Chapter 2

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

When Jiang Zebei heard what Madam Chen said, he looked up, and his long, narrow, hooded eyes were full of gentleness. 

“Thank you for your kind reminder, Madam Chen. I’ve already asked for three days’ leave from school. It’s already late, and Big Brother Da Long should be back from work by now. You should cook for him.”

Madam Chen turned her head to look at the sky outside and slapped her thigh. “My word, you’re right! Da Long should be returning from work in town. Zebei, take care of Mrs. Jiang for now. I’ll go back and cook. Then, I’ll send some food for you. Don’t go cooking on your own at home.”

Jiang Zebei did not reject her offer. “It would be rude of me to decline your offer. Thank you for taking care of me over the years, Madam Chen.”

“We’ve been neighbors for years, child. Why are you still so polite with me?”

Jiang Zebei had a gentle smile on his fair face while he exchanged pleasantries with Madam Chen. 

Then, Madam Chen left. 

Jiang Zebei sent her off and returned to the inner room. 

As he stared at the unconscious girl lying in the bed, his gaze lost its gentleness. 

The girl in bed was no one else but his child bride. 

If she were well-behaved, Jiang Zebei would not be so aloof toward her nor dislike her so much. 

It had been nearly three years since she married into the Jiang family and became his child bride. 

Girls with sweet looks could win over people easily, especially young boys like Jiang Zebei. 

In the past, Jiang Zebei liked Chen Mengtian a lot, and he even dreamt of having her as his wife. 

But she did not care for him. Her heart held another young man living in their village. He was a worthless and useless person with looks and nothing else. 

However, this was not enough to make Jiang Zebei think that his pride had been stomped upon. 

The worst deed Chen Mengtian did was going to the forest in the mountain behind their village with her lover, Chen Qing, and Madam Chen saw it. 

Jiang Zebei could not tolerate this, especially since they stayed nearly four hours in the forest. 

There was no way anyone would not overthink things when they knew that a man and a woman stayed for such a long time in the forest. 

Yet when Madam Chen told him about this, he did not go back home immediately to confront Chen Mengtian. 

Instead, he asked Madam Chen to not spread a word of this. Once she agreed to it, he went back home to confront Chen Mengtian. 

He did not expect that she would admit to it directly and even refuse to change her ways. 

Even to the present day, Jiang Zebei could still remember what Chen Mengtian had told him: She did not like him, and on the day her lover married her, she would leave the Jiang family. 

Yet when Jiang Zebei mentioned that he wanted to divorce her, she threw a tantrum and refused. 

She was still foolishly waiting for that pretty boy who only knew how to use sweet words to deceive girls. She did not know that he had never been sincere to her. 

Her lover, Chen Qing, had long since been engaged to Chen Baozhu. She was Mr. Chen’s daughter, and Mr. Chen was from the Chen family who sold Chen Mengtian into the Jiang family. 

This was what Jiang Zebei learned from Madam Chen when he came back from school. 

Chen Mengtian had fallen into the water when Chen Baozhu learned of her affair with Chen Qing. 

They had quarrelled by the river, and Chen Baozhu pushed Chen Mengtian into the water. 

Fortunately, someone saw her, and she did not lose her life. 

Jiang Zebei looked away from Chen Mengtian and walked to the table nearby to sit down. 

He brought out a book from the linen bag on the table and started reading once he lit up the lamp on the table. 

The imperial examination was in three years, and he would be fifteen years old at that time. 

Jiang Zebei intended to take the exam. His ambitions did not give him the time to handle his adulterous wife. 

It was quiet in the room. No loud arguments could be heard, which was something rare in the house. 

The girl in bed was very quiet.