Ruan Qiaoqiao and the Lu family’s fourth uncle and Lu Juxiang were afraid she would run away. After they got her marriage certificate for her, they insisted on sending her off to be married that very same day.
Ruan Qiaoqiao didn’t care. As long as it wasn’t the Lu family, she could go anywhere.
With a worn red cloth covering her head, she was pushed along by a collateral nephew of the Lu family toward Houliuhang Village.
On the same dirt path, a tall man named Su Mai walked over carrying a large suitcase. He brushed past the cart Ruan Qiaoqiao was sitting on and glanced downward without much thought.
The bride was wearing old, faded bluish-gray clothes, along with a similarly worn red veil.
Earlier that day when Ruan Qiaoqiao was discharged from the hospital, she had also been wearing such bluish-gray clothing…
He shook his head. Why was he thinking about Ruan Qiaoqiao at a time like this?
He walked straight to the gate of Lu Laosi’s house.
Lu Laosi, who had just been relieved, tensed up again when he saw Su Mai arrive, worried he might ruin his plans.
Su Mai said coldly, “Is Ruan Qiaoqiao here?”
“She… you just missed her. She went to stay with her biological sister to relax.”
Su Mai frowned slightly and placed the suitcase down. “I came to deliver her belongings, and also…”
He took out a thick stack of cash from his pocket and handed it to Lu Laosi in front of several villagers. “This is 100 yuan. Consider it my divorce compensation. From now on, let her live properly and stop causing trouble.”
Lu Laosi’s eyes lit up at the money and he nodded quickly. “Don’t worry, I’ll pass on your message.”
Su Mai didn’t want to deal with them any longer. After saying what he needed to say, he turned and left.
But when he accidentally glanced at the suitcase, he felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart.
Meanwhile, Ruan Qiaoqiao was sent to the edge of Houliuhang Village by the Lu family’s cousin.
She pulled off the ragged veil and followed directions alone to the foot of the back mountain.
But when she saw the cow shed, she was stunned. So the cow shed in Houliuhang Village was literally just a cow shed.
It was about ten meters long. On the west side was a half-open cattle shelter made of mud walls and tile roofing, seemingly long abandoned.
At the eastern end were three crude huts with straw roofs added later. They were sealed from wind on all sides, but looked extremely fragile.
And this… was where Fu Wenzhou had lived for three years?
He must have frozen in winter.
But there was no room for hesitation now.
She took a deep breath and politely called out toward the hut, “Excuse me, is Fu Wenzhou home?”
A few seconds later, the straw door opened from inside. A tall man walked out—so tall that he seemed even taller than Su Mai, who was 183 cm.
Ruan Qiaoqiao looked at his slender yet upright figure, then at his stunningly handsome face, and was momentarily stunned. Anyone would call him strikingly good-looking—especially those peach blossom eyes that seemed affectionate even when looking at a passing dog.
But the faint coldness on his face gave him a distant, untouchable aura.
Yes, this was Fu Wenzhou.
The Fu Wenzhou who had appeared in her dream of the future.
Their eyes met.
A flicker of surprise crossed Fu Wenzhou’s usually cold expression.
Before he could fully react, Ruan Qiaoqiao stepped forward and extended her hand politely. “You must be Fu Wenzhou. Hello, I’m Ruan Qiaoqiao. I’m the Lu family’s stepdaughter—and legally, your wife.”
Fu Wenzhou’s emotions stirred, but his expression remained calm. “My wife? Aren’t you already married?”
Ruan Qiaoqiao didn’t lie. “Originally, the engagement was with Lu Juxiang, but she refused to marry you. And today I got divorced. My stepfather, to protect his biological daughter, put my name on your marriage certificate instead. So we somehow became husband and wife.”
Fu Wenzhou raised his brow slightly. “You’re divorced?”
Ruan Qiaoqiao: “…”
That tone—was that disgust?
She was indeed a second-time marriage, but given his own situation, he wasn’t exactly in a position to be picky.
Still, she smiled lightly. “Yes, I’m divorced. But I should be kinder than the Lu Juxiang you expected. I don’t mind your background, and I can even help balance it out since my own background is fine. I also don’t mind that you have two children—I didn’t plan to have kids anyway.
I heard you were injured after being sent down and… affected in that area. Don’t worry, I don’t mind your limitations in that respect either. I can even help cover for you and be a good partner in that sense. So, marrying me isn’t really a loss for you.”
Fu Wenzhou looked at her quietly, his expression unreadable. “Is that so? Then according to you, I’m the one benefiting. What do you get out of it?”
Ruan Qiaoqiao thought for a moment and answered honestly, “I get to avoid going back to the Lu family. I hate them very much.”
“Why do you hate them?”
She frowned slightly, unwilling to continue that topic, then smiled and pointed at the run-down house behind him. “Mr. Fu, aren’t you being a bit too cautious? Look at your situation—what could I possibly be after? Your poverty? Your weakness? Or this drafty house?”
Whatever it was, she absolutely couldn’t tell him she was after his future.
Fu Wenzhou studied her silently for a long moment.
Ruan Qiaoqiao felt nervous under his gaze but forced herself to stay composed. She absolutely could not go back to the Lu family. Now that she was already married, she had no other option.
She took out the marriage certificate and handed it to him. “Fu Wenzhou, do you have any objections to this marriage? If you do, keep them to yourself. The certificate is already issued. Given your situation, it won’t be easy to divorce. I am your wife now—that cannot be changed.”
They stood very close, barely half a step apart.
Ruan Qiaoqiao could see her own tense reflection in his dark eyes.
He, however, remained calm.
Just when she thought he might drive her away, Fu Wenzhou finally spoke lazily.
He had originally been waiting here to send the Lu family bride away.
But now, he changed his mind.
“Since you’re already my wife… then let’s just make do.”