Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

The engine roared as the heavy off-road vehicle struggled through the mud like a stubborn, trapped beast. The wheels rolled over the thick silt, kicking up murky mud that splashed onto the already battered and bruised vehicle.

The closer you get to Sanhe Township, the more difficult the roads become.

The original country road has now become a muddy river, with deep ruts filled with turbid mud and water. Everywhere along the roadside, there are field ridges that have been washed away by the flood and gravel and sand that have been carried down. The turbid river water churns in the low-lying areas, carrying withered branches and broken wood washed down from upstream, and exuding a muddy and rotten smell.

Lu Yang gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, his gaze sharply scanning the road ahead through the mud-splattered windshield.

Dajun, sitting in the passenger seat, held his breath, not daring to make a sound. He could feel the extreme anxiety and... an indescribable heavy heartache emanating from his boss.

Finally, a scene of utter chaos came into view at the edge of the horizon.

The massive gash from the landslide was starkly exposed, with yellowish-brown mud carrying rocks and broken logs, relentlessly swallowing up a large area like a frozen waterfall.

At the epicenter of the mudslide, the teaching building donated by the Century Group, whose main structure had just been completed, now only has one broken half stubbornly standing in the mud, while the other half is completely buried by thick, slippery mud, with only a few twisted steel frames showing, like the broken ribs of a giant beast, pointing forlornly at the gray sky.

The air was filled with a strong earthy smell and a heavy sense of relief after surviving a catastrophe.

Some villagers and township officials, wearing rain boots and with their trousers rolled up, were working hard in the mud, carrying baskets and loads of silt to higher ground with carrying poles, shovels, or even their bare hands.

Their faces were etched with exhaustion, yet their movements revealed a tenacious spirit.

In the heart of this chaos and mud, Lu Yang spotted the figure at a glance.

Du Lingling.

Instead of wearing the proper suit that symbolized her status, she changed into a dark tracksuit covered in mud, with the trouser legs rolled up high, revealing her pale, slender ankles and calves covered in mud.

She wasn't even wearing rain boots, just a pair of sneakers whose color was so faded they were unrecognizable, and she was currently stuck deep in the mud.

Her hair was simply tied back, with a few stray strands stuck to her forehead and cheeks by sweat or mud. Her face was pale from illness, and her lips were bloodless. Only her eyes, though tired, shone with an undeniable determination and a hint of vulnerability.

She was directing several villagers to remove a broken piece of wood that was stuck in the road. Her voice was a little hoarse, but exceptionally clear.

During a break from directing, she bent down and tried to push a cart stuck in the mud with another villager. Her slender arms were tense, and her knuckles were white from the effort. Her figure appeared so frail in the huge disaster scene, yet she was like a stake driven into the mud, with a stubbornness that was both admirable and heartbreaking.

Lu Yang pushed open the car door, stepped into the mud that was almost ankle-deep, and strode toward her. The mud instantly covered his leather shoes and trouser legs, but he was completely unaware. His gaze was fixed on the busy figure as if it were a physical object.

Perhaps sensing the intense gaze, Du Lingling stopped moving.

She slowly straightened up and turned around.

Eyes facing each other.

The air seemed to freeze.

The surrounding noise—the shouts of the villagers, the scraping of shovels, and the sound of flowing water from the distant mountain stream—all seemed to fade away at that moment.

Only the reflection of each other in their eyes was so clear it was blinding.

Looking at her pale and haggard face, her clothes stained with mud, and the exhaustion and lingering fear in the depths of her eyes that she tried so hard to hide but could not completely conceal, Lu Yang felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an icy hand, aching and painful, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He wanted to rush up to her, pull her into a tight embrace, confirm her presence, and warm her cold body.

But his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he just stared intently at her.

The moment Du Lingling's gaze met his, her pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Shock? Unexpected? A complex and indescribable emotion welled up inside.

She saw his travel-worn appearance, and the turbulent emotions surging in his eyes—fear, heartache, almost bursting anger, and… a burning passion that made her heart tremble.

She instinctively wanted to avoid that overly scorching gaze, which seemed to pierce through all her pretenses. She quickly lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings, concealing all her emotions.

silence.

A suffocating silence spread between the two, broken only by the faint sound of muddy water dripping from their trouser legs.

"You've come." Finally, Du Lingling spoke, her voice hoarse and calm, without any inflection, as if she were simply stating a fact that had nothing to do with her.

"Hmm." Lu Yang's response was equally brief, yet it was like a heavy stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring up unseen ripples.

Another moment of awkward silence followed.

Du Lingling didn't look at him again, as if that glance and that greeting had exhausted all her strength.

She lowered her head again, bent over, and tried to push the cart with all her might.

Her movements were characterized by an almost self-destructive focus, as if she wanted to vent all her complex emotions through this endless labor.

Lu Yang's Adam's apple bobbed as he watched her struggling in the mud, her thin shoulders seeming as if they could be crushed by the heavy burden at any moment.

He stepped forward, his voice low and restrained, carrying an undeniable concern: "Can I help?"

Du Lingling's movements did not stop at all, as if she had not heard anything.

She simply lowered her head, pursed her lips, and pushed the cart even harder, her fingers digging deep into the mud.

Her silence was a form of silent resistance.

Lu Yang's gaze darkened.

Without uttering another word, he directly unbuttoned his expensive custom-made suit, neatly took it off, and casually tossed it back onto the hood of the SUV a few steps away.

The expensive fabric was instantly covered in mud.

Then, without hesitation, he rolled up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt, revealing his strong forearms, and strode to the deepest part of the silt, taking a heavy shovel from a somewhat stunned villager.

"Give me."

His movements were swift and decisive; the way he shoveled mud carried a trained sense of power. He forcefully flung the heavy mud onto the pile, making a dull thud.

Upon seeing this, the large army behind him and the security personnel who arrived later quickly exchanged glances.

With the boss personally involved, how could they possibly stand still?

The dozen or so men, mostly seasoned veterans, rolled up their sleeves in unison without saying a word, each finding tools or joining the hauling team.

Their movements were swift and their teamwork seamless, making them far more efficient than ordinary villagers.

With the addition of this new force, especially Lu Yang's silent yet extremely efficient work, the cleanup speed on site suddenly increased.

Du Lingling's movements slowed down without her realizing it.

She could clearly feel the silent yet powerful presence of the man behind her, and the strength he conveyed with every swing of his shovel and every move he made.

He was not far from her, and occasionally the mud he shoveled would even splash onto her trouser legs, but he never looked at her again, only focusing intently on clearing the obstacles in front of him, almost as if venting his frustration.

This silent, hands-on "help" is more impactful than any words, causing a corner of the wall she had built around her heart to quietly loosen, but also bringing a deeper sense of bitterness and powerlessness.

With everyone's combined efforts, the main passage blocked by the mudslide and the key areas near the ruins of the teaching building were finally cleared of their basic outlines.

Du Lingling put down the basket in her hand, straightened her aching back, and exhaled a long breath of stale air with a muddy smell.

She glanced at the road, which had largely been reopened to traffic, and the cleared area, and her tense nerves seemed to relax a little.

She didn't look at Lu Yang, but turned and walked towards the official car parked a little further away, which was also covered in mud.

"Lingling!" Lu Yang almost immediately threw down the shovel in his hand, splashing mud everywhere.

He strode across the mud and caught up with her.

Du Lingling didn't stop. She walked to the car, opened the back door, and said to the person inside, "Drive back to the city." Her voice remained calm and even, as if everything that had just happened was just an illusion.

The driver and the female secretary inside the car both saw Lu Yang chasing after them, their faces filled with astonishment.

Just as Du Lingling was about to bend down and get into the car, Lu Yang had already strode over.

Under the secretary's gasp and the driver's stunned gaze, he didn't hesitate at all. He reached out and opened the other rear door of the car, and without hesitation, he crouched down and climbed in, sitting right next to Du Lingling.

"You!" Du Lingling turned her head sharply, her pale face instantly contorted with anger. Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she glared at him, lowering her voice to rebuke him sharply, "Lu Yang, get down! What are you doing? Do you know how bad the consequences will be if this gets exposed?"

Lu Yang didn't say anything.

His response was to reach out and grab Du Lingling's wrist, which was trembling slightly with anger, at her side.

His palms were large and warm, bearing calluses from hard work and an irresistible strength.

Du Lingling froze, as if electrocuted, and tried to shake him off, struggling violently.

But Lu Yang's hand gripped her tightly like an iron clamp, and no matter how hard she tried, her wrist ached from the pressure, and she couldn't budge it an inch. She raised her other hand to push him away, but he grabbed it as well.

The two were locked in a silent struggle in the cramped back seat of the car. Du Lingling could clearly see the turbulent, almost obsessive possessiveness in his eyes and the resolute determination that came from having lost something and then regained it.

She suddenly realized that Lu Yang was not listening to anything at this moment and would never let go.

A tremendous sense of powerlessness instantly overwhelmed her.

She stopped struggling, not out of submission, but because of a deeper worry.

This is the disaster area, and she is surrounded by eyes—her identity, his identity… The secretary and driver's suspicious gazes are like needles pricking her.

She couldn't, and dared not, get entangled with him here!

Du Lingling took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent emotions. Her voice carried a hint of exhaustion and anger, as if she had been driven to the brink: "Let me go, Lu Yang. You're affecting my work! And... affecting yourself too!" She spoke the last sentence very softly, with a hint of barely perceptible worry.

Lu Yang pursed his lips tightly, his grip remaining firm.

Du Lingling closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, all that remained in her eyes was cold anger.

She forcefully pulled her hand back, but this time Lu Yang didn't try to stop her. She opened the car door and got out almost angrily, quickly ordering the driver inside, "Old Wang, take Xiao Liu (the female secretary) back to the city first! Immediately! Right now!" Her tone left no room for argument.

Secretary Xiao Liu and driver Lao Wang looked at each other, their faces showing both shock and intense curiosity, but under Du Lingling's stern gaze, they dared not ask any more questions.

Driver Lao Wang quickly responded and started the car.

As the official car slowly drove away, splashing mud in its wake, Du Lingling stood with her back to Lu Yang, her shoulders trembling slightly.

The next second, her hand was grasped again by a warm, large hand.

Without saying a word, Lu Yang took her hand and led her to his SUV.

Dajun was walking over with several team members, seemingly wanting to inquire about the next steps.

Lu Yang swept his gaze across her with a sharp, knife-like look, carrying a clear warning and a sense of being driven away.

Dajun paused, immediately understanding the situation. He quickly gave his team members a look, and the group swiftly retreated, dispersing to the side to await orders, their eyes fixed straight ahead as if they hadn't seen anything.

Lu Yang opened the passenger door and practically pushed Du Lingling inside before quickly walking around to the driver's seat.

With a roar of its engine, the SUV turned around and drove away from this muddy, heartbreaking place, heading towards the city of southern Jiangxi.

A long, deathly silence fell inside the car.

The car windows were tightly closed, shutting out the muddy smell and noise from outside, but they couldn't stop the suffocatingly stagnant air inside the car.

Lu Yang gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, staring at the winding mountain road covered in mud and water ahead, his profile taut as if carved by a knife.

He did not explain why he broke his promise and touched Xu Siqi, nor did he apologize or try to break the silence.

In his mind at that moment, any words seemed pale and superfluous after the shock of learning that she had almost lost her life and after witnessing her vulnerability as she struggled in the mud.

If he was wrong, he was wrong, and he admitted it.

But all he wanted now was to confirm that she was safe and sound by his side. Any explanation would be a desecration of this ordeal and could not make up for the shock and suffering she had endured.

He chose to bear everything in silence.

Du Lingling turned her head to look at the still messy scene flashing past the window.

Her body was utterly exhausted. She leaned back in her chair, as if all her strength had been used up in the cleaning and the struggle inside the car.

She also didn't ask the question that had been lingering in her heart, causing her pain and anger.

She didn't dare ask a single question about Xiao Siqi.

The car traveled for about half an hour through bumpy roads, leaving the worst-hit area. The road conditions improved slightly, and the surrounding environment changed from the devastated hillsides to relatively gentle hilly areas. Scattered, unaffected farmland and woodlands began to appear along the roadside.

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly and without warning swerved the steering wheel!
The SUV screeched as its tires rolled over the gravel and weeds on the shoulder of the road, then sped off the main road and turned into a dense grove of trees by the roadside.

The car lurched forward for another ten meters or so before coming to a sudden stop when it was blocked by dense bushes and tree trunks.

Lu Yang turned off the engine decisively and removed the key.

Du Lingling was so startled by this sudden turn of events that her heart pounded, and she instinctively reached for the car door latch.

But Lu Yang was faster than her! He slammed open the driver's side door, walked around to the passenger side in a few steps, and pulled open the door! His tall figure, with an irresistible aura, squeezed directly into the already cramped space of the passenger seat!

"Lu Yang! Are you crazy?! What do you want to do..." Du Lingling was shocked and angry. She opened her mouth to scold him, but her voice stopped abruptly.

Lu Yang leaned down, unleashing an almost tyrannical, suppressed emotional storm, and fiercely silenced her words with his lips!

"Ugh—!" Du Lingling's eyes widened instantly, her mind went blank, followed by overwhelming shame and anger! She began to struggle desperately, pounding her hands against his strong chest and shoulders, and kicking her legs wildly.

In the chaos, her teeth struck Lu Yang's lower lip hard, and a strong, metallic taste of blood immediately filled the air between them.

Lu Yang groaned, his movements momentarily froze, and his brows furrowed in pain.

Du Lingling thought he would feel the pain and let go.

However, Lu Yang simply raised his hand, casually wiped the bleeding corner of his mouth with his thumb, and glanced at the glaring bright red stain on his fingertip.

Then, he actually grinned and gave Du Lingling, who was standing close by and whose face was flushed with shock and anger, a blood-tinged, almost insane, yet also somewhat relieved "hehe" smile.

That look was terrifyingly stubborn, as if to say: What is this little pain? You're still alive, you're still in front of me, that's enough!

That smile, that look in her eyes, was like a red-hot branding iron, burning deeply into Du Lingling's heart.

Looking at his lip, which she had bitten, and at the almost overflowing mixture of fear, heartache, and possessiveness in his eyes, her struggles suddenly lost their strength.

A tremendous, indescribable sense of grievance and heartache suddenly overwhelmed all her defenses.

She burst into tears, which flowed like a burst dam, sliding down her cheeks and wetting their pressed faces.

Immediately afterward, to Lu Yang's astonishment, she seemed to be swept away by a more primal and turbulent torrent of emotion. Instead of resisting, she responded with a desperate and all-or-nothing intensity, and took the initiative to meet it!

She stretched out her arms and suddenly wrapped them around Lu Yang's neck, pulling him forcefully towards her. Then, with a fierce, biting force, she returned the kiss!
All the repression, fear, anger, grievances, the ecstasy of regaining what was lost, and the love and hate that had been buried deep in the heart and never extinguished... all erupted completely at this moment, turning into the most primal and instinctive response.

Amidst the faint smell of blood, the temperature inside the car rose rapidly. (End of Chapter)