The improvement in Yi Xiaorou's mood after my afternoon of guidance had been noticeable, but that evening, a single video call caused a sharp reversal. Out of concern and curiosity for the Chief, I stood nearby, sneaking a look at the man on the screen. Well, he was handsome and stylish, but his entire demeanor was utterly infuriating.

I heard him say, "You surnamed Yi, don't say I didn't warn you. My father and grandfather want you home for dinner tomorrow night. Whether you come or not is up to you." Yi Xiaorou frowned, "I'm not in the capital right now.

Please explain to the two elders for me; we'll return another day to dine with them." "Call them yourself. I can't be bothered talking to them. Wait, who is that man behind you?

Well, well, Yi Xiaorou, I didn't realize you’d learned to keep a gigolo. No wonder you could endure two years without me sleeping with you—it was because you had some pretty boy on the side. Good boy, daring to put a cuckold's hat on Tan Tian’s head!

You’re asking for death! I’ve memorized your face. We’ll see how this plays out!" Damn it, half of my head had entered the video frame, and Tan Tian, Yi Xiaorou’s husband, had spotted me!

I was too careless; this was just adding fuel to the fire between the couple. More importantly, Tan Tian didn't look like a reasonable man; this was turning into a huge problem. I quickly tried to explain, "Uh, Chief's husband, you’ve misunderstood.

I’m just here doing odd jobs collecting medicinal herbs…" Without waiting for me to finish, Yi Xiaorou waved me to silence, "Zhao Qian, don't say another word. There's nothing between us that needs explaining. It’s him—changing women every few days, does he think I’m blind?

I just didn't want to expose it or cause embarrassment for his family." "Hmph, hah, hah, hah… You surnamed Yi, let’s drop the pretenses. Truthfully, I’m currently holding a beautiful girl, look how she is. Is her skin as fair as yours?

Look at how luscious her breasts are. Unlike you—just thinking about you gives me goosebumps!" The camera flipped, and a pair of snowy white, smooth ** appeared before Yi Xiaorou and me. A syrupy voice came from the phone: "Tan Tian, don't be like this.

She’s still your wife, after all. Hurry up and stop filming me, everyone will see!" Tan Tian on the other end sneered, "My wife? Does she have the standing to be my wife?

Look at that rusty mess she’s wearing! Could you sleep with a woman like that? She ruined my happy marriage, so I’ll make her live out her life in widowhood!

Look, she finally can’t hold it in anymore. I wonder if this pretty boy has made her **** yet? Come on, honey, let’s put on a show for them, teach them what real **** and real **** are!" Indecent moans and gasps drifted from the phone.

Yi Xiaorou’s face turned ashen, her hand gripping the phone trembling violently. Silence. Still silence.

I remembered a famous saying: either erupt in silence or die in silence. She had to hold on, or I would carry the guilt for the rest of my life. With a crisp smack, the advanced smartphone capable of video calls was smashed violently onto the floor by Yi Xiaorou.

"Waaaa… Tan Tian! You beast! You will regret this!" It was bad.

Yi Xiaorou was the type to erupt in silence. They might actually get a divorce. Good heavens, did I cause this?

Tan Tian will surely come after me! "Xiaorou Chief, please stop crying. I’m so sorry.

I didn't mean for my image to pop up on the screen. It’s my fault. Why don't you try explaining properly to your husband and ask him not to misunderstand us?" Yi Xiaorou waved me off through her tears, "Zhao Qian, this has nothing to do with you.

This was bound to happen between Tan Tian and me sooner or later. We are sacrifices of an alliance marriage. He’s been a playboy for ages, fooling around with countless women behind my back.

Before, I simply pretended not to see it. Now, I see no need to swallow my pride anymore. I want a divorce from him!" I’d seen these kinds of marriages, forged between families for specific purposes, in novels and on screen.

Usually, once such a twisted union was formed, it was nearly impossible to break free due to media and public opinion pressures. Yi Xiaorou’s background was clearly not ordinary, and Tan Tian, just based on his father, was formidable enough; now, with a distinguished grandfather, divorce was likely not going to be easy. "What happened?" Hua Qingqing pushed the door open and entered.

Yi Xiaorou cried and threw herself into Hua Qingqing’s arms, "Qingqing, Tan Tian has gone too far! He was brazenly fooling around with another woman right in front of me! I can't stand this life anymore; I want to completely sever all marital ties with him!" "Sister Rou, calm down.

Things between you two aren't as simple as they seem. Come, sit down, stop crying…" I pushed open the door and left the room. Ah, when will these grudges ever end?

I should just go where it’s cool. Fenfen, where did you two run off to! Before dinner, Number Ten came to discuss something with me.

"Brother Zhao, the Chief gave us an order: we absolutely must prepare wine for her at dinner. There isn't even a shop around here. Number Eleven asked around in the small town today; everyone is struggling just to meet basic needs, no one has spare cash for wine.

You’re more familiar with this place—can you think of a way?" It seemed Yi Xiaorou’s trauma was severe this time. The hope of curing her rust spots had suddenly vanished into thin air, and now her mismatched husband had escalated their conflict. No matter how high a woman’s rank is or how advanced the weapons she researches, she is ultimately a woman, and such matters inevitably bring sorrow and disappointment.

"Wine? Let me think… I have it. Dean Wu has a large jar of medicinal wine.

I’ll go fetch it; we can use that to tide us over for now." Number Ten sounded doubtful, "Medicinal wine? Will that work? The Chief’s body cannot tolerate the slightest mishap.

If something goes wrong, neither of us can bear the responsibility." "Brother Ten, you worry too much. If that wine can cure illness, how can it be undrinkable? Besides, in any major department store in the capital, they sell medicinal wine.

Have you ever heard of anyone getting sick from drinking it?" Number Ten nodded, "That’s true. Since we can’t find anything else, we’ll have to use it." "Oh, and Brother Ten, has that incident from the other day been investigated? We must avenge our fallen comrades!" Number Ten replied, "The five enemy agents who launched the missile were vaporized by our counter-missile.

As for the leak of information, we are conducting further investigations." I didn't want to probe too deeply; it’s often better to know less about certain matters. So, I bade farewell to Number Ten and scurried off to the pharmacy to haul Dean Wu’s precious jar of medicinal wine from the corner to my room. Heh heh, after we finish this jar tonight, I’ll ask someone from the county town to bring back some unrefined Baijiu, and I’ll quietly refill the jar when Dean Wu isn't looking.

That way, it’ll be completely unnoticed. Hua Qingqing didn't drink any alcohol, but Yi Xiaorou stubbornly pulled me in to drink with her. When a woman goes off the rails, there are absolutely no distinctions of status or class.

Watching Yi Xiaorou gulp down bowl after bowl terrified me, but she insisted I match her, one bowl for one of hers. "Zhao… Zhao Qian, right? You and Qingqing, remember this: when you marry in the future, never pay attention to that nonsense about matching social status.

Marry whomever you love; marry whomever you like. Don't end up like me, condemning yourself to a lifetime of pain." Hua Qingqing tried to take the bowl from Yi Xiaorou, "Sister Rou, you’re drunk. Let’s stop for today.

Rest early, and tomorrow when you wake up, everything will start anew." Yi Xiaorou’s face was flushed crimson, her body trembling slightly, like a delicate flower about to bloom. "Qingqing, can you leave me and Zhao Qian alone for a bit? He’s quite good at talking sense into people.

We’ll just chat." Hua Qingqing shot me a meaningful glance, signaling me not to let Yi Xiaorou drink any more. "Alright, I’ll go read in Dean Wu’s office for a while. You two talk." After Hua Qingqing left, Yi Xiaorou fell silent, picked up the jar, and poured herself another bowl of medicinal wine.

"Zhao Qian, have you ever been drunk?" I shook my head. I wasn't much of a drinker. Although I’d sometimes drunk to the point of splitting headaches out of necessity, I had never been so drunk as to sleep for days.

"Today, please get drunk with me once, okay? Qingqing is here, so she won't let me drink. That's why I sent her away.

I feel you are good at making women happy. Just let me be happy once today, okay?" "Okay, I'll drink first." I knew Yi Xiaorou wouldn't be able to stay sober today. Since there was only one jar of medicinal wine, I decided to rush to drink more myself, partly to fulfill Hua Qingqing’s silent request.

The jar used for brewing was made of unglazed clay, making it opaque, so I couldn't see the contents at the bottom. I had no idea what ingredients Dean Wu had mixed into the wine. However, the medicinal wine had a faint, fishy smell, and once it hit my stomach, it spread through my limbs and veins like a small, fiery red pepper.

It seemed Yi Xiaorou felt it too. Both of us became intensely hot, and our outer layers of clothing slipped off inadvertently. Yi Xiaorou’s figure was fiery hot, even more potent than the medicinal wine in this large bowl.

Her snow-white blouse couldn't contain her full bosom; her slender waist and curvaceous, upturned hips were all dangerously captivating to my eyes. The only regret was the mottled rust spots on her body. It was a pity I couldn't draw my own blood, or I truly wished I could help her with that.

"Zhao… Zhao Qian, are you really… a virgin?" Yi Xiaorou asked me, her face flushed, her speech slurred. I was already heavily intoxicated. I hadn't expected this aged medicinal wine to be so potent; my chest felt like it was ablaze with roaring flames.

"Yes… yes, I haven't been… handled by women like you yet. How about… you?" With a whoosh, a bowl of wine spilled onto her skin. Yi Xiaorou's body was already soft with intoxication, and she tumbled forward onto me.

"I… I haven't either. Isn't that ridiculous? I’ve been married for almost two… two years, and I’m still a virgin!

Zhao… Zhao Qian, tell me what’s wrong with me? It’s not my fault I have spots on my body, but why does he treat me like this? I want him to regret this, to regret it for his entire life!

Zhao Qian, hold me tight…" A sudden gust of wind blew out the small oil lamp, and a soft, warm, yielding mass suddenly filled my embrace. Then, a damp, hot red lip clumsily kissed my cheek. A warm, small hand slipped inside my trousers to find my treasure’s home.

Oh! The roaring flame pent up in my chest was finally about to erupt! All the blood in my body surged wildly like a giant python in a dark pine forest… A sharp, pained cry suddenly echoed in the quiet early winter night sky.

Hua Qingqing stood outside, sighing helplessly beneath the window ledge. "What shouldn't have happened has happened, Zhao Qian. You're going to have quite the trouble ahead…"