Xu Xiangdong, driven by a surge of defiant anger, slammed the door behind him and bolted towards the Educated Youth Center. Zhang Dacao, witnessing her son’s hasty departure, felt a sharp pang in her heart. The son she had cherished so dearly was being utterly deceived by that woman.
Xu Xiangdong arrived at the Educated Youth Center, standing at the door and shouting Chen Yanran’s name. At that very moment, within the confines of a secluded room, Chen Yanran was being forcefully cornered by Dong Wenzhong.
“Chen Yanran, if you dare to scream,” Dong Wenzhong snarled, his eyes glinting with a sinister light, “I will tell everyone that you’re pregnant with my cousin’s child.” Since he had come to the countryside, Xu Ying’s help had ensured his life was quite comfortable. Only Chen Yanran remained his deepest desire, and he had been reluctant to force himself upon her, waiting for the opportune moment for them to marry. But he hadn’t anticipated this wretched woman being so shameless, sleeping with his cousin, and now planning to marry Xu Xiangdong. This woman was truly cunning, carving out a path for herself in just a few days. She’s not clean anyway, he thought, so why shouldn’t I enjoy her? Dong Wenzhong slowly advanced towards Chen Yanran.
Chen Yanran yearned to scream, but fear choked the sound in her throat. Ever since their breakup, the fragile bond between them had completely dissolved, replaced by a mutual disgust and hatred.
“Dong Wenzhong, no wonder Xu Ying doesn’t like you,” Chen Yanran retorted, though her voice trembled. “You are an absolute hypocrite. Without Xu Ying, you won’t be able to return to the city at all, and many hard days await you!” Despite her harsh words, she bit her lip, a pitiful expression painting her face, one that only seemed to fuel Dong Wenzhong’s predatory instincts.
He liked her always-fragile appearance. “Oh, Is that so?” Dong Wenzhong asked, his gaze playful, menacing.
Chen Yanran watched the man close in, step by agonizing step, until her back pressed against the wall, leaving her nowhere to go. She suddenly raised her voice, a desperate plea in her tone. “If you let me go, I will help you in the future!”
“Chen Yanran, it’s because of you that I’m in this situation,” Dong Wenzhong spat, his eyes blazing with malice as his hand seized her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Don’t think that simply finding another man is enough. You’d better obey me, or I will ruin your reputation completely.”
Outside the Educated Youth Center, Xu Xiangdong’s shouts for Chen Yanran continued to echo. Some residents, irritated by the persistent noise, called out to Sun Yunjuan. “Sun Yunjuan, you and Chen Yanran have always been friendly. Where has she gone? Tell Xu Xiangdong quickly, and stop letting him yell at the door!”
It was winter, and the weather was bitterly cold. Sun Yunjuan had already burrowed under her blankets and was unwilling to stir. She pretended to be fast asleep, feigning ignorance of the commotion.
Xu Xiangdong’s cries for Chen Yanran persisted outside the door.
In the dim confines of the woodshed, Dong Wenzhong lunged at Chen Yanran, a perverse mix of excitement and disgust twisting his features.
The seven days of rest passed swiftly. Xu Ying awoke early, dressed with a renewed sense of purpose against the biting winter air, and stepped out to greet a new day of work.
“Mom, I’m leaving first!” Xu Ying called out, pulling her clothing tight around her as she hurried out the door. As she pushed her bicycle through the gate, a familiar, deep voice stopped her. It was gruff yet held a masculine magnetism. “Xu Ying.”
Hearing that voice, an inexplicable flutter stirred within Xu Ying. She lifted her head, a hint of unease in her eyes. “You… are you alright?”
“Let me take you to work,” Huo Chen offered, pushing a men’s bicycle beside him. “There’s snow on the road, it’s hard to ride. I’ll help you take your bike to the county seat.” He smoothly anticipated and blocked any protest Xu Ying might have made.
“No, thank you,” Xu Ying replied stubbornly, turning her head away. As the words left her lips, a pang of regret pierced her. Had she hurt Huo Chen? She stole a glance at him. Perhaps he was different from other men. Her eldest brother, second brother, third brother, and her father were all good men, and they were all kind to their wives. Perhaps Huo Chen was also one of those rare good men. She couldn’t condemn all men simply because Dong Wenzhong was a scoundrel.
Xu Ying said, her voice tinged with trepidation, “Forget it, just take me.” The man, who had shown a hint of disappointment, suddenly brightened. A light entered his eyes, and a smile touched his lips.
“Get in the car,” he said.
As Xu Ying lifted her head, his star-like eyes momentarily dazzled her, and her heart nearly slipped away. She forced herself to act calm as she walked over. It seemed she truly had no resistance to a handsome man. Xu Ying sat on the bicycle, gripping the seat tightly with both hands. She was no longer as bold as before.
Huo Chen felt that the hands on his back did not pull the corners of his clothes forward, and he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. However, his disappointment was fleeting, quickly replaced by a vibrant brilliance in his eyes.
The heavy snow continued to fall, but Huo Chen managed to get Xu Ying to the restaurant door before the roads became impassable. He turned, intending to go back and retrieve Xu Ying’s bicycle.
“I can’t ride in such heavy snow, so don’t bring it for me,” Xu Ying stopped him.
Huo Chen nodded and watched Xu Ying disappear into the restaurant before turning and leaving.
As soon as Xu Ying entered the restaurant, Sun Lifang rushed towards her, enveloping her in a big bear hug. “Yingying, I’ve missed you so much! You’re truly amazing, causing such a huge commotion in another county!” The two county towns were neighboring, and the incident had been significant, making Xu Ying quite famous in her own county.
Gao Guihua, seeing that Xu Ying was no longer as haughty as before, regarded her with a hint of timidity. Even Gao Xianghong no longer dared to wink at Xu Ying behind her back.
Liu Guohua looked at Xu Ying, his eyes gleaming with admiration. “Master Xu, if you step out now, you’ll be famous!”
Xu Ying smiled wryly. “Why are you making such a fuss? Those people are being punished for their evil deeds. Even if it wasn’t me, that family would have faced retribution. Justice may be delayed, but it will never be denied. Those who do evil will surely be punished.”
Gao Guihua involuntarily shuddered at her words. Xu Ying was probably talking about her. Remembering what the matchmaker had said, Gao Guihua straightened her back. She was doing this for Xu Ying’s own good. A girl, no matter how outstanding, was ultimately meant for marriage. Once married, she would have children, and after giving birth, she would have to care for them. How could she possibly go out to work? So, a woman still needed to find a good husband. Thinking of the conditions of that prospective family, Gao Guihua felt she was truly helping Xu Ying, and a sense of self-righteous pride swelled within her.
Just as she was about to speak to Xu Ying, Xu Ying slipped into the kitchen, changed into her work clothes, and immediately began to work. She hadn’t cooked for a while, so her favorability score remained unchanged.
Upon entering the kitchen, she found Liu Guohua already standing at the stove, beginning to work. Master Ge, observing Xu Ying’s eyes gleaming as she looked at the stove fire, realized that the time for his retirement had finally arrived. “Why don’t you come to my spot?” he offered.
“Okay!” Xu Ying walked over happily.
Outside the kitchen, Gao Guihua stared at Xu Ying as if she were a fool. Everyone else took breaks when they were busy, but Xu Ying seemed to have no desire for time off at all. She had never seen anyone who loved cooking so much, who didn’t feel burdened by spending every day in front of a hot stove. The key was seeing Xu Ying’s expression of pure enjoyment; it was like witnessing a ghost.
Master Ge looked at Xu Ying with a pang of regret. It was a pity that such a talented disciple had no chance to be formally trained by him. Alas, he thought, it would have been wonderful if I had met this girl earlier and accepted her as my true disciple.