Then Wu Zhinqing also ran off with her bowl.
Mu Qinqin’s inner thoughts at that moment: Satisfying!
Qiyue’s eyes sparkled even more. “Mu Qinqin, you were so cool just now!”
The “so cool” Mu Qinqin became wilted half an hour later.
Because it was time to go work in the fields.
The sun was blazing overhead. She grabbed a straw hat and joined the rest of the educated youth heading out to the fields.
At the same time—
In a remote earthen house in the village.
Aunt Zhang arrived with an impatient expression.
Ever since being frightened by that girl yesterday, she had barely slept the entire night, always feeling like her head, arms, and legs were aching. This morning, her son even got annoyed that she hadn’t gotten up to cook and dragged her out of bed, saying she was just being idle.
She forced herself to cook breakfast in fear, but nothing actually happened.
That only made her even angrier.
Before she could even calm down, her daughter-in-law came back.
“Mom, can you behave a little outside?” the daughter-in-law complained as soon as she entered.
Aunt Zhang glared. “What did you say? What do you mean behave outside? I work and cook for this family, and I don’t get a single word of appreciation?”
As she spoke, she slapped her thigh, about to cry to her son.
But her daughter-in-law wasn’t having it.
“I’ve heard everything outside. You took the Si family’s money and didn’t do any work. How ugly is that going to look if it gets out? Can you at least avoid being lazy in front of people?”
Aunt Zhang’s face changed slightly.
She had indeed been going less often lately—sometimes not even once every one or two days.
It was probably what that girl yelled about yesterday that got overheard.
And because of that, she hated Mu Qinqin even more.
“I’ll go over later.”
After breakfast, she went to the Si household.
She didn’t even knock before pushing the door open and walking in.
Si Chengchen was slowly folding the blanket.
His expression darkened when he heard the noise.
“Why are you just getting up so late? Auntie has to say this—you’re really too lazy. And you’re blind too. If you stay like this, how are you ever going to get a wife?” Aunt Zhang dragged a stool over and sat down, lecturing nonstop. She didn’t even ask whether he had eaten—clearly she had no intention of cooking.
Today, on her way here, she had met a relative from the neighboring village.
That relative just happened to have a somewhat foolish daughter.
So Aunt Zhang immediately thought of Si Chengchen and decided to act as a matchmaker.
“By the way, Auntie has a niece. She’s about your age and quite pretty. I’ll bring her over another day for you to take a look.”
“No need.”
Before she could finish, Si Chengchen cut her off coldly.
Aunt Zhang looked displeased.
“I’m telling you, things are different for you now. How many girls in this village would even look at you? I’m the only one still thinking about your future—hey?”
As she spoke, she suddenly noticed a plate on the table.
On it were several large apples—bright red, plump, and obviously sweet.
She had never seen apples this big or this fresh, not even at the supply store.
“Where did these come from? Perfect, Auntie hasn’t eaten yet, I’ll take a few home. You can’t finish them anyway.”
She reached out eagerly.
But before her hand could touch the apples, a strong hand grabbed her wrist.
The force was so strong it felt like her wrist might break.
Aunt Zhang cried out in pain.
“Ow! Si Chengchen, what are you doing?!”
“Don’t touch them.”
His expression darkened instantly.
“I’ve taken care of you for so long, and you won’t even let me take a single apple? Ungrateful brat!”
She cursed, but under his cold, oppressive gaze, she didn’t dare reach again.
Even though he was blind, he still carried the intimidating aura of a soldier.
Just as she was about to continue scolding—
A small stone suddenly flew through the window.
The first one missed.
The second one hit her head accurately.
A red mark instantly appeared.
“Which little brat did that?!” she yelled, standing up and rushing outside.
A few small children were making faces at her through the window.
Furious, she chased after them.
After she left—
Two little boys peeked through the window again.
Si Chengchen turned his gaze toward them.
The cold look in his eyes made the boys shrink back in fear.
Didn’t Sister Mu say they were supposed to protect him?
Why did he look so scary? He didn’t seem like someone who needed protection at all.
“Come here.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
The two kids reluctantly stepped inside.
Just as Si Chengchen was about to speak, he suddenly caught a scent. His gaze shifted back to the two children, who were clearly young but hard to identify.
“Who sent you?”
The boys widened their eyes in surprise, impressed that he had figured it out so quickly.
“It was Sister Mu,” one of them said, sniffing. His speech was a bit unclear because he still had candy in his mouth.
The other boy nodded as well.
“What did she tell you?” Si Chengchen asked, and a faint image of that lively girl appeared in his mind, causing a slight stir in his heart.
“She told us to bring you things, and if we see bad people bullying you, we should tell her—she’ll come beat them up.”
Said the candy-eating boy, Xiaohuzi, his eyes curving like crescents.
“She even gave us milk candy as payment!”
“Mm-mm! She said to deliver this too.”
The other boy, Xiaoshitou, pulled a small cloth bag from his waistband.
Si Chengchen opened it.
As his fingers brushed it, the shape of White Rabbit milk candies appeared in his mind, along with a faint sweet scent lingering on his fingertips.
“Where is she?”
Working in the fields?
“She went to work, digging in the dirt! Sister Mu is super amazing!” Xiaohuzi said excitedly, gesturing wildly.
“She’s the most amazing one!”
Xiaoshitou nodded vigorously in agreement.
“Uncle, are you going out?”
Seeing Si Chengchen suddenly head outside, the two boys quickly followed, looking nervous.
“Yes.”
He paused, then lowered his voice slightly.
“Call me brother.”
Xiaohuzi and Xiaoshitou remembered Mu Qinqin’s instructions and, after sucking on their candy, obediently called out:
“Brother.”
Si Chengchen continued walking.
But the two children kept following him.
He stopped.
They stopped too.
“You two go play,” he said.
They both shook their heads.
“No! Our mission today is to protect you! We already got… got… what was it called again?”
“Oh! Commission!”
Si Chengchen: “…”