Chapter 41: A Big Bug

The person who spoke was the new daughter-in-law who had just married into the team, named Pan Yinhong.

Her family was from the same place as the original owner, both in the Red Star Brigade.

She was two years younger than the original owner and had always been at odds with her, competing with each other for over a decade.

Since the original owner married into the Red Flag Brigade, the two had rarely met.

Xu Jiaojiao married well, and Pan Yinhong, who loved to save face, wouldn’t let herself be outdone.

Even though suitors came knocking at her door, she still held out until she was 19 years old before finding a man she liked.

She married into the Red Flag Brigade[Hongxing Brigade] a few days ago.

Although the man she married wasn’t as good as the Qin family, he wasn’t bad in the Red Flag Brigade.

Her mother-in-law was even the Women’s Federation Director of the team.

Just now, she had come out from the field, ready to drink some water, when she saw Xu Jiaojiao hiding under a tree, seeking shade.

If she could bear it, she wouldn’t be called Pan Yinhong.

“Tsk tsk, just married, and your man makes you do so much work?”

Xu Jiaojiao said, glancing her up and down with an incredulous expression.

That look was so infuriating, it was beyond infuriating.

It successfully made Pan Yinhong’s face turn black.

“Xu Jiaojiao, are you shameless?” How could she dare mention her husband like that?

“Even if I’m shameless, I’m still better than you. I heard that your man originally wanted to marry…”

“Xu Jiaojiao!” Pan Yinhong interrupted her angrily.

Xu Jiaojiao laughed even more infuriatingly.

There were no secrets in the team. Even how many eggs the hens laid, the aunties knew everything.

Let alone something that wasn’t even a secret.

Pan Yinhong’s face turned pale, then red, but she didn’t dare say anything else.

Afraid that she would say something embarrassing, she didn’t even drink her water and ran away.

After sending her away, Xu Jiaojiao didn’t feel like slacking off anymore.

She got up and walked to the other side of the field.

Reaching the ridge, Xu Jiaojiao took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and closed her eyes as she stepped into the field.

So what if there were leeches?

Just pretend they were mosquito bites.

Comforting herself, Xu Jiaojiao pulled out the weeds with gritted teeth.

Life was really too hard these days.

Even she, an orphan from an orphanage, couldn’t bear it.

The sun was just setting in the west, and there wasn’t a single breeze in the field.

Walking through the rice paddy, Xu Jiaojiao’s entire back was soon sunburned and aching.

Her sweat-soaked hair stuck to her neck, making her feel even more uncomfortable.

Soon, Xu Jiaojiao was sun-drenched and dizzy, and her movements slowed down.

The beads of sweat on her forehead dripped down one by one.

She straightened up, about to wipe her sweat, when she bumped into Qin Shuo on the other side.

Seeing his slightly furrowed brow and disapproving expression, Xu Jiaojiao paused her hand-wiping motion and said with a defiant air, “Retreating in the face of difficulties is not the socialist way.”

Qin Shuo: …

In the end, he didn’t say anything and continued to work, but his movements were a bit faster.

Seeing this, Xu Jiaojiao couldn’t stand it.

She had already spoken those words, how could she be a coward? She absolutely couldn’t!

She immediately followed suit and sped up her pace.

The two of them chased each other, and in a short while, Xu Jiaojiao had finished weeding her part of the field.

The aunties nearby were all stunned by the couple.

But when Xu Jiaojiao reached the ridge again, her face turned pale, and she almost jumped up.

Her legs were itchy, and there was a strong feeling of something wriggling.

She didn’t need to look to know that she had attracted a lot of leeches.

Xu Jiaojiao’s whole body stiffened, but she had already spoken those words, could she back down? Absolutely not!

Gritting her teeth, she bent down, suppressing her nausea, and reached out towards the leeches.

But before she could touch them, someone blocked her.

“Let me.”

That low voice came, and Xu Jiaojiao’s face couldn’t help but turn red.

She felt a sense of embarrassment, like she had slapped herself in the face.

“Thank, thank you! These damn things are so sneaky!”

Xu Jiaojiao still tried to save face.

“They are quite sneaky.” The man’s voice held a hint of amusement.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

She didn’t dare look down, she only felt the warm hand brushing against her leg.

The rough fingertips rubbed against her skin, sending a tingling sensation.

She couldn’t help but shrink back.

“Don’t move, it’s not done yet.”

…

Hearing that the leeches were still on her leg, Xu Jiaojiao didn’t dare move.

Her whole body was like a statue, stiff and rigid.

She didn’t know how long it had been before she heard him say it was done, and Xu Jiaojiao, feeling like she had been granted amnesty, took off running.

But the rough feeling of his fingertips seemed to be imprinted on her leg.

She remembered her mission.

Xu Jiaojiao was completely flustered.

“Jiaojiao, you have to complete your mission quickly.”

Sensing that the host was about to slack off again, Feifei quickly urged her again.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

Returning to the shade of the tree, Xu Jiaojiao drank several gulps of water.

Just as she put down the water, Qin Shuo also walked over.

Xu Jiaojiao shifted to the side, only to see him bend down and pick up the army water bottle under the tree.

She realized then that the water bottle next to her was his.

This discovery made Xu Jiaojiao feel a little restless.

The lingering feeling of his fingertips on her calf became even more intense.

Seeing her gaze fixed on his water bottle, Qin Shuo paused his action of preparing to drink.

He handed the water bottle to her.

“Out of water? I still have some.”

Looking at the army green water bottle in front of her, Xu Jiaojiao swallowed.

For a moment, she almost wanted to take a direct drink and complete the damn mission.

But reason told her she couldn’t do that.

Xu Jiaojiao shook her head with difficulty, then raised her own water bottle and shook it.

“No, no need, I still have some.”

Qin Shuo nodded and retracted his hand, tilting his head back and drinking the water.

Seeing him take back the water bottle, Xu Jiaojiao felt a twinge of regret.

Especially when she noticed that everyone around them was busy, she regretted what she had said earlier.

Staring at the water bottle, Xu Jiaojiao momentarily forgot to look away.

The man drank in a very bold manner, taking large gulps.

With each swallow, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

A few drops of water that he didn’t have time to swallow slid down his long neck.

They fell onto his chest, which was damp with sweat, revealing his muscular chest.

He looked like a burst of hormones.

As soon as Qin Shuo put down the water bottle, he met the woman’s slightly dazed gaze.

He was about to ask her what was wrong when he saw her face suddenly turn red.

Like a startled fawn, she ran away.

Qin Shuo: …

At that moment, the work bell rang.

Qin Shuo retracted his gaze and lowered his head, only to see her backpack left under the tree.

He paused for a moment, then picked up the backpack and followed her back.

On the other side, Xu Jiaojiao ran home, only feeling her face cool down.

As soon as she entered the door, she bumped into Wang Fengmei, who was going out with a dustpan.

“Jiaojiao, what’s wrong with you? Why are you running so fast?”

Wang Fengmei asked with concern. Could it be that she was chased by a dog?

The blind dog that the team raised was very fierce.

How could Xu Jiaojiao say that she had been staring at Qin Shuo just now?

She remained silent for a moment, then said, “I saw a big bug just now.”

“You little rascal, what’s there to be afraid of a bug?”

Knowing that she wasn’t chased by a dog, Wang Fengmei scolded her with a smile and went out.

But as Xu Jiaojiao watched her go out, she almost jumped up in the next moment.

“Third brother, your wife was scared by a bug, go take a look.”

Xu Jiaojiao: …