Seeing the normally lively and adorable Hou Qing'er display such a shy and gentle side before him, Ye Tiancheng felt his dream self was truly foolish for missing out on such a gem.
"Alright, I'll eat now. I can't let your kindness go to waste."
Ye Tiancheng's words were as sweet as honey. While eating, he even picked up food for Hou Qing'er and even fed her. Their sweet interactions were just like those of a young couple.
Honestly, this young girl's cooking was truly superb. She looked like a simple, foolish village girl, but she was actually quite cute and even had some beauty. The key was that to capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach.
Ye Tiancheng had to admit, he was genuinely impressed.
After finishing the meal, Hou Qing'er proactively cleaned up. Not only did she wash the lunchboxes clean, but she also diligently started tidying up Ye Tiancheng's room.
"As a bachelor, my room is quite messy. I'm truly embarrassed to trouble you, young lady. You're just a girl, you shouldn't be working so hard."
Ye Tiancheng didn't stop her; he just said it verbally. Hou Qing'er's ability to work was renowned far and wide; she could be compared to a man's labor force.
Ye Tiancheng couldn't guarantee that if he went to the fields to farm with her, he wouldn't be left behind. This woman was a powerhouse when it came to work.
"It's alright, I've always been quick with my hands. Your room isn't large, I'll just tidy it up a bit so you can live more comfortably."
This was a virtuous wife. Hou Qing'er had completely surpassed the pampered Hou Mingzhu. Thinking of Hou Mingzhu's subsequent actions, Ye Tiancheng's impression of the woman before him immediately improved.
Previously, Ye Tiancheng had lived too restrictively. Now, under the dim lamplight, Hou Qing'er looked rather elegant. So, he decided to speak directly.
"Why don't you stay here tonight?"
These words startled the young girl. Ye Tiancheng didn't have any deeper intentions; he just felt a bit lonely.
"Don't worry, I won't touch you. I just want you to keep me company."
In the past, Ye Tiancheng was not good at expressing himself and always felt that a man should be more dominant. Later, he gradually realized that occasionally showing a bit of vulnerability in front of women could evoke their pity. After all, true hunters often appeared in the guise of prey.
"Alright then."
Indeed, under Ye Tiancheng's gaze filled with vulnerability, Hou Qing'er still agreed. When they slept, she even allowed Ye Tiancheng to hold her without pulling away, acting quite like a little wife.
Of course, Ye Tiancheng wasn't so depraved. He couldn't promise her anything right now, so he couldn't take her innocence casually. Thus, that night, he truly didn't touch Hou Qing'er.
Although they merely slept together politely, Ye Tiancheng felt quite good. That feeling of returning to an ordinary life made him feel very grounded. Perhaps his dream self had been too impetuous, which was why he had so many troubles.
Starting everything anew was also quite good.
The next morning, when Ye Tiancheng woke up, the woman in his arms was already gone. He smelled the aroma of food and found the breakfast Hou Qing'er had prepared in the kitchen.
Although it was just simple steamed buns, soy milk, and fried eggs, this dexterous woman had made them taste like home. While eating breakfast, Ye Tiancheng pondered.
The more than one thousand yuan owed to the hospital had to be repaid as soon as possible. Otherwise, if they came to collect the debt, he would lose face.
He couldn't count on those relatives who were just watching the excitement. After much thought, Ye Tiancheng felt he should try according to the instructions in his dream.
That stone had helped Ye Tiancheng greatly back then. Perhaps those dreams had a premonitory effect. No matter how slim the possibility, trying was better than not trying. Ye Tiancheng could only try his best, like a dead horse treated as if it were alive.
Since it was still a while before dusk, and the weather was nice with a large expanse of red sunset clouds dyeing half the sky, Ye Tiancheng set off at this time. This was because there were fewer people then, so no one would be curious about what Ye Tiancheng was doing alone in the fields.
It would be dark soon, and going to work at this time was clearly foolish. How could he work if he couldn't see?
Ye Tiancheng walked quickly, feeling very nervous, wondering if he could still find that stone.
Ye Tiancheng dug around in the fields with a hoe like a fool for a long time but didn't see the Nuwa Stone from his dream.
In the dream, that Nuwa Stone was extremely heavy, and Ye Tiancheng couldn't move it at all. This was because his ancestor had used his bloodline to suppress the stone. As an ordinary mortal, Ye Tiancheng naturally couldn't deal with a stone that had already taken root.
But Ye Tiancheng searched for a long time, and every stone in the field was easy to handle. Clearly, none of them were the Nuwa Stone from his dream.
Could it be that it was all just a vain dream? Had he gone mad after being struck by lightning, thinking about cultivating immortals and such?
The sky gradually darkened, and it would be dark soon. There were sounds of wild dogs near the fields. He didn't know whose stray dogs they were, not going home at night and barking incessantly.
Ye Tiancheng felt a sense of despair. If it got completely dark, he would have even less of a chance.
It seemed this world was very normal, and it was indeed his brain that had a problem. He shouldn't be overthinking. Perhaps focusing on the immediate practical problems would be better than constantly pursuing some kind of immortal cultivation.
Just as Ye Tiancheng was about to turn back home, he suddenly noticed that the barking of the wild dogs had become louder than before. Those wild dogs seemed to be closing in.
"What's going on? When one is unlucky, nothing goes right. You wild dogs, we're all having a hard time. Please, show some mercy and don't gang up to bully me."
However, Ye Tiancheng's words were ineffective. The wild dogs probably couldn't understand human speech. As soon as Ye Tiancheng finished speaking, those wild dogs quickly pounced.
After being struck by lightning and hospitalized, he was now surrounded by wild dogs. Ye Tiancheng felt he was utterly unlucky. But no matter what, he had to save his life. At this moment, he had no time to be sentimental and immediately started to run.
Those wild dogs were relentlessly pursuing him. Ye Tiancheng ran for his life, but he was afraid of getting lost if he ran too far, so he could only circle around in the fields.
"Help! Is anyone there to save me?"
Ye Tiancheng was clearly nearing his physical limit. But at this hour, everyone had already gone home to eat and sleep. Where would anyone appear in the fields at this strange time to be Ye Tiancheng's savior?
Thinking about how glorious he was in his dream, and now being bullied by a few wild dogs with no way to resist, Ye Tiancheng felt he had truly lost all face.
Perhaps he wasn't running with enough focus, with too many distracting thoughts, which was why he tripped and fell with a thud.
The moment Ye Tiancheng fell, he felt he was finished. Perhaps those wild dogs would wag their tails and rush over, eating him alive.
But the expected pain did not come. Ye Tiancheng bravely took a look and found that those wild dogs had disappeared.
He finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed those wild dogs had a change of heart and couldn't bear to bully him, this pitiable person.
Just as Ye Tiancheng was about to brush the dirt off his clothes and hurry home, not wanting to stay there any longer and face danger, he suddenly saw a glowing stone by the moonlight.
My heavens, at that moment, Ye Tiancheng's breath almost stopped. Was he finally on the right track? Would the plot unfold according to his dream? Was this the Nuwa Stone?
It seemed that heaven never closed off all avenues for a person. Ye Tiancheng was a little excited.
As he approached the glowing stone, Ye Tiancheng took each step with exceptional reverence. It seemed he wouldn't have to live a hard life anymore; everything would slowly get better.
No, once he obtained the Nuwa Stone, Ye Tiancheng would immediately ascend, completely turning his fortunes around and living happily ever after.
However, the moment Ye Tiancheng bent down and picked up the stone, despair washed over his entire body.
This was because the real Nuwa Stone was not so easy to pick up. How could a Nuwa Stone sealed by ancestors be like this ordinary stone, picked up directly by Ye Tiancheng with one hand, without even feeling any weight?
"It seems dreams are just dreams. I was thinking too much. How could there really be a Nuwa Stone in this world?"
Although he muttered this to himself, at least he had a glowing stone to comfort his wounded heart. Ye Tiancheng didn't bear to throw it away.
Seeing that it was already completely dark, it was unsafe to stay there any longer. If it were just a few wild dogs, Ye Tiancheng could still fight desperately. But if there were other animals, like wolves or bears, Ye Tiancheng probably wouldn't even have a chance to resist before being eaten in one bite.
Like a jinxed dog, Ye Tiancheng tucked his tail between his legs and went home. Along the way, he kept holding the stone in his hand. He couldn't help but look at it a few times on the road. It seemed it was indeed an illusion. It only glowed under the moonlight; now it was just an ordinary pebble, with nothing new or special about it.
After returning home, Ye Tiancheng lay on the kang, resting his arms, feeling somewhat bored. The stone he had cherished so much moments ago was now placed in a flower pot on the windowsill.
"Alas, talent is envied by heaven. It seems I can only farm here. How will I solve the more than one thousand yuan in medical expenses? I'm so worried!"
Ye Tiancheng had been sighing for a long time. Everything had seemed so real, so how could it have been just a dream?
They say prosperity is like passing clouds, but to fall from the heavens all at once, no matter how strong one's mental fortitude, it would be unbearable.
Just as Ye Tiancheng was lost in his thoughts, his train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a few knocks on the door. Ye Tiancheng realized it might be Hou Qing'er, so he quickly jumped off the kang to open the door. This gentle and virtuous girl had brought him a lot of comfort, and Ye Tiancheng truly wanted to see her.
When he opened the door, he indeed saw that pure and beautiful face. After seeing many alluring women before, looking at this one made him feel as if he were basking in a spring breeze.
"Qing'er, why are you here?"
Hou Qing'er raised the lunchbox in her hand: "I've come to bring you food. Haven't you eaten yet?"
The little girl had guessed correctly. Ye Tiancheng, with his mind focused on finding the Nuwa Stone, had completely forgotten about eating. Seeing the lunchbox now, he realized he was indeed hungry.
"I haven't eaten yet, but it's too much trouble for you to come all this way to bring me food. This is the last time; I feel too bad."
Ye Tiancheng's words were not empty. He was a grown man with hands and feet. Although he couldn't earn much money, he wasn't so bad as to live off women.
Although Ye Tiancheng's face could indeed allow him to live off women, Ye Tiancheng simply didn't want to. Such men were looked down upon, truly useless.
"What are you saying? If you say that again, I'll be angry."