Reborn Little Wife

negotiate

To be honest, Zhong Ling felt deeply unsettled. How could she easily accept that her husband had once been pledged to another?

The fact that this memory didn't exist in her current life left her completely unprepared. Clearly, the Lin family's sudden interest stemmed from jealousy over their lucrative couplet-selling business - they wanted a piece of the profits.

Another layer was their resentment towards the Zhu family. The broken engagement had left the Lins empty-handed, and now seeing the Zhus' thriving business, their greed flared anew.

Zhong Ling didn't foolishly follow Zhu Baogang and Lin Mei outside. Retreating to the west room, she unexpectedly overheard their conversation by the window - not that she meant to eavesdrop!

"Brother g**g, I'm not after money. You must believe me." Lin Mei's honeyed tone made Zhong Ling unconsciously straighten her posture, resolving to soften her own speech patterns.

"Then what do you want?" Zhu Baogang's steady gaze pierced through the window, making Lin Mei fidget.

"I...I never wanted to break the engagement. It was Father who..." Her voice trailed off pathetically.

"You remained silent when they called it off. All those years I asked about setting a date - what were your answers then?" His accusatory tone carried winter's chill.

The long silence that followed gnawed at Zhong Ling. Her nails dug into her palms as anxiety coiled in her stomach - would her husband's resolve waver before this weeping willow of a woman?

"Impossible. We're husband and wife now." Zhu Baogang's decisive words brought momentary relief, though Zhong Ling noted he avoided mentioning their lack of official registration. "Take your family home. This disgraceful scene benefits no one."

As his footsteps retreated, Zhong Ling hurriedly sat by the kang bed, schooling her features into icy composure. The sight of her husband entering froze the air between them.

Zhu Baogang halted mid-step, uncharacteristically flustered. His military-trained mind raced - how to explain this minefield of past entanglements to his sharp-eyed bride?

Her stony silence accused louder than words. A cold realization struck - this wasn't just about present loyalty, but the shadow of what might have been. The thought of him eagerly pursuing marriage with another woman, even in their past life, burned like acid in her throat.

When she swept past him without a glance, the decorated soldier felt more helpless than facing enemy fire. His calloused hand reached out, then fell limp - what right did he have to stop her?

Outside, Lin Mei's calculated sobs grated on Zhong Ling's nerves. Approaching the weeping woman, she noted the envious glare poorly concealed beneath damp lashes.

"Parading your family here on New Year's Day, scheming to steal another's husband - I'd be justified in slapping you senseless." Zhong Ling's quiet venom made Lin Mei shrink back. "But I'll preserve my dignity as Mrs. Zhu. Understand this - your parents want money, you want my man. Neither will succeed."

Lin Mei's chin lifted defiantly. "Three years of history can't be erased! And you're not even legally married!"

Zhong Ling's laugh held no mirth. "History? You had three years and countless chances. Tell me - when this scandal spreads, who'll want damaged goods like you? Though perhaps your parents will sell you to the highest bidder, blind or crippled matters not."

The color drained from Lin Mei's face as Zhong Ling's words struck home. Before she could retort, salvation arrived in the form of Village Chief Zhang, his entrance heralded by booming authority.

The woods by the village edge were such an unoriginal choice. Who was it that warned about disturbing countless secret lovers if one came here at dusk? Zhong Ling decided to test this theory today. As she approached the tree line, a mischievous thought crossed her mind - what if these clandestine couples accidentally crossed paths? Would they maintain their conspiratorial silence? Her presence might scatter them like startled birds, though rural areas always buzzed with illicit affairs anyway. Stories of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law provided endless gossip fodder, with families like hers particularly ripe for after-dinner chatter.

The scene unfolding before her confirmed the rumors. Body language spoke volumes - Zhu Baogang's stiff rejection contrasting sharply with Lin Mei's desperate clinging. Zhong Ling's feet felt rooted, curiosity warring with self-preservation. She needed to understand what this woman represented in her husband's heart. A darker thought surfaced - if he could discard his former fiancée so coldly, might she someday face similar abandonment? These ageless marital dilemmas tormented her twenty-year-old self as acutely as any octogenarian's.

When Zhu Baogang turned from Lin Mei's tear-streaked face, his eyes locked with Zhong Ling's. She spun away without hesitation, pride masking her crumbling composure. The walk home felt endless. By the time her husband returned, clearly delayed by emotional entanglements, Zhong Ling's fragile trust lay shattered. She battled conflicting impulses - craving explanations yet dreading their potential to inflict deeper wounds.

"We didn't..." Zhu Baogang began awkwardly, hovering in the doorway.

Zhong Ling kept her back turned, fingers whitening around the quilt edge. "Then why meet her alone?" The words escaped despite her resolve, petty and revealing.

His apology hung like a lead weight between them. "I'm sorry."

"That's all?" Her voice cracked. Zhu Baogang shifted uncomfortably, knowing any elaboration might worsen the rift. The Lin family's audacity had blindsided him, leaving no graceful exit.

"Don't be angry." His hand half-reached before retreating.

"Shouldn't you explain? The rushed marriage plans? Your burning desire to wed her?" Bitterness laced each accusation. "That whole family's disgraceful!"

"Zhong Ling!" His reproach held warning. However justified her anger, Lin Mei deserved basic courtesy after their broken engagement.

Her eyes glittered dangerously. "Does defending her pain you?"

"Enough. Cool off." The slamming door echoed her fractured heart.

Night deepened without his return. Zhong Ling prepared beddings with mechanical motions, leaving his quilt folded pointedly on the shelf. Exhaustion claimed her swiftly, though sleep brought little peace. When Zhu Baogang finally crept in near dawn, moonlight revealed tear tracks staining her pillow.

Lying rigidly apart, his mind churned. Today's events replayed - Lin family's absurd demands, his wife's surprisingly adept handling of the situation. Anger dissolved into reluctant admiration. Her jealousy, though painful, paradoxically warmed him. Since their rushed wedding night, constant interruptions had denied proper courtship. Now her floral scent intoxicated him, memories of their intimacy burning through resolve. His body thrummed with restless energy mere inches from her sleeping form.

Morning light found Zhong Ling methodically packing. Zhu Baogang jolted upright, panic constricting his throat. "What are doing?"

"Visiting my parents." She avoided his gaze, folding a cheongsam with military precision.

"No!" He lunged, trapping her wrists. "You're not leaving!" Desperation fueled their first real kiss - clumsy, urgent, tasting of salt and unresolved tension. When she struggled, instinct took over. Their coupling held none of last night's tenderness, a primal claiming that left bruises and whimpers alike. Afterward, he nuzzled her damp hair, murmuring vows against her skin. "Mine. Always."

Dawn revealed the folly. "i***t," Zhong Ling muttered, prodding his shoulder. "Today's the home-visit day. Were you planning to make me go alone?"

Relief sparked nervous laughter. As they loaded gifts onto the wagon - pork joints, live chickens, carefully wrapped delicacies - Zhong Ling discreetly tucked 200 yuan inside her qipao lining. Rural roads offered no privacy, the winter bite piercing through layered quilts. When Lin Mei appeared like a vengeful spirit at the crossroads, Zhong Ling instinctively leaned into her husband's warmth. His arms tightened protectively, eyes fixed ahead.

"Any regrets?" she whispered, breath frosting between them.

"None." His thumb traced her knuckles beneath the blanket. "Gossip fades. What matters is here." The hand over her heart burned through layers of wool and doubt.