Chapter 53.1: Don’t Be Angry

The next day was the day to help the Zeng family harvest rice, and Pear Blossom woke up early.

Mrs. Zeng had already arrived in the fields early too. Compared to last time, her attitude was much better, though she still couldn’t bring herself to speak with Pear Blossom and instead harvested from the other side of the field.

Looking at the little bundle of flesh stumbling and calling her name from afar, Pear Blossom had to put away her sickle and hurried over to pick the girl up, holding her high in the air. The little girl giggled joyfully, and only after a while did Pear Blossom put her down on the embankment, saying, “Go play by yourself, I need to work.”

Fubao shook her head. “I won’t play, Fubao will stay here with Pear Blossom.”

Pear Blossom looked up at the sky and said, “Alright, stay here with me. When the sun comes out, we can play under the shade of the tree.” Fubao nodded, indicating she was fine with it.

Dong Yun didn’t have a daughter who could run as fast, so she arrived a bit later.

“Eat breakfast first, you need to be full to have the strength to work.”

Mrs. Xiong had woken up early and had already prepared food. Pear Blossom had already drunk a bowl of porridge before leaving the house. She knew Dong Yun would bring her food, so she didn’t eat too much. Now, seeing Dong Yun carrying a basket, she smiled and moved over, opening the basket to see what was inside.

To her surprise, it was steamed cake with brown sugar, which made her eyes light up. When she picked it up, she realized the cakes were oddly shaped and not very appealing.

Dong Yun, whose face was usually calm, showed a bit of embarrassment. “This is how my cooking turned out. I thought I had improved recently, but it seems I overestimated myself.”

Fubao leaned in and said, “Mom made it, it looks ugly.”

Dong Yun, hearing her daughter’s words, couldn’t help but blush, her usually calm face showing a slight flush. She raised her hand, pretending to want to scold Fubao, who giggled and ran away.

However, for Pear Blossom, anything made by Dong Yun automatically comes with a filter. Even if it’s ugly, the more she looks at it, the cuter it becomes.

She picked one up and shoved it into her mouth. After chewing a couple of times, she found it surprisingly delicious.

Soft and sweet, with the taste of brown sugar, it also had a faint alcoholic flavor.Pear Blossom couldn’t help but close her eyes and savor it.

Seeing her enjoy it, Dong Yun also felt a bit happy. If everyone were as easy to please as this silly girl, half of her troubles would be gone.

Zeng Guangjin also arrived. After taking a bite, he said, “This thing is ugly, but it’s actually pretty good.”

Dong Yun, having already been criticized by her daughter and brother-in-law for her cooking early in the morning, was too tired to complain. She tossed the basket aside and went to cut rice.

Pear Blossom glared at Zeng Guangjin with displeasure. Only then did he realize his mistake and awkwardly scratch his head, trying to make up for it by saying, “Actually, I think this steamed cake looks like a flower. It’s really pretty!”

That insincere comment made Dong Yun even less willing to listen. She just hoped they would finish eating quickly and get back to work so that this could be over with.

After Pear Blossom had eaten several large pieces, she finally straightened up, satisfied, picked up the sickle, and went towards Dong Yun.

Although they had already seen Pear Blossom’s speed last time, this time, as soon as she bent down, she quickly left them far behind. The uncle and aunt could only sigh in admiration.

Zeng Guangjin didn’t want to be left too far behind by a young girl, so he gritted his teeth and followed, thinking that if they finished the rice cutting today, it would be easier the day after tomorrow.

The three of them chased each other, and Fubao, influenced by their energy, became excited and cheered them on from the ridge of the field.

Pear Blossom, who had high hopes placed on her, didn’t disappoint. She moved like a gluttonous snake, swallowing rows of rice, making the little girl laugh out loud.

By noon, the sun was high. Dong Yun said, “I’ll go back and cook. You all rest for a bit, and we’ll continue after lunch.”

Pear Blossom straightened up and looked at the less than one-fifth of the field left. She said, “What’s the point of waiting until after lunch? Let’s finish it all in one go. We don’t need to come back this afternoon.”

Mrs. Zeng was more than happy to agree, but she didn’t dare to speak up. After all, they were here to help her daughter-in-law, not her. Last time, her daughter-in-law said that the household would be run by her, and it turned out she was much better at managing things than herself. She didn’t dare to create any trouble now.

Zeng Guangjin wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at the small patch of land, and couldn’t help but speak, “Sister-in-law, how about we get a few more pieces of steamed cake and eat something, drink some water, and keep going? The sooner we finish, the sooner we’re done.”

Dong Yun was about to say something, but Pear Blossom cut her off, saying, “Dong sister, I’ve already decided to finish it before going back. It’s still early.”

With that, Dong Yun stopped insisting and went back to grab the steamed cakes.

Soon, she returned with a large pot of sweet tea.

At this point, the scorching sun was overhead, and the few people in the field were drenched in sweat, but they had managed to cut a large section.

Dong Yun called out, “Pear Blossom, take a break, eat something, and drink some water before continuing.”

Pear Blossom responded and didn’t stop. She cut two more bundles before stopping and heading to the shade of the tree.

Fubao, seeing her come over, happily said, “Pear Blossom, drink some water, Fubao will feed you.”S

he pointed to her mother, asking her to pour the water for Pear Blossom.

Dong Yun picked up the teapot and poured most of the water into the bowl, saying, “Be careful, don’t spill it.”

Fubao held the tea, looking up at Pear Blossom with furrowed brows, and said, “It’s too high, squat down, Fubao can’t reach.”

Pear Blossom couldn’t help but laugh, dropped the sickle, sat under the tree, leaned against the trunk, and teased, “Come on, little Fubao, whether I get this drink depends entirely on you.” Fubao, grinning, came over and held the bowl up to Pear Blossom’s mouth.

Pear Blossom was about to drink, but the child, not understanding the angle and rhythm, tipped the bowl upwards, pouring it directly into Pear Blossom’s mouth. Pear Blossom, caught off guard, swallowed a big gulp and quickly reached for the bowl herself, but half of it had already spilled down her chin, mixing with the sweat rolling down her tanned skin, dripping down her neck, and into the collar of her clothes.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a glow on the spot where her collarbone met her neck, making it hard not to glance.

Dong Yun’s gaze deepened, but she quickly regained her composure. She reached out, pulled Fubao away, and lightly tapped her on the behind, saying, “You little rascal, look what you’ve done, you’ve soaked Pear Blossom’s clothes.”Fubao looked a bit lost, seeing Pear Blossom’s damp chest, pouting, as if she were about to cry.

Pear Blossom coughed and said, “It’s nothing—cough, cough—”Dong Yun let go of her, took out a handkerchief, and went to wipe Pear Blossom down.

This time, unlike last time, the two sat and knelt, Pear Blossom looking up at Dong Yun with her wet eyes, clear but naive, carrying a hint of an unreadable emotion. Her sweaty neck, even without a prominent Adam’s apple, made Dong Yun feel the rhythmic motion caused by Pear Blossom’s swallowing.

Sometimes, no temptation is needed, nor does one need to be exceptionally beautiful or alluring; a young body with tight skin is enough to captivate, making it hard to look away.

Dong Yun lowered her gaze, avoiding Pear Blossom’s intense eyes. She wiped the handkerchief along Pear Blossom’s neck and collarbone, slowly absorbing the moisture.

But when the hand reached just below the collarbone, it paused.In that moment, Pear Blossom wished Dong Yun’s hand would go further, to her heart, where it felt swollen. If it could be held and gently soothed, she felt she would never forget that feeling.

But Dong Yun didn’t continue. She handed the handkerchief to Pear Blossom.

Pear Blossom sat up slightly, feeling somewhat disappointed. She was about to say something to break the awkward silence when, suddenly, a sound of footsteps approached from a distance.

The two looked in the direction of the sound, seeing the figure of a young man in gray clothes heading toward them through the blazing sun, holding something in his hands.

Pear Blossom quickly recognized the figure of the person approaching and couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

The last time, when Sister Dong helped her wipe off sweat, he appeared. Now, at the same time again, he shows up. Why does he always choose this timing?

Zeng Guangjin waved at Qin Dabao, saying, “Qin Dabao, why are you running away?”

Qin Dabao stopped and responded, hesitated for a moment, then continued walking. When he was almost under the shade of the tree, he turned to Pear Blossom and said, “Pear Blossom, come here for a moment—”

Pear Blossom saw Dong Yun had already turned her back, and she responded irritably, “What do you want with me?”

“Just come over—”Pear Blossom had no choice but to unwillingly stand up and walk over to him. She wanted to see what Qin Dabao was up to this time.

She saw him pull out a large bag of wild fruits from his pocket and hand it to her.

“Here, it’s almost out of season, this is the last bit.”

When Pear Blossom saw the wild fruits, she didn’t feel as happy as last time. Now that she had something she desired more, other things felt rather dull.

“Don’t you need to help at home? Why are you up the mountain again?”

Seeing that she didn’t seem as happy as before, Qin Dabao felt a little uneasy. Then, noticing Zeng Guangjin’s curious gaze, he became even more anxious. He shoved the bag into her hands, saying, “Just take it, why ask so many questions?”

Pear Blossom looked at his awkward gaze and his feigned calmness, and something fleeting flashed through her mind, but it quickly vanished. She opened her mouth and finally managed to say, “Fine, thanks.”

Qin Dabao wanted to say something more, but when he saw that she had already turned around and left, he stood there, twisting his clothes in his hands. After a while, he slowly turned around and walked back.

As soon as she reached the tree, Fubao jumped up, looking at her eagerly.

Pear Blossom spread the wild fruits out in front of Fubao and said, “You can only have two at a time.”

At this moment, Zeng Guangjin also came over to drink some water. He teasingly glanced at Pear Blossom and said, “Qin Dabao specially brought you wild fruits.”

Pear Blossom didn’t respond. By this time, she had realized why Qin Dabao had been so attentive recently. Honestly, she wasn’t surprised or pleased by it at all.

Zeng Guangjin assumed she was shy, after all, Qin Dabao had come before, and the meaning was clear. He guessed that perhaps both families had already tacitly agreed, smiling as he turned to Dong Yun and said, “Qin Dabao is tall, looks good, and is hardworking. I think he and Pear Blossom make a good match. What do you think, sister-in-law?”

Dong Yun, still drinking water, took a long time to respond, “They seem to be a good match.”

However, those words sounded like a blow to Pear Blossom’s ears, making her feel uncomfortable. She didn’t say anything but took the sickle and went back to work in the field.

Zeng Guangjin, unaware of her change in mood, said, “What are you in a hurry for? There’s not much left. Take a rest for a while.”

Dong Yun turned around, looking at the stiff figure of the girl, biting her lip without speaking.

Next, Pear Blossom worked tirelessly, as if she were a machine, furiously harvesting the rice. The field, which she thought would take a long time to finish, suddenly felt like there wasn’t much left.

Zeng Guangjin looked at Pear Blossom’s speed and turned to Dong Yun, “Sister-in-law, there’s not much left. You can go back and cook now.”

Dong Yun agreed, put away the sickle, and picked up her basket to head home.

She had just gone back to fetch the steamed rice cakes when she had already stewed the old hen she had just slaughtered. She simmered it in the pot so that when she returned, she only needed to cook the rice and stir-fry some vegetables.

Just as the rice was ready and the vegetables had been washed, Fubao’s laughter could be heard from outside, signaling the end of the work.

That was fast, she thought Fubao skipped into the kitchen and clung to her mother’s leg, acting cute. Dong Yun asked, “Is all the rice in the field harvested?”

“Yes, Pear Blossom helped Uncle Er pull the rice.” Dong Yun nodded and knew that by the time she finished cooking the dishes, it would probably be ready.

Sure enough, as the last few dishes were brought to the table, footsteps could be heard outside the yard.

It wasn’t Mrs. Zeng who came, but only Zeng Guangjin and Pear Blossom, along with Fubao.

Dong Yun invited Pear Blossom and her brother-in-law to sit and eat while she took half a bowl of old hen meat to give to her mother-in-law in the eastern yard.

When she came back, she entered the room only to find her brother-in-law and Fubao sitting there. Her brother-in-law was drinking soup, and Fubao pouted, looking upset.

Dong Yun’s heart skipped a beat. She asked, “Where’s Pear Blossom?” Zeng Guangjin, with his mouth full of rice, mumbled, “Oh, Pear Blossom? She quickly grabbed a bowl of rice, took half a rice cake, and left. She said she had something at home and had to go.”

Dong Yun looked at the spot that had been occupied by the girl. The table was clean, and even her bowl had been taken away. A wave of discomfort washed over her.She didn’t say anything, but Fubao was the first to cry.

“Does Pear Blossom not like Fubao? Why didn’t she stay to eat with me?”

Dong Yun suppressed the discomfort in her heart and sat at the table, wiping her daughter’s tears. “Didn’t you hear your Uncle Er? Pear Blossom had something to do, otherwise, why would she leave without eating with you?”

Fubao, hearing her mother’s comfort, gradually stopped crying, but still asked in grievance, “Pear Blossom really doesn’t… doesn’t like Fubao?”

“Of course not. Pear Blossom loves Fubao the most. Whenever there’s something good, she thinks of Fubao first. We can’t stop her from doing her things, can we?”

Fubao then broke into a smile, “Alright then, let Pear Blossom do her thing… Mama, Pear Blossom didn’t get any meat, so save the chicken legs for her, okay? Fubao won’t eat the chicken legs today.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zeng Guangjin, who was about to reach for a chicken leg, quickly pulled his hand back and grabbed a chicken neck instead.

Dong Yun hummed, “Can you eat by yourself today?”

Fubao nodded vigorously, “Yes! Fubao can eat by herself today!”

Only then did Dong Yun let out a light sigh and begin to divide the rice into her small wooden bowl….On the way home, the system bounced around in Pear Blossom’s mind, asking, “You’ve been working all morning, how come you only ate a few bites and left? You usually eat so much.”

The system was good in that it couldn’t read minds; conversations also required Pear Blossom to silently think them.

Pear Blossom never considered that once she bonded with the system, they’d become one. The system needed her to max out all the points to become a heartthrob, but she only wanted her family to be healthy and safe, and for life to be prosperous. Their goals were different, and perhaps there would be conflicts later on.

She was a simple person with no strange thoughts, except for Dong Yun.The system thought it could easily read this foolish girl without needing to read her mind and believed she was easy to control, though sometimes it found her actions puzzling.

Like right now, Pear Blossom was feeling uneasy and couldn’t be bothered to deal with it.

The system had become used to her habit of automatically muting it, and after two unanswered questions, it gave up.

When Pear Blossom returned, Mrs. Xiong was a bit surprised, “You’re done so quickly?”

Pear Blossom nodded, “There wasn’t much left to do.”

What she called “not much” might not be “not much” to others. Mrs. Xiong didn’t ask more questions and saw Pear Blossom drenched in sweat, saying, “Go wash up, take a rest this afternoon, and tomorrow we’ll go to the escort agency. There’ll be some hard work ahead.”

Pear Blossom nodded and turned to go back to her room to get her clothes.

After washing her hair and body, she lay down on the bed and couldn’t help but ask the system, “How many points do I have now?”

The system displayed the panel, “You currently have a total of 78 points. After you went up the mountain to rescue someone, and then proposed to build a school, the villagers greatly changed their opinion of you. You gained 10 points, all added to reputation. Later, when you trained with Zuo Qi and hunted a big bear, your physical fitness also greatly improved, adding 3 points. But these 3 points haven’t been allocated yet. Host, where do you want to add them?”

According to the host’s current goals, apart from wisdom and physical strength, there was no need to think about anything else.

Unexpectedly, Pear Blossom asked, “What is this ‘Chenghuan’? What kind of thing is it? What changes does it bring?”

The system thought it had heard wrong. After double-checking, it realized it wasn’t mistaken—the foolish host had actually figured something out! It hurriedly replied, “Chenghuan is a skill that allows someone to bring pleasure to a loved one.”

“Pleasure skill?”

“Yes, for example, when you’re close to someone, your touch and comfort can make the other person feel an irresistible longing, making them want more.”

“Irresistible longing? Want more?” Pear Blossom felt confused. “Does it only require adding points to bring pleasure?”

“You need to add points, but also take action. The points represent your ability, but only through action can you convert that ability into a mutually pleasurable experience. For example, if you don’t touch them or if they don’t touch you, where would that feeling come from?”