Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 572 - 556 Furious, Disillusioned

Jin Zhi and Zhao Chun turned their heads simultaneously and saw a man in a suit, his belly slightly protruding. He jogged over with a flattering smile on his face, staring straight at Jin Zhi.

Zhao Chun was slightly surprised and almost immediately guessed who this person was. He had expected someone like Chen Biao, a thug or rascal, but instead, here came someone dressed formally in a suit.

"Jin Zhi, heading back so soon?" Luo Da grinned, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Chun with hostility. He then asked, "Is this your boyfriend?"

Zhao Chun had been holding back his irritation all along, but now his mood soured completely. Coming here, everyone said he was Jin Zhi’s boyfriend. Leaving, the same rumor persisted.

This time, forget Jin Zhi or anyone else; he had run out of patience!

His expression darkened immediately, and he snapped in a fierce tone, "I’m not her boyfriend!"

Jin Zhi was startled by his harsh tone, so much so that her lips turned pale with fright.

She spoke cautiously, "Mr. Zhao, please wait. Let me explain this to Luo Da."

Jin Zhi pulled Luo Da aside for a few steps.

Unable to hold back, Luo Da asked urgently, "Jin Zhi, what’s going on? Everyone’s saying he’s your boyfriend, and yet he just said he’s not? Let me tell you, these city folks are masters at deceiving us country folk. Don’t let yourself get fooled. You’d be much better off with me. I guarantee I can make sure you live the good life."

Jin Zhi replied softly, "He is my boyfriend. Stop pestering me."

Zhao Chun had been straining his ears and heard those five words from Jin Zhi: "He is my boyfriend."

He stood there, stunned.

Whatever Jin Zhi and Luo Da said afterward, he heard it all in a half-dazed state—it neither mattered nor interested him. In the end, Luo Da left, but not before throwing out a parting threat to Jin Zhi: "You’ll see!" The words left Jin Zhi trembling with fear.

"Mr. Zhao..." Jin Zhi lifted her gaze timidly.

Zhao Chun was staring at her intently, his deep eyes unreadable and unfathomable.

Jin Zhi felt inexplicably flustered. The Zhao Chun she knew was always warm and sunny, never like this—with such a dark expression. She had no idea what was wrong. He had suddenly shouted earlier, and now he was glaring at her coldly.

Zhao Chun looked at her in disappointment and asked, "Why did you tell him I’m your boyfriend?"

Jin Zhi’s heart clenched tight, looking pitifully at him.

Zhao Chun’s tone grew stern, "Explain yourself!"

He wasn’t someone you could easily fool. Gender didn’t matter—he treated people the same way. While he might always wear a smile, it didn’t mean he had a good temper. In fact, he was quite the opposite—his temper used to be terrible, prone to bursts of anger.

Jin Zhi sniffled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mr. Zhao, you know I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to get Luo Da to leave." Truthfully, there had been some selfishness on her part when she said it.

But she couldn’t help thinking about when others called him her boyfriend before, and Zhao Chun didn’t seem angry at all back then. Why was he acting so strangely today? His gaze unsettled her and filled her with fear.

Could it be that Boss Zhao had told him about the incident from before? Was that why Zhao Chun’s attitude toward her had changed so suddenly?

Jin Zhi felt ashamed and humiliated beyond words.

In the past, when Zhao Chun saw her cry, he might have felt sympathy. But now, he only felt irritation.

He sighed coldly. "Jin Zhi, I don’t understand how you could say so casually to Luo Da that I’m your boyfriend. I am someone who deeply dislikes being falsely labeled. Back in the red-light district, when people said that, I could tolerate it. But this is different."

Jin Zhi bit her lower lip. Why was it different this time?

"When others say it and when you say it, there’s a world of difference, don’t you understand, Jin Zhi?"

"They can say it, but you can’t. You know full well we don’t have that kind of relationship."

"I understand your desire to get rid of Luo Da, and Sangsang and I have been trying to help you as well."

"But there are plenty of ways to deal with him that don’t involve telling him I’m your boyfriend."

"You’ve put me in a very uncomfortable, unhappy, and resentful spot."

Jin Zhi, being a thin-skinned girl, felt deeply humiliated when the man she liked questioned and belittled her like this. It was as mortifying as being caught stealing something.

Her face flushed crimson, her nose reddened from crying.

"I understand," she choked out through sobs. "Mr. Zhao, I shouldn’t have presumed to even think of you in that way. I’m not good enough for you, not even worthy of mentioning your name. I’m so plain and ordinary. I’m not as pretty as Boss Zhao, and I don’t have what she has..."

"Enough!" Zhao Chun frowned and interrupted her. He was getting more and more confused—how did Sangsang come into this? "I’m just saying your actions were wrong. Let me ask you, when you were at home with your parents, did you also tell them I was your boyfriend?"

Jin Zhi gritted her teeth tightly, her face burning hotter—as if stripped bare in humiliation.

"Mr. Zhao, did Boss Zhao say something about me to you?"

This was the gap between them. Zhao Chun cast her a cold glance and said, "I’m leaving. Don’t bother seeing me off."

Jin Zhi had taken the day off.

"Boss Zhao!"

Zhao Chun had barely walked a few steps when Jin Yu came chasing after him from behind.

Zhao Chun’s expression didn’t look any better. Jin Yu ignored Jin Zhi, who was now a sobbing mess, and said, "Mr. Zhao, don’t misunderstand—I’m different from my sister. I don’t cry, you see. I just... I wanted to ask you: you mentioned I’d be good at acting—do you mean acting like in the movies?"

Zhao Chun set aside the earlier matter. "Yes."

Jin Yu lowered her head. "But I’m not pretty enough."

Zhao Chun replied, "For actors, looks are secondary. What matters most is charisma."

Jin Yu lifted her head. "Do you think I have charisma, Mr. Zhao?"

"Yes," Zhao Chun smiled. "A kind of charisma that’s entirely different from other women."

Jin Yu felt a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, people always say I’m like a man."

Zhao Chun replied matter-of-factly, "That’s a kind of charisma too, isn’t it?"

Jin Yu exhaled and let out a couple of laughs.

Zhao Chun said, "You could think it over. I’m at the Beijing Film Factory."

Jin Yu replied, "Got it!"

When Zhao Chun spoke with Jin Yu, he was casual and easygoing. The two stood together, chatting freely and cheerfully. Jin Zhi, through tearful and blurry eyes, was filled with confusion. Since when had her brash younger sister gotten on such friendly terms with Zhao Chun?

**

When Zhao Chun returned, his face was still dark.

Tian Sangsang figured something must’ve happened to him in the countryside.

"What’s the matter with you?"

She feigned a surprised glance at him. "Failed miserably while playing hero, and got bullied by that Luo guy instead?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Zhao Chun reached out to pat the head of little Meng Shuyan nearby and shook his head.

"Mom, let me hold my little brother," Meng Shuyan said kindly in a soft tone. "You can chat with Chun Zisu."

Tian Sangsang, naturally eager to let the brothers bond, happily handed Little Tangyuan over. She was probably overthinking it—as both she and Meng Shuyan shared the same joy of poking and prodding. Poking a cheek here, prodding some eyelashes there—they played merrily.