Most people in the village couldn’t afford to build houses, but there were also some families who had a bit of money yet lacked a homestead plot.
Ning Lu found Uncle Zhao’s family.
His second son was in a hurry to get married and needed a house. Ning Lu’s home was exactly what they were looking for. Since Ning Lu and Yan Bingqin were asking a reasonable price, the deal was quickly finalized.
Both sides signed and sealed the agreement.
The Zhao family paid the money, and they agreed on a moving date. Once Yan Bingqin and Ning Lu left, they would leave the keys behind. All the furniture and household items would remain, allowing the Zhao family to move in immediately.
To prevent the eldest Ning family from causing trouble later, Ning Lu gave them a warning.
Uncle Zhao wasn’t worried at all.
“Ning Tiedan has gotten used to throwing his weight around in the village, but I won’t tolerate him. You sold this house to us fair and square. If they dare cause trouble, I’ll be the first to tear them apart!”
Hearing that, Ning Lu felt relieved.
Most villagers were good people, ordinary folks struggling through life.
After leaving the Zhao family, Ning Lu told her mother she was going to the back mountain to gather wild vegetables and asked Yan Bingqin to return home and collect the laundry.
In reality, Ning Lu was going there to plant trees.
She couldn’t take fruit out of the mysterious space, but she could bring out saplings.
Having grown up in the countryside, Ning Lu had always loved studying soil, crops, and cultivation.
She knew nearly every plant that grew around Ning Village and was fascinated by their habits and methods of care.
Growing vegetables was one of her greatest talents.
The crops in her family’s fields always grew better than everyone else’s, and their vegetable garden flourished year after year.
People assumed Yan Bingqin was skilled at farming, but the truth was that Ning Lu was the one responsible.
Upon reaching the back mountain, she selected several suitable patches of land.
From the space, she brought out saplings—peach trees, pear trees, apple trees, grapevines, and more—and carefully planted them one by one.
Imagining the village children running through the mountains someday and suddenly discovering trees laden with sweet, ripe fruit, she couldn’t help smiling.
One generation plants trees; the next generation enjoys the shade.
That was exactly why she loved planting.
Human beings lived better lives when they cultivated more food from the earth.
After planting more than a dozen fruit trees, Ning Lu grew tired and headed home along a small path.
Unexpectedly, she ran into Lin Anguo at the village crossroads.
Lin Anguo had just returned from the hospital.
Ning Yue had been knocked unconscious by a stool thrown by his mother and sent to the hospital.
More importantly, Ning Yue was pregnant.
Instead of feeling joy about becoming a father, he felt nothing but exhaustion.
The eldest Ning family offered him no help whatsoever anymore.
They only caused problems and dragged him down.
Not only had they damaged his reputation, but they had also cost him a great deal of money and wasted his study time.
Now Ning Yue needed care in the hospital, while his mother needed care at home.
Lin Anguo felt as though he was being torn in two.
To make matters worse, both women constantly cried and complained whenever they saw him.
Inevitably, he began thinking about Ning Lu.
She might have been overweight, but she had treated him well.
Back when they were together, he never had to worry about food, clothing, or household matters.
All he needed to do was focus on studying.
Ning Lu had even taken care of his mother.
For the first time, Lin Anguo felt a hint of regret.
He was convinced that when Ning Lu had caused that huge scene earlier, she had really wanted him to come back and apologize.
But she had gone too far.
There was no way he would apologize first.
Secretly, he thought that if Ning Lu admitted her mistakes, returned the money, and agreed to take care of his mother again, he might reconsider their relationship.
After all, he knew exactly how much she had loved him.
Thinking this, he suddenly noticed that Ning Lu was walking directly toward him.
The two met face-to-face at the crossroads.
His heart leapt, but he deliberately put on a cold expression and stopped, expecting her to apologize.
To his surprise, Ning Lu didn’t even glance at him.
She simply tried to walk past.
Lin Anguo grabbed her arm.
Though looking somewhat disdainful, he spoke directly:
“You deliberately found out I’d be passing through here and waited for me, didn’t you?
Ning Lu, I know you’re angry, but I never intended to tell you about Ning Yue in the first place.
If I truly only loved her and had no feelings for you, I would have told you long ago.
So actually, I do have feelings for you.
Ning Yue deliberately tempted me. I simply made the kind of mistake any man could make.
Since you’ve taken the initiative to wait for me here, I’ll give you a chance.
Apologize.
What happened before went too far.”
He was completely convinced that Ning Lu missed him terribly and had come here specifically to see him.
Instead, Ning Lu grabbed him and threw him over her shoulder.
He slammed into the ground.
Then she scooped up a handful of mud and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Can’t keep your mouth shut? Then eat some dirt!
What kind of ugly idiot are you?
Didn’t I warn you not to bother me again?”
The impact instantly snapped Lin Anguo back to reality.
He scrambled up, spitting dirt out of his mouth.
His face turned red with rage.
“You shrew!
I’ll never give you another chance in my life!
I was originally planning to let you take care of my mother.
After I get into college, I’d leave Ning Yue in the village and take you with me to look after me.
But now? Never!
Even if you kneel and beg me, I won’t spare you another glance!”
He even planned to spread rumors that he and Ning Lu had already been intimate.
Whether it was true or not wouldn’t matter.
Once a woman’s reputation was damaged, it was nearly impossible to clear her name.
Before he could continue, Ning Lu slapped him several times in rapid succession.
“Pig-headed fool!
Do you think you’re some irresistible heartthrob?
Get into college?
With your pathetic self, you couldn’t even roast a sweet potato properly!
I’ll make you a bet—you won’t get into college!”
Lin Anguo was somewhat talented academically, but his self-discipline was terrible.
Ning Lu knew that better than anyone.
Her words infuriated him.
“You just wait!
If I get into college, you’ll become my mistress!
You’ll serve me every day—on your knees!”
Ning Lu spat in disgust.
“If you fail, you’ll kneel down and polish my shoes while calling me your ancestor!
Otherwise may your family line end and your household registration disappear entirely!”
Lin Anguo was trembling with anger.
“Fine! We’ll see!”
After taking a few steps away, he turned back and shouted:
“Oh, and one more thing!
Ning Yue is pregnant!
I like her more than you!
She’s much slimmer than you.
Every night I hold her and kiss her.
While you were busy taking care of my mother, she and I were in the woods—”
Before he could finish, Ning Lu rushed forward and kicked him flat on his back.
Then she grabbed him and hurled him into a foul-smelling drainage ditch.
“Trash!
Who cares about your disgusting little affairs?
Keep running your mouth and I’ll kill you!”
This time, Lin Anguo was completely speechless.
Covered in filth, he crawled out of the ditch and shouted in a trembling voice:
“You shrew! A shrew!
You’ll never get married!
No man will ever want you!
I’ll tell everyone what kind of woman you are!
Nobody should ever marry you!
Achoo!”
Ning Lu dusted off her hands.
Without even looking back, she walked away.
Breathing heavily, Lin Anguo stared at her retreating figure.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but she seemed thinner than before.
Then again, so what?
She was still fat.
He was certain he would get into college.
He would take Ning Yue to the city and live a wonderful life.
When that happened, Ning Lu would regret everything.
Still fuming, Lin Anguo deliberately began spreading rumors that very same day, claiming that Ning Lu was no longer a pure woman and had already lost her innocence long ago.