Chief Liu, still with a stern expression, went to reprimand the villagers. If the two were willing to marry, everyone else should stop gossiping.
Passing the peanut field, he glanced at the slow-moving pair—they were easier to manage. People like Tang Zhirou, Su Mengya, and Zhao Jiani were troublemakers, always stirring up drama.
Lan Xingyu sat on her stool, fanning herself, thinking about the story’s next moves. If the heroine quickly got the male lead, it wouldn’t involve her.
But what if the male lead resisted? That could drag her in, since he had expressed interest in her.
“Still sitting there for half an hour, not weeding?”
Lan Xingyu glared at the person speaking and said coldly, “I’ll sit as long as I want. Don’t scare me with threats!”
“I was just saying something casually…”
Wang Na, seeing Lan Xingyu sitting too long, tried to speak up but got shut down.
“I don’t want to talk to you!”
“Fine then!”
Wang Na huffed, bent down, and continued weeding, never speaking to her again. Always ready to threaten or report—Lan Xingyu knew how to handle such people. A sharp jab at their weak spot, and they shut up instantly.
After hours in the peanut field, work finally ended.
Lan Xingyu lit a cigarette, grabbed her stool, and returned. Li Taohua, who had been flattering her earlier, glared from afar as if she hated her.
Lan Xingyu shrugged—it was just a minor character, not worth worrying about.
Back at the Zhiqing compound, she overheard Jiang Wanwan happily telling everyone about her wedding in two days, inviting them all. Lan Xingyu thought: she’ll be happy too early—this life held her no joy. Tang Zhirou wouldn’t allow it, and Xiao Heng had changed. Jiang Wanwan was doomed to be a tragic foil.
Jiang Wanwan smiled at Lan Xingyu: “Lan Zhiqing, come to my wedding in two days!”
Lan Xingyu just nodded and left, wanting no small talk. She was a ticking bomb—any trigger, and she’d explode.
After a short rest in her room, Zhang Weiping returned. “Sorry, Lan Zhiqing. I talked with Zhao Zhīqīng, got delayed. I’ll fetch water for you right away.”
Lan Xingyu hummed, waiting a moment before showering, as someone was using the bathroom.
She always took a quick “combat shower” after entering her space, keeping it fast to avoid detection, even hanging some men’s underwear and vests under the eaves as a disguise.
After showering, she saw Huo Nanting leaning against the wall, smoking and eyeing her underwear—she thought the male lead had some serious curiosity.
When Lan Xingyu appeared, Huo Nanting entered, sitting across and casually asking, “Who do you think orchestrated Xiao Heng’s matter?”
Lan Xingyu exhaled smoke and mouthed: Tang Zhirou. Unsure if he saw it clearly.
Huo Nanting’s gaze darkened, captivated by her small, enticing mouth, imagining how soft it would be to kiss—his body heated up, brain scrambled.
As for her question, he could guess, but didn’t care. He just wanted to talk with her.
His throat tightened; in a hoarse voice, he asked: “How much will you spend on the wedding in two days?”
Lan Xingyu’s lips parted slightly: “I don’t know. How much are you spending?”
“Two yuan each.”
“I have more than you. I’ll give five.”
Not foolish—just a matter of face.
Huo Nanting chuckled: “Always flaunting your wealth?”
Lan Xingyu glared: “Use your imagination.”
He smiled, handsome and teasing. Seeing her eyes, he grinned mischievously: “Am I handsome?”
Lan Xingyu sneered: “Not bad.”
Of course he was—the male lead of this world.
Huo Nanting’s voice turned low and seductive: “Want to be my girlfriend?”
Lan Xingyu froze, then leapt up, coming close and whispering: “I’m not dating you! My orientation’s normal—I like women! Keep your hands off me, you pervert!”
She returned to her bed, lit a cigarette, glaring at him.
Huo Nanting sulked briefly, then copied her approach, coming close: “I’m a pervert! I want you, to kiss you, to lick you!”
“Pervert!”
Lan Xingyu kicked him in the leg. Huo Nanting brushed off the dust and returned to his bed, unabashed, emotions on full display.
No need to hide anything now, though in public they’d be careful.
He had fallen for someone for the first time. The feeling was intoxicating—he wanted to enjoy it, even if it led to ruin. He wanted to love once.
Lan Xingyu tossed her cigarette and lay on her bed, overwhelmed by his burning gaze. People say men are dogs—now she believed it.
Huo Nanting kept sneaking glances toward the curtain, body restless, planning to take her behind the “Desire Rock” tonight—better if he could lure her there.
“Want to go check the rabbits with me later?”
“No.”
Huo Nanting sighed, planning his slow, teasing approach—surely she’d have to go up the mountain for firewood eventually.
“What are you reading?”
“A medical book.”
“You want to learn medicine?”
“Already studying it.”
“Then why come to the countryside?”
“No comment.”
“My dream is to get into a military academy. Later, if I become an officer, you could be a military doctor. We could work together and maybe even share a room.”
He spoke with longing, imagining living with her.
Lan Xingyu turned over, ignoring him. From his words, he seemed intent on stirring trouble even in the military—if caught, he’d be in trouble.
The two of them were scheming, their minds a little unhinged, each radiating their own twisted thoughts.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Zhang Weiping, the servant, had vanished from the cooking scene and never returned.
Huo Nanting got up to help serve the food. Tonight’s meal was simple: dry-fried green beans and sweet potato porridge.
Lan Xingyu didn’t complain; given the circumstances, if she wanted meat, she would sneak a little.
Huo Nanting watched her and asked, “Lan Zhiqing, do you want rabbit meat tomorrow?”
Zhang Weiping glanced at Lan Xingyu too. He couldn’t afford it himself, so he kept quiet this time, saving money to buy Zhao Jiani some snow cream and clothes.
“No.”
Occasional treats were fine, but people had to pay for them; Lan Xingyu knew her limits.
“Alright then.”
Huo Nanting didn’t press the issue. He was not only sending money home but also saving for university tuition. He believed the national college entrance exams would resume, and that one day he would achieve greatness.
After dinner, he went out to collect rabbits. He hadn’t gone far up the mountain when Tang Zhirou called out to him. She had already ditched Xiao Heng and now couldn’t wait to get close to Huo Nanting.
Carrying a basket on her back, she approached with a bright smile: “I couldn’t sleep early, so I came up the mountain to gather firewood and get some fresh air.”
Huo Nanting’s face darkened. “It’s not proper for a boy and girl to go together. Tang Zhīqīng is nearby; she can gather wood too.”
Before she could respond, he sprinted off, his long legs quickly putting distance between them. Within a minute, he had disappeared from sight.
Tang Zhirou pouted and muttered, “Am I that terrifying? Running so fast! You can run, but you’ll never escape my grasp!”
Had it not been for Chief Liu’s warning, she might have cooked up something more… permanent with him right then.
“Ah!”
Tang Zhirou spun and fell into a familiar embrace—it was Xiao Heng.
“Mmm…”
Without a word, Xiao Heng pressed his lips to hers. It wasn’t that she disliked him or wanted to push him to Jiang Wanwan—he was using the body he had shared with Jiang Wanwan to claim her, to disgust her.
“Shh…”
Xiao Heng released her briefly, tossed her basket aside, and carried her toward a nearby cornfield.
“Xiao Heng, let go!”
Tang Zhirou didn’t shout but spoke in a low voice.
“No. I’ll never let go unless you kill me!”
Xiao Heng was furious. She had acted spoiled after his flirtation with Jiang Wanwan, and now she had drugged him! What a cruel woman!
Tang Zhirou didn’t want to stab him; if she did, Chief Liu wouldn’t let her off. And if Xiao Heng were injured, his wedding with Jiang Wanwan couldn’t proceed. What to do now?
There wasn’t much time to think. The decision came quickly: wound Xiao Heng and use gold to bribe Chief Liu.