Chapter 3

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Not only was He Jihong flabbergasted, even Chu Qiao in the room couldn’t believe it. Gu Ye couldn’t do it?

How was that possible?

He was about 1.8 meters tall, strong and energetic. He looked much more manly than Gu Jianshe. How could he not do it?

He Jihong didn’t really believe it either, but her daughter said it so confidently. She had no choice but to believe it.

“How… How could this happen? Why can’t it work? He looks so energetic…”

He Jihong muttered to herself and sat down in a daze, like a eggplant that had been hit by frost. The son-in-law she had carefully chosen was good in all kinds of software, but there was a problem with the hardware. Sigh…

“What’s the use of looking energetic? He’s just a silver spear and a candle head. Mom, Gu Ye and I can’t live with each other anyway. Those two b*stards don’t have any manners at all. They even smack their lips while eating. They can’t even use chopsticks well, and they smell like dirt. If we bring them out, they’ll be a disgrace. Seeing these two bastards makes me angry.”

The more Xu Bilian spoke, the angrier she became. She was only 24 years old and hadn’t even had children yet. Once she married him, she would become the stepmother of the two children. If the children were clean, beautiful, and sensible, it would be fine. But those two bumpkins were like they were dug out from coal dust. They were ugly and stupid. They would definitely be useless in the future. Why would she bother raising other people’s children?

She, Xu Bilian, wasn’t one to lose money.

“Don’t talk about those children like that. Their father was a war hero and a martyr. It’s fine if you say such things at home, but don’t talk nonsense when you go out. Aren’t children from the countryside all like this? Why are you arguing with the two children? It’s fine on the surface. It’s fine to raise them until they’re eighteen years old. The older one is already eight years old, right? It’s only ten years. It’ll pass very fast. It’s good to have two cheap sons. They’re the descendants of martyrs. They won’t be useless in the future.”

He Jihong tried her best to persuade her. She was truly doing this for her daughter’s good. Those two children were not a problem at all. If they were really Gu Ye’s biological children, she would not let her daughter marry him.

The eldest was eight years old, and the youngest was five years old. The most difficult period had passed. They were also the descendants of heroes, so there was a care policy. If her daughter raised these two brothers, not only would they give her a good reputation, but they also had a lot of benefits. How could this silly girl not understand her painstaking efforts?

“Mom, that’s ten years! Why should I waste ten years? I haven’t even given birth to a child myself, so why should I raise them for others? Hmph, how filial can they be if they’re not my biological children? I don’t expect those two bastards to be very successful. No matter how successful they are, it has nothing to do with me. Anyway, I want a divorce!”

Xu Bilian shouted loudly, feeling that her mother did not understand her at all. She had already suffered so much, yet she still wanted her to live with that dead eunuch. wasn’t this pushing her into the fire pit?

“I’ve never seen someone cheat their daughter like this. Am I still your biological daughter?”

Xu Bilian’s voice was choked with sobs, and she felt extremely wronged. He Jihong’s heart immediately ached, and she quickly comforted her, “You heartless person. If I don’t love you, do you think I’ll love Chu Qiao? You can see what kind of life you’re living, and what kind of life Chu Qiao is living.”

“Then why didn’t you let Chu Qiao marry Gu Ye, and let me marry Brother Jianshe? You know that I like Gu Jianshe.”

Xu Bilian snorted. The thought of Chu Qiao, that country bumpkin, marrying her sweetheart made her heart burn. Gu Jianshe was hers. How could Chu Qiao, that country bumpkin, be a match for her?

He Jihong frowned, her heart filled with anxiety. She couldn’t explain it clearly to this silly girl. Gu Jianshe was not a good match at all. Chu Qiao would definitely have a hard time if she married him. This silly girl put aside her good days and insisted on jumping into the fire pit. She was so angry.

A divorce was impossible. One day, she would have a good chat with Gu Ye. If he was sick, she would treat him. Now that medicine was advanced, a man’s illness could also be cured. She still did not believe that there would be a problem with Gu Ye’s body. Perhaps it was just a small problem. She would just go to the hospital and grab some medicine to eat.

“I’m going to take a look at Chu Qiao. There hasn’t been any movement for a long time. It can’t be serious, right?”

He Jihong didn’t want to continue talking to her silly daughter, so she changed the topic and got up to go see her stepdaughter. She had a heatstroke yesterday and fainted under the family’s building. Fortunately, she was seen by someone. However, she had a fever last night and was still feverish when she went to work this morning. As the ‘kind and magnanimous’ stepmother, she naturally had to show some concern.

“That b*tch is lucky. She definitely won’t die.”

Xu Bilian snorted coldly and mocked.

“You still have the face to say that? Yesterday, you made Chu Qiao run back and forth five or six times. During the hottest noon, you didn’t let her rest even for a single breath. It was all for a piece of clothing. Fortunately, nothing happened, or else your mother’s face would have been thrown away by you!”

He Jihong got angry as soon as she spoke, and her tone was a little harsh. Although she didn’t like Chu Qiao as a stepdaughter, she still cared about her face. Outsiders wouldn’t be able to find a single mistake, and there were plenty of ways to treat this stepdaughter. There was no need to use stupid methods.

However, her silly daughter had been at odds with Chu Qiao since she was young. She could clearly see that her daughter was always the one who made trouble for no reason. Chu Qiao was submissive and timid, and she definitely wouldn’t dare to provoke her daughter. However, as long as she didn’t make trouble outside, she would turn a blind eye to it. Of course, she had to protect her own daughter.

As for her stepdaughter, as long as she didn’t starve to death, it would be fine.

Moreover, Chu Qiao was exceptionally beautiful. All these years, she had intentionally concealed her beauty because she didn’t want her daughter’s limelight to be stolen. Now that Chu Qiao was 21 years old and her daughter was married, she could release some of her beauty at the appropriate time, so that Gu Jianshe could choose her.

Gu Jianshe was Grandfather Gu’s proudest grandson. The Gu family and the He family were of equal status. Their daughter married Gu Ye while Chu Qiao married her nephew, Gu Jianshe. This way, the Gu and He families would be tied tightly together. Moreover, Chu Qiao would always be a generation lower than her daughter.

He Jihong was very proud. Her arrangement was the most perfect. She could live with her reputation, and she had also benefited from it. Outsiders would not be able to pick on her at all.

“Who asked her to be so stupid? Didn’t I tell her to get it when the weather cooled down?” Xu Bilian’s mouth was vicious, but she was still a little scared. After all, people could really die from heatstroke. Chu Qiao had almost died yesterday.

She wasn’t worried about Chu Qiao’s life, but she was worried that this country bumpkin’s death would damage her reputation.

“When did you say that? Didn’t Chu Qiao listen to you like an imperial edict?”

He Jihong retorted unhappily, but she was still proud of herself because this stepdaughter of hers had been raised by her like a obedient dog. Chu Qiao didn’t dare to go against her, so she obediently stayed at home and worked as a slave. It was much cheaper than hiring a nanny.

Chu Qiao quickly went back to bed. She stayed in the smallest room in the house, which was originally a storage room, but He Jihong arranged for her to use it as a bedroom. The small space was stuffy and hot, with only a tiny window and no fans, there were only two fans in the house, one for He Jihong and her husband, and one for He Jihong’s son, Chu Peng.

Chu Peng was her half-brother. He was seventeen this year and was in his second year of high school. Their relationship was normal, and He Jihong treasured this son very much, so she didn’t let her have too much contact with him.

The door opened and He Jihong felt a stifling heat as soon as she entered. She could not help but frown. She walked to the bedside and saw Chu Qiao with her eyes closed. Her face was pale and He Jihong’s frown deepened. She did not want to cook lunch on such a hot day.

“Qiao Qiao, are you better?” He Jihong softened her voice and reached out to touch her forehead. Thanks to this small room, Chu Qiao’s entire body was warm and she did not need to put on a show.

“I’m still uncomfortable… I don’t have the strength…”

Chu Qiao opened her eyes and said weakly. She even coughed a few times. In her previous life, she was too honest and obedient, which was why she was bullied to death. In this life, she wanted to live happily, no longer sullen..