Her tone didn’t seem much different from usual, just a bit more subdued.
But that was normal—she had always been a silent gourd.
Swallowing her pain and grievances.
Ji Qin’s heart eased a little further, her delicate brows furrowed with apparent distress. “Oh, Sis, your skin is so delicate. Others might not know, but your little sister does.”
Mentioning this, Ji Qin tried her best to suppress the jealousy and resentment in her heart, pouting as she said, “When we get back, I’ll confront them and make sure they never hit you again.”
“I’m used to it. It’s fine.”
Ji Chunhua forced a dry laugh and continued climbing up the mountain.
After all, Ji Qin was just saying it—she would never actually stand up to the family for her sake.
That bastard father, along with Ji Qin’s own brother Ji Yang and Xu Li, they all pampered Ji Qin, never letting her do hard work, saving the best food and drink for her.
So why would Ji Qin ever want to save her, the fat, bottom-of-the-family drudge?
If she weren’t around to be enslaved, who would do all the dirty, exhausting chores?
Having lived a second life, Ji Chunhua saw everything clearly now.
Seeing Ji Chunhua climb upward, Ji Qin rolled her eyes and quickly caught up.
Then she swiftly got to the point.
Today’s matchmaking was her chance to defy fate and change her destiny.
She had to seize it.
“Sis, let me tell you, I had to beg and plead with the Women’s Federation cadre to get you an extra spot for today’s matchmaking fair.”
“You know… you’ve been to so many before, and no one ever took a liking to you. They were afraid you’d just waste a spot.”
“But don’t worry, Sis. Today there are tons of people. It’s a big event! All the single men and women from several villages are going. This time, you’re sure to find a good match!”
Ji Chunhua really wanted to burst into wild laughter, or tear off that hypocritical mask, rip out her black heart, and stomp it into the ground.
It was precisely because her stepsister always encouraged her as if bestowing a favor that she had devoted herself so selflessly, feeling nothing but gratitude!
“Hey, Sis! It’s dandelion!”
Ji Qin suddenly pointed under a tree and cried out, rushing over first.
Ji Chunhua’s train of thought was abruptly cut off.
She lifted her eyelids and was about to step forward when she saw Ji Qin suddenly freeze in place, rooted to the spot as if struck dumb, staring fixedly ahead.
Ji Chunhua was taken aback, her breath catching briefly.
She wondered if there was some wild beast lurking.
But following Ji Qin’s gaze—
She instantly felt as if struck by lightning, her entire body from head to toe stiffening!
In the gray-black dusk, the man was still wearing those slap-slap flip-flops, sauntering along carelessly.
Nonchalant, rough, and brazen.
Yet Ji Chunhua nearly went weak in the knees, almost dropping to the ground.
Ready to kowtow three times to him.
This was her savior!
The corners of Ji Chunhua’s eyes burned crimson as she stared fixedly at the man.
She even forgot to breathe.
He was so tall.
A towering figure of nearly two meters suddenly appearing in the dim, deep woods—if not for his overly rigid outline, one might have mistaken him for a ferocious beast of the mountains.
Even though it was winter, he still wore only a thin military-green shirt and loose, knee-length pants.
Yet despite that, nothing could hide the bulging, taut muscles covering his legs.
Before Ji Chunhua could regain her composure, Ji Qin reacted first.
She trembled so much her teeth chattered, but for reasons entirely different from Ji Chunhua’s—
In her previous life, on the day she lay in the hospital clinging to life, eventually dying of illness,
She had happened to see Duan Hu’s featured interview in the newspaper.
Who would have thought that this grimy foreman who dealt with cement and sand every day and had even served time in the big prison would one day become a renowned real estate tycoon!
Perfect.
Ji Qin clenched her fists, thinking to herself: She had originally planned to use today’s matchmaking fair to stand out from the crowd and make Duan Hu like her, to choose her. Who could have guessed their meeting would actually happen ahead of schedule!
She knew it—this rebirth was absolutely her chance to defy fate and change her destiny!
Thinking this, Ji Qin immediately rushed forward, running to the tree and blocking the patch of dandelion, shouting in a coquettish voice, “What do you think you’re doing!”
“This wild vegetable was discovered by us, first come, first served!”
Still dazed, Ji Chunhua was jolted back to her senses by Ji Qin’s sickly sweet, nauseating voice, her whole body breaking out in goosebumps.
Instantly, she snapped out of it.
Then she realized something was off.
In her previous life, Ji Qin had clearly been one of those who cursed him behind his back and feared him.
She had called Duan Hu a savage and even claimed to have seen him drink chicken blood raw.
What did it matter if he was rich? He was just a filthy scoundrel.
But why was she provoking him now? How dare she?
Ji Qin stared at Duan Hu’s powerful, rugged figure standing in the shadows, her gaze growing increasingly greedy.
Fortunately, it was still early dawn, and with the mountain fog, no one could see clearly.
Ji Qin had already made up her mind when she was reborn last night.
Since everyone feared him, she would be the one who wasn’t afraid!
That would definitely pique his interest.
Her voice grew even shriller as she placed her hands on her hips and directly called out his name: “Comrade Duan Hu! Please go look somewhere else!”
“Hah,” Duan Hu laughed from the shadows.
“Go to hell.”
“Get lost!”