When She Stops Being Dramatic

You couldn’t blame him for being ruthless enough to push Chi Yun’er out of the educated youth station. It was, after all, a case of every man for himself. He had already made his choice between Bian Yumin and Chi Yun’er, so he couldn’t possibly leave behind any loose ends or a stain on his reputation!

Therefore, Chi Yun’er had to go. Getting her away from the educated youth station was merely the first step.

Jiang Zishi’s eyes narrowed. To the outside world, it would seem as if he had entrusted Chi Yun’er to his older brother’s care. That way, if anything happened to her down the line, the blame would fall solely on Jiang Yihua for failing his duty. And he, Jiang Zishi, would walk away scot-free!

He just had to imagine it: his brother, saddled with the burden of a woman’s misfortune, facing public condemnation and blame from the Chi Family. Meanwhile, Chi Yun’er would be erased—a threat completely removed from his path to a bright future, allowing him to maintain his respectable image.

A slight, excited tremor ran through Jiang Zishi’s entire body.

He would go to the provincial capital for university, then slowly win over Chi Yun’er’s parents and have them help him return to the Capital City. By leveraging Jiang Yihua’s guilt, all of their family’s resources would become his...

Back in her room, Chi Yun’er secured the door and windows. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, a cold smirk playing on her lips.

’Whether in my last life or this one, the process had never mattered. My fate was bound to be whatever Jiang Zishi and the Bian family wished, wasn’t it?’

For the first time, Chi Yun’er realized just how important she was—so important that they would cast aside their consciences just to drag her down into the muck.

She caressed her smooth cheek. She was facing a dead end, yet she had no other choice.

Taking this step forward might buy her more time. But if she showed any resistance, Jiang Zishi absolutely wouldn’t let her enjoy another second of peace.

Chi Yun’er pulled a piece of milk candy from her pocket and slowly unwrapped it. A faint but exceptionally rich, milky fragrance immediately drifted through the air.

She popped the off-white candy into her mouth, playfully rolling it from side to side and letting it bulge out her cheeks.

People living bitter lives are especially fond of sweets, as if the sweetness on their tongue could make life itself seem better and more hopeful.

Chi Yun’er had memories spanning more than twenty years in this place, so she knew a great deal. That brick factory was no place for a woman.

Sure, the finance department had two female comrades, but one was the factory director’s wife, and the other was the deputy director’s niece-in-law. Both had powerful backing.

Not only did no one dare cross them, but they would sometimes play matchmaker for petty gain, strong-arming people into unwanted marriages!

But a girl like her—Chi Yun’er—fair-skinned, delicate, and so beautiful the sight of her sent men’s blood rushing. The moment she stepped foot in that factory, a pack of bachelors would be eyeing her like prey. These men were all brawn and no brains, ruled by their baser instincts, and they would be lying in wait.

Who knew how many female comrades had already met that terrible fate, taken by the men in turns and dragged home to be their "wives."

’Given how practiced they are, how long would they let me remain untouched?’

The brick factory was built in a remote location. Even though it was close to the farm, a dark, hundred-meter-wide stretch of woods, overgrown with weeds and thorns, separated the two.

Moreover, the factory grounds were vast, dotted with brick stacks several meters high. Someone could easily be dragged behind one, their mouth covered, and no one would ever notice...

Chi Yun’er’s lips tightened. She bit down hard on the milk candy, again and again, pondering how to break free of this trap.

It was incredibly difficult for a woman to protect herself amongst a horde of men, especially a defenseless one like her.

She either needed a skill so formidable it inspired fear, or a background so powerful that no one dared to cross her. Otherwise, she would be reduced to nothing more than a plaything!

She possessed no such formidable skill, so she could only pin her hopes on the latter.

Suddenly, Chi Yun’er thought of Jiang Yihua. ’I wonder what choice he would make in this situation?’

This was a huge gamble. If Jiang Yihua was in cahoots with Jiang Zishi, she would be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. But if Jiang Yihua was as he seemed—the upstanding, responsible, and righteous man of the rumors—then her dream of crawling out of this mire could become a reality.

’Still,’ Chi Yun’er thought, ’the first scenario is more likely. They’re blood brothers, after all.’

But it was a shot she had to take. First, she needed to probe Jiang Yihua’s attitude.

After telling her about the job, Jiang Zishi went to the kitchen to ladle out a bowl of mung bean soup. It was room temperature, with nothing added, and had a beany odor that he disliked.

He took only two sips before pouring the rest into two pottery jugs and carrying them out to the educated youths working in the fields.

The moment he left, Chi Yun’er began pacing her room, wondering what excuse she could use to seek out Jiang Yihua and what she should bring with her.