In the afternoon, Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu went up the mountain together.

The mountains here were different from those near Lu Qingyuan’s production team. There were more pine trees, and many children were gathering pine branches to use as kindling.

Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu were there to cut bamboo for weaving.

With his strength, Shu Beiqiu quickly chopped down the bamboo that Lu Qingyuan selected, cut them into proper lengths as per her request, and placed them into a bamboo basket.

Once the basket was full, they headed back down the mountain.

“Eldest Sister and Second Sister couldn’t come this time. Should we visit them?” Lu Qingyuan asked.

“No need, we can just get together when it’s time for the banquet.”

Shu Beichun had married the farthest, in a neighboring county. Her husband was Shu Beiqiu’s former team leader. When he retired, he had helped deliver some things for Shu Beiqiu, who was still serving at the time. Through that, he and Shu Beichun developed feelings for each other and got married.

Now that she was having her second child and still in confinement, she couldn’t come. Instead, her father-in-law attended the wedding banquet on her behalf.

Shu Beixia, on the other hand, lived nearby in a neighboring town, but she was also in confinement. This time, her husband came in her place.

“Alright then,” Lu Qingyuan agreed.

Time was tight anyway. After returning home for the visit, they would have to head to the county since Shu Beiqiu had to return to work.

On the day of the homecoming visit, Lu Qingyuan wore the new clothes her mother had made and a pair of cloth shoes sewn by Mother Shu. Xiao Tingting also had a pair.

Shu Beiqiu carried a basket full of homecoming gifts, and with laughter and chatter, they arrived at the Lu family’s courtyard.

During Lu Qingyuan’s wedding banquet, Jiasheng and Lusheng had been overjoyed while eating. But over the past three days, after realizing that their aunt was no longer at home, they had cried heartbreakingly.

Now that they saw her return, they both wailed even louder.

Shu Beiqiu tried to comfort them, but they dodged him.

“You’re the one who took my Aunt away!”

“Wahhh—Aunt, don’t go with him! Just stay home, okay?”

Lu Qingyuan coaxed them one by one. “I’m married to your uncle now, so I have to go. But if you behave, I’ll come back often to visit you.”

Shu Beiqiu quickly took out the candies he had bought. “Jiasheng, Lusheng, have some candy.”

Candy was tempting, and soon, the two boys stopped crying, their hands and mouths full of sweets.

While Father Shu and his brothers pulled aside Shu Beiqiu to chat, Lu Qingyuan sat with her mother, sisters-in-law, grandmother, and aunts.

Only Lu Qingtian and Lu Qingming were absent since they were at work—everyone else was home.

“How is he treating you?”

“Look at your glowing face. He must be treating you well.”

“These cloth shoes don’t look like they were made at home. Did your mother-in-law make them?”

Lu Qingyuan answered each question with a smile.

“He treats me very well.”

“My parents-in-law and siblings all treat me well.”

“Yes, my mother-in-law made them. She prepared a pair for me and my sister-in-law beforehand.”

Seeing that she was truly doing well, Mother Lu and the others were finally at ease.

“Someone came to propose marriage to Chunhong. They’re from Xiao Shu’s production team,” Third Aunt Lu said in a low voice. “Your Fifth Aunt said you and your husband were the matchmakers?”

“Sort of,” Lu Qingyuan replied with a smile. “He and Beiqiu are good brothers, and his family lives just in front of ours. We’re neighbors.”

“That’s great. You sisters will be in the same area, so you can look after each other,” Grandma Lu said happily, holding Lu Qingyuan’s hand tightly.

“Have they set a date?” Lu Qingyuan asked.

She had been spending all her time with Shu Beiqiu and hadn’t inquired about the Liang family’s matters.

“Yes, it’s set for the first of June,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu replied. “Originally, Chunhong’s parents wanted to keep her at home for another six months, but she refused. People teased her, saying she was eager to get married, but Chunhong isn’t one to be bullied. She scolded those who spoke rudely until their faces turned red.”

“She was right to scold them. A wedding is a joyous occasion. What gives them the right to talk nonsense? Hmph, just a bunch of gossip.”

“Exactly.”

When Chunhong heard that Lu Qingyuan had come home, she brought over a basket of fiddlehead ferns to see her.

The two of them sat in Lu Qingyuan’s room, chatting and laughing.

“My parents wanted to delay my marriage by six months because they felt our family wasn’t on par with the Liangs. But I wouldn’t have it,” Chunhong said with a huff. “I like this man, and he’s an honest person. Since we have feelings for each other, I have no intention of letting go.”

“Well said!” Lu Qingyuan gave her a thumbs-up. “His parents are good people, too. There’s nothing to worry about with that family.”

“Right? My taste isn’t bad, is it?” Chunhong grinned, cupping her face in her hands. “Plus, we’ll be neighbors! Even though you’ll be in the county most of the time, you’ll still come home for holidays and festivals. We’ll have plenty of chances to see each other. Isn’t that great?”

“It really is,” Lu Qingyuan said, linking arms with her. “It’s wonderful.”

“Xiao Xin said that now that you’re married and I’ll be soon, she’ll be the only one left. She sounded so pitiful,” Chunhong said, rolling her eyes. “I scolded her. How can she be alone? There are so many good girls in the educated youth quarters!”

“As long as she doesn’t get involved with that Chen guy, it’s fine.”

“She won’t.”

After spending some time with Zheng Xiaoxin, Lu Qingyuan had a good understanding of her personality. “Since she said she wouldn’t go back to him, she won’t.”

“I hope so. I went to look for her when I came here, but she went up the mountain to collect firewood. Otherwise, we would have come together to see you.”

“I’ll go visit her this afternoon,” Lu Qingyuan said.

Before lunchtime even arrived, the news of Lu Yanyan bringing her partner home had already spread throughout the entire Guangfu Production Team.

Not many people knew that Lu Qingyuan and Tan Chang’an had once been in a matchmaking meeting—only those from the Lu family courtyard and Fifth Aunt’s family.

The news was first brought to them by Grandma Yao, who came over specifically to brag.

“Oh my, my granddaughter is truly blessed! Ah, Qingyuan, I don’t mean to say you’re not blessed.”

Grandma Yao’s smug expression was simply over the top.

Lu Qingyuan found it amusing and said, “Grandma Yao, your words don’t make much sense. Matchmaking meetings happen, and if they don’t work out, it just means each has their own destined path. I found my match with Beiqiu, and Yanyan found hers—this is all fate. What does it have to do with being blessed or not?”

Shu Beiqiu also felt that the old lady’s words were rather odd.

Grandma Lu, however, didn’t hold back at all. “Sister-in-law, have you forgotten how things went when you and your husband were matched? He didn’t take a liking to you, so you deliberately jumped into the river, forcing him to save you.”

“Because he saved you, you claimed your body had been seen and touched, insisting on marrying into the family. Was that the ‘blessing’ you were talking about?”

Grandma Yao hadn’t expected her past to be dragged up like this. Her face instantly flushed with embarrassment, and she left in a hurry.

“Xiao Shu, when Qingyuan met with Tan Chang’an, they didn’t even share a meal. Don’t overthink it,” Grandma Lu reassured, fearing Shu Beiqiu might mind.

“Grandma, don’t worry. I know. Qingyuan told me everything,” Shu Beiqiu quickly replied.

“That’s good,” Grandma Lu beamed. “It’s best for a husband and wife to be open with each other.”

Just as the family was about to have their meal, Lu Yanyan arrived with Tan Chang’an. It turned out that he had also brought gifts for the Lu family courtyard.

Tan Chang’an took a glance at Lu Qingyuan, who had become even more beautiful, then shifted his gaze to Shu Beiqiu, who was taller and sturdier than himself. He suppressed his irritation and pretended to be generous as he presented the gifts.

“This is my first time visiting. I was worried about not following the proper etiquette, so I came with Yanyan to pay respects.”

“Yes, you are lacking in etiquette.” Grandma Lu swept a glance at Lu Yanyan before turning directly to Tan Chang’an. “Although our families are related, we’re not so close that Yanyan should be bringing her fiancé over with gifts. Yanyan, one must be more mindful and cautious in life.”

“Bringing your fiancé over to give us gifts—what exactly does that mean? People who don’t know the situation might assume there’s some deep relationship between our two families. Take your gifts back. We’ve met the young man. He seems like a good man.”

Lu Qingyuan and Shu Beiqiu stood beside their uncles and aunts, staying silent.

Tan Chang’an’s expression darkened instantly, and Lu Yanyan was also visibly embarrassed.

She had actually struggled for a long time before convincing Tan Chang’an to come over today. She had thought that now that her cousin was already married, there would be no more ties between her and Tan Chang’an.

However, when they arrived, Tan Chang’an overheard from Grandma Yao that Lu Qingyuan and her husband were visiting today. He immediately took a portion of the gifts meant for her own family and insisted on bringing them here.

Suppressing both confusion and frustration, Lu Yanyan had followed along, only to be scolded by Grandma Lu upon arrival. Her eyes turned red, but she still gritted her teeth and said, “Grandma is right. I just wanted to see my cousin since she was visiting today and didn’t think too much about it.”

Just then, a barrage of comments appeared.

【Wow! I checked the livestream update—Lu Yanyan has been reborn!】

【Oh wow, but even after being reborn, she’s still this clueless? At least she didn’t try to steal a man this time. Qingyuan made it very clear that Tan Chang’an wasn’t suitable, so their engagement didn’t continue. But Lu Yanyan’s actions are still baffling.】

【Seriously, what an idiot! She got a second chance at life and still chooses a useless man? Why not rely on herself instead?】

Rebirth?

Lu Qingyuan lowered her gaze, concealing her shock. Was this what being reborn meant—living another life?

She raised her eyes again and continued reading the comments.

【So, she’s still getting tangled up with that useless guy. Does this make her the new tragic heroine of this book?】

【Seems like it. And she willingly walked into that mess herself.】

【Ugh, I have to say it again—what a fool! What’s the point of being reborn if she’s just going to repeat the same mistakes?】

【I just checked the original story. In her past life, Lu Yanyan was completely obsessed with love. She secretly got involved with a delinquent from the neighboring production team, got pregnant before marriage, and her parents couldn’t stop it. She ended up marrying into that family while pregnant. Her life was miserable—her husband was lazy and abusive, and she had to raise multiple kids on her own. When the children grew up, they all left to work and never returned…】

Lu Qingyuan read with a heavy heart.

【So, scolding her for being stupid is totally justified. Even after all that, she’s still choosing to rely on a man. Is it because, in her past life, Qingyuan worked hard and became successful, so she thinks all of that happened just because Qingyuan married well?】

【Probably. In her mind, she must believe her cousin’s success came from marrying the right person. Since her cousin rejected Tan Chang’an, she wants to take her place.】

Lu Qingyuan watched as Lu Yanyan and Tan Chang’an left with their gifts, looking utterly humiliated.

No matter what, Lu Yanyan had chosen her own path. Lu Qingyuan had no way of interfering in her decisions.

She could only hope that this time, Lu Yanyan would have a better ending.

“Let’s eat.”

Shu Beiqiu glanced at her.

“Okay.” Lu Qingyuan secretly hooked his finger with hers, only for her hand to be fully grasped in return.