Without her consent, he had tied her life to his. In the past, she would have already slapped him.
But now, she had come not only to thank him, but even brought money as a token of gratitude.
Gu Zhao suddenly felt that everything he had done out of anger just now was meaningless.
With her attitude being this good, humiliating her instead seemed rather despicable.
“Alright, I’ve received your intention. Take these back.”
Gu Zhao spoke stiffly, then turned his head to look at the freshly slaughtered rooster on the ground, feeling conflicted.
That rooster was originally meant for the New Year. Now, the New Year chicken was gone just like that.
Where was he supposed to get another one for the New Year?
He had really acted on impulse!
“Don’t think it’s too little. In the future, I can turn this small bundle into a big one—there will be as much as you want!” Shu Ning looked at Gu Zhao, thinking he found it insufficient.
She wasn’t lying.
Because in the future, she would indeed be wealthy.
Gu Zhao would be wealthy too.
“Educated Youth Shu, no matter who it is, I would save them. When I saved you, I never thought of receiving any thank-you gift.” Gu Zhao pushed all the bundles back to her.
“Aren’t you getting engaged to me?”
“You think this is a thank-you gift? This is a betrothal gift! My betrothal gift!”
Shu Ning lifted her bright gaze, her delicate face full of determination as she spoke.
“!!!”
Shock filled Gu Zhao’s narrow eyes.
Did this girl get water in her brain after falling into the river?
He had only been messing around, using rogue tactics to retaliate because she refused to acknowledge his lifesaving act.
Why was she joining in?
Did she really want to marry him?
She wasn’t unaware of his reputation in the commune—he was known as a thug, a rascal, a bully. Reputation meant nothing to him.
Before, she would either avoid him or glare at him coldly.
How had her attitude suddenly changed so drastically?
Gu Zhao wasn’t used to it.
Er Gouzi, who stood nearby, was dumbfounded. The other grannies were also full of shock.
After Shu Ning ran over and declared her feelings, several of them didn’t even dare look at her.
In their eyes, Shu Ning was too beautiful. And she was so rich—the pile of vouchers on the table was enormous, enough for an ordinary family to live on for one or two years.
Gu Zhao was good, but paired with Educated Youth Shu… he seemed just a tiny bit unworthy.
“Are we going to bow to the household shrine now?” Shu Ning lifted her eyes, which sparkled as she asked.
Gu Zhao stepped back slightly, looking at Shu Ning seriously.
Her eyebrows curved like inked willow leaves, her flushed cheeks adorned with shallow dimples. Her full, rosy lips carried a faint mist of moisture, and her eyes were filled with sincerity.
Her smiling gaze shone as brightly as the sun, making it hard to look directly at her.
Gu Zhao instantly felt guilty like a scolded dog and instinctively tried to argue, “Educated Youth Shu, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not getting en—engaged…”
Shu Ning pressed her lips together, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Her moist eyes shimmered with laughter as she said decisively, “Then let’s just get married directly.”
She herself was surprised.
She hadn’t caused trouble for him or scolded him.
Yet he retreated, becoming timid.
Even the group of troublesome and overbearing grannies behind him lowered their heads, as if they had done something wrong.
Gu Zhao’s narrow eyes widened again. There was definitely something wrong with this girl’s head!
Everyone in the commune knew his family situation. His parents had died due to certain historical reasons. His grandmother, afraid of being implicated, drove their family to a dilapidated hut at the end of the village. Below him were his younger brother and sister—raising two dependents alone. No girl would marry into his family.
Moreover, educated youths were supposed to return to the city.
If she really married him and transferred her household registration here, she would never be able to return to the city.
Her behavior was far too abnormal.
He raised his hand to touch Shu Ning’s forehead. It was cool—no fever.
“Educated Youth Shu, you’re sick. Hurry and see a doctor. Take your things and go,” Gu Zhao insisted on his judgment and firmly tried to send her away.
“Then let’s get engaged first.” Shu Ning stepped forward, her eyes bright and resolute.
“I’m not getting engaged.” Gu Zhao stepped back, denying it decisively.
“You slaughtered a chicken and informed heaven and earth.” Shu Ning stepped forward again, slightly raising her chin, her ponytail swaying gently in the autumn breeze.
“It was… it was the ancestors sending a dream, saying… they wanted to eat chicken,” Gu Zhao stepped back again, stammering as he argued.
“You bought candy and set off firecrackers!” Every time Gu Zhao stepped back, Shu Ning immediately stepped forward.
Gu Zhao had nowhere left to retreat and was forced into a corner. He didn’t dare look at Shu Ning at all, giving a clumsy excuse, “The candy was for the kids. I only lit a few centimeters of firecrackers to test if they worked. The rest are for the New Year.”
“…” Shu Ning hadn’t expected such a drastic change in his attitude at a critical moment, so she simply used her trump card. “You touched me and even kissed me. The whole commune saw it. Now you don’t want to take responsibility?”
“If you don’t want to take responsibility, then stand still and let me kiss you back! Then we’ll call it even!”
“!!!”
“I was saving you! What you city people call that is artificial respiration!” Forced into retreat by her imposing manner, Gu Zhao’s face flushed red as he explained in a rough voice.
Shu Ning only smiled without speaking, lifting her chin slightly and staring straight at him without moving.
“…” Gu Zhao’s breathing instantly became chaotic. Damn it—who could withstand that look if she really leaned in to kiss him?
“Y-you… don’t… don’t come closer! What kind of person am I? You think you can take advantage of me? No way!”
The young man spoke while slipping sideways, “There are no wild vegetables at home. I’ll go pick some.”
“…” Shu Ning couldn’t hold back her laughter.
In her previous life, he had saved her. She thought he had taken advantage of her and slapped him. After that, he angrily insisted on getting engaged. Whenever he saw her, he would whistle and tell everyone she was his wife.
He took advantage of the situation to the extreme.
But today, when she delivered herself to him, he ran faster than a rabbit.
“…” In the courtyard, the grannies and Er Gouzi looked at one another.
What had they just witnessed?
Gu Zhao—who dared to hunt wild boars in the mountains, who could beat a cow to death with his bare hands, who feared nothing—actually ran away in cowardice when Educated Youth Shu said she wanted to get engaged and marry him!
“Shu Ning, you ran too fast just now.” Zhu Qiulan walked in. Along with her came Xin Wenyue and the male educated youth who had come to the countryside with them, Bai Zhiping.
Bai Zhiping wore a white shirt and black trousers, standing properly at the gate of Gu Zhao’s courtyard. Seeing Gu Zhao run off, the way he looked at her held a trace of anger—but even more disdain.