Xu Han had prepared herself for excruciating pain during childbirth, but it turned out to be easier than she expected.

Although it was painful, she was only in the delivery room for about an hour before the little antagonist was born crying.

Mother and child were safe.

Exhausted, Xu Han watched the nurse hold the wrinkled little bundle and thought to herself that this formidable villain was just an ordinary person born naked without any ominous signs like crows blocking the sun.

He was just a bit ugly.

Xu Han didn’t change the child’s name; he remained Gu Siqiao, the original antagonist’s name, with an obvious meaning.

But the name reminded people that he was an antagonist, which was quite frustrating.

Xu Han gave him the nickname Koukou, so she could handle him better.

The pain of childbirth was temporary; the real agony was raising a child, a slow-acting poison.

The most painful part of this process was the confinement period, tedious, exhausting, and boring.

Grandma Qiao said she needed to recuperate for 40 days to restore her health…

During this month-long period, Xu Han took the time to seriously consider her future.

Gu Yanqing had already given Xu Han a check for 200,000 yuan, which she had almost spent.

There was only 50,000 yuan left, and she couldn’t touch that.

Xu Han had no other savings, so she had to work to support her child and Grandma Qiao.

She had graduated with a degree in biology that wasn’t very useful and would have difficulty finding a job in her field without further study.

She knew a lot of things but not well enough to be specialized.

She would have to try her luck when suitable opportunities arose.

Looking at the little one in the cradle, Xu Han sighed, “What should I do? Should I leave you to your father or not?”

She didn’t have the financial means to raise Koukou, and there was a long road ahead of her.

It wouldn’t be easy to marry again with a child.

The best choice might be to send Koukou to Gu Yanqing.

But according to the book’s plot, Gu Yanqing was probably out of town at the moment, and she doubted she could contact him.

Besides, compared to his somewhat unattractive appearance at birth, Koukou had become chubby and adorable nearing a month old, his round shape particularly endearing.

Perhaps it was maternal hormones, but even knowing he would grow up to be a crazed villain, Xu Han couldn’t control her overflowing maternal love— he was just too cute.

It was hard for her to part with him and send him to Gu Yanqing.

Koukou had just finished nursing and was now staring ahead with his round, bright eyes, his little fists clenched tightly, lost in his own thoughts.

“Why are you such a cute little antagonist?” Xu Han couldn’t resist poking Koukou’s tender face with her finger.

The little one slowly turned his eyes towards her, staring expressionlessly.

“Too cute!” Xu Han couldn’t help but lean down and kiss his cheek.

Just then, Grandma Qiao walked in, sounding hesitant. “Could I borrow your phone to make a quick call? Just a few words.”

After nearly a month of getting along, and seeing Xu Han’s improved attitude, Grandma Qiao was finally less afraid of her, but she still habitually showed a submissive posture around her.

There was no landline at home, and Grandma Qiao didn’t have a cellphone.

If she wanted to make a call, she had to ask Xu Han for her phone.

“Of course,” Xu Han unlocked her phone and kindly handed it over, switching to the dialing interface. “Do you need help dialing?”

“That would be nice,” Grandma Qiao said cautiously. “Your phones are too advanced, and I’m afraid of breaking it.”

Xu Han chuckled. “It’s not that easy to break. What’s the number?”

“Here it is.” Grandma Qiao handed her a slip of paper with a scribbled name “Li Lianhua.”

While dialing, Xu Han casually asked, “Why did you suddenly think of calling Auntie Li? Is something going on at home?”

“No, nothing. We planted some rice at home, and it’s time to harvest. Since I can’t go back right now, I thought of asking Auntie Li to harvest and dry it to avoid wastage.”

“Oh,” Xu Han nodded and dialed Auntie Li’s number, then handed the phone to Grandma Qiao.

In Xu Han’s memories as Qiao Wanqing, her impression of her hometown wasn’t strong.

She vaguely remembered it as a picturesque place with large houses, rows of rooms, and a big courtyard filled with various birds and animals, lively and bustling.

Xu Han suspected she might be a distant relative of Tao Yuanming, as she had a mysterious longing and fascination for rural countryside life.

In her previous life, although she wasn’t wealthy, she always lived in the city.

She used to love watching videos of countryside cooking on platforms like Weibo and Bilibili, dreaming of having a yard full of flowers, fruits, vegetables, and raising poultry and livestock.

She envisioned a peaceful life, working from sunrise to sunset, which seemed wonderfully idyllic.

For Qiao Wanqing, this place in her memories was clearly an undeveloped, pristine land of natural beauty, exactly matching her desired sanctuary.

‘What if I go back to my hometown to farm?’ Suddenly, Xu Han blurted out this idea.

She didn’t know if changing the fate set in the books would have consequences, but she would rather face whatever consequences than be involved in shady affairs.

Besides, she couldn’t bear to see her sweet son turn into a weirdo amtagonist!

Once this idea emerged, Xu Han couldn’t shake it off.

Since finding a job was difficult anyway, she thought, why not give it a try back home and return to work if it didn’t work out.

Excited, Xu Han snapped her fingers and mused to herself, ‘It could totally work!’

To avoid alarming Grandma Qiao, Xu Han told her that she couldn’t immediately find a job after her confinement month, and with high living costs in the city, it might be better to spend some time in the countryside to relax.

Even though she only mentioned relaxation, Grandma Qiao was still horrified because Qiao Wanqing had never acknowledged her birthplace and deeply detested the place.

She wouldn’t even mention it, let alone suggest returning there.

After reassuring her several times that she wasn’t joking, Xu Han finally convinced Grandma Qiao.

Seeing her joyous expression, she helped pack their things, planning to return together after Xu Han’s confinement.

……

“I don’t know where Miss Qiao has gone. She hasn’t terminated the lease, and she pays rent every six months. We only care if they pay on time, not whether they actually live there.”

The short, chubby landlord smiled obsequiously at the tall, imposing man before him.

The man exuded a strong presence, and the landlord was humble and eager to please, nodding and bowing.

Gu Yanqing stared coldly at the closed door for a few seconds before saying, “If she returns, please inform my assistant.”

His assistant Wang Xiao promptly handed a business card to the landlord, who took it eagerly, saying, “Of course, I’ll notify you immediately if she returns!”

“Thank you.”

The landlord hurriedly responded, “You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”

Gu Yanqing didn’t waste more words.

He turned and left the place where Qiao Wanqing rented.

After getting into his car, he asked Wang Xiao casually, “What’s the update from the hospital?”

Wang Xiao replied, “Just received the report. Miss Qiao did indeed give birth to a boy in their hospital a month ago.”

Gu Yanqing tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Does the timeline match?”

“Yes.”

Gu Yanqing’s expression darkened as he tersely ordered, “Go find out.”

Seeing Gu Yanqing’s serious demeanor, Wang Xiao dared not delay. “Understood. I’ll arrange it immediately.”

Having been by Gu Yanqing’s side for many years, despite his esteemed position and popularity, Gu Yanqing was known for his composure and rarely showed anger or spoke harshly without reason.

However, when it came to Miss Qiao’s affairs, Gu Yanqing was noticeably more irritable.

Only that Miss had the ability to repeatedly challenge Gu Yanqing’s limits.

Gu Yanqing rubbed his temples wearily.

His focus had shifted to another province for work, but he had returned briefly these days.

One of his subordinates, who knew a little about the matter between him and Qiao Wanqing, mentioned seeing someone resembling Miss Qiao with a large belly at the hospital last time.

Since the subordinate had only glimpsed Qiao Wanqing briefly and couldn’t be sure, he hadn’t dared to mention it to Gu Yanqing until now.

Immediately upon hearing this, Gu Yanqing sent people to investigate, only to discover that Qiao Wanqing had indeed given birth without informing him.

Her intentions were easy to guess — she wanted to leverage this to climb higher.

Did she truly think that giving birth to a son would elevate her like a phoenix?

Gu Yanqing smirked coldly to himself.

Her wishes wouldn’t come true.

…

Xu Han, accompanied by Koukou, returned with Grandma Qiao by high-speed train to their provincial city.

Then endured a bumpy two-hour ride by car to the town, followed by another half-hour on a truck from a local family, finally arriving at Dongyang Village where their home was located.

Their house was still the old-fashioned adobe type, looking quite weathered.

However, unlike modern buildings prone to shoddy construction, it still maintained a rustic charm rather than appearing decrepit.

Xu Han was satisfied; it matched her vision of an old country home perfectly.

The only downside was that Grandma Qiao had been away in the city for over three months, causing weeds to overrun the spacious front yard and cobwebs to gather under the eaves, giving the place a desolate look.

The large lock on the front door was rusted.

Grandma Qiao unlocked it, pushed it open, revealing a much cleaner interior than the neglected exterior.

The floor had been cemented, and the walls whitewashed.

Grandma Qiao had cleaned thoroughly; aside from a layer of dust and a hint of mustiness from disuse, it was quite habitable.

Grandma Qiao seemed like a city wife bringing her daughter-in-law back to the village, anxiously saying, “The house hasn’t been properly cleaned and is a bit run-down. You might find it uncomfortable. Should we go to the hotel in town?”

Xu Han replied calmly, “It’s not necessary. I’ll tidy up a bit.”

Seeing Xu Han’s indifferent expression without the expected disdain, Grandma Qiao quietly breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Then you and Koukou rest. I’ll go prepare your rooms.”

However, Xu Han rolled up her sleeves and said, “I’ll help too.”

The two spent the better part of the morning cleaning.

Soon, the house was spotless.

Grandma Qiao arranged a room for Xu Han, the bedding already prepared and needing only a bit of airing out.

Xu Han had also brought sheets and covers, considering the baby’s comfort.

Looking at the freshly cleaned house, Xu Han felt a sense of accomplishment.

From now on, this would be her home.