After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

Xiao Yong looked at Lin Qingqing, who was so close to him. Her face, which was usually so fair, was now covered in gray, and tears had washed away two streaks of mud. She looked disheveled, yet she was so beautiful that it made his heart tremble.

"Who are you calling slow...?"

Xiao Yong tried to smile, but the movement aggravated his wound, causing him to gasp in pain. "My leg is... my leg is numb."

"Don't move if your legs are numb!" Lin Qingqing put the flashlight in her mouth and used both hands to remove the rubble pressing on his calves.

The stone was heavy and its sharp edges cut her delicate palm.

Xiao Yong panicked and tried to reach out to stop her, but he couldn't lift his arm no matter what he did.

The excessive blood loss made his mind start to wander, and his vision blurred in waves. The stubbornness he had just maintained was gradually dissipating.

"Qingqing..." Xiao Yong called out, "Stop it, it's no use. This is the main beam, your strength isn't even enough to tickle it."

"Second brother, save your energy and don't say anything."

Lin Qingqing didn't stop. She shoveled through the rubble and searched for something in the bag she had brought down, eventually finding a jack.

"Listen to me..."

Xiao Yong's eyelids were drooping. The weakness of being on the verge of death made him lose his usual restraint. The words he had been keeping to himself slipped out of his mouth. "Just now, I heard my bones crack. I guess they broke."

"If it's broken, we'll fix it. Third Brother knows how to set bones."

"That's not the case."

Xiao Yong, panting heavily, stared intently at Lin Qingqing. "I'm a rough man, slow-witted, and clumsy with words. I'm not like my older brother, who's a strong and upright man who can support you."

I'm not like the fourth brother, who's handsome, can drive you around, and is full of sweet talk.

I am far less capable than my third brother, who is also a doctor.

Even Xiao Wu... that little brat is better at winning your favor than I am.

Lin Qingqing paused for a moment, then took the flashlight out of her mouth: "Why are you saying all this now?"

Xiao Yong chuckled sheepishly, but his eyes were a little wet.

"I just... feel really suffocated."

I've been wondering, are you annoyed with me?

I'm fierce, loud, and clueless about romance. Every time I see you laughing with Lao Si, I want to beat that kid up, but I'm afraid you'll get angry.

"I wasn't bothering you." Lin Qingqing's tears fell in a steady stream, landing on Xiao Yong's dusty hand.

"real?"

Xiao Yong's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again. "Don't try to fool me. I know I'm not good enough for you. I'm just a blacksmith."

But Qingqing... In my whole life, besides blacksmithing, all I want to do is be good to you. I want to give you all the money I earn.

The concrete slab overhead made a teeth-grinding "creak" sound and sank another inch.

Dust fell in clumps, blinding people.

"Stop talking! Second brother, can't you save your energy?!" Lin Qingqing cried out in distress as she desperately pushed the stone.

Seeing her desperate stance, Xiao Yong's heart melted completely.

Worth it.

If a woman in this life is willing to crawl into this deadly ruin for him, even if he dies right now, he can brag about it for three days and three nights to the King of Hell.

"Qingqing," Xiao Yong suddenly spoke, his voice trembling slightly, "Could you...give me a kiss?"

Lin Qingqing's hands froze.

"I know this request is quite unreasonable," Xiao Yong explained somewhat flusteredly, his face as red as a hot iron. "If you don't want to, that's fine, don't force yourself. I just... I just want to experience what it's like. If I really die here, at least I can be a romantic ghost, right?"

His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, until finally he simply closed his eyes, looking like a coward waiting to be scolded.

The next second, a warm, soft substance pressed against his dry, chapped lips.

Xiao Yong suddenly opened his eyes.

There was no disdain as expected, nor was there any perfunctory response.

Lin Qingqing cupped his dirty face and kissed him deeply.

That kiss tasted of salty tears and earthy soil.

Xiao Yong's mind exploded with a "boom," all the blood in his body rushed to his head, and he couldn't even feel the excruciating pain in his legs.

It's fucking soft.

It was softer than a freshly steamed white bread, and sweeter than the cotton candy he had secretly tasted at the market that year.

Lin Qingqing released him, her eyes red and swollen: "We've already kissed. If you dare to die here, I'll pretend I never had a second brother like you! I'll never think of you again!"

This statement is more effective than any magic pill.

"No way!" Xiao Yong roared, causing dust to fall from his head. "I'm not dead yet!"

Lin Qingqing had no time to think about anything else. After calming Xiao Yong down, she quickly stuffed the jack she had prepared into the gap and frantically cranked the handle.

Xiao Yong gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his neck, and braced himself with his hands on the ground, forcefully pulling his trapped leg out.

The sensation of the steel bar tearing through his flesh was excruciating; Xiao Yong let out a low growl.

"ah--!"

"rise!"

With their combined efforts, the heavy cement slab finally loosened slightly.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiao Yong pulled his leg out and grabbed Lin Qingqing's wrist with his other hand.

"Walk!"

……

Outside the ruins.

As soon as Qin Lie arrived, he saw the rescue team leader pacing anxiously in circles, looking at Qin Lie as if he were a savior.

"Captain Qin! You're finally here! Your girl... she... she went inside!"

Qin Lie nearly snapped, grabbing the captain by the collar and almost lifting him up: "What did you say? Who went in?"

"Um... Dr. Lin! We couldn't stop him!" The captain was so scared that his legs were shaking.

Qin Lie released his grip and turned to rush towards the ruins.

Just then, a sound came from the blocked opening.

Several pieces of gravel rolled down, and then a large, blood-stained hand reached out and grabbed the edge of the hole.

"Come out! Help!" the rescue team leader shouted.

Several team members rushed forward and hurriedly pulled the person out.

Xiao Yong, like a bull, forced his way out. He was covered in blood, his clothes torn to shreds, but he was still tightly protecting someone in his arms.

Lin Qingqing was protected by his chest, and apart from the minor scratches on her hands, she didn't lose a single hair.

As soon as the two landed, a loud crash came from the ruins behind them.

"Boom—"

The triangular area just now completely collapsed, and smoke and dust filled the sky.

If I had come out half a minute later, I would have been in two meat patties by now.

Xiao Yong was panting heavily when he looked up and saw Qin Lie standing a few steps away.

"B-Big Brother." Xiao Yong shrank back, feeling a little guilty thinking about how he'd gotten a kiss from someone. "Um..."

Qin Lie strode over.

Xiao Yong instinctively raised his hand to block, thinking that his older brother was about to beat him up.

Qin Lie immediately squatted down and pinched Xiao Yong's calf. Xiao Yong immediately broke out in a sweat from the pain. Lin Qingqing then whispered, "No bones are broken, just a superficial wound. It might hurt later..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Lie grabbed Lin Qingqing and hugged her.

"Nonsense, couldn't you have come to find me first? You scared me to death!"

Lin Qingqing leaned against him, listening to his thunderous heartbeat. After the initial frantic energy subsided, a wave of fear washed over her, and her legs went weak, causing her to cling to Qin Lie.

"Big brother, I'm alright..."

Qin Lie released her, checked her over carefully to make sure no parts were missing, and then turned to look at Xiao Yong.

Xiao Yong was grimacing and clutching his leg when he saw his older brother looking over. He quickly forced a smile and said, "Brother, I'm fine..."

"Wait here, Gu Laosan is too busy. I'll go back and get a stretcher." Qin Lie said, bent down, picked up Lin Qingqing, and turned to leave.

Xiao Yong, with a pained expression, limped behind him, saying, "No need for a stretcher, that's embarrassing! No need for a stretcher, wait for me, brother, my legs hurt..."

……

By the time they all returned to the camp, it was almost dark.

Several green military trucks were parked in the open space; they were reinforcements sent down from above.

Soldiers in camouflage quickly took over the scene, unloading boxes of supplies one by one, and the previously chaotic camp finally regained some order.

Gu Qiangying treated Xiao Yong's wounds. Fortunately, the bones were not broken, but the flesh wounds looked scary. They would scab over in a few days.

Several people sat around the fire, each holding a bowl of steaming hot dumpling soup.

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." Qin Lie took a sip of soup and said in a deep voice, "The troops here have taken over, we're not needed anymore. Lao Er's leg needs to go back and heal."

No one had any objections.

These past few days have felt like I've suffered every kind of misery I could ever endure in my life. Everyone just wants to get back to that old but safe and secure home as soon as possible.

"no."

A discordant voice suddenly broke out.

Jiang He squatted by the fire, poking at the flames with a twig in his hand, his little face full of displeasure.

"Let's go now." Jiang He raised his head, his eyes full of stubbornness.

Qin Lie frowned: "It's dark now, the road is difficult to walk on, and everyone is tired after a long day, plus the second brother is injured."

"Then let Second Brother lie in the truck bed." Jiang He's lips trembled. "Anyway, once we've decided to leave, we have to leave now."

Li Dongye had just returned from hauling supplies from the county town, exhausted like a dead dog. Upon hearing this, he rolled his eyes.

"Fifth brother, what's wrong with you? It's pitch black, are you in such a hurry to go back and reincarnate?"

Jiang He ignored him, turned to look at Lin Qingqing, and immediately changed his expression.

He moved closer to Lin Qingqing, tugged at her sleeve, and blinked pitifully, "Sister, let's go back, okay?"

Lin Qingqing was worn down by his nagging and reached out to pat his head: "Little Wu, be good, listen to your big brother, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, one more night won't make a difference."

"Just one step away!" Jiang He buried his face in her hand and rubbed it against her, his voice muffled. "You've already decided to go back, why can't you leave now? I have things to do, I don't have time."

"What, you don't have time?" Gu Qiangying pushed up her glasses, looking at him with a half-smile. "You have a terminal illness and can't be saved?"

Jiang He pursed his lips, and after holding it in for a long time, he finally uttered a sentence that almost made everyone spit out their soup.

"My pig."

The air was silent for three seconds.

Li Dongye choked on a mouthful of soup, coughing violently: "Cough cough cough... What did you say? Pig?"

Jiang He glared at him with displeasure: "My piglets! I've been out for so many days, that lazy woman definitely won't feed them properly. If they get too thin, I'll... I'll poison all her chickens!"

Lin Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

It turns out that all this madman's fuss about was because he was eyeing those pigs.

"Alright." Qin Lie put down his bowl, looked at Jiang He who was about to explode, and sighed helplessly. "After you finish eating, pack your things and leave tonight."

"Big brother!" Li Dongye wailed, "You really spoil him?"

Qin Lie stood up, patted the dirt off his clothes, and said, "It's better to go back early, so that the kid won't be so easily startled."

Jiang He was instantly overjoyed, and he grabbed Lin Qingqing's arm and shook it: "When we celebrate the New Year, I'll pick the prettiest one and kill it for you to eat!"

Looking at him like that, Lin Qingqing felt a pang of tenderness and reached out to pinch his cheek: "Okay, sister will wait to eat."

Only Xiao Yong sat to the side, watching this scene, feeling a pang of jealousy.

He risked his life in the ruins to get a kiss, and this guy made Qingqing laugh like this with just a few pigs.

In this world, people are worse off than pigs.

"Let's go." Gu Qiangying stood up and kicked Xiao Yong's good leg. "Can you still walk? If you can't, I'll have Lao Si carry you."

"Get lost!" Xiao Yong cursed, pushing himself up from the ground. "I'll crawl back, even if I have to!"

……

Next, we went back to the village, and finally we can relax for a while. I wonder if everyone is tired of reading these 20 chapters in a row.