Li Qinkuai’s face flushed red in an instant.
“What nonsense are you talking about? I haven’t fallen for anyone else.”
“Oh, so you were dissatisfied with me last night. It’s your fault for drugging me and affecting my performance. After we get married, I’ll make sure to perform properly.”
When Duan Pengyue said this, his expression was serious, as if it were a matter of great importance.
Li Qinkuai took a step back, took a deep breath, and said, “Duan Pengyue, you don’t even like me. Why are you so determined to marry me?”
Duan Pengyue was stunned for a few seconds.
“The person you like is your childhood sweetheart Qing Shuangyun, isn’t it? Since you both have feelings for each other, you should marry her.”
Images of Qing Shuangyun holding him and whispering sweet nothings flashed through Li Qinkuai’s mind, filling her with frustration.
He already had someone he liked, yet he still insisted on marrying her.
Duan Pengyue suddenly laughed, his eyes curving into crescents, making him look incredibly handsome.
Li Qinkuai’s heart raced at his smile. After a moment, she quickly averted her gaze, unwilling to look at him any longer.
Come to think of it, Duan Pengyue rarely smiled. No matter how hard she tried to please him, he always wore a stern expression, even after they got married in her previous life.
“So it’s because of her that you don’t want to marry me. How did you find out about her? Did you ask around?”
Duan Pengyue’s mood suddenly improved.
It seemed there was a misunderstanding.
But the fact that Li Qinkuai had gone to the trouble of finding out about him meant she still liked and cared for him.
“Don’t worry about how I know. The point is, you have someone you like, and I don’t want to marry you.”
Li Qinkuai spoke vaguely, unable to admit that she was reborn.
“I don’t like her, but if you really don’t want to marry me, that’s fine too,” Duan Pengyue said lightly.
Before Li Qinkuai could feel relieved, she heard Duan Pengyue continue.
“At worst, I’ll go report you for the crime of hooliganism tomorrow.”
“You! You’re shameless!”
Li Qinkuai shouted angrily.
Duan Pengyue raised an eyebrow and shamelessly retorted, “And the one who drugged and forced me isn’t shameless?”
It seemed she had no choice but to marry him.
“Fine, marriage it is. I agree!”
Li Qinkuai thought to herself that since she couldn’t avoid it, she would cause trouble once they moved to the city, making the Duan family dislike her and putting pressure on Duan Pengyue to divorce her.
After all, he would join the military not long after returning to the city, so he wouldn’t be by her side for long.
Duan Pengyue watched as Li Qinkuai’s eyes darted around, knowing she was up to something again. But he didn’t care. As long as she agreed to marry him, nothing else mattered.
Thinking of the man on the mountain earlier, Duan Pengyue’s expression turned cold again as he warned, “Stay away from other men from now on. Once you agree to marry me, you’re not allowed to look at anyone else!”
Li Qinkuai rolled her eyes and replied dismissively, “Got it.”
There wasn’t a single man in the village who was better-looking than Duan Pengyue. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so obsessed with him before.
After Duan Pengyue left, Cheng Yun gave her 20 yuan and some fabric coupons.
“Don’t go to work tomorrow. Take this money and buy some clothes and shoes in town to wear for the wedding in a couple of days.”
Li Qinkuai agreed. Coincidentally, Qin An was going to town tomorrow, so she could go with him and have some company.
Returning to her room, Li Qinkuai sighed helplessly.
It seemed that in this life, she was still destined to marry Duan Pengyue.
Since that’s the case, she would take advantage of the time before returning to the city to go up the mountain and gather more wild game to exchange for things in her space.
Li Qinkuai went to find Li Dafu: “Dad, I won’t be going to the fields these next few days. The villagers probably already know that I’m the one who’s irresponsible toward Duan Pengyue. I don’t want to go out and listen to their gossip.”
Upon hearing this, Li Dafu, who had been sitting on a stool, immediately stood up excitedly and said, “Let me see who dares to say a word about my daughter!”
Cheng Yun chimed in from the side: “Alright, she’s getting married in a few days. Let her rest properly. Once she goes into the city, it’ll be hard for us to see her!”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Li Dafu took a sullen puff of his cigarette and agreed.
Li Qinkuai felt upset too, but there was nothing to be done now. If only she had been reborn a little earlier.
For now, she could only wait until she returned after her divorce to properly care for her parents.
In the afternoon, Li Qinkuai didn’t go to the fields and instead went to Qin An’s house at the end of the village.
When she arrived at Qin An’s house, Qin An was in the yard skinning a rabbit.
“Qin An, I’m coming in.”
Li Qinkuai called out, quickly pushed the door open, and entered, carrying ten pounds of rice she had taken from her space.
She had only dared to bring it over because the villagers had all gone to the fields.
Qin An’s mother had poor health and died after giving birth to her. Her father liked boys but didn’t want to remarry, so she had been raised as a boy since childhood and kept her hair short.
Those who didn’t know her thought she was a man.
“Qinkuai, what brings you here? Come in quickly.” Qin An washed the blood off her hands and found a stool for Li Qinkuai to sit on.
Li Qinkuai handed her the ten pounds of rice: “Quick, put this rice away. I brought it for you. Don’t tell anyone.”
Qin An waved her hands in refusal: “No, I can’t take it. It’s too valuable. I absolutely can’t accept it.”
Li Qinkuai had already guessed she would refuse and said, “Don’t worry, I’m not giving it to you for nothing. I’m getting married in a few days, and next month I’ll be going back to the city with him. I won’t be able to return for a while, so I need you to look after my parents during that time. If anything happens, write to me right away.”
“Is it that man from today?” Qin An thought of Duan Pengyue from the mountain earlier.
“It’s him, but don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
“Alright, but I can’t take your rice. Rice is precious—keep it for your parents. You’ve helped me plenty before, and even if you didn’t ask, I’d still look after your parents.”
Qin An still refused to take the rice.
In these times, many people didn’t have enough to eat, yet Li Qinkuai was giving her ten pounds of rice all at once. She really didn’t dare accept it.
“Don’t worry, I’ve made arrangements for my parents. If you don’t take this, you’re not treating me as a friend!”
With Li Qinkuai putting it that way, Qin An didn’t dare refuse.
Afterward, Li Qinkuai arranged to go to town with her the next morning before leaving.
Before she left, Qin An gave her a rabbit to take home and eat. Li Qinkuai didn’t refuse and accepted it directly.
When she reached her home, Li Qinkuai saw Duan Pengyue walking toward her house, carrying pork and a chicken.
She quickly ran over and called out to him: “Duan Pengyue!”
“Where have you been? Where did you get that rabbit?”
Seeing her run over with a freshly killed rabbit in hand, Duan Pengyue narrowed his eyes, thinking of the man from the mountain earlier that day.
“Qin An gave it to me. What are you doing here?”
Li Qinkuai was waiting for him to say he had come to return the meat to her, so she could openly bring it inside and tell her parents that Duan Pengyue had bought it, avoiding any suspicion.
“You went to see another man?!”