Upon hearing someone call out "Qi Fang," Qi Fang instinctively turned his head.
But after scanning the area, he saw no one looking his way and assumed he must have misheard. Scratching his head, he turned back.
Meanwhile, Qi Fang frowned the moment he heard the call.
Though he didn’t interact much, his memory was sharp—he recognized almost every young woman’s voice in the forestry station.
But this one, sweet and delicate, was unfamiliar. And when he glanced at her face, it was entirely unknown to him.
The young woman appeared slightly older than Yan Xue, with large eyes, fair skin, and two braided pigtails. She wore a green military uniform, a red armband on her left sleeve, and clutched a bag tightly to her chest. Despite her careful grooming, her clothes bore the wrinkles of a long journey.
Qi Fang, still carrying someone on his back, didn’t move. His voice was cold. "What do you want?"
His tone was entirely unfamiliar, even laced with impatience, causing the young woman’s excited expression to falter. "You don’t remember me?"
Should he?
Qi Fang’s brows knitted tighter, but he remained silent.
Yan Xue, peeking over his shoulder, studied the girl. "Do you know her?"
"No," Qi Fang answered firmly, his voice icy. "I don’t know any female comrades."
As if she knew many male comrades herself, Yan Xue nudged him. "Put me down. Maybe she really needs something."
Qi Fang didn’t budge, his handsome face indifferent as he addressed the stranger. "Speak if you have business. Otherwise, we’re leaving."
His demeanor was just as unyielding as when Yan Xue had first met him in the mountains—except now, she was the one on his back instead of facing him.
Surprisingly, the girl took his rudeness in stride, showing no sign of embarrassment.
The young mistress, Yan Xue, wouldn’t be embarrassed either. She’d already endured far worse in the dreamt-up book.
Back then, her father had been investigated, her husband dragged into the turmoil, their once-stable home suddenly crumbling. After desperate inquiries, she learned the orchestrator was none other than Qi Fang.
She’d nearly forgotten about him—forgotten that during the early years of the upheaval, she’d broken off a childhood engagement.
Truthfully, she barely remembered him, only recalling a dull, quiet boy who fiddled with odd contraptions. At fourteen, he’d entered university, earning widespread praise. Her parents had even made her write him a letter, to which he’d replied with lifeless words.
Who could’ve imagined that such a person, after over a decade in the countryside, would return to the city and establish Evergreen Heavy Industries, a national powerhouse?
Who could’ve guessed that his private enterprise’s heavy machinery would outperform all state-owned competitors, whether cranes or tractors?
And who’d have thought that a minor broken engagement would bring ruin to her family?
The young mistress had never known hardship before. She’d raged, resented, but ultimately swallowed her pride and begged the man she’d met only once for mercy.
She’d prepared herself thoroughly, even applying makeup, ready to endure his torment, humiliation, or worse if it meant saving her father and husband.
The man, gaunt and coughing, had nonetheless flung her to the ground with surprising strength as she reached for his shoulder.
He’d looked at her as if she were something vile. "Don’t touch me."
In that moment, her shame had been a hundred times worse than now. She’d broken down, sobbing, begging to know how to spare her family, admitting their mistakes.
But he’d only stared, his striking peach-blossom eyes—still beautiful even in illness—filled with scorn. "You think it’s about that? Why don’t you ask your father what he did? Ask your husband?"
She didn’t recall if he’d said more, only that security had dragged her out. When she awoke, it was 1969 again—before everything began.
The engagement with Qi Fang was already broken. She’d met Wu Xingde through an introduction, and after three months, they were set to marry—just like in the dream.
In that dream, her family had been mere cannon fodder in some book. She didn’t fully grasp it, but she knew their fates were grim.
The vividness of it all had sent her fleeing home before the engagement, drenched in cold sweat.
If the root of their downfall was the broken engagement, then she’d marry Qi Fang as originally intended. That way, her father and husband would be spared.
In her past life, they’d never had children, but Wu Xingde had remained devoted. Since their future was doomed, she’d rather set him free than drag him down.
Qi Fang had never married either. If she humbled herself, perhaps she could soothe the sting of their broken engagement…
The one thing she hadn’t anticipated was the girl on his back. The young mistress never imagined the future industrial titan—cold-hearted, even ruthless—would carry someone so tenderly.
And unless she’d misheard earlier, they’d been arguing.
Yet he tolerated the girl’s sharp words?
Even though his face had looked ready to explode…
For a moment, she doubted she had the right man. But this face matched the one from her memories—just younger, handsomer, more human.
Hesitating, she finally asked Yan Xue, "Who is she?"
Utterly baffled, Qi Fang turned and walked away, still carrying his passenger.
Yan Xue, restless on his back, glanced over his shoulder. "Why are you running? Did you leave behind some romantic debt?"
"Isn’t one debt enough?" he snapped.
This one alone was giving him headaches. He still hadn’t figured out how to handle the looming threat.
But Yan Xue was genuinely puzzled. "Then why would she seek you out and ask if you remember her?"
When someone asks if you recall so-and-so by the lake, it’s usually either a lover or a father.
At Qi Fang’s age, no one would mistake him for a dad. But his looks did tend to attract admirers.
Yan Xue tightened her arms around his neck. "Was that letter from her? No wonder you’ve been acting strange—asking about money, calling yourself unworthy, losing sleep…"
"No," Qi Fang growled, his expression darker than before.
Yet he couldn’t explain to Yan Xue who’d really written that letter, or why he’d called himself unworthy, or why he couldn’t sleep.
Just then, the abandoned young mistress finally regained her wits. "Qi Fang, have you forgotten our families’ engagement? I came to marry you!"
The wind seemed to still. Qi Fang halted mid-step, his heart sinking.
It really was the Yan family’s young mistress.
Hadn’t she been about to get engaged again? Why seek him out now?
Heavier than his heart was Yan Xue on his back. Qi Fang didn’t know whether to be grateful that she couldn’t see the expression on his face right now.
But Yan Xue had already turned her head. "You said you have a marriage contract with him?" Her voice was laced with disbelief, and her arms around his neck even loosened slightly.
He was still trying to figure out how to explain when the young Miss Yan cut in without hesitation, "That’s right. A childhood betrothal, arranged since we were little."
Yan Xue fell silent, but at this moment, silence was far from a good sign.
Qi Fang could only close his eyes briefly before turning in another direction with her still on his back. "Let’s talk when we get back."
Talk when they got back? Even then, he had no idea how to explain this.
Qi Fang had spent the past few days searching for Yan Xue’s supposed fiancé, worried she might slip up, only to have his own secret exposed first.
The entire way back, his face remained stormy. Both Yan Xues were lost in their own thoughts, neither uttering a word.
When they reached the Guo family’s courtyard, they ran into Aunt Guo.
The old woman let out an exclamation at the sight of Yan Xue on Qi Fang’s back. "Didn’t you sprain your foot? Why’d you go out again?"
Yan Xue, ever skilled at masking her emotions, showed no sign of distress and smiled as she exchanged pleasantries. "I had some business to take care of."
Aunt Guo’s eyes landed on the young Miss Yan and assumed she’d gone out to fetch a relative. "Family visiting?"
"I’m here to—" Miss Yan started to answer but was cut off by a cold glance from Qi Fang, forcing her to swallow her words.
Because of that dream, she’d always felt a lingering fear toward this man who had once been her fiancé. Even though he was young and handsome now, without the later traces of brooding sickness.
But when they finally reached the small, half-earthen house, she couldn’t help blurting out, "You live here?"
There it was—the reaction befitting the real Miss Yan of the Yan family.
Nothing like Yan Xue, who hadn’t shown a hint of disdain and had adapted even more seamlessly than he had.
Qi Fang didn’t respond. Miss Yan, reading his expression, quickly shut her mouth and stepped inside, clutching her bag.
Just as Qi Fang was about to follow, a hand pinched his arm, followed by a low whisper near his ear, "You had a childhood betrothal, and yet you asked someone to introduce you to a partner?"
After a silent journey, the inevitable confrontation had arrived. Strangely, Qi Fang found this questioning more reassuring than if she’d said nothing at all.
And since Yan Xue was phrasing it this way, she clearly hadn’t yet connected the dots about the mistaken identity. He paused before replying, "It was called off a long time ago."
"A long time ago? Then why is she here looking for you?"
Yan Xue still couldn’t make sense of it, but at least a broken engagement was better than an active one. Otherwise, she’d feel like a mistress caught red-handed by the rightful wife.
Qi Fang was just as puzzled. Once inside, he first set Yan Xue down on the kang and checked the swelling on her ankle before finally turning to their visitor. "Our families’ engagement was dissolved last year. Your father personally wrote to me demanding the betrothal documents back. Don’t tell me you didn’t know."
Miss Yan, who had been discreetly surveying the small room, froze at his words.
Though she’d braced herself for some form of reprimand, she still hesitated before replying, "I’m sorry. What my family did was unfair. I apologize on my father’s behalf."
In the past, Qi Fang might have cared that the Yan family looked down on him, even threatening his family. But now, he just wanted her gone as soon as possible.
"If you came just to say that, then I accept your apology. You can leave now."
His tone was calm.
But Miss Yan didn’t buy it for a second. If he could truly let it go, he wouldn’t have sought such ruthless revenge in her past life. "I mean it. My father just had a momentary lapse in judgment—it wasn’t about looking down on you. And neither do I. I came here to marry you. I couldn’t get the official letter of introduction, but I stole my household register."
Afraid he wouldn’t believe her, she hastily pulled out a folded paper from her bag. "We might not be able to get the marriage certificate right away, but we can hold the wedding first. My father will come around eventually—"
"But I’m already married," Qi Fang interrupted.
Seeing the doubt in her wide eyes, he calmly took Yan Xue’s hand. "I didn’t get a chance to introduce her earlier. This is my wife."
Carrying someone could be excused as necessity, but holding hands…
Miss Yan’s gaze dropped to their intertwined fingers, shock plain on her face. "M-married? How is that possible?"
"We are married," Yan Xue said, her voice much gentler than Qi Fang’s. "Whatever history you two had, the engagement between your families was called off. Him marrying someone else is perfectly reasonable, don’t you think?"
"There was no history. I only met her once," Qi Fang added firmly, not giving her any room to argue.
The bluntness was almost cruel. The young woman’s already pale face whitened further.
Yan Xue quickly tugged at Qi Fang’s sleeve before addressing Miss Yan again. "You came all this way to find him. Is there something you need help with?"
With the engagement dissolved—and by the Yan family’s own doing—there had to be a reason for her sudden appearance, especially after so much time had passed.
Yan Xue’s warm, understanding gaze made Miss Yan’s nose sting with sudden emotion. The fear and helplessness she’d been suppressing threatened to spill over.
Seeing this, Yan Xue grew more certain. "If you’re in trouble, you can tell us. Even without that past connection, we’ll help if we can. Right, Qi Fang?"
She looked at him expectantly, and Qi Fang gave a stiff nod. "Mm."
Whatever it took to send her on her way. His life was complicated enough without adding another variable.
Miss Yan studied them both, suspicion and hesitation flickering in her eyes before settling into resolve. "No, I’m here to marry Qi Fang."
She refused to believe he was already married—not even the sight of their clasped hands or the red double-happiness characters pasted on the walls and furniture could convince her.
In her dream, Qi Fang had remained alone his entire life, without so much as a woman by his side, let alone a wife.
If he’d been married, how could he have held onto a grudge over a broken engagement from years ago, plotting revenge so meticulously?
More importantly, she recognized Qi Fang’s face—it was nearly identical to the one in her dream. That had to mean the dream was real.
After all, she’d only met Qi Fang once as a child and had long forgotten what he looked like.
In the end, her fear of that dream’s prophecy outweighed the shock of reality. Miss Yan straightened. "Yes, I came here to marry him."
Thinking he might still resent the past, she forced a smile at Qi Fang. "I know you’re angry, but there was nothing we could do about Uncle Qi and Elder Brother Qi’s situation. Still, you weren’t formally exiled. I can go back and beg my father to pull strings to get you reinstated."
If an apology wasn’t enough, maybe bargaining would work. Surely Qi Fang didn’t actually want to waste over a decade in this backwater village…
Before she could finish, Yan Xue suddenly cut in, "Wait a minute."
Yan Xue had finally caught the oddity in her words. "What did you just say about Uncle Qi and Elder Brother Qi?"
The moment Qi Fang saw Yan Xue’s reaction, he knew Miss Yan had slipped up somewhere. But it was too late to stop her now.
Miss Yan didn’t notice his expression at all. "Right, his father and his elder brother—didn’t you know?"
At that moment, Yan Xue turned to Qi Fang. "Didn’t you say you had no family left?"
How was Qi Fang supposed to answer that? Should he lie and say he’d been afraid she’d mind, so he hadn’t dared mention it?
What if she knew more about her supposed fiancé than he’d assumed?
Sure enough, Yan Xue wasn’t so easily fooled. She immediately pressed Miss Yan, "You just said your father could send him back—back where?"
"He can return to Yanjing if he wants, or go back to the research institute. It’s up to him."
"So you’re from Yanjing?" Yan Xue turned her gaze to Qi Fang.
Her tone was calm, neither angry nor accusatory, yet Qi Fang instinctively tensed up.
At this point, there was no use hiding it. He decided to be honest. "My family is from Yanjing, but after I turned five, I spent most of my time living with my grandfather in Jiang Province."
"You didn’t invite your parents to your wedding?"
"My mother passed away when I was five. My father was sent down for re-education."
"And when I asked you to marry me, you just agreed? You even called me by name right away?"
Yan Xue had already stood up from the kang. Even though she was the shortest of the three, her presence alone made Qi Fang—who had just been glaring coldly at Miss Yan—shrink under her gaze.
The man pressed his lips together and had no choice but to lower his eyes to meet hers. "I thought you were her. She’s also named Yan Xue."
Now both Yan Xue and Miss Yan were stunned. "She’s also named Yan Xue?"
The two exchanged a glance, equally incredulous.
Not only did they share the same name, but they also both had sweet, delicate features. The difference was that Miss Yan carried an air of haughtiness in her sweetness, while Yan Xue was more approachable, with finer facial features.
Qi Fang had always believed this Yan Xue was that Yan Xue. Only now, seeing them side by side, did he realize he had no memory left of Miss Yan’s face.
After a long pause, Miss Yan was the first to speak, pointing at Yan Xue. "You mistook her for me, so you two actually got married?"
Yan Xue stayed silent. So did Qi Fang.
But in this moment, silence was admission. Miss Yan could hardly believe it. "How could you mix us up? Didn’t you even ask?"
Qi Fang remained quiet.
He hadn’t asked much at the time, mainly because he assumed Yan Xue would only be staying for a few days before leaving.
Miss Yan turned to Yan Xue. "He mistook you for someone else, but did you also mistake him?"
Yan Xue was equally silent.
She had also realized by now that she’d approached the wrong man. If she hadn’t figured it out by this point, she’d have to be a fool.
"You really mistook him too?" Miss Yan’s voice rose. "He’s a brick wall, but you didn’t ask anything either?"
"My match was supposed to be an orphan, the last of his family. I didn’t want to pry."
Yan Xue was just as exasperated. Besides, Qi Fang had been reserved when they first married—ask the wrong thing, and she’d hit a landmine. She hadn’t been that curious anyway.
Standing on one foot was uncomfortable, so Yan Xue slowly sat back down on the edge of the kang.
The man she’d been living with for nearly four months was the wrong one. To say she wasn’t shocked would be a lie—in that moment, her disbelief was no less than Miss Yan’s.
No wonder Qi Fang kept asking if she’d thought it through, if her family approved. Turns out, he thought she was his fiancée, even though their families had already called off the engagement long before.
Couldn’t he have just asked one more question back then? Like, "Your family already broke off the engagement, so why are you here?"
Then again, she hadn’t asked much either. She’d thought his conditions were decent, so she’d gone ahead with the marriage.
But now, nearly four months later, what about her actual match? She’d even taken a hundred yuan from him…
And Yan Xue… the Qi family… a childhood betrothal… called off…
The more Yan Xue thought about it, the more familiar the plot seemed. She couldn’t help but look up at the man. "Are you sure you don’t have another name?"
The same question she’d asked on their wedding day. It threw Qi Fang off, his emotions stuttering like a man awaiting judgment.
"No," he said firmly. But Miss Yan, still reeling, chimed in, "Though he does have a courtesy name—Qi Jingshu."
If he hadn’t later renamed himself Qi Jingshu, no one would’ve connected him to Evergreen Heavy Industries’ early days. They wouldn’t have been blindsided by his schemes either.
Just mentioning it put Miss Yan in a foul mood. Yan Xue, meanwhile, was at a loss for words.
How had she forgotten that people could change their names? Especially in this era, before household registries were digitized—after reform and opening up, fake IDs and diplomas had flooded the streets…
Turns out, she really had time-traveled into a novel. And she’d married the tragic, formidable male lead.
But the book hadn’t mentioned someone like her. Nor had it said that after the broken engagement, the male lead’s ex-fiancée had traveled all the way to marry him.
The situation was a tangled mess. No matter how experienced Yan Xue was at handling crises, even she needed a moment to sort through it. She rubbed her temples.
Qi Fang had no idea what she was thinking, but seeing her silent, his hands clenched unconsciously.
Amid the heavy quiet, it was Miss Yan who spoke first. "Well, since you both made a mistake, why not just swap back?"
"Swap back?" Yan Xue blinked.
"No!" Qi Fang rejected it instantly.
His gaze turned sharp as he glared at Miss Yan, who instinctively scooted closer to Yan Xue, as if hiding behind her made him less intimidating.
"I’m serious. You married her thinking she was me, and she has another match anyway. Just swap back. I don’t mind, and I doubt her fiancé will either—she’s pretty enough."
Miss Yan didn’t know how things had spiraled like this, but since they’d both been mistaken, wouldn’t swapping back fix everything?
Qi Fang’s temple throbbed. "No. I refuse."
He took a breath to steady himself, then looked at Miss Yan. "If you’re in real trouble, say so. But don’t even think about the rest."
His repeated rejections—"no," "I refuse," "don’t even think about it"—left Miss Yan baffled. "You married her because you thought she was me. What’s wrong with swapping back?"
If it had been her from the start—this spoiled, naive Miss Yan…
Qi Fang doubted she’d understand anything else he said. It’d be a waste of breath. "That’s between her and me. You and I are already done."
"Then how about we find her actual match and ask him?" Miss Yan wasn’t giving up.
Without a word, Qi Fang strode to the door and pulled it open. "If you’ve got nothing else, leave. I recall you saying you didn’t have an introduction letter."
His voice was so icy it reminded Miss Yan of the look he’d given her in her dreams. She immediately shut her mouth.
Just then, familiar voices carried in from the courtyard. "This is the place, right? Thank you."
A moment later, someone knocked on the main room’s door. "Is Yan Xue here?"
Qi Fang looked up—and locked eyes with Qi Fang at the door.
Qi Fang: Heard this place was handing out wives~
Qi Fang: So what’d I get? Divorce papers?
