It was a steamy day in July.

The sun shined down on the small stream that trickled at the foot of the mountain behind Aoli Village, a quiet and serene spot that belied the drama about to unfold.

"I'm sorry."

Zhou Weimin looked at the girl standing three steps away from him with eyes full of guilt,"If I could, I wouldn't want to break off our engagement, but..."

"I don't want to hear it," the girl interrupted, her voice firm. "I don't want to hear anything from you."

She was a vision of delicate beauty, an angel standing under the willow tree by the creek. Her entire body seemed to glow, and her face was set in a determined expression as she continued, "I'm leaving."

"You... can't you let me finish?" Zhou Weimin's guilt intensified, mixed with a sense of helplessness. He thought the girl was being stubborn and raised his voice in frustration."You may hold a grudge against me for calling off the engagement, but is it really wise to make such a hasty decision about your future?"

"Mind your own business!" The girl didn't even turn around, continuing on her way.

"Marrying a man who's already been married once and becoming a stepmother to three children is just asking for trouble!"

Zhou Weimin called out to her, his tone full of disapproval.

"I'm willing," the girl declared, stopping in her tracks and turning to face her ex-fiancé. Her fox-like eyes were filled with anger as she said, "Zhou Weimin, listen to me carefully. I hate you! After three years of engagement, just as our families were preparing for our wedding, your family suddenly started looking down on my health, fearing I won't be able to bear children. Then you had the nerve to come to my home and call off our engagement. Your mother even suggested in front of my family that I should spare you from a childless future, lest you become a laughingstock. Zhou Weimin, why don't you tell everyone about your little secret? While you were engaged to me, you were secretly involved with Su Zhiqing from the educated youth courtyard. Don't think nobody knows!"

The girl's eyes stung with unshed tears, but she held them back.

With that, she turned and continued walking.

I..." Zhou Weimin's lips moved, but no words came out. His expression was a mix of emotions as he struggled to find the right thing to say. Just as he was about to decide whether to chase after the girl, she slipped and fell backward.

"Li Bao..." Zhou Weimin called out, his expression turning anxious as he ran towards her. Li Bao was the girl's nickname, a term of endearment used by her family and the villagers since she was a child.

------

Jiang Li was jolted awake by the loud chirping of cicadas and the sound of raised voices. As she opened her eyes, a new memory suddenly flashed into her mind—a memory that wasn't her own. And then, a book appeared in her mind...

"I said no, and I mean it!" A woman's voice, thick with emotion, echoed in Jiang Li's head. "You want my daughter to marry a divorced man and become a stepmother? Over my dead body!"

Cai Xiufen, Jiang Li's mother in this lifetime, wiped away her tears. "Li Bao only agreed to marry Luo Yanqing because she was angry at that despicable Zhou Weimin. She didn't think it through, but what about you Jiang Laigen? How could you agree to pair our Li Bao with Luo Yanqing in front of Director Wu?"

The living room was filled with people of all ages. Everyone had their mouths pressed together, their expressions stern as they listened to their mother (grandmother) complain about their father (grandfather).

"Listen to yourself..." Jiang Laigen, the head of the household and captain of Aolí Village, rubbed his throbbing forehead. Clearly, he had considered his daughter's interests when Director Wu from the commune brought up the marriage topic during their casual chat. Director Wu mentioned that his old leader in the Beicheng had asked him to find a suitable match for a talented scientist returning from abroad named Luo Yanqing, and if he didn't think his daughter was a good fit, he could always suggest someone else. At the time, Captain Jiang felt overwhelmed by the request, as he wanted what was best for his daughter.

If he hadn't considered the conditions of this Luo Yanqing person, would he have agreed to Director Wu's request without hesitation and married his daughter to Luo Yanqing? Would he have let her become a stepmother right after marriage?

"Luo Yanqing is a divorced man with three children, and he's older than our Li Bao. But he's only in his late twenties and is already making significant contributions to the country. The oldest child is almost five, and the other two are twins who were born without a mother. They're well-behaved children. If Luo Yanqing wasn't so busy with his work and didn't have issues with nannies mistreating his kids, he wouldn't even be considering remarriage."

"And let's not forget the financial aspect. Didn't I tell you yesterday that Comrade Luo Yanqing has a good income and receives a monthly salary in cash? Director Wu assured me that once our Li Bao marries him, Comrade Luo will hand over his bank account and important documents to her for management. All he asks in return is for her to take care of the children."

Cai Xiufen remained unconvinced. "This isn't finding a wife; it's finding a live-in nanny. I won't budge on this, Jiang Laigen. I refuse to let our Li Bao marry a man who's already been married once and is almost thirty!"

"I'm only thinking of Li Bao's future," Jiang Laigen argued. "Think about it, Cai Xiufen. The doctor said that with Li Bao's health, it's unlikely she'll be able to have children. We can take care of her now, but what happens when we're no longer around?"

Before Captain Jiang could finish, his eldest son, Jiang Guowei, interjected, "As long as I have food on my table, my little sister will never go hungry." It was a clear message: he would take care of his little sister, no matter what.

"Shut your mouth!" Captain Jiang glared at his eldest son, his tone harsh.

Damn brat, always causing trouble!

Seeing his older brother being scolded, Jiang Guofu, the fourth brother who worked at the county transportation company, held back the words of support he had been about to offer. He had rushed home early that morning and wanted to speak up for his older brother, but he didn't want to bear the brunt of their father's anger.

"Mom, please stop arguing with Dad. I'm marrying Comrade Luo Yanqing of my own free will." At some point, Jiang Li had gotten out of bed and now stood in the doorway of her room, addressing her family in the living room.

Her eyes met those of her mother, Cai Xiufen, and she continued, "I'm not doing this out of spite. Given my health condition, I truly believe that marrying Comrade Luo Yanqing is the best decision for me." Her eyes shone with sincerity and determination.

(End of chapter)