Lu Ping’an never expected her to be a hardworking person.  

Delicate and pretty like a doll, she seemed suited only to be cradled in the palms of one’s hands and cared for with utmost gentleness.  

Far more fragile than he was.  

Besides, the village wasn’t without its share of marriages to educated youths—both men and women. Some of these youths, seeking an easier life, chose to marry locals, while others simply thought, *Since I can’t go back anyway, what does it matter where I get married?*  

But few of these unions were happy. Growing up in different environments, with different habits, most couples ended up resentful.  

Take, for example, the daughter of Aunt Liang next door, who married an educated youth. After the man returned to the city, he never came back. For a while, the daughter stayed hidden at home, never showing her face. Everyone was puzzled, assuming the educated youth had taken her back to the city.  

It wasn’t until recently, when Aunt Liang was seen strolling around with a baby, that they realized her daughter had been pregnant all along.  

They’d sent countless letters to the city but received no reply.  

The family spent their days sighing in despair.  

Aunt Liang and Lu Ping’an’s mother were close, often chatting about household matters. Seeing how much Aunt Liang had aged from worry, Mother Lu couldn’t help but sigh. She sternly warned Lu Ping’an:  

*Educated youths are all smooth talkers—don’t you dare fall for their tricks!*  

*A little rabbit like you would be devoured without even leaving bones behind.*  

Lu Ping’an took these lessons to heart.  

So he *had* to reject Shen Xiaoyue!  

…

“Lu Ping’an, is this for Secretary Lu? It smells amazing.”  

Ever since arriving here, Shen Xiaoyue had been eating nothing but sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, or various pancakes made from them, along with watery rice porridge. Sometimes she’d feel full, only to realize the food had already digested by the time she finished using the bathroom.  

It had been so long since she’d smelled anything this delicious.  

It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about using her food or meat ration coupons to treat herself to something better.  

But between the reservations and the early-morning queues, it was all too much hassle—usually, she could only get scraps of lean meat no one else wanted.  

The county town had better options, but getting there was a whole other ordeal!  

The educated youth group had recently started raising a few chickens, but who knew how long it’d be before they could enjoy fresh eggs?  

Shen Xiaoyue felt that after living such a comfortable life before, she was now struggling to adapt to everything here.  

The aroma of the egg noodles was like a siren’s call, drifting straight into Shen Xiaoyue’s nose. Unconsciously, a look of longing crept into her eyes, making her appear rather pitiful.  

Lu Ping’an didn’t know what came over him, but he suddenly replied, “You can have it. My dad’s already eaten.”  

Shen Xiaoyue didn’t have the mental bandwidth to question the inconsistency in his words—her entire being was now consumed by *the bowl of noodles*.  

*God-tier noodles! Thank you for Lu Ping’an’s charitable offering!*  

At this moment, Shen Xiaoyue couldn’t care less about appearances. Her chopsticks moved so fast they nearly left afterimages.  

Lu Ping’an watched her eat with such satisfaction that the corners of his lips twitched upward—before he caught himself and forced them back into a straight line.  

*Whatever. It was meant for her anyway.*  

“*Burp—*”  

In the quiet of the afternoon, the sound was especially loud.  

Shen Xiaoyue clapped a hand over her mouth, inwardly scolding herself. A faint pink tinted her ears. *Ugh, I got too carried away.*  

When she looked up, she met a pair of eyes brimming with amusement.  

“Don’t you dare laugh!”  

The girl wore a rare expression of embarrassment, her small hands covering most of her face. Her eyes shimmered with a glint of light as she deliberately put on a fierce tone—though it held no intimidation, sounding more like a whine. “You didn’t hear anything.”

This scene struck Lu Ping’an as utterly novel. From the moment he’d met Shen Xiaoyue, she had been bold and vibrant—like a flower blooming defiantly in the wind.  

Lu Ping’an chuckled helplessly and humored her: “Alright, I didn’t hear a thing.”  

Perhaps because Lu Ping’an was being unusually accommodating, Shen Xiaoyue instinctively felt like clinging to him and acting spoiled. “Lu Ping’an, I’m so full. Come take a walk with me.”  

Lu Ping’an didn’t understand why, after only a few meetings, Shen Xiaoyue already trusted him so much—even to the point of casually acting coquettishly. The village wasn’t full of good people—didn’t she have *any* sense of caution? Did she talk like this to *everyone*?  

For some reason, this thought made him inexplicably angry.  

But Lu Ping’an hadn’t forgotten the purpose of this visit. A walk was out of the question. Now that she’d eaten the noodles, he considered the debt from her previous gifts repaid. It was time to make things clear.  

Straightening his expression, his handsome face turned stern. The usually lazy young man suddenly looked solemn, as if preparing to discuss something serious. Shen Xiaoyue’s instincts told her he was about to say something she wouldn’t like.  

Sure enough, those lips—which she had once frequented most fondly—parted and delivered a cold, ruthless sentence:  

“Comrade Shen, we’re not suited. Please don’t waste your time on me anymore.”  

Shen Xiaoyue immediately covered her ears and shook her head. *La-la-la, not listening, turtle chanting sutras!*  

Lu Ping’an had imagined many possible reactions from her.  

Maybe she’d eye him up and down before dryly asking if he was being narcissistic.  

Or perhaps she’d get angry, declare she’d never speak to him again—which, frankly, would suit him just fine.  

Or maybe…  

But in none of his scenarios did she act like a little rogue, blatantly pretending not to hear.  

*Does she really like me that much?*  

Lu Ping’an couldn’t quite describe the emotion stirring in his chest, but he knew he wasn’t mistaken—Shen Xiaoyue *did* like him. And he also knew that such flimsy words alone wouldn’t solve anything.  

He decided to cut the knot with a swift stroke and be even harsher:  

“Besides, you’re not my type! Men and women shouldn’t be overly familiar—please stop being so hands-on in the future. It’s inappropriate.”  

In an era where people rarely expressed their emotions so bluntly, these words were already quite harsh.  

Yet Shen Xiaoyue didn’t react at all. Instead, she simply smiled at him, eyes curved like crescents, looking utterly tolerant—as if no amount of cruelty from him could ever make her angry.  

“Got it. I always make sure no one’s around—it won’t cause any *scandal*.”  

She nodded obediently, but her words were anything but.  

Lu Ping’an wanted to tear his hair out. She *knew* his point wasn’t about some damn scandal, yet she deliberately twisted his meaning as if she couldn’t understand.  

Some things were hard to say once, let alone repeat.  

Pressing his lips together, Lu Ping’an silently picked up the thermos and turned to leave.  

*Whatever. It’s not like I’ll see her again anyway.* Shen Xiaoyue spent all her time at the educated youth point—their paths would rarely cross.  

Given enough time, she’d understand his meaning and stop pestering him.  

…

Shen Xiaoyue had done a lot of thinking these past few days. Right now, all she wanted was to be good to Lu Ping’an—it was what she owed him. If she could win the beauty’s heart in the process, even better.  

If it truly couldn’t be forced… well, she’d wish him happiness—  

*Bullshit!*  

She didn’t believe in fate.  

But you couldn’t rush things—sometimes, patience and timing were everything.