Chapter 2

By the time the child was about to be born, Shen Caisheng had matured and was willing to be a good father. But by then, she had truly changed her heart and was insisting on a divorce.

Even with a child, she still wanted a divorce. No one could make sense of her actions, and everyone took turns trying to persuade her. Perhaps due to postpartum depression, she spiralled deeper into depression. Under Xie Guanglian’s instigation, she used the child as a bargaining chip and accidentally pushed the child into a pond.

After the incident, she disappeared. No one knew where she went until the end of the story, when she reappeared, but she had completely lost her mind.

As soon as she entered a room, she would hide in a corner, trembling.

This description was exactly the same as Yuan Lingling’s behaviour when she was in an enclosed space.

If she guessed correctly, she must have been locked up by the insane antagonist.

The thought of being locked in a dark room for twenty years gave Yuan Lingling goosebumps all over.

She’d rather be killed now and put out of her misery.

Xie Guanglian was inhuman, and Shen Caisheng wasn’t a good person either.

So not only should she not go to Yangcheng with Xie Guanglian, but she also needed to divorce Shen Caisheng openly.

Unfortunately, divorce was frowned upon in those days. If the Yuan family found out, they definitely wouldn’t agree, and even if they did, she’d have no place to call home.

Then she would have to consider her living arrangements after the divorce, such as food, shelter, and transportation.

Maybe she should still go to Yangcheng with Xie Guanglian? At least she could find a way to make a living.

Wait, no. If she went to Yangcheng, why did she have to go with Xie Guanglian? Couldn’t she act on her own without a man?

It seems that the most important thing now is to have money.

But where could she get the money?

After swallowing the last bite of sweet potato, Yuan Lingling was so worried that she forgot to wipe her hands. She rested her chin in her hands and stared at the still-warm ashes in the stove, lost in thought.

If it weren’t for the two children in her belly, she could just leave and not worry about anything, since the two of them hadn’t even registered their marriage.

But in this era, getting pregnant before marriage was a big deal. Moreover, if Shen Caisheng found out that she was pregnant with his child, he might not let her go. So the divorce would have to be handled with care.

She could delay, but the nearly two-month-old baby in her belly couldn’t wait any longer.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the noise outside until a dark figure appeared in front of her. Yuan Lingling trembled, jumped up from the stool, but accidentally hit the leg and stumbled backwards.

Thinking of the baby, her heart raced. Fortunately, the wall was behind her, and in her panic, she leaned against it.

It had been days since she arrived, and this was the first time Yuan Lingling saw her husband, the infamous villain Shen Caisheng from the book.

He, too, was startled by her sudden movement. He raised his hands slightly, as if to steady her.

"Cluck, cluck..."

From the sack in Shen Caisheng’s hand, a hen poked its head out, its eyes darting around as if sizing up the two humans.

"Why the sudden scare?"

Seeing she was fine, Shen Caisheng looked away, set the hen by the firewood, and turned to sort through the rest.

Half a basket of eggs, a slab of pork belly, rice, noodles, flour...

He’d brought back a good haul.

"Nothing," Yuan Lingling said, her heart still racing. That incident had cranked up her fear of him from a five to a seven.

"You startled me, appearing out of nowhere."

Meeting his dark gaze, Yuan Lingling quickly looked away, losing the calm she’d shown in front of Xie Guanglian.

It couldn’t be helped; Yuan Lingling’s claustrophobia was severe. Just imagining being locked in a dark room by him for twenty years made her hands shake.

After a moment, seeing his attention on the pile of items, Yuan Lingling dared a quick glance.

Like most book villains, he was tall, handsome, with a sharp profile that could’ve been carved by a master.

Despite his striking looks, Yuan Lingling felt no attraction to the infamous villain.

"Why’s the door open? Did someone stop by?"

His calm voice, cold as a winter breeze, sent a chill through her.

Outside, snow was still falling, blanketing the ground. Xie Guanglian had just left, and his tracks were fresh. It wasn’t hard to guess what Shen Caisheng meant.

Yuan Lingling looked away, feigning calm. She rubbed her hands together and ladled hot water from the pot. As her hands sank into the warm water, it spread through her, easing her fear of him a little.

"It was Xie Guanglian."

She explained softly, "He said he's going to Yangcheng and wanted to borrow some money from us. I thought you two didn't interact much usually, so I didn't agree. What do you think if he comes again next time?"

The weather was too cold, and the small ladle of water cooled quickly. Pouring the water into the slop bucket, Yuan Lingling turned to help, only to see that Shen Caisheng had already tidied the cabinet neatly, even arranging the bowls inside in order.

With a clang, the last bowl was placed with its pattern facing outward. He casually replied, "No need, his family has money."

She hummed in reply, but Shen Caisheng’s cold gaze turned back to her.

Yuan Lingling's breath caught, and hearing his words, it felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen.

"Does he often come to see you?" Shen Caisheng asked.

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