After marrying the fierce god, her handsome young husband was pampered to the extreme.

Lin Ling moved closer to her husband on the bed and asked softly, "What's your name?"

The husband lowered his head, trembling, and dared not speak.

It's obvious that Fang Yun must have threatened this husband before they arrived.

Lin Ling knew that Wu Ren was outside the house, so she was no longer so afraid of Fang Yun. She whispered, "I know you are his husband. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

The man then timidly raised his head, his eyes filled with unease and fear.

He lived a life of constant abuse, living cautiously and fearfully, easily frightened by the slightest disturbance.

Lin Ling unconsciously softened his voice, his tone becoming gentler. He carefully took the other person's trembling hand. "My name is Lin Ling. What's your name?"

Perhaps it was because Lin Ling was too obedient that the husband felt he posed no danger, and thus whispered, "Yan Qingzhu."

"Qingzhu...is that another name for Qinglanggan?" Lin Ling asked.

Yan Qingzhu nodded gently.

Qinglanggan is a greenish-blue gemstone that can be made into pigments for painting.

The name is elegant; there must be someone skilled in painting in Yan Qingzhu's family.

Thinking about this, an incredible idea came to mind.

Lin Ling tentatively asked, "Can you draw?"

Yan Qingzhu bit her lip, not daring to speak.

Lin Ling looked around the bedroom.

Elegant calligraphy and paintings hung on the wall, and the bookshelves were filled with books. There was no dressing table, but there was a desk with an unfinished painting on it.

Lin Ling pointed to the painting and asked, "Is that your painting?"

Yan Qingzhu lowered her eyes, her voice filled with sorrow, "No... it wasn't painted by my husband... Fang Yun."

Lin Ling gently patted Yan Qingzhu's hand. "If you don't want to talk about it, how about I go first?"

Before Yan Qingzhu could answer, Lin Ling continued, "I met Fang Yun two years ago. At that time, I was being harassed by some thugs, and it was Fang Yun who helped me escape their clutches."

"I was very grateful to him, and when I saw him selling paintings, I bought them all. I originally wanted to repay his kindness, but I found that his paintings were so exquisite that they would be perfect for embroidery."

"Oh, by the way, I own an embroidery shop in the city called Lingxiu Pavilion."

"From then on, whenever he sold paintings, I would always buy all of his flower paintings."

"Firstly, I felt that it was not easy for him to study and I wanted to help him; secondly, this flower picture is indeed useful to me."

"I like his paintings, so he considers me a kindred spirit."

At this point, Lin Ling paused, her voice slightly hoarse, "Over time, I became acquainted with him. With the imperial examinations approaching, I was worried that he wouldn't be able to focus on his studies because of financial constraints, so I decided to help him out."

"But he doesn't accept the money I give him; he just sends me new flower designs every time he gets one."

"I had no choice but to use the flower painting as an excuse to slip him money under the guise of buying the painting."

"Until recently, I discovered that he had lied to me."

"He once said that he was all alone, with only a sick stepfather to take care of."

"But in fact, his stepfather had passed away long ago... He wasn't alone; he had already married a husband, yet he always said things that seemed plausible to deceive me."

Yan Qingzhu's eyes were already brimming with tears at some point.

Lin Ling said, "Qingzhu, don't cry. We were just unlucky to meet a bad man. He's not worth our tears."

Yan Qingzhu bit her lip, and after a long while, she managed to say with difficulty, "I painted it... I painted it."

Lin Ling hugged him, but thought to herself: Just as I thought.

How could someone of such low character possibly settle down and study painting techniques?

"Qingzhu," Lin Ling said, "he torments you like this, why don't you divorce him?"

Yan Qingzhu turned her head away, "I..."

He hesitated to reveal the reason, so Lin Ling guessed that he might have some kind of difficulty. "Tell me, and I'll help you."

"I..." A hot tear slid down Yan Qingzhu's face, making him look even more broken and haggard.

Lin Ling had actually seen the marks hidden under Yan Qingzhu's clothes long ago, and could tell at a glance that Fang Yun not only tormented him, but also committed domestic violence.

"Qingzhu, your life shouldn't be wasted like this," Lin Ling said. "Life is long, you're still young, and everything can start anew."

Yan Qingzhu looked up, her eyes filled with confusion. "We're complete strangers, why are you helping me?"

"Qingzhu, I actually came here once before. You were washing clothes in the courtyard then," Lin Ling said. "At that time, I already knew that you were his husband."

Yan Qingzhu tilted her head.

Lin Ling said, "It was the day an old man came to Fang Yun to write a couplet."

Yan Qingzhu suddenly realized.

Lin Ling said, "If I hadn't discovered Fang Yun's true colors, my future fate would have been no different from yours. A selfish person like him wouldn't change his character for anyone."

Yan Qingzhu smiled bitterly, "You're right. It's just a pity that I wasn't as good as you back then, and I couldn't see through his true colors."

Lin Ling knew that his efforts had not been in vain; Yan Qingzhu had opened her heart to him.

According to Yan Qingzhu, he was also at the prime of his life when he married Fang Yun.

His father was a scholar who passed the imperial examination, and his family was considered a scholarly family.

Since the official schools were converted into regular schools a few years ago, private schools and academies within the territory of Da Yin have had to obtain a qualification certificate in order to operate.

Schools are not found everywhere; in some remote areas, even private schools are scarce.

Yan's father taught at a village school in the neighboring county, and Fang Yun was one of his students.

However, Yan's father saw that Fang Yun was not a good man, so he always opposed Yan Qingzhu marrying Fang Yun.

But Yan Qingzhu couldn't see it clearly; Fang Yun's act was just too good.

Yan Qingzhu chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Back then, Fang Yun would walk two hours through the mountains to the county town to buy me sweet cakes just because of something I said."

"They would also brave the heavy rain to fetch a doctor when I was sick."

"At that time, he always looked at me, making me feel...like that I was loved."

Lin Ling agreed, "He's such a good actor!"

He doesn't love anyone else, he only loves himself.

Yan Qingzhu said, "I broke with my family to marry him... How could I have the face to divorce and go home... Ten years have passed, and they have never come to see me once. They must resent me."

Lin Ling didn't offer him comforting words like "What parents don't love their children?" She simply asked, "So, do you want a divorce from Fang Yun?"

Yan Qingzhu said, "I want to, but I can't."

Lin Ling asked, puzzled, "Why?"

Yan Qingzhu said bitterly, "My child, he gave my child away. Only he knows where my child is. If I resist him, he will kill my child."