Shen Linchuan’s head felt dizzy and fuzzy. Before he could even open his eyes, the jolting motion made him feel sick, almost to the point of vomiting.

He struggled slightly, then felt a sharp slap on his buttocks. Shen Linchuan hissed and forced his eyes open. The first thing he saw was a pair of long legs and that… that pert, rounded behind…

Shen Linchuan shook his head. He had just saved a drowning child on his way home from work, had he? After getting the kid to shore, he’d collapsed from exhaustion and sunk. Could this be some kind of good Samaritan who’d rescued him?

Shen Linchuan propped himself up. No, wait—why was he being carried on someone’s back? They weren’t taking him to the crematorium, were they? No way! Shen Linchuan wasn’t dead yet!

Shen Linchuan struggled. “Bro, bro, I’m fine!”

His response earned him another smack on the butt. Shen Linchuan’s face flushed crimson. Why keep hitting his butt?!

Then the person said, “Shen Linchuan, behave yourself. If you try to run again, my dad says he won’t be gentle with you.”

What was this guy talking about? Shen Linchuan was completely baffled. Only then did he notice the man seemed to be wearing ancient attire—brown trousers with straps wrapped around the calves, making his legs appear even longer. On his feet were a pair of slightly worn black cloth shoes. He carried Shen Linchuan forward with long strides, looking effortless.

Shen Linchuan quickly lifted his head. In the distance, it seemed like nothing but thatched cottages! This was the modern era—he’d lived so long and never seen such a vast expanse of thatched cottages!

Shen Linchuan suddenly sensed trouble. Wait, where the hell was he being taken?!

Shen Linchuan began struggling violently. “Let me go! Let me go!”

The person on his shoulders struggled fiercely. Though a frail scholar, he was still a grown man. Zhou Ning nearly dropped Shen Linchuan as he carried him. Tsk, that half-pig was easier to carry—at least the pig was docile.

Zhou Ning had no choice but to set him down. Shen Linchuan’s vision blurred as his feet touched the ground. Only then did he clearly see the person who had been carrying him—a young man clad in a short brown robe, the kind he’d only seen in period dramas. He had wheat-colored skin, almond-shaped eyes, a high nose bridge, and a very handsome face.

But the man was frowning at him, a hint of impatience visible on his face.

Shen Linchuan glanced down at himself. He wore a faded blue robe, patched and washed until it was bleached white. Where was he? Had he traveled through time?

The man across from him spoke up, “Shen Linchuan, have you finished causing trouble? Tomorrow, this marriage must happen—whether you like it or not. If my father finds out you’ve run away again, I won’t be able to stop him if he decides to take action.”

Zhou Ning deliberately tried to intimidate Shen Linchuan. His father wouldn’t dare lay a finger on Shen Linchuan—he respected the scholar. But Shen Linchuan had run off again. If Zhou Ning hadn’t run into him while returning from town, who knew where he’d be now.

“Who? Marry? Me?” Shen Linchuan was utterly baffled.

The man across from him frowned even deeper. “What are you playing at? The betrothal gifts have already been presented. Your brother and sister-in-law have both received them. I know you don’t want to be a son-in-law who marries into the family, but I don’t call the shots here. My father won’t let you go.”

A son-in-law? What was that?

Shen Linchuan grew more confused by the moment. “Your father won’t let me go?” He paused before asking, “Am I supposed to marry your sisters?”

“Shen Linchuan, have you set your sights on my second uncle’s daughter? Hmph, you think you’re so special! Once we’re married tomorrow, we’ll be husband and wife. If you still want to leave after we have kids, I won’t stop you.”

Shen Linchuan’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He… he was marrying the man standing before him! He was straight!

Was this dynasty so liberal that men could marry men?

And how did this man even know his name was Shen Linchuan? He hadn’t told him when he woke up!

A sense of foreboding rose in Shen Linchuan’s heart. He tentatively called out, “Zhou Ning? Ning-ger?”

The man across from him responded, “What do you want now? Hurry up and go home.”

Without another word, the man in front hoisted Shen Linchuan onto his shoulders again. Shen Linchuan whimpered, “Put me down! I can walk myself!”

Zhou Ning ignored him, carrying the man away. His husband was only slightly heavier than half a pig—he could manage it. Besides, he wouldn’t let him walk off on his own. What if he ran away and he couldn’t catch him? How would they get married tomorrow?

Shen Linchuan slumped lifelessly over Zhou Ning’s shoulder, his head and arms drooping like a stretched-out cat. Wasn’t this exactly the kind of farming novel those office girls were reading?

When those girls were reading it, they giggled and asked if he wanted to join them. There was a faithless man in the story, also named Shen Linchuan. If he really did travel through time, wouldn’t that help him survive?

He’d thought the girls were just joking around. Who knew he’d actually time-traveled!

Back then, the girls had chattered cheerfully, “Manager Shen, wanna read it? It might save your life if you travel through time!”

Screw whether he wanted to read it or not! If he’d known he’d time-travel, he would’ve memorized the entire thing!

He’d only caught bits and pieces back then. In this era called Da Feng, there were men, women, and gers. Men made up half the population, while gers and women each accounted for the other half. All could bear children.

His current body was also named Shen Linchuan, a son-in-law who had married into the butcher’s family. The original owner had some wit about him and passed the tongsheng examination at ten, delighting the Shen family, who believed they were raising a scholar.

The entire Shen household supported his education. After his parents passed away, he lived with his elder brother and sister-in-law, who gritted their teeth to fund his studies in town. Little did they know he spent his days carousing with wealthy young masters, constantly demanding silver under the pretense of studying.

When his brother and sister-in-law discovered his ways, he refused to change. Raising a scholar was no easy feat for a rural family. The Shens were carpenters by trade, and Shen Linchuan’s eldest brother, Shen Qingshan, had followed in their father’s footsteps.

With such a trade, one shouldn’t be so poor that they can’t even afford meat. Yet, supporting Shen Lichuan’s education had drained the family dry. Unable to endure any longer, his brother and sister-in-law arranged for him to marry into the Zhou family as a son-in-law, demanding five taels of silver as a dowry.

Shen Linchuan recalled this and sighed deeply. His original host’s brother and sister-in-law had treated him well enough. The original host, relying on his status as a scholar, refused to do any farm work. Whenever called to the fields, he would insist on studying, claiming it would interfere with his pursuit of an official position.

The Shen couple had endured years of hardship with this original self. Shen Linchuan also recalled several young women in the office cursing him as a faithless scoundrel. After marrying into the Zhou family, he was supported by them to pursue his studies. Yet, he remained unscrupulous, still using his studies as an excuse to demand silver from the Zhou family. Later, he even ran off with a widow.

Butcher Zhou had supported the original self for years, never refusing a single request for money. Over time, the strain left him riddled with illness. Upon learning of the original self’s flight, he fell into a rage that proved fatal, leaving behind only young Zhou Ning to fend for himself.

Having spent all their savings on the original body’s education, the Zhou family was left penniless. Butcher Zhou passed away soon after, leaving young Zhou Ning utterly alone. To make matters worse, Zhou Er, Butcher Zhou’s younger brother, took advantage of the situation to claim the inheritance, dooming Zhou Ning to a life of misery.

Shen Linchuan sighed again. By now, Zhou Ning had already shouldered him into the village. He heard someone ask, “Oh, Ning-ger, your man ran off again?”

The tone clearly mocked Zhou Ning, yet the young lad failed to catch it, merely responding with a simple “Yes.”

Shen Linchuan, being a grown man, still had his pride. Being carried home by a young lad looked ridiculous. He struggled a bit. “Ning-ger, put me down. I won’t run away. I won’t run away.”

“We’re almost home. Stop fidgeting.”

Shen Linchuan was thus carried through the village by Zhou Ning, who didn’t care a bit. He could even hear people laughing at him!

Shen Linchuan stopped struggling. Fine, it seemed they’d be home soon anyway.

Everything went blurry before Shen Linchuan’s eyes again as the young boy set him down. “Father, I bought the salt.”

Zhou Ning entered the kitchen carrying the basket.

A tall man stood in the courtyard, his face framed by a thick beard that made him look fierce. He was deboning a pig when he spotted Shen Linchuan. He grunted, and with a sharp swing of his slaughter knife, he split open a pork bone thicker than his own wrist.

“Where the hell is Linchuan?”

The blatant threat made Shen Linchuan flinch. Though Zhou Da looked fierce, Shen Linzhou knew better than to mistake his appearance for actual ferocity.

This Zhou Da was actually quite kind to him. He never scolded him for skipping farm work, readily gave him silver when asked, and respected his former self as a scholar. Though he spoke harshly, he treated him well.

Moreover, Zhou Da was a warm-hearted man. Whenever a family in the village needed help, a call for him was all it took.

Shen Linchuan smiled ingratiatingly. “Father, I was just going for a walk.”

Zhou Da paused mid-chop. The scholar had actually called him father—this meant he agreed to the match!

The scholar had been staying at his house for three days now, lying in bed each day with meals brought to him. He’d even run back to the Shen household once only to be sent back again. Could it be he’d misunderstood? Why hadn’t the scholar run away this time?

He knew Shen Linchuan was reluctant, but his Ning-ger simply couldn’t find a match. Ning-ger was sturdier and taller than most boys his age, and his skin was darker from working outdoors. During matchmaking meetings, suitors disliked Ning-ger’s boyish appearance, deeming him too masculine and refusing to consider him.

Now nineteen, he was considered an older unmarried ger. Only after much effort had he managed to find a husband for himself. Knowing he had wronged the scholar, he treated him with exceptional leniency. Even when the boy had called him a stinking pig butcher these past few days, he hadn’t gotten angry. Today, astonishingly, the boy had even called him “Father.”

Zhou Da’s heart warmed at the sound of it. He gave a low “Aye” in response. “Go inside and rest. You’re still unfamiliar with our village. Don’t wander off and get lost. If you want to go out, call Ning-ger to come with you.”

“Aye, understood, Father.”

“Go on. If you want something for lunch, tell Ning-ger. He’ll make it for you.”

“Got it.”

Shen Linchuan adapted quickly. Though he disliked men—even gers—he couldn’t change that. But since the original host had wronged the Zhou family, he’d make the best of his life here. Besides, where else could he go now?

The Zhou family had already notified all their relatives and friends. The next day, he and Zhou Ning would be married. If he ran away, what would become of this young man’s reputation? How could Zhou Ning possibly live in the village afterward?

The meat Zhou Da had just prepared was for tomorrow’s wedding banquet—a full half-pig. It showed how seriously Zhou Da took this marriage.

Shen Linchuan recalled how Zhou Da had tried to suppress a smile when he’d called him “father” earlier. No wonder the original owner had so easily deceived them—both father and son were honest and simple souls.

Shen Linchuan headed to the kitchen, where Zhou Ning was tending the fire and preparing the meal. “Ning-ger, let me tend the fire for you. You focus on cooking.”

Zhou Ning glanced at Shen Linchuan with some surprise but said nothing. He stood up, moved aside, and went to wash the vegetables.