Chapter 1

“Yueqian, are you really planning to go live in the countryside with him?”

“What’s the point? You’d be losing out. That Lu Cheng has no money, no power. Sure, he grew up in the same compound as us, but his family’s long fallen, and both his parents are dead. If you marry him, you’ll be tilling the fields with him—it’ll be hard. Yueqian, I know you can’t handle that kind of hardship.”

“Listen to me. Break it off with him now.”

“There are plenty of men in our compound who like you. Any one of them would be a hundred times better than him. I really can’t stand seeing you do this.”

Her best friend Xu Xia looked worried, glancing nervously out the window as if afraid someone outside would overhear the shocking news.

But unfortunately for Xu Xia, Gu Yueqian couldn’t comply. She was the Thorned Rose from the apocalypse, the so-called “Number One Female Gunner of the End Times.” And this world was nothing more than a sweet, historical romance novel she had once casually read.

In the book, the Gu family was set to be affected by reforms. To protect their daughter from hardship, they signed a one-year marriage contract with Lu Cheng. As a result, the ‘Gu Yueqian’ in that world was forced to marry a poor country boy, becoming his “villainous ex-wife.”

The original ‘Gu Yueqian’ had been pampered her whole life. Encouraged by Xu Xia, she looked down on the male lead, refused to go to the countryside after the wedding, lingered in Xu Xia’s home, and flirted with other young men in the compound. Only after discovering she was pregnant a month later did she reluctantly move to the countryside.

Even then, she continued to cause trouble—flirting with educated youth in the village, gaining a terrible reputation. After giving birth to a disabled child, she abandoned her husband and child to run off with a scumbag young man, who eventually sold her to the black market, leading to her death in humiliation.

The ‘Gu Yueqian’ in the book was truly foolish and malicious.

Her reason for rejecting the male lead? Despite his tall, handsome, and strong appearance, he was “too forceful” in bed, failing to show proper tenderness and charm.

Gu Yueqian: “…”

The girl was utterly clueless.

It was ironic that she shared the same name as herself—one life ruined by misfortune, the other by misjudgment.

Finding a capable, handsome man in the apocalypse wasn’t easy. Sigh.

In short, that version of ‘Gu Yueqian’ had completely destroyed herself. Her disabled child became a mere contrast to the heroine’s son: while the heroine’s child went to Tsinghua or Peking University, he caused trouble; while the heroine’s child was tall and handsome, he was born disabled.

Her reputation was ruined, her mother’s reputation was ruined, and she ultimately died just before the male lead became a top figure—all while the male lead and the original heroine lived happily ever after.

Gu Yueqian didn’t take it seriously at first—it was just a book.

But seeing the villainess not only share her name but also meet such a tragic end made her furious. She burned the novel in frustration.

Perhaps it was karma—she immediately transmigrated into that world.

“Yueqian, speak up! Lu Cheng is coming for you. Just one word from you, and I’ll make sure you don’t have to suffer in the countryside. Haven’t you always liked Zou Xiangming? He likes you too, doesn’t he?”

Xu Xia was desperate, practically hoping Yueqian would say she planned to elope with Zou Xiangming.

Gu Yueqian coldly smiled. “Xia Xia, I’m already married. Childhood games don’t matter anymore. I know you mean well, and you’ve been bringing Zou Xiangming to the house all this month, but I’ve never gone downstairs to meet him once. And he likes you, doesn’t he?”

“You…” Xu Xia’s expression changed as she instinctively glanced outside.

“You’ve liked Zou Xiangming since childhood, following him around, scolding him and still never leaving. How could you suddenly change? Yueqian, I know your heart has always been set on him. You can fool others, but not me.”

“You said that was in childhood. Back then, you liked Lu Cheng too,” Gu Yueqian’s clear eyes casually swept over her.

Xu Xia was shocked. “I didn’t! You’re lying.”

“When I was young, I couldn’t bear being separated from my parents. But now I understand. It’s fine if you don’t like my husband, because I’ve decided to live properly with Lu Cheng.”

“…!” Xu Xia nearly twisted in anger. When did Yueqian become so sharp-tongued?!

Bang.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Both Xu Xia and Gu Yueqian turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man enter. His features were sharp and imposing, his piercing eyes like those of a hawk. His presence exuded coldness and severity, his steps steady yet commanding.

“Husband,” Gu Yueqian greeted him, smiling brightly as she stepped forward.

Lu Cheng’s brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. He looked down at her coldly. “I came to pick you up.”

“I’ve already packed,” Gu Yueqian said, pointing to her bags.

Lu Cheng silently lifted the bags. Wearing a faded gray short-sleeved shirt, his forearms bulged with veins like twisted tree roots—strong, energetic, and full of life.

Gu Yueqian swallowed instinctively. What a strong husband.

“Xia Xia, I’m leaving. Thank you for taking care of me this past month,” she said.

Xu Xia struggled to smile. “Alright… I’ll write to you when you’re in the countryside.”

Gu Yueqian laughed softly, “Sure.”

Leaving the Xu family’s home, she headed to the station. She gently rubbed her belly, where her little baby lay—a child of her own.

In the apocalypse, radiation had made fertility nearly impossible, and humanity was on the brink of extinction.

Yet fate had granted her a second chance.

This time, Gu Yueqian would take care of herself, change her baby’s destiny, and give birth to a healthy, plump child.

Her marriage to Lu Cheng was for one year. After that, she planned to end the contract and escape with her child. With her knowledge from two lives and apocalypse-born advantages, she could build her own business empire in this world.

Lu Cheng could still have his happy ending with the original heroine—but this time, her child would never be the heroine’s son’s contrast.

“Move over a bit,” she said, pulling Lu Cheng aside to make room on the train seat. “You’re blocking people.”

She only pulled him casually, sitting by the window. But his wrist where she touched was hot to the touch. Even after sitting, he didn’t speak, subtly rolling his thumb along his wrist, his cold eyes flashing with a hidden light.

That night, the new bride wrapped her arms around him, whispering sweetly.

Her in-laws had agreed to a one-year contract marriage, not wanting to burden him too long.

Hmph. Marriage was done. Action was done. No need to be formal.