Poverty, Marriage, and a Shattered Home

Qiao Sanzhu's gaze moved down from her face to her belly, where it lingered for a moment. Then he let go of her chin and yanked open the front of her clothes.

Lin Baojuan was too weak to resist.

Qiao Sanzhu looked down at her belly, then raised his eyes to her face. His eyes narrowed, like a snake that had spotted its prey.

"You got rid of my child?"

Lin Baojuan met his gaze without flinching.

"Yes."

Qiao Sanzhu raised his hand and slapped her. Her vision went black, and she toppled sideways, cracking her forehead against the doorframe. A gash opened, and blood ran down the bridge of her nose.

Before she could steady herself, Qiao Sanzhu grabbed her by the hair and hauled her up from the ground.

"You filthy slut!" Spittle sprayed across her face. "You think you can just get rid of my child whenever you want? Who do you think you are?"

The angrier he got, the more he ranted. With his other hand, he grabbed the back of her neck and dragged her into the main room. Lin Baojuan's knee struck the threshold, and she sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

Qiao Sanzhu threw her to the floor and kicked her in the waist.

He put all his strength into the kick. Lin Baojuan slid several feet before crashing into a table leg and coming to a stop.