C5 She Helped Me on the Way

Half a month passed, and rumors spread about plans to establish a state-owned agricultural production base in the mountains to boost the local economy. They were also preparing to build houses for the technicians who would be assigned there in the future. Vehicles began to come and go in the village, yet no one arrived to fetch Qian Duojing.

On her return from the city market, Qian Duojing found herself alone with Daniu in the ox cart. After some contemplation, she decided to speak up, "Daniu, there's something I need to clear up with you."

Daniu, who had never been approached by Duojing before, deliberately slowed the cart down to prolong their time together. "What's the matter, Sister Duojing?" he asked.

Duojing knew Daniu was kind-hearted and had always looked out for her, but she also knew she couldn't avoid hurting him. It was better to face the pain sooner rather than later. Steadying herself, she continued, "Daniu, as you know, I'm married."

Daniu quickly responded, "I know, but he abandoned you, didn't he? Four months have passed without a single letter. He left you behind even though you had a wedding and mentioned a marriage certificate. But we've never seen this certificate, and it's not with you. He ran off without even lifting your veil. That marriage doesn't count."

Qian Duojing sighed deeply, "It's not as simple as whether it counts or not. The certificate was indeed issued, but it was taken to show Old Master Xue first. Now, the country is governed by laws. Do you understand marriage law? It's illegal to deny a marriage if there's a certificate."

Daniu grew anxious, "So if he never comes back for you, are you just going to wait forever?"

Qian Duojing didn't want to admit that she never intended to wait for Xue Zhengqing to come for her. She was planning to save some money and look for work in the city. Staying in the village was no longer an option for her. It was far better to move to the city as a married woman than to remain in this unyielding rural community, where single men had begun to take an interest in her, knowing she had been married for months with no husband in sight.

She playfully declared, "Well, I'll wait for him my whole life. If not, I'll go find him myself."

Daniu was about to respond, but his attention to the conversation led to his ox cart suddenly getting stuck in a mud pit with a loud "screech."

The two momentarily dropped the subject. Qian Duojing climbed down from the cart to help push, but with the cart's weight, a man and a delicate woman struggled mightily to budge it an inch.

Just then, a black convertible pulled up alongside them.

"Hey there, what seems to be the problem? Need a hand?"

Upon hearing the voice, Qian Duojing glanced over to see two young men in the car—one driving and the other sprawled in the backseat, his jacket draped over him as he slept. From her angle, Qian Duojing couldn't make out his face, only the clean, handsome line of his jaw.

Typically, those who drove such cars were wealthy bosses. Seeing the men's tidy appearance, she and Daniu felt too embarrassed to ask for help.

The driver noticed their reluctance and proactively stepped out, saying to Qian Duojing, "Miss, step aside, let us two men handle this."

He then addressed Daniu, "Buddy, go lead the ox and pull hard; I'll give it a push from behind."

Thanks to the combined efforts of the man and Daniu, the ox cart was finally freed.

Daniu was effusive with gratitude, "Thank you, sir, thank you!"

The man replied with a hearty laugh, "Sir? I'm just a regular working guy. The name's Shang Wu, but you can call me Wu. Helping out like this is no big deal. Miss, could you grab the water bottle from the back seat for me? My hands are dirty."