Er Gouzi waved his hand dismissively.

After finishing the sweet potato, he grabbed his schoolbag and went to school with Zhao Mo.

After class, Er Gouzi stood on a stool and proudly announced to the whole class, “Tomorrow, I’m going to the state-run restaurant with Zhao Mo to eat delicious food!”

Zhao Mo covered her face.

Oh heavens.

This is so embarrassing.

The classmates gathered around, all expressing their envy.

“Your aunt is so nice.”

“I wish I had an aunt like that.”

Zhao Mo felt a surge of pride.

Her aunt was the best in the world.

After school in the afternoon, Zhao Mo went up the mountain to gather firewood, hoping to find some eggs. She wanted to give them to her aunt.

Yuan Dabao didn’t go to school but had figured out where Zhao Mo usually went.

She spent her noon break helping with chores at home.

After school in the afternoon, she would go up the mountain to cut pig grass and pick wild vegetables.

Seeing her leave, Yuan Dabao followed her closely.

Wasn’t Zhao Mo supposed to go to the state-run restaurant tomorrow? He would make sure she couldn’t go!

Zhao Mo squatted down to put the wild vegetables into her basket.

Noticing Yuan Dabao following her, she headed toward a more secluded area.

Yuan Dabao, seeing fewer and fewer people around, grew excited. Soon, he would beat Zhao Mo to death.

After all, he was doing it on the mountain, and no one could testify!

Even if Zhao Mo complained, she would have to swallow her grievances.

His stepfather hated Zhao Mo, so maybe if he beat her, his stepfather would treat him a little better.

And her aunt…

He could cry to her aunt later, saying Zhao Mo had framed him.

Would her aunt take pity on him and take him to the state-run restaurant for a good meal?

Yuan Dabao thought about it more and more, growing increasingly excited!

He was so focused on following Zhao Mo’s footsteps that he didn’t realize the path had deviated into an area no normal child would venture into.

The trees grew taller, and he soon lost sight of Zhao Mo.

Suddenly…

Everything went dark.

His head was hit by a pile of leaves. As he covered his head, a stick struck his back.

Yuan Dabao let out a howl.

“Who? Who’s hitting me?”

“Ow, my leg!”

“My stomach! Wuwu, I want my mom! And my dad is really scary!”

…

Yuan Dabao kept wailing.

Rolling on the ground in pain.

Zhao Mo watched him flail like a dying fish before tossing the stick aside and running over from a distance, pretending to be concerned. “Hey, are you okay?”

Yuan Dabao opened his eyes and saw Zhao Mo frowning at him. Furious, he raised his hand to slap her. “Where did you go?”

Zhao Mo punched him right in the face.

Yuan Dabao’s arm went limp, and he was left dazed. “You… you dare hit me!”

Zhao Mo picked up the stick again.

She had originally planned to pretend to hit Yuan Dabao and then take him home, since he was so stupid he probably wouldn’t remember the way back.

Her intention was just to teach him a lesson, not to let him get eaten by wild boars or wolves.

But who knew he would try to hit her as soon as she approached?

Zhao Mo’s face was stern as she beat him mercilessly, saying coldly, “Idiot.”

“Zhao Mo, I won’t let you get away with this,” Yuan Dabao said weakly.

Zhao Mo looked down.

Her grip tightened.

Yuan Dabao curled up, his teeth chattering from the pain.

“Zhao Mo, where are you?” Er Gouzi shouted.

He had been looking for Zhao Mo and, after asking around, found out she had gone this way. He was terrified—what if there were wild boars or wolves?

After not finding her along the way, Er Gouzi grew more and more panicked.

Hearing a familiar voice, Zhao Mo called out, “Over here!”

Er Gouzi breathed a sigh of relief. “Why did you come here?”

“He wanted to beat me,” Zhao Mo pointed at Yuan Dabao.

Er Gouzi looked at Yuan Dabao’s sorry state and twitched his lips. “You did this?”

Zhao Mo nodded.

Er Gouzi clapped for her. “Well done.”

Zhao Mo felt a little happy. She thought so too.

“Let’s go, down the mountain.”

“Okay.” Er Gouzi picked up Zhao Mo’s basket and happily shared a little secret with her. “I have forty cents.”

“Your dad gave it to you?” Zhao Mo took her basket and slung it over her shoulder as she asked.

“No, I earned it by helping my aunt,” Er Gouzi said proudly.

Zhao Mo smiled. “No wonder you were so diligent during that time.”

“Hehe, even if my aunt didn’t pay me, I’d still help,” Er Gouzi scratched his head, then added sheepishly under Zhao Mo’s gaze, “Just maybe not as quickly.”

Zhao Mo was a little envious. “I can’t even help my aunt with work.”

“It’s okay, you’re good at studying. You came first in our unit test,” Er Gouzi comforted her.

Zhao Mo felt a little better. “My aunt said I’m amazing.”

“You are amazing!”

Er Gouzi praised.

Zhao Mo was incredible. After finishing her chores after school, she still went to her aunt’s place to study.

If she didn’t come first, who would?

As they walked and chatted, Yuan Dabao limped behind them, his eyes dark and red with anger. He would definitely find a chance to beat Zhao Mo and Er Gouzi to death!

Zhao Mo and Er Gouzi paid him no attention.

They were too busy imagining the wonderful time they would have at the state-run restaurant tomorrow.

Er Gouzi had passed by the state-run restaurant with his dad before, but this time, he was actually going inside!

So exciting!

He had asked his dad if he had ever eaten at the state-run restaurant.

Turns out, he hadn’t.

As his son, Er Gouzi would be the first to eat there.

How satisfying!

*

The next morning, as everything came to life, everyone woke up.

With only two days left until the Mid-Autumn Festival and the autumn harvest approaching, many people were preparing to go to town to buy some pork or other items to celebrate the festival and replenish their energy before the harvest.

Because there were so many people, an ox cart was arranged to take everyone to town.

Riding the ox cart cost two work points, which was ten cents.

“Should we take the ox cart? Walking would take two hours,” Zhang Yunxi asked.

Er Gouzi and Zhao Mo shook their heads.

The thought of going to town had them so energized that they didn’t feel tired at all!

But after some thought, Zhang Yunxi decided to take the ox cart.

The road to town passed through several villages, and with two children in tow, she was a little worried. Riding the ox cart with so many people from the Zhao village brigade felt safer!

Once Zhang Yunxi made the decision, the two children naturally had no objections and followed her onto the ox cart.

There were quite a few people on the ox cart.

For example…

Zhao Rencheng, who reluctantly got on.

And the pig-headed Wu Donglin!

When Wu Donglin saw Zhang Yunxi, he glared at her fiercely. This woman had adored him so much in the city, willing to give him everything, but after coming to the village and seeing him lose his job, she started looking down on him.

She just wanted a better man, didn’t she? And she had the nerve to say all those things, almost getting him arrested!

That day, a male educated youth had comforted him, saying, “Didn’t Zhang Zhiqing say that hitting is affection and scolding is love? Maybe she still likes you.”

Wu Donglin became uncertain again.

That made sense.

After all, he was so great.

Even the village girl Zhao Erhua was throwing herself at him. Wasn’t Zhang Yunxi just trying to get his attention?

Women were so annoying.

Always making you guess.

Before coming to town, he had written two letters in advance. One was to his family, and the other was to his girlfriend.

He wanted to ask Zhang Yunxi’s cousin, Zhang Yujie.

Did Zhang Yunxi like him?