As he was lost in his thoughts, Tian Niu couldn’t help but let out a naive laugh, "Qin Jian, you’re really lucky, to have a sister-in-law wipe the sweat for you! I’ve grown this big, and apart from my mom, no one else has wiped my sweat."
An Hao felt very awkward being called "sister-in-law" by Tian Niu, and from the corner of her eye, she noticed that Qin Jian was watching her. She said uneasily, "Tian Brother, you can just call me An Hao in the future."
"Heh heh. Sister-in-law is sister-in-law, can’t call you anything else." Tian Niu laughed a couple of times and, carrying his basket on his back, walked ahead. "I’ll wait for you at the village entrance."
After Tian Niu had left, Qin Jian took a short break to cool down his sweat.
"Are you still tired? If not, we can get going!" He asked An Hao softly.
"Then let’s go," Qin Jian stood up, about to bend down to lift An Hao, but she stopped him.
"Qin Brother, it might be better if you just carry me on your back." That way, she didn’t have to look at his face, which really was very awkward.
Although she had lived another lifetime, her emotional maturity hadn’t progressed much, remaining somewhat naive.
Her interactions with men were limited and, after her divorce from Qin Jian, she had started to hustle for her life, leaving a void in her emotional life.
Thus, in this life, she hadn’t expected to have so much contact with Qin Jian before marriage, and for it to be this close.
"Alright." Qin Jian squatted down to wait for An Hao to climb onto his back.
Her movements were light, even careful, as if she were afraid of bending him over.
Qin Jian couldn’t help but chuckle, "Actually, you’re very light."
In his eyes, her delicate frame was scarcely heavier than a feather.
His broad, strong shoulders felt reassuring to An Hao as she lay on them, giving her a sense of security she’d never felt before.
It was always when she faced difficulties that she would meet him.
Just seeing him made An Hao feel like nothing was an issue anymore. It was as if he had the power to hold up the sky for her, resolving all the troubles before her.
"Qin Brother, it’s always such a bother for you! Thank you so much," An Hao said with a light sigh.
"How will you thank me?" To her surprise, he actually asked how she planned to thank him.
This question really stumped An Hao: "Huh?"
What did he expect her to do to thank him?
"Are you just going to say thanks and leave it at that?" Qin Jian teased her on purpose.
"That’s good then. Think carefully about how you’re going to thank me!"
"Alright. I’ll think it over," An Hao replied with a gentle laugh. This strange man had helped her so much without asking for thanks, but now he was carrying her back and he expected thanks?
Her inexperienced heart couldn’t fathom that this was precisely where Qin Jian’s cleverness lay.
He was subtly luring her deeper.
In giving thanks, as they exchanged favors, their feelings for each other would naturally deepen.
An Hao lay on Qin Jian’s back and began to think earnestly. How could she thank him?
As she pondered, she grew tired.
She had studied late into the night, gotten up early today to dig up wild vegetables, fought a battle with Yang Erdan, exhausting all her strength. Now lying on Qin Jian’s back, she cozily dozed off.
Qin Jian felt the weight on his back increase and sensed a soft fullness. He called out her name softly, "An Hao!"
There was no response from the person on his back, and knowing she had fallen asleep, Qin Jian, with An Hao in tow, strode back toward home.
Back at the entrance to the village, Tian Niu was waiting for him with his basket on his back.