The poor girl from the 1970s was forced to kiss by the damp educated youth.

Xi Lang has already chopped the vegetables and cooked the rice; all that's left is to stir-fry a dish.

Chen Zhi wanted to help, but Xi Lang told her not to move and just to sit.

Xi Lang stir-fried bamboo rat meat with dried chili peppers, heated up the wild boar meat that was supposed to be given to Chen Zhi this morning, stir-fried some green vegetables, and finally made a scallion and egg soup.

Three dishes and a soup, served with two bowls of mixed grain rice.

Having been hungry all day, Chen Zhi went to wash her hands without Xi Lang's instruction and obediently sat down at the low table.

The moon is beautiful tonight, with twinkling stars and a gentle breeze blowing from time to time.

In the darkness, Chen Zhi ate without looking up.

"No need to eat so fast," Xi Lang said.

Chen Zhi: "I'm hungry."

She wanted to slow down, but she was shivering with hunger, and the food Xi Lang cooked was so delicious.

Xi Lang: "Are we going into the mountains again tomorrow?"

"I don't know. There are so many people in the mountains today, there probably aren't many bamboo shoots left." Chen Zhi swallowed a mouthful of rice before continuing, "If we're not looking for bamboo shoots, we'll probably have to look for wild vegetables or mushrooms."

"Spring plowing is the day after tomorrow." He wanted to ask, "Your family won't let you rest for a day for spring plowing the day after tomorrow?"

Chen Zhi knew that spring plowing was the day after tomorrow, but she shook her head. "My grandma said I'm not tired and don't need to rest. My grandma also said that I'm seventeen this year, so I should get six work points this year, or better yet, seven."

Xi Lang, who earned seven work points: "..."

Chen Zhi: "She'd love for me to be an iron lady."

Xi Lang: "And what about yourself?"

Chen Zhi thought about it seriously. "Not everyone can be an Iron Lady. Anyway, there aren't any Iron Ladies in the villages around here. I don't want to be an Iron Lady. I just want to have enough to eat and wear."

Chen Zhi wasn't in a hurry to go home tonight. After eating, she volunteered to wash the dishes. Xi Lang didn't try to take it from her; he sat cross-legged beside her and closed his eyes. When Chen Zhi finished washing the dishes and saw him like this, the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

No wonder people say he's eccentric.

"I'm going back now," Chen Zhi said.

Xi Lang opened his eyes. "I'll take you."

Chen Zhi wanted to say no, but Xi Lang had already stood up, so Chen Zhi shut her mouth and walked silently ahead. The two walked one after the other without saying a word.

It was lunchtime, and as I walked along the street, I could hear sounds coming from the houses on both sides of the road: children crying, arguing, and laughing.

But none of this mattered to Chen Zhi. Other people's excitement was their own business. She was like an observer, and everyone's joys and sorrows were irrelevant to her. No one cared whether she was happy or not.

Looking at the dim yellow lights shining from the houses, Chen Zhi wondered if things would be different if she got married.

"What are you thinking about?" Xi Lang suddenly asked.

Chen Zhi was taken aback, opened her mouth, but didn't know how to speak.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 1110 ...

"Shh!"

Xi Lang suddenly stepped forward, put his arm around Chen Zhi's waist, and pulled her behind the wall.

Chen Zhi froze. The large hand around her waist was warm, and the heat penetrated the thin fabric and reached her body. She felt as if she had been burned and reached out to pry Xi Lang's large hand away.

Xi Lang, however, released his grip first and stood up straight.

The next second, a man and a woman emerged from a side alley. The man put his arm around the woman, his large hand impatiently landing on her round, plump buttocks.

"Oh dear, what's the rush? We're in the village, are you out of your mind?" the woman said coquettishly.

She recognized the voice; it belonged to Widow Yu.

Then another voice, equally familiar, rang out, "I've asked you out ten times, and you only come once. What, you think I'm too old to satisfy you anymore?"

The man who spoke was Chen Zhi's distant cousin, named Chen Yao.

Chen Zhi had met these two people on the mountain before, and now she had encountered them again.

After the two people walked away, Chen Zhi was about to go out when she heard Xi Lang say, "Don't move yet."

Chen Zhi didn't know why, but she obeyed.

Less than ten seconds later, a man carrying a knife suddenly appeared out of nowhere and chased after Widow Yu and Chen Yao.

The gleaming kitchen knife flashed white light in the darkness.

Chen Zhi was terrified. "Could someone die?"

Xi Lang wasn't sure either. "You go home first, I'll go find the captain."

Chen Zhi's mind was in a mess, and she subconsciously did as Xi Lang said. She walked a few meters, then stopped and looked back, but Xi Lang was no longer behind her.

When Chen Zhi returned home, she found the door locked again. She wasn't surprised at all, nor was she in a hurry to go in; she slowly knocked on the door.

The aroma of meat wafted from inside the door, and my nephew Chen Dongqing shouted that he wanted to eat chicken legs, and my niece also said that she wanted to eat chicken legs.

Chen Zhi thought of the pheasant she had shot earlier that day and sneered. Did these people remember that she was the one who shot the pheasant when they were eating meat?

Looking at the locked door, Chen Zhi already knew the answer.

What is she expecting?

Just as Chen Zhi was hesitating whether to climb over the door, someone suddenly shouted, "Murder!"

A piercing scream echoed through the night, instantly turning the quiet village into a bustling scene as countless people rushed out of their homes and ran towards the direction from which the sound came.

The Chen family's door opened, and more than a dozen people ran out carrying bowls of rice and chopsticks. As they passed Chen Zhi, the food wafted into her nose.

It smells so good!

But Chen Zhi wasn't tempted at all; she had already eaten her fill at Xi Lang's.

While these people were out, Chen Zhi slipped into the house.

The food on the table was completely gone; not a single grain of rice or vegetable remained. Chen Zhi glanced at it and silently returned to her room. As she lay down on the bed, the gleaming knife flashed through her mind, and she felt a pang of worry for Xi Lang.

However, Xi Lang is only going to see the captain, so he should be fine.

On the contrary, what about Widow Yu and Chen Yao? If their affair is discovered, will they be criticized and struggled against, or paraded through the streets?

Chen Zhi's mind wandered for a while, her consciousness became hazy, and she quickly fell asleep.

Chen Zhi slept so soundly that she didn't even know when her family members returned. She was woken up early the next morning by her mother whipping her.

The thin, supple whip fell on my body, the pain reaching my very bones.

Chen Zhi jumped out of bed in a panic and rushed out of the room without even putting on her shoes.

Mother Chen did not let her off the hook. She chased after her with a whip, while the rest of the Chen family watched the spectacle with amusement. Chen Mu and Chen Fu even stretched out their feet, trying to trip her.

Chen Zhi's face darkened, and she simply turned around and ran towards the door.

"Once you leave, don't come back!"

Chen's mother shouted angrily from behind her.

Chen Zhi felt a sharp pain in her heart, like being pricked by a needle, which quickly disappeared.

Chen Zhi unconsciously touched the slingshot at her waist, and walked barefoot slowly down the mountain.

"Chen Zhi".

Someone called her name.

"Li Zhou'an." Chen Zhi's smile was tinged with embarrassment, her thin, slender toes curling shyly on the ground.

She just got out of bed, didn't wash her face or comb her hair, she must look terrible, right?

Chen Zhi felt somewhat embarrassed and wanted to escape. "I'm leaving first."

Li Zhou'an, carrying two buckets of water, watched Chen Zhi's departing figure and frowned. Were the red marks on her arm from being hit?

As Chen Zhi walked, she somehow ended up outside Xi Lang's house.

Xi Lang was watering the vegetables when he saw Chen Zhi suddenly appear. He was a little surprised. His gaze traveled from Chen Zhi's messy hair down to her bare feet.

Chen Zhi only had two sets of clothes, which she wore to bed. Apart from being a little wrinkled right after waking up, they weren't revealing. But being scrutinized by Xi Lang made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"What happened?" Xi Lang asked.

"I was beaten." Chen Zhi's face burned even hotter. What kind of girl is 17 years old and still gets beaten all the time?

A fierce glint flashed in Xi Lang's eyes. "Because of the clothes?"

Chen Zhi nodded and went to sit down on a nearby rock. "Clothes are more important than my life."

"Don't underestimate yourself." Xi Lang put down the bucket and walked into the house.

A moment later, he came out again, holding a pair of dark blue cloth shoes. "These are my old shoes. You'll have to make do with them."

The shoes showed signs of wear, but were clean and without patches, better than any of Chen Zhi's shoes.

"Thank you, but no need." The weather isn't that cold anyway, so going barefoot is fine. Xi Lang's shoes are so nice; she doesn't want to waste them.

"Take it. I can't fit into them anyway." Xi Lang placed the shoes under her feet.

Chen Zhi hesitated for a few seconds before brushing the dirt off her feet and slipping her feet into the shoes. They fit perfectly. She stood up and took a few steps, finding the soles to be just the right firmness and comfortable without being too tight.

She didn't realize that the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, but Xi Lang saw it.

Xi Lang's eyes darkened. "These are my shoes from when I was eleven. I have a few more pairs here, you can have them all."

Chen Zhi wanted them, but she shook her head, "If I take them back, my family will take them away too."

"Then leave them here with me. When you wear them out, come back to me to get new ones," Xi Lang said without any hesitation.

Chen Zhi was stunned, staring at him in disbelief. "Old shoes can be sold for money, and you're giving them all to me?"

She has no money.

Xi Lang shook his head. "It's nothing precious."

He still has his old clothes, but they are martial arts uniforms and don't fit her.

"You're so generous, you're such a good person." Chen Zhi sighed. It's just not fair that someone as good as Xi Lang gets isolated.

Xi Lang remained silent; he wasn't generous to just anyone.

"By the way, are those three people from last night alright?" Chen Zhi was asleep and still unaware of what had happened.

"The person who chased after her was Liang Bai, the widow's brother-in-law. Liang Bai had already told his family that he wanted to marry the widow and asked her to break off her ties with those men, and the widow agreed. Liang Bai knew that the widow was promiscuous by nature and couldn't change her ways overnight, so he kept a close watch on her. He didn't expect that Chen Yao would still manage to sneak her out," Xi Lang said calmly.

Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow. "No wonder Liang Bai was so angry."

Xi Lang: "Yes, he killed Widow Yu and Chen Yao. They were sent to the town's health center last night."

Chen Zhi: "Are you seriously injured?"

Xi Lang nodded, but didn't mention that Chen Yao's weapon had been cut in half and probably couldn't be reattached.

Chen Zhi: "Where's Liang Bai?"

Xi Lang: "At the police station."

Chen Zhi fell silent. This was a lose-lose situation, and she wondered if the three people would regret it.

Xi Lang thought she was just scared, so he changed the subject, "Let's have breakfast here. What would you like to eat?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhi's eyes lit up. That's great, she didn't have to worry about going hungry anymore.