Chapter 2

The Foolish Han Qing Lin

    The night had passed.

    Qing Lin's body was carried far along by the current of the stream until eventually, she was discovered by a villager who was fishing in the stream to sustain his life.

    As soon as she became conscious, Qing Lin found herself lying motionless by the stream. Once her blurry vision cleared, she saw a man leaning back against a tree, looking lazy and intimidating, which startled her into paralysis.

    He was a big, burly man, resembling a bull, with a fearsome appearance. His dark face was marred by ugly scars, his thick, greenish beard was terrifying, and his cold, harsh eyes seemed to have a murderous intent, like those of a predator.

    Although Qing Lin faintly remembered him as the one who saved her from the water, his repulsive appearance made her too afraid to even thank him.

    She even thought the worst of him…

    He seemed too dangerous to approach, not worth engaging with.

    Qing Lin lay still, too frightened to move even a fingertip, her demeanor filled with panic, her frail body shaking tremendously from fear.

    Time passed until the man, seemingly realizing he was despised, got up and walked away silently.

    Seeing this, Qing Lin exhaled a sigh of relief and tried to sit up, casting fearful glances at the man.

    Soon...she began to muster the strength to move. She stood up and walked away quietly, not thinking of thanking her rescuer at all.

    He was just too hideous and frightening...

    After falling into the water and losing consciousness for a whole night, Qing Lin managed to drag her battered body and soul back home.

    She felt feverishly hot as if she might come down with a fever, but upon arriving home and seeing Zhang Chuan standing in the courtyard of the main house, her ailments seemed to vanish completely.

    He was dressed in a dignified navy blue outfit, unchanged in his elegance. She thought he had come to see her and was waiting there as usual.

    The young woman was thrilled to see her fiancé, and all the images and sounds of yesterday's trauma seemed to vanish.

    As she walked towards her beloved, she saw him grunt unhappily and, with a flick of his garment, he turned and walked into the house without a word or greeting.

    Qing Lin was shocked and immediately followed Zhang Chuan inside.

    Upon passing the doorway, she saw her parents sitting together, with her father's concubine and Qing Li also present.

    Her important younger brother was probably out playing, so he wasn’t there.

    Zhang Chuan sat on one side, his gaze somewhat disdainful.

    On the opposite side were two unfamiliar villagers with shifty expressions and strange faces.

    The young woman looked on, puzzled.

    She didn't know these villagers, but it soon became clear why they were there.

    “I’ve told everything I saw; why did you have to bring me here to confirm it?”

    One of the villagers, a middle-aged woman of considerable size and easily irritable demeanor, complained unhappily. However, the intense gaze from the Han family members made her lower her head and shut her mouth immediately.

    After standing bewildered for a long while, Qing Lin noticed the icy stares directed at her by everyone present, revealing an unusual coldness. Suddenly, she heard Qing Li speak up,

    “Eldest Sister, why would you behave like this? You are already engaged. How could you disappear with another man overnight?”

    Qing Li’s expression darkened, her eyes revealing deep disappointment.

    Qing Lin was even more confused. What was her sister talking about?

    During this time, the strange man and woman spoke up, claiming to have seen Qing Lin with a man by the stream, and that her disappearance for a full night was due to a rendezvous with this man.

    Qing Lin felt a chill shoot through her body, her mind went blank, and her ears rang. She began to understand a little.

    “Who?” Han Yi Shuan asked loudly, his face showing intense anger.

    The plump woman quickly replied, “It was Gong Niu[1], at the end of our village, sir. I saw it with my own eyes.”

    “Who’s Gong Niu? Even the name sounds unseemly.”

    Another man elaborated loudly, “He’s the outcast of Ping Yan village. sir, you may not know him, but the poor people at the end of the village all do. He lives by the stream, a big, tall man with a beard and his face full of ugly scars. He’s hideous, and importantly, he is mute and cannot speak. His back is also hunched, making him look frightful, almost like a bull in human form. That’s why the villagers call him Gong Niu.”

    Everyone in the Han family was shocked.

    Qing Lin was more panicked than anyone.

    When the pair of villagers finished speaking, they were escorted out of the room by Han’s concubine, given some money, and sent on their way.

    After the witnesses left, the atmosphere in the hall remained heavy and oppressive.

    Qing Lin, now overwhelmed by fever, found herself weakening, her mind growing fuzzy.

    She tried to muster all her strength to explain, but her words were choppy, and she could barely speak.

    “I...I…I didn’t...”

    Qing Lin was utterly confused, unable to think as swiftly as anyone else.

    She has always been like this, hesitant and unsure, causing irritation among those around her.

    At that moment, Zhang Chuan’s voice thundered, not giving Qing Lin a chance to say anything,

    “What!? Lin’er!”

    Qing Lin shuddered, trembling like a bird in the rain.

    She wasn’t a sharp-witted woman, so she could only clench her lips and bow her head, not daring to look up.

    Zhang Chuan’s anger exploded,

    “How could you demean yourself so much to disgrace yourself with a deformed, unseemly man? It’s the ultimate humiliation for me as a normal man. I will break off the engagement right now.”

    Hearing his final words, Han Yi Shuan and Jia Ru were shocked, both widening their eyes.

    This was a major issue, meaning a loss of family honor. Just the thought of their daughter losing her purity to a lowly man was bad enough, but the breaking off of the engagement would be even worse.

    Han Yi Shuan’s face turned dark, he glared at Qing Lin accusingly. Jia Ru raised her hand to her chest in shock. She was afraid that her husband’s anger might extend to her, so she didn’t dare say a word, only disappointedly looking at her disgraceful daughter.

    The subject of many critical gazes, was still confused and unaware of the plans of others, though knowing deep down it wasn’t true.

    The unsightly man had not touched her more than necessary to pull her from the water and lay her on the bank. Her clothes were still intact, not even changed, but she still couldn’t argue even a single word.

    Because her disappearance for a night and being with another man was a truth that could not be denied. Moreover, the two witnesses spoke clearly and decisively that they saw Qing Lin with Gong Niu all night for sure, invoking divine punishment if false.

    And everyone believed just that, leaving no room for Qing Lin to defend herself.

    She could only stand frozen, too scared to even move, her face full of sorrow and torment, fearing greatly that her fiancé would cease to love her, and thus dared not make any rash moves.

    Even Qing Lin herself had completely forgotten that it was actually Zhang Chuan who had arranged to secretly meet another woman to engage in an affair.

    And that woman was her own sister...

    Qing Lin looked towards Qing Li, who, pitifully wiping her tears with a handkerchief, expressed profound sorrow and wept, pleading with the elders to remain calm and not to punish her elder sister.

    At this moment, everyone saw Qing Li as a sweet and compassionate angel, whereas Qing Lin seemed like a demon who had disgraced their family.

    Zhang Chuan declared resolutely, “I want to break off the engagement!”

    Everyone in the Han family was shocked, and Qing Lin collapsed to the floor.

    The Zhang family was of higher status than the Han family, and their business relations were expected to continue for a long time. Han Yi Shuan, therefore, was somewhat apprehensive about offending him. Breaking off the engagement was considered a serious matter and should not have happened.

    “A’Chuan, please calm down,” Han Yi Shuan stood and spoke to Zhang Chuan with a soft voice, “Shall we discuss this matter privately for a moment?”

    The study room of Han Yi Shuan was located towards the back of the reception hall. Zhang Chuan was led into this room, and then there was silence.

    After a long silence amid an atmosphere heavy as if a dense fog hung low, Qing Lin sat pale and speechless in the middle of the spacious hall, with Qing Li sitting opposite her, her face streaked with tears yet giving a sly, unnoticed smirk.

    Soon...Han Yi Shuan emerged from the study with Zhang Chuan, announcing that the wedding preparations should commence immediately. In the meantime, Qing Lin was to remain indoors and not do anything shameful.

    Qing Lin was surprised that the situation had turned out this way, but also partly relieved because Zhang Chuan did not mention breaking off the engagement again.

    Han Yi Shuan sternly instructed Qing Lin, “For A’Chuan, can you do this, Lin'er?”

    “Does this mean Brother Chuan will not break off the engagement?”

    Qing Lin asked excitedly, looking at Zhang Chuan with hopeful eyes.

    The young man, stern-faced, met her gaze without denial and said softly, “I will not break off the engagement. Prepare yourself to be the bride.”

    With that, he flounced off, clearly still upset.

    Following this, the wedding preparations were carried out efficiently, and Qing Lin was to stay indoors, waiting only to put on the red dress.

    In the days leading up to becoming a bride, Qing Lin, who had now recovered from her illness, finally had the chance to explain to her parents that she had fainted during a walk and fallen into the water, where Gong Niu had helped her. She maintained her innocence, not having committed any mistake.

    Qing Lin explained only this, intentionally concealing the relationship between her fiancé and her sister, terrified that the story might take a worse turn, worried that Zhang Chuan might have to take responsibility for Qing Li before marrying her.

    “I truly have no relationship with Gong Niu.”

    Her parents nodded in understanding, not scolding her further…

    After explaining the truth, Qing Lin felt much relieved, quietly watching the almost complete wedding preparations with contentment…

[1] 公牛 Gong Niu means a bull.