Chapter 52

Lu Baiwei and He Ting were able to take their relationship further, thanks to that harmless pine snake.

But if it had been a bamboo viper crawling into the house next time, things wouldn’t have been so fun.

Their house was next to Xiangyang Mountain, and for Xiao Qi and Ranran’s safety, they needed to plant wild jue ming (a type of plant) to keep away the snakes.

He Ting was tasked with digging up the wild jue ming the next day while looking after the kids, while Lu Baiwei, after having breakfast, rode her bike to her third uncle’s house to find Tang Yunling.

Tang Yunling was washing clothes by the river when suddenly a stone hit her back.

“Which little brat did that?”

Thinking it was a mischievous child throwing stones at her, Tang Yunling was furious. She quickly dropped the washing stick and jumped up, placing her hands on her hips, glaring around.

But it was Zhou Yanfeng, squatting by the stream, watching her wash clothes.

“Zhou Yanfeng, did you throw a stone at me?”

“Are you looking for death?”

Tang Yunling, irritated, threatened him: “You’re not allowed to come to my house for meals anymore.”

Zhou Yanfeng felt wronged, like he was being unjustly accused.

She always threatened to stop him from coming to her house for meals—did she think he was afraid of her?

Zhou Yanfeng tried to explain himself: “Miss, take a good look at what I threw at you.”

Tang Yunling, bending down, found a big White Rabbit milk candy among the grass by the stream next to the stone.

She wiped her wet hands on her clothes, peeled the wax paper, and popped the candy into her mouth.

“Why do you give candy so openly, but act all sneaky about it?”

When Lu Baiwei arrived at her third uncle’s house, Zhou Yanfeng was helping Tang Yunling twist the bedsheets. They each twisted one end, and the bedsheet looked like a big twisted rope, dripping with water.

“Sis, come with me to the neighboring brigade. I need to get a new bed made.”

Lu Baiwei tiptoed off her bike and called Tang Yunling to come with her to the neighboring brigade.

Zhou Yanfeng had a sour look on his face as he suddenly let go of his end of the sheet.

Fortunately, Tang Yunling was quick, lifting her side up and tossing it onto the bamboo pole, her movements smooth and skillful.

“Zhou Yanfeng, are you trying to kill me? Letting go all of a sudden almost ruined this bed sheet that I just washed.”

“Where’s the candy? Hand it over.”

Tang Yunling pretended to kick him with an arrogant look, raising her chin: “You’re being punished to bring candy to Weiwei.”

Tang Yunling shouted at him to hand over the candy, and Zhou Yanfeng really did.

He took out a handful of White Rabbit milk candies from his pocket, giving half to Tang Yunling and half to Lu Baiwei.

A whole handful of such rare White Rabbit milk candies? What a sight!

—

Such rare White Rabbit milk candies, and he pulls out a whole handful?

Lu Baiwei felt like something was off between Zhou Yanfeng and her cousin.

Under Lu Baiwei’s scrutinizing gaze, Zhou Yanfeng looked guilty.

He emptied his pocket and showed her: “Sister-in-law, look, they’re really all gone.”

“It’s getting late. Go to the neighboring brigade to see your little fiancé.”

This was directed at Tang Yunling, and Zhou Yanfeng gave her a look of disdain.

After saying that, he picked up the hoe he had thrown on the ground and walked off without looking back.

Tang Yunling was so angry she stamped her foot: “Weiwei, look at him, what attitude!”

“He almost ruined my bed sheet, and when I made him bring us some candy, he acted all unwilling, speaking with that sarcastic tone.”

“Honestly, acting all high and mighty.”

“Why did you ask me to go to the neighboring brigade? What did I do to provoke him? He’s throwing tantrums at us.”

“The last time I saved him, He Ting got scratched by a wolf in the mountains. He always listens to He Ting, says he would take a knife for him, but look at him now, all full of himself. I’ll have my brother-in-law He Ting deal with him.”

Lu Baiwei was riding her bike toward the neighboring brigade while Tang Yunling sat on the back, grumbling. The whole time, she was still ranting about Zhou Yanfeng, how he didn’t want to bring them candy.

Her cousin seemed to have missed the point.

Zhou Yanfeng was always generous with his money. To get a free meal at her third aunt’s house, he’d buy all kinds of treats—peach crisps, snacks, and even chocolate from the Friendship Store in the capital.

A few White Rabbit milk candies didn’t mean much to him.

A young master from Beijing wouldn’t be worried about a few candies.

Her cousin was strange, too. When she was with the little carpenter from the neighboring village, she spoke in a soft voice, almost as if afraid of scaring him if she spoke loudly.

But when she was with Zhou Yanfeng, it was like sparks were flying, like rubbing stones together to make fire.

They were truly two stubborn rivals.

As Lu Baiwei pedaled her bike out of Xiangyang Brigade and took a shortcut toward Hongqi Brigade, her cousin kept talking about Zhou Yanfeng. It seemed like she wouldn’t stop until she was done venting.

Lu Baiwei couldn’t help but laugh, and quickly changed the subject: “Sis, I need to tell you something.”

“Zhao Yongshen’s sister came to my house yesterday.”

Zhao Yongshen was Tang Yunling’s fiancé from the neighboring brigade. His grandfather was well-known for his carpentry skills, and he passed them on to his eldest grandson.

No matter what happens, with those skills, he would always be able to make a living.

Since her cousin married into the Hongqi Brigade and was next door to the Zhao family, she had grown up playing with Zhao Yongshen.

They were childhood sweethearts.

The Zhao family was well-known and trustworthy. Her third uncle, Tang Jinghe, didn’t wish for wealth and glory for his children; he only wanted them to live a peaceful and smooth life.

—

The Zhao family was well-known and trustworthy. Her third uncle, Tang Jinghe, didn’t seek wealth or fame for his children; he only wanted them to live a peaceful and smooth life.

Tang Yunling was willing, and her parents agreed to the engagement with the Zhao family.

According to tradition, after the engagement, they should quickly get the marriage certificate so her cousin could marry.

However, her third uncle and aunt couldn’t bear to let their daughter go, so they made an agreement with the Zhao family to wait until after the New Year before the couple could get their marriage certificate and have their wedding.

Tang Yunling got along very well with Zhao Yongshen’s sister. When Lu Baiwei mentioned her cousin’s fiancé’s sister, she was clearly distracted by the new topic.

“What was Tian Tian doing at your house?”

“Why didn’t she come play with me?”

Lu Baiwei then told her cousin, Tang Yunling, about Liu Cuifang helping He Ting deliver a letter to his little sweetheart, Feng Shishi.

Tang Yunling was very protective of Lu Baiwei and got extremely angry upon hearing this.

“What’s wrong with Liu Cuifang? You and He Ting are already married, and you’re his legal wife. She came and insulted you, calling you a village girl, a country bumpkin.”

“So what if she’s a youth from the big city? Why does she look down on people like that?”

“Wife, you’re still too soft. If I had been there, I’d have taught her some manners. I would’ve slapped her to make her realize what a country girl really is.”

“You see, He Ting and Zhou Yanfeng are both from the capital, but they’re different.”

Enough!

How did they end up back on Zhou Yanfeng again?

This time, she wasn’t criticizing Zhou Yanfeng.

But who was it that kept bringing up Zhou Yanfeng?

Lu Baiwei felt a headache coming on.

Luckily, Tang Yunling soon got back to the main point.

“Tian Tian is something else. How could she bring someone like that to your house to cause trouble?”

Lu Baiwei explained, “She didn’t know that Liu Cuifang was there to cause trouble. Zhao Tian Tian actually explained this to me when she left.”

Tang Yunling was extremely protective of her own.

To her, there were only two kinds of people—those who were on her side and those who weren’t.

Zhao Tian Tian would be her future sister-in-law, so she considered her one of her own.

As a member of the family, Zhao Tian Tian shouldn’t be the one causing trouble for her sister.

Tang Yunling replied, “Okay, since I’m here today, I’ll tell Tian Tian to stay away from that Liu Cuifang.”