Xu Yinchen sat in his small office at the pig farm. It was a single room with an old wooden table, a chair, and an old, worn-out sofa where he took naps when working late and entertained clients.
Most people came to schedule deliveries of fresh, high-quality pork for their restaurants, small hotels, and inns.
Right now, he was sitting on the old three-seater sofa, quietly listening as Wen Zian delivered his report.
"I looked into what you asked," Wen Zian began. "From what I found, Qin Lian did grow up in the city. She's been there for the past twenty years."
"She was engaged to a man named Lin Chengyan when she was young. Among her peers, she was known for her beauty… and her arrogance. Though I've heard she was always obedient to her parents. Like a pampered girl who was meant to be the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family."
Wen Zian paused for a moment, then added, "Apparently, Qin Zhong, her father, always wanted a son. But when he had a daughter instead, he was furious at first."
"Later, when she helped him gain connections in high society and secured an engagement with the Lin family, his attitude changed. He started treating her like a precious gem."
"Well, the Qin family isn't exactly known for being good people either. They're greedy and obsessed with money. They're pretty average compared to the high society they claim to belong to, but they got more arrogant after connecting with the Lin family. No wonder they raised such a spoiled and mean daughter."
From the stories he had heard, Qin Lian was a typical rich, spoiled brat. But thinking about the woman he met this morning, he hadn't sensed any of that arrogance in her. The contrast left him conflicted between what he had heard and what he had seen.
He leaned forward a little. "Qin Lian was completely pampered. Her parents bought her expensive dresses, jewelry, and everything she wanted. She was just a means for them to gain a foothold in high society."
"They were obsessed with looking rich and fitting in with the upper class. But the truth is, the Qin family is hollow. It's all for show. There's no real wealth or substance."
"She grew up without ever facing hardship. Failed multiple times in school. She didn't even want to complete her studies."
"If not for the Lin family, she wouldn't have bothered. They insisted that their future daughter-in-law must at least finish high school. That's the only reason she got her high school diploma, barely passing."
He rubbed his hands together before continuing, "But after Mu Ruoyu, the real daughter of the Qin family, returned, everything changed. The Qins suddenly shifted all their love and attention onto her. Qin Lian was pushed aside."
"These past few weeks, the Qin house has been nothing but a fish market; arguments, shouting, chaos every single day."
"Even yesterday, when the Lin family visited, the Qins brought up the topic of switching the engagement. They seem to agree. But Qin Lian… she completely lost control."
"She said she would only marry Lin Chengyan and that she'd never marry an old, pig farmer and the father of—"
Wen Zian looked up and paused when he saw Xu Yinchen's face darken. He knew it sounded uncomfortable, but he was only repeating what he had gathered from others.
Xu Yinchen slowly lifted his gaze. "Continue," he said coldly.
Wen Zian cleared his throat and quickly spoke again. "Anyway… she refused to switch the engagement. She threw a massive tantrum, screaming, crying, and there was this whole drama."
"Things escalated, and in the heat of the moment, she banged her head against the wall and got hurt."
"But here's the strange part. After she woke up, she didn't cause any scene. There was no noise coming from the Qin Family. She simply agreed to the engagement swap and came here yesterday."
"That's all I've found out for now," he concluded, picking up the glass of water from the table. His throat was dry after the long report.
It was not easy to find out everything on such short notice, but he used all of his resources to get this information.
"The woman I saw this morning… She looked so graceful, so polite. I still can't believe she's the same person from all those rumours and stories," he added with a bitter chuckle, shaking his head.
When he looked up again, Xu Yinchen was staring off into space, his expression dark and gloomy. Wen Zian wanted to ask what he planned to do now, but stopped himself, not daring to utter another word.
...
After hearing the report about Qin Lian, Xu Yinchen couldn't help but frown. He had already found her arrival yesterday abrupt, and the wound on her head had made it clear that something had happened.
But to learn that she had slammed her head against the wall herself, just because she didn't want to fulfill the engagement with him, was still shocking.
Did that mean she would rather die than marry him?
Then what made her change her mind so suddenly? Why did she agree to the engagement after all that fuss?
What unsettled him more was that nothing about her yesterday felt fake. Her words, her behavior… None of it seemed like an act.
It was as if the woman Wen Zian described and the one he met yesterday were two entirely different people.
Had he been too quick to judge? Was he… wrong about her?
He sat there, lost in thought, the questions lingering quietly in his mind. At that moment, there was a sudden knock at the office door, loud, panicked, and desperate.
Bang Bang
Xu Yinchen frowned at the sudden disruption. Before he could even speak, the door was pushed open, and Huang Zedong barged in, looking completely disheveled.
Her hair was a mess, her clothes wrinkled and torn, as though she had just been in a scuffle with someone, and a crimson handprint could be seen on her cheek.
For a second, Xu Yinchen was stunned by her appearance.
"Boss, I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me," the young man who followed her in quickly explained, looking frustrated.
Xu Yinchen waved him off. Wen Zian, sensing the tension and guessing it had something to do with the kids, quietly slipped out as well.
Now, only Huang Zedong and Xu Yinchen remained in the room.
As soon as the door was closed, the woman suddenly dropped to the floor, crying loudly and beating her chest. "Xu Yinchen, you have to take justice for me! I'm telling you, that woman is a witch, she's going to ruin your whole family!"
"Oh, those poor kids! Just because they don't have parents doesn't mean anyone can come and treat them like this. Oh, my poor babies," she wailed dramatically.
Xu Yinchen's face darkened at the sound of her loud, screeching voice. He stared at her coldly. "Just tell me what happened," he said flatly.
His sharp tone made her flinch for a second, but she quickly continued, explaining what had happened earlier.
"Today, when I went to work, I saw her mistreating the kids! She was yelling at them, hitting them. And when I tried to stop her, she attacked me too!"
"She's a crazy woman! She hates you and those bas—I mean, the children. Xu Yinchen, I swear, she's just trying to seduce you and trick you into handing over your money."
"She is a greedy bitch!"