She fled in a panic.
But she refused to accept defeat.
"Lin Wanyi."
She spat out Lin Wanyi's name with vicious resentment.
She would never let Lin Wanyi get her way, never.
Liu Renzhi would either stay single for the rest of his life, or he could only marry her.
Anyone else was impossible.
She would not allow it.
Lin Wanyi's mind was racing with random thoughts all the way home.
As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Wang Hao again.
He was still waiting outside the door.
"Honey."
Seeing Lin Wanyi, he immediately stepped forward:
"You're finally back? Where did you go, coming back so late?
"You're a woman, honey, it's inappropriate for you to be out this late.
"From now on, you must be back before dark, understand?
"Oh, wait."
He thought for a moment and added:
"Just go out less from now on. It's dangerous when I'm not by your side."
Lin Wanyi was already feeling irritable, and hearing him say all this only made it worse.
"Wang Hao, aren't you annoying? Before, your whole family looked down on me so much.
"Do you remember how many times you told me to get lost?
"You bullied me because I married far from home, knowing I had nowhere to go, and you told me to get out at every turn.
"Well, I've gotten out now. I'm staying out of your sight forever, so why are you coming here to bother me again?
"I left just like you wanted, so why are you dissatisfied now?
"Wang Hao, let me make this crystal clear to you one more time. I, Lin Wanyi, will never remarry you.
"Did you hear me?!"
"No, I won't accept that."
Wang Hao stubbornly refused to leave.
"My dad is sick. You have to come back with me to take care of him; it's your responsibility as a daughter-in-law.
"Honey, come back with me. Look, as compensation, I bought you a gold bracelet."
He held the gold bracelet out in front of Lin Wanyi again:
"Look, honey, it cost me tens of thousands.
"With gold prices so high right now, I am truly sincere in begging for your forgiveness.
"Honey, come back with me."
Lin Wanyi took the gold bracelet from him.
A wave of secret delight washed over Wang Hao.
Lin Wanyi took it, which meant she agreed, she accepted.
She was going to go back with him.
But the very next second, Lin Wanyi let go.
The gold bracelet spun on the ground and rolled toward the street.
"Lin Wanyi, are you crazy?"
Wang Hao hurriedly ran to pick up the bracelet, but just as he reached his hand out, a foot stepped on it.
Seeing the exquisite leather shoe, Wang Hao had an ominous premonition.
Sure enough, he looked up and saw Liu Renzhi.
"Fuck!"
He cursed:
"Liu Renzhi, why the fuck is it you again?
"You're like a lingering ghost!"
Liu Renzhi stepped right over the gold bracelet:
"Wang Hao, it's just a gold bracelet. Lin Wanyi didn't even get one during her eight years of marriage to you.
"Are you only willing to buy one now that you're getting a divorce?
"Do you still think you're being especially handsome and manly?"
Wang Hao was furious.
"None of your damn business, Liu Renzhi. Why are you everywhere?
"What does the business between us husband and wife have to do with you?"
"Of course it has nothing to do with me, and I'm not here to see you."
He shoved Wang Hao aside: "Get lost!"
Lin Wanyi watched as he inched closer and closer to her.
Her heart was in a panic.
What was he going to do?
What exactly was he going to do?
Why had he followed her all the way to her house?
She turned back toward the courtyard, wanting to hide.
But Liu Renzhi didn't give her the chance to escape.
He called out to stop her:
"Wanyi, don't hide.
"Coming to find you now, you should know that I'm not drunk, not even a little bit."
Not being drunk was even more terrifying.
How could Lin Wanyi not hide? She tried to hide even faster.
Before she could close the door, Liu Renzhi grabbed her hand again.
It happened to be the very same hand that Liu Renzhi had sucked on earlier.
Her face flushed crimson, and her heart pounded wildly.
She struggled to pull her hand back:
"Brother Liu, you, you, let go.
"This is inappropriate, it's really inappropriate.
"If my mom sees this later, she'll be scared to death."
Li Suhua didn't see it, but Wang Hao saw it first.
He charged at Liu Renzhi like a madman:
"Liu Renzhi, you're going too fucking far.
"I'm still standing right here. I am Lin Wanyi's husband.
"Let go, let go of her hand right now."
The louder he yelled, the tighter Liu Renzhi gripped Lin Wanyi's hand.
Just as Wang Hao was about to lunge at them, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed Lin Wanyi on the lips.
All the blood rushed to Lin Wanyi's head.
She pounded on Liu Renzhi with all her might.
What was he doing? What on earth was he trying to do?
Wang Hao was still right there, what would he think?
He had always suspected that Lin Wanyi was unfaithful, which was why he wanted a divorce.
Now, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash her clean of this suspicion.
Wang Hao felt as if the sky had fallen.
He threw a kick at Liu Renzhi:
"Damn it, you're pushing me too far, bullying my wife right in front of my face.
"Liu Renzhi, I'm going to teach you a good lesson today."
Before his foot could even land on Liu Renzhi, Liu Renzhi smashed a fist into him first:
"Wang Hao, I'm telling you clearly right now: I like Wanyi.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with her.
"So, please get divorced as soon as possible."
Wang Hao clutched his nose, burning with fury:
"Psycho, Liu Renzhi, you're a fucking psycho.
"Lin Wanyi and I aren't even divorced yet. Do you know what you're doing is illegal?
"Lin Wanyi, you broke the law! You cheated on me, you cuckolded me, you broke the law!
"If you don't get down on your knees and admit your mistakes, I'm going to sue you right now."
"Sue?"
Liu Renzhi gave an imperceptible smirk:
"Sue for what? Sue me for kissing Wanyi?
"What kind of cheating is that?
"Go on, sue us. Go sue us right now. I'll be impressed if you actually win."
Wang Hao was left utterly speechless by his retort.
He angrily tried to shove Liu Renzhi away:
"Get lost, get out of here! Wanyi and I aren't divorced yet anyway."
Too lazy to spare him another glance, Liu Renzhi turned and pulled the still-dazed Lin Wanyi into his car.
The driver stepped on the gas and drove off, leaving Wang Hao screaming and shouting behind the car.
Lin Wanyi finally snapped back to her senses.
She shrank back timidly, not daring to even look at Liu Renzhi.
Her voice was as small as a mosquito's:
"Brother Liu, where, where are you taking me?
"It's very late. If I don't go back, my mom will be worried.
"I, I..."
"Don't worry."
Liu Renzhi's steady voice came from above her head:
"I just want to say a few words to you."
The driver parked the car at a park.
At night, the park was deserted, so quiet it was almost eerie.
Lin Wanyi huddled herself, feeling a bit cold.
Liu Renzhi took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
His usual black shirt, black dress pants, and black leather shoes made him look even more mature, steady, and dependable in the night.
Lin Wanyi kept her head down and thought for a long time. Finally, she mustered up the courage to whisper:
"Brother Liu, you're drunk today. I can pretend none of this ever happened.
"In the future, please don't act like this. We still need to keep our distance.
"Otherwise, people will misunderstand."
"Misunderstand?"
Liu Renzhi asked her in return:
"Who would misunderstand? Who misunderstood?"
"Secretary Zhou misunderstood."
Lin Wanyi answered very quickly.
But Liu Renzhi's reply was even more straightforward:
"She's not my girlfriend, let alone my wife. What is there for her to misunderstand?
"Lin Wanyi..."
