Chapter 33: Meeting

As night deepened, a few unknown insects chirped softly in the grass, adding a touch of life to the tranquil night.

A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of earth, mingled with the aroma of distant cooking smoke, bringing a sense of peace.

Night fell, and the stars twinkled.

Li Yaqin stood in the courtyard, gazing at the starry sky, her heart filled with hope and anticipation.

Li Panpan's visit today wasn't just about apologizing and asking for help; it was more about putting pressure on her.

Li Panpan must have received some news, knowing that she had saved Zhao Chengyu and received gratitude and promises from the Zhao family.

But Li Yaqin still went along with Li Panpan's wishes and agreed to help take care of the child.

After all, her stated purpose in coming here was to integrate into this environment and obtain a safe identity.

Until she found a better solution to her safety and identity issues.

Li Yaqin's identity was crucial; she needed to maintain it to buy herself more time and opportunities.

A few days later, Li Qiang arranged for Zhao Chengyu and Li Yaqin to meet.

The meeting place was set at the old, weathered locust tree at the village entrance.

The old locust tree was lush and leafy, its thick branches stretching in all directions like a giant umbrella, casting a dense shade.

A gentle breeze, carrying the warmth of early summer, rustled the leaves softly.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground like twinkling stars.

The view was unobstructed, allowing a clear view of the people and things passing by.

Li Yaqin had already taken a beauty pill beforehand.

These past few days, she could feel that her skin seemed smoother than before, and her complexion had improved considerably.

Although the changes were subtle, Li Yaqin could still sense the gradual improvement every time she looked in the mirror.

As for the magical pill, she had already tried it; after all, its effects sounded rather mystical.

But she hadn't noticed any changes, and she was afraid that a sudden, drastic change would arouse suspicion.

Constantly looking at herself in the small mirror, she worried that people might think she was narcissistic.

She paid special attention to her brother and sister-in-law's reactions, and only felt slightly relieved when she saw that they hadn't noticed any changes in her.

Li Yaqin was secretly delighted; it seemed the pill's effects were truly as good as its reputation suggested.

However, now was not the time to be happy.

She needed to find a way to ensure that this meeting would achieve her goal of getting a good job without arousing Zhao Chengyu's suspicion.

After all, Zhao Chengyu wasn't so easily fooled.

Li Yaqin took a deep breath, calming her excited emotions.

She deliberately wore faded old clothes: a navy blue jacket, gray trousers, and muddy cloth shoes.

Her jet-black hair was simply pulled back into a plain braid.

She hoped that this simple attire would make her look like an ordinary village girl, less conspicuous.

Although she had taken a beauty pill, she believed that as long as she didn't try too hard to dress up, she wouldn't stand out too much.

After all, in this environment, keeping a low profile was the safest course of action.

Zhao Chengyu and He Chengyang arrived together.

Zhao Chengyu was still dressed in a well-tailored Zhongshan suit, the dark blue fabric accentuating his tall and straight figure.

His aloof demeanor was like a solitary pine tree in winter, making him unapproachable.

He Chengyang wore a light gray shirt, the cuffs casually rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms.

His wheat-colored skin gleamed healthily in the sunlight, exuding a dashing and unrestrained air.

The two walked side by side, one as cold as ice, the other as warm as fire.

Their contrasting auras blended strangely, attracting the attention of many young women and wives in the village.

Moreover, the two men bore a resemblance; perhaps they were related.

They secretly observed these two outstanding men, their faces flushing with shyness.

After all, such excellent men were a rare sight.

Li Yaqin stood under the old locust tree, watching them approach step by step.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that fell upon them and upon her heart.

She silently assessed the two men.

Zhao Chengyu, though his face was cold and stern, possessed an air of righteous indignation, his deep eyes seemingly piercing through to the heart.

Li Yaqin felt a little guilty under his gaze and instinctively avoided his eyes.

This kind of man clearly belonged to the upright and reliable type.

Unfortunately, although he was her type, he was too risky, and she chose to stay away.

He Chengyang, on the other hand, had a bright and cheerful smile, like the warm sunshine of spring, giving a feeling of comfort.

But the occasional flash of shrewdness in his eyes clearly indicated that he was not as simple as he appeared, but rather a man of deep thought.

This kind of man was suitable as a friend, but not as a husband.

Li Yaqin silently gave them a score in her mind.

She silently reminded herself that neither of these men was easy to deal with, and she had to be careful.

The two men stopped in front of Li Yaqin, and Zhao Chengyu spoke first.

His deep voice echoed in the afternoon air, "You are Li Yaqin?"

Li Yaqin's heart skipped a beat. She suppressed her nervousness, slowly raised her head, then quickly lowered her eyes again.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly as she softly replied, "Yes."

Her voice was barely audible, trembling almost imperceptibly.

She dared not look Zhao Chengyu directly in the eye; those eyes seemed to see right through her facade.

After all, how could a mere village girl like her not be nervous in front of two such powerful men?

He Chengyang carefully observed Li Yaqin, a flicker of amazement in his eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.

He smiled at Li Yaqin and said,

"Miss Li, we've come mainly to thank you in person for saving our lives. If it weren't for you, we probably..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but simply shook his head.

Li Yaqin looked up, glanced at them quickly, then lowered her head again, like a startled deer, and replied softly.

"No need to thank me, it's what I should do. Anyone would have helped in that situation."

Her eyes flickered, avoiding eye contact with Zhao Chengyu's deep gaze.

Zhao Chengyu quietly observed Li Yaqin's behavior, a hint of doubt rising in his heart.

He felt that the girl before him was somewhat different from the brash, somewhat daring village girl Li Qiang had described.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on it; he only sensed an inexplicable contradiction about her.

Perhaps she was just too nervous.

Zhao Chengyu mentally offered Li Yaqin an excuse.

Li Yaqin's mind raced.

These two men, in terms of appearance, temperament, and family background, far exceeded her expectations.

Standing next to them, she felt like an ugly duckling that had accidentally wandered into a flock of swans.

She felt so out of place; this huge disparity made her intensely uneasy.

She had only wanted to find a man from a wealthy family, of good character, who would treat her well.

To live a peaceful life, farming, gardening, and managing her own little family.

She had never wanted to get involved in any family feuds or complex power struggles.

Those things were too far removed from her, too dangerous.

What she wanted most right now was a stable job, a safe identity, and a man she could rely on.

With these, she could live a peaceful life in this unfamiliar world.

But the current situation was clearly beyond her expectations.

She had to get the job the Zhao family had promised as soon as possible, and then find a way to get away from those two men and the potential trouble they might cause.

As for anything else, she dared not hope for it, nor did she want to.

Li Yaqin realized that she had to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

She secretly resolved that once she got the job the Zhao family had promised,

she would find a suitable reason to leave this place as quickly as possible, the farther the better.

She didn't want to get involved in any unnecessary conflicts.

As for the man she could rely on…

Perhaps, she could consider that after she settled down.

Once she had a stable job, she would immediately go to the village matchmaker and ask her to help her find a suitable family to marry into.

If it weren't for the fact that in this era, a woman couldn't remain unmarried, or she would be the subject of gossip and judgment in the village.

The gossip even affected her survival in the village; she had even considered living alone for the rest of her life, free and unrestrained.

But it was impossible.

This era was too unfriendly to women.

For a woman with no one to rely on, living alone was virtually impossible.

Therefore, she had to find a man to marry as soon as possible.

Only in this way could she establish herself in the village and live a stable life.

She silently eliminated Zhao Chengyu and He Chengyang from her list of potential husbands.

These two men, though excellent, were not what she wanted.

What she wanted was simply a man, a man who could give her warmth and support.

That's all.

Of course, if he treated her badly, leaving him for his son wouldn't be so bad.