Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Tough on the Outside, Soft on the Inside_1
Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Tough on the Outside, Soft on the Inside_1
“Not too foolish after all, you’ve finally come to your senses. Do you really think your aunt is so important that it’s worth my anger for her, making you upset? I’m angry because you shouldn’t be joking with your own body. Your aunt has been going too far these years. If you really want to deal with her, it’s not impossible. I can help you, but you can’t put yourself in danger. If this happens again, don’t blame me for being rude. I’ll have to teach you a lesson. Do you hear me?!” Zhao Erhu’s face became more serious as he spoke.
“I hear you, I won’t do it again,” Lin Yue replied hurriedly with a nod and a quickened heartbeat, her eyes smiling foolishly. At that moment, she felt she was truly important, and it was a good feeling.
Zhao Erhu couldn’t guess what Lin Yue was thinking. Seeing his little wife with a smile that narrowed her eyes, he felt her attitude was not proper. “It’s good that you heard. I’m not joking with you. If you make the same mistake again, you’ll be treated just like Dalang and the others with the bamboo board waiting for you. With your delicate and pain-fearing look, you better not cry then because I won’t be soft-hearted.”
Lin Yue thought Zhao Erhu was joking, but seeing his serious manner and thinking about how Dalang and the others were punished by kneeling on the ground and being hit with a bamboo board with a slap-slap sound, she shivered uncontrollably and felt her scalp tingle. “How can this be okay? Adults and children should not be treated the same. Besides, I’m your wife, not your daughter. If I really make a mistake, just talk to me nicely, and I will definitely change. How can you treat me like you do to children? I do not agree.”
“Whether you agree or not doesn’t matter. You’re only a few years older than Dalang, and sometimes you’re even less sensible than them. To prevent you from doing such dangerous things again in the future, this is a rule I’m setting. As long as you don’t make the same mistake, there won’t be a problem. Otherwise, just wait and see. A wife also needs to be properly disciplined to be obedient.” This was a lesson Zhao Erhu had learned from Lin Yue’s much more submissive behavior during this period of reflection.
“Discipline my ass, that’s just male chauvinism. Such behavior is unacceptable. If you dare to hit me, I’ll fight you, we’ll have a divorce, let’s see if you dare,” Lin Yue blurted out angrily. Zhao Erhu’s way of thinking was absolutely unacceptable to her, showing signs of a tendency for domestic violence, which she was determined to stamp out.
As soon as Zhao Erhu heard Lin Yue mention divorce, his heart tightened. Even though he knew she said it thoughtlessly, it still made him uncomfortable. He assertively wrapped his arms around Lin Yue, declaring his ownership. “Dream on, Niuniu. I bought you for fifteen taels of silver, and I hold your deed. You’re mine for life, Zhao Erhu’s, and there’s no door for a divorce. From now on, you’ll live your life loyally by my side without any foolish notions, or else I’ll lock you up.”
Lin Yue had long been aware she’d been bought by Zhao Erhu, and she didn’t feel particularly about the deed, thinking it was something like a modern identity card. She hadn’t yet realized that it could determine her fate. With the deed in hand, no one could stop him from beating or selling her. Fortunately, the deed was in Zhao Erhu’s hands; otherwise, if she ended up with a gambler or drunkard, she could be pawned off or sold to some unspeakable place with nowhere to even cry.
“You’re overbearing and unreasonable. I won’t deal with you anymore. Let me down,” Lin Yue fully knew by now that Zhao Erhu, although stern-faced, was tender-hearted and couldn’t bear to treat her harshly. Even when the plot against the aunt was exposed, and Zhao Erhu was so angry, he only locked her in the room. Lin Yue refused to be intimidated by him; she struggled unyieldingly in Zhao Erhu’s arms and got a slap on her bottom from him.