"Why would I push you for no reason! Even if Brother Lu likes me, that's his choice. Why do you always target me? We're both girls, why must women make things difficult for women?" Since no one else could see, Li Wushuang absolutely refused to admit it.
Qiao Ci quirked her lips, her expression carrying an indescribable oppressive aura: "Heh."
Li Wushuang already felt a pang of guilt, and seeing Qiao Ci's threatening demeanor again, her blood rushed to her head. Like a shrew, she lunged at Qiao Ci, uttering words to bolster her courage: "Don't think you can slander me just because you're from the city, Qiao Ci, I'm not afraid of you!"
Qiao Ci didn't bother to move forward. She simply spoke a few words, provoking her to come closer.
As she approached, Zhou Ye intended to step forward and block her, but Qiao Ci pulled him aside. She directly stuck out her foot and kicked Li Wushuang, sending her to the ground in a heap.
At this moment, the surrounding air felt much fresher.
When Li Wushuang was touched by Qiao Ci, she felt an unknown sense of panic. However, the pain in her backside was so intense that it dispelled her unease. Instantly, she cried out to Lu Ming for help.
Lu Ming, who was currently doting on her, immediately stepped forward and pulled her up, his gaze like knives shooting towards Qiao Ci: "You've gone too far!"
"Oh," Qiao Ci replied perfunctorily. Seeing that time was almost up, she turned and went to cut rice.
Fearing there wouldn't be enough time in the afternoon, she decided to finish the work earlier so they could get their marriage certificate.
Qiao Ci was now desperately eager to find a new place for Zhou Ye to live. How could her cub reside in such dilapidated and dangerous housing? She had to legitimately find him a spacious and bright large house.
Seeing no trace of sadness on Qiao Ci's face, Zhou Ye followed her to the fields assigned to them to work.
This was labor time, and causing trouble might lead to a deduction of work points. Lu Ming thought about it and decided not to pursue the matter further. He gently comforted Li Wushuang and then also began cutting rice.
Li Wushuang's skin, painstakingly nurtured to its good complexion with spirit spring water, did not want to be sunburnt. Therefore, she was fully covered, preventing her skin from being exposed to the sun.
Her delicate hands were washed daily with spirit spring water. She did not want her hands to be injured, so she was extremely careful while cutting rice. While others had cut a large area, she had only managed a tiny bit.
Qiao Ci, without a word, bent down and started working!
Her hands moved so fast they seemed to leave afterimages. The rice field beside her was soon completely felled and neatly sorted.
The little spoon, secretly recording, was dumbfounded.
The host, who insisted on being strong, even in farm work, was so admirable that the little spoon was utterly impressed.
Looking at the pretentious Li Wushuang beside her, it was like a clumsy imitation. Her inherent sharpness and spitefulness could not be masked by any outward beauty.
Moreover, she wasn't as beautiful as the host.
Zhou Ye was also enthusiastically cutting rice. He was working harder than yesterday, striving not to lose to the woman opposite him!
However, recalling that he had only cut a third of what she had yesterday, Zhou Ye felt immense pressure and sped up his actions.
This time, in less than half an hour, he saw Qiao Ci approaching from the opposite side.
Zhou Ye: "..."
Damn it, did she fly over?
Qiao Ci met Zhou Ye's gaze and even raised her eyebrows with a smile, appearing somewhat cool and sweet, making Zhou Ye's heart pound.
The sweat stains on the girl's face gleamed with a dazzling sheen, causing Zhou Ye to feel dizzy.
During the moment Zhou Ye was staring blankly at Qiao Ci, she had already finished cutting the remaining rice between them. Afterward, Qiao Ci's expression was full of vigor. Pointing to the large expanse of felled rice behind her, she said, "I can be even faster."
Her supremely confident tone was as if to say: Look, this is the empire I've conquered for you.
Zhou Ye's expression was momentarily dazed. This scene felt familiar. A gentle breeze blew, yet it returned to desolation, and he felt a small sense of loss in his heart.
When he realized Qiao Ci was talking about yesterday's events, his ears grew warm. He instinctively reached into his back pocket, touched the household registration booklet, and his mind became a chaotic mess.
"What are you spacing out about? Aren't we leaving?" Seeing him lost in thought, Qiao Ci couldn't help but remind him, "It's hot out here, haven't you had enough sun?"
"Ah?" Zhou Ye looked at Qiao Ci blankly, appearing a bit傻傻呆呆 (silly and dazed), with a somewhat soft and cute demeanor.
However, the buzz cut hair looked prickly to the touch.
But overall, he was undeniably a handsome cub. Even simple clothes couldn't hide his handsomeness and radiance.
"Ah what, let's go do important business, and come back early," Qiao Ci said, walking forward.
Zhou Ye finally figured out some of it. He subconsciously grabbed Qiao Ci's sleeve, confirming again: "Are you serious?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Qiao Ci stopped, facing Zhou Ye, standing tall and elegant, her features delicate, as beautiful as a doll.
Zhou Ye coughed awkwardly, his voice significantly softer: "I thought you were joking with me..."
"So? You didn't bring your household registration booklet?" Qiao Ci's small face instantly tensed, looking like she wanted to beat someone.
"I brought it!" Zhou Ye replied instinctively.
Realizing he had been intimidated by a young girl like Qiao Ci, his expression was very awkward. He said dryly, "If we really register, there's no turning back. You should think carefully."
Qiao Ci immediately replied, "I don't need a way back."
Her expression was incredibly resolute.
"Cough, cough, if you don't regret it, I can... anyway, I'll get a educated youth wife for free." Zhou Ye was extremely nervous inwardly, but he pretended to be nonchalant in his tone.
Qiao Ci nodded, walked forward, and turned back to signal him, who was stiff as a board, to follow.
Zhou Ye immediately followed, but his gait was peculiar, his hands and feet moving out of sync.
He cursed himself inwardly, adjusted his steps, and then used his long legs to quickly walk to Qiao Ci's side: "Let me say this first, I have no money, no house, and, cough cough, I have a bit of a bad temper. That... I, I won't lose my temper at you."
He spoke the last few words very softly and unclearly, as if afraid the young girl beside him might hear, yet also afraid she wouldn't.
Looking at the young girl in front of him, walking with her eyes focused straight ahead, Zhou Ye's words suddenly stopped.
He said silently in his heart: I will treat you well, very, very well.
Lu Ming's back hurt a little, so he stood up to stretch. As soon as he looked up, he saw the close backs of Qiao Ci and Zhou Ye.
In a blink of an eye, he saw that their assigned tasks were completed perfectly. Lu Ming couldn't help but doubt his own life.
Was this Zhou Ye too shameless?
To win the favor of the beauty, he was trying his best!
It was hard to imagine how he completed so much rice with such speed. His sickle must have been smoking!