From Zero to Farm Hero: A New Life in the Alps

In a haze of frustration and impulse, Qin Li decided to confront the mistress. Her name was Xu Jing, a newly hired secretary at Sun Yi's company. The story couldn't have been more cliché: a man builds his business empire, becomes a boss, and inevitably falls for the allure of a young, attractive secretary.

Xu Jing was just 21, in the prime of her youth. Her wavy hair and trendy smoky-eye makeup gave her a single-word aura: provocative.

Standing before her, Qin Li couldn't help but feel inadequate. Seven years of marriage had been eclipsed by one seductive glance from this woman.

A storm raged in Qin Li's chest as she approached Xu Jing, driven by a mix of heartbreak and fury. Skipping any formalities, she stated her purpose outright.

"I'm Sun Yi's wife. I'm here to ask you to leave him—"

Before she could finish, Xu Jing cut her off with a scoff. "My love life is my business. Your marriage is your problem to fix."

Her implication was clear: if Qin Li couldn't hold onto her husband, it wasn't her concern.

Qin Li was stunned by her shamelessness. Before she could stop herself, she raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap across Xu Jing's face.

Xu Jing clutched her cheek in disbelief. "You hit me!"

Qin Li's voice was icy. "That's for your mother, since she clearly didn't teach you any manners."

Xu Jing retaliated instantly, slapping Qin Li back. "You have no right to hit me. If you have a problem, take it up with your husband—he's the one who couldn't keep it in his pants!"

The audacity of this woman left Qin Li speechless. How could someone so brazenly wreck a marriage and act like the victim?

"You're destroying someone else's family. Don't you feel even a shred of guilt?" Qin Li demanded.

"Oh, I feel guilty," Xu Jing replied smugly. "That's why you should hurry up and divorce him. Then we can be together openly."

Qin Li felt her composure cracking. "Aren't you afraid of karma?"

Xu Jing chuckled. "If karma were real, corrupt officials would've been struck by lightning ages ago."

Qin Li's fists clenched. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smile off Xu Jing's face.

Sensing her rage, Xu Jing instinctively took a step back, wary of another slap.

But Qin Li's rationality ultimately won out. She realized that stooping to Xu Jing's level wouldn't solve anything. Fighting, screaming, or begging would only paint her as the stereotypical pitiful, abandoned wife. She refused to give Xu Jing that satisfaction.

"I'm not divorcing him," Qin Li said, her voice steady. "I won't make it easy for you. As long as I'm still his wife, you'll always be the mistress."

It was the most cutting thing Qin Li could say—the ultimate insult to a mistress, to be forever stuck in that limbo.

Turning away, Qin Li walked out onto the street. The brief flicker of satisfaction she felt seeing Xu Jing's panic quickly faded, swallowed by a sense of emptiness.

The world felt vast and unwelcoming, as if there was no place for her anymore.

She pulled out her phone and stared at Sun Yi's contact in her address book. It was saved under "My Husband." She remembered how, in the early days of their relationship, she'd saved it as "Our Husband" as a playful joke. Sun Yi had laughed and said, "What do you mean 'our husband'? I'm yours alone."

How sweet those days had been, and how bitter the contrast now. Time had proven that no love lasted forever. No matter how passionate it once was, in the end, love was worn down by the monotony of daily life. Whether or not a man cheated depended on his character.

Qin Li dialed his number, but as soon as it began to ring, she hung up. She didn't know what she wanted to say. She didn't even know if she truly wanted a divorce.

Just then, her phone rang. Her heart leapt, thinking it was Sun Yi, but the screen showed an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" she answered hesitantly.

"It's me, Dani."

The voice on the other end was lively and familiar, belonging to Qu Dani, her best friend from college. The two had shared a dorm room and studied the same major, forming a deep bond during their years together. After graduation, Dani had moved to Germany to study and eventually settled there. Though they rarely saw each other in person, they had kept in touch through messages and calls, and their friendship remained as strong as ever.

"When did you get back?" Qin Li asked, her tone brightening.

"Just this morning at six," Dani replied cheerfully. "I came straight here to find you—how's that for dedication?"

Qin Li forced herself to perk up. "Have you eaten lunch yet? My treat."

"Already ate," Dani said. "But I'd love to take a walk. The changes in S City are incredible. Skyscrapers everywhere! Are you free right now?"

"Yes, I took the day off," Qin Li replied.

"Perfect! Where are you? I'll come to you."

"I'm at the New North Economic Development Zone."

"Got it! I'm grabbing a taxi now. Wait for me!"

Qin Li wandered the central garden of the development zone while waiting. The area was familiar; she had often come here in the past. Sun Yi's company was located nearby. During a time when she had no job and relied on him financially, she would visit him twice a day—bringing lunch at noon and picking him up after work. They had been inseparable, drawing envious looks from others.

But when she started her current job, the demands of work and the pursuit of promotions had consumed her. The pressures of life, compounded by the trauma of three miscarriages, had drained her emotionally and physically, widening the gap between her and Sun Yi.

Xu Jing wasn't entirely wrong—men's affairs often arose partly from neglect in their marriages. Relationships required effort, and assuming they would sustain themselves was naive.

The more Qin Li thought about it, the sadder she felt. She couldn't reconcile the man who had once showered her with affection with the one who had betrayed her. Deep down, she clung to a sliver of hope that Sun Yi would remember all she had sacrificed and find some trace of compassion for her.

Qin Li's phone rang again. It was Qu Dani.

"Turn your head 40 degrees to the right," Dani instructed cheerfully. "You'll see a gorgeous woman with big lips—wave at her!"

Qin Li turned and spotted Dani standing beneath a flowering tree. She wore a vibrant floral dress, a sunhat tilted at a jaunty angle, and her shoulder-length bob framed her face perfectly. She hadn't changed a bit since their college days.

Qin Li blinked, almost transported back seven years to their first meeting on campus. Time was cruel to some but inexplicably kind to others.

Dani strode over with open arms and pulled Qin Li into a bear hug. "Long time no see, Qin Li!"

The warmth of her old friend's embrace momentarily dispelled Qin Li's simmering anger and sorrow. She hugged Dani back and said, "You haven't changed at all, Dani."

"Of course not! I'm eternally youthful." Dani flipped her hair dramatically, then took a step back to inspect Qin Li with mock disapproval. "But you! Why are you dressed so drab? Your hair's pinned up like an old lady's, your outfit is dull, and you didn't even bother with makeup!"

Dani's sharp tongue had always been her signature, and Qin Li was used to it.

"Are you free tonight?" Dani asked abruptly.

Qin Li shook her head. "Not really."

"Great! Let's go," Dani said, grabbing her arm.

"Go where?"

"Shopping, a makeover, and then to a class reunion. You're coming, no excuses."

"I don't feel like it…"

"You have to!" Dani insisted, cutting her off. "It's my welcome-back party. Skipping it would be an insult."

Qin Li hesitated but couldn't find a polite way to decline.

Dani half-dragged her along, saying, "You work too much, always stuck in a routine. Don't you get bored? Or are you afraid Sun Yi won't approve? If that's the case, bring him along—we'll have fun teasing him!"

The mention of Sun Yi's name stung. Qin Li hadn't told Dani about his affair—it wasn't something she wanted to broadcast.

Noticing her friend's change in expression, Dani asked, "Did you two have a fight?"

Qin Li forced a smile. "We're fine. Let's go."

Pleased with her victory, Dani flashed a triumphant grin, hooked her arm around Qin Li's, and led her to a nearby upscale salon. "First, we'll get facials. I've heard water therapy is all the rage here, and my skin is dying after years in Germany's dry climate."

The salon was chic and clearly catered to high-end clients. Qin Li was startled by the prices, which were far beyond what she usually spent.

Dani teased, "What's with that look? Did you just crawl out of a village? At a place like this, they'll charge you for even breathing the air."

Qin Li had no retort. Over the years, her focus had been entirely on work. Her wardrobe consisted of bargain finds from online stores, her haircuts cost ten yuan, and she had never indulged in beauty treatments. People envied her for being a wealthy wife, but in reality, she lived like a penny-pinching ordinary woman.

Dani, ever the pragmatist, said, "Your husband makes so much money, and you're not short on cash. You should be enjoying life, not depriving yourself."

Qin Li smiled faintly, her heart too heavy to respond.

Two beauticians came over to start their facials. As they settled in, Dani chatted away.

"Are you still at the chemical company?" Qin Li asked.

"Nope, switched jobs ages ago. I'm at a TV station in Germany now."

"That sounds impressive."

"Not really. I'm just a lowly assistant. But it's interesting—lots of crazy things happen there. For example, they're currently shooting a reality show called Farmer Matchmaking Chronicles. It's about finding partners for rural farmers."

"Farmers in Germany go on matchmaking shows?" Qin Li asked, surprised.

"Same issues everywhere," Dani said with a laugh. "Young people flock to cities, and those left in the countryside can't find spouses."

Listening to Dani talk about her adventures abroad filled Qin Li with a quiet envy. She felt trapped in her current life, weighed down by her marital troubles and domestic responsibilities. She was like a bird with clipped wings—longing to fly but unable to soar.

"I envy you," she admitted.

Dani shrugged. "And I envy you. Sure, being single has its perks, but it gets lonely. Sometimes, I'm tempted to just marry someone for the sake of it. Or maybe I'll go to a sperm bank and have a mixed-race baby. That'd be my version of living the dream."

Realizing her slip, Dani quickly added, "Oh no, I didn't mean to upset you!"

"It's fine," Qin Li said softly.

"Are you still seeing fertility specialists?" Dani asked. "Germany has advanced medical treatments. If you come here, I can help you find a good clinic."

Qin Li appreciated her friend's concern but felt it was too late for such hopes.

Sensing her silence, Dani pressed, "You're still young. With proper care, you might have a chance. Even with recurrent miscarriages, some women manage by staying on bed rest. You could quit your job and focus entirely on the pregnancy."

Qin Li gave a noncommittal response. "We'll see."

After their facials, they returned downstairs. Dani announced, "I'm getting a water-ion straightening treatment. What about you?"

Before Qin Li could answer, the salon's greeters chorused, "Welcome!"

Qin Li glanced toward the door and froze.

Standing there, holding hands, were Sun Yi and Xu Jing.

They looked so carefree, so unbothered by the world, as if flaunting their relationship in public was perfectly natural.

Qin Li felt her entire body go numb. It was as though her heart cracked open, and the pieces shattered into dust.

Beside her, Dani exclaimed, "Isn't that Sun Yi? Hey! That guy's cheating on you!"