The gossip spreading through the production brigade wasn’t something he hadn’t heard before. It was just that he and Su Qian’an were both unmarried—what right did he have to interfere in her affairs?
Su Qian’an’s expression froze. She looked at Huo Zheng in disbelief, opened her mouth, and said, “What lover? Aren’t I your wife?”
It was unclear which words pleased Huo Zheng, but he gave a casual nod and let out a soft chuckle.
“Fine. Then we’ll go register our marriage this afternoon.”
“We’ll register. We must register!”
How could there be a child already born without a marriage certificate? Su Qian’an didn’t remember what had happened before, but she didn’t want to be accused of being shamelessly involved with another man.
After eating, putting the child to sleep, and bringing their documents, the two of them headed to the township office to register their marriage.
As soon as they stepped outside, a breeze blew past. Su Qian’an shrank her neck slightly. Huo Zheng noticed and told her to wait, then went back inside and brought out a long coat for her.
The coat looked brand new, still carrying the faint scent of new fabric.
Huo Zheng suddenly leaning in made Su Qian’an feel completely enveloped by him. Breathing in his scent, her face turned slightly red.
She hadn’t expected him, who always seemed so fierce, to be quite considerate.
“Let’s go.”
After helping her put on the coat, Huo Zheng stepped back.
The two walked one after the other toward the township office. Red Star Brigade wasn’t far from town—about a twenty-minute walk.
Not long after.
Su Qian’an stared at the freshly issued marriage certificate in her hands, feeling momentarily dazed.
She was really married.
On the way back, she still felt as if it wasn’t quite real.
Ahead of them, Zhao Yingjun ran over breathlessly, gasping for air. Seeing Su Qian’an as well, he casually greeted her before pulling Huo Zheng aside.
“Brother Zheng! Quick! That bastard Xu Guanghan set us up. The whole shipment has been seized!”
The satisfaction in Huo Zheng’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a flash of ruthlessness.
“Alright, I understand.”
He walked back to Su Qian’an.
“I have something to deal with. Go home first. I’ll be back later.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.
Su Qian’an opened her mouth as if to say something, but he was already gone. She pouted slightly and walked home alone.
Along the way, she could feel subtle glances from all around. Whispering voices reached her ears, making her frown.
“I can’t believe she did something so shameless and still has the nerve to go out!”
“I told you she wasn’t proper. See? She was secretly meeting a lover, got caught, and only tried to kill herself out of shame.”
“I heard she wanted to follow that educated youth back to the city for a good life. Tsk tsk, like mother like daughter—both so cheap.”
“Who gives birth to a child without being married? She’s probably the only one in the whole town.”
…
Every insult and dirty word fell clearly into her ears the entire way back. Finally, she couldn’t hold back anymore and turned around, glaring at the most outspoken women.
The women weren’t afraid at all and glared back.
“What? You dare do it and don’t let people talk about it?”
“Which part did we say wrong?”
“You had a child without being married, shamelessly seduced people—I’ve never seen anyone as low as you!”
Su Qian’an laughed from anger. These women were directly pinning baseless accusations on her.
“Aunties, did you personally see me seducing anyone?”
Even with her anger, her voice remained soft. Her face was beautiful, with a white bandage on her forehead, giving her a fragile and pitiful appearance.
The women hesitated for a moment. One of them stammered.
“I… I didn’t see it, but everyone in the brigade says so. It must be true!”
Su Qian’an sneered.
“If you didn’t see it, then you’re spreading false accusations. Do you know how many days in prison that could get you?”
The woman panicked slightly but still tried to deny it.
“I—I’m not slandering you!”
Su Qian’an laughed coldly. She pulled out the newly issued marriage certificate.
“Not slandering me? Then what is this?”
She held it up for everyone to see.
“I, Su Qian’an, and Huo Zheng are already legally married. We are husband and wife. Tell me, what exactly do I have to gain by seducing someone else?”
The crowd froze.
Some people leaned in to take a closer look. After seeing the names on the certificate and the official seal from the township office, they gasped in shock.
“It’s… it’s really a marriage certificate!”
“That seal from the office is real. It can’t be fake!”
The gossiping women instantly fell silent, their faces full of disbelief. But since this kind of document couldn’t be forged, they had no way to refute it.
Their expressions turned ugly.
“Aunties,” Su Qian’an said calmly, “shouldn’t you apologize after spreading rumors about me?”
The women looked embarrassed. Apologizing to a younger woman was hard for them.
Seeing their hesitation, Su Qian’an said lightly, “If you don’t apologize, then wait to go to jail.”
That finally frightened them.
“We apologize! We apologize! Sorry, Huo Zheng’s wife, we were talking nonsense. Please forgive us!”
They hurriedly apologized, then quickly left in embarrassment.
Su Qian’an folded the marriage certificate and put it away, then turned and headed home. She wondered if the baby had woken up or started crying. Thinking of it made her pace faster.
Back home, she didn’t hear any crying.
She peeked into the room. The baby was lying in bed, eyes wide and dark, quietly sucking on his fingers. He was very well-behaved.
Her heart softened instantly. She picked him up and looked closely—his features looked very much like hers, a beautiful and adorable baby.
As soon as he was picked up, he let go of his fingers and instinctively burrowed toward feeding.
Su Qian’an felt a slight fullness in her chest, her cheeks turning a faint red as she lifted her clothes.
After feeding the baby and playing with him for a while, the sky outside gradually darkened.
She placed the baby back on the bed and went to prepare dinner—but once she entered the kitchen, she realized she didn’t know how to cook at all.
She froze, unsure where to start.
In that instant, her motivation to cook faded significantly.
If she couldn’t cook, then who had been cooking all this time? Huo Zheng?
She wasn’t sure anymore.
Because she realized that in this house, there were almost no traces of her life—except for the coat Huo Zheng had given her at noon.
Just as she was thinking of waiting for Huo Zheng to return and asking him about everything, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
“Knock. Knock. Knock.”
“I’m coming!”
Thinking it was Huo Zheng, she smiled and went to open the door.
But when she opened it, she saw a refined-looking man standing outside.
A name flashed through her mind.
Meng Juncheng.