Chapter 10: Li Jingshen, I'm Gonna Kick the Bucket  

Shen Zhichu's lips were ghostly pale. After rattling off a string of words, she seemed to be running on fumes. She robotically put her clothes on.

"Li Jingshen, we could've wrapped up this marriage without a fuss, but since you're being a pain, I guess I'll have to slap you with a domestic abuse charge. See you in court."

Shen Zhichu was one tough cookie. Even when she got the short end of the stick, she'd shed a tear or two and bounce back like nothing happened. Li Jingshen was stumped for the first time; he didn't know how to deal with her.

You know what they say, once bitten, twice shy.

Shen Zhichu was now bold enough to stand up to him, probably because she had the Shen family as her safety net. But without them, she'd be lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut.

He wasn't keen on buying out the Shen family business, but now he thought, if he could make the Shen family go belly-up, Shen Zhichu would have to dance to his tune and be his obedient little blood bank.

Li Jingshen chalked up his twisted possessiveness to his hatred for Shen Zhichu. He didn't want a divorce, but only to spite her.

"Guess I went too easy on you, or you'd have learned your lesson!" he spat, and with a vice grip, yanked her up from the floor.

She was light as a feather, like holding a plume. Not what you'd expect from a 5'6" woman.

Shen Zhichu was caught off guard. "Get off me! I can walk on my own!"

But he wasn't having any of it. He tightened his grip and made a beeline for the bedroom.

He tossed her onto the bed. Seeing Li Jingshen's menacing look, she scrambled to the corner like a scared rabbit. Nobody likes pain, and she'd had enough for one day.

Li Jingshen sneered at her, "You think I'd want to touch you again with your bony frame?"

Shen Zhichu hung her head, her lips pressed tight, and her hand under the blanket was shaking in a fist.

Li Jingshen rummaged through a drawer full of odds and ends. He glanced over a bottle of pills without a second thought and fished out a set of keys.

"You seem pretty spry. I reckon you can handle three days without grub."

His words, cold as ice, sent shivers down her spine. She stared at him in disbelief.

"You're gonna lock me up in here for three days?"

Li Jingshen meant business. His dark eyes narrowed as he gave her a once-over, then turned on his heel and headed out.

Ignoring the pain, Shen Zhichu rolled off the bed and stumbled after him.

But she was no match for him. The door slammed shut with a bang that rattled the walls.

Shen Zhichu felt like she'd been plunged into icy water. She couldn't help but shudder, and her eyes welled up with tears.

She heard the lock click from the outside. Li Jingshen was dead serious about locking her up without food for three days.

Three days without food would be hell for anyone, let alone someone with late-stage stomach cancer. She pounded on the door, "Li Jingshen, let me out! My stomach... I can't take it... I'm scared, really scared…"

Outside, Li Jingshen dangled the keys and sneered, "What's that got to do with me?"

Shen Zhichu might be a shadow of her former self, a bit weak and skinny, but her stomach was fine. It was just three days without food. There was tap water; she wouldn't die from that.

He was hell-bent on teaching Shen Zhichu a lesson she wouldn't forget, so she'd think twice before defying him again.

Shen Zhichu kept pounding on the door. The room was soundproof, and she wasn't sure if Li Jingshen was still outside, but she kept begging him to let her out.

Her head pressed against the door, her heart felt like ice, and her tears fell like rain. "Li Jingshen, I'm gonna die…"

"Li Jingshen, I'm at death's door…"

"I'm really gonna kick the bucket…"