◎ First update ◎ 

Liang Baoling was forced to accept her sister’s love and carried the pile of books into the house. Under the gaze of her third sister, she neatly arranged the books one by one. She sighed in her heart that her sister had changed after being in the city for a long time! She actually took such a cruel approach to her weak and pitiful sister! 

“You can’t keep running around and playing all the time. It’s good to read more, especially for girls!” 

Liang Baozhen thought that the college entrance examination would be resumed soon, and people would attach more and more importance to academic qualifications in the future. Not to mention university, even a technical secondary school would be popular. Now her younger sister’s grades weren’t great, so she needed to work harder and read more. 

“Read more books, listen carefully in class, and practice calligraphy when you get home.” Liang Baoling’s handwriting is crooked and not very good, it’s only slightly better looking than Xu Shengwei’s. 

“Got it.” Liang Baoling nodded like a chick pecking at grains, she’s afraid to disobey her third sister’s nagging. 

However, in order to divert her sister’s attention, she remembered something. 

“Sister, let me tell you, my eldest sister and brother-in-law had a fight recently!” 

“Ah?” Liang Baozhen finally forgot to talk about her younger sister education after hearing about her elder sister and her brother-in-law. She thought of Song Jianguo’s obsession and was worried that he would make trouble again. “What happened to them?.” 

Liang Baoling had recently seen her elder sister and brother-in-law quarreling twice. In fact, she had no idea whether they were quarreling or not, but she could hear them talking loudly through the window and they sound particularly intense. 

“One time, my brother-in-law opened the door angrily and went out. I called him, but he ignored me. Another time, eldest sister opened the door angrily and I called her, but she looked like she was about to cry.” Liang Baoling recalled what happened some time ago. “Eldest sister even told me not to tell Mother and Father.” 

“Did you tell them?”

“Of course I did, but mother told me not to worry about it, saying I was a child. She went to talk to eldest sister and brother-in-law, and it seemed to have calmed down again.” 

Liang Baozhen looked around the room and saw that no one else was there. “Then where did eldest sister and brother-in-law go today? Do you know?” 

“I don’t know.” She was so focused on going out to play that she only knew her parents went to her third aunt’s house. “But I know where my second brother went.” 

“Where did he go?” 

“He went to see Xu Shuping again.” 

Liang Baozhen quietly asked Liang Baojun last time about his current situation with the female educated youth Xu Shuping, but he avoided talking about it. 

“What’s really going on between the second brother and Xu Shuping? I hope there aren’t any issues with propriety!” Liang Baozhen was worried about the complications of their mutual interest, which was hindered by the current issue of educated youth returning to the city. 

At this time, Liang Baojun, who was helping to repair a house at the educated youth place, sneezed twice for no reason. The tip of his handsome face and nose turned red. He wondered who was talking about him behind his back. 

“Would you like a bowl of ginger tea?” Xu Shuping looked up at the man standing on the ladder and wondered if he had caught a cold from being caught in the rain last night. 

Last night, Damei Village got hit with a really heavy rain, so much that it felt like the sky had a giant hole right over their house. The educated youth house was made of old stone and had a thatched roof that wasn’t very sturdy. The rain and strong winds ended up damaging half the house, and it started leaking rain and wind everywhere. 

Many villagers came to help, including Liang Baojun. He ran quickly and actively and felt relieved only when he saw that Xu Shuping was safe and sound. 

Today, all the educated youth moved to a temporary place to live and will have to wait until the educated youth house is repaired before they can go back. 

“It’s fine. I have a body of steel and iron will. I won’t catch a cold or get sick!” Liang Baojun was busy with his hands, but he did not forget to care about Xu Shuping. 

“Remember to cover up more in the village house these days. The weather is unpredictable. It rained heavily yesterday, but now the sun is out.” 

Xu Shuping looked up at the sky after hearing this. The sunshine after the rain is always warm, and it is even more different when it shines on the handsome face of Liang Baojun. 

However, she would have to return to the city sooner or later. 

“Comrade Liang Baojun, you’d better not come to the educated youth house anymore.” Xu Shuping didn’t want to delay him. Her family would never agree to her marrying someone from the countryside. 

Xu Shuping’s grandfather was a university professor in the city, and her parents were traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Her family had been labeled as “reactionaries” during the movement. 

Because of this, she was sent to Damei Village as an educated youth by her family. Being farther away from her home would help her to be less involved. 

Liang Baojun and Xu Shuping became acquainted only last year. They developed feelings for each other because of the village’s pork distribution issues. Both of them were good-looking, and they found each other interesting after a few interactions. However, Xu Shuping was an educated youth after all, and her roots were not here. 

Liang Baojun jumped off the ladder. The ladder was several meters high, and he jumped down directly, which scared Xu Shuping, who was afraid that he would fall.

“Comrade Xu Shuping, what’s going on with you! I’m going to have to criticize you for this.” Liang Baojun stared at the young girl in front of him. She had a beautiful face and was bright and charming. She was still beautiful even after working in the countryside for several years. Hearing what he said, she looked at him in confusion. 

Liang Baojun cleared his throat. “You shouldn’t be getting caught up in romantic thoughts all day; it’s not healthy.” 

“I!” Xu Shuping was very shy. Liang Baojun said those words so righteously that her face turned red. She could only stammer, “I didn’t do it. It was obviously you!” 

Liang Baojun is handsome and eloquent, and she has a good impression of him, but returning to the city is her dream, so she can only try to avoid him. But this guy is now turning the tables on her! 

“What’s wrong with me?” Liang Baojun asked, looking at Xu Shuping, who seemed like a timid little white rabbit with her gaze lowered and struggling to speak clearly. 

“You…” Xu Shuping couldn’t continue. Was she supposed to admit that this person liked her? She needed to avoid him; she would return to the city sooner or later! 

Xu Shuping raised her eyes and glared at him. This guy is so bad! As expected, what the other educated youth said was right. The second kid of the Liang family looked good, but he was irresponsible and couldn’t say anything good! 

“Okay, I was wrong.” Liang Baojun saw Xu Shuping’s eyes turn red and immediately changed his words, admitted his mistake in a deep voice, and smiled, “It’s me who likes you and wants to see you.” 

Xu Shuping’s face turned even redder, and she turned her head away and ignored him. 

Several educated youth who were packing up in the room came out and saw Xu Shuping fetching water, while Liang Baojun was silently cleaning up the brushes. 

“Caixia, we’re leaving first.” 

“Finish cleaning up and come over.” 

“Okay, got it.” Xu Shuping packed her belongings and prepared to move to the temporary educated youth house. Just as she was about to pick up the bag, Liang Baojun snatched it away and easily carried it on his shoulders. 

“Liang Baojun, I can carry it myself. If someone sees it…” The villagers work in the fields all day long and have no entertainment activities, so they love to gossip. 

Xu Shuping didn’t want to become the center of attention. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll take the small road; there’s no one there.” 

Liang Baojun carried the bag and took Xu Shuping along the mountain road. As expected, they didn’t meet anyone along the way. The two walked forward in silence, one in front and the other behind. 

“Why do you think I can’t become a city dweller in the future?” Liang Baojun rarely got serious. He knew that her family looked down on people from the countryside and thought that marrying their precious child to someone who worked in the fields would only lead to hardship. 

“What? Are you going to marry someone in the city?” Xu Shuping immediately replied with a bitter smile when she heard this. She knew that Liang Baojun’s sister had married someone in the city, but after saying this, she felt that she was being too inappropriate and tried hard to suppress the feelings in her heart.

Liang Baojun was amused. He stopped and raised his eyebrows at her. “What, you’re from the city, right? Are you planning on marrying me?” 

“You wish!” 

Xu Shuping was so angry that she didn’t want to pay any more attention to him. What was this guy talking about? 

Poor eighteen-year-old girl, her heart was tossed around, her face kept flushing and fading repeatedly. 

When they were almost at the temporary educated youth house, Liang Baojun returned the bag to Xu Shuping and said seriously for the first time, “Don’t worry, I won’t affect your reputation. You want to return to your city, and I want to pursue my beloved. It won’t interfere with either of us!” 

Liang Baojun was usually careless and rarely spoke with a serious face, especially when he looked at her directly. Xu Shuping’s heart began to beat fast. She wanted to correct him on the term “my beloved,” but couldn’t find the words. 

“Your family’s expectations are high. I might not be able to meet them, but I will definitely not let my beloved suffer.” 

Xu Shuping’s fair little face turned red, and her ears were also flushed. When she glanced at Liang Baojun, her eyes met his smiling ones. She quickly lowered her head and didn’t dare to look at him again. 

“I’ll come by next time. We’re young people with big aspirations, so let’s share ideas and learn together. Don’t feel pressured!” 

Liang Baojun clapped his hands and prepared to leave. 

Just before turning around, he heard a very soft, “Mm.” 

The author has something to say: 

The Big Bad Wolf and the Little Lamb 

A small correction: Liang Baojun’s partner’s name has been changed; it was mentioned once before, but probably no one remembers. ⊙▽⊙