After Rebirth, My Rough Husband Spoiled Me Rotten

Lowell Sullivan, a city youth sent to the countryside, fell into the water by accident, and I was the one who saved him.

The next day he showed up with a thick load of betrothal gifts to propose marriage, saying he wanted to repay me for saving his life.

My biased parents pushed my younger sister forward and claimed she was the one who had gone into the river to save him.

I refused to accept it. Right there in front of everyone, I exposed the truth: my sister couldn't swim at all, and I was the one who saved him.

"He was unconscious at the time, and I was the one who gave him mouth-to-mouth."

"I saved him without a thought for my own reputation, so if he owes anyone, he owes it to me."

I made a scene until the whole village knew about it, and under the pressure, Lowell had no choice but to change his tune and marry me.

After the wedding, I got my wish and moved to the city with him, but he treated me like a total stranger, nothing but coldness. His family didn't treat me like a person either, wearing me down and giving me a hard time day after day.

Still, I believed that as long as my heart was sincere, one day it would warm him, so I slaved away in the Sullivan household, working without complaint.

Until I saw him secretly meeting with my sister, Loretta.

Rage surged through me until my whole body shook, and I rushed over like a madwoman to demand an explanation.

Lowell shoved me away hard, his eyes full of disgust and loathing.

"Lily, let me tell you this. From beginning to end, the one I wanted to marry was Loretta. If you hadn't thrown a public fit and made such an unreasonable scene, we'd have been together long ago. You took her place."

Only then did I understand that his talk of proposing to the woman who saved his life had only ever been a pretext. The one he wanted to marry all along was Loretta.

Once I knew the truth, I sank into grief and rage and wasted away in depression. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day he came to propose.

This time, I'll grant your wish.

...........

Lowell stood tall and straight in a crisp, well-fitted Mao suit, a thick pile of betrothal gifts stacked on his old bicycle.

"A life saved should be repaid many times over, and besides, there must have been some physical contact between us in the water yesterday, so I must take responsibility."

He was speaking to my parents, but his eyes were glued to Loretta, and she stood there shy and bashful.

I must have been so stupid in my past life that I didn't even notice such an obvious sign, believing he really was there to thank me for saving his life.

Beaming, my parents gave Loretta a little push forward. "The young man's right. Our Loretta risked her life to pull you out of that water. You mustn't let her down."

Loretta's cheeks flushed scarlet in an instant, and she shyly nestled into Lowell's arms.

Lowell agreed to it all. "I'll treat Loretta well for the rest of my life. I'll never let her down."

The villagers who'd come to watch the excitement offered their congratulations to my parents too. "You two are so blessed! Lowell's about to head back to the city, and Loretta gets to go along and live the good life."

My parents stood up straight, their faces practically blooming with joy, until they saw me. Then the smiles froze on their faces.

"Lily, what are you doing here?"

What a ridiculous question. A smile curved on my lips as I looked at my parents. "This is my home. Is there a problem with me being in my own home?"

Only then did Mom realize she'd said the wrong thing, a flicker of guilt in the corner of her eye. "I'm only worried about you and your fever, aren't I? It's windy out here. Hurry back inside and rest."

Her eyes were terrified I might say one more word and ruin Loretta's good fortune, and I found it laughable.

Lowell suddenly stepped forward and spoke in a rush. "Lily, what are you trying to pull now? Don't tell me you're going to say you were the one who saved me."

"When I was pulled out of the water yesterday, I saw with my own eyes that Loretta was the one who saved me. Don't go trying to steal the credit. I will not marry you."

I froze and stared at him in shock. So he had been reborn too, which was why he couldn't wait to shut me up, striking first by saying he'd seen Loretta save him.

The villagers turned to look at me with doubt in their eyes as well.

But my gaze stayed calm. "What are you talking about, brother-in-law?"

"The one who saved you was of course my sister, Loretta."

"Besides, I'm already engaged, so why would I ever want to marry you?"

He froze at my words and stared at me in disbelief.

"What did you say? You're getting married? To whom?"

The urgency in his eyes struck me as ridiculous. I'd already cut ties with him myself, so what did he have to be so anxious about?

Loretta stepped forward and took Lowell's arm. Her expression was a little strained, but she still tried her best to keep up appearances.

"Lowell, what's gotten into you?"

"Why are you suddenly so concerned about my sister's marriage?"

A flicker of unease crossed Lowell's eyes. "I'm just afraid she might be up to some trick."

My mother caught on and hurried over to grab my hand. "Lily was promised to Elijah Walker long ago."

Lowell staggered a step, his voice rising sharply. "Elijah Walker? That rough loner with no one left at home? How is that possible?"

Loretta's face went pale. She hadn't expected him to lose his composure over my marriage, and she shot me a resentful glare.

A small smile tugged at my lips. "I agree with what Mr. Sullivan said, that a life-saving debt should be repaid like a gushing spring. Back when my father went up the mountain to hunt, he was nearly eaten by wolves, and it was Elijah who saved his life."

"So afterward, to show their thanks, my family arranged the engagement, and I thought it was a fine idea too."

"Repaying a life-saving debt by giving oneself in marriageisn't that exactly what Mr. Sullivan said?"

It was true. Back then my parents had wanted me to marry over to repay the debt, but I'd looked down on his poor family and, from start to finish, never agreed.

Living a second life, I thought marrying a solid, dependable man like him was a good thing.

Loretta caught on and quickly spoke up. "Lowell, you probably don't know, but my sister and Elijah have been getting along wonderfully in private. They're practically ready to marry."

"Why don't we hold our weddings together? It'll be perfect, the two of us sisters marrying at the same time."

After she said it, she looked at me expectantly, terrified I'd expose her and refuse.

I nodded. "Sure, let's hold them together."

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

But Lowell's face suddenly went cold, and he said mockingly, "Getting married in such a short time, can he even scrape together a decent set of betrothal gifts?"

"Don't let it turn out so shabby that your sister can't even put on a red dress."

His words set the whole crowd roaring with laughter.

"Elijah's certainly no match for you, a city youth sent to the countryside. He's just a broke nobody with nothing but brute strength. For his wedding he probably can't even scrape together a single betrothal gift."

"Loretta's the lucky one, marrying a city youth."

"Lily's just fated to scrape a living out of the dirt."

Loretta basked in the fawning like a princess set high above everyone. She looked at me with a charitable air. "Lowell, could I share a little of the betrothal gifts you gave me with my sister? I don't want her wedding to be too shabby."

Lowell gave a cold snort. "Those are for you. Not just anyone is fit to use them."

Loretta's eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction. "Then I suppose my sister will just have to make do."

I shook my head. "I'm marrying the man, not the betrothal gifts."

Elijah might be poor, but I already had the memories of my past life, and this time we would surely make a good life together.

My comeback left Lowell's face ugly. "Let's see how long you can keep talking tough."

"Don't think I actually believe you're going to marry that pauper. You're just doing this to put on a show for me. Too bad you've miscalculated."

I ignored him and went to find Elijah. He was chopping wood. It was hot, and he'd stripped to the waist, his muscles looking all the firmer from the work. My face flushed before I could stop it.

Head down, I told him about the marriage, and he went still.

"It's okay if you don't want to."

He shook his head over and over, his voice urgent. "I'm willing."

My face went even redder. "Then propose as soon as you can. You don't need anything expensive, I don't care about that."

And with that I ran off, flustered.

Who could have guessed he'd come to propose the very next day? When I saw what he'd brought, my eyes went wide with shock.

The betrothal gifts filled an entire flatbed cart, making Lowell Sullivan's gifts from yesterday look like nothing by comparison.

Yesterday his betrothal gifts had been a few bottles of malted milk powder, a bolt of red cloth, and two bags of fine white flour.

But today, on top of all that, Elijah had brought a sewing machine and a radio.

It drew a crowd at once. "I never would have guessed Elijah had built up such a fortune all on his own."

"Right? Never mind out here in the country, these things would be top-notch even in the city."

"I thought Loretta's betrothal gifts yesterday were already quite respectable, but next to Lily's today they hardly count for anything."

Loretta and Lowell happened to overhear this just as they came back from shopping, and their faces turned very ugly.

Loretta looked at the gifts on the cart, a flash of jealousy in her eyes, then stubbornly spoke up. "Lowell's betrothal gifts yesterday were more than just that. There was five hundred dollars in cash too."

At that, everyone gasped. After all, monthly income in the countryside was only a few dozen dollarsten years of saving might not add up to five hundred.

Seeing the surprise on everyone's faces, Loretta grew even more pleased with herself.

"Lowell said it's not that he wouldn't buy me a sewing machine and a radio, he just couldn't be bothered to haul them over. He's already got them ready for me at his home in the city. Isn't that right, Lowell?"

Only then did Lowell snap out of it and nod. "That's right."

Just then Elijah took a wad of bills from inside his shirt and handed it to me, saying only one word. "Betrothal."

A full two thousand dollars. Loretta's expression turned uglier still.

The crowd pressed in again. "Congratulations, Lily, you're so lucky. Who'd have thought Elijah was this capable, saving up so much all by himself."

I was stunned too. He wore the same tattered undershirt all year round, and in winter he didn't even own a padded coat, yet I never imagined he'd saved this much money.

Seeing how surprised I was, he explained, "Saved it from hunting. Can't let you lose face. It's all yours."

I stared blankly at this man whose ears had gone red even as he spoke, and my own cheeks began to burn.

"Thank you."

Loretta turned and walked straight off, and Lowell turned and left too, displeased.

"What are you showing off for? Do you have to make your sister look bad?"

My father suddenly spoke up, pointing at me, his eyes full of anger. "Lily, do you have to steal your sister's thunder?"

Sensing that the mood had turned, the onlookers awkwardly drifted away.

Elijah shielded me behind him. "I brought the betrothal gifts. It has nothing to do with Lily."

"You"

My father raised his hand as if to strike, then let it fall. I said mockingly, "So Dad means the spotlight can only be my sister's, and I should go out looking shabby, is that it?"

My father had no answer. My mother stepped forward. "Your sister is marrying a city youth sent to the countryside. She'll be moving into the city someday. How can you compare with her?"

"Our family has no money to put together a dowry for you, so these things are perfect for your sister to take with herconsider it your way of making amends."

I looked at her in disbelief. "No way. These are all mine."

My father raised his hand to strike again, and I lifted my chin and faced him head-on. "If you dare do that, I'll shout out the truth about the rescue in the river. Let's see how Loretta gets married then."

My parents finally gave in.

As I saw Elijah out, he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something. I looked at the old scars on his arm and said, "This money is what you risked your life for. Why should they get to take it for nothing?"

He said nothing more. When Loretta came back that evening, she was loaded down with bags of every size. The moment she saw me, she spoke up with a smug look. "These are all the wedding clothes Lowell bought me at the store, and little leather shoes too. They're the most popular styles in the city right now."

"These things all take ration coupons. You can't just buy them with money."

"I'm glad you like them."

Seeing how I reacted, she shot me a resentful look and was about to say something when Lowell stopped her. "Let it go. Don't say anything."

Seeing Lowell speak up for me, her eyes filled with even more spite, but out of concern for Lowell, she forced herself to hold it in.

Who could have guessed that the next morning she came storming into my room like a madwoman, threw a piece of clothing at me, and said, "Lily, I know you're jealous that I get to marry a city youth sent to the countryside."

"But you had no right to ruin my wedding dress."

I looked down. It was the new dress she'd bought yesterday, with several holes cut into itbut I hadn't done it at all.

Lowell walked in too, his face going ashen the moment he stepped through the door. "Lily, I knew you were faking it. You never gave up at all."

"I didn't cut her clothes."

Lowell slapped me across the face. "Then what's going on? You don't mean to say Loretta would wrong you for nothing?"

Loretta wept, tears streaming down her face. "Yesterday my sister said she wanted to borrow this dress, and I wouldn't let her. Who knew she'd get such an idea?"

"If I'd known, I would have just lent it to her."

"I"

Smack!

My mother rushed in and slapped me. "Jealous of Loretta since you were little, and now you even dare to cut up her wedding dress. Do you think that just because you're getting married your wings have grown strong?"

"Hand over all your betrothal gifts to Loretta for her dowry, and we'll let this go."

So this was what they'd been waiting for. I looked at my mother with a sneer. "This is what you were really after, isn't it? Trading a dress that cost less than fifty dollars for my betrothal gifts."

My mother's eyes turned guilty. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

I grabbed Loretta's wrist and exposed the cut on her finger. "You hurt yourself last night cutting the dress with the scissors, didn't you?"

She guiltily pulled her wrist away. "What are you talking about? Are you saying I'd cut up my own wedding dress?"

I pressed closer. "Then how did you get hurt? You had no cuts on your hands yesterday."

Her eyes went panicked. "I... I"

My mother seized my wrist. "Still framing your sister even now. Get into the cellar right now and think about what you've done. You don't come out until you admit you were wrong."

They tied me up and gagged my mouth. I was given only one bowl of porridge a day. Several days went by before Lowell came to see me. "After Loretta and I are married, I'll have your parents let you out, and then I'll bring you to the city."

"I know you want to marry me, but in this life I have to make it up to Loretta. Everything except marriage, I'll give you."

So he wanted to make me his mistress.

"Does Loretta know about this?"

His expression told me he hadn't said a word, so I went on. "You want me to be your mistress? Dream on."

He flew into a shamed rage. "Loretta could do it in her past life. Why can't you?"

"If you won't agree, then stay in this cellar for the rest of your life. You think your parents still mean to let you out? Dream on."

My heart lurched. Did my parents really mean to lock me up for life over those betrothal gifts? But then how would they explain it to Elijah and the others? I started thinking of escape, but even with my wrists rubbed raw and bleeding, I couldn't work my way free of the ropes.

Then, on the wedding day itself, I heard Elijah's voice come from above the cellar. My parents had actually told him I'd run out on the wedding.

I tried desperately to cry out, but my mouth was sealed shut and no sound would come. Then my eyes found the kerosene lamp in the distance. I dragged myself toward it with everything I had and, with one hard shove, knocked it over.

There was still straw in the cellar for curing beans, and in an instant thick smoke was rolling everywhere.

I choked and coughed without stopping. Just as the fire was spreading toward me, I heard a clangand the cellar door was thrown open.