Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

But that bitterness vanished quickly, almost instantly replaced by a stubborn, confident smile. She raised her eyes again, her gaze sharp as she looked at Han Xueyi.

"I'm doing fine, thank you for your concern."

Luo Li's tone was calm, yet carried a defiant spirit. "As for that dream?" She slightly raised her chin. "Even without you, this deserter, I can still achieve it. Dreams are never dependent on anyone else, are they?"

Her words were like a sharp steel needle, gently piercing Han Xueyi's heart. Han Xueyi's face paled instantly, and she tried to explain:

"Luo Li, I..."

No explanation needed.

Luo Li abruptly interrupted her, her tone calm and distant, as if she had already accepted the fact: "Everyone has their own ambitions, I understand. There's no point in forcing someone to walk alongside you."

After speaking, her gaze turned to Chen Ming, who had been standing beside Han Xueyi the whole time.

"This... must be your boyfriend? Congratulations in advance! Remember to let me know when you're getting married. I may not be able to help much, but I'll definitely be there."

Hearing her distant words, Han Xueyi remained silent for a moment. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a barely audible sigh.

Then she raised her head and introduced him in an unusually firm tone: "Yes. He is my boyfriend Chen Ming, the love of my life, my...master." She lowered her voice slightly when she said the last part, but it was filled with intimacy and a sense of belonging.

Then, she turned to Chen Ming: "Sir, this is my best friend, Luo Li..."

Although Chen Ming didn't know much about their past, he could tell from their brief conversation that Han Xueyi's relationship with this mixed-race beauty was far more than just that of ordinary best friends. There was a kind of barrier between them caused by "dreams" and "choices".

However, he did not intervene immediately. He simply extended his right hand to Luo Li with a polite smile and said, "Hello."

Luo Li's gaze fell on Chen Ming's outstretched hand, and a faint hint of rejection flashed in her eyes, her -10 favorability rating was fully displayed at this moment.

However, perhaps because Han Xueyi was standing to the side and she didn't want the scene to be too awkward, she finally reluctantly reached out and shook hands with Chen Ming lightly, then quickly withdrew her hand as if she had touched something hot.

"Hello." Her response was brief and aloof, without any unnecessary pleasantries.

Chapter 298: I've voted for your dream.

Clearly, Luo Li didn't want any further interaction with Chen Ming. After saying that cold "hello," her gaze returned to Han Xueyi.

"I have something to do, I'll be going now..."

She spoke to Han Xueyi, her tone still calm.

After speaking, she turned around decisively, striding away in the opposite direction from Han Xueyi's house, her long legs clad in tight jeans. Her back was straight, exuding an air of aloofness and resolve, without the slightest hesitation or looking back.

Staring blankly at Luo Li's receding figure, his lips moved slightly, revealing a clear look of wanting to say something but holding back, his eyes filled with struggle, guilt and a trace of sadness reminiscing about the past.

She hesitated for a good ten seconds, her slender fingers curling and relaxing, but in the end, she couldn't muster the courage to call out to that resolute figure.

With a sigh, Han Xueyi took Chen Ming's arm, leaned slightly towards him, and whispered:

"Sir, let's go home!"

As Chen Ming followed her lead and walked slowly home along the village path, he turned his head and asked in a low voice with concern, "Something on your mind?"

He could certainly tell that Luo Li's appearance had stirred up many unpleasant memories for Han Xueyi.

Han Xueyi gently rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the solid support, and shook her head, saying:

"Master, I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me." She paused for a moment, as if to comfort herself, and said, "Actually... it was something I expected to be disliked by Luo Li. It's just that it still makes me feel a little bad."

"Is it because there's some misunderstanding between you two?"

Chen Ming followed her words and asked, trying to get her to talk about it. It always makes her feel better to vent.

Han Xueyi shook her head gently again, her long hair brushing against Chen Ming's shoulder.

“It’s not a misunderstanding…” Her voice was tinged with bitterness. “I broke my promise to her. It’s understandable that she’s angry with me and blames me. I was the one who broke our promise first.”

Chen Ming was quite concerned about Han Xueyi. Since this beauty came into his life, she had served him meticulously and attentively, both in daily life and at night, doing her utmost to meet all his requests.

Seeing her so heartbroken, he naturally wanted to know the reason and see if there was anything he could do. So he softened his voice and asked in a gentle and supportive tone, "Tell me about it, is there anything I can do to help? We can all think of a solution together."

Hearing her husband so concerned about her past "private affairs" and even offering to help, Han Xueyi's previously gloomy mood instantly brightened as if a ray of sunshine had shone in... The path she had chosen might be hard for her best friend to understand, but meeting such a powerful, caring, and respectful husband made it all worthwhile.

She didn't want Chen Ming to think she was hiding something from him, so upon hearing Chen Ming's question, Han Xueyi didn't hesitate at all and began to recount that long-buried past:

“Yes, sir. Luo Li and I have been classmates from kindergarten to high school, and we’ve always been inseparable best friends…”

Her gaze drifted into the distance, lost in memories. "We grew up together in the countryside. Although our hometown has developed a bit in recent years, it is still far behind the big cities in the south. Young people are leaving one by one... So, we made a promise back then—to apply to the Animal Husbandry major at Northeast Agricultural University together in the future."

We all felt that our hometown had excellent natural resources, especially its livestock industry, which had great potential; it just lacked scientific technology and modern management. We dreamed of returning home after completing our studies to use our knowledge to start a business together, developing modern livestock farming and meat canning, leading our fellow villagers to prosperity and making our hometown a better place… As children, we felt the future was full of endless possibilities, and we believed our dreams would definitely come true.”

Her voice trailed off, filled with obvious guilt and disappointment: "But then... I broke my promise..."

As Chen Ming listened patiently to Han Xueyi's narration, he gradually sketched out the image of two idealistic and enthusiastic young girls in his mind, who, under the clear northern sky, made a grand vow to change their hometown.

This created a subtle contrast with the Han Xueyi he knew, who was alluring in bed and obedient to him in daily life.

He asked curiously, "Northeast Agricultural University... as far as I remember, it should be a 211 key university, right? Did you not go there because you didn't get in?"

Upon hearing this, Han Xueyi gently shook her head, showing no embarrassment whatsoever. She seemed quite confident in her academic abilities, explaining:

"It's not because of my grades. Although Northeast Agricultural University is a 211 university, it has preferential policies for local students from our far north province, and the admission scores are much lower than those for students from other provinces. With my college entrance examination scores back then, I would have been more than qualified to get into the animal husbandry major at Northeast Agricultural University."

Hearing this, Chen Ming roughly understood the answer.

How could a girl who grew up with her mother's idea that she "must marry into a wealthy family" possibly choose the path of animal husbandry, which requires being rooted in the countryside and dealing with livestock, when she truly grows up and faces real-world choices?

That was completely contrary to the "canary" life her mother had planned for her.

Dreams are beautiful, but the choices in reality are often more cruel and direct.

No wonder Luo Li said "Everyone has their own ambitions" with such disappointment and estrangement. Behind these four simple words lies the divergence of two completely different values ​​in life...

At this moment, Han Xueyi continued to explain:

"The main reason is that my mother strongly disagreed. She felt that a girl would work so hard to learn animal husbandry, and end up dealing with farms every day, which is dirty and tiring. Moreover, even if she succeeded, how much of a future could she have in this small town? How much money could she earn? She hoped that I could go to a more prosperous city, see a wider world, and find... find a better way out."

Both of them understood what the "better way out" meant without saying a word.

"And to be honest," Han Xueyi's voice lowered, tinged with a hint of candid shame, "as I grew up and came into contact with more information from the outside world, my mindset changed. I no longer found that childhood dream so appealing; I... began to yearn for a more glamorous, more comfortable, and better life. I was afraid of hardship, afraid of obscurity, afraid of being trapped in this small place for the rest of my life. So... in the end, I didn't apply to an agricultural university, nor did I study animal husbandry. Instead, I followed my mother's advice and applied to a university in Shanghai. After graduation... by the arrangement of fate, I met you, sir."

At this point, Han Xueyi let out a long sigh of relief, as if she had found support and confidence.

"In short, no matter how valid the reasons, I ultimately broke my promise to Luo Li... And Luo Li, she really is a person of her word, with a firm will! After graduating from high school, she was admitted to the Animal Husbandry major at Northeast Agricultural University as she wished. Moreover, after graduating from university, she didn't choose to stay in the city to find a stable job like most of her classmates, but instead returned to our small village and worked hard for the dream we had back then. She wasn't blinded by the tempting world outside at all..."

At this point, Han Xueyi's beautiful brows furrowed slightly. She felt that she had let Luo Li down. However, despite this sense of guilt, she did not regret her choice deep down.

Because she knew very well that the path she took, fighting alongside Luo Li, was not the life she truly wanted.

Now, by Chen Ming's side, she enjoys the ultimate luxury and pampering, without having to worry about making a living. She only needs to focus on pleasing him. This is the life she truly accepts and is happy to have.

This intertwining of "no regrets" and "guilt" makes her emotions at this moment appear particularly contradictory.

Chen Ming listened patiently to her entire story, and seeing her looking so self-reproachful, he couldn't help but smile. Then he stopped and, on the quiet village path, opened his arms and tightly embraced the beauty beside him.

He comforted her, saying, "Since we met, I've rarely seen you unhappy! Leading your hometown to prosperity is a wonderful aspiration. But to achieve this aspiration, you don't necessarily have to study animal husbandry and personally raise livestock."

He paused, guiding the girl's thoughts, "In fact, you've already taken a roundabout approach to achieve your goal!"

Um???

Han Xueyi was an exceptionally intelligent woman; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to understand Chen Ming's preferences so thoroughly.

Upon hearing Chen Ming's words, coupled with his relaxed and confident tone, she immediately understood her husband's subtext—he intended to make up for her "breach of promise" back then in his own way, or rather, help her realize her childhood dream.

Her previously dim eyes instantly lit up, as if infused with starlight. She looked up at him, her voice filled with surprise and a hint of disbelief:

“Master, I…I know you’re good to me,” Han Xueyi said, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against his strong chest. “But I really don’t want to trouble you with everything. This is the consequence of my own choice…” Her words carried a cautiousness, as if she didn’t want to ask for too much.

"What's the trouble or not? Silly girl."

Before Han Xueyi could finish speaking, Chen Ming gently interrupted her: "This is no big deal to me. You know my capabilities."

He gave an example, trying to ease her psychological burden, "You know that I funded Liu Rushuang and Su Mengdie to start an entertainment company. I can help them fulfill their dreams, so naturally I can help you invest in your hometown, like starting a livestock company or a related processing plant, solving the villagers' employment and income problems. It's very simple..."

For Chen Ming, who has virtually unlimited funds, investing in an industry in a small village is as simple as an ordinary person buying a cup of milk tea, and it's not worth mentioning at all.

He was willing to do this purely to bring a smile to the face of the beauty in his arms and to resolve her harmless inner conflict.

However, to Chen Ming's surprise, after her initial感动 (moved/touched), Han Xueyi slowly shook her head and rejected his suggestion.

"No, sir, you know how lazy Xueyi is. I don't want to start a company, I don't want to work, and I don't want to manage any business. That's too tiring and would take up my time with you."

Her voice was soft and sweet as she hugged Chen Ming even tighter, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness:

"All I want is to stay by your side as your personal maid, to think about how to make you comfortable every day. That's enough for me. That's my greatest happiness and my greatest purpose. You mustn't look down on me because of that..."

Han Xueyi revealed her most authentic and "depraved" side to Chen Ming without reservation, a complete dependence and entrustment. For her, pleasing Chen Ming was her chosen and perfectly satisfying "life ideal."

"..."

Chen Ming thought to himself, speechless: This ambition... is truly simple to the extreme. Compared to Luo Li, who is determined to take root in her hometown and apply her knowledge, my Xueyi's idea is indeed a bit lazy... but I like it!

He clearly realized that Han Xueyi's undisguised dependence was one of the most genuine and attractive aspects of this young woman. She had placed all her value and happiness in him, and this pure sense of belonging was an invaluable comfort to Chen Ming.

Since Han Xueyi had already made her point, Chen Ming naturally gave up the idea of ​​having her start a livestock company.

Oh well, as long as she's happy, it's not like we can't afford to raise her...

However, he also knew that although Han Xueyi was unwilling to work hard herself, she still harbored a deep longing and expectation for her childhood dream of "leading her hometown to prosperity".

So, Chen Ming gave her a quick kiss on her smooth, delicate face, his eyes full of indulgent doting, and said with a smile:

"Alright, alright, whatever you say. My little Xueyi will stay by my side from now on and be my most adorable personal maid!"

He gently stroked the tip of her nose with his fingertip, then changed the subject, "However, we don't necessarily have to give up on that dream of leading our hometown to prosperity. Look at your best friend Luo Li, hasn't she already started working hard on this path? She has professional knowledge and unwavering determination; what she might lack is funding and a broader platform. We can totally get involved in a different way—why not just invest directly in her company?"

Chapter 299: Home-Style Specialties

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Han Xueyi's eyes widened instantly, sparkling with curiosity. "Is...is this even possible?"

She never seemed to have considered the issue from this perspective.

In her ingrained mindset, realizing a dream seemed to require hands-on effort, otherwise it was tantamount to betrayal. But Chen Ming's words opened a new window for her.

"Why not?"

Chen Ming spoke casually, with a confident air, "As the saying goes, those with money support with money, and those with connections support with their presence. If you can't provide the 'personnel' to fight for it yourself, then provide the 'money.' We'll invest funds to support Luo Li in realizing your shared dream. Isn't that fulfilling the promise you made when you were children?"

He noticed a hint of worry about business risks in Han Xueyi's eyes, perhaps fearing his money would go down the drain, so he continued to reassure her: "As for the return on investment, you don't need to worry about that either. Don't forget, we also have an entertainment company. We can organize a few large-scale live-streaming sales events to help farmers sell their products. With our resources, are we afraid the products won't sell? I've already thought of the titles, such as 'Beautiful College Girl Returns to Her Hometown to Raise Pigs After Graduation,' 'Beautiful Girl's Cow,' 'Canned Deer Meat'... In short, we definitely won't lose money, and we might even be able to turn it into a brand."

These words completely dispelled Han Xueyi's last concerns.

Her initial gloom, stemming from Luo Li's coldness and her own broken promise, instantly vanished, replaced by overwhelming joy and happiness. She jumped up like a joyful little bird, tightly hugging Chen Ming's neck and hopping excitedly several times: "Master, you're so good!! Hehehe..."

Xie Wanqing and Hua Qianhui, who had been quietly following behind, were delighted to see that Chen Ming had managed to coax Han Xueyi back to a smile with just a few words, and they happily surrounded her.

Chen Ming was immediately enveloped in a world of warm and soft beauty. His left arm was held by Han Xueyi, his right arm was held by Xie Wanqing, and his back was pressed against the smiling Hua Qianhui. He was enjoying the bliss of having two women by his side.

The four of them, tugged and laughing, walked slowly back along the village road like conjoined twins. They paid no attention to the occasional surprised and curious glances cast by passing villagers.

For Chen Ming, worldly views could no longer bind him in the slightest; and for the girls around him, as long as they could stay by his side, all the disturbances from the outside world seemed insignificant.

When they returned to Han Xueyi's house, Han Xueyi enthusiastically took on the role of guide, showing Chen Ming, Xie Wanqing, and Hua Qianhui around.

Her family seemed to be quite well-off, living in a typical self-built house with a yard, common in rural northern China. The house had a red brick wall and a sturdy iron gate. Both the front and back yards were vegetable gardens, filled with lush, green seasonal vegetables. The main structure of the house was a traditional hut, but the space seemed quite large; if another floor were added, it would definitely resemble a small rural villa.

After Han Xueyi's explanation, it became clear that in such remote rural areas, these self-built houses were actually not worth much. The land belonged to the collective, and the construction costs were relatively low, making them incomparable to the value of properties in the city.

We had just finished a brief tour when we heard a commotion outside the gate.

Han's mother returned briskly, carrying two large bags full of groceries, her forehead glistening with sweat. Upon seeing Chen Ming, her face immediately lit up with an incredibly warm smile, and she greeted him:

　"Xiao Chen, come inside and sit down for a rest! You must be tired from driving all this way. Dinner will be ready soon; Auntie bought the freshest meat and vegetables!"

After saying that, she put the things down and turned to instruct her daughter:

"Xueyi! This plastic bag contains drinks I just bought, they're ice-cold. Quickly take them out and give them to Xiao Chen to quench his thirst! And that bag contains fruit, I picked out the best ones, hurry up and wash them and peel them for Xiao Chen..."

Han's mother's enthusiasm for Chen Ming was overflowing. While she was busy preparing the meal, she also made sure that Han Xueyi would take good care of Chen Ming.

The level of care shown made Xie Wanqing and Hua Qianhui, who were watching from the sidelines, unable to help but cover their mouths and chuckle.

This was as if Chen Ming was her biological son, and Han Xueyi was like a maid she had picked up casually to serve this "biological son."

Han Xueyi readily agreed, smiling as she went to prepare drinks and fruit for her husband. The small farmhouse courtyard was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere…

Before long, a sumptuous lunch, full of the specialties of the Far North Province, began.