Volume One, Chapter 3: He Actually Climbed Over the Wall into Her Home in the Dead of Night

Hearing Jiang Weiyi’s merciless mockery, Jiang Weili finally realized she had fallen into a trap.

Her face flushed a deep, liver-colored red. In her agitation, she had forgotten to keep her true thoughts hidden. To make matters worse, that wretch Jiang Weiyue had pointed it out so brazenly. She was thankful there was no one else around; if there had been, she would have been mortified.

Glaring at Jiang Weiyue’s bright, captivating face, she gritted her teeth and swallowed her fury. She comforted herself internally, thinking that since this wretch was destined for a miserable end anyway, there was no point in arguing with her at such a critical moment. Instead, she needed to seize the opportunity to secure her own happiness.

She remembered her past life: when Song Chuanhe was abandoned by Jiang Weiyue and stood alone in the snowy night, she had brought him a cloak made from a fertilizer sack and urged him to leave. He hadn't seemed to hear her, nor did he want her cloak. Her heart had ached for him. Although Song Chuanhe was just a poor, unemployed hoodlum, he was undeniably handsome. He stood nearly six-foot-three, with broad shoulders, long legs, and a body rippling with muscle. During the busy farming seasons, he would go shirtless to help her cousin’s family. Under the scorching sun, his bronzed, well-defined physique glistened with sweat, leaving her dry-mouthed and green with envy.

In this era, most people were conservative, so she only dared to sneak glances. If anyone discovered she was coveting her cousin’s man, she wouldn't be able to stay here any longer. With his help, her cousin’s farm work was always finished early, a fact that filled her with intense jealousy. She felt that if she could have a husband like him, life would only get better, no matter how poor they were.

She truly loved Song Chuanhe, but her personality was different from Jiang Weiyue’s. She wondered: if she had been bold and proactive from the start, could he have been her man? She recalled her past life, where she had followed her family’s arrangements and married an ordinary worker at the steel mill. Before marriage, he seemed honest and reliable, but after they wed, he not only beat her but also joined his mother in bullying her. She had wanted a divorce but lacked the courage. It was Song Chuanhe who appeared, encouraged her, and gave her the strength to leave; he even arranged jobs for her and her daughter. More than that, Song Chuanhe had taken revenge on everyone who hurt her, including her own family, yet he never harmed her—he only helped. Even then, she died filled with regret, hating herself for not being more proactive.

She wondered if Song Chuanhe had liked her, too? Otherwise, why would he have helped her? In her past life, she was married and unworthy of him. But now that heaven had given her a chance to start over, she would absolutely not let him slip away. She cared nothing for Jiang Weiyue, nor for the wealthy heiress who had once shown him kindness. As far as she knew, the heiress was still in the capital and wouldn't return for months. She had to hurry and make things official with Song Chuanhe.

As for how to make things "official," she would, of course, use Jiang Weiyue.

"Jiang Weiyue, you’ve gone too far. It’s one thing to hurt Brother Chuanhe, but you’re also making life miserable for our whole family. You may be heartless, but I cannot be unrighteous."

"Since you aren't willing to apologize to Song Chuanhe to secure our family's peace, I will go in your stead."

It was the start of the workday, and most of the factory workers already knew about the drama between Song Chuanhe and Jiang Weiyue. After all, some people were magnets for attention no matter what they did, and Jiang Weiyue and Song Chuanhe were exactly that type. Hearing Jiang Weili’s words, the bystanders couldn't help but murmur against Jiang Weiyue.

"My goodness, Comrade Jiang Weiyue looks so beautiful and moving, but how can she be so selfish?"

"Exactly. This is a mess of her own making. To think she won't even lower her head to apologize to the factory director, forcing her family to suffer the consequences instead. If I had a daughter like that, I’d be furious."

"Who is that girl offering to apologize to the director for her? She’s so kind-hearted. I wonder if she’s spoken for? If not, I should set her up with my son."

"She’s Jiang Weiyue’s cousin. Her father and two brothers work in our factory too. She’s not betrothed yet. She seems like a fine, sensible girl. That’s the kind of woman one should marry."

Hearing their praise, Jiang Weili felt both happy and angry. She was happy they were praising her, but angry that they—mere nobodies—dared to covet her. She was destined to be the factory director’s wife!

"You’ve all misunderstood! It’s not like that at all, it’s Jiang Weili—"

Jiang Weiyi, who had been close to her sister since childhood, couldn't bear to hear them speak of her like that. Just as she was about to retort, Jiang Weiyue held her back.

"In that case, I wish you success. I look forward to hearing the good news that you’ve secured the director’s forgiveness for me. Little sister, let’s go."

With that, Jiang Weiyue loaded the breakfast supplies onto the cart and drove the mule away. Jiang Weili stood frozen, watching Jiang Weiyue’s retreating figure, filled with deep suspicion. Why did Jiang Weiyue seem like a completely different person in this life? She knew that if this had happened in her past life, Jiang Weiyue would never have reacted this way. What was going on?

"Big sister, why didn’t you let me finish? They all misunderstood you! What is Jiang Weili’s agenda?"

"No matter what her agenda is, it’s a good thing if she can draw Song Chuanhe’s attention away from us."

"I suppose so. Are we heading home now, big sister? All this breakfast will go to waste."

"Not home. We’re going to the temple fair."

Hearing this, Jiang Weiyi suddenly understood. Her sister intended to sell the breakfast at the temple fair—how could she have forgotten? Today was the annual Double Ninth Festival temple fair, where the foot traffic was far greater than at the steel mill. As expected, once they arrived, their breakfast sold out even faster than it had at the factory. After selling everything, the two returned to Xiao Jiang Village.

That night, the crescent moon hung like a hook, and the sky was filled with stars. Even without the lights on, the room was bright. Jiang Weiyue heated a basin of water and stripped off her clothes, preparing to wash up, when the wooden door was suddenly pushed open.

She assumed it was Jiang Weiyi. "Why didn't you knock before coming in?"

But as Jiang Weiyue turned around and saw who was standing before her, she froze. Her heart felt as if it had been gripped by a giant hand; her blood seemed to stop in her veins, and her mind went blank. Her enchanting eyes widened in disbelief. "Song Chuanhe? You... why are you here?"