Chapter 47: Pursuit

“Don’t think so much.” Lu Jin’an patted Bai An’s head and said, “There’s no such thing as perfect fairness in this world.”

Upon hearing this, Bai An lowered her head, staring at the dirt on the ground, her mind unsure of what to think.

Years passed, and Bai An gradually grew into a captivating beauty. In this barren land, Bai An was like a unique rose, someone who made others want to protect her, but also someone others couldn’t help but want to possess.

“Bai An, come back early today.” Wan Qing looked at Bai An, who was becoming even more charming, and couldn’t help but worry. “Should I ask your brother to pick you up?”

Bai An smiled and replied, “Mom, I’m just going to the city to buy something. I’ll be back soon. Isn’t my brother still studying? It would be too much trouble for him to come pick me up.”

Just as Wan Qing was about to say something more, Bai An waved her hand in front of her and said, “Mom, I’m leaving now.”

Wearing a trendy light yellow dress from the city, Bai An seemed like someone from a completely different world compared to this place. Lin Zhixia glanced at her, his eyes subtly shifting, a flash of something strange crossing his gaze.

“Bai An,” Lin Zhixia called out. “Where are you going?”

Bai An stopped and gave him a puzzled look. “To the city. Is there something wrong?”

“To the city?” Lin Zhixia scanned her from head to toe, paused, and then said, “Does your brother really allow you to go alone?”

Bai An rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to respond, and turned to walk away.

“Hey, wait.” Seeing Bai An about to leave, Lin Zhixia quickly grabbed her and placed a fruit in her hand, smiling as he said, “Here, eat this.”

As his hand brushed against Bai An’s, Lin Zhixia subtly withdrew his hand, his fingers secretly rubbing as though savoring the touch.

Bai An looked at the fruit in her hand and asked softly, “Why are you giving me this?”

“It’s still a bit of a walk to where the bus stops. If you get thirsty, you can eat it to quench your thirst,” Lin Zhixia replied.

Bai An blinked and waved the fruit at him. “Thanks.”

Lin Zhixia flashed a standard smile, his usually handsome face taking on a slightly rogue charm. He whistled at her and said, “No need to thank me.”

Bai An found herself unable to handle his antics, quickly nodding and heading toward the bus station.

As Bai An’s figure gradually disappeared into the distance, Lin Zhixia reluctantly turned his gaze away.

“Brother, are you done staring?” Cui Ju suddenly appeared from somewhere, sneaking up beside Lin Zhixia and whispering in his ear.

Lin Zhixia expressionlessly flicked his finger to push Cui Ju aside, coldly saying, “None of your business.”

“Oooh,” Cui Ju raised her eyebrows and looked at Lin Zhixia, “Maybe Bai An will be my future sister-in-law. Is that not your business?”

Hearing Cui Ju’s words, Lin Zhixia couldn’t help but smile faintly, then realized his reaction was off, raising his hand to block his face and clearing his throat. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Cui Ju thought for a moment, then said, “But Bai An might not fancy you.”

“Bai An is famous for her beauty, and even the nearby villages know who she is. Plus, her brother is so capable and handsome.”

Cui Ju observed Lin Zhixia carefully and came to a conclusion, “Bai An probably won’t be interested in you.”

Lin Zhixia turned around and brought his face close to Cui Ju’s, saying in a low voice, “You don’t think I’m more handsome than Lu Jin’an?”

“Not really.” Cui Ju leaned back slightly and replied, “You two are like night and day.”

“Lu Jin’an,” Cui Ju continued, “his skin is whiter than ours, he doesn’t smile, doesn’t talk much, but he’s just so good-looking.”

Cui Ju paused for a moment and then said, “It’s not that you’re not good-looking, it’s just… you know, you two are like handsome young men from different directions.”

Seeing Lin Zhixia fall silent, Cui Ju quickly patted his shoulder. “You should know, in the nearby villages, half of the girls like your brother, and half like you. Don’t get discouraged.”

“And what about you?” Lin Zhixia asked.

“What?” Cui Ju, caught off guard by the question, suddenly didn’t know how to respond.

Lin Zhixia looked at his silly sister, furrowing his brow, and asked again, “Do you think I’m handsome, or is he?”

“Who?”

Lin Zhixia gently ruffled Cui Ju’s hair, his tone so gentle it made her nervous. “Cui Ju, is your brain broken?”

“Oh, Lu Jin’an,” Cui Ju carefully removed Lin Zhixia’s hand from her head, saying cautiously, “I think…”

“It’s Lu Jin’an.”

Before Lin Zhixia could confront his sister for being a traitor, Cui Ju had already run off, making faces at him from a distance.

Lin Zhixia almost burst out laughing at her antics.

Bai An walked through the city, looking at the dazzling array of goods on the street, but she wasn’t moved at all because her family lacked nothing.

The only reason Bai An came to the city was to buy books.

Yes, books.

In Bai An’s blurry memories, the college entrance examination (Gaokao) would resume in about two years, which meant Lu Jin’an would just make it in time.

However, finding books related to the Gaokao at this point in time wasn’t easy. If she wasn’t careful, someone might report her.

Just thinking about the potential consequences made Bai An shiver.

It was nearly dark, and looking at the position of the sun, Bai An realized there was still about an hour before the last bus, but she still had nothing in her hands.

Just as she was about to give up, she accidentally spotted an old, worn basket.

She focused and quickly ran up to the old woman, anxiously asking, “Grandma, how much is this?”

The old woman, hard of hearing, couldn’t catch Bai An’s question, so Bai An used sign language while loudly asking the price.

In the end, Bai An bought the pile of books at a ridiculously cheap price, just as if they were junk.

Although the book covers were so worn out that they were barely readable, Bai An could still make out the contents, which were mostly the books needed for the Gaokao. She felt incredibly lucky to have stumbled upon them.

Holding the tattered books carefully in her arms, Bai An squeezed onto the bus home.

Coincidentally, one of Bai An’s classmates from school was on the same bus. At first, she didn’t recognize him, but his intense gaze made it impossible for her to ignore.

Struggling to place the books at her feet, Bai An asked in confusion, “Do you know me?”

When the boy heard Bai An speak to him, his face turned bright red, all the way to his neck. He nodded, but then quickly shook his head. He didn’t say anything, stood up, and was about to offer his seat to Bai An. Seeing his actions, Bai An understood his intention and quickly waved her hand. “It’s fine. I have books, so it’s not convenient for me to sit.”