Su Qian’an felt her heart sink.
On the way back today, she had already heard bits and pieces from the village women, and she roughly understood the situation. The man in front of her was likely the rumored lover she had been accused of seducing—the educated youth who was supposedly taking her back to the city.
Meng Juncheng did not notice Su Qian’an’s unusual reaction. The moment he saw her, he quickly stepped forward and tried to grab her hand, but she dodged him.
Embarrassed, he withdrew his hand and noticed the bandage on her forehead. He asked with concern, “An’an, I heard you were injured. Are you okay?”
Su Qian’an leaned slightly against the door, keeping a distance between them. “I’m fine now.”
“That’s good. By the way, An’an, have you packed your things? Our train is tomorrow. Early tomorrow morning, we’re leaving.” He had mainly come to remind her of this and check on her injury.
Su Qian’an frowned at him. “What do you mean by that?”
Did he really believe the village gossip and think she was going back to the city with him?
Meng Juncheng looked at her in confusion and explained, “An’an, we already agreed a few days ago that we would return to the city. Don’t you remember?”
Although she had not explicitly agreed at the time, he was certain he had not misread the anticipation in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, everything has already been arranged. Nothing will—”
Even though Su Qian’an had lost her previous memories, based on her character, with a husband and child, she would never agree to run off to the city alone with another man.
She cut him off. “I think you’ve misunderstood. I have no intention of going back to the city with you.”
“And I’m already married. I will not abandon my husband and child.”
Meng Juncheng felt as if he had been struck by lightning. The words he was about to say were swallowed back down, and his expression darkened.
On his way here, he had already heard that Huo Zheng and Su Qian’an had registered their marriage, but he refused to believe it. He refused to believe that someone like Su Qian’an would willingly marry someone like Huo Zheng—a rough laborer, a troublemaker.
Su Qian’an was beautiful. Almost every unmarried man in the village liked her, and he was no exception.
Even though the villagers called her shameless for having a child out of wedlock, he had never looked down on her. He had thought that as long as she and Huo Zheng hadn’t registered their marriage, he still had a chance.
But reality was that he was just one step too late—just one step—and she had become someone else’s wife.
Huo Zheng again!
Meng Juncheng’s face twisted with unwilling resentment.
“An’an, do you really want to marry Huo Zheng? Even knowing what kind of person he is? Even after he hurt you before—you’re still willing?”
In his eyes, she had clearly hated Huo Zheng before. Yet in less than two days, she had changed her mind. Women really were fickle.
Su Qian’an was momentarily stunned.
Since waking up, she actually knew almost nothing about Huo Zheng.
All she knew was what she had heard from villagers—that she was his wife and they had a child together. Nothing else.
Seeing her silent, Meng Juncheng continued, “Look, even you aren’t sure about your own feelings, yet you’re entrusting your entire future to him like this.”
She was about to speak when she suddenly saw Huo Zheng standing behind Meng Juncheng.
His expression was dark and vicious, eyes sharp like ice blades, as if he wanted to tear Meng Juncheng apart piece by piece.
She also noticed he was carrying many things in one hand, while the other was clenched tightly into a fist—raising it slightly several times before lowering it again.
Su Qian’an’s heart jumped.
Huo Zheng’s arms were muscular, veins bulging, the strength obvious at a glance. One punch from him would probably land Meng Juncheng in the hospital for months.
She quickly said, “Huo Zheng, you’re back!”
Meng Juncheng stiffened at the name and turned around, seeing the tall man standing behind him.
Huo Zheng glanced down at him coldly. His gaze was like looking at a dead man, making Meng Juncheng’s face change instantly. He was genuinely afraid of Huo Zheng—no, in the entire village, hardly anyone wasn’t afraid of him.
Huo Zheng’s notoriety was well known in the area: ruthless, fearless, and violent in fights.
Meng Juncheng swallowed hard, at a loss for what to do. Nothing had ever made him feel this terrified.
He didn’t know when this demon had returned, or how much he had overheard.
But thinking he was about to return to the city and leave this poor place, his fear eased slightly. He forced himself to say to Su Qian’an, “An’an, think carefully about what I said. If you figure things out, you can come find me in the city.”
Huo Zheng let out a cold laugh at that. If he were his old self, this bastard would already have been thrown out. How was he still standing here spouting nonsense?
Su Qian’an panicked inwardly.
Was this man insane? Wasn’t things chaotic enough already?
Huo Zheng didn’t want to look at that pretty-boy face anymore. He stepped forward and kicked him aside, sending him crashing into the wall.
“Get lost. You’re in the way.”
Meng Juncheng hit the wall hard, grimacing in pain. He glared at him. “You—”
But meeting Huo Zheng’s cold eyes, he swallowed the rest of his words.
Huo Zheng didn’t even spare him another glance and slammed the door shut. The old, worn-out door shook violently, dust falling from the frame.
Meng Juncheng spat on the ground. “Just wait. Once I return to the city, I’ll deal with you.”
With that, he turned and left.
Inside the house.
Su Qian’an secretly observed Huo Zheng’s expression. Seeing that he was still in a bad mood, she swallowed the questions she had prepared and decided to wait until he calmed down.
Without saying a word, Huo Zheng tossed the things onto the table, then carried two bags into the kitchen. Soon, the sound of chopping bones echoed from inside.
The sound was somewhat unsettling.
In the kitchen, Huo Zheng’s lips were tightly pressed together, his face cold and tense. The muscles in his forearm tightened with each swing of the knife. The chicken on the cutting board was hacked into a mess.
In truth, he had already returned earlier—right when Meng Juncheng asked whether Su Qian’an truly wanted to marry him. He had wanted to hear her answer, so he hid and listened.
But that damned woman stayed silent.
Huo Zheng turned the chicken over and chopped it down again with force, as if it were Meng Juncheng himself.
Su Qian’an peeked into the kitchen and asked softly, “Huo Zheng, do you need help?”
He restrained the fierceness on his face and replied flatly, “No.”
Then he added, “Go open the bags outside.”
“Okay.”
Su Qian’an obediently went to the table and opened the bags. But when she saw what was inside, she froze.