Han Yu thought that made sense. These little girls who were spoiled at home had no idea how tough the world could be and probably had no interest in mundane matters like firewood, rice, oil, and salt. With too much idle time, they entertained wild fantasies and, in the company of frivolous people, they would develop such preposterous and impractical ideas—it was a case of being led astray.
Su Wenyue was aware of one thing that troubled Han Yu deeply: he thought she was the sort of woman who despised poverty and adored wealth, looked down on him, and believed she was shallow, ignorant, and arrogant.
In order to change the image Han Yu had of her and prevent such thoughts from taking root and becoming ingrained, Su Wenyue preferred to act a bit more naive in front of him. Moreover, a man of Han Yu's intelligence and adeptness at strategy, who wielded power and schemes, likely didn't want a woman just as clever and calculating by his side. Instead, he would favor the innocent and adorably naive type—easier to deceive, requiring little effort to handle, bringing a sense of ease, not even needing to be wary of one's own spouse.
Of course, even if she played the naive card, there was a limit to it. She had to make Han Yu see she was only naive and unsophisticated because she was coddled by her parents and kept sheltered, not because she was ignorant or superficial. Only then would she appear endearing—overdoing it would have an entirely different effect.
The Su Wenyue of the previous life, despite being incredibly naive and innocent, was not the least bit adorable. She was willful and capricious, and with Han Yu's heart filled with grudges against her, she was shunned.
"Still dreaming, huh? You're married now whether you wanted it or not. You are now officially my wife, the one I, Han Yu, married through proper channels. From now on, stop entertaining these absurd thoughts. In this era, isn't every woman married according to her parents' arrangements and the matchmaker's words? And they still want to choose their own men? Only flighty women would engage in such shameless acts. I bet it's your cousin who's been filling your head with such nonsense. Stay away from her from now on." Even though Han Yu knew his wife didn't have her eye on anyone else and was simply daydreaming, he still felt a tinge of jealousy and issued his domineering command.
"But..." Su Wenyue seemed somewhat reluctant.
"There are no 'buts.' What do you think a married woman can do anyway? Forget about other men; even if there were feelings, they could only be for one's husband." Han Yu stopped short of saying explicitly, Just liking me is enough.
"Who said that? Haven't you heard of the term 'a woman climbing over the wall'?" Su Wenyue, perhaps reminded of her past life, blurted out the remark on impulse, unsure whether it was a test for Han Yu or to confirm something.
Han Yu, fully aware that Su Wenyue was speaking off the cuff, still turned pale with anger: "Su Wenyue, you dare! If you even think of such a thing, just wait and see how I'll deal with you. This is outrageous! If that day ever comes, I'll break your legs and lock you up in a room for life."
Feeling the chilling menace in Han Yu's words and recalling the increasingly ruthless tactics of Lord Han later on, Su Wenyue shivered uncontrollably and replied in a defeated tone, "I, of course, wouldn't dare. It's just that..."
"Just what?"
"It's just, I was only making a hypothetical point. What if I didn't entertain such thoughts and others came to tempt me? You know how beautiful I am; certainly, those with ulterior motives will target me. Then, you can't blame me."
Su Wenyue was determined not to fall for that man's seduction in this life, or even to see the man who had caused her pain for most of her previous lifetime. However, some things were beyond her control, much like her initial encounter with that man.
Looking back, those so-called chance meetings had all been orchestrated by him—how else could they have been so coincidental? She had never met him before that, so how had he fixed his sights on her? Given that man's flirtatious nature and fondness for seduction, even if she tried to avoid him, it was likely he would still initiate contact with her and lead to misunderstandings. Su Wenyue was preparing Han Yu in advance, just in case.
Han Yu didn't know what to say. What on earth was this girl thinking? It must be that she'd been reading too many storybooks and thought she was acting in a play. Without holding back, he flicked her on the forehead.
"Ha, Su Wenyue, you really think too highly of yourself. You might be a little prettier than the village girls, but you are far from comparing to those young ladies from noble families in the city. You actually believe you are a peerless beauty capable of toppling nations, making men dream about you," Han Yu insulted Su Wenyue while dripping with sarcasm, although deep down he knew what she said might not be entirely imaginations without basis. Suddenly, he felt that a woman's beauty was a hassle.
Su Wenyue, confident in her own beauty, was not at all fazed by the put-down. She was still growing, after all. In a few years, she would become even more beautiful than she was now. Otherwise, why would that man be captivated by her beauty in the past, going against his principles just to pursue a married woman? But it seemed Han Yu was a man who cared little for women, otherwise, facing a woman like her, how could he remain unmoved and speak such words?
Although Su Wenyue believed in her beauty, she was rather annoyed by Han Yu's dismissive attitude. Knowing full well his temperament, she couldn't help but provoke him, "I may not be a peerless beauty capable of toppling nations, but across the whole Xinye County, there aren't many as pretty as me. It's just that you fail to appreciate it. If I really were to elope, you'd be the one regretting it!"
In her past life, that was precisely what she had done. Although most of the fault lay with her, Han Yu was not without blame. She had been dazzled by wealth and sweet-talked by that man, driven by a desire to retaliate against Han Yu. The moment she left the Han Family, she had even felt a vengeful satisfaction, her only guilt being for her son, who was not yet three years old.
Han Yu initially thought Su Wenyue was just being playful, but as she went on without a clue, he darkened. He knew only too well what his wife looked like. The day he unveiled her wedding cover, he had indeed been startled by Su Wenyue's beauty, but the moment was short-lived, quickly quenched by her disdain and presumptuous words.
"Just stay at home properly and don't cause me any troubles. As for the outside world, if anyone dares to make a move on you, I will certainly take care of it! But if you dare to climb over the wall, can you imagine the consequences? Should I hang you up and beat you, or should I hand you over to the Village Chief to be drowned in a pond, or maybe send you to the Government to be dealt with according to the laws of the Daming Dynasty?"