Qin Lian sat quietly in the backseat of the old car as it bumped along the uneven road. With each jolt, she clutched the small bag on her lap, her bandaged head throbbing faintly.
After leaving the Qin family, the reality of everything began to settle in. The betrayal, heartache, and the accident, and now this?
She had woken up in a novel, as a cannon fodder character doomed to have a tragic ending.
She took a deep breath and looked out the window, her heart gradually calming. Since things had come to this, all she could do now was live her life well. The god had given her a second chance; she didn't want to waste it.
All she wanted was a peaceful life. Nothing more.
She couldn't help but wonder if her decision to marry Xu Yinchen and leave the Qin family would turn out to be the right one. But deep down, she knew that; whatever came next, she'd be fine.
…..
When the car came to a halt at the entrance of Qinghe Village, the sun had already set, and darkness enveloped the area. Qin Lian had expected to reach the village before nightfall, but the journey had been riddled with delays.
The uneven roads were bad enough, but an overturned truck spilling crates of bricks and sacks of grain caused a long pause. What was supposed to be an hour-long drive had taken more than two.
"Thank you, Uncle Wu, for dropping me off. I can go from here. Thank you," Qin Lian said politely, stepping out of the car and clutching her small cotton backpack.
Her legs felt stiff from sitting in a small, cramped car for too long, and a wave of dizziness hit her as she adjusted to standing again.
The events of the day, combined with her lingering weakness from the morning's incident, left her feeling drained.
Uncle Wu waved his hand dismissively. "No worries. However, it's already dark. Are you sure you can manage from here? Do you want me to drop you off at your husband's home?" He asked.
Although Qin Zhong hadn't told him where Qin Lian was going when asking for the favour, however, once they were in the car, he asked out of curiosity—expecting her to make an excuse.
But to his surprise, she didn't hide it. Calmly, she revealed that she was going to her husband's house, which caught him off guard.
He lived in the same compound and had heard about the drama at the Qin household that morning. He couldn't believe how much Qin Lian had changed in just a few hours. For a proud girl like her, to accept everything so quickly... it didn't make sense.
He felt a wave of pity for her. Such a beautiful girl, now leaving the city behind to live in a village, marrying an older man.
What a shame.
"It's so dark, and there's no one around. I should at least drop you off at your husband's place. It's not right for a girl to go there alone," he said, feeling a pang of sympathy.
He couldn't help but think how heartless Qin Zhong must be. How could they send a girl to her husband's home all by herself? Were they trying to humiliate her?
Qin Lian's heart warmed slightly at his words. She shook her head hurriedly.
She knew Uncle Wu had other places to be, and he had already gone out of his way to bring her this far. He was late for his appointment because of her. She couldn't be more of a burden than she already was.
"No, thank you. I'll manage," she insisted, bowing slightly in gratitude. "Thank you again."
He hesitated for a moment but then nodded, his concern evident. "Alright. Be careful," he said before driving off, the car lights disappearing into the night.
After he was gone, Qin Lian let out a deep breath and turned to look at the empty road ahead. The village entrance was silent, with sprawling fields surrounding the uneven path in the middle.
The fields stretched into the darkness, rustling faintly in the autumn breeze, the walking path barely visible under the faint moonlight.
The absence of streetlights made the darkness feel oppressive, and the distant chirping of insects heightened the eerie quiet.
She shivered slightly, the autumn chill seeping through her thin dress. Wrapping her arms around herself, she let out a helpless sigh before taking her first hesitant step forward.
She needed to find someone who could guide her to her so-called husband's house. Just when, a deep voice startled her, causing her to stumble slightly. "Qin Lian?"
She turned around sharply in vigilance, her heart pounding. A man was approaching her, holding a bicycle by the handlebars.
The dim moonlight outlined his tall, broad frame, though it was too dark to see his features clearly.
As he came closer, the details of his attire became visible, a white T-shirt beneath an unbuttoned brown shirt and beige cotton pants, slightly dirtied from a long day's work.
On anyone else, the outfit might have seemed plain, but on him, it appeared effortless, enhancing his rugged, masculine handsomeness as though it was an inseparable part of his essence.
She couldn't help but wonder, 'Are all village men this handsome these days?'
For a moment, Qin Lian blinked at him in confusion. She couldn't see him clearly, but the soft light only seemed to enhance his features, making him appear even more handsome.
There was an appealing strength in his build, and the way he carried himself spoke of a man accustomed to hard work and resilience.
"Who…" she hesitated, gripping the strap of her bag tighter. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
The man who was approaching her, stopped a few steps away. He glanced at her bandaged head and the small backpack slung over her shoulder. His brows furrowed slightly as though trying to make sense of the scene before him.
After a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke in a low, steady voice.
"I am Xu Yinchen. A while ago, your father… I mean, Mr. Qin contacted the village production team and left a message saying that you would be arriving today."
Qin Lian's mouth parted slightly in surprise. So this man was… her husband? The father of three children?
No way!
"So handsome? Was the original host blind, chasing after Lin Chengyan and leaving a man like this behind?"
"Ah…" she stammered, quickly regaining her composure. "So… are you here to pick me up?"
Xu Yinchen nodded curtly.
She frowned, glancing at the empty road and the dark fields surrounding them.
"But I was supposed to reach here earlier. However, I'm already late. How can you still be here—" She hesitated, her thoughts racing. Could it be that he waited for her this long?
Her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked carefully, "Did you… Wait for me all this while?"
He shook his head immediately.
She let out a small sigh of relief. "Oh, I see."
'What was I even expecting?' She scoffed at herself, mocking her own foolishness for thinking too far ahead.
Xu Yinchen said nothing, and she didn't press further.
"Alright," she said softly, adjusting the bag on her shoulder. "Shall we go then?"
Xu Yinchen didn't answer her. Instead, he held his cycle with one hand as he walked toward her. Without a word, he took her bag from her shoulder before she could protest.
Caught off guard, she blinked at him, but he didn't give her a chance to object.
"Be careful," he said calmly. "The road here is uneven, and there are stones everywhere. I'll turn on the flashlight, you follow me and walk carefully."
He switched on the small flashlight he had been carrying. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped again, removed his brown shirt, and handed it to her.
His gaze briefly flicked to her bare arms, which she had been wrapping with her hands against the autumn night breeze, before returning to her face.
"Help me hold it," he said indifferently.
Qin Lian stared at him in confusion, unsure of his intentions. But before she could respond, he had already resumed walking—balancing the bicycle with one hand, holding the flashlight in the other, and carrying her bag over his shoulder.
'Did... did he just give me his shirt because I was cold?' she wondered, uncertainly. Was she overthinking it, or was he genuinely caring for her?
The thought caught her off guard, and a subtle smile tugged at her lips. Draping the shirt over her shoulders, she felt a comforting warmth.
With a soft smile tugging at her lips, she pulled the shirt tighter around her shoulders and followed him silently.