Si Nian sat in the car, reflecting on the reason the older man wanted to get married.
The man, Zhou Yueshen, was thirty years old and ran a pig farm in a remote rural area.
The three children weren’t his—they were his late sister’s orphans: one ten years old, one seven, and the youngest barely two.
Because of these three kids, he had married once last year, but his wife had somehow run away.
Running the farm kept him too busy to care for the children properly, so he decided to find another wife.
Being a pig farm owner, he wasn’t stingy with money and quickly secured Lin Sisi’s hand in marriage.
Who would’ve thought Lin Sisi had such a hidden background?
Luckily, Si Nian’s mindset was different from people of this era.
A painless way to become a mother—nothing could be better.
The car rattled its way to the village entrance. The driver worked for the Si family, and now that she had fallen from grace, he showed no courtesy, simply dumping her at the roadside.
"Miss Si Nian, the village path isn’t easy to walk. You’ll have to manage on your own," he sneered before driving off.
Si Nian’s lips twitched. No matter the era, people were always this pragmatic—kick a man when he’s down.
Dragging her heavy suitcase, she trudged into the shabby Xingfu Village.
The road was lined with identical yellow-earth houses, and the path was rough and muddy. But not far ahead stood a brand-new two-story house, which caught Si Nian’s eye.
The fields were still bustling with laborers, and the sudden appearance of such a delicate city girl quickly drew curious stares.
"Excuse me, do you know where Zhou Yueshen’s house is?" Si Nian withdrew her gaze and asked a young man approaching with a hoe.
"Brother Shen? What do you want with him?" The tanned youth looked surprised. He had been too shy to stare at the obviously urban girl, but now she was asking about Zhou Yueshen?
"You know him? Good." Hearing his familiar tone, Si Nian didn’t hide the truth. "I’m his second wife, here to marry him."
No bride could be more pitiful—no escort, and she couldn’t even find the way.
How embarrassing.
But the Si family had made it clear they wouldn’t send her off as in-laws. Marrying a rural man was a disgrace in their eyes.
"Huh? It’s you?" The young man’s eyes widened in shock, his dark face full of disbelief.
"That’s right. Could you point me in the right direction?" Carrying such a heavy suitcase under the June sun, Si Nian’s arms were about to give out. The original owner’s pampered body wasn’t cut out for this.
Blushing, the youth quickly pointed at the two-story house. "It’s... right there."
Si Nian froze. She had assumed it belonged to some village tycoon—but it was the Zhou family’s?
The rich one was me all along?
This house was even better than the Si family’s!
In this era, building a two-story home in the countryside proved the family had money.
Maybe things weren’t as bad as she’d thought.
Thanking him, she hurried over.
The young man wanted to say more, but she was already walking away with a spring in her step. He was speechless.
Hadn’t he heard the neighboring village gossip about the girl’s refusal and the ugly scene?
He thought the engagement was called off—so why was she here now?
And so pretty too...
"Anyone home?" Si Nian knocked on the gate, only to jump back in fright at the massive Tibetan Mastiff tied nearby.
Her legs nearly gave out.
Si Nian was terrified of dogs—she’d been bitten before.
Luckily, the dog just stood up, gave her a wary once-over, and, seemingly deciding the delicate girl posed no threat, lazily lay back down.
Si Nian: "…?" Excuse me, what’s that supposed to mean?
"Coming, coming! Who is it?" A middle-aged woman rushed to open the gate, gaping at the delicate girl. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The Zhou family had few relatives, and visitors were rare.
Especially young women.
The last engagement had ended with the girl throwing a fit and refusing.
"Me?" Si Nian blinked. "Zhou Yueshen’s new wife. And you are?"
She remembered the book mentioned Zhou Yueshen had no parents—so who was this?
"I’m Aunt Liu, hired by Young Zhou to look after the kids. Are you Lin Sisi?"
The woman scrutinized her, eyes filled with judgment and inexplicable hostility.
Si Nian frowned but replied, "I’m not Lin Sisi. You must’ve heard—Lin Sisi isn’t the Lin family’s real daughter. I am, so I’m the one marrying in."
"Nonsense! It was agreed Lin Sisi would marry him. How can you just switch? Is the Lin family playing games? Get out of here!"
Si Nian’s expression darkened. "You were hired by the Zhou family to take care of the kids—meaning you’re a nanny. Can you really make decisions for them?"
Aunt Liu stiffened, realizing she’d just been called a servant. Her face turned stormy. "I’ve known Young Zhou for over a decade! Our families have always been close, and I’ve helped raise these kids. Of course I can decide!" She planted herself firmly in the doorway, blocking entry.
Si Nian’s temper flared. "Where’s Zhou Yueshen? Let me talk to him directly."
"I told you, Young Zhou isn’t home! Right now, I’m in charge here. If Lin Sisi won’t marry him, return the Zhou family’s 3,000 yuan and leave!" Aunt Liu shooed her away.
"What’s going on, Aunt Liu?" A man’s puzzled voice sounded behind Si Nian.
She turned to see the same young man from earlier.
At the sight of him, Aunt Liu’s eyes darted nervously. "Some random girl showed up out of nowhere, pestering us! Won’t take no for an answer!"
Ever since the Zhou family prospered, countless women had tried their luck, but Zhou Yueshen had rejected them all.
To the villagers, this explanation made sense.
But the young man had just spoken to Si Nian. With her clean, refined appearance, how could she be that kind of person?
He’d come to tell her Zhou Yueshen wasn’t home, only to find them arguing.
So he said, "Isn’t she Brother Shen’s bride?"
