Just as Gu Yundong turned her head, she saw him without saying anything.

He was holding a coarse bun in his hand and took a big bite. The dry crumbs immediately stuck to his chapped lips, making it seem difficult to swallow.

Gu Yundong felt her throat constrict just from watching, especially when she saw a small piece of bun fall to the ground and create a small dent in the dirt.

Gu Yundong: “… How hard is that bun? Can it even be digested?”

She couldn’t help but swallow her saliva, and just then, she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

“Yun Dong, don’t be afraid. Qing Yuan isn’t as scary as the villagers say. He lives next door, and we’ve been neighbors for several years. I understand him better than those people do. He’s a good person.”

Gu Yundong was taken aback. This was the first time she had heard such a positive evaluation of Shao Qing Yuan.

She hadn’t expected him to live next door. Wouldn’t he be her neighbor from now on?

Well, having helpful neighbors who are on good terms with her isn’t a bad thing, right?

So Gu Yundong nodded. “Auntie, I understand. I’m not someone who believes everything people say.”

She took the basket of vegetables from Mrs. Dong. “I’ll take these then.”

Mrs. Dong sighed softly. “Take them. Come back and get more when you’re done.”

Gu Yundong then walked back with Mrs. Yang and the others. As they passed by her homestead, they saw the young men taking a break and drinking ginger tea.

When they saw them, they warmly greeted her and expressed their gratitude for the ginger tea, saying that it warmed their hearts and they would work harder.

Gu Yundong nodded and reminded them to stay safe.

As she walked away, some of them began to whisper, “This girl from the Gu family is really nice. Not only does she pay well for the work, but it also makes me feel good. But alas, she doesn’t seem to understand the ways of the world.”

“Yeah, with no adult man in the house to protect her, even if she has money, she should hide it. She’s only been here a short time in this unfamiliar village. She’s really drawing attention to herself by spending so much money to build a big house.”

“I reckon the second-rate people in the village will soon be eyeing her.”

“Let’s talk to Feng Ge and ask him to advise the girl?”

“Agreed.”

Feng Daneng did indeed talk to Gu Yundong and advised her to be careful in the coming days, especially at night. He suggested she lock the doors and windows securely and set up traps by the door. If there was any noise, she should shout loudly.

However, what he didn’t expect was that on that very night, several thieves managed to sneak into the Fang family’s house and secretly break in.

But as Gu Yundong lay on her bed, she suddenly opened her eyes and stared into the dimly lit room, a faint smile tugging at her lips—finally, they had come