The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 265 Men Are Unreliable

Chapter 265: Chapter 265 Men Are Unreliable

He Dawei did have some feelings for Li Jinzhi, although with her constant squabbling with his own mother and the pregnancy making her less attractive, at least there was his child in her belly, and Li Jinzhi was willing to lower herself, taking care of him tenderly and attentively.

Upon hearing his father’s intent, which was to disregard Li Jinzhi and seize the opportunity to throw her out, he found it unbearable.

"Father! Even though Jinzhi and I haven’t gone through with the marriage yet, she’s carrying the He Family’s child in her belly. How can we not take care of her?"

He Dawei had always been indulged growing up, pampered by his parents, spoiled by his sister, and really had no concept of money.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Li Jinzhi manage the store despite his parents’ opposition.

Therefore, when it came to the compensation the Cloth Store proprietress demanded, he really didn’t take it to heart. At worst, he would just compensate with a few taels of silver; his family could certainly afford it.

Upon hearing this, the Cloth Store proprietress looked at He Laoshuan with a smirk that was not quite a smile, "Now that I don’t understand! It seems the wretched Li Jinzhi has found herself an affectionate and loyal lover indeed!"

"What are you talking about? Who’s a lover? I’m her man!" He Dawei was hopping mad.

"Oh my—what are you yelling at me for? I said you’re Li Jinzhi’s lover, what of it? Ask her if it’s true! I’ve heard it myself at the restaurant, people from the Wang Family saying that Li Jinzhi hired a carriage specifically to meet up with her former fiancé from the Wang Family in secret. She is said to have starved herself for a day, playing the sympathy card until she finally made the man take pity on her. He took her back to the Wang Family, heated water for her and gave her food, and she didn’t return until late at night!"

"Who, as a woman with a man, starves herself for another man for an entire day? She may not eat, but the baby in her belly still needs food, right? Even a blind man can see that Li Jinzhi is a loose and heartless wretch. I’ve never seen anyone like you though, practically fighting to wear the green hat! And still defending her; who knows whose seed is in her belly? Pah!"

The Cloth Store proprietress harbored a venomous hatred for Li Jinzhi; she was determined to ruin Li Jinzhi’s reputation and make her too ashamed to stay in town, so she embellished the story of Li Jinzhi returning to Qilidun.

Upon hearing this, Li Jinzhi became frantic. Now, her only hope was He Dawei. If even He Dawei didn’t believe her, she truly would have no way to survive.

Summoning strength from who knows where, she suddenly threw herself at He Dawei’s feet, "Da Wei, Brother Da Wei, believe me! I really haven’t messed around with anyone else! I am yours, Brother Da Wei! My body has only been given to you—"

"Tsk tsk..."

"Goodness, such shamelessness, to say such things out loud!"

"If she can say this in front of everyone, heaven knows what she does behind closed doors..."

...

Even the old bachelors there for the spectacle, grinning ear to ear, gossiped at the doorway, "I always said that woman, always smiling so sweetly at me. That look in her eyes, like tiny hooks, has snagged my heart, leading me here eight times a day..."

"Isn’t that the truth? I even sneakily touched her hand the other day, it’s truly soft and silky, a scent that could kill a man—"

"You old scoundrel, you had such good fortune? She didn’t cry out?"

"Why would she cry out? She just gave me a smiling glare. Oh my, it nearly made me lose my soul..."

"Spit, did you lose your soul? More like you lost your ’manhood’..."

...

The filth and obscenities never ceased.

Now, not only had the expressions of He Laoshuan and He Dawei’s mother changed, but He Dawei’s face had also turned ashen.

His own woman was touched by another man, and she didn’t even scream or cry out. Considering the words of those idle ruffians, she must have mingled with quite a few men, right?

What hurt He Dawei the most was that if Li Jinzhi had been able to hook up with some important gentleman, he could have comforted himself by saying Li Jinzhi was attracted to the other’s power and influence.

But Li Jinzhi even hooked up with the idlers and old bachelors doing hard labor on the street. What did that say about her?

It said she was a cheap woman! She couldn’t live without men!

Li Jinzhi panicked. She considered herself innocent and was wholeheartedly devoted to He Dawei.

Yet, in order to establish a foothold in the He Family, she had persuaded He Dawei to come and see the store. Of course, she needed to show some results, at least to shut up the two old immortals of the He Family, who criticized her every day for only eating without contributing.

She also wanted to save some secret funds for future security. Moreover, if she could take control of the store, it would mean having the He Family in the palm of her hand.

Therefore, to make sales, she not only had to offer a low price but also had to maintain a good attitude.

Did she not detest those idlers and old bachelors? After they touched her hand, she felt so nauseous she could vomit! The first time her hand was touched, she washed it many times, nearly scrubbing the skin off.

But later, she got used to it. As long as she smiled more at those idlers and spoke sweetly, calling them ’brother,’ they were like bees to a flower, impossible to drive away.

And then there were those who acted like Big Heads, touching her hand and giving her a couple more Large Coins.

Gradually, she came to think, what’s the big deal? It was just a touch of the hand, and it wasn’t as if she lost a piece of flesh. Besides, she could earn more money that way—a sum no one knew about.

Now, being exposed by those idlers in front of He Family people, Li Jinzhi looked at He Dawei, terrified. "Da Wei! I didn’t! I really didn’t! Believe me, how could I do such a thing? I’ve only ever had you in my heart, Brother Da Wei, do you still remember the first time we met?"

"Shut up!" He Dawei roared without bringing that up. That memory only made him angrier.

It reminded him that at that time, Li Jinzhi was supposed to become the Wang Family’s daughter-in-law. Wasn’t it all because she pretended to bump into him by chance while delivering something to her brother?

At that time, her smile hid hooks, and she had deliberately brushed up against him, letting him first touch her smooth hand...

It felt so sweet back then, but now, thinking about it made him utterly disgusted.

"You whore... you..." He Dawei’s gaze towards Li Jinzhi grew more and more vicious.

Seeing the situation turn grim, Li Jinzhi knew He Dawei believed the words of outsiders over her!

She should’ve known all along that men are unreliable!

Clenching her teeth, Li Jinzhi touched the silver notes she had always sewn inside her clothes. A smart person does not suffer in front of others; she could no longer stay with the He Family.

But since they dared to disdain her, the He Family shouldn’t expect to live comfortably either.

Li Jinzhi feigned fear as she scrambled out of the Cloth Store, covering her face. "Brother Da Wei, you’ve really wronged me! I did all this following the wishes of my parents. They said it’s not easy to settle down and make a life in town, to make money from a business. Just as my brother-in-law brought back some cheap cloth that made a good profit when sold..."

"My parents were tempted. They wanted to expand the business, but there are only so many people in this town, and there’s already a Cloth Store. It’s not easy to grow. After several days of deliberation and hearing from me how the Wang Family and the Cloth Store were joining forces to dye and sell cloth to the Cloth Store, my parents feared the Cloth Store would recover and affect our family’s business, so they asked me to go to Qilidun and sabotage the Wang Family!"