Chapter 175: Farming: Saving the Substitute Husband 18

A pigpen on the hillside.

This place is desolate and overgrown; the houses once built here have been knocked over, and many insects, ants, and mountain rats have made nests there, with occasional small movements.

The straw haphazardly spread in the pigsty has turned black; ants and insects crawl about, and a man in a tattered red shirt, covered in wounds, lies limp on the ground, his eyes dull, a large hole torn in his chest as if gored by a beast, half his arm bitten away.

Further down, the tendons in both his legs have been severed, the wound mixed with dirt and scabbed over, emitting a foul stench.

Jinbei felt pain shouting from every part of his body, despair and helplessness flooding his mind, yet his consciousness was unusually clear.

He had never been this clear-headed before.

He didn't know why he had become like that before.

Why was he controlled by a voice in his head, believing himself to be the destined protagonist, even going mad enough to kill his parents on his own wedding night?

But another half of his thoughts was split in his mind, saying this shouldn't be the case, that he shouldn't have such an ending, and that the person lying here shouldn't be him.

Who could it be……

Many faces flashed through Jinbei's mind, but he couldn't recall any of them.

Until he faintly heard footsteps.

He had no strength to sit up, could only strain to turn his head to look, his throat so dry it was life‑threatening, producing a gasping sound.

"Help…… help…… help."

The footsteps drew nearer.

Jinbei thought he had finally awaited salvation, almost tearing up, but upon seeing who came, his eyes widened, fear sweeping his heart in an instant, accompanied by great resentment.

Jin Chen took Yelin's hand and walked to the outside of the pigsty, both wearing the same faint smile.

"Ah…… Jin, Jin Chen!"

Jinbei's eyes turned red; he didn't want to use such a lowly gesture to look up at him, yet he couldn't move at all.

"Well, you can still talk."

Jin Chen spoke mockingly, "Your vitality is still quite tenacious."

"Get…… get out……"

Jinbei trembled; just Jin Chen's approach made him panic, his fear of death outweighing his resentment.

"Don't, I've come to bring you food."

Jin Chen's other hand held a piece of cloth, which he tossed beside Jinbei's head; the cloth unfolded, and the meat aroma instantly spread.

"Food……"

Jinbei suddenly became excited, gasping as he lifted his head, bit into the meat, chewed big mouthfuls, and swallowed it whole.

Jin Chen threw another piece.

He continued to eat, turning his head, no longer caring that Jin Chen was the person who had nearly beaten him to death in the Jin Family.

Yelin watched coldly, the smile on his face turning to disgust and ridicule, with a hint of amusement.

He suddenly spoke.

"Jinbei, does this meat taste good?"

The cool voice entered his ears; Jinbei distractedly lifted his head to glance, captivated by Yelin's handsome, delicate face, yet ultimately unable to resist the temptation of food, he turned his head again and took a big bite.

"……Delicious… delicious."

He barely managed to utter a sentence.

Jin Chen snorted, "Rat meat, after all it's still meat; you seem quite satisfied with it."

"Ow——"

0731 stomped his foot in disdain.

Jinbei suddenly froze, lifting his head in disbelief.

Rat meat……

This is rat meat.

"Ugh…… ugh……"

He wanted to vomit, but it had already sunk into his stomach; nausea instantly spread through his limbs, and he could only spit out some sour fluid, which ran down his chin onto his own body.

Yelin also felt nauseous; he turned his head to sniff the agarwood scent on Jin Chen's body, easing his discomfort.

Jin Chen patted his shoulder soothingly, then said to Jinbei,

"Why aren't you eating? This is your last meal."

He drew a dagger; a cold light flashed across his cheek, and his eyes turned extremely icy.

"Ah…… get out…… get out!"

Jinbei was utterly desperate; perhaps a final surge of strength gave him the power to pick up a large stone with his uninjured hand and hurl it at Jin Chen and the other.

His struggle seemed so insignificant; the stone fell mid‑way, as if mocking his incompetence.

"Earlier, taking advantage of my foolishness, you stole my silver, plundered my food, and later dared to harbor ill intentions toward my husband."

Jin Chen toyed with the dagger, "Do you think you deserve to die?"

"No…… don't kill, don't kill me, please……"

Jinbei shook his head desperately; his insults had turned to pleas, his eyes wary of the dagger, his pupils trembling with fear.

Yelin adjusted his clothing; the evening wind had risen, bringing a slight chill.

He gently tugged at Jin Chen's sleeve, "Husband, I want to go home."

Jin Chen nodded, knowing he was urging him, "All right, we'll head home right away."

As those words fell, he shot the dagger, precisely piercing Jinbei's heart, killing him in one strike.

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -10, total 10!】

Jin Chen embraced Yelin, and the two walked homeward like a lone wolf.

There are many wild beasts in the mountains; perhaps tomorrow morning, Jinbei will be eaten clean, leaving not a trace.

At the same time, a stream of dark-colored light pierced the sky, leaving this world.

Someone in a room suddenly opened their eyes; their pupils flashed with dark light, and they glanced at a shattered piece of glass, inside which the object was torn apart.

"It seems... stronger than before."

"Master, should we continue?"

"No, first observe; if that other world appears again, he will surely suspect. How are those... cultivated ones?"

"Everything is ready."

"Very good."

——

Three days later, Old Three Jin and Madame Song were buried; the village chief had Dazhuang go up the mountain to find Jin Chen, asking whether he and Yelin wanted to go together to the graveyard hill.

When Dazhuang reached Zhu Wu, the sun was blazing; his back ached from the heat, he silently cursed the damned weather—just as autumn was approaching, a sudden scorching day arrived.

Originally he didn't want to come up at this time, but he had to enter the graveyard hill before tonight's dusk, so whether he hurried or delayed, he could only come at this time.

"Chenzi! Are you home, Chen... oh dear!"

The Main Gate opened; Dazhuang saw that the one who opened it was Fortune, and he jumped in surprise, "This wolf of yours is pretty smart, even knows how to open the door!"

Awoo—

0731 let out a responding cry, ran inside, continued to crouch beside Yelin, letting him groom its fur.

Yelin, however, gently pushed away its head, stood up, and shouted with a smile.

"Big Brother Dazhuang is here."

"Hey, Young Master Yelin, where is your Chenzi?"

"He's digging medicinal herbs in the back, Fortune—go call your father back."

Yelin stroked the wolf's head.

"Awoo!"

0731 lazily rose, too sun‑baked to want to walk, only went to a place where the two couldn't see, then crouched down, communicating within Jin Chen's divine sense.

【Host! Dazhuang has come to the bamboo loft, Little Pitiful One is calling you back.】

【Okay, coming.】

Jin Chen gathered a few stalks of lingzhi, headed home; when he returned to the outer courtyard, Yelin was bringing out a stool, entertaining Dazhuang with the jerky he had made earlier.

Dazhuang ate with trepidation.

Such meat was a rarity; they only ate it on holidays, usually just having minced meat, and even that was considered well‑off in Fengshu Cun.

"Big Brother Dazhuang."

Jin Chen called out, set down his back basket, and walked over to sit beside Yelin.

"What business requires you to make a trip up the mountain?"