Deng Yuan studied Jiang Zhi’s expression. Seeing that she was genuinely angry, he pulled her into his arms and planted a forceful kiss on her.
“Alright, alright, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have joked like that with your Brother Zhou’s wife. She didn’t even understand what I meant anyway.”
“Even if she didn’t understand, you still shouldn’t say that!”
“Okay, okay, I won’t say it. I’ll only say it in front of you. Come to my place tonight—we can watch a romantic action film?”
Jiang Zhi’s face flushed. She pushed him away and glared at him.
She straightened her clothes, which he had messed up, and said, “My family doesn’t approve of us. Recently, I have to go home on time every day, or my brother will send me to work at the chicken farm down the road.”
Hearing that, a flash of irritation crossed Deng Yuan’s rough, rebellious face.
“Your brother again. You’re already grown, why is he still controlling you? He’s licking up to Zhou Fuguang now and thinks he’s somebody? Looks down on me? I can earn big money too, I’m telling you, Jiang Zhi!”
Seeing him get angry, Jiang Zhi quickly softened her voice to coax him.
“Don’t I know what kind of person you are? But you also know what my brother’s temper is like. Don’t you understand how I feel about you? For our future, can’t you endure a little?”
Soft coaxing mixed with gentle pressure—she managed to calm him down.
Jiang Zhi let out a small breath of relief and elbowed him lightly in the chest. “Hey. You should also work hard to make money. I’ll be twenty after the New Year. You can give less for the bride price, but the three pieces of gold that every bride gets—I can’t miss out on those, understand?”
Deng Yuan hadn’t thought that far ahead, so he only replied perfunctorily, “Got it.”
Seeing his dismissive attitude, Jiang Zhi felt dissatisfied, but she didn’t dare push too much—otherwise she might provoke his temper again.
Deng Yuan and her brother Jiang Canran had been at odds since high school. Now that she was dating Deng Yuan, the relationship between the two men was even worse.
Deng Yuan was born poor but had a proud, stubborn nature. The Jiang family used to be just as poor, the two families were on the same level. But after Jiang Canran started a business with Zhou Fuguang, the Jiang family’s life gradually improved—while the Deng family remained the same…
Watching his long-time rival living a better life, of course Deng Yuan wasn’t happy.
Jiang Zhi figured that if she married Deng Yuan in the future, and Deng Yuan patched up his relationship with her brother, then her brother might take Deng Yuan into business. That would be much better than selling pirated DVDs on the street.
Qin Baozhu took Zhou Jingrui to a nearby pastry shop and bought five yuan’s worth of walnut crisps and egg-yolk pastries.
After paying, she glanced behind her.
The group of young punks were still squatting in the corner chatting, but no one came to bother her anymore.
Qin Baozhu let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She handed Zhou Jingrui a walnut crisp and said, “Ruirui, let’s go home.”
Zhou Jingrui was carrying several DVDs in his arms. They had a DVD player at home—sometimes when Zhou Fuguang went to the county, he would bring back animated films for him. He watched Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood that way.
The discs Deng Yuan gave him were pirated. He didn’t recognize the cartoon characters, so they must be ones he hadn’t seen before.
He was very excited.
He had already finished his homework. If he asked Zhou Fuguang later, he would probably be allowed to watch the cartoons tonight.
Qin Baozhu held the snacks in one hand and his hand in the other, walking toward home.
She knew the way, so she didn’t intend to wait for Jiang Zhi.
After walking for a while, the door of a shop suddenly opened. A young woman with a ponytail and a scholarly air stepped out.
She looked vaguely familiar. Qin Baozhu glanced at her—unexpectedly, she met the woman’s eyes.
Liang Xiyue froze for a second. She hadn’t expected to run into Qin Baozhu on the street. Instinctively she said, “Qin Baozhu, what are you doing here? How could Brother Zhou let you come out alone?”
Hearing her voice, Qin Baozhu finally remembered who she was.
Her name was Liang Xiyue—Aunt Feng had brought her over once to deliver a jacket.
“I’m not out here alone,” Qin Baozhu replied.
Liang Xiyue walked closer and stared at the bags in her hands, frowning. “You just took the child out shopping like this? Do you know how unsafe the streets are? Especially for a woman like you—you’re an easy target for robbery.”
Thinking of the young men who had tailed her earlier, Qin Baozhu said nothing.
Instead she simply replied, “Thank you for the concern. I’m heading home now.”
She tugged Zhou Jingrui along, ready to leave.
Behind her, Liang Xiyue said, “Qin Baozhu, you’re already a grown woman, not a fool. Can’t you be a little sensible and stop making Brother Zhou worry about you all the time?”
That irritated Qin Baozhu.
Who was this woman to act like she had the right to scold her?
Qin Baozhu turned back and glanced at her.
“You like Zhou Fuguang?”
She asked directly.
The sudden question left Liang Xiyue speechless.
Her eyes widened with shock as she stared at Qin Baozhu.
Seeing her reaction, Qin Baozhu understood immediately.
So she was right.
Qin Baozhu said generously, “If you like him, that’s fine. But don’t talk to me in that snide tone. I can give Zhou Fuguang to you.”
After all, she didn’t like him.
And she was planning to return to Shanghai anyway.
Such rebellious, outrageous words coming from Qin Baozhu left Liang Xiyue’s face turning red, then white.
When she stayed silent for a long moment, Qin Baozhu frowned slightly in confusion.
Did she guess wrong?
She probed, “As long as you help me—”
Before she could finish, Liang Xiyue exploded, cutting her off: “Shut up!”
“…Alright.”
She shut up.
Qin Baozhu said nothing more.
Liang Xiyue looked around to make sure no one was listening, then walked right up to her, gritting her teeth. “Qin Baozhu, Brother Zhou treats you so well—how can you say something like that? How could you do that to him?”
Qin Baozhu’s clear, black-and-white eyes stared straight at her, as if trying to see through the guilt and contradictions in her heart.
Forget it.
If she didn’t want to help, Qin Baozhu would find her own way.
She pulled back her gaze and pouted. “Ruirui, let’s go home.”
Zhou Jingrui didn’t understand what was happening. He only knew that the usually gentle Sister Xiyue was being fierce today. He politely waved his little hand and said sweetly, “Goodbye, Sister Xiyue.”
Qin Baozhu led him forward, brushing past Liang Xiyue.
Liang Xiyue watched her elegant, beautiful face, her refined clothes that looked out of place in this small town, and bit her lip hard.
Why does Brother Zhou treat you so well?
You can casually say such heartless things, yet the feelings I’ve hidden for so long were dragged out into the sunlight by you so easily…
All because—you rely on your pretty face and on Brother Zhou’s affection.
I’ll be watching.
Once you lose his protection, let’s see how long you can stay so carefree.