Zhang Rui's voice broke through the tension like a bell.
Everyone turned their heads.
Lin Che had just arrived, running up the path, her hair tied back in a messy ponytail, her cheeks flushed from the heat. Sweat beaded on her forehead, making her skin glisten faintly under the light. She was wearing a simple light-blue dress — plain, but somehow, she looked more radiant than any jewel Madam Gong wore.
"I'm sorry I'm late!" she said, slightly out of breath, bowing politely toward the guests.
"You're not late," Old Master Zhang said quickly, wiping his eyes and gesturing her closer. "Come in, child. Come in."
She smiled shyly and stepped inside, her hands clasped nervously.
Zhang Rui stood up almost immediately, his face lighting up. "Mom, let me introduce someone to you!"
Madam Gong, who had been mid-conversation with a bodyguard, turned her head gracefully. Her gaze landed on Lin Che.
For a brief moment, her expression froze — just a flicker — before she smiled again, the perfect polite curve of a noblewoman's lips.
"Oh?" she said. "And who might this young lady be?"
Zhang Rui's smile widened proudly. "She's my girlfriend. We plan to get married soon!"
The room fell silent for a heartbeat.
Madam Gong blinked once. Then twice.
Her polite smile stayed, but her eyes — her eyes said something else entirely.
"Oh…" she murmured, her tone soft but laced with something faintly sharp. "Your… girlfriend."
Lin Che bowed again, trying to hide her nervousness. "G-Good afternoon, Madam Gong. It's an honor to meet you."
Madam Gong's lips curved a little higher. "The honor is mine. You must be Lin Che, correct?"
"Yes."
"How lovely."
The words were kind. The tone — perfectly proper.
But something in her gaze made Lin Che's heart skip a beat. It wasn't hostility exactly, but there was a cool distance there. A quiet evaluation.
Like she was being weighed. Measured.
And found… lacking.
Still, Madam Gong's voice was warm when she turned to Zhang Rui again. "My son certainly has good taste. You're very… sweet."
Zhang Rui, completely unaware of the undercurrent, laughed happily. "Mom, Che Che and I have been together for years. She's always taken care of me, even when we had nothing. I wanted you to meet her before we left."
Madam Gong's smile didn't falter. "Of course. I'm glad I did."
Her words were perfectly polite, her tone soft — but somehow, Lin Che could feel it. The faint edge. The distance.
It wasn't what Madam Gong said. It was how she said it.
For some reason, Lin Che's heart sank just a little. She couldn't tell if Madam Gong disliked her personally… or if she simply disliked the fact that she came from a poor village.
Either way, it hurt.
But since this was supposed to be a happy day, Lin Che forced her expression to remain calm. Her lips curved into a faint smile, and she said nothing.
Inside, though, her chest felt tight.
She and Zhang Rui had been together for years. She had always believed that once she met his real family, she could prove herself — show them that even if she wasn't rich, she was worthy of him.
Yet just one look from Madam Gong told her it wasn't going to be easy.
Not at all.
"Rui, have you eaten properly lately?" Madam Gong asked sweetly, completely ignoring Lin Che's presence now.
"Yes, Mom," Zhang Rui said, smiling warmly. "Grandpa Zhang always made sure I was well fed."
"Good boy," she said, squeezing his hand affectionately. "You must've suffered a lot all these years."
Lin Che stood quietly by the side, watching the two of them talk as if she wasn't even there. The way Madam Gong leaned toward him, her hand never leaving his, the way Zhang Rui smiled and laughed in response — it was as if they'd known each other forever.
Lin Che couldn't help but marvel at how close they had become in just one week.
Old Master Zhang watched too, his expression unreadable. But in his eyes, there was a flicker of sadness. Twenty-two years of raising a child, gone in an instant.
He said nothing.
The conversation and laughter flowed easily between Madam Gong and her son, while Lin Che stood a step behind, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
Then, a few minutes later, the atmosphere in the courtyard shifted as several servants entered, carrying colorful boxes.
The villagers outside began whispering again.
"What's that? Are those gifts?"
"Look at those boxes! They must be expensive!"
"Are they giving them to everyone?!"
Madam Gong stood up gracefully, turning toward the crowd. "To thank this wonderful village for raising my son, the Gong family has prepared a small token of appreciation for everyone."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the people.
"Everyone gets one!" someone shouted.
"Really?! Even us?!"
"Ah, the Gong family is truly generous!"
Soon, laughter and cheers filled the air. Music started playing from someone's old speaker. Children danced in the dust. The whole village buzzed with happiness.
But Lin Che… didn't feel like celebrating.
Her smile faded as the crowd grew louder. The joy in everyone's faces only made her feel smaller.
She quietly slipped away, unnoticed, her feet carrying her toward a narrow, quiet path behind the Zhang house.
It was her secret path — a small trail lined with wildflowers and stones, one that led to a hidden corner overlooking the fields.
No one else ever came here. It was her place to breathe, to think, to unwind.
The laughter from the village faded behind her until all she could hear was the soft crunch of her own footsteps.
She stopped halfway down the path, taking a deep breath. Her eyes burned slightly.
Everything had changed so suddenly — Zhang Rui's family, his identity, their future…
And now, she wasn't sure what she was to him anymore.
She closed her eyes, letting the wind brush against her face.
But then —
Something felt… off.
The air around her had changed.
She opened her eyes slowly, her heart thudding.
And there — standing right where the sunlight broke through the trees — was a man.
A tall figure dressed in black, hands in his pockets, the faint glint of metal on his wrist.
He didn't belong here. He didn't belong anywhere near this village.
Lin Che froze.