She, Zhao Ying, had been the village’s pampered darling since childhood. Good-looking, good-tempered, and a junior high school graduate, she was also the village chief’s daughter. Her father had spoiled her as she grew up. Now, at nineteen, having reached the age for matchmaking, the threshold of her family’s home was almost worn down by matchmakers.
She didn’t fancy a single one of them. Her father was anxious enough to set the house on fire, asking her what kind of man she actually wanted. She said that marriage was free now, and she wanted to find one herself.
How could her father agree to that? What would a silly girl who hadn’t seen the world know about what makes a good husband for living a life? If parents didn’t intervene, and she fell into a wolf’s den one day, it would be too late for tears.
Just a few days ago, her father had settled on a man for her—a “ten-thousand-yuan household” owner of a pig farm in Wulizhuang, named something like Zhu Dayong. Just hearing the name sounded like a fat-eared butcher.
She refused vehemently and had been arguing with her father for days. Some time ago, she saw Gu Beizheng jump into the water to save someone by the river, and her heart was instantly moved. With sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, tall and strong—this was the kind of man she, Zhao Ying, should marry.
She figured since this man was a soldier—and she heard he was an officer too—good-looking and high-status, her father shouldn’t object. She had planned to find an opportunity these few days to properly bond with Gu Beizheng. Who knew that this little girl, Xu Zhouzhou, would beat her to it?
Is a man Zhao Ying has set her sights on someone a ruined, rotten girl like Xu Zhouzhou deserves?
As long as they weren’t married, it was still up in the air whose hands Gu Beizheng would fall into. Just wait and see.
Inside the room, Gu Beizheng’s face was gloomy as he looked coldly at Xu Zhouzhou, who was looking down and picking at her fingers. “I didn’t expect Teacher Xu to be such a good actress.”
Xu Zhouzhou pretended not to understand and reached out to pick up the belt. “I just wanted to return the belt to you. Thank you for helping me yesterday.”
“This is how you thank me? Deliberately saying things that invite speculation to mislead others about our relationship? Do you think that with this layer of relationship, those people will be wary and won’t dare to spy on you anymore, is that it?”
Her little scheme was so effortlessly unraveled by the man. Xu Zhouzhou felt a sudden flash of shame and indignation.
She looked up at Gu Beizheng. There were a few bloody scratch marks on her face, and her eyes were watery and red, looking utterly aggrieved, weak, and pitiful—as if the person straddling someone else in a fight just now wasn’t her at all.
“Do you think they only spy on me? Do you think I’m only afraid of them spying?” Two tears spilled from Xu Zhouzhou’s eyes. She planned to try a wave of the “weak and helpless” offensive first.
“So, what does that have to do with me?” Gu Beizheng’s brow revealed indifference. Saving her from the river and helping her beat away Lu Shijie yesterday were both done out of a soldier’s duty to protect the people.
As for staying with her through the night yesterday, that counted at most as sympathy for her. He had left early this morning precisely to avoid being seen and giving people something to talk about. He hadn’t expected this woman to have ulterior motives, not hesitating to tarnish her own reputation just to entangle him.
He wasn’t staying here for long and didn’t want to get into unnecessary trouble just because of a moment of sympathy.
Hearing Gu Beizheng’s cold words, it was obvious the “weak and helpless” offensive was ineffective. Fine, then she would just have to be shameless.
“You… in broad daylight, you kissed me, and you touched my… my chest. You must take responsibility for me.”
Xu Zhouzhou bit her lip, looked up, and glared at Gu Beizheng, desperately convincing herself internally to keep her gaze steady.
Gu Beizheng looked at Xu Zhouzhou, dumbfounded. A moment later, he couldn’t help but let out a low, speechless laugh. “Xu Zhouzhou, I explained it to you at the time, and you said you understood. Now you’re going back on your word?”
“Yes, I understood then, but I don’t understand now. There are more and more people gossiping, and I can’t stand it anymore. I just want you to take responsibility.”
Since she was playing the rogue, she might as well go all the way.
“And if I don’t take responsibility?”
“Then I… I’ll go sue you. Sue you for hooliganism.”
Gu Beizheng was actually amused by her imposing manner despite her complete lack of justification.
“Fine, go ahead and sue. What I performed on you was a scientific rescue method. The government will investigate clearly. When that happens, the guilty one won’t be me, but you—for deliberately slandering a soldier. Just wait to go to prison.”
Xu Zhouzhou took a breath and bit her lip. She knew she was in the wrong and couldn’t out-argue him. She blinked, squeezing out two tears.
“Gu Beizheng, if I stay here any longer, I’ll definitely lose my life. You’re a soldier, can’t you just…”
“I can’t.” Gu Beizheng remained unmoved, his tone cold.
“Xu Zhouzhou, I sympathize with you, and that is all. I am a soldier, not an indiscriminate do-gooder for you to manipulate.”
Having spoken, Gu Beizheng turned and left.
Xu Zhouzhou watched his cold, determined retreating figure. She sniffled and wiped away her tears, accidentally grazing the wound on her face, causing her to hiss in pain.
She picked up the safflower oil Gu Beizheng had brought, sat on the bed, poured the medicine into her palm, and slowly massaged her ankle.
When Gu Beizheng returned home, he saw Xiao Tao lying over the small stone table in the courtyard doing her homework. He went over and rubbed her head. “Xiao Tao is such a good girl.”
Xiao Tao looked up and smiled at him. “Uncle, where did you go?”
“I went to deliver medicine to your Teacher Xu; she got hurt yesterday.” Gu Beizheng rolled up his sleeves, took out his toolbox, and brought out the broken stool to repair it.
“Is Teacher Xu okay? Is she hurt badly?”
Gu Beizheng shook his head. “She’s fine. She just needs to apply the medicine a few times, and she’ll be better.”
Xiao Tao pouted her little mouth and nodded. “Teacher Xu is really pitiful; no one cares about her even when she’s hurt.”
The movement of Gu Beizheng’s hands paused for a moment. He didn’t speak and continued hammering the nails.
“Our Teacher Xu is wonderful. She’s beautiful, very gentle, can sing, and can even speak English. She’s so talented.” Xiao Tao praised her Teacher Xu with a look of pride.
“Does Xiao Tao like Teacher Xu?” Gu Beizheng asked in a gentle voice.
“Mhm, I really like her. She told me that girls, especially, should study hard so they can go further, stand higher, and see more beautiful scenery.”
Such bookish words—that certainly sounded like something she would say.
Gu Beizheng’s lips curled up involuntarily.
“But the others in our class don’t like Teacher Xu, because their moms and dads don’t like her and won’t let them like her.”
Xiao Tao pouted, feeling indignant on Teacher Xu’s behalf.
“Uncle, why do you think they don’t like Teacher Xu?” Xiao Tao asked, blinking her big eyes.
Gu Beizheng paused his movements.
Suddenly, that teary-eyed, pitiful little face popped into his mind.
“Ignore them. If Xiao Tao likes Teacher Xu, just study hard with her.”
“Mhm, I will definitely study hard, Uncle. I want to get into university, then take Mom to the biggest city, buy the most beautiful clothes, and have eggs for every meal with lots and lots of sesame oil.”
Xiao Tao lifted her small face, looking forward to the future with eager anticipation.
“As soon as I walked in the door, I saw cows flying in the sky. Turns out they were blown up there by my Xiao Tao.” Ding Lan walked in, looking at Xiao Tao with a teasing smile.
“Mom, I’m not bragging! I definitely can.” Xiao Tao pouted in defiance, then turned to look at Gu Beizheng: “Uncle, do you believe me?”
“I believe you.” Gu Beizheng blurted out. “You don’t believe me?”
Inside his mind, however, that woman’s voice and her petulant, angry look appeared.
What the hell.