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

Lin Qingqing pulled down the rolled-up hem of her dress, tidied her hair, and followed Qin Lie out of the west room.

At the dining table in the main room, Gu Qiangying was drinking porridge from his bowl. Jiang He sat opposite him, playing with a half-broken chopstick in his hand. The splinter of wood stuck in his fingertip, leaving a white mark.

The sound of water came from the courtyard, and Xiao Yong and Li Dongye were squatting by the well dealing with the two wild rabbits.

"Second brother, that's a really smooth way to call me 'wife'," Jiang He said, throwing the half-chopstick on the table. "Big brother, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Qin Lie pulled out a long bench and sat down, picking up a cornbread bun from the table and taking a bite. "What do I care?"

"He broke the rules." Jiang He leaned closer to Qin Lie and lowered his voice. "We agreed to rely on our own abilities."

Qin Lie ignored him and turned to look at Lin Qingqing, who had just sat down. "Eat your food."

Lin Qingqing picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of green vegetables, and put them in her mouth.

Gu Qiangying put down her spoon, took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and said, "Big brother, I have something I want to discuss with everyone."

Hearing the commotion, the two men skinning rabbits in the yard washed their hands and came in. Xiao Yong was still holding a bloodstained skinning knife, while Li Dongye shook the water droplets off his hands and casually found a place to sit down.

"What is it that you have to say now?" Li Dongye took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but didn't light it.

Gu Qiangying pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses. "Dr. Wang from the old clinic in town has retired. I'm thinking of taking over that shop and opening my own clinic."

The room was quiet for a moment.

"Opening a clinic is a good thing." Qin Lie swallowed the food in his mouth. "Do you have enough money?"

"Money is not a problem." Gu Qiangying looked at Lin Qingqing. "The clinic needs people to manage it inside and out. I want to take Qingqing with me."

The skinning knife in Xiao Yong's hand clattered to the ground.

Lin Qingqing's hand, which was holding a chopstick, froze in mid-air. Go to town?

"Why go to town?" Xiao Yong strode over, his face flushed with anxiety. "It's not like we can't afford to support her! Going to town and showing her face in public is exhausting!"

Gu Qiangying didn't even look at Xiao Yong. "Qingqing is literate and meticulous. She can help me get medicine and keep accounts at the clinic, and learn some medical skills while she's at it. It's better than staying at home all day around the stove."

"I disagree!" Xiao Yong kicked the stool. "She's my wife, she's not going anywhere!"

"Second Brother, are you still asleep?" Jiang He stood up and grabbed Lin Qingqing's arm. "Sister isn't going to town. Town is so far away, we won't be back for ten days or half a month. Who will play with me then?"

He buried his face in Lin Qingqing's shoulder and nuzzled against her. "Sister, you're not leaving, right?"

Lin Qingqing felt itchy from his rubbing and moved away to the side.

The idea of ​​opening a clinic in town crossed Lin Qingqing's mind.

She remembered the diary she kept at the bottom of a trunk, on which the word "self-reliance" was written.

In this family, she was a delicate flower protected by five men, yet also a canary trapped in a cage. The temptation to go out and learn some skills to support herself was too great.

But she didn't dare to nod easily. She glanced at Qin Lie.

Qin Lie sat in the main seat, chewing his cornbread with a blank expression.

"Third brother, you've got a clever plan." Li Dongye took the cigarette out of his mouth and held it between his fingers. "You've lured him to town, far away from the emperor's reach. If you two lock yourself in the clinic, who'll know what you're doing?"

"Fourth brother, is this all you can think about—those illicit affairs?" Gu Qiangying placed his fingers interlaced on the table. "Qingqing is still young; learning a skill to support herself is the right thing to do. Are you really going to let her stay in this remote mountain village forever?"

"What's wrong with being in a remote mountain village!" Xiao Yong wrung his hands anxiously, wanting to pull Lin Qingqing away, but he didn't dare to act rashly because Qin Lie was present. "I can support her by blacksmithing, my eldest brother can support her by hunting, and my fourth brother can make money by driving a car. Do we need her to feed us?"

"This isn't about whether we have enough to eat," Gu Qiangying said calmly, yet with an undeniable firmness. "People must have their own value."

He turned to look at Lin Qingqing, "Qingqing, tell me yourself, do you want to go or not?"

All the men's eyes were fixed on Lin Qingqing.

Lin Qingqing swallowed hard.

"I..." She opened her mouth.

"Sister isn't going." Jiang He hugged Lin Qingqing even tighter, his hands gripping her waist underneath. "If sister goes to town, she'll be tricked by the bad men there."

"Fifth brother, let go," Qin Lie said.

Jiang He pursed his lips and reluctantly let go.

Qin Lie put down his chopsticks and looked at Lin Qingqing. "Do you want to go?"

Lin Qingqing's palms were sweating. She knew Qin Lie's temper; he was always protective of his own and kept a close eye on her.

"I...I want to learn something," Lin Qingqing said softly, her head lowered.

Xiao Yong paced anxiously in circles. "What are you learning! Identifying herbs is too tiring, and you have to memorize all those medical books. With your delicate skin, what if you ruin your eyes by staying up all night studying?"

"Second brother, do you think everyone's like you, snoring after reading just a couple of pages?"

Li Dongye pulled out a chair, stood up, walked behind Lin Qingqing, and placed his hands on the back of her chair:

"One thing at a time, I think the third brother's idea is good. It's better for Qingqing to go to town and see the world than to stay at home listening to you blacksmithing all day. Besides, I drive a truck in town, so I can go to the clinic every now and then and take care of her."

Li Dongye emphasized the word "take care of".

Gu Qiangying glanced at Li Dongye, "The clinic is very busy, so please don't cause any trouble."

"Am I just some nobody?" Li Dongye laughed. "Third brother, your ability to kick someone after they've served their purpose has really improved."

"Alright," Qin Lie interrupted their argument.

The main room fell silent.

Qin Lie looked at Lin Qingqing and said, "Going to town is not the same as staying at home. When Lao San gets busy, he won't be able to take care of you. You'll have to suffer."

"I'm not afraid of hardship," Lin Qingqing said, raising her head.

"Go if you've thought it through." Qin Lie stood up. "Third brother, take good care of him. If even a single hair is lost, I'll hold you responsible."

After Qin Lie finished speaking, he turned and left the main room.

Xiao Yong stood there, stunned. "Big brother! How could you agree to this?!"

He chased after Qin Lie and ran out.

Jiang He sat in the chair, staring intently at Lin Qingqing, his eyes reddening.

Gu Qiangying stood up, straightened her shirt cuffs, and said, "Pack your things these next few days. We're leaving early the day after tomorrow."

He turned and went back to his room.

Only Lin Qingqing, Jiang He, and Li Dongye remained in the main room.

Li Dongye bent down and whispered in Lin Qingqing's ear, "Going to town is a good thing. Although Lao San is a wicked man, he's protective of his food. In his territory, no one will dare to bully you."

Lin Qingqing turned her head away, avoiding his hot breath.

"Sister," Jiang He tugged at Lin Qingqing's sleeve, "Are you really not going to want me anymore?"

"I'm just going to help out, it's not like I'm not coming back." Lin Qingqing patted the back of his hand.