Chapter 22: The 1950s Scorned Wife (22)

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The 1950s Scorned Wife (22)

Zhu Yun’s face was cold. "How should I know what goes on in her head? But drunk people are strong. I’ve got the proof right here on my arm. And stop with your ’I think this, I think that.’ Who do you think you are?"

"The baby in Lin Jin’s belly isn’t mine. I didn’t provoke her or touch her, so you can’t pin this on me."

"I’m not done settling scores with you," she said, holding her hand out, palm up. "Hush money, compensation for emotional distress—eighteen hundred. Not a cent less."

"You think I’m a pushover? Dragging me into something this disgusting... If I don’t skin you alive, you’ll never learn your lesson."

"You... you..." Wang Xianbing ground out through clenched teeth. "Are you obsessed with money? Why should we give you anything? What did you lose?"

Just then, Chu Shenyu, who had been part of the background, spoke up softly, "She sacrificed herself for love."

Everyone in the room froze, turning to look at him, then back at the uncomfortable Zhu Yun.

"Shen Yu, what do you mean?" Aunt Tan didn’t understand and couldn’t help but ask.

Chu Shenyu himself had been stunned for a good while before he could process what had just happened. His face, however, remained as cool as ever. "My tea was drugged. When I was resting, I saw Chef Zhu come in with another female comrade."

"They didn’t see me, but I was still conscious at that point. I saw them shoving each other, each trying to push the other into the room."

"I don’t know why they struggled at the doorway for so long when the room was so dark. It seems they both knew full well what was waiting inside."

"Mmm, then I blacked out. Did I take a couple bites of a lion’s head meatball?"

Zhu Yun ground her teeth slightly and glared at him. "I’ll deal with you later!"

After speaking, she held her hand out to Wang Xianbing again. "See? I was just here to help cook and was kind enough to help someone rest, and I get framed and lose my innocence."

"Eighteen hundred. That happens to be the going rate for a betrothal gift around here."

Lin Jin’s eyes were red with rage. Her body suddenly went limp, and she fainted into Wang Xianbing’s arms.

Wang Xianbing hurriedly swept her up into his arms, not forgetting to snarl at Zhu Yun, "Impossible! This has nothing to do with you. You’re not getting any money from us!"

Zhu Yun just smiled. Her hand relaxed, and a dark shadow dropped onto Lin Jin.

"What is that?" Wang Xianbing froze.

Lin Jin also felt something small scurry onto her, RUSTLING and making her skin crawl and a cold sweat break out.

"Oh, a mouse," Zhu Yun shrugged. "My grip wasn’t tight enough. It got away."

The moment she heard "mouse," Lin Jin let out a shriek, nimbly leaped out of Wang Xianbing’s arms, and was at the door in two steps.

"Well, look at that. You didn’t faint after all. Just as expected from someone from an arts troupe. Your acting skills are incredible," Zhu Yun said with a TSK TSK.

Lin Jin’s face was pale with fright from the mouse. But as she met everyone’s gaze, this time she truly felt like fainting.

"Look, there’s the ’delicate pregnant woman’ you were talking about," Zhu Yun said, not forgetting to twist the knife in Wang Xianbing’s heart. "Hearing isn’t always believing, and seeing isn’t always the truth. Get a clue, Wang!"

"Eighteen hundred. Don’t make me waste my breath. You know me. I can definitely make you appreciate just how ’friendly and lovely’ this eighteen-hundred-yuan price tag is."

With that, she grabbed Chu Shenyu by the collar. "Let’s go. We need to get to the city hospital for a drug test while there’s still time."

But when she pulled him up, he was so tall that it looked more like she was the one dangling from him...

’A drug test again!’

Lin Jin leaned on the doorframe, clenching her teeth so hard they could have broken. "Fine. We’ll pay."

She swore to herself that from now on, she would just live her own life behind closed doors and never try to scheme against Zhu Yun again.

"A verbal promise means nothing. Write an IOU first," Zhu Yun said with a smile, not standing on ceremony. She pulled a pen directly from Chu Shenyu’s breast pocket. Before she could rummage further, he took a slightly unnatural half-step back and offered up a piece of paper.

Everyone in the room watched Zhu Yun’s brazen confidence, then glanced at Chu Shenyu’s cracked expression, unsure if this was a blessing or a curse.

Wang Xianbing pressed his lips together tightly. He glanced at Lin Jin, who was gripping the doorframe in resentment, and then lowered his head and scribbled out the IOU.

"Let Little Guo stay here for the night. You can come get her tomorrow morning," Sister-in-law Tan said. She didn’t want to host the girl, especially one with such impure intentions, but she was sound asleep after drinking at her house.

Wang Xianbing nodded and, with a stony face, led Lin Jin home.

This time, he didn’t support her carefully. He strode ahead, leaving Lin Jin to follow behind with small steps.

Soon, only Zhu Yun and Chu Shenyu were left in the room.

Chu Shenyu gave a low cough. "Aunt Li was right. A private settlement only treats the symptom, not the root cause."

"So?" Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow.

"We’re both unmarried. If Chef Zhu doesn’t have a suitable partner in mind, perhaps we should just get married."

"Given the conflict between you women, if you don’t marry me, I’m afraid even worse rumors will spread later. Your marriage prospects will surely be delayed indefinitely."

"And I don’t think you’ll find anyone better than me."

Zhu Yun looked at Chu Shenyu in astonishment. "Are you proposing to me? Is this just because of the accident? You really don’t have to. I don’t care about rumors. If anyone lets me hear one, I’ll just see it as another chance to make a windfall."

"I want a marriage to be based on multiple considerations, for two people who can walk hand-in-hand for life. I have no intention of swapping partners midway."

Chu Shenyu, also surprised, mimicked her raised eyebrow. "Coincidentally, I have no intention of swapping partners either."

"My name is Chu Shenyu. I’m twenty-six, a technician in the engineering department of the Bright Machinery Factory. My parents both work, I have an older sister and a younger brother who are both married, and there are no financial burdens on my family."

Zhu Yun pushed her face right up to his. "I just have one question for you. I’m not ugly, am I?"

Chu Shenyu looked at the backlit figure. He couldn’t quite see the contours of her face clearly, only her foxy eyes, which danced with a mischievous smile, and her lips, as pink and tender as candy.

He could smell the grassy, herbal scent on her. Though not as enticing as the aroma of meat from before, it had a comforting and soothing quality.

"Not ugly," he nodded. ’To be honest, I still haven’t gotten a good look at her face.’

The image of preserved egg tofu would occasionally pop into his mind. At least that made a deeper impression on him than other female comrades had.

"Deal. I agree," Zhu Yun said, nodding with a smile. She then placed a hand on his shoulder, gave his cheek a loud SMACK, and said, "There, it’s sealed. You’re my man from now on!"

Chu Shenyu’s whole body went rigid. The soft, warm touch felt surprisingly good. The heat he had just suppressed was beginning to flare up again.

"I’ll ask Aunt Zhao to come over tomorrow to formally propose marriage."

After saying that, he stood up and walked out the door, so stiff his arms and legs moved in unison. Behind him, the woman’s laughter was exceptionally cheerful, like a lark on a branch, bringing an involuntary sense of joy to one’s heart and soul.

A hint of a smile touched his cool expression. People say one’s handwriting reflects their character, but for him, a person’s cooking could also reveal their integrity.

To make food so delicious, the cook must be incredibly focused on their task to have so many fans. Chef Zhu couldn’t possibly be a mediocre person!