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

The salary of a middle school teacher in town was only twenty yuan. A pound of pork cost seven mao if you had a ration coupon, and one yuan and twenty fen if you didn't. So you can see that five hundred yuan was a huge amount.

But the person in front of him wasn't satisfied and asked for six hundred.

Shi Xin remained silent, coldly staring at the man before him.

Xi Lang remained calm and composed, saying, "Six hundred yuan, you won't lose out."

Shi Xin: "You come all alone? Aren't you afraid I'll double-cross you and not give you a single penny?"

Xi Lang chuckled, "You can give it a try."

Shi Xin considered himself to have seen countless people, but he just couldn't see through the young man in front of him. Was the other man just putting on a brave face, or was he truly fearless?

The black dragon's essence was burning inside Xi Lang's body. His patience was wearing thin. In a few hours, he would be in a period of weakness and it would be time to return to the village.

"If you don't accept it, I'll take it with me." With that, Xi Lang grabbed one of the black bear's paws with one hand and lifted it up easily.

hiss--

Shi Xin gasped for breath!

Shi Xin's subordinates also showed expressions of horror.

"Six hundred it is, I'll take it," Shi Xin said. He could sell this bear for a thousand or even more, so buying it for six hundred wouldn't be a loss for him.

Xi Lang put the black bear down again. "I need 100 yuan worth of fabric, 50 yuan each for fine cotton and coarse cotton, and I'll prioritize colors suitable for women. I also need 100 yuan worth of rice, 100 yuan worth of flour, and 100 yuan worth of peanut oil."

"The fabric, rice, and flour are fine, but there's not much oil. I'll give you fifty dollars at most."

"it is good."

Preparing the goods takes time, so Xi Lang stood quietly and waited.

"You make money easily and spend it lavishly, unlike the people here. You seem more like a young master from a wealthy family in the city," Shi Xin said. The other person had a noble air about him, which was very rare in this poor and remote place.

Xi Lang shook his head. "Making money is hard, everyone's life is pretty tough. Oh, and give me another fifty yuan's worth of White Rabbit milk candy."

Shi Xin: "You don't want white sugar or brown sugar? Just say so."

Xi Lang: "Not for now."

Shi Xin: "Next time you have anything good, come to me. I won't let you miss out."

Xi Lang hummed in agreement.

Having received the goods, Xi Lang took his leave.

"Try to follow him and find out where he's from," Shi Xin said.

Less than ten minutes later, the person who went to talk to Xi Lang returned. "The other party was too fast; they were gone in the blink of an eye."

Shi Xinyan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Next time he comes, treat him as a distinguished guest."

As spring planting begins, everyone gathers early in the morning under the big banyan tree at the village entrance for a mobilization meeting. The brigade leader and the brigade secretary take turns speaking, full of energy and enthusiasm.

Chen Zhi stood at the back of the line, barefoot, her feet fair and delicate. Her trousers were rolled up to her calves, revealing a section of her smooth, jade-like legs. In just over ten minutes, countless eyes had fallen on her feet and calves.

Xi Lang arrived late, his straw hat pulled low, revealing only his sharp chin. No one noticed that he was pale and sickly, looking weak and frail.

Xi Lang quietly approached Chen Zhi from behind and asked her in a low voice, "Would you like some eggs?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Chen Zhi nodded vigorously, "Yes."

"Reach out your hand."

Xi Lang placed two wild eggs into Chen Zhi's hand, along with four White Rabbit milk candies.

Chen Zhi glanced at it quickly, then put it in her pocket. "Where did the candy come from?"

"Traded in an eagle."

Chen Zhi didn't ask him where he changed his clothes, but said, "Your hands are so cold, like ice cubes."

Not only were his hands like ice cubes, but his entire body was like an ice cube, radiating cold air.

Xi Lang didn't speak, but instead took out a jade box. "Want some supplements?"

Chen Zhi paused for a moment, hesitated for a few seconds, and then asked, "The same as last time?"

After taking the "supplement" last time, her speed, strength, hearing, vision... all aspects were visibly improved, which shows that the supplement was really effective and highly nourishing!

Chen Zhi felt that calling it a miracle cure was not an exaggeration.

"This one is more precious." There are only a handful of black dragons with their unformed inner cores in the world.

Why didn't you keep it for yourself?

"It's not suitable for me to eat."

He lied; the inner elixir was also a great tonic for him.

Chen Zhi trusted Xi Lang completely. She took the cyan jade box and, without even glancing at it, poured its contents into her mouth. The contents were slippery, with a similar texture to the last time, and slid into her stomach without her having to swallow. Unlike last time, this "nourishment" had a faint bloody smell. Shortly after entering her stomach, she felt a burning sensation, which spread to her limbs and mostly gathered in her lower abdomen.

It was warm and comfortable, and Chen Zhi closed her eyes contentedly.

Seeing her face turn pink and she look like she's enjoying herself, Xi Lang felt his heart sink back down.

Sure enough, her body, having been transformed by the wood spirit, absorbed these highly nourishing substances effortlessly.

The girl was oblivious and had no idea how rare her current physical condition was.

At Grandma Ding Fangfang's request, Chen Zhi was assigned to the group with seven work points. Of course, if she didn't do well, she would be sent back to the group with six work points.

Chen Zhi was given a hoe, and her job was to divide a plot of land into rows or ridges, while the children and the elderly were responsible for sowing the seeds on them.

"Chen Zhi, you'll be in a group with Xi Lang," the squad leader said to Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi looked at Xi Lang, who was alone to the side. Right now, she and Xi Lang were the only two people without teammates.

Chen Zhi: "......."

No one wanted to play with her and Xi Lang.

"You two help each other out. See that piece of land? That's your task for today," the squad leader said. Seeing that Chen Zhi didn't speak, he deliberately put on a stern face. "If you don't finish it or do it well, I'll deduct your work points."

Chen Zhi repeatedly assured him, "Uncle, don't worry, we will definitely do our best."

"Okay, you guys get to work, I'll come back to check in a bit." The squad leader went off to do other things.

Chen Zhi took a hoe and went to the field, imitating how her mother used to do it, smoothing the soil and digging ditches...

"Thank you for your hard work today." Xi Lang came to her side, his tone apologetic.

"It's not like I'm working for him, why is he saying that to me?" Chen Zhi asked, puzzled. "I'm earning work points, so it's only right that I work hard."

Xi Lang shook his head. "I mean I'm sick and can't do much. This land will have to be done by you."

Chen Zhi: "......."

Xi Lang took off his straw hat, showing Chen Zhi his pale face. "I caught a cold last night when I went out."

As for what he went out to do, Xi Lang didn't say, but Chen Zhi knew: he went to exchange the eagle for money.

"I sold it for thirty yuan, and I exchanged it all for White Rabbit milk candy for you."

"......"

That's thirty yuan!

She didn't have thirty yuan on her, not even a single yuan, a single cent, or a single fen!

He actually used it all to buy candy!

Chen Zhi's expression changed, and she finally couldn't help but curse, "You spendthrift!"

Under the straw hat, Xi Lang's eyes crinkled into a smile as he obediently admitted his mistake, "I won't do it again next time."

"Chen Zhi—"

Chen Peng, Chen Da, Chen Ergou, and Chen Xiaoshuai passed by carrying hoes.

Chen Zhi pretended not to hear or see anything and went about her own business.

Chen Peng glanced at Xi Lang, pursed his lips, and remained silent. Chen Da, on the other hand, was unusually enthusiastic, "Chen Zhi, take your time, no rush. I'll come and help you when I'm done."

"No need," Chen Zhi refused decisively.

"Don't mention it, consider it my way of repaying your life-saving grace," Chen said with a grin.

Chen Zhi felt like she had inexhaustible energy today. She didn't feel tired at all after a whole morning; instead, she felt an inexplicable sense of exhilaration. When she passed Xi Lang for the fourth time, Xi Lang called out to her, "There's no one around. Eat the eggs in your pocket first."

If Xi Lang hadn't mentioned it, Chen Zhi would have completely forgotten about the eggs.

She immediately stopped, went to the nearby ditch to wash her hands, wiped her water-drenched hands haphazardly on her clothes, and then began peeling the eggs.

Xi Lang watched over the person for her, his gaze sweeping over her chapped lips. He took his water bottle and handed it to her, saying, "Have some water."

"Give me your water, what will you drink?" Chen Zhi asked.

Xi Lang: "I plan to go back and cook in a little while, and bring the food to you as soon as it's ready."

The weather isn't hot now, so there's no need to worry about heatstroke at midday. Usually, family members prepare meals and bring them to the fields, saving time on the journey back. Finishing today's tasks early also means finishing work early.

Hearing him say that, Chen Zhi didn't stand on ceremony with him; she was genuinely thirsty. She took his water bottle, didn't even touch the spout, and tilted her head back to pour the water into her mouth.

After eating two eggs and drinking half a pot of water, Chen Zhi carried her hoe to the fields.

The squad leader came to their place once during the journey and praised Chen Zhi for her speed and good work. Seeing Xi Lang's listless and slow demeanor, the squad leader frowned. "Comrade Xi Lang, this kind of dawdling is not right."

Xi Lang took off his hat, revealing a pale face, and said helplessly, "It's not that I'm deliberately dawdling, but I caught a cold last night. I feel dizzy and lightheaded, so I can't work fast."

Seeing his weak state, the squad leader was speechless. "A grown man like you, so weak, how will you support a wife and children when you get married?"

With that, the squad leader shook his head and left.

Chen Zhi felt that these words were somewhat familiar, and suddenly remembered that her mother and her brother had said the same thing, saying that Xi Lang, a grown man, only earned seven work points a day and could not support his wife and children.

After seeing Xi Lang's behavior today, Chen Zhi also felt that what they said made sense. Xi Lang was indeed a bit weak and not very good at doing work.

On the other side, the squad leader also mentioned Chen Zhixi and Lang to others.

He said, "Chen Zhi, that little girl, is a hard worker, fast, and doesn't cut corners. She's honest. That Xi Lang, on the other hand, is no good. He's a grown man, sick all year round, his face is as white as a dead man, without a trace of blood. He only gets seven work points a day, and he's inconsistent in his work. He's not a good person. Out of the dozen or so educated youth in our brigade, he's the worst. He's not even as good as a woman."

The person next to him wholeheartedly agreed, "That's right. He's tall and strong, but who would have thought he's all looks and no substance. All the unmarried male educated youth in the brigade have someone interested in them, and they're busy finding matchmakers, especially that Li Zhou'an. Oh my, every girl in the village wants to marry him. But this Xi Lang, not a single person has even asked him."