Chapter 7 Compromise

Liu Changning irritably pinched her fingers. She raised her head and carefully examined the person before her.

The slanting sunlight from outside the room fell on his excessively bewitching face. The blood-red tear mole at the corner of his right eye reflected a gorgeous color, adding a touch of alluring charm to his deep features.

He seemed accustomed to smiling. At this moment, his almond-shaped eyes were filled with threat and calculation, yet the corners of his lips maintained an upward curve. This was a man who was extremely skilled at using his own advantages to achieve his goals!

Her previous analysis of this person was not wrong. The mistake was that she seemed to have thought the matter of divorcing her husband was too simple.

The moment she entered this body, all of the original owner’s memories were poured into her mind, except for the information about this person, which was fragmented. It was as if the original owner had deliberately erased it.

The contract he had just mentioned with such certainty was scattered in bits and pieces in the original owner’s memory. If the person opposite hadn’t brought it up, she would hardly have noticed the existence of this contract.

Before marrying the original owner, this cheap husband was a small attendant kept by Guan Yunyun outside.

It was also his misfortune that he had finally managed to marry someone of noble status like the second daughter of the county magistrate. However, unexpectedly, after just two days in the separate courtyard, he was caught red-handed by Guan Yunyun’s primary husband.

There was a commotion about wanting to scar the face of this shameless seducer and expel him from North Ring County.

Guan Yunyun’s primary husband, Chen Nianci, had a noble status. He was the eldest son of a concubine from the Yong’an Marquis Manor in Jinling. If it weren’t for his foolish desire to scheme against the Zhen Nan Wang, his prospects would never have been limited to marrying the second daughter of a county magistrate as the primary husband.

But even a lean camel is bigger than a horse. Even though Chen Nianci had a notorious reputation in the capital, in the small North Ring County, he still had a powerful family background. It would be all too easy for him to get rid of a lowly attendant who dared to seduce his wife-master.

Guan Yunyun had no choice. She probably loved Pei Yuanshao, whom she kept in the separate courtyard, too much. In order to keep her beloved attendant by her side safely and for a long time, she specially married him to a simple and honest farmer woman who was alone and could be controlled.

After all, he was her heart’s true love. Fearing that the original owner would take advantage of him, there was also this contract.

The only strange thing was that in her memory, there was no scene of coercion. The original owner had willingly pressed her handprint on it.

But when she tried to examine the reason more closely, the memories became chaotic again.

Liu Changning pursed her lips, a dark color flashing through her tea-colored eyes.

She raised her hand to tuck a falling strand of hair behind her ear. Unhurriedly taking two steps back to maintain a safe distance from the person in front of her, she then replied distantly, “It was that contract indeed. If you hadn’t mentioned it, my husband, I would have truly forgotten about it.”

Pei Yuanshao’s curved lips pressed down slightly. He stared at her calm expression, as if the matter had nothing to do with her, and once again felt a surge of loss of control. Today, this village woman was unfathomable.

He unconsciously rubbed the tear mole at the corner of his eye. The tear mole was pinched into a bright red color, alluring and tempting to pluck.

Liu Changning glanced at that eye-catching little particle, inconspicuously averting her gaze. She coughed lightly and said slowly, “I am merely a commoner. If I were to face Guan Yunyun in court, I would only end up being thrown into prison. However, even that would be more dignified than dealing with a useless, philandering husband like you. As a woman, although I come from a farming background, I still need to maintain some dignity this time. If you don’t change your bad habits, this divorce will be inevitable.”

After her harsh words, she carefully examined his expression again, only to see the person in front of her bursting with anger, his almond-shaped eyes almost spitting fire.

But even though he was furious, he showed no signs of storming off.

That look was clearly one of extreme anger, yet he forcibly suppressed it, swallowing his pride to face off with her.

A smile flashed through Liu Changning’s tea-colored eyes. Her expression softened considerably.

Although her words were so harsh at the moment, since that contract existed, the matter of divorcing her husband had to be put aside. After all, facing her cheap husband’s lover in court, not only did she have no chance of winning, but she would inevitably suffer the hardships of imprisonment if thrown into jail. She herself didn’t mind, but this body couldn’t withstand such prison torment.

He had his reasons for being her husband against his will, and she couldn’t directly fall out with him either.

Both of them had leverage over each other. She had spoken harshly first to see just how far he was willing to compromise on this matter.

The fact was: staying as her husband was very important to the person in front of her, important enough for him to swallow his pride and willingly make concessions.

Pei Yuanshao was shaking with anger. Since his rebirth, he had been scheming step by step, with everything under his control.

The enemy was in the dark, but he was even more hidden, holding all the advantages.

There were hardly any who could threaten him, yet today he was actually…by this ugly, poor, illiterate rough woman…

Laughing in extreme anger, he turned his eyes, which were as dark as black holes, cold as ice: “What do you want?”

Liu Changning looked up at the sound. She glanced at him indifferently, rarely curving her lips into a faint smile: “Let’s make three rules. You probably know that after yesterday’s brush with death, my mind isn’t working well, and I only want peace and quiet. Although I don’t know why you’re so insistent on not leaving, if you really don’t want to be divorced… I can’t stand commotion, and this early morning disturbance can’t happen a second time. This is the first rule.”

Liu Changning finished speaking and glanced at him sideways, seeing the person opposite gripping the red whip at his waist, restraining himself.

She grinned at him and continued to make demands without mercy: “You can rest assured, I have no more thoughts about you, and in the future, you don’t need to try to seduce me either. Of course, who you seduce, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my affairs, you can do as you please. We’ll keep to ourselves. How’s that?”

Give a stick, then offer a carrot – this was a new skill she had learned in her previous life as a white-collar worker.

As soon as these words were spoken, Pei Yuanshao’s expression visibly softened. He rubbed the red whip and raised his chin at her, saying coldly, “You’ve become quite clever?”

“Thank you for the compliment. After all, I almost died once, and although it wasn’t directly related to you, it was because of you. They say once bitten by a snake, one fears a rope for ten years. Being cautious of you will allow me to live long and prosper!”

Pei Yuanshao narrowed his eyes. The woman before him was different. Where was that honest, hardworking Liu Changning? Inside, she was clearly full of resentment.

He had a vague guess in his heart. If this person wasn’t like him, also reborn.

If so, everything could be explained. The same drastic change in personality after a life-and-death experience, a very familiar operation. The same changes as when he was reborn after falling from a horse.

Though doubts lingered in his heart, his facial expression didn’t show it. He raised his hand to rub the tear mole at the corner of his eye, gesturing for her to continue speaking. He would leave sooner or later anyway. Since she took the initiative to set rules, if they were reasonable, there was no harm in agreeing.

Liu Changning raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead again. This body had actually been emptied early on, and was now just an empty shell. After talking for a while, she was sweating profusely and utterly exhausted.

She leaned back in the wooden chair, resting her chin on her hands, and said faintly, “Since you have no objections, go cook the meal. I’m always fair, you need to share the housework with me. If you think it’s feasible, start with cooking!”

Liu Changning herself wasn’t good at cooking and disliked the smoke and oil, so this task could only be pushed onto the green tea bitch husband.

Pei Yuanshao: …

The anger that had just subsided was ignited again. In two lifetimes, no one had dared to manipulate him like this to his face.

Who would dare to imagine the Emperor Qing of the Golden Phoenix Dynasty cooking for a farmer?

His thin lips parted, ready to mock.

“You…”

Looking down, he met her indifferent eyes.

His heart skipped a beat. Such eyes that seemed to have seen through life and death, on this person’s face. It reminded him of the vicious criminals imprisoned for many years in the water prison in his previous life, who had seen through life and death and feared nothing. If he didn’t agree, that contract would probably mean nothing more to her than spending some time in prison.

And all of his calculations would be at risk of being exposed at any time!

At this critical moment, he couldn’t make a mistake!

Pei Yuanshao pinched his palm, forcing himself to calm down. His dark eyes stared fixedly at her, and after a long while, he finally swallowed his anger and said through gritted teeth, “Fine!”

Liu Changning smiled in response, her eyes softening slightly, and casually dismissed him, “It’s good that my husband understands. You may leave now. Your wife has been hungry for a day and now has no strength left to talk!”

The man in red stood by the wooden chair in the main hall, his face dark. As he lowered his head, his eyes were obscure.

He didn’t reply anymore and turned to walk out.

That direction was indeed the kitchen!

Liu Changning watched his figure grow distant, the corners of her lips curving upward. To deal with such a white lotus, being soft wouldn’t work. One must grasp his weakness to keep him in check.

Although she couldn’t drive him away, for the sake of peace in the days to come, she wasn’t afraid to confront him and teach him how to behave.

Liu Changning narrowed her eyes, and when she came back to her senses, her forehead was once again covered with fine beads of sweat. She irritably wiped away the sweat.

The original owner had left her nothing but a trouble-making husband and a body on the verge of collapse.

Liu Changning leaned sideways in the wooden chair, her callused hands rhythmically tapping her legs. She was planning in her mind whether she could try her luck on the back mountain tomorrow to find some medicinal herbs.

This body’s constitution urgently needed improvement, but all of the original owner’s possessions, apart from five copper coins, were almost nothing.

The house was also dilapidated. Although she could endure the shabby environment for a while, the original owner’s body couldn’t hold on. If the cold entered the body and it wasn’t treated soon, even if she had prescriptions, it would be beyond saving.

Thinking this way, tomorrow’s trip to the back mountain had to be put on the agenda.

As Liu Changning was pondering in the hall, suddenly black smoke billowed from the direction of the kitchen.

She narrowed her eyes, quickly stood up, and rushed out of the door.

***

I Regained My Memory the Day Before Marrying My Arch-enemy

Here I am again, introducing another novel from my reread list! Ya!!!

The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.

They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.

In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.

When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.

She makes his life a living hell.

And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.

Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!

Intro

Dong Xia lost her memory.

Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”

Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.

…

The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.

She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.

Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.

No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!

Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂

*

Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.

The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.

In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.

The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.

And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.

Notes:

1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.

2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.

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