Chapter 8

I felt terribly wronged.

At last, Dadiao took pity on me.

He pushed my husband away, gently took my hand, and wiped my tears. “There now. Don’t cry. It hurts me to see you like this.”

I hugged him. “You mustn’t leave me. I like you so much.”

My husband stamped his feet angrily beside us.

Dadiao told him, “Don’t be impatient. If you do well, I’ll consider you.”

My husband smiled blissfully.

Then he eagerly tried to offer Dadiao gifts.

Dadiao quickly stopped him. “I only love gold and silver.”

“You have such good taste,” I said admiringly.

My husband soon brought a chest of silver.

And a small box of gold.

Who knew how long he’d been saving it.

Dadiao smiled at him. “Well done. You may go now. I’d like to rest.”

My husband left in a daze.

Before going, he gave me a smug look.

He must have thought I’d merely had a head start.

As long as he pleased Dadiao, Dadiao would spare him another glance.

I secretly ground my teeth.

Dadiao did like money.

Who didn’t?

But women couldn’t earn very much.

We depended on our parents and our husbands’ families.

And we had to save for our future daughters’ dowries and our sons’ betrothal gifts.

Much as I wanted to give Dadiao presents, I really couldn’t touch my meager dowry anymore.

That night, I feasted on Dadiao out of spite.

The next day, my husband gave Dadiao another box of silver.

Looking elegant and self-assured, he asked, “Diao’er, may I have dinner with you?”

Because my mother-in-law was always finding fault, Dadiao had previously eaten in my courtyard. I pretended to be ill so I could eat there with him.

Dadiao nodded. “You may.”

My husband looked almost drunk with happiness.

They walked away.

I could still hear my husband telling Dadiao, “I’ve sent away those concubines who weren’t half as pretty as you. As for that yellow-faced old wife of mine, hmph—”

I nearly tore my handkerchief to pieces.

That Wang Jinbao was worse than an animal. He wanted to divorce me, but first he wanted to steal my man.

I couldn’t let him take Dadiao.

A beauty from some little backwater like him could easily be dazzled by money.

I couldn’t be stingy.

That night, I feasted on Dadiao as usual.

The next day, with tears in my eyes, I took out a third of the gold in my dowry.

I gave it to Dadiao.

His face immediately lit up with delight.

When had I ever seen him smile so happily?

He really was a man who worshipped money.

I held his hand. “What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. Where do you keep your money? I’ll look after it for you.”

He shook his head. “It’s a secret.”

I wanted to ask where he kept the money my husband gave him too. Whenever I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t find it.

Instead, he casually set the gold aside, cupped my face, and began kissing me.

I lost myself at once in the wonderful world we shared.