The commotion caused by Lu Tingting trying to seize the house finally ended only because Lu Tingchuan stepped in forcefully.
But Lin Nian knew this was only temporary.
If she wanted to keep living here, similar troubles would never truly stop.
She had to move as soon as possible—she needed a place of her own, something stable and secure.
Although she had signed the rental contract, she was still short on the rent.
The money she earned from street vending these past few days, after deducting costs and daily expenses, amounted to almost nothing.
Late at night, in the quiet room, Lin Nian reached into her inner pocket and took out a small object wrapped in layers of handkerchief.
When she unfolded the handkerchief, she saw a small, delicate silver bracelet. Its style was old, and although only simple “fortune” patterns were carved into it, the metal had been rubbed shiny through years of touch.
This was her mother’s only keepsake for her—her bridal dowry.
When she married Lu Tingchuan, she had nothing except this bracelet.
Her fingertips gently brushed over its cold surface, and her eyes grew hot.
Her mother died early. Before passing, she put the bracelet on Lin Nian’s wrist and said that if life ever became impossible to bear, she could pawn it for some food—staying alive mattered more than anything.
Lin Nian once believed she would never have to use it in her lifetime.
But now…
She glanced at Lu An and Lu Ning sleeping soundly in the inner room. Under the dim light, the two children’s small faces looked peaceful.
For them, she would give anything—not just the bracelet, even her life.
The next morning, Lin Nian asked Su Xiao and found the most reliable pawnshop in town. She hardened her heart and pawned the bracelet for good.
The money she received felt heavy in her hand, yet her heart felt as if a piece had been hollowed out.
There was no time for grief. With the money, she immediately handled the formalities with the landlord and received the keys to the small house with a courtyard.
The house wasn’t big—two main rooms and a kitchen. But what satisfied her most was the small courtyard enclosed by a half-height earthen wall.
There was even an old locust tree inside; perfect for shade in summer.
She could almost imagine the children playing under the tree while she sat nearby washing vegetables and cooking.
On moving day, Su Xiao specifically took time off to help.
There wasn’t much stuff; one handcart was enough to move everything.
“Nian Nian, you’re amazing!” Su Xiao exclaimed, looking at the freshly tidied courtyard with admiration. “You’ve only been here a short time, yet you’ve already managed to earn a place like this on your own!”
Lin Nian smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Sweat had soaked her collar, but her eyes were bright.
“This is just the beginning.”
Once the new home was settled, the next problem was the children’s schooling.
The military district kindergarten was the best in the whole area, but also the hardest to get into.
Lin Nian thought it would be troublesome. Unexpectedly, her identity as a “martyr’s widow,” plus the incident where she outsmarted those thugs—which had been recorded by the patrol soldiers—made everything go smoothly. The admission procedures were completed with no obstacles.
On Monday morning, the sun was bright.
Lin Nian dressed the twins in the new clothes she bought for them, each carrying a small messenger bag. They looked full of spirit.
“Mom, are there a lot of kids in the kindergarten?” Lu Ning asked, tilting his small face up, eyes full of excitement.
Lu An stood coolly beside them. Though he didn’t speak, he held tightly onto his mother’s and sister’s hands, exposing his own excitement.
“Yes, there are many children. You should make friends with everyone, alright?” Lin Nian crouched down and gently straightened their collars.
Looking at the two adorable children, her heart filled with motivation.
The hardships of the past were over. From today on, the three of them would begin a brand-new, beautiful life in this new place.
Holding their hands, she walked step by step toward the kindergarten entrance.
It was lively at the gate—parents dropping off their kids, children chattering everywhere.
Lin Nian scanned the crowd, searching for her children’s assigned class.
And then—her footsteps suddenly froze.
Her blood seemed to turn to ice in an instant.
Not far away, right at the most noticeable spot by the kindergarten gate, stood the man she hated down to her bones.
Lu Tingchuan.
He wasn’t wearing his usual cold military uniform today. Instead, he wore a simple white shirt and dark trousers, making his figure look even more striking.
If he were alone, Lin Nian would’ve just felt annoyed and taken a different route.
But he wasn’t alone.
Standing beside him was a woman.
The woman wore an elegant dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders, her temperament gentle. A faint smile rested on her face as she turned to speak softly to Lu Tingchuan.
He bowed his head slightly. His side profile was as cold and sharp as ever, but from his posture, Lin Nian saw something she had never seen from him before—patience and… gentleness.
Lin Nian recognized the woman instantly.
Even if she were reduced to ashes, Lin Nian would still recognize her.
Bai Yueru.
The true heroine of the story.
Lu Tingchuan’s childhood sweetheart.
The woman who eventually took her place and walked with him to the peak of life.
Lin Nian’s heart felt as if an invisible hand had grabbed it violently. The pain almost made her unable to breathe.
What shattered her even more was the little boy holding Bai Yueru’s hand—a four or five-year-old child.
He wore tiny suspenders, looked sturdy and adorable, and was lifting his head as if talking sweetly to Lu Tingchuan.
Under the sunlight, the three of them standing together looked harmonious, beautiful… and unbearably blinding.
Lin Nian’s mind went blank.
So…
So he was not only with Bai Yueru now.
He even had a child.
Of course—five years had passed.
A man with his status and bright future—how could he possibly remain single?
She had been too naïve.
She thought running away fast enough would free her from the story, distancing her from him forever.
But reality had slapped her hard.
The plot of the book had still unfolded.
He still ended up with his beloved girl, forming a happy family.
And her? What was she?
A discarded wife.
A supporting character dragging two “extra burdens.”
Lin Nian lowered her head to look at Lu An and Lu Ning, who knew nothing, staring curiously ahead.
A wave of sorrow and bitter irony crushed her.
She had fought so hard, tried so desperately to give her children a home, to give them a secure future.
But the man who should have been their father had already built a complete family elsewhere—with another woman and another child.
Lin Nian clenched her fists. Her nails dug deep into her palms, the sharp pain making her slightly more clear-headed.
She took a deep breath. All color drained from her face.