Everyone Wants To Harm Me - Chapter 115

Yu Chongrui immediately withdrew his hand and stepped back, putting more than three feet of distance between himself and the woman in plain clothes.

I wasn’t actually worried that he would mess around outside. If he had been that kind of philanderer, I wouldn’t have stood a chance in the first place. But I couldn’t just let others take advantage of him either.

I asked Feng Yuan, “Do you know her?”

“Of course I know her,” Feng Yuan said with a curl of her lips. “Her surname is He. She was the only daughter in her family. They used to be quite wealthy, involved in the cotton business, but her father died early. Her uncles bullied her and her mother, and when her mother died, they tried to seize the entire family’s assets. She became homeless, and it was then that she met the young master. He was a governor at the time, a powerful official, and he decided to return her family’s property. Afterward, she began pestering him, insisting that she be a servant, working like a cow or a horse. It was really bothersome.”

What a classic cliché. Yu Chongrui saved a girl, refused to show his face, afraid she would try to marry him in gratitude—looked like he had learned his lesson the hard way.

“Her parents had already arranged a marriage for her in Jingzhou,” Feng Yuan continued. “Once her property was restored, they wrote to her asking her to come back for the marriage. She shamelessly came to the house, sneaked into the young master’s bedroom when I wasn’t paying attention, and tried to ‘recommend’ herself…”

I thought for a moment. Perhaps what she meant by ‘recommend’ was actually an innuendo…

“So… did she succeed?”

“Of course not,” Feng Yuan rolled her eyes. “Why would the young master want her? By the time this happened, the imperial court had already issued a transfer order for him. On the very day he was leaving for the capital, she was on a boat heading to Jingzhou to marry. She met him at the dock, grabbed his sleeve, and cried—just like today!”

Parting at the dock when he left, meeting again at the dock when he returned—truly, the same place, different people, stirring up old emotions.

As I got off the carriage, I couldn’t help but feel that Madam He’s story sounded strangely familiar. Estranged from her family, with no home to return to, rescued by Yu Chongrui in her time of need, secretly falling in love, willingly offering herself in vain, and after hearing about her engagement, shamelessly showing up, only to be coldly rejected… That was exactly my story. And she was even surnamed He!

Upon realizing this, I suddenly felt a deep sympathy for her. I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her anymore.

I stepped out of the carriage and walked toward them.

Yu Chongrui saw me and stepped forward to meet me. “You came so early today, dear wife. I just finished and was about to head home. Let’s go back together.”

He only ever called me dear wife and himself your husband when he was trying to be serious or when we were joking around…

I sneaked a glance at that Madam He. Tear-streaked face like a pear blossom in the rain—heartachingly beautiful. Yet even someone like her throwing herself at him couldn’t sway him. So how had I won him over? Ancestral blessings?

It shouldn’t have been. My ancestors had been involved in evil deeds for years, and I had ended up ruining it all. Why would they protect me?

On the way back, I couldn’t help but ponder that question until we sat down for dinner.

“Did Feng Yuan tell you everything?” Yu Chongrui asked as he picked up a piece of meat for me. “If you have any questions, just ask me directly. It’s better than hearing it from others and causing misunderstandings.”

I wanted to ask him: Madam He and I had such similar experiences. She was also pretty and had met him before I did. Why did he like me instead?

It felt too direct, so I decided to change the question to something less awkward.

“Why don’t you like her?”

He didn’t answer, instead asking, “Do I need a reason not to like someone?”

That was true—sometimes there was no particular reason to like someone, let alone dislike them. But… “There must be some flaws or reasons you don’t like her, right? For example, I didn’t like Prince Xin because he was too fat and annoying when he was a child. I didn’t like the top scholar because he seemed dishonest back then. I didn’t like Brother Zhongshu because I treated him like my brother.”

Yu Chongrui finished eating, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and looked at me. “You have a lot of emotional ties.”

“That’s not many! And I didn’t even like them.” I sensed a hint of vinegar in his tone and scooted over to him coyly. “I only like you.”

“You’re lying,” he said, pinching my cheek. “You also like Changyu.”

“That was when I was little! That kind of liking was different from how I like you. Besides, he’s—” Wait a minute, why had we shifted the topic to me? “Answer my question first!”

“If I must give a reason…” he said casually, “maybe she’s just too delicate.”

Madam He had looked fragile and pitiful, but… I was delicate too!

Yu Chongrui lowered his eyelids and glanced at me. “You’re weak because of your injuries, not delicate.”

Weak, delicate—wasn’t it all the same? I thought I was even weaker than she was. Was I not delicate enough?

“I have to go up the mountain this afternoon,” he said, finishing his meal. He stood up to leave and turned to remind me at the door, “Remember to practice your sword.”

I knew he only came home to eat as an excuse. I had been practicing swordsmanship for over a year with no progress. He could beat me with a tree branch. At this rate, when would I ever be able to roam the martial world?

A few days later, Feng Yuan came again, more concerned about Madam He than I was. She whispered to me in a low voice: “Madam, do you know? I made inquiries. Miss He is also asking about you!”

I responded, “You sound like you’re speaking in riddles.”

Feng Yuan paused. Now that I was her mistress, she couldn’t roll her eyes at me anymore, so she suppressed her sarcasm. “Madam, don’t you want to know why she’s asking about you?”

What else could she want? To check my background, see if I was worthy of her crush, and figure out if she had a chance of stealing him away?

Feng Yuan eagerly spilled the gossip she had gathered. “She’s quite sharp. Just from seeing you that day, she could tell your health was poor. So she asked around at the pharmacy and clinic, learned that you’ve been married a year and still take medicine daily. She’s already gone to find a matchmaker…”

Wait a second—what did taking daily medicine have to do with a matchmaker?

“Well, you’ve been married a year and still no children, always taking medicine—clearly, you must be infertile! With poor health, you’re unfit to manage household affairs or serve your husband. Our young master’s nearly thirty—he can’t stay heirless forever. She wants the matchmaker to lobby for him to take her as a concubine.”

That paragraph was full of contradictions, leaving me wondering where to even begin refuting it.

“She’s dreaming!” I rolled my eyes like Feng Yuan. “Unless I die, he can remarry all he wants—I won’t care.”

“What you mean,” Feng Yuan squinted at me, her eyes full of hidden intentions, “is that you’ll never allow the young master to take a concubine, right?”

My heart skipped a beat. After all this time, Feng Yuan wasn’t talking about Madam He, but about herself! I had thought only Deng Zishe knew about my condition. Outsiders saw that I was sick, took medicine, and had no children after a year of marriage. How could they assume that I couldn’t have children? There were many ordinary couples who couldn’t have children after a year.

“Madam,” Feng Yuan reminded coldly, “Don’t tell me you forgot the promise you made when I escorted you to Heqing County to find the young master. It wasn’t easy for you to marry him. I didn’t interfere during your sweet newlywed year, but I’m bringing it up now—that’s fair, right? You have to keep your word.”

I… suddenly understood why the late emperor and Prince Xin had been so shameless and unscrupulous in taking back their promises. The cost was just too high—it was like bleeding from the heart.

“Of course, what I said counts,” I said to her, a bitter expression on my face. “But your young master has to agree to this. I’ll ask him first, okay?”

“As long as you agree, why wouldn’t the young master agree? I’m not an outsider,” Feng Yuan said, relieved. “The twelfth lunar month is my birthday. If I’m still not married by then, I’ll be an old maid!”

Although I had promised Feng Yuan, I hesitated for a long time when Yu Chongrui came back that night. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up.

He noticed my hesitation and asked first, “What’s wrong? You seem uncertain.”

I thought for a moment before asking carefully, “What if I can’t get better and can’t have children? Your family will have no descendants…”

He replied, “Don’t I still have an elder brother? He’s strong and healthy. Let him have more children.”

I was taken aback by his response, so I quickly shifted the question. “We’ve been married for almost a year, but we haven’t consummated the marriage yet. I’m your wife, but I can’t fulfill my duties to you in bed. Do you mind?”

He had been in the process of undressing, but he paused when he heard my words. His gaze changed, and I noticed a deeper meaning in his eyes. “Where did you hear about all this?”

“I’m almost twenty years old. I read medical and miscellaneous books every day, and I’ve heard others talk about it. I guess I understand it now…” In reality, I didn’t fully understand it, but I couldn’t let him see my embarrassment. I walked over to him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and tried to act coquettishly. “I thought of a temporary solution…”

He lowered his arm around my shoulders, leaned closer, and lowered his voice. “What’s the temporary solution?”

“I’ll take a concubine for you, okay?”

He froze for a moment, his hands around my back pausing as he processed my words. Then, he gently released me and turned to leave. “Go to bed.”

I hurried after him, pulling at his sleeve. “Don’t be angry…”

He stopped and turned back, sighing. “Do you really think I wouldn’t be angry when you say things like that?”

I hadn’t wanted to say it either, but…

He stared at me for a long time before asking, “Who do you want me to marry? That lady He you met at the dock?”

“Of course not! Don’t even think about it!” I glared at him, but my voice faltered. “It’s… Feng Yuan.”

He laughed, clearly frustrated. “Did she blackmail you or something?”

I could only say it was barely a leverage.

“I promised her before…” I lowered my head, stammering. “When I went to Heqing County to find you, she helped me. We agreed that if I married you, I’d also help her fulfill her wish…”

“You couldn’t have just given her some gold and silver to thank her? You had to give me away?”

“You weren’t mine at the time, so it wasn’t really giving you away.” My voice dropped even lower. “I thought you didn’t like me and would never marry me. I thought it was a no-risk investment… Besides, it didn’t even work out. I came all the way to find you and even tried to seduce you, but you didn’t want me…”

He sighed, his tone softening. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have made you sad.” He gently clasped my shoulders and whispered, “At that time… I was already yours.”

I looked up, allowing him to capture my lips in a kiss.

It was the first time he had kissed me in the bedroom at night, and it felt different from the kisses in the garden or on the lounge chair in the study. My legs grew weak, and I couldn’t stand anymore. I had to cling to his neck for support. I felt him lift me effortlessly and carry me to the couch.

I finally understood… lying down was far more convenient and less tiring. Why had we always stood?

When he pulled away to catch his breath, I saw his eyes clouded with confusion and desire, the corners of his eyes red, as though he was about to lose control. This was the restraint he had always maintained in front of me. Though “Mojin Gu” wasn’t present now, I understood the meaning in his eyes.

I also realized… kissing wasn’t just about lips and teeth; there were other places for it too.

When his lips brushed over the scar on my old wound, he stopped, lingering there for a long while. He then tied the belt of my clothing again.

I looked at him. “Is it ugly?”

“It’s not ugly,” he replied, his fingertips brushing the scar through the fabric. “It’s like a flower blooming in the heart.”

I remembered that Feng Yuan had once mentioned that she sewed a centipede on the scar on my foot and an eight-legged spider on my heart. After the scar healed, it stretched out, the color faded, and it became a shape like wheat ears and flowers.

“Then why did you…?”

He lay beside me, pulled me close, and let out a long sigh. “Get well soon.”