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

Lin Qingqing stood at the door, watching that slender figure disappear at the end of the dirt road.

Her mind was in turmoil, filled with an indescribable sense of oppression.

She turned and went back into the house.

On the table sat a hardcover notebook, next to a black fountain pen. It was a gift from Song Weihe, who said it was the most fashionable style in the city right now.

Lin Qingqing removed the pen cap.

The pen tip landed on the paper, making a soft, scratching sound.

"Su Jiaojiao is pregnant. The man who got her pregnant is busy trying to use his connections to get back to the city."

If a woman places all her hopes on a man, she's essentially putting her neck under his knife. When he's in a good mood, he might scratch her itch; when he's in a bad mood, he might cut her down without a sound.

I can't be like her.

I know the men in the Qin family are good to me. But that goodness is based on their happiness and their willingness. They are all sentimental people, but I can't entrust myself to someone else's sense of responsibility.

I need to stand up.

I need to have my own money and my own skills.

In this world, even if you can rely on others, you shouldn't become a burden to them. Life is hard for everyone...

As she was writing, she suddenly felt a warm breath on the back of her neck.

"What are you writing? Which random guy are you writing a love letter to?" Li Dongye had come in without making a sound, and was now bent over, with half of his body almost pressing against her shoulder.

Lin Qingqing was startled and instinctively closed her diary, turning around to glare at him. "Li Laosi, can't you knock before entering the house?"

"The door is open, why should I knock?"

Li Dongye leaned against the edge of the table, crossing his long legs. He was wearing a black vest today, and the muscles on his arms were smooth and well-defined, unlike Xiao Yong's exaggerated ones, but they exuded a sense of resilience.

"Let me see." Li Dongye reached for the diary, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Is it cursing me?"

"I didn't write about you." Lin Qingqing clutched the notebook tightly to her chest, her face still pale from the shock. "When did you get back? Weren't you delivering goods to the county town?"

"I thought you'd come back." Li Dongye leaned closer, his roguishly handsome face magnified in front of Lin Qingqing.

He reached out and pinched Lin Qingqing's chin, his fingertips slightly rough. "Why is your face so pale? What did Su Jiaojiao say to you that scared you like this?"

Lin Qingqing slapped his hand away, "Su Jiaojiao just came to ask about the medicine."

"You've come all the way to the east room to ask about medicine?"

Li Dongye clearly didn't believe him, but he didn't press the matter. His gaze fell on the fountain pen in Lin Qingqing's hand. "Oh, this pen is nice. The one my sister-in-law gave me?"

Lin Qingqing didn't say anything and lowered her head to twist the pen cap.

Li Dongye snorted and abruptly snatched the pen from his hand. "You treasure something she gave you this much? You have to use this to write in your diary?"

"Li Dongye, give it back to me!" Lin Qingqing stood up to grab it, but her foot slipped and she fell forward.

Li Dongye pulled her close, catching her firmly in his arms. Lin Qingqing's face bumped directly against his hard chest.

"Throwing yourself into my arms?" Li Dongye looked down at her, tightening his arms around her, distorting her slender waist.

Lin Qingqing struggled twice, but couldn't break free.

She looked up at him, annoyed. "Give me back my pen."

"Want it?" Li Dongye raised the pen high, and with his other hand, he gave Lin Qingqing's waist a light pinch. "Say something nice and I'll give it back to you."

"Li Laosi!"

"Call me again." Li Dongye lowered his head, his nose brushing against hers, his voice becoming a little hoarse. "Call me Fourth Brother. Or, call me Husband."

Lin Qingqing's face flushed bright red, whether from anger or embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

Looking at Li Dongye's nonchalant attitude, she suddenly had an idea.

She stopped struggling and instead went limp, placing one hand on Li Dongye's shoulder and using the other to snatch the pen from his hand when he wasn't looking.

Li Dongye was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, he felt a chill on the back of his hand.

Lin Qingqing grabbed his hand and quickly scribbled a few lines on it with the tip of her pen.

"Alright." Lin Qingqing pushed him away, took a few steps back, and had a smug look on her face.

Li Dongye raised his hand and saw that on the back of his long, strong hand, there was a round little turtle with a small tail.

"Lin Qingqing, you've really gotten bold!" Li Dongye exclaimed exaggeratedly, looking at the turtle with a mixture of anger and amusement. "You dare draw this on my hand? Do you even know what a hand is for?"

"What do you do? Hold the steering wheel, I guess." Lin Qingqing capped the pen and carefully put it back in the drawer.

"That was before." Li Dongye took two steps in front of her, grabbed her wrist, and pressed her against the wardrobe door. The wooden wardrobe door made a muffled thud.

He grabbed Lin Qingqing's hand and forced her to touch the turtle. "This hand is meant to cherish you. And you, instead, you're giving me that impression. So, how are you going to make it up to me?"

Lin Qingqing was trapped between his chest and the cabinet door, unable to move.

Li Dongye's body was as hot as a furnace, and the heat radiated through the thin fabric, making her legs feel weak.

"I... I'll just wipe it off for you," Lin Qingqing said softly.

"Just wipe it off?" Li Dongye lowered his head, his lips almost touching her earlobe, his warm breath filling her neck as he spoke. "This is fountain pen ink, it's hard to wash off. You'll have to find another way to make up for it."

As he spoke, he rubbed the ink on the turtle with his palm, making it a dark mess, and then deliberately smeared it on Lin Qingqing's fair face.

"Li Dongye! You're filthy!" Lin Qingqing screamed and dodged, the two of them wrestling together in the narrow space.

The sounds of laughter and chatter reached the yard, and Jiang He, who was returning from the pigsty, stopped in his tracks upon hearing them.

He stood at the doorway, looking at the tightly closed door of the east room, and his smiling face instantly turned gloomy.

He threw the pig feed bucket on the ground with a loud thud.

The sounds inside the room stopped.

Taking the opportunity, Lin Qingqing pushed Li Dongye away, tidied her messy hair and clothes, and her heart was pounding.

Li Dongye, however, was thick-skinned. He leisurely wiped the black mark from the back of his hand, then shouted towards the door, "Fifth Brother, you're back, so why are you smashing the bucket?"

The door creaked open, and Jiang He stood in the doorway. Sunlight streamed in from behind him, obscuring his expression, but anyone could sense the oppressive atmosphere emanating from him.

"Sister." Jiang He ignored Li Dongye and stared straight at Lin Qingqing, her voice tinged with grievance, "My hand hurts, can you take a look at it for me?"

Before Lin Qingqing could speak, Li Dongye laughed, "Did you hurt your hand from feeding the pigs, or from falling on the bucket? Go find your third brother, he has some safflower oil."

"I want my sister to see this." Jiang He walked into the room and squeezed right next to Lin Qingqing, pushing Li Dongye aside.

He stretched out his hand, and there was indeed a red mark on the web of his hand, probably from when he was carrying the bucket.

He held Lin Qingqing's hand, his eyes glistening with tears, "Sister, did Fourth Brother bully you? Your face is all red."

"No, I was just kidding," Lin Qingqing explained.

"You're just joking around, how did it escalate to the cupboard?" Jiang He turned to look at Li Dongye. "Fourth Brother, when Big Brother left, he told you to look after the house, not to look after Sister."

Li Dongye chuckled, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and blew a smoke ring. "Fifth Brother, your jealousy is practically choking the whole village. What, you're allowed to be in bed at night, but I can't have a little fun during the day?"

"You!" Jiang He suddenly took a step forward.

"Alright!" Lin Qingqing said in a low voice, her head throbbing badly. "Get out, everyone. I need to rest for a while."

The two men exchanged a glance, and sparks seemed to fly through the air.

In the end, Li Dongye was the first to back down. He patted Jiang He on the shoulder and smiled meaningfully, "Okay, you keep your sister company. I need to wash my hands. How am I supposed to drive with a turtle drawn on them?"

Li Dongye strolled out unsteadily.