Fang Anning, having just recovered from a serious illness, did not dare to stand outside for long and returned to her room to rest.
After Fang Anning left, Liao Hanfeng approached He Tingchen with an ingratiating smile. "How about keeping her here? She's different from the others, quite interesting. It would be entertaining to have her around."
"I never thought you could be so helpless with women," He Tingchen remarked coldly.
Liao Hanfeng became agitated and protested, "How could I possibly be helpless with women? I just think... think she's kind of interesting and wanted to keep her here to entertain you."
"I don't need that. If you're incapable, then get lost," He Tingchen said, controlling his wheelchair as he departed.
Liao Hanfeng felt snubbed, touching his nose dejectedly. "Saying a man is 'incapable' is quite insulting, you know."
"Get up."
He Tingchen returned to the room and saw Fang Anning sleeping on the sofa. He walked over and kicked the back of the sofa, startling her awake.
"What are you doing?" Fang Anning asked angrily.
"The flowers in the garden are not pretty; pull them all out. You can eat after that's done, but if you don't finish... You should know the consequences—you're doomed," He Tingchen stated.
Fang Anning ran to the window and glanced down at the garden.
She came back fuming, "You're just making things difficult for me on purpose! That's a huge garden, and you're asking me, someone who's just recovered from a major illness, to pull them? Besides, the flowers are blooming nicely, what's wrong with them? You're just making trouble for no reason, trying to hassle me."
"If you can't stand it, you can ask Grandfather to leave. No one is stopping you," He Tingchen said.
Fang Anning took a deep breath and looked at him with a scornful laugh.
It all comes back to chasing her away.
Humph. She refused to leave.
It's just pulling weeds. What hasn't she done before? Why fear such a trifling matter?
She rolled up her sleeves, ran downstairs, and started pulling out a few plants. However, these flowers had been growing for many years, rooted securely, and were difficult to pull out.
Fang Anning asked Mrs. Chen for tools, only to be informed, "Master said you are not allowed to use any tools; it must be manual labor."
"Manual labor it is, then." Fang Anning snorted a laugh and continued pulling, clenching her teeth.
By the time she finished pulling out all the flowers, the sky was almost bright.
After the last plant was pulled out, Fang Anning collapsed onto the ground, too tired to do anything but exhale.
Looking up, she saw a man standing by the window, gazing down at her with a cold look, devoid of any sympathy.
Fang Anning clenched her teeth, He Tingchen, this bastard, truly lived up to being a King of Hell.
No wonder none of the women who married him survived a month.
She had been here for less than a week and was almost tortured to death by him.
One month... just thinking about it felt like an eternity.
"Wife, the master has ordered that you need to clean the house today. Every inch of the floor, from inside to out, must be wiped clean."
Mrs. Chen handed her a rag, looking at her with pity.
Fang Anning smiled, nodding as she took it.
Yesterday pulling weeds, today wiping floors, what about tomorrow?
Well, surviving each day is a victory. Just endure one month, and she would win.
Regrettably, she overestimated her strength and underestimated He Tingchen's ruthlessness.
He Tingchen showed no sympathy for her at all.
Not only did he make her do this and that during the day, but he also tormented her at night.
Calling her to get up to serve tea, to pour water.
He even crazily yanked her off the sofa and shoved her outside barefoot. She trembled in the cold, locked out overnight.
Fang Anning had a strong constitution, but in less than two weeks, she marvelously fell ill again.
Sent to the hospital by Mrs. Chen, she only woke up after a day of unconsciousness.
Upon opening her eyes, she saw Liao Hanfeng sitting in front of her hospital bed.
He looked at her with a face full of distress; to the unaware, they might have thought the two were love-struck sweethearts.
"What are you doing here? I don't want to see you." Fang Anning spoke up, shattering the ambiguous atmosphere.
Liao Hanfeng earnestly persuaded her: "Fang Anning, just give up! Leave with me, and you won't have to suffer beside him anymore. Wouldn't that be good?"
"No, it wouldn't. I know exactly what you're scheming," Fang Anning firmly stated.
"I thought you were smart, but it seems you're the biggest fool," Liao Hanfeng shook his head, angrily leaving as he was unable to keep his temper.
Fang Anning closed her eyes.
Although she couldn't accept Liao Hanfeng's proposal, she couldn't just sit there waiting for disaster to strike, continuing to be tormented by He Tingchen.
If things went on like this, she surely wouldn't last a month before being tortured to death by He Tingchen.
If she died, there would be nothing left.
She wasn't concerned for herself, but what about her mother?
She must find a way, she would definitely come up with one!
Two days later, Fang Anning was discharged from the hospital.
As soon as she entered the house, He Tingchen ordered her to cook for the entire family, including the servants' meals, all by herself.
"No problem, what would you like to eat? Just say it, and I'll satisfy you," Fang Anning said with a smile.
He Tingchen's gaze deepened as he looked at her skeptically. He felt that something about her was different since she came back.
But what can a little girl like her possibly change?
"No need," the man said coldly, wheeling himself away in his wheelchair.
Fang Anning pursed her lips, mocking his perpetual act of sitting in a wheelchair despite his healthy legs. He really was sick.
Madness!
"Mrs. Chen, is the milk for the master?" Fang Anning was busy when she noticed Mrs. Chen warming up milk and hurriedly asked.
Mrs. Chen nodded: "The master likes to drink a cup of warm milk every morning and evening."
"Hold on, I'll warm it up," Fang Anning said.
Mrs. Chen protested: "No, you don't know the temperature the master prefers. I'm always the one warming it up, as other people can't get the temperature right, and the master gets upset."
"That's fine, just tell me and I'll know. The master ordered me to prepare meals for everyone, including his own. I should learn how to do it sooner, so he won't think of me as clumsy," Fang Anning replied with a smile.
Mrs. Chen hesitated, thinking to herself that the master's disdain for her wasn't because she was clumsy. Even if she were smarter, he would still scorn her.
However, not having the heart to speak the truth and upset her, Mrs. Chen simply told Fang Anning the temperature and let her handle the task.
Unsurprisingly, Fang Anning didn't get it right the first time.
Mrs. Chen said again: "I told you, let me do it. You can take care of something else."
"It's fine, Mrs. Chen, you go ahead with your work. I'll call you when it's done," Fang Anning quickly replied.
Seeing her so persistent, Mrs. Chen reluctantly left and returned later to collect the milk.
When Mrs. Chen finished her own chores and returned to the kitchen, to her surprise, Fang Anning had actually warmed the milk correctly.
Mrs. Chen felt the temperature of the cup and knowing it was just right, complimented her: "The wife is indeed clever, you've learned quickly."
"Thank you for the praise, Mrs. Chen. Please hurry and take it to the master, don't delay," Fang Anning said with a smile.
Mrs. Chen nodded and immediately carried the warm milk upstairs.
Watching Mrs. Chen leave, Fang Anning curled her lip slightly, a cunning glint flashing in her eyes.