UD | Chapter 20 – The Truth From That Year

“…I think I remember who Guan Jinqi is now…”

Shen Honglian lifted her head, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Not only did she recall who Guan Jinqi was—she also remembered why she was trapped here, unable to be seen or touched by anyone.

Shen Honglian was originally from the neighboring village of Tiangeng Village. She was a primary school teacher in the village and had an arranged engagement since childhood. She was two years older than her fiancé, and he was just an ordinary farmer.

But the day before their wedding, her fiancé died unexpectedly while saving a drowning child.

However, in order to avoid carrying the psychological burden of a life lost because of their child, the child’s family spread rumors throughout the village—claiming that Shen Honglian had an “unlucky fate” and was the reason her fiancé died.

The fiancé’s family had never been fond of her anyway—she was older than their son and always outperformed him in many ways. They quickly believed the baseless rumors and placed all blame for their son’s death on her.

They went to her school and her home every day to make trouble, demanding compensation.

Shen Honglian, despite being a respected primary school teacher, was the eldest daughter in her family and the least favored child. When the fiancé’s family and villagers accused her of being a “bad omen,” her own family did not defend her. Instead, they felt she had brought shame upon them.

Her job was also lost because the school could no longer endure the constant harassment from the fiancé’s family and dismissed her, thinking it was damaging their reputation.

The villagers were ignorant and superstitious. They believed the rumors. Overnight, the once admired “Teacher Shen” became a cursed woman everyone avoided.

Everyone hated her. Everyone despised her.

Everyone—except Guan Jinqi.

He came from a wealthy family, but had never liked studying. His handwriting was messy and ugly.

They first met when Guan Jinqi was sent down to Tiangeng Village.

A pampered young master suddenly thrown into harsh rural labor, facing a life completely different from what he was used to, couldn’t adapt. Within days, he fell seriously ill with a high fever.

No one cared about him. He was left to fend for himself.

It was Shen Honglian who happened to pass by. She knew some basic herbal medicine and secretly gathered herbs to treat him, saving his life.

After that, they didn’t have much interaction beyond polite greetings.

But he believed in her unconditionally. When others insulted and bullied her, he stood in front of her to protect her.

He helped clear the rumors that she was a “bad omen,” and even made the family of the drowning child face consequences for spreading lies.

Bit by bit, feelings grew between them.

But Guan Jinqi never dared to confess due to his status, and Shen Honglian, scarred by past events, also never spoke her heart.

Until finally, Guan Jinqi gathered the courage to express his feelings.

However, he was being urgently summoned back to the city by his family. The love letter he had written never reached her—he only left behind a promise to wait for him.

After he left, Shen Honglian’s parents decided he would never return and forced her into marriage.

She refused, but they tricked her into going to Chen Family Village, where she was forcibly married off.

She was locked in a room with Chen Fuguì in Chen Family Village, a cruel attempt to force her into submission through consummation.

Shen Honglian resisted desperately. In the struggle, Chen Fuguì, enraged, struck her with a stone.

She died on the spot.

The Chen family paid her parents a large sum of money and hastily buried her body beneath this bamboo forest.

At the moment of death, the shock and resentment caused her to lose awareness of her own death—so she remained wandering within the bamboo grove.

Her parents publicly claimed she had run off to find Guan Jinqi during the engagement process. They even went to the Guan family to extort a large sum of money.

Guan Jinqi believed she had simply gone missing on the way to find him.

For decades, he searched for her tirelessly.

Chen Family Village and Tiangeng Village—he went back and forth countless times—but never found any trace of her.

“Fuck… those beasts!”

Upon hearing the truth from that year, Guan Qianyu couldn’t hold back his curse. He clenched his fists so tightly he looked ready to kill someone.

Because of Shen Honglian, Guan Jinqi had always felt guilty and taken care of the Shen family. Yet they were the very ones who caused her death.

Wu Yan’s expression also darkened. No wonder they couldn’t find anything about Shen Honglian all these years—there was no trace of whether she was alive or dead.

The Chen family… the Shen family… they deserved to die.

Li Yuzhi’s eyes turned red as well. He took a deep breath, forcing down the bitterness in his chest. He hadn’t expected this “delivery” to carry such a heavy truth.

Shen Honglian asked softly, “Is Jinqi still alive?”

Guan Qianyu replied, “Grandma Shen, my grandfather is still alive.”

“My grandfather…” Shen Honglian paused, then gave a bitter smile. “So many years have passed… it’s normal that he’s already married.”

She could understand. She just felt a little sad.

“No, Grandma Shen, my grandfather didn’t—”

“Hey! Who are you people? What are you doing in my bamboo grove?!”

A sudden furious shout interrupted him.

Everyone turned around.

It was an elderly man in his seventies.

“That’s Chen Fuguì!”

Guan Qianyu recognized him immediately, his voice shaking with rage. His fists tightened again as he glared at the old man.

Chen Fuguì was a relative from Shen Honglian’s maternal side. He knew him. On the surface, the old man always appeared kind and welcoming whenever they visited Chen Family Village.

Now, thinking back, every time they came searching for Shen Honglian, he must have been laughing at them behind their backs.

The realization made Guan Qianyu’s anger surge.

He took a step forward—but Wu Yan grabbed him.

“Calm down, Xiao Yu.”

Even Wu Yan was furious, but they couldn’t act recklessly. The villagers here were tightly knit and notoriously protective of their own. There were only three of them. If things escalated, they might not be able to retrieve the remains, and could end up in serious trouble.

“I can’t calm down!” Guan Qianyu gritted his teeth.

“I’m not going to watch a murderer stand right in front of me and do nothing!”

“Is it illegal to beat up a murderer?”

A voice suddenly chimed in.

It was Ling Leiying.

Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu both turned to her.

“I also really want to hit him,” she added calmly, “but I suggest we do it when no one’s watching. As long as we don’t admit it, who would know?”

Wu Yan: “……”

Guan Qianyu: “……”

Wu Yan rubbed his temples. “Both of you, please calm down.”

“I’m calm,” Ling Leiying said. “We can just do it now. There’s no surveillance, no witnesses. Perfect timing.”

Wu Yan: “……”

He suddenly felt like this trip was going to turn into a disaster.