Chapter 4: Cold Violence

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Finally managing to persuade the stubborn An Changlin to leave, Li Tian’er was both amused and exasperated. What on earth was going on? She had just become Li Taohua, yet already had to sort out tangled and helpless emotions for her. Although she knew An Changlin liked her, this man with such a stubborn temperament was quite intimidating—silent, lacking any romance, and always speaking with absolute authority. Apart from his strength, she hadn’t seen any other talents in him.

It was said that after demobilization and transfer, he was assigned a job, but he insisted on returning to the village to do farm work. What future was there in farming? If Li Taohua stayed with him, her fate would be that of a village woman for life.

Since I, Li Tian’er, am here, how could I let the original owner continue living a humble and poor life? That would be a disservice to the wealth system’s arrangement. Even if she doesn’t become the richest person in the north, at least Li Taohua must become the richest in Xiao Wu Village.

Once life is prosperous, any kind of relationship will be sweet and happy.

Thinking of Li Tiantian, who owns a garment factory, has a large sum in savings, a small house of her own, and two adorable children, her life is already perfect. As for her marriage to Chen Bo, that happiness is just a bonus—nice to have but not necessary.

For a woman with enough wealth, a man is merely an embellishment on top.

The courtyard gate clattered open; it seemed more than one person had arrived. The chaotic footsteps quickly approached the door.

Li Tian’er stood up from the small bench beside the bellows.

The door opened, and the first to rush in was a sturdy, well-off elderly woman. Seeing Li Tian’er, she immediately began to nag.

“Taohua, are you out of your mind? How can you be with An Changlin? How do you think Yun Chao feels? He’s the only college graduate in our village. You’ve been married to him for three years without having a child, yet he hasn’t blamed you and still treats you as well as before. Where else can you find such a man? Don’t let his rare visits home make you stray…”

Did this sound like a mother’s words? It was even harsher than a mother-in-law’s scolding. Could she be blamed for not having children? Chen Yun Chao seldom came home; even if he did every day, without his involvement, she couldn’t conceive.

These words had piled up in Li Taohua’s memory like a high courtyard wall. Her mother loved her son-in-law more than her own daughter. Li Taohua could only swallow her bitterness silently, unable to speak out, yet had to maintain appearances, acting lovingly with Chen Yun Chao so her parents wouldn’t notice any cracks.

“Taohua, you should quickly admit your mistake to Yun Chao. I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt him, but being involved with another man at home is just wrong.”

Li Taohua’s father’s eyes bulged, and after speaking, he fervently puffed on his pipe, clearly upset.

No one knew what Chen Yun Chao had said to the two elders—on such a bitterly cold day, instead of staying warm on the kang, they came to fuss over their daughter’s affairs.

Reasoning with elders was useless; the only way to comfort them was to agree. Li Tian’er bowed her head to admit fault, apologized to Chen Yun Chao, and finally the two elders left satisfied.

Seeing Chen Yun Chao’s smug look, Li Tian’er wanted to smack him. Ever since Sister Liao mentioned the word “smack,” she felt it fit men perfectly.

“Li Taohua, I’m giving your parents face and won’t pursue this. But if I see you with An Changlin again, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

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Chen Yun Chao felt unresolved but didn’t understand why he was angry over a woman he hated.

He was determined to use cold violence against Li Taohua—to neglect and ignore her for three years, hoping she would take the initiative to divorce. Then the Li family would owe him, and he could successfully break free from their control.

Back then, to attend university, he promised Li Taohua’s father, the village chief, and the party secretary that he would study hard and treat Li Taohua well.

“Chen Yun Chao, you don’t really need to give them face. They can’t threaten you anymore. You’ve graduated from university successfully, and your job should be stable now.”

Li Tian’er gave Chen Yun Chao a cold smile and turned to enter the bedroom—more precisely, their bedroom.

Ah, the woman who once dared not raise her voice in front of him now actually sneered at him, her gaze full of disdain. What had she gone through in three years? What right did she have to look down on him, a proud college graduate?

Chen Yun Chao followed her inside and shut the door behind him.

“You want a divorce?”

Leaning against the door, he watched Li Tian’er calmly make the bed.

Perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for so long, the woman he married three years ago looked even more beautiful now—slender waist, long neck like a graceful swan. She tugged at the bedding on the kang, her long legs moving back and forth, her raised hips full of allure, seeming to hold a wilder beauty than his An Qi.

“Go ahead, I have nothing to lose anyway.”

The kang was hot; a little nap now would be just right to relieve fatigue. Li Tian’er said this while ignoring Chen Yun Chao’s presence, unbuttoning the coarse blue cotton quilt cover, removing her deep blue cotton pants, and throwing them onto the kang to dry after being soaked in the morning.

Her rosy autumn clothes and pants clung tightly to her body as she pulled back the quilt and slipped inside.

The dazzling peach red seemed like a brilliant peach blossom piercing Chen Yun Chao’s eyes.

“Speak clearly.”

Chen Yun Chao hurried to the edge of the kang and reached to pull off Li Tian’er’s quilt.

“Don’t mess around. I already said, if you want a divorce, fine.”

Li Tian’er sat up slightly, pulling the quilt back under her chin, closing her eyes. She was truly tired and just wanted to sleep well.

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“You…”

He had thought that after proposing divorce, the woman would be so frightened she’d kneel and beg, then his in-laws would come, groveling, pleading him not to abandon their worthless daughter. Crushing the most powerful family in the village underfoot would ease the resentment he felt when forced to marry.

Though Li Taohua was beautiful, she was three years older, weak in character and lacking charm, with only a middle school education—not worthy of him.

If divorce were so easy, Chen Yun Chao wouldn’t gain any sense of accomplishment.

He watched the woman’s sleeping face.

Her features were delicate and fair, a straight nose with a lovely tip, lips like two petals—pink and moist, slightly sunken at the corners, half-smiling, evoking endless imaginations.

“You’re not allowed to sleep. Who told you to sleep? I’m not asleep!”

Chen Yun Chao reached out and pinched Li Tian’er’s chin resting on the quilt.

“Stop it, I’m really exhausted.”

To deal with such cold violence, the best tactic was to fight fire with fire. Li Tian’er didn’t open her eyes and swatted away Chen Yun Chao’s hand.

Being ignored and slapped away by a woman, Chen Yun Chao was unaccustomed to such neglect. In college, female classmates had shown interest in him, but with a wife at home, he hadn’t dared accept. Now that he had a job and felt he could escape the past of Xiao Wu Village, he dared to pursue An Qi.

An Qi was also a college graduate, obedient to him and always smiling. This country woman ignored him, which instantly infuriated Chen Yun Chao.

He took off his shoes, climbed onto the kang, yanked the quilt off Li Tian’er, and threw it onto the kang’s corner, then reached to pull her up.

“You all… ah, don’t look!”

Fan Lihua had heard Chen Yun Chao was home, hurried back, pushed open her second son’s door, and upon seeing the scene, quickly turned to block her eldest son who was about to enter.