Gu Fuzhu, far from being afraid, poked out her tongue playfully. She had woken up safe, and that was all that mattered. Then, her eyes gleaming with excitement, she turned to her mother. “Mom, I saw a truly amazing girl today! Her name is Xu Ying. Do you know that the Wu family is a terrible family? Not only are they corrupt, but they also try to control girls…”
As soon as Aunt Gu saw that her daughter was unharmed, her heart immediately settled. Both she and her husband had heard about the wicked deeds of the Wu family. She greatly admired that girl, Xu Ying; she was so courageous and resourceful, truly remarkable.
“Dad, you said you are a good leader,” Gu Fuzhu declared, standing there with righteous indignation. “You want to serve the people and dedicate yourself to girls. Now, the people are in trouble, and it’s up to you to help!”
Uncle Gu looked at his daughter, a faint smile playing on his lips. “What’s wrong?”
“Fuying and I were kidnapped by the people behind the Wu family,” Gu Fuzhu explained, her eyes filled with hope. She looked at her father slyly. “That person wanted to destroy Xu Ying. A brave girl like Xu Ying should not be harmed by those cruel people.”
When Father Gu heard that his own daughter had been targeted by the Wu family, he trembled with rage. The same fury burned within Uncle Gu, but he was a man of great self-control, unable to show any outward emotion. Regardless of whether this incident directly concerned his daughter or not, these criminals were simply too brazen. If he merely sat back and ignored it, he would betray his position.
Uncle Gu’s face hardened with resolve. “Go back first,” he instructed his daughter. “I will investigate this matter thoroughly.”
At Uncle Gu’s words, Gu Fuzhu’s face brightened with a sudden smile. Father Gu also breathed a sigh of relief. If these people weren’t dealt cleanly, they would pose a future danger to Yingying. That girl had a good heart and deserved no retaliation.
After seeing Uncle Gu off, Father Gu returned to the house. By now, Gu Fuying had fallen asleep, and Mother Gu emerged from her daughter’s room.
“What’s going on? Is my daughter still feeling unwell?” Father Gu asked, concern etched on his face.
Gu’s mother shook her head. “When Fuying said that man wanted to bully her, Wu Qingsong arrived, so my daughter wasn’t harmed. I chatted with her for a while, and she seemed perfectly fine. You don’t understand our daughter yet; she’s carefree, nothing is wrong.”
Father Gu nodded, exhaling a sigh of relief. “You go to sleep first. I’ll call the police. These people are truly troublesome.”
Gu’s mother nodded and returned to the house. She didn’t need to worry about the rest. Her husband was here, and her third brother had been transferred to the county seat. It was almost certain that this matter would be resolved swiftly, and those villains would be punished.
In the lingering darkness before dawn, faint rosy clouds began to appear in the eastern sky. A hidden vitality stirred within the silence. Everything was still in a dream, yet wisps of smoke already curled from the chimneys in the village.
The moment Xu Ying opened her eyes, she bolted from her bed.
Xu’s mother had just gotten up and was feeding the poultry in the yard. Hearing the commotion, she turned to see her daughter standing barefoot in the yard and immediately burst into anxious distress. She rushed towards her, a mix of worry and anger bubbling within her. “You’re such a grown-up, how can you be so careless and run out without wearing shoes? Hurry back and put on your shoes! What if you catch a cold? You’re going to break your mother’s heart!”
Xu’s mother continued to chatter, but then she looked up and saw her daughter staring at her, eyes brimming with tears, an aggrieved expression on her face. Xu’s mother instantly panicked. “What’s wrong? Are you having a nightmare?”
“Mom!” Xu Ying cried out, her body trembling, tears streaming down her face like rain. Her eyes were wet, and her slender shoulders shook uncontrollably. She looked utterly heartbroken and incredibly vulnerable.
“What’s wrong?!” Xu’s mother exclaimed, her anxiety mounting.
“What’s going on?” Father Xu, hearing the commotion from inside, quickly pulled on his clothes and ran out. Seeing his daughter’s red eyes and tears glistening at the corners, the old father’s heart ached. “What’s going on? Are you having a nightmare?”
“Mom and Dad, it’s okay,” Xu Ying managed, wiping the tears from her eyes and forcing a shaky laugh. “I was just scared yesterday.” It was okay that her parents were okay. She had feared it would be the same as in her previous life.
“My dear, it’s okay, don’t be afraid anymore!” Mother Xu’s voice softened, and she gently stroked her daughter’s hair to comfort her. She was truly terrified. Her daughter had been kidnapped, and she was so beautiful. Fortunately, Huo Chen had saved her in time, otherwise she would have suffered unimaginable torment. Thinking of Huo Chen, she asked tentatively, “Huo Chen saved you yesterday. Mom will get him some eggs later.”
Xu Ying’s eyes flickered at the mention of Huo Chen, and then a smile touched her lips. “I’ll go,” she offered. After yesterday’s ordeal, she suddenly felt that she had been overly self-conscious, and this was simply love. If it was suitable, she would marry. If not, they would break up.
When Xu’s mother heard this, she immediately beamed. “Okay, go ahead. Now, hurry back to the house and put on your shoes.”
Xu Ying, now feeling the coldness of her feet, tiptoed back into the house, quickly put on her clothes and shoes, wrapped herself snugly in a scarf, and headed to the kitchen. She placed a few eggs in a basket and left the house. Once outside, she subtly reached into the basket, secretly adding more eggs and duck eggs from her space, along with a few kilograms of pork. Then, she walked towards Huo Chen’s house.
“Grandma Huo!” Xu Ying called out, standing at the door, her head craned.
Grandma Huo was cooking in the kitchen. Hearing the voice, she immediately called out to Huo Chen. “Is that girl Yingying outside?”
Huo Chen was cleaning inside the house. Hearing his grandmother’s words, he tightened his grip on the rag and walked towards the yard.
“Huo Chen, this is for you,” Xu Ying said, revealing her head, looking incredibly cute. “Thank you for saving me again yesterday.”
Huo Chen lowered his eyes, gazing at Xu Ying. He extended his slender fingers to take the basket. Their fingertips brushed, and Huo Chen quickly withdrew his hand, a faint blush creeping onto his face. Xu Ying couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Why are you laughing?” Huo Chen’s dark eyes were filled with confusion.
Xu Ying shook her head, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Aren’t you going to invite me in to sit down?”
Huo Chen was surprised. Since his confession, she had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding him. This was the first time she had spoken to him like this. “Come in,” Huo Chen said, turning sideways to make way.
Xu Ying strode into the yard and saw Grandma Huo carrying breakfast. Grandma Huo greeted her with a warm, kind smile. “Yingying is here. Have you had breakfast? Can you have some with us?”
“No, I just came to see Huo Chen,” Xu Ying replied. “He saved me again yesterday. I wanted to see if he was injured.” There had been so many people yesterday, and Huo Chen had subdued them in mere seconds, moving so swiftly that Xu Ying hadn’t even known if he was hurt. Now, seeing him walk and work so steadily, he didn’t appear to be injured at all. Xu Ying was ready to go back after confirming his well-being.
Huo Chen stood at the door, watching her. Xu Ying took a few steps, then turned back, looking at him with a playful glint in her eyes. “Aren’t you going to offer me a seat?”
Huo Chen was startled, his ears turning red for a moment. He walked towards her, a hint of panic in his voice. “You’re not avoiding me anymore?”
“Why should I avoid you?”
“It’s not that you don’t want to be with me!” Huo Chen said, a hint of sadness shadowing his brow.
Xu Ying shook her head, revealing half of her face, which was wrapped in a scarf. She looked at Huo Chen and slowly, deliberately, said, “Let’s give it a try!”