“The rabbits at home?” Zhang Yunxi felt like this sentence sounded too much like something a husband would say to his wife.

“It’s been raining these past few days, and it’s dangerous to go up the mountain at night. Don’t come. How about I air-dry the rabbits?” Zhao Rencheng asked.

“Sure.”

Zhang Yunxi had no objections.

After all, it was Zhao Rencheng who had caught them.

He didn’t really need to ask for her opinion.

“Alright, let’s head down the mountain.” He also needed to go find Zhao Xiaobing.

On the way, Zhang Yunxi suddenly remembered the drama she had witnessed the day before and asked him, “How’s it going with your blind date?”

“There’s absolutely nothing between us!” Zhao Rencheng’s face turned grim as he thought about how she had been enjoying the show yesterday.

“Alright, alright, no need to get defensive. I didn’t say anything.”

Zhang Yunxi was disappointed.

She had been hoping to dig up some gossip about Zhao Rencheng. The day before had been too noisy, and she hadn’t heard everything clearly. All she caught was that Tao Lizhen wanted to marry him, he refused, and then Tao Lizhen cried.

But thinking about the original story, Zhao Rencheng had ended up alone, uninterested in women, so it made sense that he was adamant about not marrying.

However, this was the 1970s.

The path of not marrying wasn’t an easy one.

Zhang Yunxi gave Zhao Rencheng a sympathetic look and sighed, “Ah.”

Zhao Rencheng: “???”

What’s she going on about now?

The two of them split up to find their respective people. Zhang Yunxi went up the mountain first, but the meeting spot wasn’t Zhao Rencheng’s house. Instead, it was a less frequented area on the mountain.

Deng Damei was confused. “Yunxi, when did you get to know the militia captain? How do you know him? How long have you known him?”

“You ask too many questions!”

“This is important! And look at how intimidating he is. I’ve been here for so long, and I’ve never spoken a word to him. Do you understand? He looks like someone who could knock me out with one punch.” Deng Damei had seen Zhao Rencheng fight before.

Oh my.

So scary.

Super scary!

Incredibly scary!!

“None of that matters. What’s important is that he agreed to help and will ask Zhao Xiaobing some questions, got it?”

Zhang Yunxi was exhausted.

Deng Damei kept pestering her.

It wasn’t until Zhao Rencheng brought Zhao Xiaobing over that Deng Damei finally stopped chattering in Zhang Yunxi’s ear.

Zhao Xiaobing stood awkwardly in front of Zhao Rencheng.

Zhao Rencheng was tall and burly, standing there like a mountain. Even without saying a word, he exuded an overwhelming presence!

Zhao Rencheng glanced secretly at Zhang Yunxi.

Seeing her cheering him on.

He finally spoke to Zhao Xiaobing. “I heard you broke up with Deng Zhiqing. If that’s the case, how about you return the money you borrowed from me? That way, you won’t have to pay interest.”

Zhao Xiaobing was shocked.

Deng Damei was completely baffled.

What money?

Zhang Yunxi was also surprised. Why wasn’t Zhao Rencheng following the script?
Zhao Rencheng continued, “Seventy yuan is a lot of money. What were you thinking?”

“If I’m not going to be with Damei anymore, I still want to give her the seventy yuan as a dowry. That way, when she gets married, she’ll have more confidence. Brother Zhao, don’t worry, I’ll pay you back.” Zhao Xiaobing’s eyes reddened at the thought of the person he loved marrying someone else.

He had only ever loved Damei.

He didn’t want to give up.

But if Damei really liked Ma Zhongbao that much, then he would let her go and hope she could be happy.

Zhao Rencheng was stunned.

“You’re preparing a dowry for your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re really something.”

Zhao Rencheng managed to squeeze out those words.

If Zhang Yunxi were to be with another man, he would only want to cripple that man and then continue being with Zhang Yunxi. He would never willingly hand her over to someone else.

“My conditions aren’t great. I’m average-looking, my family’s situation is ordinary, and I don’t have a job. I can’t give her a good life. She also likes Ma Zhongbao, so there’s nothing I can do.”

Zhao Xiaobing had been holding it in for too long and couldn’t help but cry.

Zhao Rencheng: “!!!”

Zhang Yunxi: “!!!”

Deng Damei immediately rushed forward, crying and scolding, “I don’t like anyone else! And when have I ever looked down on you? I’ve always thought you were the handsomest, best man in my heart—the man who treats me the best in the world! I only threatened Ma Zhongbao to lend me a hundred yuan because I wanted to marry you! I never had any other intentions, and I definitely don’t want to marry someone else. It was you who told me to leave!”

Zhao Xiaobing was stunned.

Zhao Rencheng quietly moved to Zhang Yunxi’s side.

Zhang Yunxi watched as the two of them poured their hearts out, cleared up the misunderstanding, and embraced each other. She covered her mouth, unable to resist patting Zhao Rencheng. “Oh my gosh, this is so sweet~”

The innocent embrace was so captivating—who could understand?!

It was even more captivating than watching a teen romance drama.

Zhao Rencheng looked at her radiant smile and couldn’t help but laugh. Summoning his courage, he tentatively asked, “Do you want to be in a relationship?”

Zhang Yunxi’s smile instantly vanished.

“No!”

Zhao Rencheng: “…”

He really had nothing to say.

Zhang Yunxi could have watched them hug for hours.

It was Zhao Rencheng who reminded her, “If we stay here, they won’t be able to truly open up to each other. Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Zhang Yunxi reluctantly agreed.

She glanced back again and again.

Although Zhao Xiaobing’s actions were a bit foolish, they were also endearing. He was willing to give such a large sum of money to Damei, hoping it would give her more confidence when she got married.

In modern times, this might be seen as being too submissive.

But in a way, isn’t this also love?

Zhang Yunxi wasn’t opposed to love, but she wasn’t particularly eager for it either. In her past life, the only time she had truly longed for it was when she watched sweet moments in short videos, but that feeling only lasted for a moment.

Love was too extravagant.

And hard to find.

“Here.” Zhao Rencheng handed Zhang Yunxi a raw chestnut.

“Where did you get this?” Zhang Yunxi was surprised.

“I found it. It should taste fresh and sweet. Go ahead, try it.”

“Thanks.”

Zhang Yunxi popped it into her mouth. As Zhao Rencheng had said, it was fresh and sweet, with a slight crunch. This season was perfect for chestnuts.

She remembered that Er Gouzi and Zhao Mo had wanted to go up the mountain to pick chestnuts, but the rain had made it impossible.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, just as they were about to part ways, Tao Lizhen suddenly rushed over and knelt in front of Zhao Rencheng. “Brother Zhao, I beg you, please help me!”

“Oh my!” Zhang Yunxi facepalmed. “You two talk. I’ll head out first.”

“No need, I’m leaving too.” Zhao Rencheng’s face darkened as he looked down at the kneeling woman. “Your request is impossible for me to fulfill.”

“Then I might as well die!” Tao Lizhen hadn’t slept all night, and her eyes were bloodshot. If marrying Zhao Rencheng wasn’t going to work, then her only option was to threaten him.

“I’m a witness. He didn’t do anything to you!”

Zhang Yunxi was much gentler with girls than with boys, but exceptions were made for the extreme cases.

Using your own life to threaten a stranger.

How ridiculous.

Tao Lizhen stared at her and suddenly laughed. “If you don’t help me, I’ll tell everyone that the two of you are having an illicit affair!”