The villagers watched her retreating figure and began to whisper among themselves.

"This girl didn't seem like a good person, but I didn't expect her to be so sensible."

"Yes, it wasn't her fault in the first place. The fact that she took the initiative to admit her mistake and promised not to tell anyone shows that she's given us a lot of face."

"We can't let the girls in the family provoke her anymore. She's reasonable, can fight, and considers the big picture. She's a formidable character."

The parents of the girls exchanged glances, said nothing more, sighed, and took their daughters, who were still wiping away tears, home.

The uproar subsided just like that.

The village chief stood there, watching the direction Xu Xinghe had gone. His expression was still somewhat unpleasant, but he had to admit that this outsider was clever and knew how to manipulate people. No wonder A Cui lost to her.

He snorted heavily and turned to go home.

As for Yi An, he doesn't like A Cui, and he doesn't like Yi An either!

He was all alone, with a sickly child, and had to hunt for a living.

Hunting may seem like it can make a lot of money, but is it as stable as farming?

If you're not careful, you might die in the mountains one day!

When Xu Xinghe returned to her residence, she immediately saw Uncle Li standing anxiously at the gate of the courtyard.

Seeing her return safely, Uncle Li finally felt relieved and rushed to greet her, "Xiao girl, you're finally back! Are you alright? Did those people in the village give you a hard time? I wanted to go, but there were two people watching me and wouldn't let me go no matter what I said, sigh."

"It's alright, Uncle Li, it's all taken care of." Xu Xinghe smiled, her tone relaxed. "No one will bother me anymore, and I can stay here in peace for a while longer."

Uncle Li quickly stepped aside to let her into the house, saying, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright! Come in and rest, I've saved some food for you, you can just heat it up and eat."

Xu Xinghe nodded and walked into the courtyard.

...

The mountain mist hadn't completely dissipated when the wooden door of the cabin creaked open, and a captivating figure stepped out.

The newcomer was a middle-aged woman wearing a dark red cheongsam that accentuated her shapely figure.

The slit in the cheongsam was just right, revealing a section of fair calves. She wore a pair of low-heeled leather shoes, and her waist swayed gracefully as she walked, exuding indescribable charm.

Even in this deep mountain forest, her face was still adorned with exquisite makeup, her eyes slightly upturned, carrying a hint of lazy smile.

Sister Hong's gaze fell directly on Jiang Linchuan in the corner. His hands and feet were chained, with one end fixed to a wooden stake, restricting his movement to a small area near the doorway.

She walked over with a smile and sat down on the wooden bench next to him. The faint scent of her perfume mingled with the dampness of the mountains, filling the air.

“Mr. Jiang.” Sister Hong’s voice was as soft as water, with a deliberately softened tone, “I’ve found out that you’re not married yet. You’re so young and promising, and you’re so good-looking. Why make yourself suffer?”

Jiang Linchuan kept a cold face, not even lifting his eyelids, exuding an aura of coldness that kept strangers at bay.

Hongjie didn't mind his coldness. Instead, she moved closer and lowered her voice, which was seductive. "Even if we get married, who will know in this deep mountain forest? Besides, I just want to spend the night with you. I don't want you to do anything outrageous."

She lightly traced the collar of her cheongsam with her fingertips, her eyes filled with ambiguity. "Your mind and your heart are still loyal to your beliefs, and that's enough. The body is just a shell, so what does it matter?"

Seeing that Jiang Linchuan remained unmoved, Sister Hong offered a bargaining chip, "If you agree to this request, I will have someone remove your bracelet immediately. Think about it, you won't have to have this thick iron chain rubbing against your wrist anymore, and you'll be able to move around much more easily. Not only that, I can also let you move freely in this yard, which is much better than being chained up in this wooden house, where you can only stay at the door to sunbathe, right?"

These days, Jiang Linchuan's hands and feet have been chained day and night, his skin has long been rubbed red, and his range of movement is restricted to a few steps, even breathing some fresh air is restricted.

Even so, his gaze remained as cold as iron, unwavering in the slightest.

"Impossible." The three words came out of his mouth decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.

A lean man standing behind Sister Hong couldn't help but sneer, his tone rough, "Sister Hong, why are you wasting your breath talking to him? Just attack! His hands and feet are all tied up, so he's completely at your mercy."

He rubbed his hands together, his eyes filled with ill intent as he looked him over. "If you're afraid he'll resist or yell, just gag him with a cloth, and nothing will happen."

"What do you know?" Sister Hong turned around abruptly and glared at him, her tone tinged with impatience. "These things only have meaning when it's consensual. Forced relationships are never sweet. If it's like abducting a man, what's the point?"

She turned back to Jiang Linchuan, her charming smile returning, but with a hint of determination in her eyes. "Mr. Jiang, I know you're tough. But we've got a long way to go in these mountains. You can't just keep enduring this forever, can you? I have plenty of patience. We can wear each other down slowly."

Jiang Linchuan finally looked up at her. "Don't waste your energy. Either kill me or let me go. There's no way you'll make me compromise."

Sister Hong's smile froze for a moment, then she laughed again. "Mr. Jiang is quite the tough guy, I like that. But when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. I'd like to see how long your toughness lasts."

As she spoke, she slowly stood up, straightened the hem of her cheongsam, and her tone returned to its indifferent state, "I'll give you three days to think it over. After three days, I'll come back to you. By then, it won't be up to you."

After saying that, Sister Hong turned around and walked gracefully into the wooden house, leaving the lean man guarding the door.

The man glared fiercely at Jiang Linchuan and spat, "You ungrateful wretch, just you wait!"

Jiang Linchuan leaned against the corner of the wall, closed his eyes, and concealed the coldness in them.

He knew that Sister Hong would not give up easily, and the days ahead would probably be even more difficult.

But for him, this hardship was nothing.

He paid no attention to Sister Hong's threats.

He just needs to wait patiently for the right opportunity to save himself!

Outside the wooden house, the mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the ground.

Jiang Linchuan's fingers gently traced the lines of the iron chain on his wrist.

That day is not far off.