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

After Chen Liang left, Qiao Qingyan stood up from the stool:

"Father, now you understand why they're so desperate to get your dowry money back from me. They've emptied your savings, and you really think they're doing this for your own good?"

"I am your own daughter. From childhood to adulthood, ask yourself honestly, have you fulfilled your responsibilities as your own daughter?"

"I appreciate the small dowry you've given me. You're my own father, and I'll still visit you when you're old and sick, during holidays. But if you continue to be so unreasonable, helping others bully your own daughter, even if the Chen family uses you as a blood bag, exploits you, and kills you, I won't care!"

After saying that, she turned and walked out of the house. Xiao Jingye followed his wife out.

Behind them came the sound of Qiao Nianshan forcefully overturning a table, and Chen Xiuying's wailing and crying.

This is a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead!

Not only did she not get the 200 yuan back, Qiao Nianshan also found out that she was using Qiao family money to subsidize her younger brother every day.

Ignoring the chaotic scene behind her, Qiao Qingyan went home with Xiao Jingye.

......

The afternoon sun cast its rays across the courtyard, covering the ground with a warm, golden glow.

Qiao Qingyan sat quietly on a small stool in the courtyard, her chin resting on her hand, lost in thought. Two feathered ducks quacked and paced around her feet, circling back and forth.

She had been depressed ever since she returned from the Qiao family.

Qingyan lost her mother when she was seven years old. Qiao Nianshan was a rough and unrefined man, and he didn't know how to take care of a girl's feelings and needs.

She really envied Chen Xiaomeng, at least her mother was always by her side, and the two of them always worked together and faced external challenges together.

And she was all alone behind her from beginning to end.

His only close relative, his father, was unreliable.

She knew in her heart that today's troubles about returning to her parents' home would most likely be smoothed over by Chen Xiuying's few kind words and attempts to smooth things over.

Qiao Nianshan was quick to anger and quick to forgive, and easily swayed by Chen Xiuying's coaxing. The couple would reconcile after a few words of coaxing.

And what about her? She seemed to have the upper hand today, but she wasn't happy at all; this was not the scene she wanted to see.

Moreover, after this incident, in Qiao Nianshan's mind, she will most likely be seen as an unfilial daughter who disrupts the peace of the family.

A wave of bittersweet emotion washed over Qiao Qingyan; she missed her mother and her aunt's family.

Since returning to her hometown from the city, she has been utterly exhausted, spending her days dealing with and outmaneuvering the scheming mother and daughter from the Qiao family.

In a short period of time, her engagement was disrupted, her fiancé was stolen, and she ended up marrying Xiao Jingye, a country bumpkin, by a twist of fate.

Life has slipped out of my control at every step, and nothing has gone as I wished.

Inside the house, Xiao Jingye leaned against the doorway, gazing intently at the slender figure in a daze.

After watching for a long time, he returned to his small room and picked up Duoduo, who was playing with mud figures.

Xiao Jingye opened his palm and produced two White Rabbit milk candies. Duoduo's eyes widened with excitement.

He said in a low voice, "Go, give this candy to your sister-in-law, and I'll give you this one."

Qiao Qingyan was lost in melancholy and sadness when suddenly a chubby little figure came running up from behind her.

Without saying a word, he shoved a piece of candy into her hand, then turned and ran away in a flash.

She picked up the candy and paused for two seconds.

I looked at the empty yard, then peeled off the candy wrapper, popped it into my mouth, and the sweet milky aroma instantly filled my mouth.

Before long, the chubby boy came running back, panting, and handed her a milk biscuit.

Before she could speak, the little girl disappeared in a flash.

Qiao Qingyan held the cookie, unsure of what to do, and finally put it in her mouth and chewed it in small bites.

A moment later, the chubby girl came running over again and stuffed two rice strips into her palm.

"Duoduo, don't always give me..." Before Qingyan could finish speaking, the little girl had already disappeared again.

After she finished eating the glutinous rice strips, Duoduo huffed and puffed as she ran to her side, exhausted and covered in sweat.

Her little tank top was stuck to her body, her belly was round and chubby, and her shorts were loosely hanging on her bottom, making her look extremely cute.

Qingyan smiled gently and said, "Don't send me any more. You can eat them yourself."

Duoduo glanced sideways at her brother inside the room, then shook her head vigorously, muttering in a childish voice, "Sister-in-law, give sister-in-law some food..."

As she was talking, she puffed out her little nose and suddenly blew out a round, transparent snot bubble.

Looking at her adorable appearance, Qiao Qingyan felt most of her worries dissipate instantly.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Sweet laughter filled the courtyard, sounding very pleasant.

Inside the room, Xiao Jingye's tightly clenched lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile.

Qiao Qingyan took out a handkerchief to wipe Duoduo's snot. After wiping it, she gently patted her bottom and pulled up her shorts.

"Go play, stop running back and forth, you're all sweaty."

The chubby girl huffed and puffed as she ran off again.

Less than two minutes later, Qingyan felt the ground around her shaking again. "Duoduo, your sister-in-law isn't eating..."

She was speaking when something was suddenly stuffed into her arms.

A brand new and stylish white headband was packaged in a transparent bag.

It's so exquisite, like a well-wrapped gift.

Those hairbands weren't sold in town; Qingyan had only seen them at the large supply and marketing cooperative in the city.

The design is quite beautiful; it's a trendy accessory that only became popular at the beginning of this year, and I heard it originated from Hong Kong.

She had one before, but Chen Xiaomeng broke it. She had wanted it ever since, but couldn't bring herself to buy it.

Qingyan held the pretty hairband, a little puzzled in her heart...

She stood up and walked into the house. Zeng Yumei wasn't home at the moment; besides Xiao Jingye and Duoduo, there was no one else there.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a comical scene—

Xiao Jingye held one hand high, seemingly holding a cookie in his palm. His other hand was pinching his sister's face. Duoduo was jumping and bouncing around his legs, trying to snatch the cookie from his hand, almost crying in her anxiety.

Upon noticing her enter, Xiao Jingye immediately became uneasy, put down his hand, and gave the cookie to Duoduo.

Qiao Qingyan hesitated for a moment before asking, "What...is this headband meant?"

Xiao Jingye pinched his sister's chin, turning her face towards Qiao Qingyan, "Hey, your sister-in-law is asking you something."

The little girl's mouth was stuffed full of cookies, and her big eyes stared blankly at Qiao Qingyan.

Qiao Qingyan frowned and looked at the man: "I'm asking you a question."

"Um..." Xiao Jingye touched his nose, his ears gradually turning red, "It was a gift from Duoduo."

"You bought it?"

"No, I have a friend..."

"The one who came to our house last morning? Fang Zhijie?" Qiao Qingyan was even more puzzled.

She scratched her head, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Why did he buy this for me? Could it be... that he likes me?"

This is getting more and more outrageous.

"Damn it," Xiao Jingye cursed under his breath, gritting his teeth, "I bought this!"

Qiao Qingyan was already used to his vulgar language. She stared at him strangely for a while before asking, "When did you buy it?"

"The last time I went to the city to sell goods."

Last time? Wasn't that the day after they officially met after their marriage?

Qingyan looked even more confused. "Why are you buying a headband for girls?"

Xiao Jingye was almost driven crazy by her blockhead.

"I bought it just for fun; if you don't like it, just throw it away!"

"Oh..." Qingyan looked down at the delicate hairband in her hand and said slowly, "Don't throw it away, it's such a waste. I really like it, this style is very pretty."

He must have bought it to give to another girl, but she refused it.

She understands men; they care about their image.

He certainly wouldn't want to admit that he bought a headband for the girl he loved and was rejected.

Now she's gotten the better deal.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Xiao Jingye maintained his cold, hard expression and gave a muffled reply.

After nightfall, Qiao Qingyan lay on the bed and opened her account book by the dim light.

Holding the pen, he gently wrote down the date, and neatly noted at the back: Xiao Jingye bought a white headband for 5 yuan.

Most headbands and hair ties in the city cost one or two yuan, but this headband is a high-end style. Qiao Qingyan had seen the same style in the city before, but in a different color, and it cost five yuan.

Before that line of record, there were two more lines of text:

On July 23, 1983, Xiao Jingye bought White Rabbit milk candy and cookies, which cost about ten yuan.

On July 25, 1983, when preparing gifts for my return visit, my mother-in-law gave me fifty yuan, which I have not yet returned. I will return it all to her before leaving home.

After finishing recording today's expenses, Qiao Qingyan closed the notebook and stuffed it back under the mattress.