While Xie Mingzhu and Xie Shaoqian were talking, Huo Xuan came in carrying their breakfast.
“Let’s eat first,” Huo Xuan said.
Thinking about what had happened the night before, Xie Mingzhu turned to glance at him, a faint awkwardness showing on her face.
Huo Xuan noticed her looking and met her gaze briefly.
His expression was completely calm, not the slightest bit embarrassed—as if nothing had occurred at all the previous night.
Xie Mingzhu looked away and lowered her head to eat the noodles in her bowl.
“You’ll probably be staying here for a while longer,” Xie Shaoqian said. “But your quarters have no food stocked at all. Later, we’ll go together to the grain shop and buy some supplies.”
Even if Xie Mingzhu intended to return to the city, she had to wait until her official papers were approved. Until then, she had no choice but to stay here—and she certainly couldn’t manage without food.
Xie Mingzhu nodded gently.
“You need to be more careful from now on,” Xie Shaoqian continued. “Don’t just believe every sweet word someone says. Never trust men who are smooth-tongued and glib—those are the ones who will eat you alive!”
Xie Mingzhu lowered her eyes, hiding the thoughts swirling in her mind.
“When you do look for a husband later, find someone who works quietly but always keeps you in his heart.”
With that, Xie Shaoqian turned to Huo Xuan and teased, “A-Xuan, wouldn’t you agree?”
Huo Xuan glanced briefly at Xie Mingzhu, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, but said nothing.
Seeing his reaction, Xie Shaoqian’s expression turned to one of clear understanding.
Xie Mingzhu lifted her head, her beautiful eyes fixed steadily on her brother, and spoke softly. “Brother, I’ve decided I won’t marry anyone in the future.”
Xie Shaoqian paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, frowning as he looked at her.
Though Huo Xuan kept his head bowed, his chopsticks also stopped moving for a moment.
“I think it’s perfectly fine to live alone,” Xie Mingzhu went on.
People were complicated. In her past life, she had given her whole heart to Qin Haoyu, and had done everything she possibly could for his family, giving them all her devotion. And what had it brought her in the end? Nothing but deep wounds and the ruin of her entire family.
Now, given a second chance, she decided she would rather remain single for the rest of her life. That way, she could stay by her father’s side forever—and that would be enough.
Seeing the look in her eyes, Xie Shaoqian shook his head and smiled gently. “There are still good men in this world. Don’t let one scoundrel fool you once and write off everyone else.”
“Though I will say—you’re still young, so there’s no rush to think about marriage. Just be sure to keep your eyes wide open and choose carefully.”
Now that their father had been cleared of all charges, the Xie family name would attract more ambitious men looking to climb the social ladder. Those who came calling would only increase in number—and most of them would care more about her family’s status than about Xie Mingzhu herself. She would need to be even more discerning from now on.
Xie Mingzhu remained silent.
In this era, any woman who chose not to marry would face gossip and criticism from others. Her father, while not overly conservative, would still not easily agree to such a decision.
“Try not to overthink it,” Xie Shaoqian advised. “In a few years, when you look back on all this, it won’t seem like such a big deal anymore.”
Xie Mingzhu pressed her lips together and nodded lightly, acknowledging his words.
Huo Xuan, who had remained mostly silent throughout, only paused when she said she would never marry; otherwise, he kept his head down and ate his noodles without a word.
Once breakfast was finished, the three of them prepared to head to the commune.
Xie Mingzhu put on her coat, locked the door to her quarters, and walked out with Huo Xuan, who was already waiting outside.
“Huo Xuan, bring your bicycle,” Xie Shaoqian said. “You can ride it back on your way home later.”
The three set off toward the entrance of the village.
As soon as they arrived, they heard the sound of loud commotion up ahead. Following the noise, they saw it was Qin Haoyu.
Qin Haoyu and Qin Qing were being led forward under guard by members of the village militia. Zhang Zenglan lay sprawled on the ground, looking utterly disheveled, wailing at the top of her voice while clutching tightly onto Qin Haoyu’s clothes, trying to stop them from taking him away. A crowd of villagers had gathered around to watch the scene unfold.
Xie Shaoqian first glanced sideways at Xie Mingzhu. Seeing a faint, mocking smile playing at the corners of her mouth, he finally spoke his mind. “Those two scoundrels—sending them to prison is far too good for them!”
If this were not a society ruled by law, he would have cut that bastard’s manhood off himself, and see how he went around chasing other women after that.
“Let’s keep going,” Xie Mingzhu said calmly.
Xie Shaoqian nodded, and they walked forward.
As they passed around the back of the crowd, Xie Mingzhu looked at Zhang Zenglan, who seemed to have aged ten years in just one night, and at Qin Haoyu and Qin Qing, both covered in dirt and looking completely defeated. A feeling of deep satisfaction rose in her chest.
Jostled by the crowd, Qin Qing happened to turn her head and caught sight of Xie Mingzhu walking past from behind. Her eyes lit up with an idea, and she immediately cried out loudly, “Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!”
Xie Mingzhu let out a cold huff and acted as if she hadn’t heard, continuing on her way without slowing down.
Qin Haoyu and Zhang Zenglan also heard the shout. Following the sound, they spotted Xie Mingzhu. The onlookers turned their heads as well to see who was being called.
Zhang Zenglan released her grip on her son, pushed her way through the crowd, and crawled until she was right in front of Xie Mingzhu. Pressing her palms together in a gesture of desperate supplication, she pleaded humbly, “Mingzhu, I know we’ve done you wrong! We’ll work as your servants, we’ll do anything you ask—just please don’t let them put our Haoyu in prison!”
Xie Mingzhu’s eyes turned icy and sharp, but she said nothing.
“He’s my only son!” Zhang Zenglan sobbed. “If he goes to jail, what will become of me? If you help him this one time, I promise you’ll still be my beloved daughter-in-law! I’ll send Qin Qing far, far away—she’ll never appear before you again to annoy you! We’ll treat you like royalty, I swear!”
Xie Mingzhu’s lips curled into a cold smirk. “Do you honestly believe you are worth anything to me?”
With that, she turned to walk away.
Zhang Zenglan tried to lunge forward to grab her, but Huo Xuan stepped in front and blocked her path.
Finding herself stopped, Zhang Zenglan flew into a rage. “Get out of my way! If you don’t move, I’ll make you regret it!”
She waved her hands wildly, trying to scratch and claw at him.
But Huo Xuan, with his strong, solid build, was not about to be caught by a frantic woman. He simply pushed her aside firmly but gently.
Zhang Zenglan fell back onto the dirt, then threw her head back and began wailing at the top of her lungs, slapping her thighs as she cried. Her face was streaked with tears and snot, her clothes covered in dust, and her shrill sobs made her look as pitiful as could be. In that moment, she played the part of a heartbroken mother perfectly.
Seeing her like this, the villagers began whispering and pointing among themselves.