Ning Xiuwen’s lips and teeth trembled. “Lu Qingqing, why are you going to the county seat?”

“What do you think?” Lu Qingqing bared a few teeth and gave him a sinister smile.

“If you want to file a complaint, you must first report it to the village head, who will then report it upward. If you bypass the hierarchy and go on your own, you’ll be punished with thirty strokes—in front of everyone…”

“Ning Xiuwen, did you forget what you once told me? ‘Slip the bailiffs some silver and the beating won’t hurt much.’ Thanks for the tip. I’ll be waiting outside the county yamen bright and early tomorrow!” Lu Qingqing smiled again.

Ning Xiuwen never imagined that those lofty, show-off remarks he used to brag to Lu Qingqing about—showing off his “wisdom”—would now be turned against him.

“Uncle Shitou, let’s go!”

Ning Xiuwen’s head spun with dizziness.

No, no… Lu Qingqing wouldn’t really file a complaint.

She only bullies the weak and sick—deep down she’s a coward.

Once she calms down tomorrow, she’ll come slinking back.

Lu Qingqing left.

The onlookers gradually dispersed in groups, whispering as they went.

Old Madam Liu finally squeezed in with trembling limbs.

“What happened? What happened? Did a dog give birth or did someone dig up a snake?” she asked, wheezing through her toothless gums as she grabbed a woman.

“Neither,” the woman snorted, “but someone’s face certainly got peeled off today.”

She glanced mockingly at Ning Xiuwen.

A scholar who doesn’t even know how to farm, who never worked a tenant field in his life, trying to skip steps and become a landowning gentleman?

Absolutely shameless!

She also shot a glare at Lin Zhuang, making his face flush pale and red in turn.

Ning Xiuwen lowered his head and ran off, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

No matter how bad Lu Qingqing’s reputation became, from today on, he would be the one spat on by others.

Lu Qingqing!!!

He’d like to see how long she could keep this madness up!

…

“San’er! Go tell my dad I’m going with Lu Qingqing!”

Lu Yun didn’t have time to run home.

He quickly gave instructions to his friend Li San and then chased after Cui Shitou’s donkey cart.

“Lu Qingqing, why are you going to the county?” Lu Yun climbed aboard and questioned her.

“Don’t you know? By tomorrow, everyone in the village will be talking. The day after, the whole region will know. You’ll never get married!”

“Why are you so thoughtless? Dad won’t be able to sleep tonight from worry…”

But halfway through, Lu Yun suddenly stopped talking.

Lu Qingqing smiled at him?

Wasn’t she supposed to kick him off the cart?

It was strange.

Lu Qingqing’s face used to always wear a fierce expression, brows furrowed and eyes glaring. He had never found her good-looking.

But now, when she smiled—it was like a flower blooming.

What’s she up to?

“If I can’t marry, then I won’t. What—will Dad and you throw me out?” Lu Qingqing asked lightly.

Lu Yun opened his mouth to speak… but in the end, said nothing.

He didn’t want to provoke Lu Qingqing.

It was rare for her to speak to him so calmly.

Even though she’d cursed Ning Xiuwen just now, he still didn’t believe she’d changed overnight.

Maybe she just wanted to go to town to borrow money again.

He had to follow her.

“Lu Qingqing, where’d you get thirty copper coins?”

“Uncle Shitou, you better not be making this trip for free!”

Cui Shitou gave a dry chuckle, about to reply, when Lu Qingqing cut in:

“I plan to go to town to arrange a marriage for you, Second Brother. Collect a betrothal gift—then we’ll have money to pay our debt.”

Lu Yun was stunned. “You want to sell me off!?”

Lu Qingqing smiled again.

Cui Shitou chuckled too.

Lu Yun realized she was teasing him and flushed with embarrassment.

But seeing Lu Qingqing’s curved smile, he didn’t argue.

Being sold might not be such a bad idea…

Though even if he were sold, he wouldn’t be worth thirty taels.

Still, what was Lu Qingqing going to do in town?

The donkey cart clattered forward.

Lu Yun started counting on his fingers.

“Second Brother, what are you counting?” Lu Qingqing asked.

“I’m figuring out how much cloth I’d have to sell to earn 720 wen!” Lu Yun grumbled.

He had it all figured out.

Instead of her obsessing over that jerk Ning Xiuwen, maybe it was better if Lu Qingqing just stayed single.

If she didn’t marry, she’d have to pay the “leftover woman tax.”

Normally it was 120 wen, but unmarried women had to pay 720.

The teenager furrowed his brow.

He’d already been fired from the fabric shop—he had to quickly find another job.

As for the moneylenders, Dad said he had a solution, but who knew if they’d manage to repay by tomorrow?

If not… they’d lose a hand.

Lu Yun stared at his fingers, lost in thought.

Suddenly, he felt a cool sensation on his forehead.

He flinched instinctively.

“Second Brother, your forehead’s bleeding. Wipe it.”

Lu Qingqing noticed his discomfort and handed him a damp cloth.

She’d used water from the gourd on Cui Shitou’s cart and had even said thank you afterward.

Cui Shitou quietly bared his teeth in shock.

This girl’s acting real weird today…

The donkey cart hurried along, making it to town just before sunset.

Old cloth signs flapped on both sides of the street. A few pedestrians walked quickly by.

Street vendors were packing up to go home.

The setting sun cast a warm, ancient glow on the cobblestone road.

Mingan County was just one of hundreds of tiny towns in the Great Qian dynasty—simple, remote, insignificant.

Lu Qingqing had thought she’d struggle, crossing from a modern, bustling world into such a backward, ancient one.

But she didn’t.

It all felt… natural. As if this was how it was meant to be.

Just like when she first woke up in that dark, shabby room—it had confused her, but not frightened her.

Maybe it was because she still had the original host’s memories in her mind—no cultural shock.

“Uncle Shitou, go straight to Hui Long Pawnshop. Let’s see if they’re still open,” Lu Qingqing said.

“Huh? What are you going there for?” Lu Yun tensed up.

They still hadn’t repaid the thirty taels. Even if she asked again, there was no way they’d lend to her.

Was she really going to sell him?

“To repay the debt.”

“Repay…? With what money?!”

Lu Yun clenched his fists.

Why did his fingers suddenly feel sore?

Lu Qingqing didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt like teasing her clever yet gullible second brother.

“Last time, the pawnshop owner said he needed a little assistant. I thought maybe you could give it a shot. Who knows—maybe he’ll waive the debt.”

Waive thirty taels?

Dream on.

Selling oneself was only worth twenty.

Lu Yun stayed silent. Deep down, he suspected Lu Qingqing might be planning to have him take the punishment instead.

That’s why she’d smiled at him, wiped his forehead, and kept her temper all the way here.

Her fight with Ning Xiuwen might’ve been a show too.

He knew all too well how obsessed she used to be.

She once said: “If anyone dares touch a single finger of Ning Xiuwen, I’ll take my whole family down with me!”

They arrived at the pawnshop.

Thankfully, it was still open.

Lu Yun jumped off the cart first.

“Don’t go in! Lu Qingqing, this is the last time I help you. After this, we’re no longer siblings!”

Lu Qingqing: “…”

Uh oh.

Second Brother was actually serious!

She wanted to explain, but a bitter sadness welled up inside her.

All these years—how many times had they cleaned up after the original host’s messes?

Even now, he was still willing to sacrifice himself for her.

She was furious at the original host.

But more than anything—she was jealous. Envious.

She had never experienced this kind of familial love… something so rare and precious.

Yet that girl had trampled it like it was nothing.