The book never seemed to mention such a person among the educated youth. Had he not come to the small mountain village, or had something else happened?
Gu Wan’er couldn’t help feeling curious, and her gaze drifted once more toward Zhong Heyang.
What beautiful eyes, like the finest obsidian…
Gu Wan’er accidentally met Zhong Heyang’s gaze, and before her embarrassment could even surface, she was captivated by those beautiful eyes.
She found that with her limited vocabulary, she simply couldn’t describe what kind of eyes they were.
Before she could come back to her senses, Zhong Heyang quietly lowered his eyelids, hiding those pupils so beautiful they were almost dazzling.
He kept his head slightly bowed, concealing the expression in his eyes, following behind Gu Zhigang with the look of someone resigned to his fate.
Gu Zhigang naturally noticed Gu Wan’er’s interest in Zhong Heyang, and he couldn’t help glancing at the young man.
This young man really is handsome. No wonder Wan’er can’t take her eyes off him.
But this young man’s family situation is a real mess. I can’t let Wan’er get involved with him. Better to assign him to the cattle shed at the edge of the village!
That would also comply with the requirements from above.
Having made up his mind, Gu Zhigang led Zhong Heyang quickly toward the cattle shed at the edge of the village.
Although the cattle shed was cleaned regularly, it was, after all, a place where livestock lived, so the environment naturally wasn’t good.
Even before getting close, one could smell a strange odor.
It was like the distinctive smell of animals mixed with dirt and something indescribable…
Zhong Heyang had never been sent to the countryside before, and he had never smelled anything like it.
Before even approaching the cattle shed, his face turned somewhat pale, and he covered his mouth as if about to vomit…
Gu Zhigang hurriedly stepped back several paces.
The clothes he was wearing were one of his rare pieces without a single patch—if they got dirty, it would be a real hassle.
Fortunately, although Zhong Heyang was in a terrible state, he managed to hold it in and didn’t vomit.
His face was pale, but his dark pupils appeared extremely deep.
Gu Zhigang also knew about Zhong Heyang’s family situation, and worried that if he rose again in the future, he might take revenge on him and his family. So he immediately explained, “Don’t blame me for this. It’s the requirement from above.”
Zhong Heyang twitched the corner of his mouth. “I understand. Thank you for your trouble, Team Leader.”
Gu Zhigang felt a chill down his spine under Zhong Heyang’s gaze. After a few brief instructions, he headed home.
When he got back, he’d have to give Wan’er a good talking-to. She absolutely must not get involved with this man, or the family would surely end up in trouble…
When he returned home, Gu Zhigang saw Gu Zehai sitting by the door, puffing away at his pipe, his brow tightly furrowed as if troubled by something.
“Eldest, what are you doing squatting here?”
“By the way, what happened to Wan’er’s face?”
He had gone out early in the morning and had no idea what had happened at home.
This made Gu Zhigang very uncomfortable.
He didn’t like unexpected things happening.
At this question, Gu Zehai’s face immediately turned bitter.
He didn’t know how to explain it.
Gu Wan’er and Sun Xiaoya happened to be walking into the courtyard through the gate.
“Grandpa, you’re back. Have all the educated youth been settled in?”
Gu Wan’er curiously leaned toward Gu Zhigang, unable to hold back her questions.
“Are you asking about the educated youth, or about that boy surnamed Zhong?”
“Grandpa, if you keep saying that, I’m going to ignore you…”
Gu Wan’er said this as she walked toward the house.
Her steps were a little quick, afraid that someone might see the redness on her face.
Gu Zhigang called out to Sun Xiaoya and asked, “What happened to the wound on Wan’er’s face?”
Sun Xiaoya naturally had no intention of covering for Gu Ting’er, and she recounted everything about Gu Wan’er and the others going up the mountain and getting injured, holding nothing back.
Of course, she inevitably added some of her own subjective feelings.
After listening, Gu Zhigang couldn’t help feeling a bit more displeased with Gu Ting’er.
Frowning, he looked at Gu Zehai, whose face was full of worry and whose back was bent, and said in a somewhat cold tone, “Where is Ting’er?”
Gu Zehai feared Gu Zhigang the most.
Hearing this question, he didn’t dare cover for Gu Ting’er either, and immediately said, “She went out. I don’t know where she went!”
Gu Ting’er was his daughter after all. Even though Gu Zehai harbored resentment, he couldn’t help speaking up to smooth things over for her. “Dad, I’ll give Fifth Brother an explanation for this matter. I…”
“An explanation? What explanation?”
Seeing his son’s timid, spineless manner, Gu Zhigang’s anger flared up.
He had no idea how such a personality had developed.
Back when he returned from the army, this child’s temperament had already been set, and all these years it had never changed.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
Gu Zhigang couldn’t help kicking Gu Zehai. “Go find her and bring her back!”
That evening, the whole family gathered together eating a flavorless meal.
The watery porridge, when swallowed, carried a peculiar stale taste of old grain.
What… what is this taste? It’s so bad…
Gu Wan’er’s brows furrowed slightly; she couldn’t quite get used to the taste.
Afraid that the others at the table would notice something was off with her, she lowered her head and forced herself to swallow the unpalatable food.
How do I activate that Trading System?
She didn’t want to eat this kind of food every day…
“Wan’er, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Sun Xiaoya’s voice, tinged with concern, sounded beside her ear.
Gu Wan’er quickly swallowed what was in her mouth. “Mom, I’m fine.”
“Putting on an act!”
Hearing this, Gu Zhigang’s face immediately darkened.
He slammed his hand on the table so hard the bowls jumped. “You did something wrong and show no remorse, and now you put on this display. Get back to your room and reflect on yourself!”
Gu Ting’er bit her lip hard, her eyes slightly red, and shot a wronged glance at her parents.
Gu Zehai and his wife avoided Gu Ting’er’s gaze, heads lowered, not daring to say a word.
“You’re all biased!”
“I already told you, her getting injured had nothing to do with me, but none of you believe me. All you know how to do is blame me.”
“If she hadn’t insisted on clinging to me, I never would have taken her, that burden, along…”
After throwing out those words, Gu Ting’er ignored everyone else’s feelings at the table and ran straight into the house.
“Fifth Brother, Ting’er is a good child. Wan’er getting hurt must have been a misunderstanding… Why don’t you try talking to Dad…”
Gu Zeshan of the third household, seeing Gu Zhigang’s dark expression, didn’t dare say much himself, and immediately nudged Gu Zemu, who was sitting beside him, signaling him to speak up.
Gu Zemu said nothing.
Wan’er had been wronged today. If he spoke up now, what would become of Wan’er…
Gu Zemu didn’t care whose fault today’s incident really was.
All he knew was that his daughter had been hurt.
He pretended not to hear Gu Zeshan’s words, keeping his head down as he ate from his bowl on his own.
He even picked out the bits of egg from the wild vegetables and placed them into Sun Xiaoya’s and Gu Wan’er’s bowls.
Watching the other children huddle like quails, Gu Zhigang’s expression grew darker and darker.
If the old woman beside him hadn’t tugged at his sleeve, he would never have let it go so easily.
“Contact the matchmaker tomorrow and marry Ting’er off!”
“Kids her age in the village are all getting betrothed by now. If we keep this girl at home any longer, she’ll only become an enemy in the house!”
Gu Zhigang’s words were not a discussion, but an order.
Gu Zehai didn’t dare refuse, and nodded at once. “Understood, Father.”
Might as well arrange to meet Chen San tomorrow… The sooner this girl was married off, the better—no point letting the household stay in turmoil.
Besides, the girl was of age anyway, and no one else could come up with that much betrothal money… Once she was married off, they could adopt a son to continue the line, and his branch of the family would have an heir too… Early the next morning, the matchmaker arrived at the door.