"We were engaged, and after so many years of growing up together, our feelings weren't fake. If it weren't for Li Qingrou's interference, we would have been married long ago," Liu Yixuan said, gritting his teeth with hatred for Li Qingrou.
"You said that was in the past. You're married now, so why are you still bothering me?" Wu Caiwei was astonished. How could his attitude towards Li Qingrou have changed so drastically in just a few months?
"Li Qingrou and I have divorced. We can start anew now. You haven't been engaged for so long, and I know you still have feelings for me..." Before Liu Yixuan could finish, Wu Caiwei quickly interrupted, "Where do you get off being so confident? It's impossible for us to be together in this lifetime. Don't bother me again." Su Dan Novel Network
Lin Shuisheng had been on edge since Liu Yixuan appeared, fearing Wu Caiwei would rekindle her old feelings for him. Hearing her say they were impossible, he let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing that Liu Yixuan was still trying to pester her, and the crowd of onlookers was growing, Wu Caiwei instructed the coachman to leave quickly.
"Feixue, Feixue, listen to me..." Liu Yixuan had finally gotten this opportunity and was not willing to let it go easily.
Lin Shuisheng was less polite. As Liu Yixuan tried to catch up again, he lashed out with his whip.
"Ah," a scream rang out. Wu Caiwei only lifted the curtain to glance, and Lin Shuisheng couldn't help but smile, his cold face becoming much more lively.
Back at the Liu residence, they exchanged pleasantries with Father and Mother Liu.
After the greetings, Wu Caiwei couldn't help but ask about Liu Yixuan. Seeing the worried expressions on Father and Mother Liu's faces, she paused for a moment and then realized, "What are you thinking? Why would I care about him? It's just that he was pestering me at the city gate as soon as we entered. That's why I was curious about what happened between him and Li Qingrou."
"It seems he wasn't beaten enough. I was wondering why he hadn't been causing trouble at the Liu residence lately. So, he set his sights on you," Father Liu said, his neck and face reddening with anger.
"Don't be angry. You're all too easy to talk to. Leave it to me to deal with him when I return," Wu Caiwei quickly went forward to comfort them.
After chatting with Father and Mother Liu for a while, Wu Caiwei learned that the Li and Liu families had been like a dramatic opera for the past few months.
When Li Qingrou found out that Liu Yixuan's hand was crippled, she turned on him. She was always selfish, and her remaining feelings for him had been worn away by her conflicts with Liu's mother after marriage.
The thought of living under Liu's mother's constant nagging for the rest of her life gave her a headache. Aside from being good-looking and able to amuse her, Liu Yixuan was useless. He wouldn't even help her when she clashed with Liu's mother.
What she used to see as his strengths were now all glaring flaws. The thought that her supposed younger sister knew about his crippled hand while she was kept in the dark made her go to her stepmother's courtyard and make sarcastic remarks, accusing them of not wanting her to do well and not telling her about such a big matter, perhaps even laughing at her behind her back.
No matter how much Li Qingrou scolded, Madam Li insisted that she had only found out recently.
After venting her anger, her mood improved considerably. She had dreamed of being a government official's wife, but now she not only couldn't be one but also had the entire Liu family dragging her down. So, she made a firm decision to divorce Liu Yixuan.
Liu Yixuan naturally disagreed. Since marrying Li Qingrou, the Liu family's life had greatly improved, and he no longer wanted to return to the days when they couldn't afford meat for meals.
Li Qingrou was even more ruthless. She directly took people back to Qingshan Village, smashed everything in the Liu household, and even tore down the house they had built for their wedding.
Liu's mother stepped forward to stop her, but Li Qingrou had people hold her down. Even the village chief's mediation was ineffective.
If it were in another village with a united clan, Li Qingrou wouldn't have dared to make a move. The people of Qingshan Village were not so united. Several of Liu family's clansmen tried to intervene, but Li Qingrou directly declared that it was a family matter, and moreover, the things she was smashing were bought with the Li family's money. If anyone stopped her, they would have to compensate her, or she would report them to the magistrate.
No one was wealthy in those times, and the prospect of a lawsuit made everyone hesitate.
Although Liu's mother claimed that the Li family had committed offenses in the city and their assets were confiscated, a fallen camel is still larger than a horse. Moreover, Liu's mother often boasted in the village about the Li family's connections. What if others retaliated?
With their home in ruins, Liu's mother cried heartbrokenly, as if her heart had been gouged out.
Liu Yixuan initially thought Li Qingrou would just vent her anger and the matter would be over. He never expected it to be just the beginning.
On her way back from the market, Liu's mother was robbed, and her leg was broken.
Seeing Liu's mother's miserable state, Liu Yixuan found Li Qingrou. "I know my mother was beaten by you. I will not agree to a divorce. You'd better give my mother one thousand taels of silver for her recovery, or I will report you to the authorities."
"Do as you please. Without proof, you can't convict me. It's impossible. Even if your mother saw their faces, so what? You need to find them first. They have already fled far away and will never return," Li Qingrou said triumphantly, looking at him. "You can also choose not to divorce. I hope you'll still say the same thing after some time."
Seeing Li Qingrou's unconcerned demeanor, Liu Yixuan's heart sank. It was likely as she said, reporting her would be useless.
In reality, Li Qingrou was just bluffing. With the Li family's downfall, many people were turning against them. If Liu Yixuan were to press charges, she would have to lose a lot to escape unscathed.
That day, Liu Yixuan was beaten on his way home, just like his mother, and his leg was broken.
With two injured people in bed, their respective wives pushed the responsibility of care onto each other, fearing they would be implicated.
Liu's mother had to cook for Liu Yixuan with her injured leg, and the result was predictable; she became lame.
During his recovery period in bed, Liu Yixuan did a lot of thinking. He knew that if he didn't agree to the divorce, he didn't know what other schemes Li Qingrou would come up with.
Back then, when she wanted to break off their engagement, her methods were endless. He hadn't felt anything then because it hadn't affected him directly. Now, thinking back, he shuddered, fearing he might lose his life one day without even knowing how.
Therefore, when Li Qingrou came to him again, Liu Yixuan agreed very readily, with only one small request.
"On account of our being husband and wife, could you give me some money? You see, my mother and I are both recovering, and we're almost out of money. You can't just watch me starve to death, can you?" Liu Yixuan had long abandoned his pride and pretense, and playing the victim came easily to him.
"Do I look like someone who would be charitable for no reason? After today, we'll have no relationship. Your starving to death has nothing to do with me. If you keep babbling and making unreasonable demands, I might just beat you up again," Li Qingrou said, utterly disappointed in Liu Yixuan. He had no backbone. She had been blind to choose him.
Hearing Li Qingrou's threat, Liu Yixuan knew she was serious. He quickly signed his name.
Watching Li Qingrou leave triumphantly, Liu Yixuan was filled with regret. After all the trouble, it had all been for nothing.
Thinking of the rumors he had heard in the city about the Liu family's wealth, his heart began to stir again.