Su Xiaoqi was forced to retreat repeatedly by Shen Yun.
Her head was already pressed against the wall of the cart behind the mule cart.
She had nowhere else to retreat.
But Shen Yun's face grew larger and larger.
His gaze was tightly locked onto her face, his eyes as deep as a bottomless pool, probing her heart with the impunity of an X-ray.
Su Xiaoqi’s breathing became rapid. Shen Yun in this state was terrifying.
He made her feel as if she were naked and streaking in front of him.
"Hmm, tell me!" Shen Yun suddenly spoke, his hot breath brushing against her cheek.
His presence enveloped her completely.
Su Xiaoqi's heart felt as if it were being squeezed by fingers.
For a moment, she seemed to forget to breathe, her face flushing crimson.
Shen Yun found himself somewhat helpless at her appearance.
He withdrew his questioning gaze, lowered his head to her pure lips, and gently breathed a breath over.
"Mmm..." Su Xiaoqi gasped in surprise.
Su Xiaoqi was like a small boat in a rainstorm, having lost the ability to steer.
She could only go with the flow, the towering waves crashing over her, tightening her heart into a knot.
"Mmm..." For a moment, she was lost for words, only able to make soft sounds.
Shen Yun was like a perfectly competent helmsman, controlling Su Xiaoqi's direction, taking her to the heavens and the earth, navigating freely through the waves...
"Beep, Su's Farm has been upgraded." A clear voice sounded in her mind. Su Xiaoqi's gradually fading reason finally began to return.
She gently pushed Shen Yun away, gasping for breath, and glared at him.
But she hadn't expected that after receiving his affection, her pretty face would be flushed with a rising tide of color.
Her eyes were full of a captivating charm, and this glare was akin to a coy pout, possessing no power at all.
Shen Yun liked her more the more he looked at her, and couldn't help but draw closer.
He lowered his head and gently pressed against her forehead, his voice husky, "Are you really angry?"
Su Xiaoqi pouted, mentally calling him a pervert.
But on the surface, she forced a smile. "No."
Shen Yun lightly flicked her nose, his thin lips moving into a sigh.
If she didn't tell the truth, what could be done?
Fearing he might overthink it, Su Xiaoqi, driven by an impulse, blurted out, "Trust is mutual. You don't necessarily trust me either."
Shen Yun paused for a moment. He had to admit, Su Xiaoqi was right.
At least in front of her, he also had secrets he couldn't speak of.
But he felt his heart towards her was genuine.
Perhaps hers was too, so why force some things?
As they spoke, they arrived at their destination.
Shen Yun jumped down from the cart first, extending his hand to Su Xiaoqi.
She hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his.
Shen Xiaomei, Zhao Xiaozhu, and Shen Erdan cheered and rushed over.
Su Xiaoqi quickly took out the snacks she had bought and asked them to give them to Old Madam Yu and Madam Zhao first, and then distribute the rest.
Afterward, she handed the fabric to Zhao Xiaozhu, telling her to try making a popular garment of the current fashion.
In a few days, she would give her some style sketches to follow.
Having finished, she took Shen Xiaomei's hand and conveyed Chen Jinniang's intentions.
Shen Xiaomei was timid. Upon hearing she would have to go to the city, she couldn't help but be frightened.
Heaven knew the farthest she had ever been in her conscious life was the Yuanbao River by the village.
Although she had been to the city before, she had been taken there bound.
Confused and unaware of anything,
The city had left an indelible shadow on her.
Su Xiaoqi saw her hesitation and persuaded her, "That shop owner, Aunt Chen, is a very good person.
You won't be going alone. You can go and return with your elder brother and uncle every day, and sometimes I'll be going too."
Hearing that her family would accompany her, Shen Xiaomei felt less panicked.
"Besides, don't you love cooking the most?
At Aunt Chen's place, you can learn many recipes for making food."
Su Xiaoqi used what interested Shen Xiaomei the most to convince her.
However, she dared not tell her the truth about the salary for now.
Otherwise, if she heard about sharing equally, she would definitely be startled.
Shen Xiaomei listened without speaking, her constantly rubbing hands revealing her inner hesitation.
Su Xiaoqi was not in a hurry, letting her discuss it with her family, especially her elder brother.
Perhaps he would offer her some excellent advice.
These words struck a chord with Shen Xiaomei.
She nodded and ran like lightning to find Shen Yun.
Su Xiaoqi shook her head behind her.
Shen Xiaomei was good in all aspects, except for her timidness.
No one knew what Shen Xiaomei had said to Shen Yun, but a quarter of an hour later, Shen Yun came to find Su Xiaoqi.
He said they were going to the end of the village to see how the house was being built.
Su Xiaoqi understood that he had something to say and readily agreed.
The two walked one after another on the bluestone-paved path.
Sometimes ascending steps, sometimes descending steps.
There was silence all the way, which Su Xiaoqi found strange.
She had a feeling that Shen Yun had brought her out because he wanted to ask her about Shen Xiaomei working.
Why wasn't he speaking?
Su Xiaoqi looked ahead, as they were nearing the end of the village.
From where they stood, they could see half of their house already built up to waist height.
She held back for a moment but couldn't match Shen Yun's composure. She reached out and tugged him:
"Hey, do you have something you want to tell me?"
Shen Yun turned his head, looking at her curiously. "What is it?"
Su Xiaoqi glared at him, thinking his mind was too deep.
She had already hinted at it so much, yet he was still pretending to be foolish.
She pouted, displeased, "About Xiaomei, what Xiaomei told you."
Shen Yun raised an eyebrow. "About working at Chen's Grain Shop?"
Su Xiaoqi nodded.
"Xiaomei has already agreed. She wants to go, she's just scared, and I've comforted her."
"Uh..." Su Xiaoqi felt this was not what she had expected.
She had asked Shen Xiaomei to go to him for his decision.
But why did he seem to have no intention of objecting?
She voiced her thoughts.
Shen Yun chuckled and flicked her nose:
"You are Xiaomei's sister-in-law. Would you introduce something bad to her?
Since you've said it and are actively promoting it, it must only be beneficial for her, with no downsides. Why would I object?"
Su Xiaoqi was rendered speechless by his words.
She felt a sense of anxiety at being completely seen through by Shen Yun.
Seeing Shen Yun reach out to put his arm around her waist, she turned sideways and stomped her foot, making his hand miss.
Shen Yun persisted, hooking his arm around her slender waist and drawing her close.
He lowered his head and pressed against her forehead, his voice full of magnetism, "Can you stay by my side?"
Su Xiaoqi's heart pounded like a drum, making her flustered and lose her usual composure.