80 village women marry military officers; it was supposed to be a fake marriage.

Lin Yue gestured for silence, "Shh, keep your voice down, don't wake Grandma, and don't let my parents know either. If they find out I took the money, they'll make a huge scene."

On the way back, Lin Yue explained what had just happened to Chang Jingxiang.

"Don't blame Sister Wang for drugging you. If it weren't for saving your life, who would throw mud at themselves?"

Sister-in-law Wang is a very kind person. She often secretly gave me food when I was hungry, which is why I didn't starve to death. I hope I can help them as much as possible.

Lin Yue didn't want to talk about the past, not wanting Chang Jingxiang to think she was playing the victim.

There was one more thing she didn't mention: in her previous life, when she was sold to a neighboring village, she met Sister Wang, who had also been sold to the same village. Sister Wang was beaten for helping her escape.

Chang Jingxiang nodded slightly, his eyes darkening.

Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him nod, and continued, "The medicine is for Grandma. She is always reluctant to buy medicine. I used to secretly go up the mountain to collect herbs, sell them, buy medicine with the money, and then secretly put them into the medicine bottle."

Don't worry, I won't use your money. I'll earn my own money to buy medicine for Grandma, and I'll pay you back the money I owe you as soon as possible.

Chang Jingxiang knew that Lin Yue was telling the truth. Although the two had not known each other for long, Chang Jingxiang could feel her kindness.

But seeing her eagerness to distance herself from the situation made me very irritated.

Lin Yue was very wary of him and treated him with utmost politeness.

She was completely unguarded in front of that male doctor, and even smiled so sweetly.

She never smiled at herself.

A strange emotion lingered in his heart. Realizing that he might have different feelings for Lin Yue, a cold glint flashed in Chang Jingxiang's eyes.

Lin Yue looked at Chang Jingxiang's cold and handsome profile, his lips pressed into a straight line. Not knowing why he was angry again, she didn't dare to say anything more.

When they returned to the Chang family home, it was almost dark. Chang's mother was frantically cooking in the kitchen, with pots and pans scattered haphazardly, and vegetables and potatoes rolling on the floor.

Both of Chang's parents were children of high-ranking officials and had always lived in a cadre compound in Beijing. Their daily lives were taken care of by servants, and they had never done any housework.

Chang's mother was a pampered young lady who couldn't do anything. Usually, Chang Jingxiang would come back every few days to cook for them, and they would eat the food hot.

Chang's father was also unable to cook, and the two of them couldn't eat well, so they gradually lost a lot of weight.

Chang Jingxiang originally wanted someone to take care of his parents, but the current situation is special. If someone with ulterior motives takes advantage of the situation, it could cause further trouble.

They are under intense scrutiny and cannot afford to make any mistakes before returning to the capital.

Therefore, he easily compromised on the issue of marrying Lin Yue. It was a simple matter between men and women and did not rise to a political level. At worst, he could just get a divorce later.

Because of their class background, the villagers shunned them and avoided them, fearing that they would be implicated and suffer the consequences.

Lin Yue put down her baggage, scooped up some water to wash her hands, and said, "You go and rest, I'll do it."

Chang's mother put down the spatula in her hand, embarrassed, and looked at the pot of blackened stuff. "You're a new bride. It's not right to make you cook on your first day of marriage."

Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions, and there should be some ceremonies, but because their family had been sent down to this area, they couldn't be too ostentatious and had to avoid them if possible.

Moreover, the two of them got married because they were caught being alone together, without a matchmaker or witness. The villagers felt it was disgraceful and no one would come to offer their blessings.

Lin Yue had already thought of this, and didn't feel uncomfortable at all. "It's okay, I'll be there soon. You can go inside and wait."

Mrs. Chang breathed a sigh of relief, told Chang Jingxiang to stay and help, and went back to her room.

Lin Yue worked quickly and efficiently, using what she had at home to cook several dishes and make pancakes.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; although the Chang family is not doing well now, they still have enough food.

Chang Jingxiang offered to help, but Lin Yue refused, saying, "You don't need to help here. Go inside and talk to your parents. I'll call you when dinner is ready."

After she finished speaking, she ignored him and went about her own business.

Chang Jingxiang found it boring to stand alone, so he went to his parents' room to talk.

Chang's mother took a box of face cream and applied it to her hands. "I think the young girl is quite good. She started working as soon as she arrived. She's very perceptive."

Why is cooking so difficult? I used to be able to overcome even the most difficult translation problems, so why can't I learn to cook?

Mr. Chang put down his book and massaged Mrs. Chang's shoulders. "Everyone has their own expertise. You're not cut out for cooking. Look how rough your hands have become. You'll need to take good care of them when you get back."

Chang Jingxiang, having long been accustomed to his parents' affectionate behavior, said, "I'd like you two to tone it down a bit. The young girl is easily embarrassed; don't frighten her."

"You've already made it a fait accompli, and you still have the nerve to talk about us? The little girl looks quite young, but it's quite remarkable that she doesn't cry or make a fuss."

Chang Jingxiang briefly told his parents about what happened today. He himself didn't realize that his tone was full of praise when he spoke.

Chang's mother and father exchanged a smile; it seemed their son didn't dislike the girl that much.

When Lin Yuelai called them to dinner, they were talking about going to the capital.

Father Chang said solemnly, "The investigation into your brother has concluded, and I believe he will soon be reinstated. You should also prepare to return home and observe the situation first."

"Dinner is ready, you can eat now." Lin Yue knocked on the door politely. She didn't really know much about these etiquettes; they were all taught to her by her mother in her previous life.

The Chang family has many books. In her previous life, Lin Yue only cared about satisfying her own selfish desires and wasted many learning opportunities. In the end, she was illiterate and had little in common with the Chang family.

In this life, Lin Yue plans to study hard and learn more characters so that she won't be too uncultured.

Looking at the dishes on the plate, which were just vegetables to her, now looked and smelled delicious, Chang's mother couldn't help but pick up her chopsticks first. "It's so delicious! Xiaoyue, your cooking is so good, much better than Jingxiang's."

Father Chang also tasted it. "Hmm, not bad. It's amazing that simple vegetables can taste like this. Xiaoyue, you should eat some too."

In the past, no matter how much work Lin Yue did at home, her parents would only complain that she was too slow and would never praise her for doing a good job.

They always gave her food last, and if they finished eating, Lin Yue would go hungry.

Chang Jingxiang was also surprised by Lin Yue's cooking skills, and he ate a lot of food in silence, finishing all the dishes before he knew it.

After dinner, Madam Chang pulled Lin Yue into the house. "I don't have much to give you. Take this bracelet as a gift. I'll make up for the rest when we return to the capital."