Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 42

“—Mamma-Youran is a big bully! I heard her hitting Mamma! She hit her for over an hour…”

Zhengzhi cried so pitifully. She huddled in her mother’s arms, her soft little body twitching with sobs, looking utterly aggrieved.

The term “domestic violence” was, after all, a concept far too advanced for her; she was just a baby and couldn’t grasp the nuances. But why couldn’t she understand? How could the Mamma-Youran, who was always so gentle to her and so good to Mamma, suddenly act like this?

The adults were all “Spartan”—stunned into a frozen silence.

Especially Chu Nian. Her face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed. She glared at Ruan Youran through gritted teeth, her gaze a clear death threat.

—This is all your doing! Fix it yourself.

Ruan Youran was a bit embarrassed. She gave a sheepish laugh. “Heh… heh… how could Mamma-Youran ever hit your Mamma? Heh…” She looked to Ruan Qiu for help. This kind of situation was too awkward for her to explain; she could only rely on her mother, who was an expert at talking nonsense, to help her out.

Ruan Qiu was silent for a moment. She raised a hand and looked at Chu Qing. “As the saying goes: Good begets good, and evil begets evil. It’s not that there’s no retribution—”

Chu Qing, feeling uncharacteristically playful, raised her hand to high-five Ruan Qiu. “—the time just hasn’t come yet!”

Ruan Youran: “…” Chu Nian: “…”

You couldn’t blame the two grandmothers for their schadenfreude.

Thinking back to when Ruan Qiu and Chu Qing were young and in love, how many times were they interrupted by this little brat? She used to tell everyone about it, describing it in vivid detail. At the time, Ruan Qiu was so frustrated she wanted to grind her teeth, solely focused on seeing how Youran would be “dealt with” when she had a child of her own. Tsk tsk tsk, and here it was.

Seeing the two grandmothers actually laughing, Zhengzhi was filled with confusion. She let out a shout of “Oh my God!” and buried her head back in her mother’s arms, her whole body shaking with sobs.

Chu Nian couldn’t sit still any longer. She looked pleadingly at Chu Qing. “Mom…”

Nian Nian rarely asked for help like this, so Chu Qing couldn’t keep teasing. She scooped Zhengzhi into her arms and coaxed her. “Zhengzhi, don’t cry. Listen to Grandma. Mamma-Youran was giving your Mamma a massage. Doesn’t Mamma have a bad heart?”

Zhengzhi’s face was covered in tears. “Liar.”

Liar?

Chu Qing smiled faintly. She poked the sole of Zhengzhi’s foot. Zhengzhi jumped. “Ouch!”

As an authority in surgery, it was easy for Chu Qing to fool a child. Zhengzhi gradually stopped crying in her arms. Chu Nian and Ruan Youran breathed a sigh of relief. Ruan Qiu scanned them with her eyes, smiling mischievously. “Quite the stamina, huh? Was it the whole night?”

Chu Nian immediately lowered her head, refusing to answer.

Ruan Youran blurted out, “No, no way, I’m not that much of a beast.”

Ruan Qiu’s smile was jubilant. “Not a beast, but you were ‘huffing and puffing’ for an hour and a half this morning?”

Seeing the mother-daughter pair starting to talk “colorfully,” Nian Nian bit her lip and took Zhengzhi back from Chu Qing’s arms, quickly retreating into the bedroom with her head down.

Chu Qing walked over and cautioned Ruan Youran, “Moderate amounts are fine, but don’t be too vigorous, understand?”

Ruan Youran nodded. She felt a bit guilty; this was the first time since the “ban” was lifted, and she had been too impatient.

Ruan Qiu knew Youran best. She said grumpily, “Her? With that brute force of hers, who knows how she’s poking the poor girl.”

Ruan Youran: “…” Her mother was really annoying.

Although some things were difficult to say, for the sake of Nian Nian’s health, Chu Qing tried her best to explain: “Nian Nian can’t be too vigorous. When a person reaches the peak, every cell in the body tightens and releases for a moment; it’s extremely exhausting physically.”

Youran’s face turned beet red. “I know, Mom. I’ll do my best.”

Chu Qing nodded. “If you really can’t restrain yourself, then have less physical contact.”

Ruan Qiu leaned in, asking curiously, “How do you know she can’t restrain herself?” She felt her daughter was quite strong—it had been three years, she was practically a nun, yet she hadn’t lost control.

Chu Qing looked at Ruan Qiu. “Hmph. Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the son of a rat knows how to dig holes. Look at who her mother is.”

Ruan Qiu: “…” Fine, she asked for it. Wasn’t it just because she was dieting lately and had some “fire” in her heart with nowhere to vent that things had become a bit more frequent?

The two grandmothers left. Zhengzhi ran out on her short legs, hesitantly approaching her Mamma-Youran.

Seeing her looking like a guilty little thief made Youran want to laugh. It was a wonderful thing, seeing a face exactly like her own; she couldn’t stay angry even if she wanted to.

Zhengzhi hugged Youran’s leg and said timidly, “Mamma-Youran, I’m sorry. I’m admitting my mistake to you.”

Admitting a mistake? Youran asked with amusement, “What did you do wrong?”

Zhengzhi’s little face scrunched up. “I misunderstood you. It turns out you’re a good person doing a good thing, not a bad person who hits Mamma.”

…

Those words made Ruan Youran feel quite guilty. Chu Nian came out of the room, having changed into a long house dress. Her hair was swept up with a few stray strands falling down, and her skin looked flawless. Youran couldn’t take her eyes off her.

Chu Nian, acting cold and aloof, looked away. “Come here, Zhengzhi. Mamma will cut some fruit for you.”

Chu Qing had also cautioned her before leaving not to let things get out of hand again. Chu Nian was already embarrassed, and faced with Youran’s dominance, she was conflicted—wanting to escape yet sinking deeper into it.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Ruan Youran eagerly stepped up to perform. Chu Nian had already been “overworked” today; why would she let her do this small chore?

Chu Nian stood at the kitchen door, watching this warm scene between the big one and the little one. The corner of her mouth quirked up.

Zhengzhi stood on her tiptoes, trying to see Youran cut the fruit. She whispered, “Mamma-Youran.”

“Hmm?”

“Will you… hit me in the future?”

Youran was left “floating in the wind.” She shook her head and said seriously, “Mamma-Youran doesn’t just hit anyone…”

Wait, this brat talked me into a trap.

Youran corrected herself: “Didn’t I tell you? I didn’t hit your Mamma. As for you… you’ll meet someone you want to ‘hit’ in the future, but… from Mamma-Youran’s perspective, I hope you’re the one taking the initiative.”

Zhengzhi replied clearly, “I won’t hit people.”

Ruan Youran: “…”

Chu Nian laughed and was about to speak when Youran’s phone rang. Her hands were wet, so she called to Chu Nian, “Take my phone out and put it on speaker.”

Chu Nian walked over, took the phone from her pocket, and put it on the table on speaker.

“Hehe, little thing. What, is it that hard to get you out now? Even when your Sister Hui calls, you don’t show any respect?”

Immediately, Sister Hui’s seductive and charming voice came through. Youran flinched, but Chu Nian didn’t react, staring fixedly at Youran.

Youran swallowed. “Sister, didn’t I tell you? I have things to do at home.”

Sister Hui laughed. “Don’t use that to fool me. Hurry over to the cafe we usually go to. I told you I have something for you. Why are you acting like a big star? If you don’t come this time, don’t expect to be my ‘heart’s meat’ ever again.”

Sister Hui always spoke like that. Her feelings for Youran were complex: on one hand, she saw Youran as the pure, clean “little white rabbit” she had always looked for; on the other hand, she had a bit of a “motherly” mindset, having watched her grow up. Especially after seeing her so heartbroken over the test results and learning she had a wife, Sister Hui had let go of those romantic thoughts. She just wanted Youran to be happy. That’s why she had asked a friend to buy local specialties that were good for the heart—but Youran had stood her up.

The call ended. A breeze blew in through the window, making the room feel chilly. Chu Nian still didn’t speak, but her gaze toward Youran had grown cold. Even the high-IQ big baby, Zhengzhi, lowered her head and stayed still, sensing the oppressive atmosphere.

Youran tried to explain: “Um… don’t misunderstand. There’s nothing between Sister Hui and me. I’m just her—”

Chu Nian cut her off, her voice icy: “I know. Her ‘heart’s meat,’ right?”

Ruan Youran: “…” Dammit. This woman, who usually acts like a block of ice and won’t say a word even if you kill her—why was her reaction time so fast now?

Zhengzhi turned around. “I think I won’t eat fruit for now. I’m going to read comics.” She waddled away.

Ruan Youran: “…” This kid has no loyalty! How could she leave her poor mother here alone at a time like this?

The child was gone. Youran approached Chu Nian with a grin, trying to hug her. Chu Nian dodged once but couldn’t get away. “Don’t touch me.”

“What’s wrong?” Youran looked at her, placing her hand over Chu Nian’s heart. “Ask your conscience: does my love for you still need to be questioned?”

Chu Nian stared into Youran’s eyes, her voice as cold as winter. “I don’t know. My heart is broken.”

Ruan Youran: “……………………”

Heavens. You’ve got quite the tongue, Film Queen Chu.

A jealous woman is a lot of trouble. Chu Nian ignored her and went to sit on the living room sofa, sulking alone. She knew, of course, that nothing was going on between Youran and Sister Hui. If there were, Youran wouldn’t have come back to her. But she was still uncomfortable. Especially that seductive, intimate voice and that nickname…

And that last line—If you don’t come this time, don’t expect to be my “heart’s meat” ever again.

Heart’s meat? Chu Nian was annoyed. She turned on the TV. She felt like “pig’s head meat” was more like it.

Zhengzhi didn’t dare make a sound. Youran snuck over and pinched her bottom. “You little brat.”

Zhengzhi looked at Youran with a grin. “Mamma-Youran, are you dead meat?”

Ruan Youran: “…” Who taught this kid all these expressions?

Chu Nian was indeed very patient; she ignored Ruan Youran all the way until lunch. Several times Youran tried to find an opening, but Chu Nian just turned her head away.

Nap time.

Youran finally found her chance. She slipped into the room and locked the door.

Chu Nian, who was taking off her jacket, was startled. As she turned, she was pinned against the wall by Youran. She tried to push her away, but Youran caught both her hands and pinned them above her head, holding her forcefully. “Heh. I haven’t seen you jealous in a long time. You’re still so cute.”

When they were young, Chu Nian was exactly like this—acting cold and silent all day, but with an extremely strong possessive streak. Once she got jealous, she would say and do things that Youran would never expect.

Chu Nian turned her head away. This position made her feel very vulnerable, as if she were completely under Youran’s control.

Youran leaned in close to her ear and smiled. “If you don’t want me to go, I won’t.”

Chu Nian bowed her head. She knew she was being difficult, but she just couldn’t control it.

As they were at a stalemate, Youran’s phone rang again. Needless to say, it was Sister Hui. She let go of Chu Nian’s arms to reach for her phone, but suddenly, her body was hugged. Then, with a muffled groan, Youran was the one pinned against the cool wall by Chu Nian.

“Don’t answer it.”

Chu Nian stared into her eyes. She was clearly using Youran’s own methods against her, seizing Youran’s wrists and pinning them to the wall.

It had been a long time since Youran was treated this way. She was a bit dazed. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think?” Chu Nian’s gaze was full of emotion. If she really wanted to be seductive, she could leave Sister Hui in the dust.

Being pinned against the wall like this made Youran realize how passive it was. She twisted her body but couldn’t break free, while the phone kept ringing incessantly.

Chu Nian just watched her. Youran didn’t dare use real force for fear of hurting her. She tried to coax her with a smile. “Mom specifically said when she left that you can’t do ‘that’ anymore.”

Chu Nian said flatly, “I know.”

Ruan Youran: “…” And?

Chu Nian looked at the phone in Youran’s pocket, then back into her eyes. “Mom said my body can no longer handle ‘vigorous contractions,’ but—” She licked her lips, looking boundlessly sexy. “—you can.”

Ruan Youran’s body froze.

…

What did that mean?