MGASC -Chapter 7 His Wife Is So Gentle

It was Lin Tianyue!

He hadn’t left—he had been following her from behind all this time?

Zhang Qiao’s wrist was grabbed by him from behind.

She stared at his stern face, and for the rarest moment, saw a hint of embarrassment written across it.

Lin Tianyue looked awkward. He realized he had misunderstood Zhang Qiao just now.

He dug into his pocket, pulling out several banknotes, a meat voucher, and a cloth voucher, and pressed them into her palm. “Take this money for your checkup, and get some cloth and food. The child is mine. I may be poor, but I won’t shortchange you!”

Zhang Qiao clenched the money in her hand. She didn’t count it carefully—probably a few dozen yuan.

Thinking of the tension between them just before she left, she was about to say something sharp to him.

But then she thought better of it. The reason Lin Tianyue was cautious around her was that the original version of her had been too troublesome, too reckless. Her family had squandered the money he worked hard to earn, leaving his three younger children to eat poorly. Anyone would have resentment in such a situation.

“Don’t worry. This money is yours to earn; I won’t take it back to my family, not now, not ever.”

Zhang Qiao gave him a reassuring word.

“…Mm.”

Lin Tianyue couldn’t quite describe what he felt. Logically, he shouldn’t trust her—but the tone and gaze she had now made him want to believe her.

Zhang Qiao knew everyone was waiting for him and kindly said, “Alright, go take care of your business first.”

“After your checkup, wait for me at the supply cooperative. I’ll come pick you up.”

“No need. I’ll wander around a bit, then take the bus home.”

Lin Tianyue stared at her, complex emotions flashing in his eyes.

He felt that after letting her go this time, his troublesome wife seemed far gentler and easier to deal with than before.

Especially just now—she hadn’t reacted to Wang Mingqing, instead showing goodwill toward him and saving him face. It was completely unexpected.

“Go on, don’t keep people waiting.”

Zhang Qiao’s tone remained gentle, and she glanced at Lin Tianyue’s brothers on the main road.

She remembered from the book that Lin Tianyue was a man of great influence among his friends. Loyal, straightforward, and acquainted with people from all walks of life. But because the quality of his friends varied, he sometimes acted on impulse.

For example, in the book, when he went to the county to retrieve confiscated feed, he ended up fighting Wang Mingqing under a friend’s instigation. In the end, they didn’t get the feed back, and everyone was detained for another half month, drained and injured.

Just now, she had rushed to leave with him to prevent him from clashing with Wang Mingqing.

Lin Tianyue nodded. “Take care of yourself.”

“You too.” Zhang Qiao hesitated but couldn’t help reminding him, “Don’t be impulsive. Don’t fight. That Wang guy is just waiting to catch you and lock you up again. We can’t let him succeed. Trust me—argue if you must, but don’t lay hands on anyone. Whether you get the feed back or not isn’t important…”

“What do you mean it’s not important? That’s my hard work—I have to get it back!”

Zhang Qiao froze, giving him a deadpan look.

Damn, reasoning with a straight man is really hard!

…

The checkup went smoothly. The baby was healthy. The only concern was her—people in this era were generally malnourished, and Zhang Qiao was so skinny that a gust of wind could blow her away. The doctor advised her to eat more nutritious food to avoid anemia later, which could affect the baby’s development.

After leaving the hospital, Zhang Qiao checked the money Lin Tianyue had given her—about thirty-some yuan remained.

Thinking of her three patched-up younger children at home, she decided to buy some cloth to make clothes for them and then get some treats.

There was a market today, and the county town was quite lively. Although the market wasn’t fully developed, many still sold goods on the streets. Zhang Qiao shopped a bit, buying red dates, millet, and a bag of fruit candies.

As she weighed the candies, someone suddenly tugged at her shoulder from behind.

Zhang Qiao turned and saw a young woman with braided hair glaring at her angrily. “Zhang Qiao, so it really is you! How dare you waste Brother Lin’s money again? Have you no conscience? Brother Lin’s goods were confiscated, and he’s in deep trouble, yet you stroll around the street leisurely! How unlucky he is, to marry such a jinx like you!”

She was bombarded with insults and was momentarily stunned.

But soon, Zhang Qiao recognized her—the woman in front of her was Wang Yan, Lin Tianyue’s former business partner, neighbor, and longtime secret admirer.

Wang Yan had liked Lin Tianyue for years but was intercepted by Zhang Qiao. Since the day Zhang Qiao married Lin Tianyue, Wang Yan had looked at her with disdain, constantly finding ways to provoke and create trouble.

Previously, Zhang Qiao and Lin Tianyue argued heavily every few days, and Wang Yan played a significant role in stirring things up.

“Let me see, what are you wasting Brother Lin’s money on this time?”

Seeing Wang Yan reach for her basket, Zhang Qiao lightly dodged. “Is that any of your business?”

“You bully Brother Lin, and you think I shouldn’t interfere?”

They were on a busy street, surrounded by pedestrians.

Zhang Qiao’s almond-shaped eyes looked innocent and wronged. “Then why don’t we let everyone judge? I’m pregnant; the doctor says I’m malnourished. Tianyue gave me money to buy some nutrients—what’s wrong with that? But you, an unmarried woman, worrying about another woman’s husband—what are you really up to?”

“You… I, I’m not… I mean…”

“Wang Yan, I know you like Tianyue and hope we’d divorce. But I’m pregnant, and Tianyue is already in trouble. Can’t you just wait and let us be happy?”

Her voice was full of grievance. She looked pure and gentle, frail and delicate like a little white flower in need of care, which earned her plenty of sympathy.

Besides, in this era, being a mistress or breaking up a marriage was disgraceful, shameful to the core.

Hearing Zhang Qiao’s complaint, the onlookers began pointing at Wang Yan.

“So young, and already doing such unscrupulous things!”

“Exactly, and she’s pregnant, yet still coveting someone else’s man—shameless!”

“Wang Yan, I didn’t know you were like this!”

Wang Yan’s face fell. She stammered for a long time but couldn’t defend herself.

At that moment, a white car abruptly stopped in the bustling area. A young driver got out and asked a street vendor, “Comrade, where’s the nearest hospital?”

The door was open, and Zhang Qiao saw a man in his thirties in the backseat, holding a little girl, urgently calling her name.

The girl was breathing heavily, with minor tremors in her limbs. Her small hands were clenched like chicken claws—heart-wrenching to see.

The vendor was explaining directions in dialect, which the driver couldn’t understand and grew more anxious. Zhang Qiao immediately held a plastic bag and approached the little girl.

“Hey, miss, what are you doing?”

The driver, busy communicating with the vendor, suddenly noticed Zhang Qiao coming over and demanded sternly.