At three in the middle of the night, Liu Renzhi returned to the hospital room.
Lin Wanyi had already fallen asleep, while Chen Hui was still awake, scrolling through her phone.
Liu Renzhi gestured for her to leave.
"You should go home. I'll stay and keep watch."
Chen Hui replied, "It's okay, Brother Liu. You’re so busy, I’ll take care of it here."
But Liu Renzhi insisted, and Chen Hui didn’t argue further. She picked up her bag and left.
Liu Renzhi tiptoed over and lay down on the sofa.
He actually wanted to lie beside Lin Wanyi, but he was afraid of waking her up.
In the end, he settled on the sofa.
He covered himself with Lin Wanyi’s clothes.
He had a dream.
A dream where he was tangled up with Lin Wanyi.
A dream even more vivid than what had happened in the villa that day.
In the dream, they clung to each other passionately, as if it would never end.
But when he woke up, he bitterly condemned himself in his heart.
“Crazy, absolutely crazy.”
Lin Wanyi was injured, and here he was, still thinking about such things.
And then having dreams about it.
He was practically an animal.
In truth, he used to have these kinds of dreams before, but the woman in them was always blurry and unrecognizable.
Only this time, he saw her clearly—it was Lin Wanyi.
When morning came, Lin Wanyi needed to have her bandages changed.
As the gauze was removed, she clenched her teeth tightly in pain.
Liu Renzhi asked the doctor, “How many more times will this need to be changed?”
The doctor told him, “At least three more times, but rest assured, it will get better each time.”
After the doctor left, Liu Renzhi took Lin Wanyi’s hand and said,
“I fired Zhou Chenyu. I also slapped her twice.”
“You hit her?”
Lin Wanyi found it hard to believe he would strike a woman.
Liu Renzhi could see what she was thinking.
“At that moment, I didn’t see her as a woman. I was just disciplining someone who had done wrong—someone I once truly considered a younger sister.
I hope those two slaps will make her turn back from the wrong path.
Wanyi, this time, it’s Zhou Chenyu’s fault. When you’re better, you can go see her. I won’t stop you.”
Lin Wanyi thought for a moment and said nothing.
She did plan to confront Zhou Chenyu. She couldn’t just let herself be set up so unfairly without getting to the bottom of it.
If she didn’t clear things up this time, there would be a next time, and another, and so many more.
Just as she was about to lie back down, the hospital room door swung open.
The person who walked in was none other than Wang Hao.
He was carrying a fruit basket, his eyes full of concern.
“Wanyi, I heard you were injured. How did it get so serious?
What exactly happened?”
Lin Wanyi hadn’t expected Wang Hao to still be in town. Instinctively, she wanted to pull the covers over herself.
“You—why haven’t you gone back to Wangjia Village yet?”
Wang Hao set the fruit basket on the table.
“I forgot to tell you—I’ve already found a job here.
Wanyi, I’ve decided to stay for good.”
“What?”
Lin Wanyi thought she had misheard.
“Why would you look for a job here? Wang Hao, are you doing this on purpose?”
Wang Hao glanced at Liu Renzhi, who was still holding Lin Wanyi’s hand, and continued,
“No, you’ve misunderstood. I simply wanted a change of scenery for work.
Since you and Keke are here, I wanted to see you both often, so I decided to stay.
I...”
He didn’t finish his sentence before Lin Wanyi cut him off.
“But I don’t want to see you. Neither I nor Keke want to see you.
Leave, Wang Hao. Go, right now.”
Wang Hao didn’t leave. Instead, he went on.
“I know you’re in a new relationship now. I understand. I can tell.
But no matter who you marry or date again, I will always be Keke’s father. It’s fine for me to see her.”
"Wanyi, don't get upset either. I'm just treating you like an old friend now.
"Don't worry, I won't bother you anymore."
After saying this, he really did leave.
But as soon as he stepped out the door, Liu Renzhi called him back and handed the fruit basket back to him.
Liu Renzhi added:
"Take your filthy stuff. My girlfriend doesn't want it."
Wang Hao smirked bitterly. As he walked out, he lowered his voice to Liu Renzhi and said:
"I've been with that worn-out shoe, and you treat her like a treasure. Liu Renzhi, who are you to look down on me?
"Don't you want some tips from your ex-husband?
"You know where she's most sensitive? You know her favorite position?
"Liu Renzhi, just ask, and I'll tell you everything."
Liu Renzhi clenched his fist tightly but quietly closed the door.
He struggled to hold back. He couldn't get angry, shouldn't get angry.
No, what he really shouldn't do was be jealous.
Lin Wanyi looked at him cautiously:
"Are you mad?"
Liu Renzhi suddenly bent down and embraced Lin Wanyi:
"I'm not mad—I'm jealous.
"Wanyi, I came too late. It's my fault."
At the hospital entrance, Wang Hao carried the fruit basket, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
No matter what, he had surely pissed off Liu Renzhi.
Men, after all—who doesn't have that complex?
Sure, he liked Lin Wanyi now. That was fine.
Some people just have a thing for experienced women, for wives.
But what about in the long run?
A big-shot like him would definitely get bored.
No problem.
He could wait.
Wait until Liu Renzhi dumps Lin Wanyi, until she's hurt and crying. Then he'd come back to comfort her.
Eventually, everything would return to normal.
After all, he had come back for Lin Wanyi because he needed a woman to take care of him, run the household, and be filial to his parents.
In short, a woman who could keep the home in perfect order without making him worry about a thing.
And while Lin Wanyi was flirting with Liu Renzhi, it wasn't stopping Wang Hao from seeing other women.
Women who gave him emotional comfort and satisfied his physical needs.
That was how his past eight years had been.
Lin Wanyi in Wang Family Village, he in the city.
What a great life.
As he thought about it, his phone rang.
Liu Xiulan told him:
"Wang Jianguo is dead. Haohao, even though I'm overjoyed inside, we still have to save face.
"As his son, you have to come back."
Wang Jianguo was dead?
When Wang Hao heard the happiness in Liu Xiulan's voice, he felt annoyed.
Her husband was dead—how could she be so happy?
Sure, it was wrong for Wang Jianguo to give all his money to Widow Zhang, but what man doesn't make mistakes?
After a moment, he picked up the fruit basket again, walked to the Lin family's door, placed it at the entrance, and knocked:
"Keke, Daddy brought you some fruit. Come out and see Daddy."
Wang Keke heard his voice but dared not answer.
Li Suhua didn't open the door either:
"Wang Hao, the Lin family doesn't welcome you. Leave now.
"And we don't want your fruit either."
Wang Hao didn't leave; instead, he continued:
"Mom, something big has happened at our house. My dad died suddenly. By village customs, Keke is his granddaughter and should come back for the funeral.
"Let me take Keke back, or the villagers will gossip."
"Impossible!"
Li Suhua refused outright:
"What did you say when Keke's grandpa on her mother's side passed away?
"You said the child was too young to travel. Half a year later, suddenly she's not too young?"
"She suddenly grew up, just like that? Wang Hao, I'm telling you, we won't let Keke go back with you.
"Give up on that idea. Don't even think about it."
