A flicker of coldness passed through Qin Lie’s eyes before he leaned closer to Li Jiao, extending his tongue to lick away a tiny speck of oil on her fingertip. “So fragrant. Whatever Jiao Jiao feeds me tastes better than when I eat it myself.”
Li Jiao’s face flushed red. She felt that Qin Lie seemed a bit different now and couldn’t help but give him a light, reproachful slap. “Smooth talker!”
Outside the window, Li Wenbo gritted his teeth until they creaked.
“You, Li Jiao! You have money to eat meat buns, yet you watch me starve!”
Li Wenbo wished he could rush in and overturn the kang bed, but the thought of Da Niu with his axe yesterday made him shrink back.
Watching helplessly as the two of them ate three buns, Li Wenbo squatted on the ground, clutching his chest and panting heavily in anger.
Meanwhile, Li Jiao wiped her mouth contentedly and poured out a large pile of small bills from the bag she used to carry money earned at the Ghost Market.
Aside from the last bulk purchase, which had been paid for with two ten-yuan notes, most of the rest were small bills and coins.
“Qin Lie, look! In just three days, from the time you left the hospital until now, we’ve made our second small fortune!”
Li Jiao’s eyes curved into crescents as she counted the money, muttering, “After deducting the money spent on agricultural film, buns, and that streaky pork, we still have over thirty yuan left. This trip was definitely worth it.”
Qin Lie simply smiled as he watched Li Jiao, his heart surging with the urge to hide her away. Such a beautiful smile—if only it were reserved for him alone.
“Qin Lie? Qin Lie?” Li Jiao waved her hand in front of him. “What are you thinking about so intently?”
“Nothing. What are you looking for?” Qin Lie withdrew his gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips, looking harmless as if no one could guess the terrifying thoughts in his mind.
“I’m thinking about where to hide this money. I feel like someone might steal it. This shabby house is drafty everywhere, and there’s no locked cabinet. Where can we keep the money safe? What if a thief comes…”
Li Jiao looked around the room, which was empty and bare. Earning money to repair the house was urgent.
Qin Lie followed her gaze, his eyes finally settling on the bulging old pillow beside him.
They hadn’t brought much from their original home—mostly things Wang Cuifen had scorned. Over the past two days, Da Niu had even helped them retrieve some leftover items, determined not to leave anything of value to Wang Cuifen and her family.
This pillow was one of those things.
The pillow was stuffed with buckwheat husks, hard and unremarkable.
A smile spread across Li Jiao’s face, her expression clearly delighted. She crawled over to grab the pillow. “This is perfect! Let’s stuff the money inside. You’ll be sleeping on it every day—who would think there’s money hidden inside, right? It’s very safe!”
Leaning against the wall, Qin Lie’s eyes flickered slightly. He and his Jiao Jiao shared the same hiding spot.
And so, this pillow also concealed his own unspeakable ambitions.
But Qin Lie didn’t stop her. Instead, when Li Jiao reached for the pillow, he deliberately shifted his body to let her pull it away smoothly.
He was gambling—gambling on a chance to make Li Jiao like him even more.
“Huh? Why is it so heavy?” Li Jiao felt something off as soon as she pulled the pillow over.
This didn’t feel like buckwheat husks at all—it was more like bricks stuffed inside.
Curious, she undid the row of nearly worn-off buttons on the pillowcase and emptied it onto the kang.
With a soft thud, an old book with a cover so faded and frayed it had turned white fell out, along with a stack of draft paper covered in intricate diagrams.
The pages were densely filled with writing, clearly showing how carefully the owner had used every scrap of paper.
Li Jiao picked up the books and glanced at them. They were titled “Self-Study Series for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry” and “Principles of Russian Machinery.”
Li Jiao froze completely, staring at the books in her hands in disbelief.
“This…” She suddenly looked up, meeting the man’s deep, penetrating gaze.
Qin Lie showed no trace of embarrassment at having his secret discovered; he was even remarkably calm.
Only when Li Jiao looked at him did he lower his eyelids, his long lashes veiling the flicker of emotion in his eyes.
Qin Lie spoke softly, “Do you think I’m ridiculous?”
He reached out slowly to take back the papers. “A ‘bad element’ like me, who should only be doing hard labor in the black mines, yet I dare to dream of understanding words meant for scholars.”
“I picked these up from the scrap yard near the black mines. I just fiddle with them to pass the time. If you think they’re taking up space, I’ll burn them for firewood…”
“Burn them? Are you crazy?” Li Jiao slapped his hand away and hugged the books to her chest as if they were treasures.
Her eyes burned as she stared at Qin Lie, her heart pounding wildly.
In her past life, she only knew Qin Lie could earn money—hard-earned labor money. She had no idea about this hidden talent of his.
She never imagined that the man she had looked down on for so long was actually a genius covered in dust!
“Did you draw all these diagrams? Did you teach yourself Russian too?”
Li Jiao was overjoyed.
“Yes,” Qin Lie replied, his heart swelling with pleasure at her admiring gaze. “I looked them up in a dictionary. I don’t know if they’re right. Jiao Jiao, you’re a high school graduate. Can you check if I made any mistakes?”
“Mistakes, my foot!” Li Jiao exclaimed playfully. Overwhelmed with excitement, she threw herself at him, cupped his face, and planted a firm kiss on his stubbled chin. “You’re amazing, Qin Lie! Listen to me—you absolutely cannot be buried here!”
Her heart raced, and her eyes shone brightly. “The college entrance exams have resumed, and policies are loosening. With a mind like yours, you must go take the exams! If you like machinery and such, become an engineer!”
Qin Lie was still stunned by the sudden kiss, his usually impassive face now filled with astonishment.
“From now on, don’t worry about the chores at home. Leave earning money to me. Your only task is to heal your leg, and if possible… come back as the top scholar, okay?”
The more Li Jiao thought about it, the more delighted she became. “I want to make those who called you a ‘bad seed’ stare in shock until their eyes pop out!”
“From now on, I’ll be the wife of the top scholar. Our Purple Cloud Ointment will be ‘Top Scholar Purple Cloud Ointment.’ Hehe, and when we set up the greenhouse, we’ll call it the ‘Top Scholar Greenhouse.’ If investors come then… we’ll be rich, so rich!”
Li Jiao laughed gleefully at her own words and collapsed into Qin Lie’s arms.
Qin Lie felt the warmth and softness in his embrace, his Adam’s apple bobbing intensely. She had kissed him!
Not out of pity, but out of admiration!
That look made his blood boil with excitement.
Qin Lie’s previously restrained hand naturally wrapped around her slender waist the moment Li Jiao lifted her gaze to look at him.
“Alright, I’ll listen to Jiao Jiao in everything.”
Suddenly, as Qin Lie’s words fell, he remembered how Li Jiao always gave good things to Li Wenbo before—and coincidentally, Li Wenbo’s math seemed pretty decent too?
A cold glint flashed in Qin Lie’s eyes as he subtly tightened his embrace around Li Jiao.
If Li Wenbo showed up again, he would definitely… have to do something about it.