The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family

Li Bao Lian saw her eyes filled with hostility and mockery, as if forcing out confessions of her past deeds, waiting to revel in schadenfreude. Surrounded by a roomful of people, she turned around and ran out, sobbing.

Grandma Li anxiously called out to her, "Bao Lian! Sister Lian! Where are you going?"

This was the Sun family’s home, not theirs; Li Bao Lian shared a room with Sun Tingyu and couldn’t just retreat to her room as if it were her own, so she ran out, slamming the door behind her.

Zhang Shiqian was loitering near the alley around Sun Lizheng’s house, hoping to talk to Li Bao Lian when she came out and try proposing to see what she’d say. If it didn’t work out, he’d resort to the method Zhao Junchao had suggested.

Instead, he saw Fang Liuming and Pei Qin going to Sun Lizheng’s family’s home, which worried him. Li Bao Lian had been running to Pei Qin’s home before—could it be that she had arranged a marriage with Fang Liuming!? Since Li Baoxiang had broken his arm and could no longer participate in the imperial examinations, Li Bao Lian could not rely on his scholarly status to marry well, so had she agreed to Fang Liuming’s proposal by default?

Angry and anxious, Zhang Shiqian then saw Li Bao Lian running out in tears and quickly approached her, "Sister Lian! What’s wrong?"

With too much pressure in her heart these days, Li Bao Lian was just running without watching where she was going. Zhang Shiqian, coming toward her, collided with her in a tight embrace.

Zhang Shiqian let out an "ow" and hurriedly caught her, but suddenly his knees buckled, and he fell backward.