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

After a bumpy and uneven journey, they finally arrived in the countryside. As Qingyan got out of the car, she unconsciously rubbed her sore chest. What a terrible road!

The car stopped in front of the supply and marketing cooperative. Xiao Jingye turned around to look at her, stared at her chest for two seconds, and slowly said:

"Sorry, the road was too difficult to walk on, I bumped into you and hurt you."

Qiao Qingyan's face immediately burned with embarrassment at his words.

She glared at him resentfully, "Your technique is awful."

"Honey, I'm sorry. I'll definitely practice more when I get back. I won't bounce you around like that anymore..."

Qiao Qingyan reacted quickly, stepping forward to cover his mouth. "I'm fine, you can shut up now."

Xiao Jingye narrowed his dark eyes and said something, his voice muffled in her palm.

She seemed to have applied something to her hands; it smelled sweet and soft.

The fragrance silently seeped into Xiao Jingye's lungs.

After a moment, Qiao Qingyan slowly released her grip.

Once a habit is formed, it is very difficult to change it.

Especially for a man like Xiao Jingye, who is used to being vulgar and has used such straightforward language since childhood, it would be very difficult for him to learn the civilized and reserved manners of city people.

Qiao Qingyan could only console herself by enduring it; after all, she wasn't going to spend her whole life with him.

Before entering the supply and marketing cooperative, she took out the fifty yuan her mother-in-law had given her and handed it to Xiao Jingye:

"This is the money your mom just gave me, here you go."

Xiao Jingye looked down at her, his brows furrowing slightly: "I don't want to."

"You can keep this for your mom first, and then you can return it to her after we get divorced."

The man seemed slightly displeased. He didn't take the money from her hand and said coldly, "Give it back to whoever gave it to you."

After saying that, he walked directly into the supply and marketing cooperative.

Qiao Qingyan was puzzled. Seeing that he wouldn't accept the money, she had no choice but to put the money and tickets in her pocket and follow him into the supply and marketing cooperative.

There were quite a few people at the supply and marketing cooperative. It was the only large supply and marketing cooperative within a ten-mile radius, and people from more than a dozen villages came here to buy things.

Jiang Chunhua was busy at work when she saw Qiao Qingyan and immediately greeted her with a smile, "Qingyan, what brings you here?"

Qiao Qingyan walked up with a smile: "Sister Chunhua, I thought you weren't at work today."

Qiao Qingyan and Jiang Chunhua had always had a good relationship and would chat for a while every time they met.

She was able to teach at Guangming Elementary School thanks to the opportunity Jiang Chunhua helped her secure, and Qingyan always remembered this favor.

Jiang Chunhua noticed Xiao Jingye behind her and asked, "Is this the one from the Xiao family?"

"Yes," Qiao Qingyan replied.

Jiang Chunhua's gaze fell on him.

The man was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and dark cargo pants, with a black leather belt around his waist. He had a muscular physique with smooth lines.

His features were three-dimensional and well-defined, especially his high nose bridge. He had a pair of dark eyes with slightly upturned corners, exuding a wild and untamed spirit with a touch of coldness.

Xiao Jingye met Jiang Chunhua's gaze and nodded slightly to her.

He naturally knew who Jiang Chunhua was, where the Jiang family lived, and the situation of every member of the family; he had long since figured it out.

Qiao Qingyan whispered to Xiao Jingye, "You probably don't know Sister Chunhua, she is—"

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Jingye casually chimed in, "I know, she's the older sister of your ex-boyfriend whom you were madly in love with."

Qiao Qingyan looked up and glared at him angrily.

He pursed his lips, giving me an apologetic look, as if he shouldn't have said anything.

Jiang Chunhua saw that Xiao Jingye was tall and strong, exuding heroic spirit. Standing next to Qingyan, he made her look even more petite.

There was an inexplicable tension between the two of them standing together.

She looked away and asked with a smile, "Did you come here specifically to prepare a homecoming gift?"

"Yes." Qiao Qingyan nodded.

"Your sister just came to buy some too. Look, the things are still here with me." Jiang Chunhua gestured with her chin toward the inside of the counter.

Originally, Chen Xiaomeng only bought one of each item. Jiang Chunhua was worried that this was not polite enough and that the neighbors would gossip about her in-laws for not knowing the proper etiquette. So, she kindly reminded her to buy two.

Chen Xiaomeng didn't have enough money, so Jiang Chunhua covered the difference for her.

Qiao Qingyan looked at the dazzling array of goods on the counter and said softly:

"Sister Chunhua, I don't know these etiquette rules. Could you help me pick out some suitable cigarettes, alcohol, candy, and tea? My mother-in-law instructed me that each item of the homecoming gift should be prepared in even numbers."

"Leave it to me, I'll find you something that's affordable, presentable, and won't make you look bad."

Jiang Chunhua quickly helped her select the items, and the types and quantities she took were exactly the same as Chen Xiaomeng's.

The two sisters returned to their parents' home on the same day, showing equal courtesy, which also avoided gossip from others.

As the group was busy packing gifts into net bags, Chen Xiaomeng, who had been strolling outside, walked in.

As soon as she entered the room, her gaze fell directly on Qiao Qingyan and Xiao Jingye, and she immediately put on a surprised, fake smile: "Qingyan, you've come to the countryside too."

"Hmm." Qingyan didn't really want to talk to her.

Xiao Jingye glanced at Chen Xiaomeng, gave her a cold look, and continued to put the things he bought into the net bag.

He doesn't like the people Qiao Qingyan doesn't like either.

Chen Xiaomeng was slightly taken aback. This man, in both her past and present lives, always looked at her with the same cold and indifferent gaze.

She stepped forward and asked Qingyan, "Are you also here to buy gifts for your bride's return visit?"

"right."

Chen Xiaomeng's eyes darted around on Xiao Jingye, her mind racing with questions:

In my previous life, Xiao Jingye didn't even accompany me on my homecoming visit; I had to pay for the gifts myself. How come he's here with Qiao Qingyan to buy them now?

Upon hearing this, Qiao Qingyan's eyes narrowed slightly, and her heart stirred.

The previous life?

Could it be that Chen Xiaomeng was reborn?

This sounds absurd and bizarre, but she can even hear other people's thoughts, so she can accept even the most outlandish things with equanimity.

"What did you buy?" Chen Xiaomeng asked with a smile.

Jiang Chunhua chimed in, "The same gift as yours for returning home."

Chen Xiaomeng frowned slightly and glanced at the contents of the net bag.

Same? How could Qiao Qingyan's homecoming gift be the same as mine?

Xiao Jingye was such a miser, he wouldn't spend a penny, and his family was dirt poor.

In her previous life, he wouldn't give her any money when she asked for it while playing cards, so how could he bear to prepare the same homecoming gift as her?

She paused, then feigned concern and advised, "Qingyan, you don't need to put on a show. I spent forty or fifty yuan on those homecoming gifts. You don't need to buy the exact same ones just to compete with me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingye clicked his tongue impatiently.

Qiao Qingyan's expression turned slightly cold: "You're really overthinking things. Chunhua helped me choose the homecoming gift. Nobody wanted to compete with you. You're overthinking things."

Chen Xiaomeng herself didn't feel embarrassed, and turned to look at Jiang Chunhua:

"Sister Chunhua, please help my sister return part of it. You don't know the Xiao family's situation; they're not well-off to begin with. My sister is proud and can't bring herself to refuse, but in reality, she probably can't afford it."

Jiang Chunhua was indeed unaware of the Xiao family's inner workings. After hearing what she said, she worried that she had chosen too many partners and would add financial pressure to Qiao Qingyan. She hesitated and said, "Qingyan, how about I help you again..."

"Sister Chunhua, no need to return it, we can afford it."

Qingyan took out a fifty-yuan note from her pocket and handed it to Jiang Chunhua. "Can you help me calculate how much these gifts cost in total? Also, could you give me two boxes of face cream?"

"Okay." Jiang Chunhua took the money and then went to get her some face cream.

Chen Xiaomeng's face turned pale when she saw this.

[What are you pretending to be, rich? You just got that little dowry money from your family, aren't you? You think you're so tough. Just wait, I'll make you cough it all up.]

The incessant chatter made Qiao Qingyan impatient, and she frowned slightly: "What's making that noise?"

Xiao Jingye glanced at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative. "It sounds like there are stray dogs barking."