You Have to Admit It Whether You Want To or Not
Helen Parker lay on the ground, rolling her eyes and twitching, scaring Grandma Evans so much her face turned pale. If Helen really died of anger, this wedding would turn into a funeral!
David Evans hurriedly called for villagers to grab a plank and carry his unconscious wife to Dr. Wu’s house. A crowd of onlookers and helpers followed, packing the street with curious villagers.
Grandma Evans followed, listening to the villagers’ mockery and gossip. She wished she could cover her face—or better yet, faint like Helen Parker and escape the embarrassment!
Lila Green clung to Arthur Evans, the two of them bickering and tussling all the way to Dr. Wu’s house.
Lily Evans had just found a quiet corner, only to be trapped in the house again by another wave of people.
Helen Parker was carried into Dr. Wu’s room, with David Evans following close behind. The rest were shooed outside, filling Dr. Wu’s courtyard to the brim—no one wanted to miss the spectacle.
Grandma Evans was so furious she wanted to kick Lila Green out and refuse to recognize the marriage.
But Lila Green was pregnant. She’d seen a doctor before, who said she’d lost several children at the brothel, and if she lost this one, she might never have another. So of course, Lila clung to Arthur Evans—who else would want a washed-up courtesan with a child? Only Arthur Evans was left for her to hold onto.
“Grandma Evans, what’s the meaning of this? Everyone saw it—I married Arthur Evans, we signed the marriage contract and bowed to Heaven! We’re a proper couple. What right do you have to kick me out and deny the marriage?” Lila Green, seasoned from years in the pleasure house, wasn’t someone Grandma Evans could easily handle. She fired back without hesitation.
Grandma Evans glared, eyes wide with rage, and swung her hand at Lila Green’s face. But Lila was too sharp—she dodged without missing a beat and, with a subtle move, tripped Grandma Evans, sending her sprawling face-first into the dirt.
“I’m telling you, Grandma Evans, you have no choice. You’ll have to recognize me, whether you like it or not. You’d better calm down, or you’ll end up twitching on the ground again—and who’s going to pay your medical bills? Does my husband’s exam fee come out of thin air?” Lila Green stood with arms crossed, shooting a sideways glance at Grandma Evans sitting on the ground.
Grandma Evans sat on the ground, wailing and pounding the earth. "Arthur, my eldest grandson, what did we do to deserve this? Hurry up and divorce that shameless woman!"
Arthur Evans’s face was dark as thunder. Nearby, a gang of village ruffians—Doggie Li, Second Dog Li, and the rest—pointed and laughed, calling him a cuckold. Arthur glared fiercely at Lila Green: "You wretch! You’ve tricked me so badly! So what if we married? I’ll divorce you right now!"
Lila Green, belly out and attitude blazing, marched over and slapped her hands on her stomach. "Arthur Evans, your whole family tricked me into marrying you! Now you want to deny it? Dream on! If you dare divorce me, I’ll march straight to the County Magistrate and accuse you of forcing yourself on a helpless woman! You want to be a scholar? Let’s see how you keep your reputation with a lawsuit hanging over your head!"
In front of everyone, Lila Green patted her belly and shouted, "This child is Arthur Evans’s! If he tries to deny it and drives me to my death, fine! I’m no pushover! If my life is ruined, I’ll ruin his whole family!"
Lily Evans watched as Lila Green boasted about getting pregnant before marriage, utterly stunned. She hadn’t thought anyone could be more shameless than Arthur Evans’s family—but if Lila Green really joined the Evans household, things were about to get a lot livelier.