My Wife, So Fierce! - Chapter 2

Zheng Yao was in an awful mood. Hearing that address of “sister,” her expression instantly darkened. “Don’t call me sister. I’m an only child, I don’t have a little sister as old as you.”

Though it was entirely possible.

She vaguely remembered that when she was five or six, Bai Yuanzhu had been away from home for a long time. Maybe she really had been on a business trip or maybe she had secretly hidden away to give birth to Shen Baiyi.

Who knew?

After all, Bai Yuanzhu’s pre-written will had clearly included Shen Baiyi’s name. Who in their right mind would willingly divide their inheritance between their partner and their ex’s daughter?

Bai Yuanzhu wasn’t that generous.

And Shen Baiyi’s name was suspiciously meaningful too.

Shen Sanguang.
Bai Yuanzhu.

Yi, harmonious home?

Wasn’t that just the embodiment of their shared hopes? A peaceful family, a harmonious marriage.

Besides, Shen Baiyi was far too beautiful nothing like anyone from this village. Zheng Yao almost didn’t dare to think too deeply about whether there were any similarities between her own appearance and Shen Baiyi’s.

The girl in front of her looked wounded by her earlier words, two clear trails of tears falling as she choked out, “I… I’m sorry.”

“…”

Shen Baiyi was even still holding a mop, her delicate face filled with panic and distress, her dark eyes brimming with silent tears that streamed down unchecked.

Zheng Yao fell silent.

Did she have to look so pitiful?

It made Zheng Yao seem like some kind of villain bullying a child.

Even if that was more or less the truth.

No matter. Once the funeral was over, she’d leave immediately. Forcing herself to harden her heart, she averted her gaze and walked past Shen Baiyi with a stern expression, stepping into the now-cleaned room.

“I’ll be up at seven tomorrow sharp. Don’t disturb me at any other time.”

With that, Zheng Yao unceremoniously shut the door.

She loathed the Shen family. If possible, she’d never interact with them again in her life.

Unfortunately, the world was full of surprises.

A cold gust blew in through the open window, making Zheng Yao shiver instinctively. She wrapped her arms around herself and turned to walk further inside.

She’d left in such a hurry that she hadn’t accounted for the drastic temperature difference between the mountains and the city. Her clothes were too thin, and now she was the one suffering.

But the faint scent lingering in the room kept teasing her senses.

After hesitating for a long moment, Zheng Yao finally closed the window.

No point in holding a grudge against a woman who was already ashes.

Bai Yuanzhu had been someone who knew how to enjoy life. Though the room wasn’t large, it had everything one could need even a fresh bouquet of flowers on the table, not yet wilted.

Sitting in the rattan chair, she stared at it for a while before pulling out her phone from her bag.

Unfortunately, no matter how well-decorated, this was still the middle of nowhere. The signal was abysmal, and none of the images her assistant had sent would load.

Zheng Yao had no choice but to message them about her current situation.

Whether they hadn’t seen it or the signal was just that terrible, she waited for a long time without a reply.

Instead, there was a knock at the door.

Timid, as if afraid to knock too loudly.

Her brows furrowed. Hadn’t she just said not to disturb her? Then she thought of Shen Baiyi’s red, swollen eyes, and her resolve to ignore it wavered.

If she didn’t answer, the knocking might go on forever and it would only annoy her more.

Fine.

Zheng Yao pinched the bridge of her nose and got up to open the door.

Of course, opening the door didn’t mean she would be friendly.

“What is it?”

Her tone was hostile, thick with impatience.

But when her gaze swept over, her expression froze slightly. Shen Baiyi’s face still bore traces of dried tears, and her dark eyes reflected Zheng Yao’s own fierce, scowling face.

It was a version of herself she didn’t recognize.

Steam rose in wisps.

Shen Baiyi extended the bowl of steaming noodles toward her, her voice low and hoarse: “Miss Zheng, you haven’t had dinner yet.”

This time, she didn’t call her “sister.”

But that only made her seem even more pitiful.

The warm mist swirled between them, blurring Shen Baiyi’s delicate, doll-like face.

Zheng Yao lowered her eyes, staring at the bowl of noodles.

It wasn’t just noodles there were plenty of vegetables too, making it look appetizing. The aroma was rich, and her stomach growled almost instantly in response.

But she had no intention of accepting any kindness from the Shen family.

Especially not from Shen Baiyi.

Keeping her expression cold, she replied stiffly, “I don’t need it. Don’t disturb me again.”

With that, she slammed the door shut.

She had already resolved not to take a single grain from the Shen family, so her suitcase was packed with food.

After eating two bread rolls, her stomach was full, but the scent of those noodles lingered in the air, refusing to fade.

After holding out for a while, Zheng Yao finally gave in and opened the window.

Outside was the courtyard.

Her gaze instinctively lingered when she spotted the small figure crouched under the eaves, scrubbing clothes. Her eyesight was sharp, she immediately recognized her own clothes among them.

Her expression darkened, and she strode out the door.

Standing in front of Shen Baiyi, she suppressed her anger and demanded, “Who told you to touch my clothes?”

Shen Baiyi seemed startled, the clothes slipping from her hands and splashing back into the water. She scrambled to her feet but swayed slightly, as if she might collapse.

Without thinking, Zheng Yao reached out to steady her.

But the moment she gripped that slender arm, she was shocked. It was so thin, it felt like it could snap with the slightest pressure. Before she could react, her fingers tightened involuntarily, giving it a slight squeeze.

The next second, Shen Baiyi sucked in a sharp breath, shrinking back as if in pain.

Zheng Yao stiffened and immediately let go.

Her gaze dropped, landing on Shen Baiyi’s exposed forearm, and she froze again.

Under the dim yellow light, Shen Baiyi’s skin was pale as jade, marred by bruises in shades of blue and purple stark and jarring.

Before she could take a closer look, Shen Baiyi hastily pulled down her sleeve, clasping her hands together nervously. She hung her head like a child caught misbehaving. “S-sorry.”

Zheng Yao pressed her lips together, silent.

She didn’t know much about the Shen family. She only knew that Shen Sanguang had lost both parents young and was raised by his uncle. During college, he met Bai Yuanzhu.

Bai Yuanzhu was also orphaned early, and the two bonded over their shared grief, quickly becoming a couple.

They broke up after graduation. Later, Bai Yuanzhu met Zheng Yao’s father, married him, and had her.

Shen Sanguang never married. After having Shen Baiyi, he raised her alone.

As for how he and Bai Yuanzhu reconnected later, Zheng Yao didn’t dwell on it. Remembering Shen Sanguang’s burly, imposing figure, she frowned slightly.

Looking so foolish yet still lingering in Bai Yuanzhu’s thoughts could he really still be an abusive man?

Shen Baiyi in front of her was still stammering an explanation: “I saw Miss Zheng’s clothes were dirty and wanted to help wash them. I didn’t mean anything else.”

Hearing this, Zheng Yao forcibly suppressed all her thoughts and said sternly, “My things are none of your concern.”

As she spoke, she fished the clothes out of the water.

On top was her underwear. The thought of this pale green fabric being scrubbed in Shen Baiyi’s hands made her face burn. Without caring that the clothes were still dripping, she tossed them all into a nearby trash bin.

Turning around and seeing Shen Baiyi hesitating nearby, she decided to make things clear: “I’m only here to handle Madam Bai’s funeral arrangements, not to cozy up to your family.”

It was almost laughable. Bai Yuanzhu had run off with Shen Sanguang for so many years without ever registering their marriage. They had finally decided to go to the civil affairs bureau to formalize it, only to meet with tragedy. In the end, they died without ever becoming legally married.

The Shen family only had Shen Baiyi, barely eighteen, just a kid. How could he possibly handle funeral arrangements properly?

She had shared over a decade of mother-daughter bond with Bai Yuanzhu, so of course she couldn’t just stand by.

But the thought of Bai Yuanzhu’s ashes being mixed with Shen Sanguang’s made her sick to her stomach.

Her father had clung to the delusion on his deathbed that he and Bai Yuanzhu would rest in the same cemetery. Little did he know that Bai Yuanzhu and Shen Sanguang would remain inseparable even in death, each a part of the other.

Thinking of her poor, deluded father, Zheng Yao’s expression darkened. Ignoring Shen Baiyi’s pale face, she continued coldly, “Stay out of my business. Understood?”

“Understood.” Shen Baiyi’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum.

Zheng Yao simply turned away with a cold expression and returned to her room.

That night was rough for Zheng Yao.

The remote countryside had little to offer, but mosquitoes were in abundance. She had left the window open too long, and the light in the room had attracted swarms of insects.

She had come in too much of a hurry, bringing only a change of clothes and some food, no insect repellent.

Having already spoken harshly to Shen Baiyi, Zheng Yao couldn’t bring herself to ask him for mosquito coils. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and endure the night.

The ordeal left her barely any sleep. The mountain mosquitoes were fiercer than those outside, leaving her covered in large, red bites.

Just as she managed to drift into a hazy sleep, the commotion outside woke her.

Grabbing her phone, she saw it was only 6:30 a.m. her alarm hadn’t even gone off yet but the noise outside grew louder and more chaotic.

The shrill voices were unbearable.

Zheng Yao got out of bed with a cold expression.

She didn’t rush out immediately. Only after tidying herself up did, she open the door and step outside. Coincidentally, the commotion was happening right in the main hall, and she came face-to-face with the group as soon as she opened the door.

The pitiful boy from last night was outnumbered, pinned to the table, struggling uselessly.

The intruders clearly hadn’t expected anyone else to be there. They froze, their expressions still twisted with aggression.

Zheng Yao hadn’t expected the scene outside to be so intense.

After a brief moment of shock, she calmly pulled out her phone and started recording their faces.

“In broad daylight, with justice watching, you dare break in to rob and assault?” she said coolly, then pretended to dial. “I’m calling the police.”

The leading man’s expression changed, and he immediately stepped forward to snatch the phone: “Hey! What nonsense are you talking about!”

Zheng Yao took a step back, her gaze cold and piercing: “Try laying a finger on me.”

Support