Huangfu Shaohua took his mobile phone and quickly turned it on. He saw many missed calls and unread text messages.
"Then I can leave here anytime."
Wu Xiufang nodded and asked him earnestly, "Aren't you planning to go back and apologize to your father? How long will you keep pretending outside?"
Huangfu Shaohua said with a mix of sadness and amusement, "What do you mean pretending? I already have my own wife and my own home. What's wrong with that?"
"Fine, fine. But what's the use of that wife? When you're in danger, it's still only I who can save you, only family who can help you."
"Mom, I don't want to argue with you about this now. I'm leaving." He got up to leave, but his legs were a bit unsteady.
Wu Xiufang quickly supported him and said, "If you must go, wait until tomorrow. I'll have Sister Fen make you something to eat first."
"No, I must go find Daisy now." Huangfu Shaohua pushed her away and headed for the door.
She lost her balance and almost fell, but managed to grab the wall. She said sadly, "What a sin! I raised you with so much effort, and I'm not as important to you as that woman."
Huangfu Shaohua knew he had pushed his mother too hard. He quickly apologized, "Mom, I'm sorry. I have something I need to ask her, and I was a bit anxious."
Wu Xiufang grabbed him again and said, "No matter how anxious you are, eat something first. How can you drive when you're so weak from hunger?"
Huangfu Shaohua finally nodded, suppressing his urge to see Daisy immediately, and followed his mother's advice to go downstairs for dinner.
After dinner, Wu Xiufang watched his hurried departure, knowing he would go home to apologize to his father later. She sat down on the sofa, feeling tired.
Sister Fen brewed her tea and brought it over, asking, "Madam, are you going back tonight?"
"No, I want to stay here alone for a few days to have some peace and quiet," Wu Xiufang said, leaning back.
"Then I'll go clean your room." Sister Fen started to move.
Wu Xiufang stopped her, "Don't bother. Stay and chat with me for a while."
"Madam, what would you like to talk about?"
Wu Xiufang motioned for her to sit beside her. "When we're alone, call me Ah Xing. Just chat about anything. Did you go back to your hometown recently? Has it changed much?"
"I went back to take a look, and it's changed so much, I didn't recognize the roads," Sister Fen said excitedly. "The houses in our village are built so well, and the roads are very smooth. The old houses are gone, and there aren't many people I know anymore..."
Wu Xiufang recalled some past events, and they chatted idly.
She felt as if the time spent in her hometown was as distant as a past life.
...
Huangfu Shaohua ignored the missed calls and messages on his phone and drove directly to the place he shared with Daisy.
Daisy was asleep and felt someone sitting by the bed, gazing at her quietly.
She woke up startled, intending to punch the person beside her. Discovering it was Huangfu Shaohua, she froze, staring at him blankly.
Huangfu Shaohua hugged her tightly, wanting to kiss her cheek.
She immediately dodged, pushing him away and crying out, "Don't touch me!"
Huangfu Shaohua didn't let go. He began to unbutton her clothes while kissing her fiercely.
Daisy hadn't recovered from what had happened earlier. She felt dirty and was afraid to be intimate with him, fearing he would detect the scent of another man on her.
"Where the hell have you been! Get away from me, get away!" Daisy clenched her fists and hit him hard, wanting to push him away.
They struggled like fighters. Huangfu Shaohua felt no pain from her punches. He climbed onto her, pinning her down firmly.
He stared at her and asked coldly, "When I was away, you found another man, and not just one?"
She glared at him, remembering the nightmarish experience, and cursed, "Huangfu Shaohua, you bastard!"
"I'm a bastard, but you're no better! I was only gone for a few days, and you shamelessly got involved with other men!" He roughly removed her nightgown, devoid of their usual tenderness and passion, fueled only by his rage.
After the frenzy, they both lost the strength to struggle, and the room fell into an eerie silence.
Daisy didn't know why Huangfu Shaohua had returned so suddenly, nor that he already knew she was no longer pure. He assumed she had done it willingly.
They lay there quietly for an unknown amount of time before Daisy spoke first, "Let's get a divorce. Your parents were right not to accept me. I'm not only from an inferior background, but I'm also promiscuous."
"Why did you mess around with them?" Huangfu Shaohua said coldly. "The videos and photos are all over the internet. You've become the star of a martial arts film."
Daisy was shocked and speechless.
Those two scoundrels had been caught, and the police would keep the videos and photos they possessed confidential. Why had they been posted online?
She was already a woman known to be bad. What was the point of explaining to him?
"Is that so? Thank you for the reminder." Daisy prepared to get up.
Huangfu Shaohua tackled her again, unable to control his frenzied actions, and blurted out, "Why are you always so reserved with me? Let me try out some of your tricks!"
Daisy, unable to bear it any longer, slapped him hard and shoved him away. "Huangfu Shaohua, that's enough! What right do you have to question me! Where have you been having fun these past few days? Weren't you planning to abandon me and find another woman!"
Huangfu Shaohua, having been slapped, seemed to regain some clarity. He couldn't explain what had happened in the past few days.
He hadn't actively sought out other women, but the Sheng family was indeed pressuring him into marriage.
Seeing his silence, Daisy kicked him again, sending him off the bed. She yelled at him, "Leave! I never want to see you again! Get as far away from me as possible!"
Huangfu Shaohua couldn't believe that the woman he loved so deeply would treat him this way. Not only had she betrayed him, but she was also so self-righteous.
Yet, he still loved her and couldn't just agree to a divorce. He wanted to find an excuse for her, asking, "Was someone forcing you? You weren't willing, were you?"
Daisy's heart ached. She knew they couldn't go back. No matter how much she explained, a thorn would remain in their hearts.
"Huangfu Shaohua, don't you understand? I want a divorce. I'm tired of you and have fallen for someone else." She threw his clothes from the bed at him and shouted, "Go back and be your young master! I've had enough of being with you with no benefits, only hardship and suffering. It's not as free as being single!"
Huangfu Shaohua's gaze grew colder. He clearly saw the disgust in her eyes.
He had been deceiving himself. With her skills, if she hadn't wanted to, she could have easily defeated two men.
He coldly put on his clothes, deeply hurt, and left resolutely.