Under Chen Qilan’s protection, Qin Shuyao returned home safely.
The house was empty, with only the mess left behind by the wedding procession.
“My grandmother is seriously ill and hospitalized in the county. My grandfather is there with her. They don’t even know I was getting married,” Qin Shuyao said in a muffled voice as she bent down to clean up the debris in the courtyard.
Her grandmother’s condition had been worsening by the day. The Zhang family had promised to pay for the treatment, so Qin Shuyao had sold herself off as quickly as possible. From the proposal to the wedding, it had taken no more than seven or eight days.
But it had all been a lie. That family of beasts had never intended to treat her grandmother at all.
She carried over a stool and set it in front of Chen Qilan. “Sit.”
Chen Qilan did not sit down. He helped her clean instead and asked, “What do you plan to do now? Do you want me to take you to the county hospital to find your family? The Zhang family won’t let this go.”
Qin Shuyao did not answer. She lifted her head to look at the deep blue sky, her mind briefly going blank.
Would going to the county really help her escape the Zhang family’s clutches?
The entire Tuoshan County had only a few hundred thousand people. The Zhang family had some connections. Finding her would be easy.
They might even have already taken control of her grandparents to prevent them from coming home and ruining the wedding.
She had thought that refusing the marriage and escaping the Zhang family meant victory. Only after calming down did Qin Shuyao realize that even with a second life, the road ahead was still dark and uncertain.
Seeing her fall silent and choke back tears, Chen Qilan spoke again.
“If you have any difficulties, you can say them. Maybe I can help.”
Qin Shuyao looked up at the handsome, resolute young man before her.
From Zhang Lingzhi’s words in her previous life, she had learned a bit about Chen Qilan’s background.
His real home was in the capital. He was a genuine child of a high-ranking family. Because of certain political reasons, he had been sent to this small mountain village as a child and raised by his grandmother.
After enduring the torment of her previous life, Qin Shuyao had come to understand many things. In the face of life and death, dignity was worth nothing.
“Can you lend me some money? My grandmother is very ill. Only surgery in the provincial capital can save her.”
She said awkwardly, “All the sheep at home have been sold, but it’s still only a drop in the bucket.”
After a pause, she hurriedly added, “Don’t worry, I won’t run from the debt. Once my grandmother recovers, I’ll go work in the provincial capital. Whether it takes five years, ten years, or a lifetime, I will repay you.”
“Alright.”
Chen Qilan agreed almost without hesitation.
His readiness left Qin Shuyao stunned instead.
“Aren’t you going to ask how much I need to borrow? It’s a very, very large sum.”
“But you said you’ll repay it. That’s enough.”
Chen Qilan smiled faintly and continued tidying up the cluttered courtyard.
“It’s getting late. Tomorrow I’ll go with you to the county hospital, pick up the elders, and head straight to the provincial hospital. I have a few reliable friends there. I’ll let them know, so the Zhang family won’t trouble you again.”
Hearing this, Qin Shuyao could not help but feel grateful.
In this life, they were still complete strangers meeting for the first time. Yet Chen Qilan was willing to help her so wholeheartedly. She did not even know how to repay him.
Chen Qilan had originally planned to go home first to inform his grandmother, then come back. But he worried that leaving Qin Shuyao alone might give the Zhang family an opening. In the end, he took her home with him.
Chen Qilan’s grandmother was named Jiang Baoping, seventy-three years old. She was in good health, sharp-eyed and clear-eared, sitting in the courtyard spinning thread.
When she saw Chen Qilan bringing a pretty young woman home, she froze for a moment, then her eyes filled with smiles.
“Oh my, oh my. You little rascal, bringing a girl home without telling me in advance so I could prepare.”
Jiang Baoping hurriedly set aside her work and stood up to greet them.
Before Chen Qilan could speak, Qin Shuyao quickly explained their relationship, her name, and why she had come with him. She told everything clearly, point by point.
Qin Shuyao had already prepared herself to read Jiang Baoping’s expression. After all, who would want their precious grandson entangled with trouble?
As expected, the moment she heard the name “Qin Shuyao,” Jiang Baoping fell silent. She simply studied her, her gaze especially complex.
After a moment, she suddenly pulled Chen Qilan aside and whispered to him.
Qin Shuyao could not hear what they were saying. She only vaguely caught Chen Qilan saying things like “Please don’t say such things in front of her” and “I didn’t come back specifically to snatch a bride.”
Perhaps Jiang Baoping was questioning her grandson’s entanglement with her, and Chen Qilan was trying to explain and distance himself.
Qin Shuyao guessed wildly, but because she was asking for his help, she did not dare say a single word.
Soon, Jiang Baoping walked over to Qin Shuyao, her face full of warmth and kindness.
“Qilan told me about your difficulties. Child, you’ve suffered.”
She held Qin Shuyao’s hand and comforted her. “Don’t be afraid. Since Qilan has taken this matter on, he will definitely help you handle it properly. You must trust him.”
Qin Shuyao was almost moved by Jiang Baoping’s gentle kindness.
But on second thought, she understood. The old woman was only offering polite comfort.
The warmth that had just risen in her heart quickly cooled. She knew her place.
“Grandma, don’t worry. I won’t cling to Chen Qilan or disturb your lives. I will definitely repay the money.”
Jiang Baoping waved her hand dismissively.
“These are all small matters. Qilan’s happiness is what truly matters. If I had known earlier what was on his mind, how could the Zhang family have had a chance…”
She stopped halfway through her sentence when Chen Qilan rushed out in a panic and covered her mouth.
“Grandma, don’t talk nonsense.”
He had lost his earlier composure, his tone tight and anxious.
Jiang Baoping laughed even more cheerfully.
“Alright, alright, I won’t say nonsense. Since you want to help this girl, you must help her thoroughly, understand?”
She gave Qin Shuyao a meaningful look, then went into the house and brought out two boxes of pastries, pressing them into her hands.
“There must be nothing to eat at home. Take these back to tide you over. Look how thin you are.”
Qin Shuyao attributed Jiang Baoping’s kindness to showing Chen Qilan face. After all, even beating a dog depended on its owner.
Bah. Who was the owner? Who was the dog? How did she end up scolding herself?
With her grandmother’s treatment now settled, Qin Shuyao felt much lighter.
She carried firewood, boiled water, rummaged through the cupboard, and finally picked a teacup with the fewest chips. After washing it clean, she poured hot water for Chen Qilan. She herself used her usual enamel mug and drank a full cup.
She did not know if it was her imagination, but the water tasted faintly bitter, as if there were powdery sediment at the bottom of the cup.
Night gradually fell. By rights, the air should have cooled, yet Qin Shuyao felt unbearably hot all over. A strange, elusive feeling stirred in her chest, making her gaze drift again and again toward Chen Qilan.
His Adam’s apple moving as he drank, the strong arm holding the cup, the muscles barely concealed beneath his shirt.
All at once, Qin Shuyao realized what she was thinking. Shame engulfed her, and she wanted nothing more than to slap herself.
“Who is it? Who’s outside?”
Suddenly, Chen Qilan stood up, his sharp gaze fixed on the top of the wall, where a dark shadow flashed past.
He was about to chase after it when a pair of slender, soft arms hooked around his waist.
That warmth pressed against his broad back, and Qin Shuyao’s trembling voice reached his ear, sounding as if she were on the verge of tears.
“I… I don’t seem to be able to control my movements. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”