C6 Xue Zhengqing

Qian Duojing quickly leaned over the convertible's door, stretching her entire body to reach for the water bottle. The bottle in the back seat was beside a sleeping man, so Duojing had to change her approach, tiptoeing to grab the bottle next to the man's head.

As she bent down and extended her body forward, Duojing's long braided ponytail brushed lightly across the man's full forehead, prominent nose, and thin lips. It continued down to his Adam's apple and onto his chest, where two buttons were undone. This contact stirred a tingling sensation in the man who had been startled awake when Duojing leaned against the car door.

At that moment, Daniu responded, "My name is Wu Daniu, and the girl from our village is Qian Duojing."

The man, hearing this, opened his eyes to see Duojing leaning over him.

He noticed her white burlap men's shirt was somewhat oversized and slightly transparent in the direct sunlight, revealing the delicate contours of her body beneath. The shirt was tucked into her pants, which were noticeably baggy blue trousers cinched tightly with a cloth rope of the same color, accentuating her slender waist just above his line of sight.

Duojing finally got hold of the water bottle, while the man continued his feigned slumber.

She handed the bottle to Shang Wu, who eagerly took it and began to drink. Between gulps, he asked, "Are you two newlyweds?"

Duojing hastened to clarify, "No, no, no. He's just my older brother from the village. I have a man, my man is..."

Daniu quickly interjected, "Her man is dead and doesn't look after her anymore. It's not incorrect to say we're a couple."

At this point, the man in the back seat sat up, leaning back in his chair, and remarked, "Oh? Is that so?"

Duojing explained, "Not at all. My brother here isn't quite right in the head. My man is in the city working. His name is Xue Zhengqing, and he's incredibly skilled and capable!"

Daniu's ego was stung by her words, and he retorted, "What man?! He hasn't even stepped foot in your house, and you call him your man?"

Upon hearing Xue Zhengqing's name, Shang Wu immediately glanced at the man seated in the back. The man lounged in his seat and casually remarked, "So in your village, a marriage isn't recognized until the couple crosses the threshold of their home, even if they've had the marriage certificate and the wedding banquet?"

Daniu had long been smitten with Qian Duojing. Along the way, Duojing had already used her marital status to fend off his advances. Now, confronted by a stranger reminding him of marriage certificates and wedding banquets, and realizing this man was a city dweller just like Duojing's spouse, Daniu couldn't contain his irritation and snapped,

"And who might you be? Some big shot from the city just because you own a car, poking your nose into everyone's business?"

The man chuckled and replied, "I'm not overly concerned, but when someone has taken vows with my wife, who's still harboring inappropriate thoughts despite our marriage being certified by the village chief, I feel I must intervene, lest she starts to think I've passed away."

Qian Duojing gasped at these words and blurted out, "Xue Zhengqing!"

Sitting in the car, Xue Zhengqing observed Duojing's astonished expression with amusement, noting how her eyes rounded with surprise. "I am Xue Zhengqing," he confirmed.

Duojing was at a loss for how to react. Why was Xue Zhengqing here to collect her? She had been planning to leave the village for the city, but here she was, caught before she could even make her move. What was she to do now?

Xue Zhengqing watched with a smile as she stood there, lost in thought. The more he watched, the more he found his new bride to be quite the character.

Shang Wu hastened to smooth things over, "It's quite the fortunate coincidence, isn't it? I was just heading up the mountain to fetch my sister-in-law, and here we run into each other en route."

Xue Zhengqing glanced at Daniu, who was too flustered to speak, and then addressed Shang Wu, "Well then, why don't you load your sister-in-law's belongings into the car? Since I've come to pick her up, she'll be riding back with me."

Shang Wu promptly took Duojing's basket of eggs and placed it in the car, then turned to Duojing, "Sister-in-law, please, get in the car."