Xiaohua cried again and asked, "Do you...do you dislike me?"

"What do you dislike about me?"

"You think I'm too old-fashioned...you think I'm too feudal..." Xiaohua tried to hold back her tears, not wanting to cause Gu Huaisheng any trouble, but she couldn't control herself. "You...you're a high-achieving student who has returned from studying abroad, and I'm a woman from the old society...Gu Huaisheng, everything here is new, only I am old..."

I see.

She was afraid that she was not good enough for Gu Huaisheng.

This remark did make Gu Huaisheng laugh.

"So what if I'm a top student? So what if I'm a woman? Even if I return after completing my studies, I'm still in this mess."

He now understands that he should have listened to Ruan Jiaojiao and kept his distance from Shen Junmei.

Even if they don't care, the ignorant people in this village could drown him with a single spit from each of them.

A true man should be able to bend and stretch.

...But he was unwilling to accept it!

He didn't do anything wrong, so why should he have to suffer like this?

"Don't cry, go home. I'll break off the engagement tomorrow. I won't hold you back."

Gu Huaisheng said to Xiaohua.

Xiaohua was stunned.

"I...I won't go back. I'm your woman. I'll stay by your side and not go anywhere..."

Seeing Xiaohua's silly and dazed look, Gu Huaisheng became even more certain of his thoughts.

He can't be with Xiaohua; he'll be holding her back.

Because he knew he couldn't stay in the village at the foot of the mountain any longer.

But Xiaohua was too stubborn, and he couldn't get rid of her no matter what he did.

Gu Huaisheng started to think about giving up entirely, since he felt that all the new knowledge he had learned was useless and couldn't change the outdated thinking of the rural people.

So he deliberately scared Xiaohua—

"I can hit people, and I can really hurt them. Back in school, I was the school bully; nobody dared mess with me. If you marry me, I'll beat you every day, make you cry all the time, and leave you covered in bruises..."

"By the way, you know what I do. I need to curry favor with my superiors in the future. You look young, so I'll send you to other men's beds so you can get benefits for me!"

Gu Huaisheng went to great lengths to scare Xiaohua away.

However, although it was clear that Xiaohua was very scared, she did not run away.

After a moment's pause, she said, "No, it's alright. As long as it helps you, I'd be willing to give myself to a toad..."

Gu Huaisheng: "..."

What? What did you say?

I'm completely numb!

Gu Huaisheng had always looked down on feudal people, but he married a feudal woman for the sake of his family. Little did he know that this woman would fall deeply in love with him.

Gu Huaisheng rubbed his forehead.

He was utterly disappointed with this village at the foot of the mountain and planned to leave once he recovered.

He has already returned to take care of his parents, but they have broken his heart.

So he plans to never return here in his next life, and just send money to his parents every month.

If he's going to leave, he can't leave any burden behind.

He believed that one day he would scare Xiaohua away.

Since this tactic didn't work, he'd try another one—

"Fine, since you're so stubborn about following me, I'll reluctantly accept you. After all... who wouldn't want a woman who's offered herself up?"

Gu Huaisheng looked at Xiaohua with a mocking expression.

Xiaohua felt very sad from being stared at, but she still lowered her head and obediently agreed.

That night, Gu Huaisheng wouldn't let Xiaohua sleep, so he made her stand guard at the door.