Chapter 35: Sowing Discord, Coming Clean

Sheng Zexi’s imposing presence was like a sword drawn from its sheath, instantly diminishing the momentum Wen Zhuqing had built up in his anger.

Wen Zhuqing knew he couldn’t go head-to-head with Sheng Zexi—a military officer whose background he knew nothing about.

But still...

“Comrade Officer, do you really trust Gu Jianing that much?”

“Back then, everyone in the village and the entire educated youth camp knew that Gu Jianing was chasing after me.”

“And now…”

“She only chose to marry you because you’re an officer with a background and status.”

“She’s a vain, calculating woman—are you really going to let her fool you?”

Wen Zhuqing knew that Gu Jianing was already married to Sheng Zexi, and there was nothing he could do about it for now.

But that was fine. He could still plant a seed of doubt in this Officer Sheng’s heart.

That way, if anything happened in the future, Sheng Zexi would naturally start to suspect Gu Jianing.

If he had to suffer, then Gu Jianing shouldn’t think she could have it easy either.

But just as he finished speaking, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He staggered back several steps and collapsed to the ground.

When he finally realized what had happened, he saw that Sheng Zexi had actually kicked him—hard.

That kick was ruthless, with no mercy at all.

In truth, Sheng Zexi had already held back. If he’d used his full strength, Wen Zhuqing’s internal organs might have shifted out of place.

“You…” Wen Zhuqing gritted his teeth, clutching his chest in pain, his face twisted. He was just about to speak when Sheng Zexi leaned in.

He bent down, grabbed Wen Zhuqing by the collar, and half-lifted him off the ground.

“Who do you think you are? Do you think you have any right to meddle in my business with Ningning?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, thinking you’re the smartest person in the world. Don’t assume no one sees through your little schemes. Whatever you were thinking before, Ningning is my wife now. You’d better give up on all those messy ideas you had.”

“Otherwise…”

Sheng Zexi’s deep eyes narrowed, a hint of menace in them.

He leaned in close and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You know, people who meddle too much sometimes end up getting beaten up in a sack.”

“You sure you’re not forgetting the pain of your last beating, now that your wounds have healed?”

With that, Sheng Zexi let go, dusted off his hands, and took Gu Jianing’s hand to leave.

As they passed Wen Zhuqing, Gu Jianing looked at him with wide, innocent eyes and said something that nearly made him cough up blood.

“Comrade Wen, I really don’t know anything about the note or the handkerchief you mentioned. Please don’t wrong me.”

Then she turned to Sheng Zexi and said, “Brother Sheng, let’s go.”

Lying on the ground, Wen Zhuqing watched as Sheng Zexi and Gu Jianing walked away hand in hand, his face dark as thunder.

So, it turned out that one of the two times he’d been beaten that day, it had actually been Sheng Zexi.

This man had been watching him all along.

The reason he’d been beaten that day was probably because Gu Jianing had jumped into the river for his sake.

Sheng Zexi really did care deeply for Gu Jianing.

Unfortunately, even now that he knew, there was nothing he could do about it.

He’d only managed to land himself in an even worse situation.

But that was fine—one day, he’d turn things around!

“Comrade Wen, let me help you up.” Zhao Weihong and the other educated youths, feeling sorry for Wen Zhuqing, hurried over to help him back to the camp.

Li Juan, on the other hand, didn’t move.

She was feeling frustrated herself. She didn’t know whether Wen Zhuqing or Bao Shanyan was the one scheming, but she did know that once Wen Zhuqing agreed to marry into the Bao family, there was no hope for the two of them.

She’d just told Wen Zhuqing that they were the same kind of people, and now…

Forget it. She’d have to give up on Wen Zhuqing and start looking for someone else.

She was unwilling, but Li Juan had always known how to weigh her options.

—

After walking a while hand in hand, Gu Jianing and Sheng Zexi let go.

Even though they were legally married, in this conservative era, it was best to be careful in public.

Sheng Zexi knew this, though he was reluctant to let go.

His palm still lingered with the soft touch of her hand, making him reluctant to part.

But Sheng Zexi told himself there was no rush—they could take things slow.

Gu Jianing stopped, tapping her toes nervously, head lowered. After a long pause, she finally looked up and asked, “Brother Sheng, don’t you have anything you want to ask me? What do you think about what just happened?”

Sheng Zexi didn’t seem concerned about what had just happened. Instead, he cared more about how she addressed him, sounding a little aggrieved. “Ningning, we’re married now. Don’t you think it’s time to call me something else?”

“If you keep calling me ‘Brother Sheng,’ people might think you’re my little sister.”

She was his precious wife, not his sister!

Gu Jianing couldn’t help but laugh. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Then… how about I call you Xi-ge?”

She was only teasing, but Sheng Zexi’s eyes lit up and he agreed immediately, “That’s perfect. I like it.”

Gu Jianing covered her mouth, laughing. She couldn’t call him ‘Brother Sheng,’ but ‘Xi-ge’ was fine? Wasn’t it still ‘ge’ (brother) in the end?

“Ningning, call me Xi-ge again.”

“Xi-ge, Xi-ge, Xi-ge…” Gu Jianing called out several times in a row, her voice soft and sweet, almost as if she were calling for her lover.

Thinking that, her cheeks flushed.

Sheng Zexi, his eyes full of tenderness and joy, quickly changed the subject to spare her embarrassment. “Whether it’s about the past or now, I won’t ask.”

“If you did something, I trust you had your reasons.”

“You silly girl, you may be a little willful and spoiled, but I know you’re not a bad person. You’d never hurt anyone on purpose.”

His earnest gaze and unwavering trust made Gu Jianing’s heart skip a beat. She hadn’t expected Sheng Zexi to see her this way.

After what happened to her family in her previous life, Gu Jianing, reborn, had often wondered if she was just a selfish, bad person.

She’d even come to despise herself at times.

After all, even her decision to choose Sheng Zexi was less about love and more about escaping that scumbag Wen Zhuqing—and remembering how much Sheng Zexi had cared for her in her previous life.

There was definitely some selfishness in it.

Now, faced with Sheng Zexi’s open trust and high opinion of her, Gu Jianing felt a little ashamed.

She made a decision.

Taking a deep breath, she met Sheng Zexi’s eyes and, as if steeling herself, said, “Actually, Wen Zhuqing wasn’t lying.”

“Today was a setup that Bao Shanyan and I planned together.”

“In fact, I was the one who approached Bao Shanyan and suggested the whole thing.”

She’d been torn about whether to tell Sheng Zexi the truth.

She was worried, just as Wen Zhuqing had said, that Sheng Zexi might think she was scheming and manipulative.

But now, having finally said it, Gu Jianing felt a weight lift from her heart."