Mai decided to keep an eye on Lu Zhenjia, to see what he really was up to.¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought, just as we followed him to Hejia Village, we saw him coaxing Foolish Hu. But Foolish Hu, although nicknamed Foolish Hu, was at least fourteen or fifteen years old in terms of mentality, not really that stupid. He knew that this was something he couldn¡¯t do, it¡¯s not something any human should do.¡± Lu Youxi scoffed coldly again, ¡°Even Foolish Hu knows this is inhuman, but Lu Zhenjia doesn¡¯t. He even tried to coax Foolish Hu into doing it. Moreover, the target of his scheme is me, his own niece! Who else treats their own niece like this? Encouraging others to violate their own niece?¡±


    ¡°Ge Guifen always said we were family, that there was nothing we couldn¡¯t solve,¡± Lu Youxi said with a cold voice. ¡°But when Lu Zhenjia did this, how could he forget we were family?¡±


    ¡°Beast!¡± This curse word was uttered by Lu Zhenguo.


    Liu Yushu had been so angered she was shaking and unable to speak, with eyes reddened as if she wished she could tear Lu Zhenjia apart in the detention center.


    Liu Yushu came up and hugged Lu Youxi tightly, ¡°My child, my child! You almost got ruined by them!¡±


    Lu Youxi took a deep breath and hugged Liu Yushu back to comfort her while saying: ¡°Since we followed him and learned about this matter, we naturally had to take a video with our cell phones. This is the evidence of Lu Zhenjia¡¯s criminal actions. Since he doesn¡¯t regard me as a niece, exterminating him like this should be nothing wrong, right?¡±


    Lu Youxi did not mention that it was Xu Mai who had previously agreed on the plan with Foolish Hu.


    To really speak of it, the matter became complicated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± This time, Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t hesitate at all. ¡°Get out!¡±


    Lu Zhenguo pointed to the door and said to Ge Guifen and the others: ¡°All of you get out! After all this, you still have the nerve to come to Youxi and ask her to let Lu Zhenjia go? He did this, you must have known? And yet you let him do it!¡±


    ¡°Youxi is right, you never treated us like family! Before, when you took advantage of us, mom and dad would rant at Yushu, hit and scold Youxi at the slightest provocation, but as the elders, apart from stepping in a bit, there wasn¡¯t much I could do. But now, you want to ruin my children!¡± A grown man, Lu Zhenguo, was actually in tears, ¡°Parents, even if you don¡¯t like your granddaughter, you can¡¯t ruin her like this! No matter what, Youxi shares the same blood with us!¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, only Lu Zhenjia and Lu Youbang are people, what about the rest of us? Lu Zhenjia, that bastard! He¡¯s now in the detention center, if he were in front of me, I would beat him to death!¡± Lu Zhenguo trembled with anger, ¡°He dares... He dares to do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°Beast!¡± roared villagers outside the courtyard.


    ¡°How can there be such a person.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to take a small advantage, but now it¡¯s about money, willing to ruin one¡¯s own niece, that¡¯s just not human!¡±

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Stop Scheming Against Our Family

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Stop Scheming Against Our Family Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Stop Scheming Against Our Family ¡°Nice catch!¡±


    ¡°Those two old goods of the Lu Family, they actually have the face to bring Guifen to seek out Youxi, asking her to let Zhenjia go.¡±


    ¡°Why should they let him off!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s lucky that Foolish Hu is good-hearted; if he were foolish, Youxi would¡¯ve been ruined!¡±


    Old Master Lu and Old Madam Lu clenched their teeth in silence.


    Guifen trembled, frightened by Zhenguo¡¯s sudden outburst of anger.


    She had never seen Zhenguo this furious before.


    Her lips quivered a few times, still unwilling to give up, she argued, ¡°Zhenjia... Zhenjia just had that one thought, nothing actually happened, did it?¡±


    ¡°Aiya, Sister Ge, what you¡¯re saying is just inhuman,¡± Aunt Lin perched on the wall, cracking sunflower seeds and keenly joined in, ¡°Just because it did not happen doesn¡¯t mean Zhenjia is innocent. We can¡¯t pretend as though nothing happened!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Zhenjia did go to Foolish Hu with the intention of ruining Youxi. It¡¯s just that Foolish Hu didn¡¯t agree, which means Zhenjia really did want to ruin Youxi.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s clearly Foolish Hu¡¯s honesty that kept him from being influenced by Zhenjia¡¯s provocations; you can¡¯t say Zhenjia is innocent.¡±


    People outside the courtyard were all talking at once.


    Zhenguo clenched his fists tightly; he thought so as well.


    Zhenguo lashed out towards Guifen with his fists. Anyone who could say such things was no good!


    Certainly, Guifen had agreed to Zhenjia¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Get out! Are you going to get out or not!¡± Zhenguo waved his fists at Guifen, shouting angrily.


    ¡°Zhenguo, you¡¯re defying the heavens!¡± Old Master Lu swung his smoking pipe and glared at Zhenguo, ¡°Are you telling your own parents to get out? Have you decided not to acknowledge us as your parents anymore?¡±


    Zhenguo truly felt heartbroken now, a rough and straightforward man, but at this moment, he cried with a face full of tears, ¡°After what you¡¯ve done, how can I acknowledge you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought of myself as filial, and I even comforted myself that suffering is a blessing, so even if I suffered a loss, I still hoped for family harmony. But what did my successive concessions yield? You tried to destroy my daughter, ruin my daughter¡¯s entire life! Have you ever thought, if this had really happened, and Youxi couldn¡¯t take it, what would you do? You were forcing her to her death!¡±


    ¡°Just for the little bit of hard-earned money I have, you want to push my daughter to death!¡± Zhenguo raged, ¡°And you still want me to be filial? I can¡¯t afford to be!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been good to you, but what have I gotten in return? You never think I¡¯m good enough, always wanting more from me! Even if that means taking my children¡¯s lives, you¡¯d never be satisfied, right?¡± Zhenguo said, crying.


    The people outside hearing Zhenguo¡¯s words felt a pang of heartache and couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore.


    What kind of family was Zhenguo tangled up with!


    Over the years, with his wife and children, what kind of life had he been living!


    ¡°Actually, even if I agree not to pursue the matter with Zhenjia, it would be useless,¡± Youxi spoke for the first time.


    ¡°Youxi, don¡¯t be foolish!¡± Yushu quickly said to Youxi, ¡°This cannot be overlooked; we must not let it go! He¡¯s a beast! He wanted to destroy you, take your life; how can we let him off!¡±


    Yushu was afraid that Youxi might suddenly become confused and decide to let Zhenjia off.


    ¡°Youxi,¡± Zhenguo struggled to abandon the usual mentality of all being one family, ¡°This time, Dad doesn¡¯t support you letting him off.¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡± Suddenly, Zhenguo¡¯s face was hit by a harsh slap, the sound echoing unusually abrupt and alarming in the courtyard.


    Zhenguo¡¯s face twisted to one side as he was slapped, and when he looked up, he saw Old Madam Lu, her face flushed with anger, standing before him as if he were her sworn enemy.


    ¡°You actually want to watch your brother go to prison!¡± Old Madam Lu slapped Zhenguo and, still unsatisfied, continued hitting him with punch after punch.


    Zhenguo didn¡¯t resist, nor did he relent and say he would let Zhenjia off.


    He just stood there numbly, letting the old woman beat on him.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Youxi commanded, ¡°It¡¯s useless to come to me; any resentment towards us for not helping is in vain. This matter isn¡¯t up to me to decide.¡±


    ¡°Zhenjia connived to tempt Foolish Hu into committing a crime. Foolish Hu didn¡¯t fall for it, but he is also one of the victims. Moreover, if Foolish Hu had actually complied with Zhenjia¡¯s incitement, his life would have been ruined too. Considering someone who almost destroyed their son, do you think Foolish Hu¡¯s parents would let his mother go?¡± Youxi coldly swept over Old Madam Lu and the others, ¡°This has long ceased to be something I can decide alone. Zhenjia has committed a crime, and it¡¯s no longer up for forgiveness by me, Foolish Hu, or his family.¡±


    Yushu released Youxi¡¯s arm while she was speaking.


    Once Youxi finished speaking, it happened that Yushu came out carrying a full bucket of water. The water in the bucket was swaying and spilling over as she walked.


    Without a word, Yushu splashed the entire bucket of water right onto Guifen and the others.


    The water spilled broadly and far, drenching Guifen and the others completely.


    Including the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Youzhen, none escaped the drenching.


    ¡°Ah!¡± All four screamed in unison.


    Old Master Lu, who had always carried the air of the head of the family, now could scarcely maintain his dignity, leaping higher than anyone else.


    All four turned into drenched chickens, as the gray water mixed with suds trickled down from their hair.


    Some even got a taste of the laundry powder that mixed into their mouths.


    ¡°Ptooey!¡± Old Madam Lu spat out the foul water.


    Youzhen, infuriated, bounced on her toes and twisted the water from her hair with her upturned fingers, disgustedly shaking off water from her hand, ¡°What the hell are you pouring!¡±


    ¡°Dirty laundry water, I didn¡¯t pour shit on you, which is being polite as it is!¡± Yushu fumed.


    Zhenguo also shouted, ¡°Get out, all of you get out! Don¡¯t come to our house again! We¡¯ve already said it, we¡¯ve split from the family, you have nothing to do with us anymore! Stop eyeing our property!¡±


    For the sake of his children, he could no longer associate with them.


    Today they could plot against Youxi, and when Youxue grew up, he could just as easily be their target!


    Old Madam Lu was trembling with anger, wiping the dirty water from her face, she then pointed at Zhenguo and shouted, ¡°Well! If you say you have nothing to do with us, then roll out of our house!¡±


    Old Master Lu, soaking wet, had never experienced such humiliation before.


    Yushu, who used to never talk back, was truly defying the heavens today!


    Old Master Lu also said angrily, ¡°Zhenguo, do you also not want this house anymore?¡±


    ¡°When did you ever want to give it to me?¡± Zhenguo wasn¡¯t clueless; he just hadn¡¯t spoken up in the past, but now he let it all out, ¡°When Zhenjia got married, without a second thought you built him a house and it was put in his name.¡±

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 You Will Be Captured Too

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: You Will Be Captured Too Chapter 76: Chapter 76: You Will Be Captured Too ¡°And this house, it¡¯s still in your names. I never cared, and I even said to Yushu, maybe you also wanted to be safe, worrying that if the house were in my name, then we wouldn¡¯t respect you anymore,¡± Lu Zhenguo said. ¡°Actually, Yushu and I never cared whether it was in your name or ours. The ownership wouldn¡¯t make us disrespect you.¡±


    ¡°Fair? There¡¯s never been fairness between me and Lu Zhenjia,¡± Lu Zhenguo said sarcastically with disappointment. ¡°I knew that before, but I thought you were my parents, and I should respect you.¡±


    ¡°But from the other day when you wanted to marry off Youxi, who got into Jing University, to Foolish Hu, up to today when Lu Zhenjia actually wanted to ruin Youxi, I finally realized, I regarded you as parents, as family, yet you never considered me your son, a member of the family, let alone Youxi!¡± Lu Zhenguo argued. ¡°In your eyes, Youxi is just a tool for making money. You don¡¯t care about her life or death at all. Even if she dies, as long as you can use her death to get some money, you wouldn¡¯t bat an eye.¡±


    ¡°As for whether or not I still want this house?¡± Lu Zhenguo sneered. ¡°It¡¯s yours, give it to me if you will, if not, forget it.¡±


    ¡°You admit the house is ours,¡± Old Madam Lu screeched, her demeanor like dealing with an enemy, nothing like facing an honest and respectful son who had dutifully cared for them for decades. ¡°You still have the gall to stand in our house and drive us out? This is ours!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve paid the rent,¡± Lu Youxi interjected. ¡°Before the rent expires, this place is our home, and you have no right to evict us. On the contrary, you have no right to barge into our home. I could even call the police.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± Lu Zhenguo was also annoyed.


    Thinking of Lu Youxi¡¯s ordeal, he now just wanted to see if Lu Youxi was still alright.


    He had no intention of arguing with Ge Guifen and the others.


    ¡°The village chief is here, the village chief has arrived!¡± someone shouted.


    The village chief arrived drenched in sweat, his shirt soaked through, wiping his brow and gasping for breath.


    On the way here, he had already heard what happened and was cursing the Lu Family¡¯s elders and the couple Lu Zhenjia for stirring up such trouble.


    ¡°Have you had enough?!¡± the village chief bellowed as he entered.


    Ge Guifen quickly complained to the village chief, ¡°Chief, you have to talk some sense into them. Their family is out of line!¡±


    ¡°Lu Youxi even got her own uncle thrown in jail, is this the behavior of normal people?¡± Ge Guifen cried. ¡°Moreover, Lu Zhenguo disowned his own parents, wanting us to leave and to sever ties with us!¡±


    ¡°Their family does need to be dealt with!¡± Old Master Lu also said to the village chief.


    The village chief was amused by their outrage, ¡°I was talking to you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone too far?¡± the village chief said disapprovingly.


    ¡°We...¡± Ge Guifen hadn¡¯t expected that the village chief would be scolding them.


    Old Madam Lu, eyeing the situation, said, ¡°Chief, this is our family¡¯s private affair, are you going to meddle too?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with your private affairs, but Lu Zhenjia has committed a crime and has been arrested by the police. No one can help you!¡± the village chief stated. ¡°Do you intend to obstruct justice? If so, you will also be arrested!¡±


    ¡°That... that can¡¯t be that serious...¡± Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t believe it, though her tone was less confident.


    The village chief laughed in dismay, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, and you don¡¯t trust Youxi, go ask Lu Youbang!¡±


    ¡°Or else, I¡¯ll get you a lawyer for legal advice, go and ask the lawyer!¡± the village chief said loudly.


    ¡°Also, I heard what you said just now. Youxi is right, you rented this house to Lu Zhenguo and his family. I, and all these villagers outside, can witness it, and Youxi even had you sign a lease contract,¡± the village chief explained. ¡°Before the lease expires, this is the place of Lu Zhenguo¡¯s family, and without their permission, you cannot force your way in!¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve split up, stop causing trouble here. Have you no shame?¡± the village chief said irritably.


    With the village chief mentioning the risk of being arrested for making more trouble, Ge Guifen and the others no longer dared to make a fuss.


    The village chief took the opportunity to say, ¡°Though it¡¯s hot, you being soaked isn¡¯t comfortable, and there¡¯s a risk of getting sick. Better go home and get cleaned up.¡±


    Without any choice, the four of them had to leave.


    Moreover, their clothes were dripping, and they didn¡¯t even know what the water was used for, which was a revolting thought.


    They could only go home first and think of another plan.


    Seeing them go, the village chief also sighed. Having such a family in the village was indeed exhausting.


    ¡°Chief, thank you very much,¡± Lu Zhenguo hurriedly said.


    The village chief waved his hand, ¡°Youxi has truly suffered an injustice, such a plight to befall on someone with an uncle and grandparents like them. Even a stranger like me is fuming, let alone Youxi.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, Youxi is going to study in the Imperial Capital and won¡¯t have to deal with them anymore,¡± the village chief sighed and said to Lu Zhenguo, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be the one to tell you this, but I can¡¯t help but to speak my mind. Today, you stood firmly by Youxi¡¯s side, not softening because of blind and foolish filial piety. I support what you did. In the future, you also should not soften towards them. It¡¯s because you¡¯ve always been soft-hearted and too honest that they¡¯ve become more and more presumptuous.¡±


    ¡°Your wife and children are all good; don¡¯t make a mistake and hurt them!¡± the village chief warned.


    Lu Zhenguo¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment.


    Especially after what happened today, thinking back on his own past actions, he felt too ashamed to face his wife and children.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Youxi mention that once things are settled, she¡¯ll take you to the city?¡± the village chief said. ¡°You should do it soon to avoid being tangled up with them here while Youxi is studying in the Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Chief, don¡¯t worry, I will handle everything as quickly as I can and fetch my parents and Youxue over,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°Ah! Life in the big city isn¡¯t easy, especially since you have to study and can¡¯t make money. I was only suggesting, don¡¯t feel pressured,¡± the village chief added, thinking to himself that he might have spoken too harshly. Lu Youxi was a student just going to the Imperial Capital, being able to take care of herself was already commendable. Everything there was expensive; it couldn¡¯t be so easy to bring the whole family over so swiftly.


    ¡°Youxi, are you okay? You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± the village chief asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. This time, thanks to Xu Mai, he anticipated it early and prevented Lu Zhenjia¡¯s plans from succeeding,¡± Lu Youxi said with a smile.

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 Do You Think What Were Doing Is Wrong

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Do You Think What We¡¯re Doing Is Wrong? Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Do You Think What We¡¯re Doing Is Wrong? Village chief nodded, and he didn¡¯t think it was wrong for Lu Youxi to directly call Lu Zhenjia by name.


    That beast, how could he still face being Lu Youxi¡¯s uncle!


    ¡°Alright, you all are busy enough, I will head out first,¡± said the village chief, ¡°you should clean things up quickly.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Village Chief, thank you so much. Our family has had trouble over and over, and you¡¯ve come to help each time,¡± Lu Youxi gratefully said.


    This time, she wasn¡¯t just flattering the village chief.


    The village chief indeed fulfilled his duties diligently, and Lu Youxi was truly grateful.


    However, the village chief was extremely pleased by Lu Youxi¡¯s words.


    Earlier, he had been quite angered by the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Ge Guifen¡¯s family, but now he was beaming because of Lu Youxi¡¯s praise.


    Village Chief waved his hand, ¡°I am the village chief, if I don¡¯t take care of these things, what kind of village chief would I be? Besides, I am standing on the side of justice.¡±


    The village chief also dispersed the onlookers outside and then left.


    Liu Yushu examined Lu Youxi up and down again to make sure she was alright, and then hugged her tightly, frightened, ¡°I was so scared, so scared!¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright,¡± Liu Yushu said through tears, ¡°Lu Zhenjia, that despicable man, wouldn¡¯t be a loss if he died a hundred times!¡±


    Though she always had grievances against the Lu Family¡¯s elders and Lu Zhenjia, because of Lu Zhenguo, Liu Yushu never vocalized them.


    But now, Liu Yushu couldn¡¯t care less.


    Lu Zhenguo could listen or not!


    Lu Zhenguo was silent for a few seconds then let out a sigh, ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I really am fine,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Remember we agreed that I would still live at home after marrying Xu Mai?¡±


    Liu Yushu nodded, her mind not quite on this topic yet, not even realizing why Lu Youxi suddenly brought this up.


    ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t that Xu Mai went back on his word, but we discussed it, and Xu Mai thought Lu Zhenjia wouldn¡¯t let things go so easily. Instead of me constantly guarding against Lu Zhenjia harming me, it¡¯s better to follow him to see what he really wants to do,¡± Lu Youxi said, ¡°Even at Grandma Xu¡¯s place, we sleep in separate rooms.¡±


    ¡°Xu Mai has been following Lu Zhenjia these days, trying to see what he¡¯s up to. If he doesn¡¯t harm me, that¡¯s best, and we can live peacefully; but if he does intend to harm me, at least I could know what he wants to do and be prepared. But today, I ended up following him to Foolish Hu¡¯s place. Only then did I realize he thought we were living together, and since I wasn¡¯t staying at home, he incited Foolish Hu to come after me. Thankfully, Foolish Hu didn¡¯t listen to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Liu Yushu heaved a sigh and patted her chest, ¡°And to think, Foolish Hu turned out to be quite decent.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s actually quite aware, even though everyone always calls him Foolish Hu, but actually, he¡¯s clearer than many people think,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    Listening, Lu Zhenguo felt something was amiss. After pondering for a while, he said, ¡°So, Ge Guifen claimed you guys set a trap for Lu Zhenjia?¡±


    Lu Youxi let go of Liu Yushu and turned to face Lu Zhenguo, ¡°It wasn¡¯t us setting a trap, it was just us timely capturing evidence of his plot against me.¡±


    Lu Youxi fell silent for a few seconds, her expression serious, ¡°Dad, are you saying that what we did was wrong because of that?¡±


    If that was the case, then she would be truly disappointed in Lu Zhenguo.


    Lu Zhenguo sagged his shoulders and shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°After all, it all comes down to Lu Zhenjia harboring ill intentions, trying to force you into a corner. You guys just prepared beforehand and caught him red-handed. Calling the police was also correct because if he didn¡¯t succeed this time, he would definitely try again, next time, and continue endlessly,¡± Lu Zhenguo said softly.


    Perhaps Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan had indeed set a trap, but it was based on Lu Zhenjia¡¯s malintent.


    If Lu Zhenjia had never intended to harm Lu Youxi, no matter what Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi did, it would be useless.


    He had previously felt something was off about Lu Youxi¡¯s words, but then he figured it out.


    Lu Youxi had originally agreed to stay at home, not to live with Zhou Shuyan.


    But after stepping out to see Zhou Shuyan off, she returned and decisively decided to move to Grandma Xu¡¯s place.


    It was to make Lu Zhenjia believe that Lu Youxi was living with Xu Mai and that the house only had Grandma Xu, an elderly who couldn¡¯t defend herself.


    If Lu Youxi had stayed at home with him and Liu Yushu, Lu Zhenjia wouldn¡¯t dare to have such malicious thoughts.


    It was Lu Youxi who gave Lu Zhenjia hope for his sinister plan.


    Seeing this hope, Lu Zhenjia jumped into the pit without hesitation.


    But he couldn¡¯t say Lu Youxi did wrong; if Lu Zhenjia didn¡¯t harbor ill intentions, any opportunity Lu Youxi gave for him to have malicious thoughts would be useless.


    Similarly, if Lu Youxi hadn¡¯t intentionally shown Lu Zhenjia a gap that he thought he could exploit, Lu Zhenjia wouldn¡¯t have harbored such malicious plans this time.


    But then, Lu Zhenguo also thought that even if Lu Zhenjia hadn¡¯t attempted it this time, he would in the future.


    As long as Lu Youxi intends to attend Jing University and needs family funds, Lu Zhenjia wouldn¡¯t give up on ruining Lu Youxi¡¯s plans.


    It¡¯s just uncertain what methods he might use next.


    Whether he could go to the extent of committing a crime.


    Lu Zhenguo sighed, there were no ifs; it was Lu Zhenjia¡¯s impure intentions.


    If not for resolving this once and for all this time, would Lu Youxi really always have to cautiously guard against Lu Zhenjia in the future?


    That indeed would be too exhausting.


    Lu Zhenguo said to himself, he couldn¡¯t let his daughter live in danger for the sake of his brother.


    Especially since the person causing danger to his daughter was his own brother.


    So no matter what, Lu Zhenjia was not wronged.


    Any more than that, Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t want to think about it.


    Now that the two families had completely fallen out, reaching this point.


    Lu Zhenguo wiped his face and said to Lu Youxi, ¡°When I came back, your mother had already made dinner. You haven¡¯t eaten, have you? After all this commotion, you must be hungry, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Liu Yushu remembered and nodded repeatedly, ¡°The food is still warm in the pot, I¡¯ll serve it now.¡±


    ¡°Come inside, let¡¯s all eat together,¡± Lu Zhenguo said to Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll help you with the food,¡± Lu Youxi followed Liu Yushu.


    Zhou Shuyan glanced at Lu Zhenguo, didn¡¯t offer to help this time, but followed Lu Zhenguo to the dining room.


    As they sat down, Zhou Shuyan said, ¡°It was very important to Youxi that you took her side just now.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo hung his head despondently, ¡°I know she blames me. If I hadn¡¯t stood by her side this time, I would have lost both her and Yushu. I never knew Yushu could be so furious and strong-willed.¡±


    It was evident how angry Liu Yushu was.

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Have You Accepted Me

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Have You Accepted Me? Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Have You Accepted Me? ¡°You really don¡¯t need to agonize over this, just stand on the side of reason,¡± Zhou Shuyan said. ¡°If Lu Youxi is being unreasonable, you don¡¯t have to side with her, and she won¡¯t blame you. But if she¡¯s in the right and someone else is being unreasonable, no matter who that person is, even if it¡¯s your wife, it¡¯s not right for you to handle it unjustly. As long as you stand with reason, you won¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    So, the entire matter was indeed Lu Zhenjia¡¯s fault through and through, and Lu Zhenguo really didn¡¯t need to fret.


    Lu Zhenguo nodded. Upon hearing Zhou Shuyan¡¯s words, Lu Zhenguo felt like that was indeed the case¡ªit wasn¡¯t actually hard to choose.


    Inwards, Zhou Shuyan thought it seemed simple, but what¡¯s most important is not to be swayed by emotions.


    But that was precisely the hardest part.


    ¡°However...¡± Lu Zhenguo suddenly became serious, ¡°why don¡¯t you call Youxi¡¯s mom ¡®Mother-in-law¡¯ or ¡®Mom¡¯? Why keep saying ¡®my wife,¡¯ making us feel like strangers?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan: ¡°...¡±


    In his mind, Zhou Shuyan thought, you think you can stump me with that?


    Immediately, Zhou Shuyan put on a surprised expression, his eyes shining as he looked at Lu Zhenguo, ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ve accepted me?¡±


    Lu Zhenguo: ¡°...¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure whether he was still reluctant to accept Zhou Shuyan or if it was the shimmering look in a grown man¡¯s eyes that made his scalp tingle and caused goosebumps to form, making him uncomfortable.


    In any case, he was at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing without being able to utter a single word of agreement.


    ¡°Dinnertime!¡± At that moment, Liu Yushu came in smiling, carrying dishes, with Lu Youxi following behind her.


    Lu Zhenguo heaved a sigh of relief. Their timing was impeccable, thankfully dodging the issue.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s gaze was oddly unsettling.


    However, he hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Shuyan to be so keen on gaining their approval.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll go call Youxue over.¡± Liu Yushu remembered that Lu Youxue was probably still in his room.


    Before she finished speaking, Lu Youxue appeared.


    ¡°I was just about to call you. Come over for dinner now,¡± Liu Yushu hurriedly beckoned to Lu Youxue.


    Lu Youxue sat down next to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Today, I didn¡¯t know you guys would be back for dinner, so I only made two dishes for the three of us,¡± Liu Yushu explained. ¡°I¡¯ve just quickly whipped up two more simple dishes that could be done in a hurry, so it¡¯s a bit simple. Next time you come over, make sure to let me know in advance so I can cook something delicious for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lu Youxi nodded in agreement.


    ¡°However, now that this matter is resolved, Youxi, are you going to move back in or continue to...¡± Liu Yushu said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay a few more days, then come back to live here for a couple of days before going to Imperial Capital. Otherwise, moving back in today would just give certain people something to gossip about¡ªthey¡¯d think I really did set a trap for the Lu Family,¡± Lu Youxi said.


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Liu Yushu felt a bit downcast¡ªLu Youxi still couldn¡¯t move back in.


    Lu Zhenguo: ¡°...¡±


    Hearing Lu Youxi say this, he felt even more as though it was all a setup for the Lu Family.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect that I¡¯ll come back and stay for a few days before I leave. I can also explain it as wanting to spend more time with you all, so no one can criticize,¡± Lu Youxi had already thought things through.


    Lu Zhenguo: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°By the way, Xu Mai,¡± Liu Yushu called out.


    Zhou Shuyan swallowed a mouthful of rice, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You were called Xu Mai because of your amnesia, so it was temporary,¡± Liu Yushu said gently. ¡°But Youxi mentioned you¡¯ve remembered a lot, and the police have also verified your identity,¡± she continued with tenderness. ¡°Since you have a name, it doesn¡¯t seem right to keep calling you by a temporary one. What¡¯s your real name?¡±


    Lu Youxi, worried that Zhou Shuyan might find it inconvenient to reveal his identity, was about to look for an excuse on his behalf.


    Unexpectedly, Zhou Shuyan smiled openly and nodded, ¡°My real name is Zhou Shuyan.¡±


    ¡°What a nice name, much better than Xu Mai,¡± Liu Yushu exclaimed in admiration. ¡°It sounds like it was given by someone very cultured.¡±


    ¡°It was given by my father,¡± Zhou Shuyan¡¯s expression grew even gentler as he mentioned his father.


    ¡°What does your father do?¡± Lu Zhenguo asked.


    Someone who could give such a nice name couldn¡¯t be too shabby, he thought.


    ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary company employee, doing business under someone,¡± Zhou Shuyan said.


    His father had indeed joined the company as an ordinary employee, right?


    And he certainly did do business under his grandfather.


    He wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°How old are you? You don¡¯t look very old,¡± Liu Yushu inquired further.


    Zhou Shuyan¡¯s age was only guessed based on his appearance since he had lost his memory and nobody knew his actual age.


    ¡°I¡¯m 25,¡± Zhou Shuyan said. ¡°And before this, I was just an ordinary company employee.¡±


    Lu Youxi listened as he hoodwinked her parents.


    Could an ordinary company employee have an aura that even pressured her, who had once been a CEO?


    Could an ordinary company employee have been so severely injured and collapsed by the roadside?


    ¡°Ordinary is good, ordinary is very good,¡± Liu Yushu breathed a sigh of relief. She had really been worried that Zhou Shuyan¡¯s family background was too affluent, and Lu Youxi was out of her league.


    Although Lu Youxi was outstanding, their family... their family was dragging her down.


    These days, Zhou Shuyan had seen how much of a handful the Lu Family¡¯s elders and the household of Lu Zhenjia could be.


    Even if Lu Zhenguo declared that he¡¯d forget them from now on, it¡¯s not possible to completely sever ties.


    Aside from the troublesome family, she and Lu Zhenguo were just ordinary farmers, and there was probably a significant gap between them and city folks.


    Lu Zhenguo always felt that after Lu Youxi got into Jing University, she would meet many talented people and believed that Zhou Shuyan wasn¡¯t good enough for Lu Youxi.


    But Liu Yushu was thinking further ahead.


    She was worried that Zhou Shuyan¡¯s family might approve of Lu Youxi but not of them.


    ¡°By the way, is your family from... the local area of Imperial Capital?¡± Liu Yushu asked again.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Shuyan nodded.


    A single yes made Liu Yushu¡¯s worries fully resurface.


    Just being locals of Imperial Capital was already a huge gap for them.


    Ever since Lu Youbang went to Jing University, Ge Guifen bragged to them every day about Lu Youbang¡¯s experiences in Imperial Capital.


    She said that even a billboard falling in Imperial Capital could hit many important figures.


    She claimed that the person brushing past you might just be some official.


    She talked about how even a suburban house in Imperial Capital costs millions, or close to ten million.


    She mentioned that just one spot in an Imperial Capital household registration book is worth hundreds of thousands.


    She didn¡¯t know how much of an exaggeration these statements were, but they were certainly miles apart from their own circumstances.


    ¡°What does your mother do?¡± Liu Yushu asked.


    ¡°My mother is an ordinary housewife,¡± Zhou Shuyan answered patiently.


    Liu Yushu: ¡°...¡±


    Being a full-time wife indicated that Zhou Shuyan¡¯s father earned enough to support the family.


    Liu Yushu struggled to ask, ¡°You see, Youxi¡¯s dad and I are just ordinary farmers, and there¡¯s quite a big difference between our situation and yours, right? Do your parents know you¡¯re marrying Youxi? Have they... said anything?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 The Hu Family Couple Curse People Out

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Hu Family Couple Curse People Out Fiercely Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Hu Family Couple Curse People Out Fiercely ¡°My father passed away five years ago,¡± Zhou Shuyan said indifferently.


    ¡°Ah... This...¡± Liu Yushu felt somewhat at a loss for words, not knowing what to say next.


    Zhou Shuyan smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re currently living in an old house passed down through my family, so I don¡¯t have any mortgage pressures. The money I earn is partly for my mother¡¯s living expenses, and it¡¯s enough for us.¡±


    Liu Yushu sighed with relief, at least Zhou Shuyan¡¯s family didn¡¯t sound that wealthy. They could strive on their side and not let Lu Youxi look down on them.


    ¡°The matter between Youxi and me, I haven¡¯t yet had the chance to discuss with my family; that was my oversight,¡± Zhou Shuyan showed a face full of apology, ¡°But it¡¯s also because of the injury I sustained this time, which I haven¡¯t told my family about since there¡¯s only my mother at home, and I didn¡¯t want to worry her. She would definitely ask where and how it happened.¡±


    ¡°So, I thought of bringing Youxi back to the Imperial Capital with me and introducing her directly to my mother. Once she sees that I¡¯m unharmed, even if there had been some danger initially, the incident has passed, and she won¡¯t be overly worried.¡±


    Lu Youxi couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Shuyan.


    She was somewhat unable to tell whether Zhou Shuyan was being sincere or just trying to pacify Liu Yushu.


    After contemplating for a moment, Lu Youxi thought that Zhou Shuyan was likely just placating Liu Yushu.


    The two of them had agreed on a sham marriage.


    ¡°Ah, I hadn¡¯t considered that,¡± Liu Yushu nodded, feeling that the more she got to know Zhou Shuyan, the more reliable he seemed.


    He thought things through carefully, was modest, and polite to his elders.


    He answered any questions from the elders without a hint of impatience and with a sincere attitude.


    She hadn¡¯t met many people. From birth to now, the range of her interactions had been limited to her parental home in Xing Village and Hexing Village, and a bit farther away, Hetai Town.


    Anyway, among the people she had met, there was no one who could compare with Zhou Shuyan.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you yet,¡± Lu Zhenguo, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke up, ¡°How exactly were you injured?¡±


    Zhou Shuyan had thought this through beforehand and said, ¡°I was hit by a car, but the driver responsible hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡±


    Since Lu Youxue and Lu Youxi had also experienced a similar situation before, Lu Zhenguo didn¡¯t harbor any suspicions.


    *


    With no longer having to worry about Lu Zhenjia¡¯s scheming, Lu Youxi felt much more relaxed in the days leading up to her departure. With every breath she took, the air seemed fresher and the sky bluer than before.


    Even the sweltering heat felt cooler than before.


    What made her mood even better was that Foolish Hu¡¯s parents had come to know of Lu Zhenjia¡¯s attempt to trick Foolish Hu into committing a crime.


    Foolish Hu¡¯s parents were known to be difficult to provoke within miles around. Unable to confront Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family directly, they would visit the Lu Family¡¯s house three times a day to cause trouble for the elders of the Lu Family and Ge Guifen.


    The couple from the Hu Family were fierce when it came to cursing, and they even took shifts doing it.


    While Foolish Hu¡¯s father worked, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother would come over to curse.


    After Foolish Hu¡¯s father finished working, he would relieve his wife, who would then go back to cook.


    Once the meal was ready, they would send Foolish Hu to deliver food to his father, who would continue to curse while eating.


    Moreover, once Foolish Hu delivered the food, he would not leave. He was equally angry for being deceived by the Lu Family, so he joined his father in the cursing.


    Now in the Lu Family¡¯s house, the only male left was Old Master Lu.


    But Old Master Lu was old, and neither his strength nor his energy could match that of Foolish Hu and his father.


    They couldn¡¯t outshout him, and they couldn¡¯t beat him in a fight either.


    Old Master Lu was so frustrated that he trembled while holding his smoking pipe.


    Old Madam Lu simply flung open the courtyard door, sprawled in the yard making a scene, ¡°Everyone, come look! Taking advantage when our family lacks able-bodied men to bully us! Oh!¡±


    But Old Madam Lu might wail and scream; Foolish Hu and his father didn¡¯t care in the slightest. They also didn¡¯t enter the house to avoid being accused of something.


    They just cursed at the doorway, and when they got tired, Foolish Hu¡¯s mother would bring them water and food.


    She let Foolish Hu¡¯s father drink some water; then he went back to work, while she stayed to continue the cursing spree with Foolish Hu.


    These past few days, Old Madam Lu had been cursed into nervous exhaustion.


    ¡°Go, go and find your great uncle!¡± Old Madam Lu suddenly remembered Lu Zhenguo and ordered Lu Youzhen.


    Lu Youzhen, terrified, cried, ¡°I¡¯m scared to go out; Foolish Hu looks so frightening.¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡± Old Madam Lu, irritated, slapped Lu Youzhen, ¡°Useless thing, can¡¯t even do this little task right!¡±


    If it were Lu Youxi, she would have rolled up her sleeves and confronted them herself.


    No, Lu Youxi would have found a better approach since she was smart enough to get admitted to Jing University.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Having compared the two, Old Madam Lu, who once thought Lu Youzhen was clever and cunning, suddenly realized how inferior Lu Youzhen was to Lu Youxi.


    ¡°Mom, she hit me!¡± Lu Youzhen, clutching her face, pointed at Old Madam Lu and cried out to Ge Guifen.


    Ge Guifen naturally couldn¡¯t hit back; it wouldn¡¯t look good if someone saw that.


    But with Lu Zhenjia in jail, she no longer needed to worry about him, and yet Old Madam Lu still dared to be so arrogant with her.


    Ge Guifen gave Old Madam Lu a chilling glare, then suddenly crouched down, grabbed the old lady¡¯s arm, and said in a cold, menacing voice, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s still the days when Lu Zhenjia was here? He¡¯s in jail, nobody can control you, and no one can control me either. You still don¡¯t seem to understand the situation and dare to be arrogant with us. You¡¯re the real idiot!¡±


    Old Madam Lu, taken aback, exclaimed, ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to abuse an elderly person?¡±


    ¡°You old hypocrite, I¡¯ve been tolerating you for a long time!¡± Ge Guifen flung Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand away, stood up, and grabbed the still-crying Lu Youzhen, ¡°Stop crying; you¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming for these two old fools!¡±


    Hearing this, Lu Youzhen immediately stopped crying.


    She glared maliciously at Old Madam Lu and sneered coldly at her.


    Ge Guifen then told Old Madam Lu, ¡°And don¡¯t bother sending for Lu Zhenguo anymore. The village is only so big; if there¡¯s any commotion in a family, there¡¯s nothing that the entire village doesn¡¯t know about. Especially with all the ruckus at our place, Lu Zhenguo would know for sure. He just doesn¡¯t want to come over.¡±


    Old Madam Lu was struck speechless by Ge Guifen¡¯s words.


    Old Master Lu took a puff of smoke and said with a gloomy face, ¡°Ge Guifen is right, Zhenguo definitely knows about it. He¡¯s aware that we¡¯re in trouble, yet he doesn¡¯t come to help.¡±


    ¡°That unfilial son!¡± Old Madam Lu shrieked.


    Ge Guifen sneered.


    Only now you start calling him unfilial? When you were living with him, he provided you with everything you needed, and nobody came knocking at your door for trouble. You didn¡¯t appreciate that son, chilled his heart to the core.


    After serving you for so many years without a word of thanks, you treated him like a stranger, not even giving him a house.


    As if he would come now!


    Ge Guifen was quite clear in her mind, but she had no intention of wasting her breath on these two old fools.

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 The Money Still Needs to Be Repaid

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Money Still Needs to Be Repaid Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Money Still Needs to Be Repaid ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying let them go back on their word to look for Lu Zhenguo?¡±


    She really did feel more relaxed not having to serve those two old goods, but what if they decided to give Lu Zhenguo¡¯s current house to him?


    Ge Guifen was still eyeing that house, hoping to get it for Lu Youbang.


    Even if Lu Youbang worked in the Imperial Capital in the future, having a house and land back home was a solid foundation!


    She didn¡¯t mind having a falling-out with those two old goods right now.


    After all, they had already had a falling-out with Lu Zhenguo ¨C the house was out of the question for him.


    After these two old goods were gone, wouldn¡¯t the house be all Youbang¡¯s?


    Right now, she could take a bit of a loss as long as there were substantial benefits later.


    Besides, now that Lu Zhenjia was in jail, she wouldn¡¯t endure in front of these two old goods like before, silently fuming.


    From now on, she would be calling the shots in this house!


    Lu Zhenguo indeed knew about this, but he didn¡¯t intervene.


    Actually, there were a few times when he felt a pang of sympathy and considered going to see them.


    But as soon as he stepped out the door, he would hear the villagers chatting.


    ¡°Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family really is something, there¡¯s always some fresh drama every day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, our village hasn¡¯t been this lively in a while, and now that it is, it doesn¡¯t seem to stop.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t Foolish Hu¡¯s parents and Foolish Hu making a scene at the Lu Family¡¯s doorstep every day? Old Madam Lu only now remembered Lu Zhenguo, wanting to find him for help.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, why should he? If Lu Zhenguo helps them, he¡¯s a spineless wretch!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, if he helps them, I¡¯d lose respect for him! Have those two old goods at the Lu family and Lu Zhenjia¡¯s couple forgotten how they treated their own family? Has he already forgotten?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t even provide him with a place to stay, having to pay rent for living in his own house. They spent all the money for their children¡¯s education on Lu Youbang. Lu Zhenjia also wanted to force himself on Lu Youxi; these beastly acts, if Lu Zhenguo could still forget and offer help, he should brace for divorce!¡±


    ¡°Right, anyone would be intolerable of this. Lu Zhenguo¡¯s wife has been very fair, if it were my other half, we would have divorced eight hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°Heh, never mind your other half, we shouldn¡¯t be as foolish as Lu Zhenguo either.¡±


    Lu Zhenguo, feeling his face burn with shame at these words, turned around and headed back home.


    *


    Time flew by quickly, and Lu Youxi would set off for university in the Imperial Capital the next day.


    Grandma Xu was somewhat reluctant to part with Zhou Shuyan; having him around had brought a lot of liveliness to the home these past days.


    Zhou Shuyan took out an envelope and gave it to Grandma Xu, ¡°Grandma Xu, back then when you and Lu Youxi saved me, it was you who advanced the medical expenses. This is to repay the medical fees you fronted for me.¡±


    Zhou Shuyan had originally wanted to give Grandma Xu more money, to ease her life a bit.


    But after spending some time together, he knew she would definitely refuse.


    Grandma Xu was the kind of person who insisted on living off her own hard work, to eat according to one¡¯s own ability.


    Unexpectedly, Grandma Xu didn¡¯t even accept that, telling Zhou Shuyan: ¡°During the time you stayed here, you¡¯ve done so much work for me. Honestly, the wages I gave you weren¡¯t much, yet you always did an excellent job, never complaining about the labor. The work you did was worth far more than the wages I paid you. What you did extra has long since made up for the medical fees.¡±


    ¡°I know that the average income here is quite low, and my medical expenses were quite high, how could that possibly even out?¡± Zhou Shuyan smiled, ¡°Besides, if we really do the math like that, you haven¡¯t even taken into account the rent. I¡¯ve been living here this whole time, and you said you would deduct rent from my wages, but I¡¯ve calculated it, and you never deducted it.¡±


    ¡°You child...¡± Grandma Xu was at a loss to Zhou Shuyan.


    Zhou Shuyan stuffed the envelope filled with money into Grandma Xu¡¯s hands, ¡°Please take it, so I can have peace of mind.¡±


    Grandma Xu, left without much choice, accepted, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Naturally, Lu Youxi had to return home as well.


    There was packing to do, and she wanted to talk with her family.


    As Lu Youxi¡¯s husband, Zhou Shuyan also went back with her.


    Just after leaving Grandma Xu¡¯s house, Zhou Shuyan called out to Lu Youxi and gave her an envelope filled with money.


    ¡°This is to repay the medical expenses I owe you,¡± Zhou Shuyan smiled.


    Lu Youxi raised her eyebrows, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree, when we got our marriage certificate, that we called it even?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be considered even,¡± Shuyan shook his head, ¡°My promise to help you was in thanks for saving my life. The money still needs to be repaid.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then.¡± Lu Youxi didn¡¯t argue with him and gladly accepted the money.


    This money was originally meant for Lu Youxue¡¯s educational expenses.


    But she had other plans in mind.


    After all, with this money alone, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to bring her parents and Lu Youxue to the Imperial Capital.


    Back at home, besides giving Lu Youxi instructions, Liu Yushu also made sure to remind Zhou Shuyan to take extra care of her.


    Lu Youxue had red, teary eyes as he looked at Lu Youxi, like a little dog left behind.


    Lu Youxi pinched his cheek, ¡°Once I¡¯ve settled in the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll bring you all over there. We won¡¯t be separated for too long.¡±


    ¡°But mom and dad said that living in the Imperial Capital is too hard. You¡¯re already struggling just to study there; if you bring us over, the pressure would be too great. And the rent in the Imperial Capital is high too; it¡¯s not right to let our brother-in-law pay for it; it¡¯s not fair for him to take care of our family like that,¡± Youxue sniffled and said, ¡°I think so too. So, mom and dad said not to put too much pressure on you, we can move over later. Once mom and dad save up some money, when it¡¯s about right, we¡¯ll come find you so we don¡¯t add to your burden.¡±


    Lu Youxi looked at Liu Yushu and Lu Zhenguo, somewhat taken aback.


    In her previous life, she went to the Imperial Capital with nothing.


    She relied on scholarships for her tuition and worked part-time jobs for living expenses.


    She also had to rush her studies, not allowing herself to fall behind.


    She was so busy she could barely cope with anything else.


    And because of her poor relationship with her family, she never thought of bringing them to the Imperial Capital.


    Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu had never taken Lu Youxue to find her in the Imperial Capital either.


    She didn¡¯t know if, in her previous life, they were silently saving money, hoping to find her.


    But in her previous life, they probably couldn¡¯t save any money.


    After all, in that life, they didn¡¯t break ties with the Lu Family¡¯s elders or Lu Zhenjia¡¯s family, so any saved money was likely demanded by them.


    But this life was different. She saw more clearly the effort and sacrifices her family made for her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lu Youxi nodded, ¡°Mom and Dad are working hard here, and I¡¯ll work hard in the Imperial Capital. That way, we can bring you over even sooner.¡±


    Lu Youxi didn¡¯t share her plans.


    If she said they could be together in a short time, it meant she had a way.


    But if she said it outright, Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu might not accept it.


    It was just as well for Lu Zhenguo to try to save money. With that kind of pressure, if the Lu Family¡¯s elders came asking for money again, Lu Zhenguo would have some reservations.