A delicate beauty takes a place in a marriage, while a cold, rough man seduces her every night.

This gray, secondhand Santana was bought from the home of a classmate of Jiang Runsheng's brother-in-law.

The other party's whole family is immigrating abroad, and they urgently need to sell their car for a low price of 20,000 yuan.

After much private discussion, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang Decheng realized that their son, who now worked at a credit union and enjoyed a respectable and prestigious life, needed a car to match his status.

The elderly couple emptied their savings and borrowed money from relatives to finally buy the used car.

Jiang Runsheng's pride, which had softened due to his hidden health problems, was rekindled by this car.

Chen Xiaomeng has been even more reluctant to argue with him lately, always going along with him and flattering him in every way.

Qingyan gripped the handlebars, about to refuse, when her aunt on the back spoke again:

"Oh my, this car is so comfortable to ride in, sheltered from the wind and rain. Runsheng is really capable, not only did he get a promotion and a raise, but he also drives a car. This is the only car like this around the ten miles away! If I were Xiaomeng, I would be laughing in my dreams at night."

Qingyan scoffed inwardly, utterly disgusted by her aunt's sycophantic and servile attitude.

She waved to Jiang Runsheng, her tone distant: "No need to give us a ride, you go ahead."

Jiang Runsheng got out of the car, his white shirt tucked into his black trousers, looking impeccably clean.

He said to Qingyan, "Come on, Qingyan, I'll help you put the bicycle in the trunk."

Several villagers carrying hoes, returning from the fields, were seeing a car up close for the first time. They were all very curious and gathered around.

"Wow, that car is really impressive!"

"Hey, isn't this Xiaomeng and Runsheng? Is this your new car?"

"Look how successful they are, they even drive a car!"

Jiang Runsheng took out a cigarette and handed it to each of the older men present, calmly dealing with their praise.

Everyone gathered around the car, touching and examining it from all angles, praising it constantly, their eyes revealing deep envy and jealousy.

When Chen Xiaomeng saw Jiang Runsheng come out, she originally planned to get out as well, but seeing so many people gathered around, she simply sat upright in the passenger seat to show off her status and prestige.

Qingyan was about to leave when Jiang Runsheng grabbed her bicycle handlebars and said, "I'll take you." His tone was forceful and left no room for argument.

"No need, I'm going home, let go."

Jiang Runsheng refused to let go for a second, his dark gaze fixed on her without blinking.

Qingyan has a great sense of style. Today, she wore a dark blue soft denim shirt paired with slim-fit light blue jeans, which accentuated her slim waist and long legs, perfectly highlighting her figure.

A lustrous white pearl necklace around her neck accentuated her gentle and graceful demeanor, while a pair of red leather shoes added a touch of vibrancy and brightness.

She was more beautiful than before, and her eyes and brows had a softer charm that she had never had before. Every smile and frown was captivating.

Jiang Runsheng's throat bobbed involuntarily, and he stood in front of the bicycle, refusing to let her go.

A middle-aged woman carrying a hoe joked, "Qingyan, your sister's car is so nice, other people wouldn't even have a chance to ride in it. Why don't you hurry up and get in and share in her good fortune, so that your Jingye can buy one too?"

Another person said, "It's not that easy to buy. This one car is enough to buy more than a dozen motorcycles! Runsheng is really capable."

Duo Duo, sitting in the back seat, scrunched up her face, afraid that her sister-in-law would really agree to get in the car. She hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, I don't want to ride in their car!"

Qingyan turned around and gently comforted the little girl, "Let's not sit."

In the car, Chen Xiao dreamt that Jiang Runsheng's soul was almost bewitched by Qiao Qingyan, and her eyes were filled with jealousy and resentment.

Her eyes darted around, and she deliberately raised her voice, asking the question in front of the surrounding villagers:

"Qingyan, I heard you took the civil service teacher exam the other day. How did it go?"

Chen Xiaomeng had always known about this. Qiao Qingyan had wanted to take the civil service exam to get a permanent position, but she needed a letter of recommendation and didn't have the opportunity.

This year, a unified examination was introduced for selection, and red notices were posted at the entrances of various schools and township education bureaus. Many people gathered to discuss it, making it hard to miss.

On the day the written test results were announced, she and Jiang Runsheng happened to pass by the bulletin board.

When Jiang Runsheng saw Qiao Qingyan's name at the top of the list, he was genuinely moved:

"Qingyan was already outstanding in school, and I didn't expect her to still be so outstanding now. She managed to stand out from a couple hundred people and get first place. That requires an enormous amount of knowledge!"

Chen Xiaomeng was rolling her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky, and she was so jealous she wanted to grind her teeth.

She didn't attend school for many years and knew few characters.

If she could finish high school like Qiao Qingyan, then her name would definitely be at the top of the list, not Qiao Qingyan's.

Qingyan gripped the handlebars, her voice indifferent and cold as she replied, "It's none of your business, and I don't really want to explain it to you."

As dusk approached, the wind blew away the dark clouds, and the rain was carried elsewhere.

After finishing their work in the fields, the villagers carried their farm tools and headed home.

The cars parked on the roadside were particularly eye-catching, and more and more people gathered around to watch the spectacle.

My aunt, her bottom glued to the back seat, scolded, "How can you be so disrespectful these days? Xiaomeng is your sister; she's only doing this because she cares about you!"

"Aunt, maybe Qingyan is too shy to say it," Chen Xiaomeng said with a meaningful smile. "Actually, I heard yesterday that she failed the exam."

Qingyan was already upset about this, and now that it was brought up in public, it felt like her wound had been ripped open, and her eyelids ached from the pain.

She gritted her teeth, suppressing her emotions, and forced a smile, retorting:

"It's just an exam. If you don't pass this year, you can take it again next year. Unlike some people, who can't even meet the threshold for registering for the exam."

Chen Xiaomeng sneered and raised her voice: "I heard that you will never be able to pass the civil service exam in your life, and you may even lose your current job soon."

"Xiaomeng, what do you mean by that?" Jiang Runsheng's brows furrowed.

Qingyan also suddenly looked up, staring at Chen Xiaomeng in shock.

Chen Xiaomeng raised her hand to smooth her hair, and seeing that the crowd of onlookers was growing larger and larger, she deliberately announced loudly:

"Go ahead and ask around at the Education Bureau. Everyone says she has a promiscuous private life, engages in inappropriate relationships, and physically punishes students. She has serious ethical problems as a teacher. How could the Education Bureau leaders possibly allow her to become a public school teacher with such conduct?"

She then feigned seriousness and said, "Qingyan, as your older sister, I really have to remind you. Your brother-in-law works at the credit union; they're respectable people. Your morally corrupt behavior is bringing shame to our family and your brother-in-law, and it might even affect his job. You should really rein yourself in!"

The malicious slander made Qiao Qingyan blush, her mind in turmoil, and her eyes filled with astonishment and shock.

She couldn't tell how much of Chen Xiaomeng's words were true and how much was false, and she hadn't even thought about the twists and turns in the selection process.

If what Chen Xiaomeng said is true, then wouldn't it mean that someone sabotaged her and slandered her, causing her to not be selected?

The surrounding villagers whispered among themselves, their inquisitive, gossipy, and prejudiced gazes falling on Qingyan.

Everyone believes that flies don't land on eggs without cracks, and things don't come from nowhere. For Chen Xiaomeng to say such things, there must be something wrong with Qiao Qingyan herself.

Seeing the chaotic scene, Jiang Runsheng angrily said, "Xiaomeng, don't talk nonsense!"

"Runsheng, why are you still speaking up for her?"

Chen Xiaomeng pushed open the car door and got out, instantly changing her expression to one of teary eyes:

"Qingyan, I know you've been wanting to rekindle your old flame with Runsheng now that he's been promoted, but we're both married now. Please stop trying to seduce him. I'm begging you."

"Even if your Xiao Jingye is impotent, you can't be so desperate as to seduce men outside. You have to have some self-respect."