Chapter 14: A Shifted Affection

Casting a sidelong glance at Lu Liqin, Tang Xin kept her gaze fixed on Li Sheng and said with utmost seriousness, “I’m going to marry him. We’re discussing our wedding right now—didn’t you notice?”

Lu Liqin struggled to keep his temper in check, lowering his voice as he replied, “Tang Xin, stop this nonsense. There should be a limit to your antics—”

“Don’t ‘you’ me, ‘I’ you. We’re not close. I’ve never acted on impulse; everything I say is from the heart.”

Li Sheng glanced at Tang Xin, then at Lu Liqin. These two truly belonged to the same world.

He addressed Tang Xin, “You see, these occasions aren’t suitable for you.”

With those words, he paid them no further heed, picked up his sickle, and strode toward another field.

He had long discovered that as long as he avoided looking into Tang Zhicheng’s eyes, he could speak and act normally.

Ah, that woman is nothing short of a temptress!

Lu Liqin watched Li Sheng’s tall figure recede into the distance, the small flame in his heart growing ever fiercer. “So you’ve decided to marry him because of what happened that night?”

“Do you really know what happened that night?” Tang Xin looked directly into Lu Liqin’s eyes, her tone suddenly earnest.

She was asking on behalf of the original Tang Xin, and felt that, as the male lead, Lu Liqin owed her an explanation.

The book hadn’t described the incident in detail, for fear of tarnishing the protagonist’s image, but Tang Xin had now experienced it firsthand.

She understood now: it must have been Meng Jia who schemed and drugged her, causing the original Tang Xin to lose control and end up with Li Sheng.

Yet Lu Liqin, who had grown up with her as childhood friends for eighteen years, had so little trust in her feelings—he never even tried to find out the truth of that night?

The most absurd thing was how quickly Lu Liqin transferred his affections to Meng Jia, and from then on, the male and female lead lived happily ever after.

That was the part of the book that had infuriated Tang Xin the most, feeling all the emotions the original Tang Xin had invested were undeserved.

Tang Xin’s serious demeanor stunned Lu Liqin, reminding him of that shameful night when she had been ready to commit something indecent.

With a mocking snort, Lu Liqin asked, “You dare ask me that? Do you want me to expose your true intentions right here?”

Tang Xin’s expression grew even more grave. “My intentions? What intentions? The ones Meng Jia told you about? As my brother who grew up with me, you’d rather believe the Meng family’s word and never once trusted my character.”

This wasn’t a question, but a direct, stern accusation.

Lu Liqin’s smile faded as he looked at her seriously. “I don’t trust you? Fine, Tang Xin, tell me—what have you ever done to earn my trust?”

He sensed something was wrong, deeply wrong.

It seemed Tang Xin was no longer the same as before.

If it were the old days, she would have lost her temper at such words, cursing him and Meng Jia mercilessly.

That would have made Lu Liqin feel Meng Jia was pitiful and innocent, that everything was Tang Xin’s fault.

Tang Xin’s faults were his own; Lu Liqin had grown accustomed to treating her as his lifelong responsibility.

He would then comfort Meng Jia, telling her not to be angry with Tang Xin.

What he didn’t realize was that this only pushed Tang Xin further away.

But today, seeing her speak with such calm, Lu Liqin felt deeply unsettled.

Could that man really have such a profound effect on her?

Impossible!

“Fine. Then believe me now: I like Li Sheng. I want to marry him.”

“Alright, let’s assume you’re serious, but this is only your wish. What about him? Would he ever like a spoiled girl who can’t cook, can’t work in the fields, and can’t take care of his parents or siblings?”

Lu Liqin’s words struck straight to the point—

In the countryside, when choosing a partner, beauty was never the primary concern; background and capability mattered most.

Someone who could manage both household and farm—that was the ideal daughter-in-law loved by rural men and their parents.

Tang Xin frowned, as if she no longer recognized the childhood friend who had grown up with her. “So you’re that shallow? According to you, I’d have to learn to cook and work the fields to marry?”

Lu Liqin wanted to say, if you married me, you wouldn’t have to do any of that.

But that wasn’t his nature; he would never blurt out such heartfelt words.

So he hesitated and stammered, which only made Tang Xin angrier.

“Enough, Lu Liqin. I see you as a brother. Even so, you have no right to interfere with my freedom to marry,” Tang Xin said impatiently.

She had never wanted to maintain a close, cordial relationship with the male lead, so there was no reason to suppress her temper in his presence.

Lu Liqin was even more impatient. “You’re right, I have no right. But surely Uncle Tang won’t let you act so recklessly?”

Thinking of that old man who only believed in the Baihua mother and daughter, while neglecting her own mother, Tang Xin grew even angrier and snapped, “He can’t control me either.”

With that, Tang Xin turned and walked away.

Lu Liqin was nearly beside himself with rage, but he knew there was nothing else he could do now.

He hurried toward town, intending to call Uncle Tang.

This time, he wouldn’t cover for Tang Xin; he’d truthfully report that she hadn’t been obedient since arriving in the countryside, always doing unexpected things.

Hopefully, Uncle Tang would bring her home, where she could be properly disciplined.

Lu Liqin regretted ever allowing her to accompany him to the countryside.

Perhaps they simply didn’t belong here; since arriving at Five-Star Commune, everything had felt off.

He ran so quickly that he didn’t even hear Meng Jia calling him as she passed by.

Watching his hurried departure, Meng Jia felt a pang of discomfort.

It had always been this way. On the surface, Lu Liqin treated her better, more gently.

But Meng Jia sensed the distance and formality in his manner; it was Tang Xin whom he truly regarded as family.

After returning from the wheat fields to the youth center, Tang Xin, though reluctant, managed to bite into the coarse cornbread.

The rough texture scratched her throat, and she only managed to swallow it by washing it down with a large cup of water.

Compared to the pancakes made by Li Sheng and the old Mrs. Li, this cornbread was barely edible.

At this moment, Tang Xin dearly hoped her Happy Farm would upgrade soon and yield something good.

But living at the youth center was inconvenient—even if she had something nice, she couldn’t enjoy it alone.

Biscuits and candies could be explained as being sent from home, but anything requiring fire to cook would draw too much attention.

In these special times, Tang Xin understood: caution was always wise.