Volume One, Chapter 20: Don’t Trade Sincerity for Trash

Mother Su had a booming voice. By the time Li Man walked into the hospital room carrying a thermos, a crowd had already gathered inside and out to watch the commotion.

Seeing her enter, Mother Su pulled Su Xunan closer and began to wail again. "My son, your wife has abandoned your mother and Lanlan, both of us injured, while she runs off goodness knows where to meet some wild man! A woman like this is no good—divorce her at once!"

"Mom, there are so many people watching. Please don't talk nonsense. Besides, Man didn't run off; I asked her to go get hot water."

Su Xunan knew Li Man was still angry that he had abandoned her and Su Nuan during the flash flood to go search for Feng Lan and her daughter. She had been throwing tantrums and demanding a divorce for days. Fearing that if he pushed her too far, she might actually drag him to the Civil Affairs Bureau, he spoke with extreme caution.

"Man, Mom didn't know the situation and misunderstood you. I apologize to you on her behalf."

Li Man gave a cold nod.

Seeing her accept the apology, the heavy stone in Su Xunan’s chest fell halfway, and his expression relaxed significantly.

However, Feng Lan, lying on the bed opposite, was quite the opposite. She suppressed the jealousy in her eyes, threw back her quilt, and limped over to the two of them.

"Sister Man, let me help you with the water."

"..."

Li Man turned to face Feng Lan’s dignified and elegant features. Unlike Li Man, a village girl from a small town, Feng Lan lived up to her name; every gesture she made exuded the refined grace and nobility of an orchid. Even without saying a word, her slight smile was enough to make any man fall in love.

Clearly, Su Xunan was one of them.

"Your wounds haven't healed yet. Didn't the doctor tell you to rest more?" Su Xunan’s tone was full of heartache as he bypassed Li Man to carefully help Feng Lan back to her bed.

Feng Lan glanced at Li Man, a flash of triumph in her eyes, before shaking her head. "I'm fine. Besides, Sister Man has been busy taking care of me these past few days. If I don't do something for her, I feel terrible."

"It's fine, your Sister Man has a kind heart."

Indeed, the Li Man of her past life had a kind heart. Because she loved Su Xunan deeply, she was willing to sacrifice everything for him.

When she was a daughter-in-law of the Su family, she never complained to her husband, even when she felt wronged, just so she wouldn't put him in a difficult position between her and his mother. Even when Mother Su intentionally slandered her parents in front of outsiders, Li Man never once spoke ill of her mother-in-law to Su Xunan.

After Su Xunan brought Feng Lan and her daughter home, Li Man had treated Feng Lan like her own sister, even going so far as to suffer severe burns on her arm from boiling water while trying to protect her. She had been treated like a beast of burden by the Su family—someone everyone could trample upon, even a junior like Song Niannian could look down on her.

Yet, such sacrifice and devotion earned her neither recognition from her in-laws nor the heart of Su Xunan. Instead, it turned her and Su Nuan into stepping stones for Feng Lan and her daughter to take over her home.

Thinking of the past, Li Man’s heart ached so much her eyes burned.

Never again.

The Li Man of this life would never again trade her sincerity for garbage!

"Your Sister Man can't stand to see others suffer; she is always happy to help."

Su Xunan’s presumptuous remark made Li Man let out a cold laugh. She opened the thermos, poured herself a cup of hot water, and said unhurriedly, "Happy to help? Heh, I have never once said that."

"..."

Su Xunan was "slapped in the face" on the spot, drawing stifled laughter from the other patients in the room and leaving him so embarrassed his face turned bright red.

Mother Su was so furious her teeth chattered. Seeing Li Man’s relaxed demeanor as she sipped her tea, her face turned livid. "Listen! Everyone listen to the trash this country bumpkin is spewing! The Su family does not want such an unfilial daughter-in-law! Son, divorce her immediately!"

Hearing this, Feng Lan fanned the flames: "Auntie, please don't say that. I think Sister Man is just exhausted in body and spirit from volunteering as a performer at the front lines these past few days, which is why she's a bit irritable."

The performance Feng Lan mentioned had been organized by a group of patients who claimed to be from the Capital Military Art Troupe. Li Man’s ancestors were opera performers, and having grown up immersed in it, she had performed with a local troupe. When she heard they were putting on a Beijing Opera to comfort disaster victims, her long-dormant passion for the stage resurfaced, and she volunteered.

The Su family was deeply traditional and believed that performers were beneath them. Back then, to suppress her ambitions, Su Xunan had even threatened to break up with her.

Li Man had eventually compromised for love, selling her costumes and accessories to bring to the Su family as a dowry. Those items alone would have been enough to buy a hundred acres of land back then, yet even after Mother Su pocketed the money, she still looked down on her from the bottom of her heart.

Hearing that she had gone off to perform again, Mother Su flew into a rage: "Damn your hide! Who gave you permission to go out and sing again?! You shameless harlot, tell me! Have you been sneaking off to see some man behind my son's back?"

Mother Su's words made Su Xunan’s expression darken. He turned, grabbed Li Man by the wrist, and demanded, "Man, didn't you promise me you would never perform again?"

Li Man shook off his hand and sneered, "I promised because I used to love you. But now I don't, so your demands are like wind to me—all noise and no substance."

Though the words were blunt, they hit the mark. Su Xunan was so angry his teeth chattered, but a second later, his eyes brightened, and a smirk curled his lips.

Last night, when Feng Lan had lost her footing getting out of bed, Su Xunan had caught her, and they had both fallen onto the bed. Li Man, who had just returned with water, had witnessed the scene.

Su Xunan assumed Li Man was jealous, even finding their current strained relationship somewhat amusing. In a good mood, he spoke with a lighter tone, "Man, I know you. You love me, you can't live without me, you won't divorce—"

Before he could finish the word "divorce," the divorce agreement from Li Man’s green military-style satchel was slammed hard against his face.