Chapter 86

“I—I didn’t mean that.”

“He Ting, I didn’t mean it like that.”

Feng Shishi was on the verge of tears, feeling wronged. “I didn’t expect He Ting to really get married in the countryside. It’s just so hard for me to accept.”

“Who cares whether you accept it or not?”

Apart from worrying about Tang Yunling crying, Zhou Yanfeng truly wasn’t afraid of any other woman crying.

He confronted Feng Shishi, “He Ting is neither your father nor your mother. Does he need to write a letter to Beijing to tell you before he gets married? Does he need your approval?”

“I…”

Feng Shishi tried to hold back her tears. “Then now that I’ve come to the countryside, what should I do?”

“He Ting, at the youth point, we’re all cramped in one room, there’s barely space to move. I didn’t realize the conditions here would be so tough. I heard that you’ve built three new rooms at your place, so can I rent one from you?”

He Ting flatly rejected, “No!”

“Is it because your wife doesn’t agree?”

Feng Shishi sniffled, “I just want to rent a room. I’ll pay her rent.”

“If you’re worried that she won’t agree, I’ll talk to her.”

He Ting felt some sympathy for Feng Shishi, who had suddenly come to the countryside.

But he couldn’t let that sympathy cause another woman to interfere in his marriage with Weiwei.

We’re all adults, and everyone must take responsibility for their own choices.

“It’s not that she doesn’t agree. I don’t agree.”

He Ting’s expression turned cold. “I won’t allow any unrelated outsiders in my home with my wife.”

“Wuwuwu, He Ting, you’re too much!”

It’s one thing to refuse, but to say such harsh things.

Calling her an unrelated outsider.

Back in the capital, she grew up in a large compound. When she was young, He Ting even helped her chase away bad people. Now, he was treating her like this.

Feng Shishi was so angry she cried.

She was incredibly beautiful, especially when she cried, her soft and delicate appearance made one want to protect her.

It was a natural instinct to want to take care of her.

The young people in the brigade had never seen someone like her and were staring in awe.

“He Ting, the girl came all the way to our brigade to work in the countryside. It’s not easy. You should speak to her more kindly.”

“Little girl, don’t cry. If you want to rent a room, come to my place and have a look. I have a room available.”

“My house is fine too, I can give up my room to rent to you and stay in the firewood room.”

From the start, Shen Guixiang had already seen Feng Shishi as prey, and she was closely watching the youth point.

Shen Guixiang had long since considered Feng Shishi as prey on her chopping block, and she was always watching the youth point.

She had been keeping an eye on Feng Shishi at the youth point and following her secretly to the health station. When she heard that Feng Shishi wanted to rent a house, Shen Guixiang appeared out of nowhere.

“Shishi, why don’t you come to my place to rent a room? My house is spacious.”

“Also, my son is married, so there are no young single men at home. It would avoid any misunderstandings, wouldn’t it?”

Amidst the competition, Shen Guixiang presented her advantage: “My house is the closest to the brigade health station.”

“Really? Auntie, does your house have any extra rooms?”

Feng Shishi was tempted. “Then, Auntie, can I come over to take a look?”

“Of course, right now,” Shen Guixiang said with unusually warm enthusiasm. “We have a good connection. I met you on the tractor coming back to the brigade from the commune. If you like my place, I’ll give you a cheaper rent.”

In front of the group of young men in the brigade, Shen Guixiang took Feng Shishi to her home.

Zhou Yanfeng looked on, speechless.

“This is unbelievable. In the end, it’s Shen Guixiang who’s helping He Ting out.”

Zhou Yanfeng thought to himself, “Shen Guixiang definitely has something up her sleeve. If Feng Shishi rents a room from her, it’s like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den. He Ting, are you really going to let Feng Shishi rent a room from her?”

“They’re from the same place after all.”

With all the commotion at the brigade health station, Lu Baiwei came out from the inner room.

She stood on the steps of the new house, watching He Ting.

Ah, well! She had been upset.

He Ting threw a comment to Zhou Yanfeng: “If you want to manage it, go ahead.”

But he couldn’t manage it.

What if Tang Yunling misunderstood?

She was especially sensitive after the injuries she had suffered.

It was hard enough for Tang Jinghe to accept him as a son-in-law. He couldn’t afford for things to go wrong with Tang Yunling.

“Once she goes back to the youth point, I’ll remind her. If she doesn’t listen, then I can’t do anything about it,” Zhou Yanfeng said, talking to He Ting before heading off to join Tang Yuanliang for a meal at Tang Jinghe’s house.

Lu Baiwei smiled softly at He Ting: “Looks pretty lively!”

“It’s my fault for being so popular,” He Ting responded, hooking his arm around Lu Baiwei’s.

“Then I’ll punish you tonight,” she teased.

“Then you’ll make me kneel on the washboard,” he grinned.

“Then I’ll punish you by making you kneel on the washboard.”

Lu Baiwei gave him a teasing glance.

He Ting looked aggrieved: “Wife, it’s not that kind of punishment…”

The Yin family, with their deep roots, had built solid foundations over time. Although Shen Guixiang and Yin Zhihe now lived in the house that the Yin family had originally built for long-term workers, it was still made of blue bricks.

The house was somewhat old, but blue brick houses were still better than the mud houses at the youth points.

There was also a clear advantage—Yin family’s home, located in the mountain hollow of the Xiangyang brigade, was the closest to the brigade health station.

Plus, Shen Guixiang was exceedingly warm and welcoming. She had already cleaned the spare room in advance and even generously cooked braised pork for Feng Shishi to eat. In the end, Feng Shishi decided to stay with the Yin family and rent a room from Shen Guixiang.

“Aunt, it’s too late today. I’ll move in tomorrow. The rent is two yuan per month, starting from tomorrow.”

Shen Guixiang readily agreed: “You’re too polite, girl. What rent? Having someone as educated and cultured as you staying at my place is already a blessing for my ancestors.”

“Zhihe, don’t just stand there. It’s getting dark; you take Feng Shishi back to the youth point.”

Although Feng Shishi was indeed beautiful, Yin Zhihe was interested but lacked the courage to act. When Lu Jiaojiao first flirted with him, he dove into it, thinking he might not be enough for her, so he wanted to test himself through her.

But he never imagined he’d fall for Lu Jiaojiao’s tricks.

Yin Zhihe was staring at Feng Shishi, dazed, not quite understanding what his mother was scheming.

Still, a pretty woman was pleasant to look at.

Perhaps it was because Feng Shishi would pay rent, and two yuan could buy several pounds of meat, which was quite a deal.

Considering he’d get meat, Yin Zhihe was also enthusiastic.

“Feng Shishi, I’ll grab a flashlight and walk you back to the youth point.”

Feng Shishi, still basking in the warmth of Shen Guixiang and her son’s hospitality, felt lucky to have met kind people in the Xiangyang brigade.

She smiled politely: “Big Brother Yin, thank you for the trouble.”

“No trouble, no trouble.”

It was also because Shen Guixiang had warned Lu Jiaojiao not to cause any trouble that Lu Jiaojiao had held back. She just focused on eating, happy that there was meat, and didn’t ruin Shen Guixiang’s plans.

Once the people left, Lu Jiaojiao finished eating.

“Mom, you let a girl from the youth group stay at our house.”

Lu Jiaojiao questioned her: “Mom, what do you mean by this?”

What did she mean?

Of course, she was trying to find a wealthier daughter-in-law for her son, Zhihe.

But she couldn’t tell Lu Jiaojiao that foolish girl, for fear that Lu Jianguo and Liu Chunhua would come to stir up trouble, ruining her plans.

After all, she’d already tricked them into giving her one hundred yuan. They were still fuming!