Volume One, Chapter 6: Something Went Wrong at Home

Shu Ya frowned in annoyance.

Even after blocking Fu Yichen, she still could not escape the man coming all the way home to point his finger in her face and berate her.

Perhaps this was the retribution for marrying the wrong person.

Shu Ya took a deep breath and looked up, her eyes reflecting the cold, icy light of the crystal chandelier.

"I did nothing wrong, and I will absolutely not apologize."

Fu Yichen reacted violently to these words. Standing before her, the veins on his forehead bulging, he shouted, "Shu Ya, you spent over two million on tea, and you hit Qingzhu! How do you have the gall to say you did nothing wrong!"

Shu Ya spoke in a low, heavy tone, "She was the one who swiped the card for those two million. I hit her because she attacked me first. What, is she allowed to strike, but I’m not allowed to strike back?"

Fu Yichen said decisively, "That’s impossible!"

"Qingzhu is not that kind of person!"

Shu Ya laughed out loud.

"Am I that kind of person, then?"

Fu Yichen glared at her fiercely. "You are!"

"You are selfish, cold-hearted, cunning, lazy, and gluttonous! Qingzhu is so kind; she even feeds the stray cats in the neighborhood. Why would she ever lay a hand on you? But you—you are morally bankrupt. I’m not at all surprised that you attacked her!"

Shu Ya felt as if she had been nailed to the spot.

A chill seeped from her head to her toes, leaving her almost hypothermic.

She wasn't angry. She only felt sorrow for herself.

How much had she sacrificed for this family over the years? She handled everything at home, helped Fu Yichen with his social obligations, and even endured it when he was being intimate with Shen Qingzhu during her pregnancy.

She had never hurt anyone intentionally. Yet, she was being pointed at and berated by Fu Yichen as selfish, cold-hearted, and morally corrupt.

Shu Ya stood up in a fit of rage, raised her hand, and struck Fu Yichen across the face.

*Slap.*

A crisp sound echoed.

Shu Ya pointed angrily at the front door. "Get out!"

Fu Yichen clutched his face, his expression filled with disbelief. "Shu Ya, how dare you hit me! Have you lost your mind?"

He reached out, intending to hit her back.

Shu Ya did not dodge or retreat; she even tilted her chin up defiantly.

"Go ahead and try. I will absolutely make sure you’re the headline on tomorrow’s social news. 'President of D&R Company commits domestic violence against his long-suffering wife.' Tell me, how far will your stock price plummet after that?"

Fu Yichen’s hand froze in mid-air.

He didn't dare strike.

They both stared at each other with intense loathing. In the moment their gazes collided, the only emotion they revealed was disgust.

After a long silence, Fu Yichen withdrew his hand. Remembering something, he exhaled and said in a sinister tone, "Shu Ya, I will definitely make you kneel before me and repent for your crimes today!"

Shu Ya did not yield an inch. "Save that line for yourself!"

Fu Yichen said "Fine" three times, gave her a deep, chilling look, and turned to leave.

After Fu Yichen left, Shu Ya took a moment to compose herself.

Two minutes later, she calmed down. It wasn't worth getting angry over scum like Fu Yichen. She went back to her room, washed up, and went to bed.

The next morning, she took Nannan to school on time.

The warm autumn sun was rising. At the kindergarten gate, Nannan, wearing a small purple backpack, smiled like a sunflower. "Mommy, you can go back now. Baby has to go to class."

Shu Ya’s expression softened. "Go ahead, baby."

Nannan turned and scurried toward the teaching building, her footsteps pattering against the pavement in the morning sun.

Seeing this healing sight, Shu Ya’s heart melted.

Only after Nannan disappeared into the building did she turn her gaze away. Just as she was about to hail a taxi, her phone rang.

Shu Ya took out her phone and checked the caller ID.

It was her aunt.

She had a very close relationship with her aunt, and after her parents passed away, she considered her aunt her only source of support.

Shu Ya answered with a smile. "Hello, Auntie."

A sobbing voice came from the other end. "Xiao Ya, please help us..."

Shu Ya’s fingers tightened. "What happened?"

Her aunt, Shu Fen, wailed, "We contracted over a hundred acres of land this year to grow herbs, and we invested all our savings into it! Buying seedlings, fertilizer, renting equipment, labor costs—everything added up, and we're buried in debt! But today, the buyer said they wouldn't purchase the village's herbs anymore."

"They said it was the boss’s orders."

"Isn't their boss your husband? Xiao Ya, go ask your husband if there’s some kind of misunderstanding! If these herbs don't sell, we can't recover the costs, and the creditors will literally drive me to my death!!!"

Shu Ya felt her blood run cold.

Her hometown in Nancheng had a pleasant climate, perfect for growing herbs and flowers. It just so happened that Fu Yichen owned a cosmetics company that required a long-term supply of these materials, so she had bridged the gap to benefit both sides.

In her past life, until the day she died, Fu Yichen never messed with the raw materials to spite her family. This time, her resistance must have angered him, and he was using this to warn her—

Dare to resist? This is your retribution!

An indescribable rage surged through her.

Why must she be submissive? Why could she not fight back? Did he expect her to just stand by and watch Nannan get killed like in her past life before he was satisfied?

And he was using her relatives to threaten her!

How shameless!

Shu Ya felt the metallic taste of blood in her throat from the intensity of her hatred. She restrained her emotions, not wanting to show her distress to her aunt, and took a deep breath before speaking calmly.

"Auntie, don't worry. Let me go handle this."

Shu Fen hurried to say, "Okay, okay, I’ll wait for you to fix it."

The call ended.

Shu Ya’s face grew dark.

She hailed a cab on the street and headed to Fu Yichen’s company.

Half an hour later, she pushed open the door to Fu Yichen’s office.

Fu Yichen was reviewing documents. Seeing her arrive, he closed the folder, sat back in his black chair with his legs crossed, and offered a sinister smile.

Shu Ya asked directly, "Did you terminate the contract with my hometown?"

Fu Yichen narrowed his eyes. "Yes."

Shu Ya took a deep breath. "Even if you want to hold something over me, why drag so many innocent people into this? Terminating the contract brings you no benefit."

Fu Yichen acted as if he had heard something ridiculous. "No benefit to me? You're wrong. At the same time I terminated your contract, I signed a new one with the neighboring village. Their herb prices are half of yours. Choosing them actually earns me more money!"

Shu Ya’s pupils constricted slightly.

So fast...

However, Shu Ya frowned and countered, "It’s not the same. Their herbs have only been planted for four years, while ours have been growing for seven. Ours are higher quality, more potent, and have a better fragrance. They can't compare. If you use their raw materials, the quality of your perfume will inevitably drop."

Fu Yichen leaned back in his chair, swinging his leg, looking at her angry face with careless, arrogant enjoyment. He laughed brazenly.

"So what? Those idiots who buy the perfume won't be able to tell the difference. More importantly, I can make you lose money—and that is worth it!"