CHAPTER 419: CHAPTER 419 SEARCHING FOR JI YU

"Why are you treating Yu like this? Didn’t you say you liked her? Then why are you forcing her into such a situation?"

Gu Qixiao grabbed his collar, his emotions highly agitated at the moment, looking as though he was on the brink of losing it.

But Jiang Huai was more confused than anyone else. He didn’t know what was happening to him or why things had come to this.

"Jiang Huai, what is the purpose behind what you’ve done? Are you happy now? Everyone has been reduced to such a pathetic state. You must feel pretty good about yourself, don’t you?"

Gu Qixiao struck Jiang Huai with his words, without hesitation.

Jiang Huai just listened silently.

If it were about anything else, Jiang Huai would have gotten angry by now. But this involved the person he cherished most: Ji Yu.

He could never have imagined things would turn out this way.

How painful it was for the woman he treasured to face such a predicament.

"How could I possibly feel good inside? I don’t understand why I’m like this—I merely want to be with the person I like."

Jiang Huai had tried countless times, but the results were always discouraging.

"I just wanted her to give me some of the love she feels for you. That’s all I ever asked for. Why does she still treat me this way?"

Gu Qixiao had no energy left to mock him further.

His own health was deteriorating, and faced with such a situation, even if he wanted to despise Jiang Huai to his core, he had to prioritize finding Ji Yu first.

But Ji Yu, whom they were desperately searching for, was not in as dire a condition as they feared.

When she woke up, she furrowed her brow slightly, looking at the utterly unfamiliar surroundings in front of her.

"Young lady, you’ve woken up already?" A strange voice reached her ears.

Ji Yu turned to see that the speaker was an elderly woman with a head of silver-white hair.

She remembered that she must’ve jumped off the cliff back then—it seemed this woman was the one who had saved her.

"Thank you for saving my life." She expressed her gratitude sincerely. Ji Yu hadn’t even expected to survive.

When she jumped, many things had already ceased to matter.

But now that things had reached this stage, Ji Yu couldn’t help but feel grateful.

"It was nothing—I just lent you a hand. If my son hadn’t found you, you might still be trapped there. That place has plenty of wild beasts; you’re just a young girl and probably wouldn’t have had the strength to fight them off. That would’ve been a real misfortune."

The elderly woman looked at Ji Yu with eyes full of pity.

Ji Yu understood that rescuing her must have been no easy feat for them.

Nevertheless, she remained wary of the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Auntie, may I trouble you to tell me where I am? I need to get back. I’ll find a way to repay your kindness later."

Ji Yu knew that for people like them, money might not have much value.

Living in such a place, there was likely little use for money.

The elderly woman chuckled softly, as though the matter didn’t warrant attention.

"Don’t overthink things, my dear girl. Once you’ve healed, you’ll naturally learn more about where you are." Her attitude was kind, but something about the situation unsettled Ji Yu.

Why was the woman acting so strangely?

"Auntie, may I go outside for a stroll?" Her arm injuries seemed severe, though her legs were still in decent enough shape.

"Of course. But you’ll need to wait until my son gets back. Otherwise, something unexpected might happen."

Ji Yu took a deep breath to steady herself, trying to remain as calm as she could. She knew something felt off about this place, but she couldn’t jump to conclusions about her rescuers. Still, this was something that required careful thought.

She maintained a neutral expression, obediently waiting for the elderly woman’s son to return.

Ji Yu couldn’t help but wonder whether it was just her imagination.

She felt as though the elderly woman’s gaze had become increasingly approving, as though this situation was unfolding exactly as planned.

By nightfall, the son finally returned, his appearance dusty from his journey.

The man seemed simple and honest, smiling politely when he saw Ji Yu.

"Mom, since she wants to speak with me, you should go about your other business." He said.

The elderly woman, eager for them to interact, promptly left.

Ji Yu felt nervous, instinctively stepping back.

The man seemed to notice her apprehension toward this place.

"Don’t worry, I don’t have any other intentions toward you, nor do I mean any harm. I know you’re a good girl. I brought you here purely to treat your injuries. There’s no way I could leave you outside in your condition."

He explained the circumstances of her rescue.

Ji Yu gradually let her guard down.

But for some reason, she still found the entire situation odd—almost as if everything had been planned.

"What’s your name?"

"I’m Lin Zhiyuan." The man maintained his straightforward demeanor.

Ji Yu formed a decent impression of him, so decided to ask about the village—why it existed in this remote area.

"You mustn’t dwell on where this place is. We live here peacefully, and when you leave, pretend you’ve never been here. If later they say you must marry me, just agree with a smile. Don’t resist—resistance will only make leaving harder."

He was clearly well aware of how things worked here and had his own plans from the start.

"I understand what you mean," Ji Yu replied, beginning to piece together the situation.

In such a backward village, cases like this were rare. Any girl brought here was expected to marry one of the locals.

Ji Yu wasn’t sure what to say to that, though such places indeed existed.

She didn’t want to pass judgment on their way of life—people’s customs simply differed.

But if they truly intended to enforce their will, that would undoubtedly be crossing a line.

"Thank you for saving me." Ji Yu acknowledged the circumstances, choosing not to overthink for the time being.

At least Lin Zhiyuan appeared somewhat trustworthy.

"Brother Lin, I’m very grateful for your help, but I can’t possibly marry you. I already have a fiancé. If you ever need anything from me in the future, you’re always welcome to reach out—I’ll make every effort to protect you."