So, You’re the Henpecked One? 10

Chapter 10

A deeper sense of disappointment spread through her chest, a dull ache that made it hard to breathe.

She knew she was probably being too hasty. This was only their first day together, and they had no feelings for each other. But knowing that was one thing; hearing the rejection was another.

“Oh…”

Actually, being called Lin Zhao was fine too. Her mother had given her such a beautiful name, and hearing it from Chu Xihuan’s lips made it sound even more pleasant.

It was really fine.

Chu Xihuan sighed softly. “Calling you Zhaozhao, for some reason, makes me feel like I’m your elder. That’s why I can’t bring myself to say it.”

This one explanation brought Lin Zhao back to life. Her bright eyes, reflecting the candlelight, looked at Chu Xihuan, her dark pupils holding Chu Xihuan’s reflection. She nodded repeatedly. “Mm-hm, then you shouldn’t call me that. You’re my wife, not my elder.”

Chu Xihuan was taken aback, glanced at Lin Zhao, and in the end, said nothing more, lowering her head to continue drinking her porridge.

This person… was so simple she was easy to read. Everything was written on her face.

Lin Zhao didn’t know what Chu Xihuan was thinking, but she now felt that Chu Xihuan calling her by her name was super great! Especially great!

After they finished eating, Lin Zhao didn’t let Chu Xihuan lift a finger. She cleared the leftovers and took them to the kitchen, telling the maid who had come to help to go back and rest. After cleaning up, she returned to the room in a cheerful mood, only to see Chu Xihuan organizing the books she had brought with her.

Seeing her return, Chu Xihuan said casually, “Tomorrow, those people will all return to the Chu residence. They won’t be staying.”

Considering the complexity of her wedding, her family had sent some people to help her. But because they were still angry with her and wanted her to suffer a little so she would come to her senses, they naturally wouldn’t let those people stay and allow her to continue living the life of a young lady from the Chu family.

Hearing that those people wouldn’t be staying, Lin Zhao’s first reaction was, “Will you not be used to it?”

Chu Xihuan must have had many people waiting on her at home and was probably not used to a life where she had to do everything herself.

“Perhaps, but my family doesn’t approve of our marriage, so there’s nothing to be done. I’ll just have to get used to it,” Chu Xihuan said casually. She was not the type of sheltered young lady who would die without servants.

Lin Zhao pressed her lips together and said solemnly, “I will take good care of you! I will definitely not let you suffer or be wronged!”

She looked so serious, as if she were about to swear an oath to the heavens.

Chu Xihuan turned to look at her, a little amused. “Don’t speak so soon, and don’t make such grand promises. We’re about to go through a period of hardship.”

“Huh?” Lin Zhao looked at her blankly, not understanding what she meant.

“There’s no money left in the house. Won’t we have to suffer a bit?” Chu Xihuan chuckled. “I don’t have much of a dowry. Did you think I would have a large dowry, and that by marrying me, you would live a life free of worries?”

Since they didn’t want her to marry Lin Zhao, how could they possibly give her a large dowry to support this household? They would probably be struggling to make ends meet soon.

Hearing this, Lin Zhao’s eyes turned red with anxiety, and she frantically explained, “No! I never thought that!”

Her mindset was still stuck in her old ways of just feeding herself. That’s why she hadn’t reacted immediately.

What might be normal for her could truly be a hard life for Chu Xihuan.

Lin Zhao’s appearance, on the verge of tears, made Chu Xihuan a little amused. In private, this person showed no trace of a loafer, but was so obedient she seemed easy to bully.

“Alright, alright, I know you didn’t think that. So you need to be mentally prepared for the days to come.”

“I know,” Lin Zhao sniffled, her voice a little muffled. She felt a little wronged, hurt that Chu Xihuan had lumped her in with those scumbags who coveted their wives’ private property.

Although she had been a bit of a scoundrel in the past, she had never thought of finding a wife to leech off of.

Chu Xihuan didn’t comfort her. Instead, she took out a book and said, “You can start learning to read with the Three Character Classic.”

Fortunately, Chu Xihuan had brought all her books with her. Otherwise, teaching would not have been so convenient.

Lin Zhao glanced at the book, a little annoyed. “Didn’t you also say I had to find work today?” she said sullenly. “Am I supposed to work or learn to read?”

In just one day, Lin Zhao felt like she was being pulled in so many directions she didn’t know which way to go.

“Are these two things mutually exclusive?” Chu Xihuan looked at Lin Zhao, confused. “You can go out and find work, and when you’re done, you can continue learning to read, can’t you?”

Lin Zhao was dumbfounded.

Chu Xihuan didn’t think there was anything wrong with this arrangement; in fact, she thought it was very reasonable.

Seeing Chu Xihuan’s confident expression, Lin Zhao felt a little guilty and apprehensive. “Then, what if I can’t find work and I can’t learn well?”

She knew finding work would be difficult for her, and learning to read was also a problem.

Her parents had passed away when she was six. Although her memories from before that were not very clear, she vaguely remembered her mother sending her to school.

It seemed… the results were not ideal.

Lin Zhao felt even more guilty. Her mother seemed to have been called in by the teacher for a talking-to quite a few times.

Chu Xihuan fell silent.

“A person can’t be bad at everything, can they?” Chu Xihuan asked in a slightly perplexed tone. If you couldn’t do a single thing well, what were you but useless?

Lin Zhao fell silent.

Seeing her like that, Chu Xihuan sighed softly, understanding that this person’s foundation was too poor and that she might need strict guidance. “Don’t overthink it. Just do it first.”

“When it’s light out, you go find work. I’ll handle the aftermath of the wedding banquet at home and also plan how to teach you to read.”

At Lin Zhao’s age, it was impossible to send her back to school. Not to mention that they had to be frugal with their money now. How could they spend such a sum on this?

“Oh…” Lin Zhao replied. She could have slept a little longer at this time, but Chu Xihuan’s words had scared away all her sleepiness, leaving only anxiety.

What if I really can’t do a single thing well?

“Can I go to the casino?” Lin Zhao asked cautiously. Since the family was so short on money now, if she went to the casino and got a little, it should be able to last them for a while, right?

However, as soon as Lin Zhao’s words fell, Chu Xihuan’s expression turned cold. She looked at Lin Zhao coldly. “What do you think?”

Even the first time she had caught her cheating at the casino, Chu Xihuan’s expression had not been like this. Lin Zhao was frozen by her icy gaze, unable to even utter an apology.

This Chu Xihuan… made her too nervous.

“I don’t like gamblers. Even if you say you’re not really addicted, I still don’t like it,” Chu Xihuan said coldly. “If you set foot in a casino again, we will divorce.”

Chu Xihuan had seen too many gamblers become unrecognizable. She didn’t want Lin Zhao to become like that. Not to mention she also cheated. If she was caught by the casino, would she even have her life?

Lin Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, and she panicked.

“I won’t! I won’t set foot in a casino again, and I won’t say such things again. Let’s not get a divorce…”

Lin Zhao’s eyes were already a little red.

She had finally met someone who didn’t mind her past and was willing to live a life with her…

Hearing her promise, Chu Xihuan’s expression softened a little. “As long as you don’t cross my bottom line, I naturally won’t talk about divorce.”

Lin Zhao sniffled. “Mm, I won’t.”

She was back to being as obedient as a ball of dough.

Looking at her like this, Chu Xihuan worried that she would be bullied one day. But before she married her, she had clearly been the one doing the bullying.

Chu Xihuan held the Three Character Classic in her hand and gestured for Lin Zhao to sit opposite her. “What’s your foundation like? Have you ever been to school before?”

Lin Zhao sat down obediently, cleared her throat, and didn’t dare to look at Chu Xihuan.

“For one year…”

“Oh?” Chu Xihuan’s eyes lit up slightly. So she had some foundation. That would make teaching easier.

“But it’s as if I never went,” Lin Zhao added, steeling herself.

Chu Xihuan: “?”

She looked at Lin Zhao, confused.

Lin Zhao pouted and said weakly, “I was quite mischievous back then and never really settled down to listen in class.”

At that time, both her parents were alive and doted on her, so she was a bit spoiled and mischievous, always thinking that no matter what happened, her mother would be there to solve it.

Chu Xihuan was speechless.

She sighed deeply and said resignedly, “Forget it. It was so long ago. Even if you had listened carefully, you might not remember it now.”

Lin Zhao snorted softly and turned her head away, feeling that Chu Xihuan was looking down on her. After all, she hadn’t listened carefully. Who’s to say it would be as Chu Xihuan said if she had?

“Go to sleep. Get some more rest so you can go out and find work in the morning.” Chu Xihuan glanced at Lin Zhao, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Her defiance was practically written on her face.

“Oh…”

Lin Zhao also felt a vague sense of anxiety.

Given Chu Xihuan’s usual standard of living, she definitely wouldn’t be able to make do with just a bowl of plain porridge or coarse grain porridge when she was hungry. But if she wanted fine food…

Lin Zhao felt like her world was about to collapse.

How many jobs would she have to find to support her!

Lying in bed, Lin Zhao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. This was probably the downside of marrying a young lady from a prominent family!

Lin Zhao was already regretting why she had been a loafer in the past, leading to her being unable to support her wife now.

**

Author’s Note:

Zhaozhao: Crying