Volume One, Chapter 18: Understand Your Own Heart, and Regret Nothing

Lu Xiuyi narrowed his eyes and delivered a solid punch to Chen Jianye’s lower abdomen with a loud “bang.” Chen immediately doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach.

“Tsk, you’re really ruthless,” Chen Jianye gritted his teeth and glared at Lu Xiuyi.

Regaining his composure, Chen Jianye seized the moment and threw a quick punch. Lu Xiuyi didn’t have time to dodge, and soon a bruise appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Lu Xiuyi brushed the corner of his lips with the back of his hand and let out a scornful snort. He had been careless just now, which was why Chen had found an opening.

At that moment, Jiang Yuan and Chen Xiangxiang ran over from a distance.

“Stop, stop! Let’s talk this out properly.”

They had been sitting on the ridge between the fields, chatting and resting, when Chen Xiangxiang suddenly turned her head and saw the two men fighting. Her pupils constricted sharply.

She hurriedly patted Jiang Yuan, panicked. “Quick, go over there! They’re fighting!”

Jiang Yuan saw it too. Just as Lu Xiuyi was getting beaten, she anxiously ran forward, nearly tripping halfway.

“Honey, does it hurt?” Jiang Yuan stood in front of Lu Xiuyi, shielding him from Chen Jianye’s attacks. She turned her head, heart aching as she looked at the bruise forming on her man’s lip.

Oh no, her golden opportunity was slipping away.

Lu Xiuyi looked at the teary-eyed girl before him, feeling a pang in his heart. Had he really... shouldn’t have hit him?

“Third Brother, are you okay?” Chen Xiangxiang examined Chen Jianye’s abdomen with her eyes, but being blocked, she couldn’t tell if he was injured.

“What kind of man is your third brother? It’s just a little scratch,” Chen Jianye said, trying to maintain his image in front of his younger sister. He straightened up, enduring the waves of pain spreading from his stomach.

Chen Xiangxiang looked around but saw nothing unusual, so she relaxed.

Then she turned back and questioned Lu Xiuyi, “Lu Xiuyi, why did you hit my third brother?”

She had seen with her own eyes that Lu Xiuyi had thrown the first punch.

Before Lu Xiuyi could answer, Jiang Yuan, protective of her man, couldn’t hold back.

She stepped forward and replied bluntly, “He just talks too much.”

“Jiang Yuan, you—” Chen Xiangxiang stomped her foot, furious.

Pointing at Lu Xiuyi, she said, “He was the first to make a move, I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Hmph!” Jiang Yuan slapped away Chen Xiangxiang’s pointing finger and insisted on standing by Lu Xiuyi. “That’s because Chen Jianye talks too much. My man wouldn’t hit someone without reason.”

Lu Xiuyi, guarded by Jiang Yuan, smiled more and more deeply in his eyes. It was the first time he’d felt protected by a woman.

Chen Xiangxiang widened her eyes, ready to argue further with Jiang Yuan.

Behind them, Chen Jianye gasped, seeing this scene and hurried over to pull Chen Xiangxiang away.

“Little sis, it’s nothing. We’re just messing around. Didn’t I hit him too?”

Men’s matters didn’t need the young girls to defend them; where was his pride in that?

“Stubborn pride causes suffering,” Chen Xiangxiang shot a glare at her brother and turned to leave.

Hmph, she wouldn’t bother anymore.

“You should sit down too,” Lu Xiuyi said.

“No,” Jiang Yuan shook her head. Since Chen Xiangxiang had left, if she left too, what if the two of them started fighting again?

Lu Xiuyi seemed to understand Jiang Yuan’s thoughts and calmly added, “We won’t fight again. Don’t worry.”

Chen Jianye on the opposite side couldn’t stand it anymore. He waved his hand. “Let’s go. Even if we fight, you won’t help by staying here.”

Jiang Yuan shot daggers with her eyes.

“Ugh,” Chen Jianye looked at Jiang Yuan incredulously and asked, feeling wronged, “Why are you hitting me?”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Yuan charged like a cannonball, clenching her fists and pounding on his stomach again. He didn’t even have time to dodge.

As he raised his hands to push her away, Lu Xiuyi shot him a murderous glare. Chen Jianye was caught in a dilemma, his expression indescribable.

After Jiang Yuan’s assault, Lu Xiuyi stepped forward, grabbed her by the shoulder, and pulled her back into his embrace.

“Let go of me,” Jiang Yuan tried to struggle. Chen Jianye’s mouth was too sharp; she wanted to teach him a lesson in manners.

“Be good, listen,” Lu Xiuyi said softly as he turned her around, bending down to look into her eyes. His large hand gently stroked Jiang Yuan’s head.

The masculine scent of his hormones hit her face. Jiang Yuan’s cheeks flushed a rosy red, her big eyes blinking as she swallowed hard.

Inwardly, she covered her face. This man was playing dirty—too seductive.

Chen Jianye quietly watched the two, thinking, “How am I supposed to survive this?”

“If I go over there, you two can’t fight anymore,” Jiang Yuan said as she walked, looking back with reluctance.

“Go ahead,” Chen Jianye said, feeling blinded by the two of them.

The remaining work was left to Chen Jianye and Lu Xiuyi. They worked quickly.

By the time they finished, it wasn’t too dark yet. After registering their work points, the four parted ways and headed home.

Under the night sky, Jiang Yuan reached out to hook Lu Xiuyi’s arm, but he shrugged it off.

Jiang Yuan: “...” Not giving up.

She tried again, this time feeling the force of his shrug lessen considerably. Jiang Yuan smiled victoriously and with a little more effort successfully linked her arm with Lu Xiuyi’s. She looked down, and their shadows intertwined.

At the Li family home, Li Lianhua was just finishing dinner preparations when she looked up and saw the young couple walking hand in hand, her heart filling with joy.

Her face lit up with happiness as she called out, “You’re back! Come in quickly, dinner’s almost ready.”

Lu’s father sat on a stool nearby. Hearing Li Lianhua’s laughter, he turned his head and immediately noticed the change between the young couple.

“Mother, let me help you,” Jiang Yuan said cheerfully, releasing Lu Xiuyi’s arm as she went to the kitchen to assist.

“No, no need,” Li Lianhua gently pushed Jiang Yuan away. “You’ve been busy all day. Go sit down and rest.”

Given the morning’s events, Li Lianhua assumed Jiang Yuan had been working hard until now and wanted her to rest.

“Mother, I’m not tired. This afternoon… Xiuyi helped me with the work.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yuan suddenly lowered her head, her cheeks slowly flushing deeper until the color reached her earlobes.

Li Lianhua, a seasoned woman, immediately recognized her daughter-in-law’s shyness and couldn’t help but smile broadly.

With their son and daughter-in-law getting along so well, they, as parents, could finally rest easy. They had worried that the remarriage might cause emotional distance and turn them into resentful partners.

“Xiuyi is cold on the outside but warm inside. Spend more time together, and you’ll understand.”

“Mm,” Jiang Yuan nodded. Suddenly, she felt hopeful about her long journey of winning her husband’s heart.

In the courtyard, Lu’s father raised an eyebrow at his son and asked, “Are you serious about her?”

Lu Xiuyi pursed his lips, paused briefly, and answered, “No.”

“?” Lu’s father raised his brow, puzzled. How could they come back holding hands if he wasn’t serious?

“Ha!” Lu’s father didn’t press further but advised, “Know your heart clearly. Don’t do things you’ll regret.”

Lu Xiuyi replied, “...I won’t.”

“That’s good.”

“Come, let’s eat.” Li Lianhua brought out a pot of wild vegetable porridge and a few steamed buns. That was tonight’s dinner.

They hadn’t yet received this year’s money or grain rations, so this was all they could manage for now.

Fortunately, no one at the table minded, and they all dug in heartily.