November 1982, Xiaojia Village.

In the evening, Jiang Yuning sat on the edge of the bed in a red wedding dress. The crimson glow of the dragon-and-phoenix candles flickered against the window. Her rosy lips were tightly pressed together as she sat there nervously and uneasily.

From the main hall outside came the sound of cups and bowls being smashed, followed by Xiao Liye’s contemptuous voice:

“So the person I’m marrying today is a widow?”

Jiang Yuning lowered her eyes in silence, her slender hands gripping the hem of her dress tightly.

Xiao Fangdong, with his honest and somewhat awkward expression, tried to persuade him:

“It’s just that her husband died less than two years after they married. She’s practically ‘almost new’—and she doesn’t have any kids. That’s already pretty good. Maybe you should just make do with it.”

Xiao Liye furrowed his sharp brows and said firmly:

“‘Almost new’? ‘No kids’? Are there no women left in this world? You’re giving me a woman whose husband already died?”

Xiao Fangdong looked troubled and said:

“They’re using the fact that they once saved my life to ask for this favor. You know her father’s health isn’t great either.

They’ve never asked me for anything all these years… how could I refuse? Just think of it as adding another family member—can’t you just live with it?”

Xiao Liye was completely unmoved. His face turned cold as he kicked over a chair with a “bang,” shattering it into pieces.

Jiang Yuning, listening from inside the room, felt her heart tighten in fear.

Xiao Liye said irritably:

“She was only married for less than two years before her husband died. Who knows—maybe she’s cursed. I, Xiao Liye, will never allow a widow to share the same space with me. I don’t want to be dragged down and die too.”

Jiang Yuning’s eyes turned red. Her lips trembled bitterly.

A year ago, she had married Jiang Zhiming, the adopted son her parents had raised.

It was supposed to be a happy marriage, but on their wedding night, he told her he only saw her as a younger sister and couldn’t cross that line in his heart, so they postponed consummation.

That “postponement” lasted more than a year. With no pregnancy, her mother pressured her constantly to have a child. Under that pressure, Jiang Zhiming left in anger—and vanished overnight.

From then on, she became the target of everyone’s gossip. No matter how she explained, people only said she couldn’t conceive, had some hidden illness, and had only been “pushed into marriage” with the adopted son of her own family.

In the end, the rumors grew even worse—people said she had driven Jiang Zhiming to his death.

Because of this, her family could no longer hold their heads up. Afraid she would never be able to marry again, they eventually turned to Xiao Fangdong.

Xiao Fangdong immediately agreed, saying Xiao Liye would accept it.

Who would have thought it would turn into such a farce? No wonder the wedding procession and even the bowing ceremony had been handled with excuses that Xiao Liye was unwell, and she had completed everything alone.

At that moment, Xiao Liye’s harsh voice came again from the hall:

“Tell her to go back wherever she came from. I have no time to spend the wedding night with her.”

With that, his footsteps faded as he left.

Jiang Yuning lowered her long lashes, hiding the mist forming in her eyes, and let out a suppressed breath.

Xiao Fangdong sighed and walked into the room:

“Xiao Ning, don’t be upset. Liye is just like that. He’s not a bad person. Given time, once he understands your family’s sincerity, he’ll settle down with you.”

“Uncle,” Jiang Yuning said softly, “I’ll change my clothes and go find him to explain. If he can accept me, then fine. If not… then forget it.”

Her voice trembled slightly as she held back tears.

Their family had already become the laughingstock of the village—accused of killing a man, branded as a widow with ill fate.

If things escalated again tonight in front of all the guests, their family would have no way to stay in the county anymore. Her parents might even force her into another marriage.

“Don’t overthink it,” Xiao Fangdong sighed again. “Tonight is your wedding night. I can’t let him cause more trouble. Just tell him it’s my decision—he has to come back even if he doesn’t want to.”

After he left, Jiang Yuning opened her suitcase, took out a white shirt and flared jeans, changed her clothes, washed her face, and then headed to the county liquor factory.

The factory wasn’t far from Xiao Family Village, and the county town wasn’t too large.

Xiao Liye’s liquor factory, her family’s pastry shop, and Xiao Family Village formed a triangular route.

For years, Jiang Guohua had avoided contact with the Xiao family after moving to the county to open a small pastry shop, afraid they would think he was trying to repay kindness with pressure.

That day, Xiao Liye did not even know about the wedding. On his way back from the factory, he heard about it from a friend and immediately went home and caused a scene without even entering the house.

Naturally, he had never met Jiang Yuning before.

She arrived at the liquor factory during shift change. Many workers in uniforms were riding bicycles out.

She didn’t know exactly where Xiao Liye was, so she glanced around. Soon she saw a man standing on the stairs of a two-story building not far away.

His face was strikingly handsome, like finely carved jade. His brows were sharp and long, carrying a sense of unruly laziness. His whole presence was like a drawn sword—sharp, aggressive, and intimidating. He was speaking to someone beside him.

Jiang Yuning instinctively felt he must be management, so she walked over and asked from behind him:

“Hello, may I ask where Xiao Liye is?”

Jiang Ping turned his head slightly, and his expression froze for a moment, his heart suddenly racing.

But Xiao Liye didn’t even bother to respond. Without pausing, he continued speaking to Jiang Ping:

“Have you figured out the missing goods issue? If anyone is caught secretly selling the factory’s liquor in bulk, send them straight to the police.”

“And the new product—how are sales going?”

Jiang Ping, not wanting Jiang Yuning to be ignored, interrupted:

“Boss, there’s a girl looking for you.”

Xiao Liye frowned impatiently:

“If someone’s looking for me, tell them to wait. If I respond to everyone who comes looking for me, do I still get any work done? What I’m telling you now is the priority. If you can’t catch the culprit, none of you need to work here anymore.”

Jiang Ping immediately fell silent, nodding quickly.

Jiang Yuning stood nervously behind him, too afraid to speak again.

After the brief interaction, Xiao Liye’s impression in her mind became that of someone difficult to deal with, but since she already knew he was Xiao Liye, she patiently waited.

He continued giving instructions while Jiang Ping kept sneaking glances behind him, his face gradually turning red.

Sensing his distraction, Xiao Liye turned around irritably, ready to scold:

“Didn’t you see I’m still giving instructions? Get lost—”

But halfway through his words, he looked up and saw Jiang Yuning.

She had no makeup on, but her striking features made her face breathtakingly beautiful. Her long black hair cascaded down her back. A white shirt tucked into flared jeans outlined her slim waist and long legs.

He froze for a moment.

The anger on his handsome face faded, replaced by a faint, amused expression. His gaze lingered on her as if glued there, his throat suddenly dry.

“Here to look for work?” he said lazily. “I just so happen to have an office job—someone to pass me documents. Interested?”