Han Yuluo drank the sugar water before he said, "Brother, there is no problem with the house. But the supplies...you didnāt have to buy so much food. I can buy it myself."
When he heard his brotherās words, Han Yuheng didnāt think too deeply and replied, "Yuluo, the food shortage is very serious lately. Even if you have money and a coupon, you might not be able to buy any."
"Then, where did you get so much food, Brother?" Han Yuluo asked.
Leaning closer to his brother, Han Yuheng said in a low voice, "Actually, those grains were from the mountains."
Surprised by his brotherās words, Han Yuluo said, "Brother, did you go to the mountains? Donāt you know how dangerous the mountains are?"
Seeing his brotherās worries, Han Yuheng replied, "I know the risk, but we really had no other way to get enough food. I know my own strength, so I never go alone. I usually go to the mountain with Li Chenze and his brothers."
"They taught me how to lay traps to catch some wild animals. They also showed me the locations where I can forage for mushrooms, wild vegetables, fruits, and even grains. I also know where to fish."
After a moment of pause, he added, "Yuluo, after what happened with my daughter, Iām no longer the same person as before."
"I will never take bribes again and will do my best to provide and protect my family. Everything I have now was earned by my own hands at the risk of my life."
Han Yuluo went silent after he heard his brotherās words. He had always thought that his brother would never change for the better. But now, he had proved that he could change, and it was far from what he had expected.
Since the food was earned in an honest way, he would accept it. After he made up his mind, he no longer dwelt on that matter and said, "Brother, I need a recommendation letter from you to get my marriage certificate."
The moment Han Yuheng heard this, he nodded and said, "I will write one for you. By the way, who is the girl you are marrying? Why donāt you bring her over for a meal so your sister-in-law and I can get to know her?"
This time, Han Yuluo hesitated for a while before he said, "Brother, you know her."
"Oh? Is she from our village too?" Han Yuheng asked curiously.
Shaking his head, Han Yuluo replied, "Her name is Huang Yuanfeng. She lived in our village before."
As soon as he heard this name, a face flashed in Han Yuhengās mind. He looked at his brother in shock and asked in disbelief, "Yuluo, this girl is not the one Iām thinking of, right?"
Han Yuluo didnāt avoid his brotherās gaze and nodded.
Receiving his brotherās confirmation, Han Yuheng said, "Yuluo, how could you be so foolish? You know what happened to her back then. If you marry her, do you not want your reputation anymore?"
"Brother, you know she is the victim. How could you judge her just because of what happened back then?" Han Yuluo said with a frown.
"Donāt you know why she went to meet with that rogue? If not because she had bad intentions toward Lu Jueyu, would she have met with that mishap? That shows that her personality was bad!" Han Yuheng replied angrily.
Han Yuluo looked at his brother and said, "Brother, she is no longer the same person as before. Since you can change, why canāt she? You should at least give her a chance to prove herself before you judge her like this."
Unwilling to meet his brotherās gaze, Han Yuheng turned his head and said, "Even if she has changed her personality, with her bad reputation and broken body, she is not a good match for you."
"Brother, you canāt have such a double standard. You couldnāt keep yourself clean for my sister-in-law, so how could you demand that others do that?" Han Yuluo asked angrily.
Han Yuheng was stunned by his brotherās words. He looked at him for a long time before he said, "You... know?"
Lowering his head, Han Yuluo replied, "I know everything."
The living room suddenly fell into silence as the two of them were lost in their own thoughts.
After a while, Han Yuluo broke the silence as he said, "Brother, I know her well, and it will be me who will spend the rest of my life with her. So, whether you agree or not, I will marry Yuanfeng."
Han Yuheng was still unwilling to accept her marriage with his brother. His brother was good at everything. Why should he settle for someone imperfect?
"Yuluo, you have loved Jueyu for so many years. Are you sure that your feelings toward Huang Yuanfeng are real and not just because of your heartbreak in these past months?" he asked.
Han Yuluo looked at his brother in disbelief as he said, "Brother, what do you take me for? Am I someone who plays with other peopleās feelings?"
"I didnāt mean that," Han Yuheng said.
Taking a deep breath, Han Yuluo tried to calm his anger toward his brotherās offensive words and said, "Brother, Iām no longer a young boy. I did admire and like Jueyu before. But that was because she treated me well and we grew up together."
"Now that she has married a good man, and I have finally looked at the world without her, I realize that my feelings toward her were not as deep as I thought. I do like her, but itās a feeling toward a good friend. I no longer hold any affection between man and woman for her."
"Compared to my feelings toward Jueyu, my feelings toward Yuanfeng are different. I can live well even if I donāt end up with Jueyu, but without Yuanfeng, I wonāt be able to live at all. Brother, you should understand what I mean."
Hearing his brotherās words, how could Han Yuheng not understand? Isnāt that how his feelings toward his wife are when he is no longer under fateās control?