Lu Ping’an watched with great amusement as Lu Guodong taught the educated youths how to work.  

To be fair, though the man usually just barked orders with his mouth wide open, he actually looked quite competent when instructing others—so much so that it even stirred Lu Ping’an’s own enthusiasm to jump into the fields.  

Considerately, Lu Ping’an handed a towel to Old Man Lu, only to be rewarded with a gruff, “Go find somewhere cooler to loaf around.”  

Lu Ping’an stretched out his long legs, clasped his hands behind his back like a proper young master, and then casually let his gaze drift toward a slender figure in the distance.  

Jet-black hair was tied into two braids that draped over her shoulders, swaying with every movement. Her delicate, fair face was flushed red from the sun.  

*Tsk*, he wondered if those thin arms and legs of hers could even lift a hoe properly.  

Shen Xiaoyue was so exhausted she felt like she might collapse. The midday sun scorched her back, turning it into what felt like a griddle—anything placed on it would probably cook.  

“Xiaoyue, do you want me to help you?”  

Though Xie Ning wasn’t faring much better, he knew that even if he offered, Xiaoyue would likely refuse.  

Xie Ning was aware that Shen Xiaoyue had joined the rural labor campaign to look after him and that she had even asked her parents for many things on his behalf.  

Might as well use this chance to win some favor from the young lady.  

“Sure.”  

Shen Xiaoyue didn’t hesitate at all and immediately agreed. *Joke’s on you—what fool would turn down free help?*  

Xie Ning hadn’t expected her to accept. His body stiffened, his face full of disbelief, and the calluses on his palms from gripping the hoe suddenly ached sharply.  

Seeing this, Shen Xing immediately jumped to Xie Ning’s defense. “Sister, everyone has to do their own work. How can you make Xie Ning do yours? Doesn’t he get tired too?”  

Shen Xiaoyue innocently shrugged, blinking her big eyes a couple of times. “Oh, Xie Ning, if you couldn’t handle it, you should’ve said so earlier. I didn’t even ask for your help—you offered yourself.”  

Tell me, what man could tolerate being called *incapable*?  

Certainly not Xie Ning.  

Gritting his teeth, he reached for the tools in Shen Xiaoyue’s hands, ready to take over her work.  

But to his surprise, Shen Xiaoyue took two steps back and scrutinized him from head to toe several times. Her delicate face even showed a look of pity as she muttered under her breath, “Shouldn’t be the case… You look pretty strong…”  

She even sighed for dramatic effect.  

Though she didn’t say it outright, her tone alone was enough to make people speculate.  

In this era, robust health and strength were considered virtues. Xie Ning might not look particularly muscular, but he was tall and well-built. Could he really not handle a little manual labor?  

The villagers nearby immediately eyed him with disdain. *Sure, he’s refined, but if he can’t even work, what’s the point?*  

Xie Ning was stuck—he couldn’t refute her, but neither could he just take over her work now. Fuming, he glared at both Shen Xiaoyue and Shen Xing.  

Shen Xiaoyue simply blinked her big, dark eyes innocently at him while continuing her tasks without pause.  

When mealtime arrived, Shen Xiaoyue stared at the coarse cornmeal flatbread in the pot, struggling to find the appetite to eat it.  

After a whole morning without even a sip of water, the last thing she wanted was dry, rough food.  

Peeking outside, she noticed Lu Ping’an still lounging under a tree, a cloth draped over his face to block the sun. She couldn’t tell if he was awake or not. Secretary Lu didn’t seem to care—if he got hungry, he’d go home to find food himself. No one had time to babysit him.  

After a morning of labor, Shen Xiaoyue’s anger had mostly dissipated. She knew she’d been a bit unreasonable earlier—after all, the two of them hadn’t even spoken yet. Lu Ping’an might not even know who she was.  

So she grabbed two pieces of flatbread and circled around to the back, intending to strike up a conversation.  

*He had a thermos with him, right? Surely it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a sip of water?*  

Meanwhile, Lu Ping’an was on the verge of heatstroke, wondering why he’d even bothered coming here in the first place.

He had originally intended to meet that educated youth, but she turned out to be shameless—the moment she saw him, she just stared and smiled without saying a word, leaving him at a loss for how to start a conversation.  

*How could he just tell her to stop looking at him?* That would make him seem ridiculously self-absorbed…  

Sweat dripped down in large beads, and beneath the cloth covering his face, Lu Ping’an felt stifled by the heat.  

He concluded that the only explanation for his suffering here instead of sleeping in was that he’d been possessed by a ghost.  

Tugging the cloth off his face, he got up, ready to head home.  

“Old—*Comrade Lu*.”  

Shen Xiaoyue panicked when she saw him about to leave. In her fluster, she nearly misspoke, her teeth quickly pressing against her tongue to stop the wrong title from slipping out.  

*That was close—almost called him the wrong thing.*  

She was terrified of being accused of some sort of “hooliganism” charge.  

Lu Ping’an heard someone call him—a soft, unfamiliar voice laced with unmistakable delight. Slowly, hesitantly, he turned around.  

And there she was—that bold female educated youth standing under the willow tree behind him, holding two cornmeal flatbreads and beaming at him with a radiant smile.  

Her face was the size of a palm, delicate as a lotus blossom, with big, dark eyes and thick, curled lashes that fluttered like tiny fans when she smiled. Her porcelain skin glowed under the sunlight, and her lips were a captivating shade of pink.  

The midday sun was scorching, but for some reason, Lu Ping’an found her smile even more dazzling—perhaps even brighter than the sun itself.  

His throat tightened, his gaze drifting away again. His usually calm heart began pounding erratically, the thumping in his chest louder than ever before.  

Unfamiliar with this sensation, his first instinct was to flee.  

Watching the willow branches sway gently, he thought sullenly, *Must be the wind.*  

The lunch break wasn’t long, and the time she could spend talking to Lu Ping’an was limited.  

Ignoring his dazed expression, Shen Xiaoyue took a deep breath and flashed him a sweet smile. “Hello, Comrade Lu. My name is Dhen Xiaoyue. I’m one of the new educated youths.”  

*Shen Xiaoyue.*  

The name seemed to linger on his tongue before Lu Ping’an silently swallowed them down.  

“Comrade Lu, I have some candy here. Would you like some?”  

Her rosy lips moved, but he barely registered her words—only catching something about *candy*. Strangely, though he hadn’t tasted it yet, he already felt a sweet sensation spreading in his mouth.  

Lu Ping’an didn’t speak, just stared at her blankly.  

Shen Xiaoyue suddenly felt a pang of pity for him. *How did this clueless version of Lu Ping’an ever climb his way up later?* It must have been a mix of sheer effort and sheer misery.  

Except for that one time when he’d whined and complained to keep her from leaving—successfully stirring her guilt—he had never mentioned those difficult days again.  

Shen Xiaoyue had never truly grasped just how hard his struggles had been.  

By the time she met him, he was already a successful man. Even if he still acted clingy around her, he had long shed his youthful naivety.  

Now, seeing this young Lu Ping’an—so foolishly earnest, his clear eyes revealing everything—she couldn’t help but feel tender toward him.  

*Thankfully, she was understanding and tolerant enough not to mind his dopey awkwardness.*  

Not only did she not mind, but sensing that Lu Ping’an wasn’t resisting, Shen Xiaoyue boldly grabbed his hand and pressed the candy into his palm.