Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

A cold wind swept across the river, carrying ice shards, and the noise on the ice rink was ripped apart by a piercing scream.

Chen Jie felt a sudden tightening in her arms, and she staggered forward involuntarily. The next second, she was pulled into a steady embrace.

The force from her waist was undeniably firm. Before the crisp sound of her ice skates scraping against the ice had even faded, she had already spun half a circle in a daring arc, barely dodging several figures rushing towards her from the side.

"Bang—" The youths couldn't stop in time and crashed into each other, their crude curses mixed with ice shards flying over them.

Chen Jie's heart was still pounding in her throat. Her cheeks were buried in the other person's thick cotton coat, and she could clearly hear the sudden increase in her heartbeat.

The throbbing was initially rapid, like the beating of a drum, but it quickly calmed down, and the strength transmitted through the fabric gave her a strange sense of peace.

She subconsciously gripped the hem of the other person's clothes at the waist, her fingertips touching the firm muscle lines before belatedly raising her head.

What caught her eye was Liu Xiangyang's lowered gaze. His eyelashes were covered with fine white frost, and there was no panic in his eyes, only an icy calmness, and a subtle warmth that softened after confirming that she was alright.

"Are you alright?" His voice came through the wind, his arm still around her back, maintaining a protective posture, carrying an undeniable sense of security.

Chen Jie shook her head, her face still pale, her throat tight: "N-nothing." Just as she finished speaking, a thunderous curse came from ahead.

"Are you blind? Blocking your grandpa's way?!"

The leader of the gang of thugs stopped in his tracks, turned around, his triangular eyes wide open, his gaze like hooks. He first scanned Chen Jie's body without restraint before viciously glaring at Liu Xiangyang.

The relaxed and pleasant feeling that had been flowing on the ice was instantly shattered by this brute force.

Liu Xiangyang didn't say anything, but gently pushed Chen Jie behind him, then stepped forward and stood firmly between her and the group of people.

His face remained expressionless as he calmly looked at the other person, as if the triangular-eyed man in front of him didn't exist.

This silence infuriated the thug more than any rebuttal. He stepped forward, cursing, and shoved Liu Xiangyang in the chest: "Are you fucking mute?"

The moment his palm touched the cotton-padded coat, the thug felt as if he had bumped into a moving wall.

Liu Xiangyang's shoulder blade twitched almost imperceptibly, and a recoil force surged forth, causing the green-skinned man's ice skates to slip violently, and his body to lean backward. Fortunately, his companion behind him caught him, preventing him from falling onto the ice. He immediately lost face and his cursing became even fiercer.

"Zhu Zi, why get angry with a brat?"

A slow, leisurely voice broke in, carrying a hint of nonchalant arrogance.

The crowd parted automatically, and a young man wearing a brand-new, un-stamped officer's overcoat slid over with his hands behind his back. His face under the hat was fair, his eyelids were half-drooping, and when he looked at people, it was as if he was appraising some object. The half-smile at the corner of his mouth revealed an indescribable sarcasm.

He was followed by five or six older men with cold, hard expressions. The red armbands on their arms were particularly eye-catching, like a pack of hyenas poised to pounce, silently surrounding him.

The burly man nicknamed "Pillar" immediately toned down his arrogance and bowed respectfully, calling him "Young Master Qian."

Young Master Qian ignored him, his gaze first landing on Chen Jie's face. His eyes, as if assessing the quality of goods, swept over her features inch by inch, filled with undisguised greed, so cold that it made Chen Jie's whole body stiffen. She subconsciously shrank back behind Liu Xiangyang, her fingers clenching even tighter.

"You look unfamiliar." Only then did Young Master Qian turn to Liu Xiangyang, his voice slightly nasal, and said slowly, "Not from this area? Do you know the rules here?" He flicked his nails and said casually.

Liu Xiangyang remained silent, simply looking at him calmly, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

Young Master Qian didn't seem to expect an answer from him. He suddenly chuckled, but the chuckle didn't reach his eyes: "It was quite lively at the lumber mill last night. A speculator named Zhao Si was caught. It's gratifying."

He paused, his eyes still glancing at Liu Xiangyang's face out of the corner of his eye. "These social parasites should be resolutely eliminated."

"We also contributed a little." The arrogance and self-satisfaction in his tone were like needles pricking the heart.

Chen Jie's heart sank. She had heard of Zhao Si; he was a figure with some connections in the black market. Young Master Qian's words weren't a boast, but a clear warning and a show of force! Her fingertips instantly turned icy, and she couldn't help but gently tug at the back of Liu Xiangyang's shirt, trying to dissuade him from a direct confrontation.

Young Master Qian then changed the subject, looking at Chen Jie with a sudden "gentle" tone: "This lady looks familiar? On which front are you contributing? Are you off today?"

Chen Jie: "That's none of your business."

"Haha, it's none of my business. Did you hear that? She said it's none of my business!" Young Master Qian nodded, then casually remarked, "Perfect timing. We have some questions about social trends and would like to get some information from the public."

"This lady, if it's convenient, would you like to come with us and cooperate with our work?" he said, his gaze sweeping over Liu Xiangyang, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This gentleman can go back first. Don't worry, we're just following policy and getting some information."

Go with him? Chen Jie's face turned pale instantly. She knew all too well what this "understanding of the situation" meant, especially the way he looked at her.

She had heard of Young Master Qian's reputation; he was used to running rampant in this area, relying on his status as a leader of the martial arts faction.

She wasn't an naive young girl, so how could she dare to go with them? Especially since her and Liu Xiangyang's identities couldn't be revealed, she almost blurted out an apology, wanting to settle things peacefully.

But before she could speak, Liu Xiangyang made his move.

He took a step forward, his ice skate making a clear, crisp sound as it struck the ice, completely shielding Chen Jie behind him and blocking Qian Gongzi's gaze from reaching her.

"She said it's inconvenient." Liu Xiangyang's voice wasn't loud, but it was like an ice cube hitting the ice surface—crisp and decisive, carrying a cold, hard force.

The fake smile on Young Master Qian's face slowly faded. He sized Liu Xiangyang up and down, his sneer deepening: "Comrade, what kind of attitude is this? Are you obstructing our work of public oversight?"

"She's mine." Liu Xiangyang said succinctly, looking directly at Young Master Qian. "What's the matter? Tell me."

"Tell you?" Young Master Qian scoffed as if he'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "Who do you think you are? We're just asking this woman for information; it's normal work. If you say anything more, you'll be obstructing revolutionary activities!" His tone turned icy, carrying a blatant threat. "Zhu Zi, bring this woman over here. If this man obstructs us again, he'll be punished for obstructing official business!"

Zhu Zi, unable to contain himself any longer, grinned maliciously and slid over with two other people, reaching out to grab Chen Jie's arm around Liu Xiangyang.

"Ah!" Chen Jie gasped in fright and shrank back.