Chapter 71

He Ting didn’t think much about the shadow he saw slipping into the Yin family’s house. 

It wasn’t until he returned to the brigade health clinic that something clicked. He overheard Lu Baiwei chatting with an auntie who had come for treatment. 

“Baiwei, you’ve got to use those silver needles and fix my foot properly,” said the auntie, who was a neighbor of Secretary Liu. 

She groaned in pain as she spoke. “A few days ago, I twisted my ankle. I thought rubbing on some medicinal oil would fix it. My son kept telling me to come to you at the clinic, but I said it wasn’t necessary.” 

“Now look at it—it’s gotten worse! My foot is so swollen, and that rascal of a grandson of mine keeps calling me his ‘limping granny.’” 

“If I don’t let you treat it now, this foot of mine will be useless!” 

Lu Baiwei had inherited her grandfather Tang Zhongjing’s bone-setting skills. 

For a sprain or dislocation like this, she could have fixed it in no time if the auntie had come earlier. But after several days of neglect, the swelling had become severe. 

Baiwei grabbed the auntie’s foot, twisting and lifting it skillfully. Before the auntie’s screams of pain had even faded, she had already set the ankle and inserted a silver needle to reduce the swelling. 

“There, all done,” Baiwei said calmly. “I’ll leave the needles in for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce swelling and pain. By the time I remove them, it won’t hurt as much anymore.” 

“Wow, it already doesn’t hurt as much!” The auntie gave her a thumbs-up, marveling at how Baiwei had truly inherited Tang Zhongjing’s skills. 

While the silver needles did their work, the auntie, now feeling much better, started chatting with Baiwei. 

“Baiwei, did you hear about your stepmother bringing her family over to beat up Shen Guixiang and her son? They really did a number on them.” 

“Shen Guixiang has been in the commune hospital for days now and hasn’t returned to the brigade.” 

“You’d think, after such a beating, there’d be a major grudge. But Shen Guixiang, that shameless troublemaker, seems to have turned over a new leaf. She actually let your dad and stepmother watch over her house while she’s gone.” 

“What?!” 

Baiwei was skeptical. 

Lu Jiaojiao had come to the clinic for treatment, and the medical bill was 2.40 yuan. Shen Guixiang was so stingy she refused to pay. 

Liu Chunhua not only brought her family to beat up Shen Guixiang and her son half to death but also extorted 10 yuan from her. 

Knowing how tightfisted Shen Guixiang was, there was no way she’d allow Lu Jianguo and Liu Chunhua to guard her house. 

Baiwei couldn’t believe it. 

“You don’t believe me? I saw it with my own eyes,” the auntie insisted. 

“You know the hill near the Yin family’s house where my vegetable plot is. The other day, I stayed late pulling weeds and saw your dad and stepmother sneaking into the Yin family’s back door under the cover of darkness.” 

“Shen Guixiang’s family is still in the commune hospital. If your dad and stepmother weren’t guarding the place for them, what else could they be doing?” 

“After such a big fight, the only reason your dad and stepmother would help guard their house is if they want Jiaojiao and Yin Zhihuo to live a good life together.” 

“After such a big fight, your dad and stepmother are still guarding their house? It must be because they want Jiaojiao and Yin Zhihuo to live well together.” 

“Honestly, your dad is unbelievably biased. The Yin family beat up Lu Jiaojiao so badly, yet he’s still helping them guard their house?” 

Would Lu Jianguo and Liu Chunhua really guard someone else’s house for no reason? 

Lu Baiwei felt there was something off about this situation. 

She thought back to the smug look on Lu Jiaojiao’s face after sneaking around with Yin Zhihuo in the haystack, and how she had bragged in front of Lu Jianguo and Liu Chunhua, claiming that there were gold bars buried under the Yin family’s property. 

Suddenly, it all clicked for Baiwei. 

So this was why Lu Jianguo, a man so selfish, was suddenly taking such an interest in Lu Jiaojiao. 

And why Liu Chunhua had rallied her family to beat Shen Guixiang and Yin Zhihuo half to death. 

It was all because of those supposed gold bars buried under the Yin family’s property. 

After finishing up with the auntie’s treatment, removing the needles, and prescribing medicine, Baiwei saw the patient out. Then, she grabbed He Ting’s arm tightly. 

“He Ting, tonight we’re sneaking into the Yin family’s house.” 

Her grip was firm, filled with urgency, and her eyes sparkled with determination as she looked at him. 

She was thinking the same thing he had been? 

That realization gave He Ting a jolt of excitement. 

For a moment, he almost blurted out that he had already sent the troublesome He Xiaoqi away to the Tang family. 

With Tang Yunling and Ranran being heavy sleepers, there’d be no interruptions. 

In fact, they wouldn’t even need to go that far. They could just use the cot in the main room at home. 

The thought flashed briefly through his mind before he quickly caught himself. Baiwei clearly wasn’t suggesting anything of the sort. 

Good thing he hadn’t said it out loud, or Baiwei would’ve teased him to no end. 

For He Ting, just being able to spend time alone with Baiwei was enough. 

He agreed readily, “Alright…” 

In those days, entertainment was scarce. Only the educated youth station and a few households in the brigade had radios. After 9 PM, the quiet of Xiangyang Brigade’s nights was accompanied only by the chirping of cicadas and croaking of frogs. 

Although He Ting and Lu Baiwei had brought a flashlight, they refrained from turning it on to avoid alerting anyone. Instead, they relied on the faint moonlight to navigate their way toward the Yin family’s house. 

He Ting tried to take her hand so they could walk side by side. 

Unfortunately, the narrow mountain path leading to the Yin family’s secluded area was too tight, only allowing one person at a time. Walking side by side meant either getting pushed into the wild grass at the roadside or tumbling down the slope. 

Reluctantly, He Ting gave up and led the way. 

As he carefully navigated the path, Baiwei, distracted, accidentally bumped into his back, her hand landing on his waist. 

Her hands were slender, soft, and delicate—the kind perfectly suited for handling silver needles and checking pulses. 

But her touch had a certain magic. That brief moment of contact on his waist brought back memories for He Ting. 

He thought about the night, before the two little troublemakers had arrived in Xiangyang Brigade, when he and Baiwei had truly been husband and wife. 

His wife, Weiwei, had long, slender, and soft hands—hands perfect for handling silver needles and taking pulses. These hands also seemed magical; just one touch on his waist was enough to remind He Ting of the two little ones and the night they first shared as husband and wife before joining the Xiangyang Brigade.

The warmth of her hand on his waist ignited a fire within him. He Ting deliberately slowed his pace, forcing Lu Baiwei to almost press against his back as they walked.

But even that wasn’t enough for him.

Once you’ve had a taste of something, it’s hard not to crave more.

As the path ahead darkened and became hard to see, He Ting stumbled, nearly slipping into a roadside ditch. Lu Baiwei, trying to steady him, lost her balance, and He Ting instinctively turned, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her up. With a firm grip, he secured her slender waist and lowered his head.

Her gasp of surprise was stifled as he captured her lips.

The cool night breeze was soft and intoxicating.

Who knows how long passed before Lu Baiwei, nearly drained of strength, was on the verge of collapsing. Only then did He Ting reluctantly let her go, savoring every moment.

“Weiwei, let’s do that again.”

“No!”

Her refusal fell on deaf ears.

No matter how much she squirmed, He Ting’s arm stayed firmly locked around her waist, and his kiss deepened. It wasn’t until Lu Baiwei was gasping for air that He Ting finally let her go, though still reluctantly.

“Weiwei, I really want to…”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Lu Baiwei pinched his waist hard. “You’re an uncle now, yet you still act so improper!”

He Ting groaned softly from the pinch.

“I can’t act proper around you.”

To keep the horse running, you’ve got to feed it. 

Lu Baiwei stood on tiptoe, giving him a quick, butterfly-light peck on the cheek.

“Don’t delay the task at hand.”

Her rare initiative sent a rush of excitement through He Ting.

Just as he was about to press forward, Lu Baiwei tempted him, “Get the task done first, and I’ll reward you later!”

Before he could react, she slipped from his arms and darted away.

He Ting couldn’t help but feel that his Weiwei was truly clever.

With the promise of a reward, He Ting had no choice but to focus on the task. He led the way, holding Lu Baiwei’s hand as they quietly approached the Yin family’s house.