Chapter 2

Song Nian thought she would be too ashamed and restless to sleep, but she was truly exhausted and had underestimated her own mental resilience. After a brief wave of embarrassment, she actually slept straight through till morning.

When she heard the sound of running water in the bathroom and opened her eyes, daylight was already streaming in.

By the time Xu Jin came out of the bathroom, he had already changed into his immaculate military uniform. Seeing her awake, he spoke in his usual cool tone:
“You’re up. Go wash up, Mother’s waiting downstairs for us to have breakfast together.”

Song Nian answered softly and got up to wash. Xu Jin, meanwhile, stepped into the study across the hall:
“I’ll be waiting in the study.”

Not long after, Song Nian finished getting ready and knocked on the study door.

When Xu Jin opened it, he saw a graceful figure standing before him. Song Nian had changed into a pale pink blouse paired with a white skirt patterned with red polka dots. She wore small leather shoes, her long hair loosely pinned at the back, her face glowing with a radiance that outshone even her pearl earrings.

He pulled his gaze back. “Let’s go.”

On the first day of marriage, having to eat with her mother-in-law while her husband was cold and indifferent toward her, Song Nian had felt tense at first. But when she sat down at the dining table, she realized her worries had been unnecessary.

Though Xu Jin clearly didn’t like her, he did exactly as he had promised—treating her with the proper respect.

He served both his mother and Song Nian rice, asked about her tastes, and told Aunt Zhou to keep them in mind when cooking. His manner was distant, yet polite and attentive—making sure Song Nian wasn’t neglected.

Letting out a slow breath, Song Nian thought that life in the Xu household might not be as unbearable as she had feared.

After breakfast, Aunt Zhou accompanied Xu’s mother on a walk, while Xu Jin prepared to leave. Song Nian quickly followed him a step, wanting to speak, but hesitated, unsure how to address him.

Xu Jin glanced at her. “Just call me by name.”

“Oh, okay… Xu Jin, I wanted to ask—do I need to do anything around the house?”

The household chores were handled by Aunt Zhou. Having just arrived in Yunnan Province, she didn’t know anyone and had nothing to occupy herself.

Xu Jin replied, “It’s up to you. You can go shopping, read, or play the piano. There’s one at home—you’re free to use it.”

Her heart stirred at that, and she tentatively asked, “Can I… get a job?”

Xu Jin paused.

The next moment, he turned and went upstairs. Shortly after, he returned with a black leather wallet and handed it to her.

“What’s this?”

Puzzled, Song Nian opened it to find cash and various vouchers neatly inside.

Xu Jin said in his cool voice, “I overlooked giving this to you before. My apologies. You may use the money and vouchers as you like. If it’s not enough, let me know.”

Closing the wallet, Song Nian hesitated, then asked, “So… are you saying I can’t work?”

Xu Jin frowned. “Of course not. I just meant, whether or not you work, you’ll never lack for money. If you want a job, you can take one.”

Then he added, “If there’s anything you need from me, you can ask.”

Relieved, Song Nian smiled. “No need, no need. I can handle the job matter myself.”

Xu Jin gave her a look, answered with a quiet “Mm,” and left. Moments later, the roar of a military jeep faded in the distance.

The vast house felt empty with just herself inside. Song Nian sat down on the sofa with a newspaper, flipping through the classifieds to see if there was any work she could do.

Xu Jin’s meaning had been clear: he would provide for her.

But Song Nian wasn’t alone in this.

Even if he didn’t like her, she was married to him now. Him supporting her was one thing, but she still had her parents, who lived in a poor and remote place.

Her parents had grown up in comfort and never known hardship. She couldn’t imagine how they were managing out there. She needed to find a way to earn money to send back to them, to ensure they had food, clothing, and medical care.

And for that, she couldn’t use the Xu family’s money.

The marriage had already been something the Song family shamelessly clung to. Besides, since Xu Jin didn’t even like her, if she let the Xu family support her and then used his money to support her parents, she would be despised.

He could dislike her, but she could not live in a way that invited contempt.

Yes, the Song family had fallen. And yes, she had never earned money herself before. The thought of working made her uneasy, but she wasn’t afraid.

After scanning the last few days’ papers, Song Nian had two options: one ad sought a piano teacher for a child, while another was from the state-run Red Flag Garment Factory, hiring skilled seamstresses.

Apart from school and piano, the only practical skill she had cultivated over the years was designing, cutting, and sewing clothes—something she had been doing for years.

The family had a sewing machine, and she had made clothes for herself and her parents, often based on the latest styles from magazines. With a bit of natural talent, she was skilled in both design and sewing.

But working as a factory hand meant being in a large group, and she wasn’t sure she could adapt to that environment. So she decided to try for the piano teacher position first.

When Xu’s mother returned, Song Nian told her about wanting to find work. The older woman gave her a look but didn’t object, so Song Nian got ready and went out.

She contacted the family looking for a piano teacher.

It turned out the father was some sort of official, living in the Industrial Bureau’s family compound. Song Nian went there as arranged.

When she knocked, the door opened. The middle-aged man who answered froze for a moment, then his eyes filled with blatant admiration, his gaze growing sticky.

“You must be Miss Song. Please, come in, come in.”

He reached out as if to greet her with undue warmth, but Song Nian immediately stepped back, her face cold. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m suited for this position.”

Before he could respond, she turned to leave.

The man hurriedly took a couple steps after her: “Miss Song, I can double the pay, Song—”

Just then, a figure came up the stairs: a woman in her late twenties wearing a rose-red Dacron blouse, carrying a vegetable basket. Seeing Song Nian and the man behind her, she frowned. “What’s going on here? What happened?”

The man quickly forced a laugh: “Nothing, nothing. This is Miss Song—she came to interview as Xiaoyun’s piano teacher, but it didn’t seem a good fit. I was just seeing her out.”

The woman gave a curt “oh,” her eyes flicking between Song Nian’s face and her outfit, her expression turning unfriendly.

Song Nian ignored them, hurrying away. Outside the compound gates, she clenched her teeth and muttered under her breath, “Pervert.”

Forget it—she would try the garment factory. There might be crowds, but at least in a state-run factory she’d be safe.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the house, the wife confronted her husband: “Really nothing? Xiaoyun said she never even stepped inside, and you already decided she wasn’t suitable?”

The man sighed. “Alright, I won’t hide it. That girl had bad intentions. The moment she saw me, she started pressing herself against me. I could tell she was trouble, so I turned her away right there.”

The woman’s face twisted in disgust. She spat: “No wonder. She looked every bit the shameless seductress!”