The sun was well up in the sky, brightly illuminating the day.
Since the incident, Lin Yan hadn't had a full night's sleep; her mind was groggy and muddled, like mashed-up paste.
She returned to the place she was chased away from the night before, weakly leaning on the doorway, not daring to knock again, choosing instead to sit there waiting for the man to come out.
It was already past ten.
There was no movement inside. Lin Yan guessed that the man must not have a regular job; wasn't he working? It was so late and he hadn't gotten up yet.
Lin Yan, drowsy, leaned against the doorframe, scrolling through her phone, and clicked open Qingyuan's WeChat. In his Moments, there was an update—a photo with his new girlfriend.
Lin Yan felt as if sand was stuffed into her chest; Qingyuan was in too much of a hurry. They had just broken up yesterday, and today he was already eager to share a photo with his new girlfriend.
The phone's memory was pitifully low, and yet she couldn't bring herself to delete her chat history with Qingyuan.
During the years Qingyuan had studied in Hai City, they had kept in touch through WeChat.
Indeed, online romances never did end well.
Lin Yan steeled her heart and deleted Qingyuan.
They had long ceased to belong to the same world; it was time to face reality.
Lin Yan sat on the stone steps, her butt and back aching uncomfortably, her body leaned back solidly against the big iron door, rubbing a lot of rust onto herself.
The iron door opened from the inside.
"Ah..." As the door was pulled open from the inside, Lin Yan lost her balance, tilting backwards and falling to the ground.
Lin Yan, enduring the pain, awkwardly propped herself up with her arms and slowly climbed up from the ground. In both pain and embarrassment, she smiled at the man, "I'm back again."
The man glared at her with a harsh and cutting gaze. Over the years, he had seen too many women throw themselves at him, but this was the first one who had shamelessly shown up at his door begging to marry him.
He lit a cigarette, his dark eyes slightly squinting, his deep pupils thoughtfully observed the woman who stubbornly refused to leave.
"What exactly do you mean by this? You're just going to stick around here and not leave? Wasn't I clear enough last night?"
Lin Yan hadn't yet answered.
Xiang Tianwen had entered, leading a few "highly respected" elders from the neighboring villages.
The man's thick brows furrowed. He had lived here for nearly a year, had no interactions with the villagers, and didn't wish to start now.
The usually quiet courtyard had never been this lively.
The interruptions deepened the darkness on the man's face.
Seeing Xiang Tianwen's crafty triangular eyes staring at her made Lin Yan shrink back fearfully.
Instinctively, she moved closer to the man's side, her hand clutching his arm.
Fearing being shoved away, her nails dug tightly into the man's robust arm, clinging desperately.
The man felt irritable, contemplating pushing her away.
Lin Yan gripped even tighter, her voice soft and pleading, "Don't let them take me away, they will kill me."
Xiang Tianwen had come to see if Lin Yan was tricking him.
Zhou Ping said she had gone again to the eastern part of the village early in the morning, and he feared that this family might frame her, so he came to see for himself.
Unexpectedly, this girl was so forward with the man, just like her unfaithful mother, unable to move once she saw a man.
No wonder his exceptional son had been ensnared by this girl.
The man still pushed her away, his expression cold and detached. "Take her away."
"You're being offered a wife, and you refuse?" Xiang Tianwen found it curious.
The man's gaze turned colder, his voice becoming frightening as well, "I don't need one, take your people and get out."
Xiang Tianwen felt a chill at the scalp, somewhat fearful—he had heard this man had a criminal background, with many prior offenses. What if he was really provoked?
Xiang Tianwen's harsh gaze continuously watched Lin Yan.
Picking on the softest target, Lin Yan, terrified by his stare, clung desperately to the man's arm, hiding behind him.
After some thought, Xiang Tianwen made up his mind, spat out the dry cigarette he was chewing on, crushed it with his shoe, and waved for his men to take Lin Yan away.
He temporarily didn't want any trouble; it wasn't like he was the only bachelor in the village.
To the north of the village lived Zhang the Blind, whose son, nearly forty years old, was without a wife. Why not give Lin Yan to him?
As long as Lin Yan was dealt with swiftly, his son could rest easy and marry his current girlfriend.
Lin Yan was almost forcefully dragged out, her shoulders twisted. She flailed about like a fish stranded on the shore, but her opponent did not budge an inch.
Even using all her strength, she was no match for the burly villager.
Her pleading gaze turned toward the man, only to be met by his departing back.
Lin Yan choked up, "Wait for me."
The man didn't wait, shutting the door behind him as he went inside.
As hope shattered, Lin Yan was dragged outside. At the door, Xiang Tianwen clicked his tongue, mocking, "Normal people don't want you. Zhang the Blind's son is still unmarried; you might as well just marry him. You two match each other."
Lin Yan was treated by Xiang Tianwen like trash that could be casually disposed of, eagerly trying to wash his hands of her.
Zhang the Blind's son was paralyzed, forever seated in a wheelchair, incontinent, and unable to take care of himself.
Lin Yan certainly didn't want that; she could no longer dare to hope for much.
Even settling for less, she still wanted someone physically whole.
"I don't want that; I will only marry him," Lin Yan stated firmly, then turned to head back.
Xiang Tianwen blocked the returning Lin Yan, having noted how well-formed and impressive the man looked.
He regretted allowing Lin Yan off so easily.
Xiang Tianwen never denied his own maliciousness, wicked to the core, begrudging anyone he disliked any fraction of happiness.
His portly body blocked Lin Yan.
"You have no choice. A man in a wheelchair is the only faithful and undistracted one. I'm doing this for your own good. Look at that one inside, he doesn't want you either."
Lin Yan refused, straining to walk back.
"Step aside," Lin Yan blazed with fury, but even at her angriest, her naturally soft voice, falling on the ears, didn't hurt or itch.
Xiang Tianwen raised his hand and slapped her across the face, not holding back at all.
Lin Yan's head buzzed, darkness clouded her vision, warm blood trickling from her nose. After several sleepless nights, her body was already frail; she fainted on the spot.
Xiang Tianwen hadn't expected Lin Yan to be so weak.
The people around him were not lightly scared, anxiously asking, "Bro, you didn't just kill her, did you?"