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Chapter 49: “It Won’t Hurt if I Blow on It”

“You still remember all that?” Yi An’an asked softly.

“I do. Back then, my family was poor, and my dad was mute. Our classmates all looked down on me. Only you were nice to me. Eating that fruit felt like celebrating the New Year. You never gave any to the others—just me!” Lu Changfeng said with a smile. “I was planning to come look for you in your village once I got a stable job, and it just so happened we ran into each other here! From now on, we’re basically neighbors, so let’s keep in touch more often.”

Yi An’an smiled and nodded. Remembering how people at the courtyard referred to him, she asked, “So what do you do now at the town government?”

“Secretary. I’m the town mayor’s secretary. Just got transferred here six months ago—still adjusting.” Lu Changfeng replied.

Yi An’an nodded. Not a bad position.

“I’ll help you tidy up. It’ll take forever if you do it on your own,” Lu Changfeng offered, standing up.

“No need! It’s all just clutter—I can handle it myself.” Yi An’an quickly stood up. “I won’t keep you any longer. Once everything’s sorted, I’ll invite you over.”

Lu Changfeng paused at the open door, then smiled. “Alright then, I’ll head off. Just call if you need anything!”

Yi An’an could only nod in agreement.

After seeing Lu Changfeng out, she quickly resumed tidying up. Once she’d done a decent job, she left the courtyard and headed home.

After two busy days, the courtyard was mostly in order—just in time for the college entrance exams.

The day before the exams, Zhan Nan Hui formally requested time off from the village and then left with Yi An’an for the exam location.

As they left carrying their luggage, Yan Dabao sat under the big pagoda tree at the village entrance and spat viciously in their direction.

“Yan Dabao, how does it feel to have your bride run off?” someone from the village teased.

Yan Dabao turned his still-bandaged head and snapped, “How would you feel if someone slept with your wife?”

The man turned bright red, looked like he wanted to fight, but ended up backing down and walking away angrily.

“I’m sleeping with your wife tonight! See how you like it!” Yan Dabao shouted furiously.

Yi An’an had barely walked a few steps when Zhan Nan Hui took her luggage from her hands.

Just as she was about to say something, he strode ahead in large steps.

Yi An’an had to hurry to keep up.

His long legs moved quickly, but when he noticed she was falling behind, he would occasionally slow down and wait.

When they got to the bus station, they ran into Chen Sisi.

She was also carrying luggage and looked at Zhan Nan Hui with hopeful eyes, speaking coyly, “Nan Hui, are you also staying at the guesthouse in town? I’m scared. Let’s stay together!”

Then she pretended to catch her own “mistake,” covering her red lips with a hand and looking innocently at Yi An’an, “Oh no, Comrade Yi, don’t misunderstand me! I didn’t mean we’d share a room. I just heard all the students from the rural areas are staying at the guesthouse, since this exam decides our futures! If I get into university, I’ll finally escape this backwater countryside—won’t be like you rural folks anymore!”

Zhan Nan Hui frowned and looked at her coldly. He hadn’t expected Chen Sisi to be so shameless. He’d already made things clear last time—yet here she was again.

Before Zhan Nan Hui could say anything, Yi An’an beat him to it with a cheerful smile: “Oh, don’t worry about that. You won’t pass anyway. Seriously! My mouth may not be good at saying nice things, but when it comes to jinxing, I’m spot on. Just wait and see!”

Chen Sisi’s face turned ashen, her whole body trembling in anger. She looked up to complain to Zhan Nan Hui—only to see him smiling at Yi An’an with a pampering gaze.

Chen Sisi clenched her fists. Back when Zhan Nan Hui was forced by his mother to date her, he’d never looked at her like that!

This Yi An’an was just a rural woman—what made her so special?

Chen Sisi looked up again to see Yi An’an affectionately taking Zhan Nan Hui’s arm, her fingers tracing the callouses in his palm. Her rosy lips pouted as she leaned gently against his chest.

“You must be tired from carrying everything. I told you I could handle it myself, but you insisted. Ugh, why am I so delicate?”

The strap of the bag had left red marks on Zhan Nan Hui’s hand.

Yi An’an pouted and gently blew on it. Using a playful tone like coaxing a child, she said, “There, there—blow on it and it won’t hurt anymore!”

Zhan Nan Hui stared at her face in a daze. Same face, same features—but how could her expressions be so vivid, so beautiful? Her long lashes fluttered like they could speak, her lips curved slightly with breath like orchids. His heart trembled.

He completely forgot Chen Sisi was even there. Staring down at Yi An’an’s enchanting face, he swallowed and murmured hoarsely, “It’s okay. Doesn’t hurt.”

Chen Sisi trembled in fury.

Finally, the bus arrived. Chen Sisi let out a few exaggerated gasps and pretended she couldn’t lift her suitcase, but Zhan Nan Hui didn’t even look at her. He carried both his and Yi An’an’s luggage onto the bus.

“Are you getting on or not?” the bus driver shouted impatiently at Chen Sisi.

Everyone on the bus started complaining: “Yeah! You’re holding us all up!”

Blushing furiously, Chen Sisi finally hauled her things aboard.

Yi An’an and Zhan Nan Hui had already found seats—back row, center—not great, but at least they were seated.

Chen Sisi wasn’t so lucky. With no seats left, she plopped her luggage in front of them and sat on top of it.

She had made up her mind—she was going to stay in Zhan Nan Hui’s sight. She didn’t believe he could stay cold-hearted forever.

The bus was running late, so the driver sped up.

Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes. Passengers screamed as the bus jolted to a stop.

Yi An’an, seated at the back with no barriers in front, lurched forward due to inertia. In that split second, Zhan Nan Hui reached out and caught her in his arms.

Chen Sisi wasn’t so lucky. She reached out to grab Zhan Nan Hui’s leg, but he had already lunged toward Yi An’an, and she grabbed nothing but air. The next moment, she tumbled off her suitcase and hit the floor hard.

“Ow! You’re killing me—you hit me!” she cried, her head smacking into the thigh of a nearby overweight woman, who also started shouting.

The whole bus turned to stare at Chen Sisi.

Flushed and humiliated, she looked up at Zhan Nan Hui—only to find he still wasn’t looking at her.

He had one arm around Yi An’an’s waist and the other gripping the seat in front to keep them steady.

Zhan Nan Hui’s posture was upright and steady, like a lotus rising from the water or a mountain standing firm—impossible to ignore.

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