In the prologue, seeing is but an illusion

Tian Muwan shook her head, then leaned weakly against the back seat and did not say another word. Some things cannot simply be forgotten. Over the past two years, all her joy and happiness were brought to her by Ning Xiaocheng. In just two years with Ning Xiaocheng, she gained the happiness and contentment that she had not experienced in the previous ten years. She collected countless moments of emotion and dedication, and she always believed that it was Ning Cheng who defined love for her

"Ruo Lan, how did you know I would come today?" Ning Xiao Cheng asked in surprise upon seeing his younger sister waiting at the school gate.

Here is one thousand yuan for you. Ning Xiaocheng was unaware that Tian Muwan had already seen him, and he happily took out one thousand yuan and handed it to Ning Ruolan

Hmm. Ning Ruolan did not refuse this time; she understood her brother's intention. The reason her brother did not mention her was that he was afraid Mu Wan would secretly spend money on her.

However, she could not have imagined that Ning Xiaocheng's family was in such dire poverty, and that there was also a younger sister at home working in the fields to support Ning Xiaocheng's education

Tian Muwan followed Jiyun's指指 direction and looked over. When she saw a low earthen house, she immediately frowned. This village did not appear to be affluent, yet earthen houses were rare; even the worst houses were made of blue bricks and tiles. Her frown was not due to the fact that Ning Xiaocheng's house was earthen, but rather because Ning Xiaocheng's family was so poor, yet he was surprisingly generous.

"It is Ning Xiaocheng..." When Jiyun said this, she already knew that Tian Muwan had also seen Ning Xiaocheng

She stood casually by the roadside, yet it seemed as though she had already merged with the entire wilderness, as if she had stepped out of a painting, transcending the mundane.

On a narrow cement road, a Land Rover was driving exceptionally smoothly. The villagers on both sides, upon seeing the Land Rover, stood somewhat apprehensively outside the cement road to let the vehicle pass. Although these villagers could not identify the car, they could sense that the person riding in it was certainly someone of significance

Tian Muwan seemed to have not heard Jiyun's words at all; in her mind, the sincere and natural smile of Ning Xiaocheng emerged. She also recalled Ning Xiaocheng's grand gesture as he said, "Today, I will treat you to a meal"

After the driver parked, he quickly got out of the car and opened the rear door, from which two young girls emerged from the back seat

Moreover, the girl who is being intimate with Ning Xiaocheng is by no means inferior to her. With long hair cascading down her shoulders, she is wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt that showcases a figure that is equally impressive. On her fair face, she offers Ning Xiaocheng a smile as radiant as the summer sun.

The Land Rover stopped just over one hundred meters outside Donghe Village, with the driver being very attentive, parking the vehicle on a raised patch of wasteland outside the cement road

Foreman Fei is quite good for a newcomer; in fact, today is not a payday, yet Ning Xiaocheng still received 1,300 yuan. Most of this money is from his absences from class and the work he did on weekends at the construction site

"Mu Wan, shall we go down and ask?" Ji Yun asked Tian Mu Wan, who looked somewhat pale.

Amidst a haze of gray dust, Ning Xiaocheng quickened his pace and rushed out, while behind him, the concrete mixer continued to roar hysterically

... ...

For Donghe Village, if it were not for the Village-to-Village Connectivity Project, this narrow cement road would not exist

Originally, I wanted to go find you and the books. Before I went, I called Uncle Fei, and he told me that you had already collected your salary and left. I guessed you would definitely come here. Wait, you didn't even wash your face after taking a shower... Ning Ruolan chattered away, and upon seeing her brother Ning Xiaocheng, she was as happy as a little bird.

Getting off the vehicle was a girl dressed in blue jeans and a white butterfly blouse. The slightly faded jeans accentuated her slender waist and curvy hips, making them even more noticeable. Coupled with her short hair, she exuded a vibrant youthful energy. If her lips were not slightly thin, she would undoubtedly be an irresistible beauty. Even so, she was still an exceptionally beautiful young woman. If her lips were not slightly thin, she would undoubtedly be an irresistible beauty. Even so, she was still an exceptionally beautiful young woman

With over 1,000 yuan in hand, Ning Xiaocheng hurried back to school, then quickly took a cold shower in the restroom and changed into a clean set of clothes before rushing out of the school again

If it were not for Ning Xiaocheng, Tian Muwan would absolutely not dine in such a shabby restaurant. This is because she fears that dining in a better restaurant would be beyond Ning Xiaocheng's means. For a man, being unable to afford a meal when dining with a woman is a matter of great embarrassment. Since she is with Ning Xiaocheng, she does not want him to lose face.

Ning Ruolan pushed Ning Xiaocheng's hand back, "Brother, I am about to graduate, and I have enough money. Didn't you get a girlfriend? Buy her something."

Ning Xiaocheng had just gotten off the bus when a girl standing at the entrance of Jiangzhou Foreign Language College excitedly called out and rushed over.

... ...

Brother

Suddenly, a surge of anger rose within her, allowing her younger sister to toil in the fields at home while she pursued her studies, yet she still dared to squander money in such a manner. Behind Ning Xiaocheng's sunny smile, there lurked such a shameless heart.

The first to get off the vehicle was a young girl dressed in a blue floral dress, her hair casually tied up and falling over her shoulders. The long dress, which reached past her knees, accentuated her graceful figure and fair skin

The earthen brick house still looked somewhat presentable from a distance, but as Tian Muwan approached, she realized just how dilapidated this dwelling was. Two broken wooden doors were locked with a bicycle chain; with a slight push, a large gap could be revealed. If one were a bit slimmer, they could easily slip through this gap. Such a large opening allowed a clear view of the interior from outside.

Jiyun nodded slightly, "Yes, he has a younger sister, but she should be working in the fields right now. I heard that the expenses for Ning Xiaocheng's schooling are covered by his sister. I visited once; would you like me to take you to see his sister?"

However, today she unexpectedly discovered that Ning Xiaocheng was not as she had imagined; he too was wrapped in a layer of hypocritical masks, and even the most basic things were absent. She wanted to say that all of this was false, but she knew it was true, for she had seen it with her own eyes

Ning Ruolan said, as she took out a handkerchief to wipe away the dust that had not been washed off from both sides of Ning Xiaocheng's nose. Like Ning Xiaocheng, she did not notice a Land Rover passing by.

"Jiyun, is this Donghe Village?" The girl in the green dress asked as she looked at the distant, chaotic, and unplanned tile-roofed houses, along with some individual buildings.

He went to see his younger sister Ning Ruolan. In this world, Ning Ruolan is his only family. Ruolan is two years younger than him, yet she is much smarter. Not only does she attend a better school than he does, but by the time he was in his third year of college, his sister was already in her fourth year.

The only way he feels like an older brother is that he can take responsibility for his younger sister's living expenses and tuition fees

Although his entire body was covered in a layer of dust and mud, Ning Xiaocheng was in an extremely pleasant mood. Today was the day he would receive his salary, and he had already agreed with the foreman, Uncle Fei, that he could collect most of his half-month's wages after finishing today's work

Ning Xiaocheng did not mind at all giving the money to Ning Ruolan again, saying, "I still have some left. Besides, the Mu family is quite wealthy; she is not with me for the money. When you graduate, I will take you to meet Mu Wan. I haven't mentioned you to her yet."

Recalling the moments spent with Ning Xiaocheng, and the genuine feelings and care he had for her, Tian Muwan felt a sharp pain in her heart. She did not wish for the person she liked to be such a selfish individual, someone who treated even his own sister in this manner; how could he possibly treat her any better in the future? Everything that had once been was a facade.

Yes, the driver responded with great deference

Tian Muwan nodded and turned to the driver, saying, "Uncle Meng, you can just wait for us here."

If previously standing at a distance made it difficult to clearly understand the poverty of this household, now, standing at the entrance of the house, Mu Wan finally comprehends just how impoverished this family truly is. Aside from a few worn-out farming tools, the only furniture in the home is a dilapidated small wooden table, and the kitchen consists of a makeshift earthen stove set up in a corner.

The short-haired girl named Ji Yun chuckled, "Of course, there will definitely be no mistake. I have been here once before. Let's go, Mu Wan, I will take you to see Ning Xiao Cheng's house. By the way, you can also see it from here. Do you see that earthen-tiled house in the farthest eastern corner? That is Ning Xiao Cheng's home"

The short-haired girl who got off the bus glanced at the stunning beauty of the girl in the green dress standing by the roadside, a fleeting hint of jealousy that was barely perceptible flickering in the corner of her eye

Tian Muwan remained silent as she watched Ning Ruolan affectionately caress Ning Xiaocheng's face, her heart feeling as if it had been torn apart. Even though she had reached the utmost disappointment with Ning Xiaocheng, she still did not expect that her sister's reliance on him for education would lead to Ning Xiaocheng being both extravagant and unfaithful.

"Mu Wan, let's go take a look," Ji Yun said immediately upon seeing Tian Mu Wan frown.

"Let's go back, I don't want to see it anymore," Tian Muwan suddenly realized what Jiyun had said, and her spirits sank unexpectedly.

Is this Ning Xiaocheng's home?" Tian Muwan asked again in a trembling voice

Seeing Ruolan put away the money, Ning Xiaocheng took out a snowflake-shaped hairpin and handed it to her, saying, "This is also for you. I bought two, one for you and the other for Mu Wan"

At this moment, she felt a profound sorrow, unsure whether it was for Ning Xiaocheng or for herself. She seemed unable to believe that the person she liked could be like this. Only now did she understand why her family opposed her being with Ning Xiaocheng, or perhaps she was truly mistaken

She never believed that her brother Ning Xiaocheng was unworthy of anyone; he was deserving of any outstanding woman in this world. However, she understood that any woman who could love her brother must recognize his excellence.