Right beside him, Gu Yanshen’s pupils suddenly constricted. His hand gripping the hoe tensed so hard that his knuckles creaked, turning pale as death.
“Wanqing! You’re hurt? Let me see!”
Lu Zhenting, like a fly attracted to the scent of blood, was the first to rush over, his face exaggeratedly anxious. He reached out to grab Su Wanqing’s hand hiding behind her.
He was acting the part of the overprotective “knight guarding the flower” to perfection.
[Qingqing, dodge! Don’t let him touch! Look at Gu Yanshen with those pitiful eyes!]
The words flashed in Su Wanqing’s mind like an urgent command, instantly giving her the perfect strategy.
Just as Lu Zhenting’s hand was about to touch her, Su Wanqing, startled like a little fawn, recoiled sharply as if electrocuted, taking a large step back and fully distancing herself from Lu Zhenting.
Her eyes were red, brimming with tears, yet stubbornly refusing to fall.
“I’m fine. Just a small scratch, it’s nothing.” Her voice had a hint of a frightened whimper and a subtle distance.
Then, her expressive eyes, filled with innocence and grievance, instinctively darted toward the tall, silent figure not far away.
Just a glance—but she quickly looked away, as if afraid of being noticed, making her look all the more pitiable.
Lu Zhenting’s hand froze mid-air, his face instantly stiffening.
He felt like a clown performing a solo act, all his enthusiasm wasted on a cold shoulder.
That wretch!
How dare she humiliate him in front of everyone!
As he was about to say something to regain face, a shadow fell over him.
Gu Yanshen had somehow already set down his sickle, stood up expressionless, and strode over with measured steps.
He radiated a cold aura that kept strangers at a distance. His deep eyes held a chill capable of freezing anyone in place.
Everyone’s gaze was irresistibly drawn to him.
He walked step by step, his tall frame exuding invisible pressure, completely ignoring Lu Zhenting’s outstretched, awkward hand—as if he were air itself.
He walked straight up to Su Wanqing.
He said nothing.
He simply bent slightly, lifted the basket full of pig fodder he had set aside, already piled high, with one hand.
Then, under the eyes of everyone present, he tilted his arm.
“Whoosh—”
A full basket of fresh, tender, green pig fodder was dumped neatly into Su Wanqing’s tiny, almost empty basket, which had only a thin layer at the bottom.
Her small basket instantly overflowed.
Every movement was precise, clean, and efficient.
When it was done, he still said nothing—not even a glance at Su Wanqing—then turned expressionlessly back to his original spot, picked up his sickle, bent down, and resumed work.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
The next moment, reactions exploded!
Lin Zhaodi and her aunt Zhang Daniu’s eyes nearly popped out, their expressions as if they had just swallowed a green-headed fly!
“Shameless little seductress! Flirting with men in broad daylight! Ugh!” Zhang Daniu trembled with anger, cursing in a low, venomous voice, sharp and nasty as if squeezed through her teeth.
Lin Zhaodi’s eyes turned red with jealousy. She glared at Su Wanqing’s full basket of pig fodder, then at her own pitifully small pile, gripping her sickle so hard it nearly broke.
Why?!
Why does Su Wanqing, a delicate city girl who knows nothing, get this kind of attention from Gu Yanshen?!
And the most embarrassing was Lu Zhenting, left standing in the open.
His face shifted between pale and green, a chaotic spectacle.
Gu Yanshen’s total disregard from start to finish was more humiliating than a slap.
He felt like a clown; his carefully planned show was ruined in the crudest way, his face utterly lost.
He shot a resentful glare at Gu Yanshen’s broad back, then at Su Wanqing, mentally marking this debt.
“Oh my! Did you see that, girl?”
Ma Daniu and Zhu Daniu exchanged a knowing glance, then leaned in from both sides of Su Wanqing, whispering cheerfully.
“This is the real deal! All talk and no action, sweet words are the least reliable!” Ma Daniu nodded toward Lu Zhenting with disdain.
Zhu Daniu laughed broadly, patting Su Wanqing’s hand: “Exactly! This young Comrade Gu doesn’t say much, but he gets things done—a good young man! Much better than that slick, oily one!”
Other educated youths around them started whispering.
“Wow, Gu Yanshen is such a man!”
“Doesn’t say a word, just does all the work—who can resist that?”
“Lu Zhenting’s face is ruined now. Tried to show off, ended up as a background prop.”
The female educated youths’ eyes shifted from mere curiosity to envy and jealousy as they looked at Su Wanqing.
Listening to the murmurs, seeing her full basket, Su Wanqing stole a glance at the broad figure still working silently in the distance. A warm, sweet sensation flooded her whole body like honey, making her face flush.
This man…
The comments in her mind went completely wild.
[Ahhhhhh, I ship them! Dying over here!!! Maximum boyfriend energy!!!]
[Lu the scumbag is green with envy, yes! I love seeing him embarrassed!]
Looking at her full basket, Su Wanqing felt an unprecedented sense of security.
The day’s work ended quickly.
At dusk, everyone lined up to record their work points.
Thanks to Gu Yanshen’s “secret assistance,” Su Wanqing’s basket was heavy, earning her a full standard work point.
Lin Zhaodi, distracted all afternoon by jealousy and cursing, had barely done any work. The recorder glanced at her pitiful pile and awarded her only half a work point.
Her face went black immediately.
On the way back, watching Su Wanqing walking ahead, chatting happily with Li Xiu, her eyes practically radiated malice.
It’s all that wretch’s fault!
If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have gotten only half a work point!
Anger mounting, she spotted a puddle leftover from the rain. A vicious idea surged into her mind.
She deliberately slowed down, then, as Su Wanqing approached the puddle, she suddenly quickened her pace.
A glint of cruelty flashed in Lin Zhaodi’s eyes. Pretending to stumble, she lunged toward the back of Su Wanqing!