3

Tàohuā picked up a piece of fish, took a bite, and said, “It’s not as tasty as freshly made. You should try the fish I make sometime.”

“You’re just talking big. I’ve never tried it,” Wàn Lín teased.

“If you want to try the food I make, then hurry up and marry me,” Tàohuā said playfully.

“You’re in such a hurry to get married, are you afraid that this beautiful flower will remain unclaimed?” Wàn Lín asked with a smile.

“Look at you. I just want to be with you,” Tàohuā responded.

From then on, the two young people were often together.

In order to secure her relationship with Wàn Lín and make sure he was hers for good, Tàohuā, having learned from her previous mistakes, decided to get pregnant before marriage.

Tàohuā, almost frantic, searched everywhere for Wàn Lín. She finally found him at a friend’s house. Wàn Lín asked, “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

She took him aside and said, “I haven’t had my period for a long time, I think I might be pregnant. What should I do if that’s the case?” She began to cry as she spoke.

At that moment, Wàn Lín didn’t know how to respond. He hadn’t been thinking about marriage or children. He had just been enjoying their time together. This sudden turn of events caught him off guard. He said, “It’s not that serious yet. I have time today, let’s go to the hospital and get checked. We’ll know for sure.”

“We can go to the hospital, but if I am pregnant, you have to marry me,” Tàohuā insisted.

When the test results came back, Wàn Lín spoke to his parents: “I’m going to be a father, Tàohuā and I… we’re having a child.”

His father said, “How long has this been going on? You young people are too bold.”

His mother added, “We’re not meddling in your personal matters, but Tàohuā has always had a lot of ideas. Once she sets her mind to something, she can make it happen. Your father and I have watched her closely. Marriage and family life aren’t something you rush into; you have to think long-term. We have a reputation to uphold. Getting pregnant before marriage isn’t good for our family’s name.”

Indeed, Wàn Lín’s parents didn’t approve of their relationship, and Wàn Lín himself wasn’t thrilled about the situation either. His family considered the social implications, the stability of their future family, and Wàn Lín’s career development. They decided to break things off with Tàohuā.

Wàn Lín went to Tàohuā and said, “My parents don’t approve of our relationship, and I don’t know what to do.”

Tàohuā’s face, which had been so rosy, immediately darkened. She coldly said, “I’m a virgin, you played with me, and now my stomach is growing bigger. What do you intend to do about it?”

“I didn’t plan for it to happen this way either. We can’t just leave things like this, can we?” Wàn Lín replied, somewhat helpless.

Tàohuā, privately thinking, knew that Wàn Lín’s parents fundamentally opposed the relationship. He was the one who had dragged her into this. The longer they delayed, the harder it would be to resolve. After some careful thought, she decided to get money from him. Money could solve any problem. They weren’t exactly poor, and this time, she would make him pay. After thinking for a long while, she bit her lip and said, “Considering the past four or five years, I’ve been taking care of the child and can’t work, plus the child’s upbringing costs, I need 60,000 yuan. After that, we’ll go our separate ways, and I won’t bother you.”

“You’re being ruthless! We have money, but it wasn’t earned by the wind. It was hard-earned,” Wàn Lín protested.

“Fine. If you’re not concerned about reputation, what do I care? It’s always men who can’t find a wife, but I’ve never heard of a woman who can’t find a partner,” Tàohuā shot back.

In the end, the two parted on bad terms.

Wàn Lín, after thinking things over, decided to pay her 80,000 yuan as a settlement and sever all ties with her.

This time, Tàohuā’s plan backfired. But, ever the shrewd woman, she had no choice but to find another target.

Her parents didn’t respect her, she had no business skills, no family fortune, and no prospects. She ended up with a man called “Old Five,” who was just as aimless as she was. They started a relationship through some mutual connection.

When you’re too close to the situation, you can’t see clearly. Tàohuā was determined not to let her child be born out of wedlock, nor did she want to leave her money idle. She decided to take action, and “Old Five” would be her partner in crime. Using his meager connections and her own sharp mind, they bought a unit in a remote area of the county, quickly furnished it, and soon after, she moved in with her child.

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