The Foolish Wife Turned Scheming After Her Recovery - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Buried Her Face Between Her Legs Early in the Morning…

When Yu Yao was young, although her family wasn’t exactly wealthy, they were doing okay. Her father, Yu Zhujun, was a driver at a state-owned company, and her mother, Yu Xiulan, worked as a supervisor in a hotel.

Usually, her grandparents took care of her. Though her grandfather was biased toward boys and didn’t really like her, he never mistreated her. Her grandmother pitied her and would often secretly dote on her.

Everything changed when Yu Yao turned five. That year, her grandfather passed away, and during the three-day funeral, Yu Zhujun picked up a gambling habit. Soon after, he also got addicted to alcohol while gambling with others.

When he got drunk, he would throw violent tantrums and smash things. Though Grandma could still keep him in check and he didn’t dare hit anyone at home, that didn’t last.

One day, Yu Xiulan came home from an early shift, and Yu Zhujun slapped her as soon as she walked through the door. He hit her while yelling that she was being indecent and flirting with guests at the hotel.

At first, Yu Xiulan dared to fight back. But over time, Yu Zhujun’s beatings became more and more violent, to the point that even Grandma couldn’t stop him anymore.

Left with no choice and threatened by Yu Zhujun, Yu Xiulan quit her job at the hotel and quietly found work at a nearby factory on the assembly line.

She thought this would finally calm him down—but instead, Yu Zhujun became even worse. If he lost at gambling, he’d drink and come home to beat his wife. If he won, he’d drink in a good mood and “generously” hand over half the winnings to Yu Xiulan like he was bestowing a reward.

When Yu Yao was eleven, another major event happened in their family: Yu Xiulan got pregnant.

Yu Zhujun dragged her to a checkup somewhere, and the doctor told them it was a boy. From that day on, things at home miraculously turned around.

Yu Zhujun stopped gambling, stopped drinking. It was as if he’d reverted to the way he used to be before Grandpa died.

During Yu Xiulan’s pregnancy, life at home returned to normal. But the peace was short-lived—because she gave birth to a girl.

Yu Zhujun went ballistic at the hospital. He even paid a fortune to get a paternity test done on the newborn. The results confirmed the child was his—meaning it was the doctor who had deceived them at the prenatal checkup.

From that day on, the shadow of domestic abuse once again loomed over Yu Yao and Yu Xiulan. Grandma, meanwhile, became the baby girl’s shield.

Yu Zhujun cared a lot about saving face. Even when drunk, he knew not to hit people in the face. So although Yu Yao and Yu Xiulan’s bodies were often covered in bruises, their faces remained clean.

The year after her sister was born, Yu Yao was twelve and had just started middle school when her grandmother passed away.

Without his mother to restrain him, Yu Zhujun became even more violent, and now Yu Xiulan had to shield the younger daughter, leaving Yu Yao to bear the brunt alone.

Then one day, a young female teacher at school noticed Yu Yao’s bruises and injuries. That afternoon, when she got home from school, Yu Yao found the police waiting for her.

That was the first time she felt the sense of safety that police could bring.

But instead of comfort, her mother greeted her by slapping her across the face while holding her younger sister.

Yu Xiulan said a bunch of things Yu Yao couldn’t understand and sent the police away.

That night, Yu Zhujun beat Yu Xiulan so savagely that she ended up with a deep, open wound on her temple. Yu Yao and her younger sister were spared only because Yu Xiulan had sent them to a neighbor’s house to hide.

From that day on, Yu Yao realized: she had to rely on herself. No one else in the world could save her.

She began to learn how to avoid danger. Every day after school, she’d sneak to the mahjong parlor where Yu Zhujun often gambled. If his expression looked sour, it meant he’d lost money, and going home would mean getting beaten. If he seemed cheerful, it meant he’d won and would hand over some gambling money when he got back.

This went on through all of middle school. Yu Yao did well in school, and when she was admitted to a prestigious high school, Yu Zhujun even threw a celebratory banquet. Dozens of relatives were invited, and they received a lot of gift money.

He seemed to realize that his daughter’s academic success could benefit him, so he stopped beating Yu Yao and her sister and encouraged them to study hard. If they got into good schools, he’d get to cash in again.

Thus began Yu Yao’s “normal” high school life—until one day she came home wearing a torn uniform, her face bruised and battered.

Yu Zhujun assumed she’d gotten into trouble at school and hit her again.

This time, five-year-old Yu Ling stood in front of her sister to shield her, and Yu Xiulan grabbed Yu Zhujun to stop him.

Later that same year, Yu Zhujun got fired from his job for drinking and driving during work hours. From then on, the responsibility of supporting the family fell entirely on Yu Xiulan, who continued working in the factory. Her wages weren’t low, but half would be taken by Yu Zhujun for gambling.

Yu Xiulan knew her eldest daughter had good grades, so after having her wages stolen once, she secretly began saving money—intended for her daughters’ college tuition.

As Yu Zhujun aged, alcohol and laziness ate away at his strength. Eventually, even if he wanted to hit someone, he didn’t have the energy anymore. Yu Xiulan and Yu Ling stopped getting hurt.

And so, Yu Yao began to make her own plans. She used the money they had saved over the years to secretly apply to a university in Yanjing.

From the day she left home for college, Yu Yao never returned to Hechuan County. After graduation, she stayed in Yanjing, juggling jobs while starting her own business.

At 24, Yu Yao’s sister Yu Ling was 13. That year, Yu Ling picked up a kitchen knife and slashed a deep wound across their father’s chest.

It happened after Yu Zhujun tried to force Yu Xiulan to call Yu Yao and demand she return home. During their struggle, Yu Zhujun shoved Yu Xiulan into the corner of a table, knocking her unconscious. Yu Ling ran into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and struck.

When Yu Yao rushed home, there was bl00d everywhere. Her parents were in the hospital, and her 13-year-old sister had been taken away by the police.

Because Yu Ling was under 14, and it was determined to be a case of self-defense in the heat of the moment, she didn’t bear criminal responsibility. After a stern warning, she was released into Yu Yao’s care.

But when Yu Zhujun regained consciousness, he wouldn’t let it go. He threatened to go to Yu Ling’s school and report what happened so she’d be expelled.

That was the first time Yu Yao paid him off to shut him up.

From that day on, it was like he discovered a long-term cash cow. Every so often, he’d come asking for money. Sometimes Yu Yao gave it, sometimes she ignored him.

He’d always use the incident with Yu Ling to threaten her. But deep down, he knew if Yu Ling really was forced out of school, Yu Yao would come get her right away. Then only he and Yu Xiulan would be left in that small county town.

Yu Yao also knew that even a cornered rabbit would bite, so whenever he was on the verge of going too far, she’d toss him just enough money to keep him at bay.

When Yu Ling got into high school, Yu Yao was 26. The prestigious school she was accepted into somehow found out about the “father-slashing” incident and refused to admit her, no matter how good her grades were.

Yu Yao returned to Hechuan County again. This time, she had more leverage. She enrolled Yu Ling in a well-disciplined, boarding school in the city with strong teachers and strict rules—so strict that even Yu Zhujun couldn’t get close to her.

Yu Yao also moved Yu Xiulan into the city, renting a three-bedroom apartment right next to the police station so she could focus on looking after Yu Ling.

Today was the first time Yu Yao returned to that rental apartment again, ready to finally sever the 20-year shadow that had haunted her life.

Lying on her back, Yu Yao stared blankly at the ceiling, quietly recalling more than two decades of pain, suffering, and bloodshed. Her tone was calm, as if those things had happened to someone else entirely.

By her side, Lu Zhili held tightly onto her arm, already sobbing uncontrollably. Her tears soaked into the fabric of Yu Yao’s sleeve and seeped into her heart, making her chest ache.

“Don’t cry. It’s all in the past. I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

Choking back tears, Lu Zhili said, “A-Yao… I’ll protect you from now on. I’ll protect you forever.”

Yu Yao smiled, turned slightly, and looked at Lu Zhili’s tear-streaked face. She gently wiped her tears and said softly, “It’s okay, Zhili. I’ll protect myself. I just need you to stay by my side.”

Even if it’s not forever, she’d be content to have someone to share even a moment of happiness with.

Even if they were destined to part someday, this moment of happiness would sustain her for a long time.

Lu Zhili’s mind had absorbed too much and her emotions had been stretched too far. Her brain entered protective mode, and soon she drifted off to sleep.

But she still remembered that vile Yu Zhujun and the time Yu Yao came home injured in high school that was never fully explained.

Lu Zhili wished she could meet an octopus sea witch in her dreams. She’d trade everything she had for Yu Yao to live a happy, joyful life.

If only her parents could be Yu Yao’s parents too…

With that wish and heartbreak in her heart, Lu Zhili cried herself to sleep.

…

The next morning, Lu Zhili was woken by pain. The dull ache on both sides of her temples made her whimper even with her eyes closed.

Soon, warm hands began gently massaging her temples.

A few minutes later, she opened her eyes and saw Yu Yao wearing a loose pajama top, her gaze full of tenderness. “Zhili, time to get up.”

She leaned down and gave Lu Zhili a kiss on the forehead—gentle, without desire—just a sweet gesture between lovers in the morning.

Blushing, Lu Zhili sat up, her headache gone, and pounced like a little piglet into Yu Yao’s arms, burying her face against her soft tummy, wriggling around.

When her bangs puffed up like a frizzball, she shyly buried her head again in Yu Yao’s belly.

“Alright, time to get up. Just now Yu Ling came knocking—”

Before Yu Yao could finish, the door suddenly burst open.

Yu Ling stood at the door and said, “Sis, is Sister Lu up yet? I—”

“What the fvck!” Yu Ling slammed the door shut with a loud bang. “Why the hell didn’t you lock the door?!”

Lu Zhili looked up blankly from Yu Yao’s belly. Yu Yao slowly looked down.

A few seconds later, her face turned bright red.

She had been sitting with her knees up while massaging Lu Zhili’s temples, and Lu Zhili had been buried under the blanket. From Yu Ling’s perspective, it had probably looked like—

Like Lu Zhili had been burying her face between her legs and eating her out first thing in the morning…