With the village head having spoken, and the Song family still shaken by Qin Ke's earlier words, they no longer dared to cause trouble and were the first to leave in disgrace.
Seeing there was no more spectacle to watch, the remaining villagers gradually dispersed as well.
"Who would've thought—Qin Ke, that wastrel, is actually this fierce now. That look in his eyes just now scared me."
"Didn't they say he's been trying to live properly lately? Still starts swinging at the drop of a hat—old habits die hard."
"Sigh, a leopard can't change its spots. We'd better keep our distance from him in the future. Who knows when we might accidentally provoke him and get beaten up? Just look at how badly the Song family's youngest got it."
"But really, this whole thing started because of Song Yaozu. If he hadn't gone after that woman from the Qin household, none of this would've happened. Who would've thought—he looks so refined, yet does something like that."
As they left, the villagers whispered among themselves. Before long, the incident would likely spread through the entire village.
Qin Ke looked at the Qin family members who still hadn't left and frowned impatiently.
"What, is there something else? Waiting for me to invite you to dinner? Though if I remember correctly, when we split the household, you didn't even give me bowls or chopsticks—so I doubt there's food for you anyway."
Every word dripped with sarcasm, filled with resentment over the past.
"Qin Ke, mind your manners. Back then, you gambled away so much money, and the family even paid off your debts twice. If not for that, would we have been forced to split the family?"
This was the original owner's eldest uncle.
On the surface, he always played the good man, yet it had been his idea to cast the original owner out. He might have been an uncle to the former Qin Ke, but to Qin Ke now, he was no different from a stranger.
"So what?" Qin Ke dug at his ear impatiently.
"Since the family's already split, shouldn't we stay out of each other's business? Forget it—I'm done talking to you."
With that, he grabbed Lu Youqing and turned to leave.
Choked by Qin Ke's retort, the smile on his uncle's face faltered.
"That's enough," the old patriarch barked, staring darkly at Qin Ke. "Qin Ke, what exactly is the meaning of this woman by your side?"
"That's right, Xiao Ke. If you wanted a wife, I could've asked a matchmaker. How could you go and buy a woman of unknown background? And—"
His grandmother chimed in as well, reaching out to grab Qin Ke's hand.
Qin Ke lifted his left hand and dodged her grasp. He lowered his head slightly, his pitch-black eyes fixing on her hypocritical smile until it stiffened on her face, the corners of her lips slowly drooping.
"Mother, I've said it before—this brat was born rotten. Why bother meddling in his affairs?"
The eldest uncle stepped forward to support the old woman, not forgetting to smear Qin Ke in the process.
They had treated the original owner as a burden, cutting him off decisively when discarding him—yet they still clung to the controlling instincts of elders.
Qin Ke looked around at everyone present and spoke slowly, clearly:
"I've said it already. My affairs are none of your concern."
With that, he bent down to pick up the square scarf that had fallen to the ground. It had been stepped on several times, dirty footprints stamped all over it. Throughout it all, his right hand never once loosened its grip on Lu Youqing's wrist.
As he led her home, Lu Youqing stared blankly at his tall, solid back.
She had thought she was merely enduring humiliation—that her dignity and identity had been trampled the moment she was sold, ground into the dirt beneath others' feet. Yet this man—someone she once wouldn't have spared a glance—had kept his word.
Protect her.
He wasn't just saying it—he was proving it with his actions.
He had charged forward like a beast, fighting wildly. It was the very sort of crude behavior she once despised. Yet when she was firmly shielded behind his back, she felt a sense of safety she hadn't known in a long time.
It was strange.
On a muddy rural road, under pointing fingers and judgmental stares, she felt… safe.
Qin Ke paid no attention to the expressions behind him. He strode home without looking back. No one noticed that beneath his once-fearless expression, his face was now filled with regret.
Why couldn't I control myself like that?
Is it because I'm a man now—did I get affected by some violent male instinct?
She didn't think I'm a violent brute, did she?
Both lost in their own thoughts, they walked on in silence. The spot where Song Yaozu had stopped Lu Youqing wasn't far from home, and before long, they arrived.
As the door opened, familiar scents greeted them. Only then did Qin Ke's rigid back finally relax. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Um…"
Finally realizing he was still holding Lu Youqing's hand, Qin Ke's face flushed red. He laughed awkwardly and gently let go, his eyes darting away as he hastily changed the subject.
"I'll go wash this. It should dry by tomorrow morning."
"No need."
Lu Youqing's gaze slowly shifted to the scarf clenched in his hand, as though she had come to a realization. Her eyes grew deep and bright, like a lake rippled by a spring breeze. When she lifted her head again, a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
That smile was like the first ray of sunlight at dawn, piercing through lingering darkness; like the first flower blooming after a long winter, releasing a gentle fragrance.
This was the first time Qin Ke had seen Lu Youqing smile since meeting her. Before this, she had always worn a blank expression, as if nothing in the world could stir her heart.
"…Huh?"
Qin Ke was so stunned by her smile that he didn't immediately grasp her meaning.
Seeing his dazed expression, the smile at the corner of Lu Youqing's lips deepened. She continued softly,
"I said there's no need. That means—I won't need that thing ever again."
Qin Ke's eyes widened. He understood her implication, yet still found it hard to believe.
Lu Youqing lifted her gaze to the white clouds drifting in the sky. A gentle breeze brushed past, stirring the loose strands of hair at her temples. Her voice was light, clear, and distant:
"I was the one who refused to accept reality. Just as you said—appearance is nothing but a shallow shell. By hiding myself, wasn't I deceiving myself as well? As long as my heart is strong enough, strange looks and rumors can no longer hurt me."
After falling into the dust, someone had straightened her broken, bent spine. Since she had already decided to start anew, why cling to meaningless pride?
Besides—weren't all those past injuries and jealousies born from her beauty in the first place?
In that moment, Qin Ke seemed to see her finally break free from a thick cocoon, spreading her tender wings and soaring toward the blue sky and white clouds.
Breaking free and being reborn—nothing could describe it better.
---
Currently at chapter 78 for advance chapters
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