Qiao Village.
“Captain Fu, that’s Qiao Village. The house holding the funeral belongs to the Qiao family.”
“Mm.” The man sitting in the back of the Jeep looked up slightly. As the car came to a halt, he stepped out with a stride of his long legs.
Just as he walked past the window of the Qiao house, he heard voices coming from inside.
“Qiao Ruan, look at you, heading off to the city to live the high life.”
“Who would’ve thought your father’s death would actually benefit you? Being adopted by a prestigious family in the capital… tsk tsk.” The woman’s voice was thick with jealousy and bitterness.
“What a shame you dumped Brother Liancheng! To climb the social ladder, you even threw away your own fiancé. I truly admire your heart of stone!”
Hearing Qiao Ruan’s name, Fu Hanchen paused. He stopped by the window and soon heard a faint cough from inside, followed by a cool, detached voice.
“Qiao Meng, you’re just green with envy. Are you wishing it was your father who died so you could be the one adopted into the city?” She pierced through her cousin’s true feelings with a single sentence.
“You… don’t talk nonsense!” Qiao Meng snapped, her face flushing with anger.
“Is that so? Look at how sour you look, like an underdeveloped green date on a tree. I’m telling you, Qiao Meng, so what if I’m social climbing? I’m going to the city to live a good life, and all you can do is watch and envy me!” Although Qiao Ruan’s voice was soft, her words were like blades stabbing into Qiao Meng’s heart.
“Besides, once I’m in the city, what kind of great man won’t I be able to find? You like Shen Liancheng? I don’t want him.”
Shen Liancheng was the man she had eventually married in her past life. He had beaten and tormented her, eventually trapping her in the back courtyard of the Shen family home. She had died before even reaching forty, unable to rest in peace.
Yes, Qiao Ruan had been reborn. She didn’t know why she had returned to the year her father died.
She only knew that she would never again squander the future and the life her father had traded his own for!
Qiao Ruan closed her eyes. The sound of the suona horns outside made her eyes gradually redden.
Qiao Meng put her hands on her hips and shot back, “Fine! I knew you were fickle. I heard the Fu family has three young masters. You little vixen, you’re definitely planning to seduce them! You want to marry into high society!”
Qiao Ruan curled her lips into a mocking smile. Only someone like Qiao Meng would have nothing but men on her mind. However, having lived a second life, Qiao Ruan knew exactly how to infuriate her cousin. She parted her lips and said airily, “That’s right. I plan to hook one of the Fu family’s young masters and turn my life around as the Young Mistress. Unfortunately, you’ll never have an opportunity like that in your entire life.”
Qiao Meng: …Fuming with rage!
Fu Hanchen, outside the window: …
The driver following behind him: …This Miss Qiao certainly has grand ambitions.
Fu Hanchen’s habitually cold face darkened. He had come on his grandfather’s orders to collect the Qiao family orphan. Adopting a girl was no big deal to the Fu family; it was just one more mouth to feed.
But he hadn’t expected Qiao Chengjun’s daughter to be so greedy, snobbish, and intent on seducing a Fu man to become a Young Mistress.
In her dreams!
He let out a cold sneer and walked toward the front gate of the Qiao residence.
In this era, village funerals were still very simple. It was only because Qiao Ruan’s father had died in the line of duty that the entire village had mobilized to hold such a formal service.
Hearing that someone from the Fu family in the capital had arrived, Qiao Ruan’s eldest uncle—the elder brother of Qiao Chengjun—hurriedly led people out to greet them.
Fu Hanchen had no intention of exchanging pleasantries. He gave a curt nod and walked straight toward Qiao Chengjun’s memorial tablet.
Qiao Chengjun had been his father’s old comrade-in-arms, and there were hidden circumstances behind his sacrifice. The old man had personally instructed Fu Hanchen to offer a proper stick of incense to him.
Fu Hanchen stood before the tablet, lit the incense, and bowed respectfully.
His demeanor shifted from his previous cold indifference, yet he radiated such an intimidating aura that no one dared to approach him.
The eldest uncle felt a bead of cold sweat form on his forehead; this young man was truly terrifying.
“Qiao Ruan, come out quickly! Someone from the Fu family is here to pick you up!” Just then, the eldest aunt shouted toward the inner room.
The wooden door creaked, and a figure pushed it open and stepped out.
She was dressed in black mourning clothes, wearing a white sash. Her small face was bare of makeup, and her dark hair was tied back in a loose low ponytail, with a few stray strands fluttering against her cheeks.
At a glance, Qiao Ruan saw the powerful, upright back standing before the memorial tablet.
The person from the Fu family.
Even from just his back, he seemed broad and tall, possessing a majestic and chilling authority that silenced everyone around him.
After casually placing the incense, Fu Hanchen slowly turned around. His cold eyes landed on the Qiao family orphan—the girl with the big mouth and even bigger ambitions.