Chapter 70

Emily Johnson sat on the edge of the kang, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Snow drifted outside the window, but the room was stiflingly warm.

Michael Stone brought over a steaming bowl of brown sugar water and carefully placed it in front of her.

"Drink something warm," he said in a low voice.

Emily stared at the swirling liquid in the bowl, her thoughts drifting far away. The original character—this supporting female—had such a privileged family background.

Her father was a workshop director, her mother an accountant at the factory. Her eldest brother was a team leader in the mechanical workshop, and his wife worked at the textile mill. Her second brother had married the daughter of a chef at a state-run restaurant. Her eldest sister was a primary school teacher, and her brother-in-law worked in long-distance transportation.

With a family like this, how could they send their youngest daughter to the countryside?

"Do my parents... know I'm already married?" she suddenly looked up.

Michael's gaze flickered. "They... don't know."

Emily's heart sank. Just as she thought.

The original character had hidden her marriage to return to the city, only to be hastily married off by her family. Those so-called relatives were just afraid of the shame of having a divorced daughter.

She clenched her fists.

This era was so unfair to divorced women. A divorced man might get a few remarks, but a divorced woman would be gossiped about for the rest of her life.

"Emily?" Michael called softly when he noticed her distraction.

She snapped back to reality. "I want to take the college entrance exam."

Michael frowned slightly. "But you..."

"I'll pass this time," she said firmly. "Once I return with an admission letter, let's see who dares to talk behind my back."

Michael was silent for a moment. He remembered that after his wife married him, she had never mentioned going back to her family. But after the college entrance exams were reinstated, she suddenly insisted on returning to the city...

"Alright," he finally nodded. "I'll go to town and buy you study materials."

"You're not taking the exam?" Emily was surprised.

Michael smiled bitterly. "I wasn't good at school back then. Besides, someone has to earn money to support the family."

Emily looked at his rough hands and suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Outside, the snow fell heavier.