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

Chen Zhi sold out of everything she brought, leaving her somewhat bewildered.

Sister-in-law Shi chuckled, "After you rescued people at the reservoir that day, this old man has been coming to our house the most, just to thank you in person."

From Sister-in-law Shi, Chen Zhi learned that Lao Bang had lost his wife early in life and depended on his son for survival, valuing his son more than his own life. If something were to happen to his son that day, this man probably wouldn't be able to go on living.

Chen Zhi not only saved his son that day, but also saved himself. The gratitude he felt was too great to be expressed in words.

Sister-in-law Shi: "He earns a good income. Just accept this money without worry. By the way, he was the one who paid the majority of the price for those three pigs."

Chen Zhi kept this in mind, thinking that if she could meet Lao Bang again at the trading market five days later, she would find a way to repay him.

She didn't expect anything in return for saving the person, and she had already received a gift as a token of gratitude once before, so there was no reason for her to accept it again.

Seeing that Chen Zhi was still hesitating, Sister-in-law Shi continued to persuade her, "There are very few meat stalls in the market, and the meat you sell is not expensive, so he won't lose out."

Chen Zhi nodded haphazardly, "Sister-in-law, I've sold out of my things. I want to go for a walk around."

"Go ahead. Be careful with your wallet; there are plenty of petty thieves in places like this," Sister-in-law Shi cautioned. Although she had witnessed Chen Zhi's cunning, looking at Chen Zhi's innocent face and clear eyes, she would subconsciously regard her as an naive young girl, fearing that she might be deceived outside.

Chen Zhi: "I understand, sister-in-law. I'll be careful."

The free market mainly sells agricultural products. Chen Zhi glanced around and noticed that the stalls were mostly selling melons and vegetables. She walked over to a stall selling melons, picked one up, looked at it, and asked, "How much is this?"

The melons weren't very big, only about the size of a fist, with a green and yellowish-green skin, and they didn't look very appealing, but they smelled delicious.

"One cent each." The stall owner was an old woman.

Many families grow a few melons in the corner of their vegetable garden; it's not a rare fruit. The Chen family grows them every year, but Chen Zhi never gets to eat them. Once, Chen Zhi was so hungry and greedy that she stole one, even chewing and swallowing the rind. Chen Zhi still remembers the taste; it was very juicy, but she only tasted a faint sweetness. As a result, because of a melon, she was beaten so badly that she couldn't get out of bed for two days.

"I want twenty." Chen Zhi handed over two yuan, squatted down and started picking out melons. She planned to eat the melons and keep the seeds so she could plant some in the corner of the vegetable garden next year.

Chen Zhi didn't have any special selection skills; she relied entirely on smell. She would choose whichever one had the strongest fragrance.

After buying the melon, Chen Zhi saw a stall selling mutton, but there were too many people and she couldn't squeeze in.

Just as Chen Zhi was about to turn and leave, she saw a dark hand reaching into the pocket of a suit trousers. Unfortunately, Chen Zhi recognized the person wearing the suit trousers.

"What are you doing, Uncle?" Chen Zhi asked, her expression bewildered and innocent as she grasped the withered hand.

The man tried to break free, but found that the girl in front of him was surprisingly strong. He used all his strength, but she didn't budge.

Damn it, I've run into a tough nut to crack today.

Li Zhou'an felt a tugging sensation in his pants pocket, glanced back, and asked, "Chen Zhi, you're at the trading market too?"

Li Zhou'an hadn't seen Chen Zhi for some time after moving away from the educated youth settlement.

"Look down," Chen Zhi reminded him.

Li Zhou'an looked down and saw a large hand still pressed against his pocket. He almost immediately understood what was happening and shouted, "Stop thief! There's a thief here!"

"Where is the thief?"

"Everyone, quickly check if you've lost any money."

"Mine is gone."

"Mine is gone too."

"Damn thief, take him to the market security office and make him return the stolen money."

"..."

The thief was taken away, and Li Zhou'an followed him. Chen Zhi wandered around for a while before going to find Chen Peng and the others.

Chen Peng: "All the chestnuts we brought have been sold out, and we only have a few bunches of greens left."

There are too many people selling green vegetables, making them the hardest to sell.

Chen Zhi: "It's alright, let's wait a little longer."

Chen Da: "Have you sold out of everything?"

"Sold out." Chen Zhi didn't say that it sold out in less than five minutes.

Standing beside Chen Peng, Chen Da, and the others, Chen Zhi was like a snowball rolling into a pile of coal, brightening up the entire corner. Passersby couldn't help but turn their heads, and even Chen Peng and his group's business improved considerably.

"Where are Zhao Jinbao and the others?" Chen Zhi asked.

Chen Da: "They only brought some chestnuts, and left after they sold out."

Before long, the vegetables brought by Chen Da, Chen Peng and others were sold out.

"There are thieves here, so be careful with your belongings," Chen Zhi warned.

Upon hearing this, the others quickly covered their pockets.

The group strolled around the market and bought a few things. Chen Zhi bought some vegetable seeds, a starfruit sapling, and a plum sapling.

She was pleasantly surprised to find saplings for sale here.

When their stomachs started growling from walking around, they stopped in front of a steamed bun stall.

"A steamed bun made with three kinds of flour, it's quite big, and it costs one cent."

The owner opened the steamer for Chen Zhi and the others to see, and the aroma wafted out, making their mouths water.

Chen Zhi immediately decided to take two. These steamed buns weren't as good as the dumplings Xi Lang made, but when you're hungry, you don't have to be picky.

Chen Zhi asked for two, and the others followed suit. At this moment, Chen Xiaoshuai counted out 1.7 yuan from his pocket and handed it to Chen Zhi, saying, "This is the medical bill Xiao Qiu owes."

Chen Zhi took it, "Okay, it's paid off."

Whether it was Chen Zhi's imagination or not, Chen Xiaoshuai seemed to straighten his back a little after she said those words.

The steamed buns were delicious, and everyone ate them as they walked outside. When they reached the exit, Chen Zhi went to say goodbye to Sister Shi's family and told them that she was going back.

"Sister-in-law, wait a moment." Sister-in-law Shi called out to Chen Zhi, putting two bags into Chen Zhi's basket, and asked her, "Are you coming again when the market opens next time?"

Chen Zhi nodded, "Coming."

Then he asked, "Sister-in-law, what did you give me? Why is it so heavy?"

"They're all worthless things." Sister-in-law Shi stopped Chen Zhi from examining them and pushed her, "Hurry up and go, your friend is waiting for you."

Chen Zhi sighed helplessly, "You can't be so polite next time."

Sister-in-law Shi smiled and said, "When have I ever been polite to you? Didn't I accept the things you brought?"

Chen Zhi was both amused and exasperated, but then they gave her even more valuable gifts.

Once outside the town, Chen Xiaohong asked curiously, "Chen Zhi, what did your relative give you? It looks quite heavy."

Chen Zhi shook her head, "I haven't looked at it either."

She has no intention of looking at it now.

Chen Xiaohong wanted to ask more, but her cousin Chen Xiaoshuai tugged at her sleeve and said, "Watch where you're going."

Chen Xiaohong pouted and quickened her pace in anger. What's so great about it? She just asked what was wrong. She didn't want her things anyway.

Seeing that the atmosphere was off, Chen Da changed the subject, "Why did Chen Zhi buy fruit tree saplings? Now is not a good time to plant them."

"I bought them when I saw them and will try them out when I get home." The two saplings only cost a dime, so I won't be too upset if they don't survive.

"Are we going into the mountains again tomorrow?" Chen Ergou asked excitedly. He had just made some money from selling chestnuts and felt he should keep up the good work.

Chen Peng: "Let's go in. If we don't go now, there won't be a single chestnut left in the mountains in two days."

Chen Da looked at Chen Zhi, "Chen Zhi, what do you think?"

Chen Zhi shook her head, "I have to stay home and grow vegetables tomorrow."

Chen pressed further, "And the day after tomorrow?"

Chen Zhi: "I should be free the day after tomorrow."

Chen Da was finally satisfied. "Then let's go together the day after tomorrow."

Back home, Chen Zhi took out the two bags that Sister Shi had stuffed into her basket. One bag contained about ten pounds of flour, and the other bag contained a leg of lamb.

Chen Zhi looked helpless; the Shi family's return gift had indeed exceeded what she had given them.

Chen Zhi thought for a moment and decided to send the two cured fish weighing thirty or forty pounds each from the stove to the Shi family on the next trading day. The cured fish tasted excellent, and she had already eaten half of one herself.

She had originally planned to keep the remaining two for herself, but now she had to give them away as gifts for the time being.

But it doesn't matter if she sends them away, she can just go catch a few more.

Chen Zhi glanced at the sky; it should be around three or four in the afternoon. That wasn't too late; she could still make it into the mountains.

Chen Zhi fed the pigs first, then headed into the mountains with a basket on her back and two burlap sacks. She moved incredibly fast, like a gust of wind sweeping across the wilderness. Some birds and animals were startled by her, but when they looked closely, they found nothing.

Chen Zhi entered the cave and found traces of human activity there. She wondered if anyone who came here had entered the underground river or if they had been injured.

Worried that someone might come and bump into her, she hid the basket on a protruding rock wall and then went down into the river with two burlap sacks.

The river water was icy cold, and Chen Zhi couldn't help but shiver as soon as she entered the river.

But her body adapted very quickly, and she adjusted to the temperature in just two or three minutes.

Chen Zhi had been here several times and was very familiar with the place. She wasn't afraid in the pitch-black environment and swam further and further ahead.

"Chen Zhi?"

Zhao Jinbao shouted through the fence.

It was quiet inside.

Li Zhou'an: "She probably hasn't come back."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Li Zhou'an's eyes as she handed the item to Zhao Jinbao. "When she returns, please give this to her for me. Tell her it's a thank-you gift for today."

Zhao Jinbao had already learned from Li Zhou'an that Chen Zhi had caught a thief and helped Li Zhou'an keep his money.

He looked down at the two bars of soap and asked, "Have you talked to Chen Xiuzhen about this?"

Li Zhou'an's face stiffened. "No. Right now, only you and I know about this."

If he hadn't been worried that Chen Xiuzhen would misunderstand, he probably would have given her face cream instead of two bars of soap.

Zhao Jinbao then accepted it, saying, "Okay, I'll pass it on for you. I'll keep it a secret and won't tell anyone."

Li Zhou'an: "Thanks."

Zhao Jinbao: "You and Chen Zhi are completely open with each other. She did a good deed, so you don't need to hide it like this."

Li Zhou'an smiled wryly, "Okay, I won't do it again next time."

But he has something to hide; he's not honest.

Chen Xiuzhen brought him a better life, and he should be content. But in the dead of night, Chen Zhi's face always appears in his mind. The more he tries not to forget, the clearer it becomes.