Chapter 19

“Why do I feel like you really hate my parents?” Mu Cheng asked uncertainly.

Before Zhong Yingzhi could answer, Mu Cheng took the lead in guessing. “Could it be that they strongly opposed our marriage, so you started hating them?”

After saying that, she shook her head again. “That shouldn’t be it. I understand best what kind of people my parents are. As long as there’s money involved, why would they care whether my partner is a man or a woman? If they knew I married someone as rich as you, wouldn’t they be so happy they’d set off firecrackers?”

Mu Cheng talked to herself, chattering away and analyzing things so quickly that Zhong Yingzhi did not even have room to cut in.

“I get it, I get it. The reason you hate them must be because of this. They tried to fleece you. I can even guess what excuses they used to ask you for money. It must have been something like, ‘Our Xiao Xiong wants to buy a house, so you should contribute a little,’ or ‘Our Xiao Xiong wants to buy a car, so you should support him a little,’ or ‘Our Xiao Xiong…’ In any case, it’s always that routine. They always used that trick to try and cheat Grandma out of her savings.” When she mentioned Grandma Mu, Mu Cheng’s rambling words stopped.

Her expression fell, but in the next instant, she came around again. This place was only the future. Why should she be sad about something that could still be stopped? She just had to work hard to change it.

“I do hate them, but it has nothing to do with money. I hate anyone who has ever hurt you. That includes them.” Zhong Yingzhi paused, then continued, “And it also includes myself.”

Her words were ambiguous, and Mu Cheng felt a little confused listening to them. “What do you mean by that?”

Zhong Yingzhi fell silent, unwilling to talk about it any further.

Mu Cheng pressed her, “It also includes yourself? Does that mean you hurt me too?”

Zhong Yingzhi turned around and sat back at the table. She picked up a piece of chicken and placed it into the bowl across from her. “This is your favorite steamed chicken. Come eat. It won’t taste good once it gets cold.”

Mu Cheng looked at the chicken in the bowl, then at the [read the original at bailiantales.com]person deliberately avoiding the topic. “Could it be that you cheated on me?”

Zhong Yingzhi’s hand paused while picking up food. She lifted her head and looked at Mu Cheng helplessly.

Mu Cheng clapped her hands and said excitedly, “You definitely cheated. The course of events must have been like this: my jumping off a building, my depression, and all that happened because you hurt me. You were keeping lots of pretty little lovers outside, and I accidentally found out. Then all those mistresses came to show off in front of me.

“I endured it silently. I loved you too deeply, couldn’t bear to let go, and didn’t want to expose you. I even desperately tried to salvage the relationship. In the end, my depression turned into an illness, I suffered emotional wounds and blows, and in a moment of despair…”

Zhong Yingzhi glanced at her. “Lin Zhuo said your memories stopped during university. That makes sense. When you were in university, these kinds of melodramatic novels and TV dramas were indeed quite popular. You seemed to like watching them too. You’re really getting into the role.”

Mu Cheng curled her lip. “Isn’t that because you keep refusing to say anything? It’s perfectly normal for me to guess like this.”

“Then have you ever thought,” Zhong Yingzhi put down her chopsticks and looked at her, asking seriously, “that if I really cheated, then when you suggested divorce, shouldn’t I have been very happy and agreed immediately?”

Mu Cheng did not take it seriously. “Not necessarily. Maybe I have some leverage against you, and you’re afraid I’ll leak it, so keeping me tied to your side at least gives you some security. The reason you refuse to mention the past is because you’re afraid I’ll remember. Once I remember, I’ll continue using that leverage to threaten you. Tell me, did I guess correctly?”

Zhong Yingzhi said, “Am I that bad in your eyes? You always insist on imagining me in the worst possible way.”

Mu Cheng coughed lightly twice. “I was just saying it casually. It was a joke. You’re not that bad either. When I had no money, you treated me to takeout. When Liu Sihui hit me, you helped me vent my anger. Overall, you really did help me quite a lot.”

For some reason, Zhong Yingzhi’s face instantly darkened. Her pale blue eyes stabbed over like sharp blades. The hand she had placed on the table clenched tightly, the veins showing clearly across her distinct knuckles.

Mu Cheng froze because of her sudden change in expression and said timidly, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong just now? I only said you might have cheated. Is there a need to look like you’re about to hit someone?”

Zhong Yingzhi lowered her head. “No.”

Although Zhong Yingzhi said no, Mu Cheng clearly sensed that just now, Zhong Yingzhi’s emotions had fluctuated violently.

She did not know how to describe that fluctuation. It seemed like fury, and also like…

Mu Cheng sank into thought. Zhong Yingzhi definitely would not get angry because of a joking mention of cheating. Then what had she been angry about just now? What had Mu Cheng said that made her react so strongly?

She had not said anything much. She had only said that when she had no money, Zhong Yingzhi bought her takeout, and that when Liu Sihui hit her, Zhong Yingzhi helped.

Liu Sihui!

That was right. It was that name. When that name was mentioned, Zhong Yingzhi’s furious emotion had almost instantly surged.

What was going on? Mu Cheng became a little disordered. She truly could not figure out what had happened during these nine years.

“Come here.” Zhong Yingzhi’s voice was cold and hard as she ordered, “Sit down and eat.”

Mu Cheng put away all her messy guesses and obediently walked over to sit down. But her goal was not eating. Instead, she once again set her sights on the phone on the table.

Mu Cheng pretended to eat while one hand secretly moved closer under the table, reaching toward the phone.

She touched it. Joy appeared on Mu Cheng’s face, and she was just about to take the phone over.

Zhong Yingzhi ate a stalk of greens, chewing and unauthorized copy swallowing in an orderly manner before saying faintly, “The phone. Put it back.”

Mu Cheng withdrew resentfully and put down the phone.

After a while, she became restless again and started her phone-stealing plan once more.

Zhong Yingzhi decisively picked up the phone and placed it far away from Mu Cheng. “When I’m speaking to you properly, you’d better behave.”

Mu Cheng looked at the phone she could not reach and pouted, somewhat unhappy.

It seemed her family status was not good enough. Everything was being suppressed by Zhong Yingzhi. This did not feel right. It felt far too wrong.

Thinking of this, Mu Cheng became unwilling. As if throwing a tantrum, she slapped the table hard. The round table trembled and made a bang.

Zhong Yingzhi was startled and looked at her. “What are you doing?”

Mu Cheng straightened her back and said with neither servility nor arrogance, “I feel like you don’t respect me. Didn’t you say we’re married? Since we’re married, our relationship should be equal. No, not equal. To be more accurate, I should be the head of the household. You’re not respecting the head of the household.”

Zhong Yingzhi held back her temper and asked, “Then how do you want me to respect you?”

Mu Cheng looked at the phone. “Very simple. Give me the phone.”

Zhong Yingzhi picked up the phone and shook it, but refused to give it to her.

Mu Cheng’s eyes followed the phone without blinking, ready to snatch it at any moment.

“Aunt Yang,” Zhong Yingzhi called toward the door.

Hearing her, Aunt Yang pushed open the door, stood beside the table, and asked, “What instructions does Eldest Miss have?”

Zhong Yingzhi handed the phone to Aunt Yang. “Take this phone away. Later, bring a toy phone for our Madam Zhong to play with.”

Aunt Yang accepted the phone with both hands and nodded. “All right. I’ll handle it right away.”

Mu Cheng: “…”

Zhong Yingzhi said, “I respect your opinion very much. What color do you want for the toy phone? Of course, aside from the color, you can personally choose the phone’s brand too. If there’s nothing you’re satisfied with, customization is also fine.”

Mu Cheng: “…”

Zhong Yingzhi smiled at Mu Cheng. “Who told you to be the head of the household? I’ll try my best to satisfy every request you have.”

Mu Cheng said sarcastically, “Then you’re really considerate. So considerate and respectful toward me.”

Zhong Yingzhi raised a brow. “As long as you know.”

As they spoke, Mu Cheng felt her nose itch a little. She touched it, and blood stained her hand. She touched it again, and there was more and more blood.

“I’m having a nosebleed.” Mu Cheng stared blankly at the blood on her hand. Why would she ​stolen content​suddenly have a nosebleed? Could it be…

Mu Cheng’s eyes widened, and she said neurotically, “Zhong Yingzhi, do I have a terminal illness? The incurable kind? Because I got a terminal illness and didn’t want to burden anyone, I fell into despair and jumped off a building?”

Zhong Yingzhi glanced at the clay pot that was already more than half empty. “You were only supposed to drink one bowl of tonic soup. How much did you secretly drink just now?”

“Oh, so that’s why. I thought…” Mu Cheng awkwardly tilted her head back and stuffed a tissue into her still-bleeding nostril. “I didn’t drink that much.”

Zhong Yingzhi glanced at her coldly. “You finished the whole pot. You drank until your nose bled, and you’re still saying you didn’t drink that much?”

Mu Cheng glared at her. “Why are you being so fierce? I drank it, so what? What’s wrong with your wife drinking a few mouthfuls of soup? So petty. How did I even fall for you?”

Zhong Yingzhi laughed softly and leaned back against her chair, looking at her with great interest. “Now you’re willing to admit you’re my wife?”