"We're here." After walking for ten more minutes, Xu Yinchen finally stopped in front of a two-storey house.
It was a large structure, with a yard outside and a small iron gate that seemed more decorative than functional, as it could easily be opened from the outside.
Qin Lian, who was tired from the long walk, couldn't hide her surprise when she saw the house.
Not only was it made of bricks with two floors, but it also had a spacious yard in front. Though the yard was overgrown with weeds and littered with waste items, the sheer size of the property made it stand out.
Owning a place like this in the village? It's far better and richer than squeezing into some tiny apartment in the city.
In her previous life, after leaving the orphanage, she had lived in a small, rented apartment that felt more like a box than a home. A house this big, with its own yard, was a luxury she could never have imagined.
What surprised her even more was that the house was larger than the Qin family's two-storey home in the city, almost twice the size.
The house, allocated to Qin Zhong based on his official rank. The Qin family house was smaller and lacked the spacious yard this one had.
On the way, she had noticed other village homes, most were small, made of clay tiles, and in poor condition. A house like this, with two floors, brick walls, and such size, was rare in this area.
At that moment, Xu Yinchen opened the small iron gate to the yard and parked his bicycle inside. He turned around and noticed Qin Lian still standing outside, staring at the house in a daze.
"Let's go inside," he said, breaking her thoughts.
Startled, Qin Lian nodded quickly. "Oh, yes," she replied, following him in, her heart still marveling at the unexpected size and grandeur of what was now her home.
…..
Upon following Xu Yinchen into the house, Qin Lian was greeted by a dimly lit room, illuminated only by a flickering candle.
She frowned, glancing around the large house. Why was there just a single candle for light?
Her gaze fell on three small figures seated on the floor, their curious, confused, and scared eyes fixed on her.
These were Xu Yinchen's children—or rather, his late sister's children, now in his care. The eldest looked around seven years old, the second was about five, and the youngest seemed to be around two to three years old.
Even in the faint candlelight, their frail, malnourished figures were clear. Qin Lian's heart tightened.
Having grown up in an orphanage, she understood their loneliness all too well. Even her life had been better than this; at least the orphanage director had ensured they were well-fed.
These children seemed to have endured far more hardships at such a young age.
Before she could process the emotions rising in her chest, Xu Yinchen's actions broke the silence. He strode forward, turned on the tubelight, and in one swift motion, blew out the candle.
A harsh, white glare flooded the room. His voice cut through the silence like a knife."Why didn't you turn on the tubelight instead of using a candle?"
His gaze locked onto the eldest, Xu Shen, who sat hunched over his homework, a pencil in his small hand."Didn't I tell you to use proper lighting while studying?"
Xu Shen flinched, but he didn't look up.
He just tightened his grip on the pencil, his knuckles turning slightly pale. His voice was small but steady when he finally spoke."Using the tubelight costs too much," he muttered.
"A candle was enough. We don't want to be a burden on anyone."
A burden.
Xu Yinchen's lips pressed into a thin line.
Something flickered in his gaze—guilt, frustration, maybe even helplessness, but it disappeared as fast as it came.
He stood there for a long moment as if struggling to say something. But in the end, he didn't.
Instead, his voice turned colder, more detached as he turned toward Qin Lian. "This is Qin Lian. She will be staying here from now on. She… She is your—"
Before he could finish, Xu Shen's head snapped up. His dark, sharp eyes met Qin Lian's, his small brows furrowing."Stepmother?"
His voice was icy, his words carrying an edge too sharp for a child his age. "I know. No need to be awkward about it."
A tense silence followed.
Xu Yinchen's face darkened instantly. His voice dropped, deeper this time, carrying weight. "What stepmother? Who taught you that nonsense?"
Xu Shen didn't answer.
His pencil scratched against the paper, his small hands gripping it tightly. Xu Yinchen's jaw tightened further. His next words came slower but firmly. "Just call her mother."
A beat of silence.
Then, his expression flickered.
He glanced at Qin Lian, hesitation creeping into his normally emotionless face. He couldn't help but wonder if she would be offended by this.
After all, she is just a young girl, and becoming a stepmother of three children is not something to be proud of. His voice shifted, losing its sharp edge. "Or just call her Aunt. And don't think about anything else."
Xu Shen let out a soft snort, his expression indifferent. But he didn't argue.
He simply lowered his head again and continued writing as if the conversation had never happened. The faint sound of pencil scratching against paper filled the silence.
Qin Lian sighed inwardly. 'This isn't going to be easy.'
She had forgotten how strained their relationship was. The children's grief and Xu Yinchen's reserved nature had created a wall neither could cross.
She thought back to the novel.
Xu Yinchen had taken in the children after his sister and her husband died in an accident a year ago. At the time, he had been serving in the military, dedicating his life to the country.
However, it was the first time he had seen the kids. It was natural for them to be awkward and uncomfortable around each other.
Years ago, when his sister became pregnant before marriage, it caused an uproar in their conservative village. The child's father, a man from the city, stood by her, but the man's family outright rejected her.
Similarly, Xu Yinchen's parents, unable to withstand the relentless gossip and condemnation from the villagers, found themselves crushed under the weight of disgrace.
With no support left, his sister fled with her lover, cutting all ties. Xu Yinchen, stationed in the army, remained unaware of her whereabouts. Meanwhile, their parents, devastated and humiliated, suffered greatly.
His mother collapsed from a heart attack, and his father drowned himself in grief and met a tragic end in a drunken accident. One by one, his family fell apart, leaving him utterly alone.
For years, he searched for his sister but found no trace of her. Then, a year ago, while still serving in the army, he received the devastating news; his sister and her husband had died in an accident, leaving their three children orphaned.
The man's family didn't even acknowledge the children. Their response to the tragedy had been cold and cruel, claiming that their son had "died long ago."
With no other choice, Xu Yinchen made the hardest decision of his life; he left behind his honorable military career and returned to the village to take care of the children he had never met.
They were his only remaining family now.
Using his savings and military compensation, he started a small pig farm from scratch to provide for them.
He could have easily gotten a job in the city, considering his rank and contributions in the military, but raising three children alone in an unfamiliar place would have been nearly impossible for him.
For their sake, he chose to settle down in the village, in the family home, with the help of the villagers. But despite his efforts, the distance between him and the children remained.
No matter how hard Xu Yinchen tried, he couldn't break through the wall between them.
After all, this was new for him too—one day, he had been a soldier, and the next, he had become the father of three children he had never even met before.
It was this struggle that led the villagers to suggest he marry. A woman in the house, they said, could take care of the children and bring warmth to their home.
"Who would have imagined that the very woman would be the one to ruin their home?"
Qin Lian's gaze softened as she looked at the children.
So young, yet burdened with the pain of losing their parents, forced to adjust to life with an unfamiliar uncle-turned-father, and ultimately abandoned by a stepmother who had failed them emotionally.
After all, in the novel, the original host had truly wronged these innocent children—neglecting them, mistreating them. How could she have been so heartless to these little sweethearts?
She pursed her lips, her heart heavy. These children deserved better.
"Grhhh."
The sudden loud growling sound broke the silence in the room. The children and Xu Yinchen instinctively turned toward Qin Lian, whose face turned beet red with embarrassment.
She awkwardly placed a hand over her stomach and said, "Ah, well… nice to meet you all. My name is Qin Lian, um… I am your father's new wife. I'll be staying in this house from now on too."