In another part of Ya Village, a dense bamboo forest.
Pregnant Liu Yushui, holding onto a bamboo tree for support, stood across from a man - Zhou Liang, her face flush with anger.
"Brother Liang, don’t you think the people of the Lin family are too thick-skinned to listen to anything?" Her face was red with anger.
She had spent the past few days spreading rumors about Lin Changfeng planning to rely on a woman, Lin Caisang, to earn money to attend the autumn imperial examination, even subtly encouraging her mother to join in.
In return, the Lin family poignantly ignored her.
"What are you expecting them to listen to?" Zhou Liang still hadn’t understood the intention behind Liu Yushui’s actions. His major concern was whether the child inside Liu Yushui’s belly was a boy or a girl.
If it were a girl, he naturally wouldn’t bother with her anymore, but if it were a boy, he would consider persuading his mother to marry Liu Yushui and bring her into the house as a second wife.
"Yushui, your belly is so big, when exactly are you going to give birth?" He reached out to touch the round belly of Liu Yushui and asked.
"It’s only been a little over six months. How could it be so soon?" Liu Yushui touched her belly as well. When it came to her child, her tone was coquettishly sweet, delicate as droplets of water.
"Brother Liang, do you really promise to marry me after I’ve given birth?"
"Naturally, why, don’t you believe Brother Liang?"
Zhou Liang puffed out his chest, feeling his dignity as a man had been insulted. Though he was not the master of the Zhou family, as Liu Yushui’s man, how could he not assert his authority in front of his own woman?
"Don’t worry. Once you’ve given birth to the child, I’ll make sure my mother gives her consent, and then I’ll proudly take you as my wife." As a second wife.
Of course, he wouldn’t say that last part out loud at this moment.
Indeed, even if Liu Yushui wanted to be his second wife, she’d have to birth a strong, healthy son for him. Otherwise, he would just arrange a small residence for her outside, and let her live there with the child.
Of course, he’d visit her from time to time. Although Liu Yushui wasn’t as wealthy as before, her face was still worth looking at. If he took care of her and she gave birth to more children for him, he didn’t think it would be a loss.
"You just wait and see."
Liu Yushui believed in Zhou Liang’s words wholeheartedly and nodded shyly.
"Brother Liang, don’t worry, I’m definitely carrying a boy in my belly. You’ll have a successor."
"If it’s a boy, that’s great. Yushui, you’ve really worked hard these days, your father hasn’t been giving you a hard time, has he?" Zhou Liang pulled Liu Yushui into his arms and comforted her softly.
He was quite skilled at comforting people. How else could he have managed to get Liu Yushui’s belly so big and kept her quietly at her mother’s house without causing a fuss?
Just thinking about it gave him a great sense of satisfaction.
At the mention of her father, Liu Baixiao, Liu Yushui’s eyes misted over with tears that traced the rim of her eyes.
"Brother Liang, you don’t know how badly my father treats me. Even when I’m heavily pregnant, he still makes me work non-stop. He simply doesn’t see me as human. Brother Liang, you must take up my cause."
"Alright, alright, I’ll definitely stand up for you."
Zhou Liang soothed, patting Liu Yushui’s back gently.