Chapter 10: Will He Turn into An Idiot?

Jiang Yanqing seemed quite familiar with the county town, quickly arriving at the state-owned barbershop. The shop was relatively empty at this time, and the people inside looked somewhat surprised to see two customers enter.

The barber was a tall, thin male master who appeared rather elderly, wearing a pair of yellowed black framed glasses. His gaze immediately fell upon Jiang Yanqing as the two walked in.

“Comrade here for a haircut?”

Chen Xueying’s pitch black braid hung down to her chest it couldn’t possibly be the female comrade here for a haircut, so the barber assumed Jiang Yanqing was the customer.

Jiang Yanqing turned his head and gestured toward Chen Xueying with his chin: “No, she’s the one getting a haircut.” As he spoke, he began pulling a haircut voucher from his pocket.

The production brigade issued these vouchers monthly, and he hadn’t used his for this month perfect timing for her to use it.

“Tell the master what style you want. I’ll wait for you right outside the door!”

Chen Xueying nodded. The attendant collected the payment and voucher before leading her to sit in front of the mirror.

The barbershop’s main door stood wide open. Jiang Yanqing leaned casually against the doorframe, lighting a cigarette with frustrated irritation as he recalled everything that had happened today.

Smoke enveloped his entire face, the glow of the cigarette flickering as the paper tube burned down more than halfway.

Holding the smoke in his mouth, he pushed his tongue against his cheek and glanced back toward the interior. Chen Xueying sat with her back at the entrance, and with the old master blocking the view, he couldn’t see clearly inside at all.

Withdrawing his gaze, he shifted his weight against the wall, switching the foot supporting his body. Thinking about the information he’d learned from Chen Xueying today, he suddenly found his past self utterly ridiculous.

The thought escaped as a soft, self-mocking chuckle.

Just as he sank deeper into this bleak emotional vortex, a soft, timid female voice suddenly reached his ears: “Um, I’m done!”

The unfamiliar voice pulled him from his gloomy spiral. Turning his head, he saw the breeze gently caress her beautiful hair. Noticing his gaze, Chen Xueying somewhat shyly tucked the hair at her temples behind her ears.

Jiang Yanqing’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His narrow eyes moved stiffly: “Your… hair.” He pointed at her hair.

Her originally smooth long hair had been cut into a shoulder length bob with a side part, the bangs falling just above her eyes, neatly covering her eyebrows.

The soft hair rested just above her shoulders, the ends curled slightly in a playful, lively arc that made her appear even more pure and adorable.

With the backlight framing her, she seemed to glow from within.

Seeing him stare at her hair, Chen Xueying tucked another strand behind her ear self-consciously, tilting her head slightly as if lacking confidence.

“I… I wanted to start over completely!”

The words sounded strange, but after a moment’s consideration, Jiang Yanqing understood. His eyes flickered with unspoken questions, but ultimately, he kept them to himself.

“Go ahead to the tractor first. I’m going inside to ask for some water.”

Chen Xueying nodded obediently and began walking slowly forward. She moved at a deliberate pace, Jiang Jiali was waiting in the vehicle, and she didn’t want to be alone with him.

She feared she might not be able to resist finishing him off right then and there!

The money had been paid in advance. Chen Xueying had only taken a few steps when the person behind her caught up. They walked silently toward the tractor, maintaining a distance between them wide enough to fit two more people.

After boarding the tractor, Jiang Yanqing asked one last time, “Are you sure you don’t need to go anywhere else?”

Chen Xueying shook her head. “No, thank you.”

Although today was the day they had registered their marriage, Chen Xueying felt a sense of guilt and unease toward Jiang Yanqing perhaps because she had no intention of telling him that she might soon die.

She felt she had already taken advantage of him and didn’t want to take more.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yanqing thought to himself, so it’s true she never really intended to build a life with me. She doesn’t even plan to buy the things newlyweds usually do.

He bit the soft flesh inside his cheek, feeling a touch of absurdity at the sudden hope he had briefly entertained. Starting the engine, he drove toward the village.

The tractor jolted and swayed along the way, but neither of them spoke again.

As they neared the village, there was movement from behind. They exchanged a glance and, without a word, Jiang Yanqing quickly stopped the vehicle. Leaving the engine running, he went to the back and knocked the person unconscious once more.

Chen Xueying swallowed nervously. Watching Jiang Yanqing return to the driver’s seat, she ventured, “He… he won’t turn into an idiot, will he?” Not that it would be so bad if he did it just wouldn’t be as satisfying when I take my revenge.

Hearing her concern for Jiang Jiali, Jiang Yanqing thought, Just as I expected.

She only married me out of anger. Now that she’s cut her hair and some time has passed, she’s probably cooled down. Seeing me knock him out, she’s starting to feel sorry for him.

Well, it’s a good thing I’m leaving tomorrow. I thought about giving her a few more reminders before I went but never mind. I’ll turn early tonight and leave first thing in the morning.

I absolutely can’t give her a chance to change her mind!
Seeing that he didn’t respond, Chen Xueying bit her lip and wisely said nothing more.

Jiang Jiali didn’t like her, and Jiang Yanqing was even less likely to. She really was dull and uninteresting, not the kind of girl boys tended to fancy.

Oh well, whether anyone likes me doesn’t matter anymore. I came back to this life for revenge, nothing else. As for love… I never dared hope for it.

The tractor soon reached the village. By the time they arrived home, it was already half past seven in the evening. Though villagers were still out enjoying the cool air, no one approached them likely because of what the Jiang family had done during the day.

In the courtyard, aside from Liu Guixiang, who was still awake and waiting, Chen Xueying’s mother and her two sisters in law were also there.

Hearing the noise, they all hurried toward the gate.

Wang Shufen took Chen Xueying’s hand and, noticing her cut hair, froze for a moment before choking up and stroking her hair. “My dear, you’ve suffered. Come, let’s go home with me.”

Chen Xueying wanted to go back. In her previous life, after her death, she had wandered the village as a ghost, watching her parents fall ill and pass away one after another. She truly longed to return home.

But she had more important matters to attend to now. Her parents were safe and well, and since they lived in the same village, she could visit anytime.

Tomorrow, Jiang Yanqing would be leaving, and if she wasn’t at the Jiang residence, she worried that the family might live too comfortably out of her sight.

Chen Xueying pulled her mother and sister-in-law aside to whisper to them. Wang Shufen wore a thoughtful expression, and noticing Liu Guixiang frequently glancing their way, Chen Xueying could only say quickly:

“Mom, sister-in-law, I’m counting on you for this matter.” Aside from her family, she trusted no one.

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