The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 195 She was just... not lucky enough.

The rain came on and off for five days, leaving the streets muddy and few people willing to go out.

The Li family's clothing store on Guandong Street has also seen a sharp decline in business these past few days.

The elderly woman has poor eyesight, but her sewing skills are unparalleled; she can thread a needle even with her eyes closed.

"We haven't sold many clothes these past few days."

Li's daughter-in-law replied, "When the weather clears up, there will be more guests."

She bent down to embroider, but when the finished product came out, she was still not satisfied. Her rough fingers touched the petals.

"It's also my daughter-in-law's fault for being so dull."

"Sister Yu's embroidery skills are truly excellent, they have a unique charm. I asked her for advice back then, but even after all these years, I still can't match her skill by even a fraction."

She hadn't mentioned this person in a long time. Words slipping out are bound to be hesitant.

The Li family and the Yu family lived not far apart.

They never interact.

Yu's father was a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), and he was very fierce. No one in the neighborhood dared to associate with him.

When he brought the delicate, frail, and reserved Hu Yuniang back, it startled many people.

Before she could even run out to see, Yu Jingcheng came knocking on her door.

Besides buying wedding clothes, Yu Jingcheng also wanted several sets of women's clothes to change into, and cloth shoes, specifically requesting the most expensive ones.

The Yu family had lost both parents and had no elders or relatives, so the wedding was not a grand affair, but all the usual things were included.

The cold-blooded man who usually only carried a knife even went door-to-door delivering wedding cakes, just to hear a few more words of marital bliss.

Everyone found it rare.

However... the newlywed bride of the Yu family never went out after the wedding and always stayed at home. Yu Jingcheng always bought the groceries before going to the escort agency.

It is unclear when it began, but rumors started circulating that the bride was timid and seemed afraid to see people.

Granny Li was old; apart from her nimble hands, she sometimes spoke incoherently. Her cloudy eyes narrowed slightly: "Who?"

"The daughter-in-law of the Yu family."

Granny Li thought for a moment and said, "I don't remember."

Li's daughter-in-law: "You said before that Sister Yu is talented."

I heard that he didn't even know how to tailor clothes at first, and he figured it out slowly at home. After that, Yu Jingcheng never bought clothes outside again.

Just then, someone entered the clothing store.

The girl put away the umbrella she was holding and stepped inside.

She was fair-skinned and wore few accessories, yet her beautiful eyes and brows exuded a gentle and obedient charm.

Before Li's wife could even speak, she quickly stood up and said, "Sir, are you looking to buy clothes? We have some new styles in stock, and the fabric is extremely soft."

Yu Tingwan stared straight at her—at the hairpin in her hair.

The last time she came, she didn't say a word or reveal her identity. It was simply because her mother's matter weighed heavily on her heart, and she dared not recall the past.

Li's daughter-in-law just felt that the scene was strangely familiar.

"Can you sell me the hairpin?"

Just as Li's daughter-in-law frowned, Yu Tingwan raised her hand and expertly handed the several bags of pastries she was carrying to Li's mother, speaking in a familiar tone.

"This is a milk pastry, with a rich milky aroma that melts in your mouth. I was ignorant when I was young, so I'm here today to apologize to my grandmother."

Old Lady Li was puzzled.

Yu Tingwan thought for a moment: "I was the one who pulled up the willow saplings that my mother-in-law planted in front of her house back then."

Plant one, pull one out.

Who has as much destructive power as her?

For this reason, Granny Li would curse and swear every day.

Yu Tingwan: "I didn't have any bad intentions."

She blinked: "Really, during that period, my teacher kept urging me to write an article about willow trees. Every time I passed by the Li family's house, I got annoyed just looking at them."

Yu Tingwan turned around: "Aunt Li."

"My mother left me nothing, all I can do is..."

The words have not yet fallen.

"Yao Yao!"

This name...

It's been a long time since I've had this.

Yu Tingwan hadn't heard anyone call her that in a long time.

Li's daughter-in-law realized what was happening and was overjoyed: "You are Yaoyao."

"I didn't even recognize him."

“You were a beauty even as a child. Looking closely now, you still retain some of that beauty.”

She strode forward and looked at Yu Tingwan carefully, but it seemed she couldn't get enough of looking at her, and she couldn't help but sigh.

"You've grown into a beautiful young lady all these years." This hairpin originally belonged to Yu's mother. She wouldn't give it to anyone else, so how could she not give it to Yu Tingwan?

Upon hearing this, Grandma Li suddenly remembered it.

"Is she a young lady from the Yu family?"

Yu Tingwan: "It's me."

Grandma Li's eyesight was poor, and her vision was blurry; she could only vaguely make out the outline of the girl in the light and shadow.

Where have you been all this time?

"It's been a long time since you've come to my house to play."

Grandma Li: "She was being childish, and your father locked her up at home."

Upon hearing this, Li's wife quickly looked at Yu Tingwan's apologetic expression.

"My mother-in-law had an illness years ago and doesn't recognize people anymore. She's forgotten about your family..."

Yu Tingwan smiled. So much time has passed, she wouldn't be so bothered by others mentioning these things.

She said to the old woman in the Li family, "My father would never want to lock me up."

She was holding the hairpin that the Li family's daughter-in-law had just taken down and handed to her.

It's silver.

It's very old.

It's also very light.

She held it like a precious jewel, carefully cradling it in her hands, afraid to use too much force.

"It should have been given to you a long time ago."

Li's daughter-in-law: "When the accident happened, my mother-in-law and I happened to be visiting relatives."

When they returned, they were completely dumbfounded to see that the Yu family home was nothing but ruins.

"When I learned that you were being raised in the household of a constable, I went to look for you but found nothing."

"you……"

The Li family's daughter-in-law asked, "Has your uncle treated you well all these years?"

Yu Tingwan simply said, "I am now married, and my husband's family treats me very well."

After the girl left, Li's wife saw her to the door, watching her figure being swallowed by the rain, still reluctant to look away.

I don't know how much time passed, but I heard Granny Li's old voice from behind me.

"I remembered."

"Back then, we even considered adopting Yu Jiayao."

Li's daughter-in-law slowly withdrew her gaze.

Yes.

Her husband died young, and she also lost her only son.

It was just her and her mother-in-law at home.

Having a child makes things more lively.

When the Yu family was in trouble, the young girl had nowhere to go, and it was Officer Zhu who took pity on her and took her into his home.

Ke Zhu's family is large, although a girl can't eat much rice. But how could the constable's wife be willing to support Yu Tingwan for nothing?

When Li's wife returned from visiting relatives and learned of this, she was saddened and began to have other ideas.

Although her family couldn't earn as much money as Yu Jingcheng's, and their conditions weren't as good as the Yu family's, Yao Yao still had enough to eat and wear by following them.

We will continue to support the girl's education.

Watching her grow up.

Finding her a good husband would be... a way of giving Sister Yu some closure.

But it was too late.

When the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arrived at the Zhu family home, Yao Yao had already been taken away by Yu's family.

Li's daughter-in-law sighed deeply.

She knew that Yao Yao had always wanted the best food and clothes since she was a child, and that she wanted to be covered in jewelry, as proud as a little peacock, with jingling sounds every time she went out.

They couldn't wait to announce to the neighbors that the troublemaker was back again.

Now it is simple and clean.

He's not being shameless anymore.

She doesn't look like herself at all.

The innocence and mischievousness in her eyes had long since vanished.

Yu Tingwan walked carefully along the street, lifting her skirt to avoid the potholes.

Little did she know that even though her parents were gone, she was not a burden, nor was she an unwanted child.

She just...

Not so lucky.