Shen Yun's words seemed to possess a magical quality, drawing Su Xiaoqi to nod in agreement with him.
Yet, deep within her heart, a voice screamed: Don't agree, don't agree.
The reason, naturally, was that Shen Yun would eventually turn to the dark side.
And she still wished to leave this place and return to her own reality.
She didn't want the people she loved, and who loved her, to wait too long.
Receiving no reply, Shen Yun's voice grew slightly urgent:
"Xiaoqi, promise me, stay by my side."
Su Xiaoqi's gaze drifted. Before she could think of a way to leave this world, she would certainly stay by his side.
After all, she couldn't afford the consequences of leaving him.
She gritted her teeth and nodded lightly.
Shen Yun tightened his arm around her.
He knew what she was hesitating about, but he didn't understand her thoughts.
Leave here, leave this world, what did it mean?
With each of them lost in their own thoughts, two figures suddenly appeared behind them.
Seeing the two embracing tightly, one of them couldn't help but curse:
"Hmph, what a flirt. In broad daylight, openly hooking up with a man, hugging and embracing, with no regard for proper conduct.
When I call my old man, he'll throw you into the river again."
Su Xiaoqi's head was turned outwards, and looking up slightly, she saw the newcomers – Zhao Xiaohua and Zhao Hai'e.
The one who had spoken was Zhao Hai'e, who had always been at odds with her.
She pushed away Shen Yun, who was about to speak, and shot Zhao Hai'e a cold glance:
"I'm happy. What business is it of yours if my husband and I hug and embrace, intimate as we are?
I think you're jealous. You're an unmarried girl, it's natural to have feelings for someone.
But can't you have some boundaries? What is it about eyeing someone else's man?
Do you think you can snatch him away from me?
Or have you made up your mind to be my man's concubine?"
Su Xiaoqi's tongue was sharper than usual.
She rarely showed her sharpness, but when she did, she was sure to infuriate people to death.
Especially this brainless Zhao Hai'e, who always picked fights with her for no reason. She had tolerated her for a long time.
Despite this,
Zhao Hai'e, with her father being the village head, had always acted imperiously in the village.
No one had ever dared to speak to her like this. She couldn't take it and, trembling, pointed her finger at Su Xiaoqi and threatened loudly:
"You, you, you shameless woman, you, what are you saying? I'm going to tell my old man."
Shen Yun couldn't stand it and opened his mouth to speak.
But Su Xiaoqi glared at him, stopping him from speaking, and leaned closer to spar with Zhao Hai'e:
"Heh, your father manages everyone's business, but can he manage what happens in my husband's and my bed?"
As Su Xiaoqi spoke, she deliberately provoked them, leaning into Shen Yun's embrace.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and, without any hesitation, kissed his thin lips.
Then she rested her head on his shoulder, looking defiantly at the Zhao sisters.
"Bitch, slut..." Zhao Hai'e was about to explode with anger.
She angrily lunged towards Su Xiaoqi.
Fortunately, Zhao Xiaohua behind her had not lost her reason and grabbed her.
"Hai'e, don't be impulsive."
Zhao Hai'e's face turned red with anger, and she stamped her feet, shouting, "Sister Xiaohua, look at her! She's so awful, so awful! Today, I must teach her a lesson..."
Zhao Xiaohua found Zhao Hai'e's insults towards Su Xiaoqi satisfying.
But when she looked up, she saw the ice-coldness gradually forming in Shen Yun's eyes.
She realized that the situation had indeed escalated and angered Shen.
She reacted quickly, grabbing Zhao Hai'e by the waist and bowing her head in apology:
"I'm sorry. Haihua sister is back today.
Hai'e isn't in a good mood today. I'll talk to her later."
As she spoke, she dragged Zhao Hai'e away.
Su Xiaoqi immediately got out of Shen Yun's embrace and glared at him fiercely.
Always attracting romantic trouble!
Shen Yun spread his hands helplessly, indicating he had done nothing.
Then, he unceremoniously cupped Su Xiaoqi's chin and gently kissed her.
Su Xiaoqi was fierce with her words, but not in practice.
Fearing that people passing by would see, she hastily broke free and ran towards the end of the village without looking back.
Shen Yun curved his lips behind her, then looked to the front left as if sensing something.
There stood a solitary, dilapidated thatched hut, home to the village's ugly and lazy bachelor, Zhao Guanggun.
He let out a cold snort. It seemed losing a leg hadn't taught him a lesson.
Su Xiaoqi continued running forward without looking back. Upon arriving at the building site allocated to the Shen family by the village, she saw that it was still a wasteland just a few days ago. Now, the foundation had been laid, bricks had been mortared, and a house was beginning to take shape.
Su Xiaoqi was delighted and greeted Zhao Dashan and others who were busy working with warmth and generosity.
However, Shen Yun's words, which followed shortly after, dampened her joy.
"I asked my uncle to reduce the number of rooms."
Su Xiaoqi frowned and counted the rooms from the foundation: "One, two, three, four..."
She became unhappy and grumbled, "What? I wanted ten rooms, but there are only six left."
Moreover, each room had become smaller.
Shen Yun explained, "The largest house in the village belongs to the village head. It's not appropriate for our house to be too large."
"Are you afraid of him?" Su Xiaoqi asked impatiently.
She simply wanted to live as comfortably as possible within their means.
"Concealment of strength," Shen Yun said meaningfully.
He was still living in the village for now, and even if he successfully passed the provincial examination in autumn, he would still return here.
He would only go to the capital for the imperial examination the following spring.
Until he passed the ministerial examination and was appointed an official, his family would continue to live in the village.
He himself didn't fear Zhao Baoren, but if he weren't around, and Zhao Baoren harbored any ill intentions,
They would have no power to resist.
Su Xiaoqi wasn't stupid, she just didn't realize that people's hearts could be so wicked.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Then, as you wish."
Then, she emphasized with concern, "It's fine if the rooms are small, but you can't skimp on my toilet and bathhouse."
Shen Yun nodded, knowing her well.
His young wife was extremely clean and couldn't tolerate any dirt on her body.
Therefore, she had to bathe and change her clothes every day.
And she required him, who shared her bed, to be the same.
It was fine in summer, but the thought of winter made him shiver all over.
Thus, building a dedicated shower room in the courtyard was, in his opinion, very necessary.
However, Su Xiaoqi was still upset that Shen Yun had altered her design without her consent, and she left in anger.
Therefore, she didn't see the two figures in the dilapidated thatched hut at the end of the village who had been staring at her.
Only when her and Shen Yun's figures disappeared did the woman slowly emerge.
It was Zhao Hai'e.
And limping out behind her was the owner of the dilapidated thatched hut: Zhao Guanggun.
The two exchanged glances, a hint of malice in their eyes.
The next day, Su Xiaoqi, along with Shen Xiaomei, Shen Yun, and Zhao Liushun, took a mule cart to the city to work.
Zhao Shi was initially worried, but Old Yu Shi readily agreed.
This was because Su Xiaoqi told her that Xiaomei's monthly wages for this trip would be at least five hundred wen.
Of course, Su Xiaoqi hadn't told them the actual amount.
She hadn't even told Shen Xiaomei yet. She wasn't unintelligent, but she wasn't foolish either.
If she revealed the fifty-fifty profit-sharing arrangement now, Shen Xiaomei would surely suspect her.
Therefore, she had arranged with Chen Jinniang to have her work in the shop first, and only after she was accustomed to it would she discuss the profit-sharing.
Ultimately, she wanted Shen Xiaomei to have her own private savings.
As a woman, sometimes nothing is reliable, only money is the greatest reliance.