When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 111: Chapter 58: The Jilted Wife of the 1950s (58)

He was a contractor renovating an apartment for one of the officials. He’d already registered at the security gate, so when he heard arguing as he passed the stairwell, he jumped to the conclusion that Mrs. Chu and her daughter-in-law were bullying Old Mrs. Wang. He’d gotten angry and given a few shoves—how could he have known Zhu Yun was so fragile?

To any onlookers, it would all seem perfectly logical—just a series of unfortunate coincidences. At worst, he would feel guilty, pay a bit of compensation, and what else could they do to him?

After all, he hadn’t done it on purpose. He was just a well-intentioned person who’d made a mistake.

Earlier, when Zhu Yun had grabbed the old woman, she had shouted to Mrs. Chu on the other side of the door, "Mom, don’t come out! If you open this door, I’ll throw myself down the stairs and take two lives with me. I mean it!"

Mrs. Chu and Zhu Yun got along well. She knew her daughter-in-law was usually cheerful and loved to joke around, but she also knew that when Zhu Yun got serious, she could be absolutely ruthless.

Mrs. Chu didn’t dare open the door. She paced anxiously for a moment, then stuck her head out a window and yelled, "Help! Somebody, help! Are there any men at home? Please, come save my daughter-in-law and grandchild..."

Although the residents of the family compound had their share of major disputes, they were fundamentally simple, kindhearted people who would lend a hand in a crisis. Upon hearing her cries, a crowd of people came rushing over.

The man had no time to think. He strode toward Zhu Yun, let out a low bark, and recited his line: "What do you think you’re doing to that old woman? Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re pregnant!"

Lin Jin snapped out of her daze and immediately darted for the apartment.

Zhu Yun reached out. Her movement wasn’t particularly fast; she simply extended her arm in a light, almost careless motion. Yet, it perfectly caught Lin Jin by the collar, and with a casual flick, she tossed her aside.

This was the Lu Family’s granddaughter; the man instinctively lunged forward to catch her. freewēbnoveℓ.com

Zhu Yun shrieked at the top of her lungs, "Lin Jin, you can’t just kill me to shut me up! I didn’t mean to walk in on your little affair..."

"I didn’t see anything!"

By now, people had rounded the corner of the stairwell, and they saw the two of them locked in an embrace.

Lin Jin was livid. She gripped the man’s arm and hissed through gritted teeth, "We can’t wait any longer."

The words were simple and plain, holding no obvious special meaning.

But what others didn’t know was that by Luqing Village standards, they were apprentice-siblings who had grown up together. The understanding they shared, conveyed by a single glance or a word, was on a level no outsider could match.

They didn’t get many opportunities, and no one had expected Zhu Yun to be so sharp. Who knew when their next chance would come? This would jeopardize the rest of their plan!

For more than half a year, Lin Jin’s resentment, hatred, and jealousy toward Zhu Yun had been slowly building, fueled by one petty incident after another and by the chaos with the Wang Family. Recently, it had reached a breaking point.

Now was the time for that hatred to erupt. How could she possibly allow Zhu Yun to continue living such a carefree, prosperous life?

The man nodded and set Lin Jin down. Seizing the few seconds he had before the ’enemy troops’ arrived, he strode toward the apartment. freewebnøvel.com

Old Mrs. Wang was trembling in fear. Even though Lin Jin had released her, she remained frozen in place, unable to take a single step.

Before the founding of New Xiahua, her village had been pillaged by mounted bandits several times. The memories replayed endlessly in her mind, the bandits’ faces merging with the face of this man...

Zhu Yun’s expression was placid. She simply watched as the man reached her. A sinister sneer spread across his face as he thrust out a rough, wide hand, pushing toward her with speed, precision, and ruthless force, holding nothing back.

If she let the push carry her, her lower back would certainly slam into the corner of the table against the wall. A miscarriage would be guaranteed!

Zhu Yun remained perfectly still. The moment his hands touched her shoulders, two sharp CRACKS echoed in the hall. The man’s expression changed instantly.

Only then did she "stumble" backward with the momentum, pressing her back flat against the wall. She let out a terrified shriek. "Don’t kill me! Lin Jin, hurry and tell him! He’ll listen to you!"

"I really didn’t see you two hugging and kissing! You just accidentally bumped into each other..."

The man and Lin Jin were pale with fury. They had never seen someone run their mouth so viciously when they were at death’s door.

But hearing the crowd arrive at the landing, the man gritted his teeth against the pain, lifted his leg, and aimed a kick at Zhu Yun’s stomach with every ounce of his strength.

Zhu Yun tilted her head, glancing at the looks of glee and impatience on the faces of Lin Jin and Old Mrs. Wang. No one saw how she moved, but at the exact instant the man’s foot was about to connect with her stomach, she took a single step to the side.

The man’s leg slammed into the solid wall!

He had kicked with all the strength he could muster, and now all of that force rebounded back into him. A few more sickeningly crisp CRACKS sounded out. His eyes welled with tears of pain as he slumped against the wall, glaring at Zhu Yun with a look that could kill.

But filtered through his tear-filled eyes, the murderous glare just looked like one of profound resentment.