Zhang Xiaoshan explained somewhat helplessly.
"Didn’t you hear her say her uncle was looking for me? Her uncle is the village chief Wu Daming, probably concerning the setting up of the new school."
Upon hearing this, Xu Jing immediately became excited.
"Then you should hurry over, don’t delay."
When it came to educational matters, Xu Jing was particularly earnest.
Zhang Xiaoshan rolled his eyes.
"Didn’t you just tell me not to go?"
"Oh, why are you so petty? Just go, I won’t tattle to your sister-in-law. I’ll just say you were on an emergency call."
Zhang Xiaoshan flicked Xu Jing’s forehead, then walked toward Wu Xiaoru.
Wu Xiaoru’s head was hung very low, not daring to look directly at Zhang Xiaoshan.
Zhang Xiaoshan walked ahead, with Wu Xiaoru meekly following behind.
Xu Jing watched Zhang Xiaoshan and Wu Xiaoru walk away for a bit. Seeing that everything seemed normal between them, she entered Zhang Xiaoshan’s yard.
At that time, Sister-in-law Yu Xiuxiu was sitting in the yard, daydreaming.
She checked her watch every so often.
Her mind was incessantly filled with troubled thoughts: Could Zhang Xiaoshan be doing something with Xu Jing in a private space?
In a daze, she recalled her intimate moments with Zhang Xiaoshan on the hill behind, and how strongly he seemed to desire her. Yes, Zhang Xiaoshan had reached an age where he was vigorous and needed a woman.
Even if he did have some physical interaction with another woman, that seemed like a very normal thing, right?
But what exactly was she to Zhang Xiaoshan?
"Forget it, I am Little Shan’s sister-in-law. If Little Shan doesn’t know better, I can’t ruin his reputation."
But when she thought about what might be happening between Zhang Xiaoshan and Xu Jing, an inexplicable anger rose in her heart.
Right then, footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Looking up, she saw Xu Jing coming back.
Seeing that Xu Jing’s clothes were neat and tidy and considering that less than half an hour had passed, evidently nothing had happened. She relaxed with relief and her vexation subsided.
"Mr. Xu, where is Little Shan?"
Xu Jing said according to the plan she had made with Zhang Xiaoshan. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥
"Just now, a villager said their child had diarrhea, and he’s gone to make an emergency house call."
"You should go to bed early too."
Yu Xiuxiu happily went back to her room.
Xu Jing had also planned to go to sleep, but a glance caught sight of the dirty clothes Zhang Xiaoshan had brought back and thrown in the yard. She took the initiative to start washing them.
Yu Xiuxiu looked out the window and saw Xu Jing washing clothes.
"Mr. Xu gets along with Little Shan so well in every way, she’s virtuous and kind. Actually, she’s a good match for Little Shan. Am I in their way?"
"With me here, Little Shan probably can’t be with another woman properly for the rest of his life, and even if he is, it would make me uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?"
"Now that my eyes are almost healed, it’s probably time for me to leave, right?"
As Yu Xiuxiu thought this, she stared blankly out the window.
Zhang Xiaoshan and Wu Xiaoru had already walked to a threshing ground not far from her house.
On the threshing ground, there were many piles of wheat straw.
Zhang Xiaoshan stopped in his tracks.
The head-down Wu Xiaoru was lost in thought and bumped straight into Zhang Xiaoshan’s back.
Wu Xiaoru raised her head, looking at Zhang Xiaoshan somewhat confusedly.
Zhang Xiaoshan asked with a teasing smile.
"Were you peeping from behind the window this morning?"
At these words, Wu Xiaoru felt her heart tremble and panic surged.
"I... I didn’t see anything..."
"Heh, that means you did."
"I won’t tell anyone," Wu Xiaoru hastily assured, afraid that Zhang Xiaoshan would get angry.
"Of course, I know that. I want to ask you, those moves Tao Qian used, did you learn them?"
"Honestly, when you do ’that,’ you’re too stiff. You must have learned something today, right?"
Zhang Xiaoshan reached out and pinched Wu Xiaoru’s chin, looking at her with a teasing, scornful gaze.
Wu Xiaoru was extremely shy.
"Don’t... don’t mess around, this is right in front of my house."
"What about it being in front of the house? Come on, let me check on your homework," he said.
Without allowing her to argue, he pulled Wu Xiaoru by the hair to the top of the pile of wheat straw on the threshing ground.
He lay down on the soft pile of wheat straw and closed his eyes.
It was exactly like it had been at noon in the infirmary.
The images from what she had witnessed earlier in the day flashed involuntarily through Wu Xiaoru’s mind.
After hesitating for a moment, she still obediently moved forward.
At this time, Zhang Yulian, Wu Yong, and Wu Daming were sitting together, discussing matters.
"Uncle, are you really going to mortgage all the land to that bastard Zhang Xiaoshan?"
"That’s the best twenty acres of irrigated land in our village. I’m not willing to give it to that kid."
"Also, these big tiled houses of mine are not even a year old. I really don’t want to part with them..."
Upon hearing Zhang Yulian’s words, Wu Yong got unhappy.
"Mom, Little Yue has already agreed. As long as we take out five hundred thousand to buy a house in the city, her family won’t ask for a penny in betrothal gifts. This is a good deal, where would you find another like it? I don’t care, I must marry Little Yue."
Thinking of Shi Yue’s graceful figure and charming face, Wu Yong nearly drooled.
He had no idea that he was about to lose everything.
"Look at you, so lacking in spirit. As soon as you have a wife, you’ll forget your mother, but I’m still counting on living a good life," Zhang Yulian said in dissatisfaction.
Wu Yong immediately started shouting.
"Mom, I don’t care, I want a wife. Hurry and get me a wife."
Zhang Yulian looked at her beloved son with a mix of anger and helplessness.
"Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Even if we sign the agreement, without my say-so, that Zhang Xiaoshan will never be able to claim your family’s land and houses."
At this, Zhang Yulian’s eyes lit up.
They were planning a double-cross.