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

The next time I saw Jiang Runsheng was about a month after Qingyan and Xiao Jingye held their wedding.

At that time, Qingyan had just started her summer vacation and had nothing to do at home, so Xiao Jingye took her everywhere he went.

That day, the two went to the agricultural machinery station to purchase engine oil and gear oil for the lumber mill's machinery.

As Qingyan approached the registration office, she saw a familiar figure.

"Brother Runsheng?"

Jiang Runsheng, dressed in white shorts and a striped shirt, sat upright at his desk.

Upon hearing this, he stopped writing, looked up, and saw Qingyan, dressed in a bright yellow dress, looking pretty and fresh, standing before him.

Jiang Runsheng's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly: "Qingyan."

He stood up excitedly, and the next second, he saw Xiao Jingye's tall and upright figure appear behind Qingyan.

The man, dressed in a black T-shirt and black pants, possessed powerful muscles, exuding strength and high spirits. His sharp brows and the way he stood next to Qingyan made them a strikingly well-matched couple.

"Runsheng, what are you doing here?"

Her voice was sweet and pleasant to hear, and Xiao Jingye unconsciously frowned slightly.

Runsheng? That sounds so affectionate.

"I've been transferred to the agricultural machinery station," Jiang Runsheng said in a low voice, with a hint of calm and relief.

Being transferred from the credit union to the agricultural machinery station meant a demotion.

Qingyan didn't know how to respond for a moment.

She knew that Jiang Runsheng and Chen Xiaomeng had divorced. The two of them had betrayed her and gotten together; she had thought they had feelings for each other, but now it had come to this, which was truly regrettable.

Jiang Runsheng asked, "What are you here for?"

Xiao Jingye held Qingyan's hand firmly, their fingers interlaced in his palm, and said, "Purchase some engine oil and gear oil."

Jiang Runsheng heard that they had opened a timber mill. In an era when ordinary people earned only a few dozen yuan a month, a timber mill could earn tens of thousands of yuan a year. Within a radius of dozens of miles, everyone knew the name of Boss Xiao.

His former rival, whom he once despised the most, has now reached a height that is beyond his reach.

Jiang Runsheng took out a stack of papers: "I'll issue you a receipt. You can pick it up at the warehouse behind the agricultural machinery station later."

A fan on the office ceiling was whirring, making the papers rustle.

Once the ticket was issued, Xiao Jingye took the ticket, held Qingyan's hand, and turned to go to the warehouse to collect the engine oil.

Reaching the doorway and seeing the scorching sun outside, he released his grip, glanced back at the office fan, and said to Qingyan:

"You can wait here in the fan, it's too hot outside. I'll go to the back to get my things and then come back to find you."

After taking a few steps, he turned back, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Runsheng inside the house, and whispered a fierce threat in Qingyan's ear:

"Don't talk to your ex-boyfriend. Call him Runsheng again, and you just wait, I'll spank you tonight."

Qingyan's ears turned red, and she pinched his waist hard, both embarrassed and annoyed: "Go about your business, you jealous person!"

Watching the man's broad back disappear into the blazing sun, her heart softened as if a stream had been warmed by the sunlight.

Qingyan returned to the room, and Jiang Runsheng poured her a glass of cool water: "Drink some water to quench your thirst."

"Thank you." She sat down on a nearby chair, holding her cup.

From the moment he entered until now, Jiang Runsheng's face was filled with dejection and disappointment, like a court official who had been demoted to Liangzhou.

Qingyan couldn't help but ask, "Runsheng, how did you end up being transferred to the agricultural machinery station?"

She and Jiang Runsheng grew up together, attending the same elementary and high schools. Jiang Runsheng took good care of her. Even without romantic love, there was still a bond between them, so she felt she should show concern and offer her greetings.

Jiang Runsheng turned his chair around a few times to face her, and said self-deprecatingly, "Abusing power for personal gain, illegally lending money."

"How could that be?" Qingyan asked in surprise.

"He was caught by his work unit for illegally lending money to Qiao Liping's son and some of Chen Xiuying's relatives, and was reassigned to a quiet and unpopular agricultural machinery station as a clerk."

Qingyan suddenly remembered the rumors circulating in the village about his hidden health condition, and after a moment's hesitation, asked:

"Was it Chen Xiaomeng... who threatened you?"

Jiang Runsheng gave a slight smirk and shook his head: "It's partly her fault, but not entirely. The problem lies with myself."

During this period, having experienced a failed marriage and a series of setbacks, Jiang Runsheng's inherent arrogance completely faded away, and he began to seriously reflect on his life over the past year or two.

At that time, he was promoted from the radio station to a loan officer at the credit union.

He has a good job, a high position, and real power. He is flattered wherever he goes and is riding high on his career, enjoying a smooth and successful life.

He could have found many excuses to refuse the illegal things Chen Xiaomeng asked him to do, but he didn't. Instead, he lost his way, enjoyed the sense of superiority that power brought, and made mistakes again and again.

"The agricultural machinery station is not bad either; I don't know how many people would want your job," Qingyan comforted her.

He chuckled and changed the subject: "You and Xiao Jingye have a very good relationship."

Jiang Runsheng seems to have let go of the past and no longer has that obsession with her, or perhaps he has quietly hidden that obsession away.

In short, being able to chat calmly with Qingyan like an ordinary friend at this moment is something he is happy about.

"Yes," Qingyan's face always flushed slightly when Xiao Jingye was mentioned, "He's very good to me, and I love him very much."

Although Xiao Jingye was not highly educated, he had learned a lot from society. No matter what Qingyan talked about with him, he could always respond to her.

When she is upset or disappointed, he can steadily catch all her emotions, help her relieve them, and cheer her up.

Aside from being a bit fierce in bed and occasionally speaking rudely to her, he seems to have no other problems.

"That's good," Jiang Runsheng replied casually.

"Runsheng-ge—" Qingyan sincerely wanted to say, "I hope you are happy too."

However, before she could finish speaking, she noticed that Xiao Jingye was already standing at the office door.

"Let's go," he called to her.

"Oh," Qingyan immediately sat up from the stool, put down her water glass, and said to Jiang Runsheng, "I'm leaving now, goodbye."

Jiang Runsheng responded and watched as Xiao Jingye took her hand and the two walked away together.

The black sedan drove out of the farm machinery station yard and headed towards the timber factory.

Xiao Jingye's aura was low, his handsome face was gloomy, his hands gripped the steering wheel, and the soft and sweet words of "Brother Runsheng" that he had just heard kept replaying in his mind.

He stepped on the gas pedal, then suddenly swerved the car sharply, turning onto a tree-shaded path on his right and stopping.

"Aren't we going back to the lumber mill?" Qingyan asked, bewildered.

Xiao Jingye didn't respond, but quickly adjusted the driver's and passenger's seats back to make room.

Then he reached out and grabbed her waist. Qingyan felt a sudden dizziness and ended up leaning against the passenger window.

The man's large hand forcefully pressed down on the back of her neck. She asked urgently, "Xiao Jingye, what are you doing?"

under

One

carve,

A dull, heavy sound.

"Have you forgotten what I told you?" Xiao Jingye suppressed his anger, his voice cold and deep.

Qingyan, hurt from the beating, asked, "What did you say?"

Xiao Jingye was so angry at her oblivious appearance that he couldn't help but laugh, a cold smile playing on his lips.

This is yet another lesson.

Qingyan couldn't avoid it, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.