During the hot sizzling months of summer, the heavy rain would come uninvited, with white lightning illuminating the entire night sky as bright as day.
Suddenly, the sound of shattered objects echoed from upstairs, waking Di Ying from her sleep and causing her to venture out.
Ji Xiaoyao was slouching on the bedroom couch, two buttons of his shirt undone, his whole body reeked of a strong aroma of alcohol.
Di Ying had gotten used to this sight — three years into their marriage, every year, on this day, he would come home utterly drunk.
Hampered by the unpleasant sensation of being drunk, and given Ji Xiaoyao's particularity, Di Ying set out to change his clothes.
As soon as her hand touched his clothes, it was grabbed tightly by someone.
Di Ying lifted her gaze to the man on the couch and before she could understand what was happening, Ji Xiaoyao held her wrist tightly, pulling her forcefully. Accompanied by a surprise shout, she found herself sprawled on the couch.
Ji Xiaoyao was highly inebriated, she couldn't push him away. Suppressing her voice, she called out, "Ji Xiaoyao, wake up..."
Suddenly, the word 'Manman' sounded beside her ear.
A tremor ran through Di Ying's body, remembering the look of disgust he had for her. She wanted to push him away vigorously, but recalling Ji Lao's advice, she abandoned the thought of resisting.
Would everything be different if they had a child?
Inhaling deeply and closing her eyes, she gave up resisting.
At that moment, she noticed his movement had paused. Ji Xiaoyao instantly sobered up from his confused state and looked down at the woman beneath him. Under the light, Di Ying slowly opened her eyes; her oval face was slightly blazing.
"Who let you in?" he asked.
Was she taking advantage of the situation and pushing herself onto him, knowing very well he didn't want to touch her?
Even though they were husband and wife, she had never shown such "honesty" to him. Despite her fear, Di Ying made herself speak, "Father called and mentioned about having children... We're a couple, sooner or later we'll have a child..."
"Hm..."
Ji Xiaoyao's gaze went from deep to fiery red. He grasped her shoulders and dragged her into the bathroom, the cold water pouring down on her head. She was so cold that her body was shaking. His cold voice echoed in her ear, "Do you really see yourself as a young lady of the Ji family? Do you think marrying me with your tricks and my father's protection makes you my wife? You think getting pregnant with my child will secure your position? You wish?"
This was not the first time he had humiliated her with such remarks, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
She'd heard it countless times over the past three years and had grown used to it. Seeing the vicious glint in his eyes, Di Ying knew he wished her dead.
Regardless of his beliefs, she still insisted, "I didn't..."
"You didn't? Then is Manman's death a lie? You knew very well that I always wanted to marry her! You were supposed to be her best friend. You pretended to bless us, but what did you do behind our backs?"
The cold water pouring down from above. The drenched black hair plastered onto Di Ying's pale face. She had no idea what had transpired that made Ji Xiaoyao certain of her involvement in Shen Manman's death.
Ji Xiaoyao's palm squeezed her throat and pushed her hard against the wall. Di Ying strained her throat, tilted her head backward, and took deep breaths.
Her delicate and smooth face quickly turned livid. He found it increasingly repulsive to look at her harmless face.
An act.
The woman beneath this perfect facade was cunning, deceitful, and malicious. Yet she had everyone, including his father, wrapped around her finger. She insisted on marrying him and even threatened him with the Ji family's name to make him comply.
Had it not been for her meddling and forcing Shen Manman and their child into death, he would have been happily married to Shen Manman by now, with a happy and complete family.