They grew up together. Although he only tilted his head slightly, not daring to look her in the eye, Li Wenwen could still tell he was guilty. What else was there to not understand?
However, her greatest skill was endurance. Otherwise, Zhu Chenxing would not have felt so at ease bringing her from the countryside to the capital.
Afterward, whatever Zhu Chenxing said, she nodded. Zhu Chenxing, who was anxious to leave due to his guilt, didn't notice her strangeness at all. He thought he had narrowly escaped trouble again and had temporarily gained her trust.
He carefully placed Li Wenwen on the bed, covered her with a quilt, and gently comforted her, "Don't think too much. Rest well, and get your body back in shape. I'll come to see you again in a few days."
As soon as he left, Li Wenwen's tears flowed uncontrollably. She clutched the bedsheet tightly, grinding her teeth in hatred.
Did he know how cruel it was for a woman to lose the right to be a mother? Li Wenwen, who had been somewhat grateful to him before, now felt only hatred. In wealthy families, it was common to have many wives and concubines. What if he met a more beautiful woman one day and feelings developed over time? What would become of her then?
A strong sense of crisis washed over her. Thinking of her status, she couldn't help but feel discouraged. How could she compare to the Second Young Madam? She was the daughter of a Grand Tutor, while Li Wenwen was just a farm girl. Her only reliance was Zhu Chenxing's affection. Now it seemed he had feelings for her, but he valued power even more.
Li Wenwen was not a pure and innocent saint. The reason she, a farm girl, could be childhood sweethearts with Zhu Chenxing was that she was smarter than ordinary children when she was young, and more delicate than ordinary farm girls. She deliberately encountered Zhu Chenxing, who was admired by everyone for being able to study, and slowly they became familiar with each other.
When she was young, she didn't think about romantic love. She only felt that since he was admired by everyone, approaching him might bring her benefits. As she grew older, she felt that with her appearance and character, none of the farm boys were worthy of her, and she didn't want to spend her life tilling the soil. Zhu Chenxing was her best choice.
For marriage, everyone in the world valued the will of parents and the words of a matchmaker. She didn't know if it was her illusion, but she always felt that Zhu Chenxing's mother had a lenient attitude towards him, even following his opinions on many matters. This gave her hope, believing that as long as Zhu Chenxing had feelings for her, their marriage would definitely be successful.
The outcome was similar to what she had expected. She mustered the courage to confess her feelings to him. He blushed, but did not refuse, and promised to have his mother come to propose in two days.
She clearly remembered how happy her parents were when she told them the news that night. After all, Zhu Chenxing was one of the few scholars in the surrounding villages, with a promising future. At the very least, she would at least gain the title of a scholar's wife.
Her joy lasted only one day. The next day, a luxurious carriage arrived at his house. The villagers all came to watch the spectacle. When Li Wenwen returned from the fields, she thought something had happened to their family. To her surprise, she could only watch helplessly as he left with his biological parents.
After returning home, he cried bitterly. Knowing that his departure meant their marriage was definitely off, and judging by the attire of his parents, they were the son of a prominent family. No matter how unwilling she was, she had to accept fate.
Life had to go on. Li Wenwen's parents felt their daughter was not getting any younger and asked people to arrange a marriage for her. Li Wenwen readily agreed. However, having witnessed Zhu Chenxing's elegance and grace, she found all the other suitors to be unattractive. The matter remained at a standstill.
She thought she would never have any more contact with him, but unexpectedly, he sent someone to fetch her. Her heart soared with joy, thinking she could finally live a good life.
Although she had been in the capital for a short time, the events of the past few days were enough for her to understand the meaning of "fortune favors the bold." To be honest, at this moment, she regretted it.
What shocked her even more was that after Zhu Chenxing left, her meals became worse and worse. This time it was even more outrageous, with only a plate of vegetables.
Li Wenwen waved her hand, signaling for them to take the food away. The beam had fallen from such a height and hit her leg. She was already feeling very unwell every day, and seeing the food made her lose her appetite.
"Miss, they are going too far. Shall we find the young master to seek justice?" the little maid who had been serving her for a few days suggested indignantly.
Li Wenwen knew that the little maid was not truly protecting her, but simply felt that she was suffering by following her. If her mistress could only eat such food, how much worse would it be for a little maid? She wanted to improve her own meals and thought that by having Li Wenwen speak up, it would work.
Li Wenwen did not object. After all, she was an injured patient and needed to supplement her nutrition to recover quickly. Under the hopeful gaze of the little maid, she nodded.
Soon, Zhu Chenxing arrived in a hurry. Seeing the food on the table, he clenched his fist. He hadn't expected the meals to deteriorate so much in just a few days since he last visited her. It was evident how much she had suffered.
But when he thought of his wife's temper and the Grand Tutor's mansion behind her, he could only suppress his anger. He asked her to bear with it for now and instructed his attendants to buy some food from outside, promising to deliver meals to them himself from then on. Su Dan Novel Network.
The more she listened, the colder Li Wenwen's heart became. It had come to this extent, and he wouldn't even defend her in front of the Second Young Madam. If this was how it was now, wouldn't she be completely suppressed if she entered the manor later?
Things were even worse than she had imagined. The next day, the Second Young Madam, Liu Zhiyi, arrived at Li Wenwen's courtyard with her maids and servants, making a grand show.
Li Wenwen looked at the Second Young Madam standing before her, dressed in a long red dress, her hair adorned with jewels, her expression arrogant. She couldn't help but tremble. The other woman's gaze was too terrifying.
"Weren't you quite capable when you complained? What's wrong? Scared now?" Liu Zhiyi lifted her chin with her hand and examined her closely.
The last time Zhu Chenxing was here, she hadn't gotten a good look at her face. Now, seeing her, she thought she was nothing special. Honestly, she didn't think the other woman was even as good-looking as herself. She wondered what means she had used to so firmly capture Zhu Chenxing's heart.
"I am a patient, and I am served only a plate of vegetables per meal. How can I eat? When will my illness get better? Get better soon and leave, so as not to offend the Second Young Madam." Li Wenwen lowered her head and tried to defend herself.
"What, you still intend to leave after you recover? How naive! It takes a hundred days for a bone to heal. Rest in the manor for a while longer. Six months will pass, and then you still won't leave, and I will. Fine?" The more Liu Zhiyi thought about it, the angrier she became. She had actually broken her promise.
Li Wenwen didn't understand the meaning of her words. Zhu Chenxing, who rushed in from outside, quickly stepped forward to comfort her, "How can the Second Young Madam leave? She is quite seriously injured. Let her stay in the manor for another five days. I guarantee that she will definitely leave after five days."
Although she had been prepared for some mistreatment, when Zhu Chenxing, in front of another woman, promised to drive her away, she felt heartbroken.