The part of the road they shared with Chiang Xiao was filled with a jealousy that was fierce and bitter as they followed her.
Even from behind, basked in sunlight, Chiang Xiao looked like a graceful lotus standing tall and proud, nearly swaying as she walked as if the wind moved her. She turned the streets and the other pedestrians into mere backdrops, standing out in vibrant contrast.
Her youthful aura was perfectly balanced, carrying a hint of enticing ripeness.
Chiang Xiao, as she was now, could attract attention wherever she went.
"Hmph, such a young age and already like a seductress," Yu Chunyu said through gritted teeth.
Although Chiang Xiao’s demeanor was nothing like that of a seductress, in the eyes of many, any woman who attracted men might as well be called one.
Zou Xiaoling nodded in agreement and tidied up her own hair.
She was meeting Chiang Baohe today and had deliberately made herself look ugly.
Dressed in old, loose-fitting clothes with a thin layer of dust lightly applied to her face and her hair intentionally messed up, she contrasted sharply with her usual meticulous appearance.
Did Chiang Baohe not like her? She figured he was fond of her looks, so Zou Xiaoling thought that if she appeared sloppy, maybe Chiang Baohe would stop fancying her?
Yu Chunyu, on the other hand, was dressed up as gorgeously as ever.
Zou Xiaoling was not as attractive as Yu Chunyu to begin with, and walking beside her now only made Yu Chunyu shine like the moon’s pure light.
The alley where No. 17 was located was very quiet. It used to be inhabited by relatively well-off families. Because they were affluent and sought development, several families had moved to the county town, leaving mostly the elderly behind, contributing to the tranquility.
Peace Town hadn’t seen much progress in recent years; it was poor and remained poor.
"Why would Chiang Baohe live here?" Yu Chunyu asked.
Zou Xiaoling was deep in thought and responded upon hearing the question, "I don’t know either, Aunt Ho mentioned something about home renovations? They had to find a place to move Chiang Baohe out."
"They have the money to renovate?"
"Maybe. Perhaps Chiang Yuequn is coming back?"
The door of No. 17 was painted a vermilion red, but with years gone by, the color had faded and the paint peeled, giving it a very aged look.
They pushed open the door and immediately let out a scream upon seeing the scene inside.
They reflexively clung to each other.
In the courtyard, there was a bamboo bed with a man sitting on it, looking at them with a somber expression. The deathly pallor in one eye, the strange gleam in the other, nearly frightened them to death.
"What are you screaming about?"
It was only when Chiang Baohe spoke that Yu Chunyu and Zou Xiaoling realized it was him.
The glimpse they got as they entered had truly terrified them.
A quiet old house, a gloomy man, a sinister gaze—it was really scary.
"Chiang... Chiang Baohe, are you here alone?" Zou Xiaoling mustered her courage to ask. How could she possibly marry such an old man with a disability?
"Aren’t you here?" countered Chiang Baohe, who had changed a lot over the year. He had lost weight but looked somewhat paler since he no longer worked outdoors as much as before.
His hair was long and unkempt, his clothes haphazardly worn, and on his feet were a pair of flip-flops. His long, dirty fingernails almost made one want to keep their distance.
"I’m here to make things clear with you, not to take care of you," Zou Xiaoling blurted out impatiently.