On the very first day Jiang Yuyan returned to the village, someone hurried over with a proposal and gifts.
As he reached the alley entrance, he noticed four or five older women gossiping. At first, he intended to ignore them and walk straight in, but then he overheard a familiar name and froze.
“…If you ask me, the Lin family was too harsh. A young girl—how much could she even eat?”
“Ha, you don’t know. Lin Yuyan was driven away by that Lin family matriarch. Since moving here, I’ve never seen her treat Yuyan well.”
“But I heard the Lin family’s biological daughter who just returned isn’t much better. A few days ago, she got questioned by the police.”
“I saw that too! My god, I thought it was Lin—uh, could it have been that girl? What crime did she commit?”
The women were in the middle of gossip when a voice cut in:
“Excuse me, is Comrade Lin Yuyan no longer with the Lin family?”
Looking up, they saw a tall, handsome young man in uniform. Their eyes lit up immediately.
“Oh! You’re asking about Yuyan? You’re late. Yuyan was sent back by the Lin family a few days ago. She’s probably at her biological home by now.”
“And… what’s your relationship with Yuyan?” one woman asked.
Ling Wencheng stiffened. His hands gripped the gift box so tightly they turned white.
Could it be that the Lin family, embarrassed by that incident, had sent her away?
His heart was heavy with regret. He wished he had spoken clearly to her back then, instead of saying harsh words that drove her away without even giving him a chance.
“Big Brother Ling! You’re here?” Lin Yue exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing the gift box in his hands, jealousy and pride flashed in her eyes as she hurriedly invited him in.
Ling Wencheng declined and asked directly, “Is Comrade Lin Yuyan home?”
Lin Yue averted her gaze. “Big Brother Ling, Yuyan went out. She probably won’t be back so soon. Why don’t you come in and wait? My parents should be home soon…”
Ling Wencheng’s expression darkened. He looked at this woman, smiling sweetly but lying through her teeth. How could someone tell so many lies with no shame?
“Sorry, I have urgent matters to return to. Forget it—I’ll leave first.”
He took the gift box and quickly left, giving Lin Yue no chance to respond.
By the time she realized, he was already gone from the alley. She stomped her foot in frustration.
Damn Ling Wencheng! In his previous life, he would never have been so considerate with gifts. Now, simply changing the target, he brought a gift—did he look down on her? Think she couldn’t compare to Lin Yuyan?
Ling Wencheng jogged to the car. His companion was surprised.
“How did you get out so quickly? Were you kicked out?” his comrade teased.
Ling Wencheng instructed him to drive, silent for a moment, still worried about that delicate yet stubborn girl from his memories.
“Xiao Wu, help me find someone—Lin Yuyan. Check the train station records from three or four days ago, which ticket she bought. Tell me immediately if you find her.”
“Uh… Lin Yuyan? Isn’t she—Lin’s younger sister? If she’s not home, why would she go to the train station?”
Ling Wencheng snapped, “If I knew, would I need you to check? And don’t tell Shi Ping about this for now.”
Otherwise, Lin Shiping, the ultimate little-sister protector, would rush back without thinking and maybe confront the Lin family.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yuyan was unaware of all this. She was busy finding a place for her family to stay.
The brigade leader hesitated, and Jiang Yuyan’s parents looked troubled.
“Comrade Jiang—”
“Call me Yuyan, Brigade Leader. You’re a senior, and I’m new here. I may need your help with many things. If you are too formal, I won’t dare trouble you at all in the future.”
“Ha! Alright, then I won’t be formal. Yuyan, I won’t hide anything. That house at the end of the village was built a few years ago by three female educated youths from Beijing who pooled money together.”
“But soon after it was built, two of them were brutally murdered inside the house, and the third disappeared. No one has ever been found.”
“Everyone in the village says the house is unlucky. No one dares live in a house where a murder happened, so it has remained abandoned for years.”
Jiang Yuyan frowned. A house where a murder occurred? And educated youths?
“Brigade Leader, was the killer caught?” she asked, feeling something odd, though she couldn’t pinpoint it.
“Yes, caught. It was a man from the neighboring village, mentally unstable. When they caught him, he had already jumped into the river behind the hill to commit suicide,” the brigade leader said, still shivering at the memory.
Jiang Yuyan: “…A mentally unstable murderer? Who jumped into the river?”
Judging from the criminal cases she had seen, this murder case was definitely not so simple.
But it wasn’t her concern. She had no reason to force her family into danger for strangers.
“Brigade Leader, could you take us to see it? If suitable, we can temporarily rent it. Better than being out on the street.”
The brigade leader was happy and led the way.
Within ten minutes, they arrived at a square courtyard.
Looking around, it was clean. Apart from some age marks and dirty walls, there was no damage.
Jiang Yuyan led her parents inside. The courtyard was overgrown with weeds taller than people. There were three spacious rooms, each with a kang bed.
The kitchen and bathroom were along the left courtyard wall. Apart from weeds and dust, everything was fine.
The house was actually better than the Lao Jiang family home, but because of the taboo, no one dared live there for many years.
Jiang Yuyan was satisfied. She looked at her parents for their opinion.
Jiang’s mother bit her lip. “Yuyan, let’s take this place. It’s almost noon, we haven’t been to the hospital this morning. Your third brother must be anxious by now.”
She also wanted her family to have a settled place, especially since her daughter had just returned and they hadn’t spent much time together yet.
Jiang Yuyan nodded. “Brigade Leader, how much to rent this? Or is it for sale only?”
“Uh… let me tell you. It’s not for rent, only for sale. If your family wants to buy it, fifty yuan. But if anything happens while living here, the brigade is not responsible. So… will your family buy it?”
He wasn’t heartless. The brigade feared that if the house stayed empty, rumors of ghosts or demons would spread and tarnish the brigade’s reputation.
Fifty yuan—not expensive.
Jiang Yuyan was about to say yes when someone shouted from nearby, “Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, something’s happened! Brother Xuan is in trouble!”