It was at night, during dinner.
Yao Ying glanced at the silent young couple across from her, picked up a piece of pork rib and put it into Song Hengjue's bowl: "Qingheng knew you were coming back today, so she specially made steamed pork ribs with rice flour. Try it, it'll definitely be to your liking."
Song Hengjue paused, his hand holding the chopsticks still, and frowned as he looked in Yang Qingheng's direction: "You don't need to flatter me, even if..."
"Stop being so narcissistic. Who cooks for you?" Yang Qingheng sneered, giving Yao Ying a cold look with a clear warning in her eyes.
She said that the old lady insisted on making her buy ribs because she was waiting for her here.
Yao Ying touched her nose and guiltily looked away.
That brat! He had all the opportunities handed to him but didn't seize them. No wonder he hasn't been able to sleep in his own room even after being married for six months.
The more she thought about it, the sadder she felt. People her age were already grandmothers, but her two children showed no signs of pregnancy. Weren't they afraid of being laughed at?
He was the one who insisted on marrying her, and now he's the one who's never home. She should just die of anger.
Song Hengjue's expression froze for a moment, and he silently shut his mouth.
Just after finishing dinner, seeing her daughter-in-law go to take a shower, Yao Ying quickly pulled her son over and said, "Tonight I'm going to the fields with your Aunt Liu to keep watch. You can stay home, okay?"
Because of what happened with Song Jianguo last time, Yang Qingheng has been having nightmares every day or two. She has been taking calming medicine for several days, but it hasn't helped. With no one at home to keep her company, she probably won't be able to sleep tonight either.
In the village, each household takes turns keeping watch at night, so Song Hengjue had no doubts.
He wanted to refuse, but then he remembered that the woman had gotten involved with that scumbag Song Jianguo because of him, and his heart softened for a moment, and he couldn't say the words of refusal.
Having achieved her goal, Yao Ying happily ran off with the water bottle.
As night fell, Yang Qingheng lay dazed on the bed, her lips pale, cold sweat wetting the stray hairs on her forehead, muttering something to herself.
Hearing the noise inside the room, Song Hengjue called out twice but received no answer. He frowned, feeling uneasy, and took a screwdriver to remove the lock.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the woman lying safely in bed.
When he lit the oil lamp beside him, he noticed that the woman's lips were bleeding. Song Hengjue's heart skipped a beat, and he sighed. He resignedly approached and patted her back: "Yang Qingheng, wake up."
"No, go away, no, get out..." Yang Qingheng murmured, her breathing rapid, clearly having a nightmare.
Ignoring his discomfort, Song Hengjue pulled her into his arms and gently patted her back with his other hand, the movements as practiced as if he had rehearsed them a thousand times.
The woman in his arms finally quieted down, letting out a few soft sobs, and then she opened her eyes groggily.
In the dim candlelight, the man's face appeared especially gentle. Yang Qingheng blinked in confusion. Was she dreaming? Was this her past life?
She hesitated for a few seconds before tentatively asking, "Husband?"
Song Hengjue's expression changed, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He shoved her away and looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze: "Who taught you to call me that?"
Yang Qingheng's back slammed hard against the bed, and she couldn't help but gasp. Looking into Song Hengjue's clear eyes, which seemed to see through everything, she couldn't help but shiver.
In those days, people were simple and conservative, and they would call their husbands by their full names or simply say "so-and-so's man." There was no such thing as calling someone "husband," so it's no wonder he had that strange expression.
She quickly sat up: "I heard from a female classmate from another city that this is how they call it where they live. Is it not nice?"
"It sounds awful." Song Hengjue showed her no respect whatsoever.
Since he had just helped her, Yang Qingheng couldn't very well argue back, so she glared at him fiercely and remained silent.
I wonder who was the one who pestered her to call him that before, but now they seem to dislike it.
Seeing him turn and leave, Yang Qingheng looked at the pitch-black room and felt a little uneasy. She hugged her pillow and followed him out, saying, "Can't you sleep on the floor in the room? I'm scared."
"No." Song Hengjue said impatiently.
Yang Qingheng pouted and deliberately said, "Fine, I'll sleep by myself. Who told him to be such an ingrate? I stay home to take care of his elderly mother, and he's never home. That's bad enough, but he's also out there flirting with other women..."
Her words became increasingly outrageous, and a vein throbbed on Song Hengjue's forehead. He gritted his teeth and said, "Yang Qingheng, if you're not going to sleep, get out."
With a dark expression, he grabbed the blanket and went into the room.
Yang Qingheng was satisfied, and just as she lay down, she heard a rapid knocking on the door.
"Brother Heng, something's happened."
Song Hengjue was startled. He quickly put on his shoes and ran out to open the door: "What is it?"
Erniu was about to speak when he saw Yang Qingheng behind him, and he awkwardly shut his mouth.
Yang Qingheng said discontentedly, "Why do you have to hide things from me? Song Hengjue, you haven't been cheating on me, have you?"
Erniu was startled and hurriedly waved his hands, saying, "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? My brother Heng isn't that kind of person."
"Shut up." Song Hengjue was anxious and his tone was harsh.
Yang Qingheng pouted and walked a little further away, only returning this way after they finished talking.
"I'm going out for a bit. You go back to sleep and lock the door." Without saying another word, Song Hengjue went back to get a package and ran outside.
Yang Qingheng's breath hitched: "No, you can't leave me alone at home. Wherever you go, take me with you."
She grabbed his arm like a leech, and no matter how hard Song Hengjue tried to shake her off, he couldn't.
His tone grew increasingly irritated: "Go sleep at Sister-in-law Sun's house for the night."
"How could I possibly disturb a couple's sleep in the middle of the night? Do I have no shame?" Yang Qingheng said angrily. If she went to Sister Sun's house to sleep tonight, who knows what would happen in the village tomorrow, that she and Song Hengjue had a fight in the middle of the night.
That Li Jiaoyan is probably very smug.
Song Hengjue, impatient, shoved her away, and Yang Qingheng leaned back, almost falling on her bottom.
He hesitated for a few seconds, then suddenly ran into the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, forcefully shoved it into her hand, and dragged her to the next room: "Yang Qingheng, I really have something urgent to do, don't be unreasonable."
Before she could react, she and Erniu ran off in a flash, leaving Yang Qingheng alone at Sister-in-law Sun's door, unsure whether to knock or not.
She cursed him in her heart, gritted her teeth, and gently knocked on the courtyard gate: "Sister-in-law! It's me, Qingheng."
A few seconds later, the room suddenly lit up, and Sister-in-law Sun rushed out with a kerosene lamp to open the door: "Qingheng, what happened to you..."
Upon seeing the kitchen knife in her hand, he trembled and instinctively took two steps back.
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