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

Jiang He threw the bag on the ground, and the canvas bag landed with a clattering sound, clearly indicating that it didn't contain anything of any importance.

He walked a few steps to Lin Qingqing, ignoring the dark look on his two older brothers' faces, and squatted down directly.

The boy was tall and slender, and even when he was squatting, his line of sight was just level with Lin Qingqing, who was sitting on a low stool.

"elder sister."

He called out, his voice still carrying a youthful clarity, but with a slightly sticky quality. His dark eyes were fixed on Lin Qingqing's swollen eyelids, and suddenly he reached out and gently rubbed the corner of her eye with his fingertip.

As the rough fingertips scraped across her skin, Lin Qingqing shuddered and instinctively shrank back.

"Don't be afraid." Jiang He smiled, revealing his signature little tiger tooth, looking harmless. "My hands are clean, there's no blood."

Xiao Yong had a fiery temper, and upon hearing this, his eyebrows shot up. He took a step forward and was about to grab Jiang He by the collar: "Fifth Brother, what's with your sarcastic tone? You just got back and you're already looking for a beating?"

Jiang He didn't move, not even turning his head. His eyes remained fixed on Lin Qingqing's face as he slowly said, "Second brother, your voice is too loud. You scared sister."

Xiao Yong's hand froze in mid-air. He glanced at Lin Qingqing, who was curled up in a ball, and the swear word stuck in his throat. His face turned ashen.

Qin Lie sat at the octagonal table, the cigarette in his hand already burned down to the butt.

He stubbed out his cigarette on the sole of his shoe and said in a deep voice, "Fifth brother, you've just gotten back, so shut up. The matter is settled."

"It's a draw?"

Jiang He finally turned his head and looked at Qin Lie.

He stood up. Although he was thinner than Qin Lie, his height of over 1.8 meters was not to be underestimated. He had a smile on his lips, but there was no real smile in his eyes.

"Big brother, that bastard Li Ergou even dared to block the outhouse, and you call that settling things? I've only been gone a few days, and this is how you guys protect me? If Second Brother had been a little slower last night, or if Sister hadn't shouted..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the glimpse of Lin Qingqing's collarbone revealed by her neckline. His eyes darkened, but his tone became even lighter: "So, does that mean our family has to have a happy occasion?"

"Bang!"

Qin Lie slammed the teacup in his hand heavily onto the table, chipping off a piece of the enamel and revealing the black iron inside.

"Jiang He." Qin Lie called him by his full name, his voice not loud, but it was a prelude to his anger. "Shut up."

Lin Qingqing was so startled that she spilled some water, scalding the back of her hand. She didn't want to watch them argue, especially because of her. In this family, she was always an outsider, a drifting duckweed dependent on them for survival.

"Stop...stop arguing." Lin Qingqing's voice was soft, still nasal from crying. "It was my own fault for not paying attention..."

"Listen to this." Jiang He immediately chimed in, turning around with a smile on his face, even looking a little aggrieved. "Since that's what my sister said, eldest brother, second brother, this room is full of the smell of blood. My sister is easily frightened, and if she stays any longer, she might have nightmares. I'm going to town this morning to buy some documents, so I'll take my sister out for a walk to clear her head."

"No!"

Without a second thought, Xiao Yong yelled, "There are too many people in town, what if we run into some thugs? You're just a kid, what do you know about protecting people? You're the one who needs to be worried about yourself!"

Qin Lie frowned as well: "There's a lot of work to do at home, and the autumn harvest is coming soon. Don't go out in the wild."

Men can be as wild as they want outside, but women have to keep an eye on them.

Especially someone like Lin Qingqing, whose looks are so attractive, letting her out is like throwing a piece of fat meat into a pack of wolves.

Jiang He seemed to have anticipated their opposition, and wasn't annoyed. He simply tilted his head and innocently began to criticize:

"My eldest brother has to go up the mountain to set traps to supplement the family income, my second brother needs to finish a batch of farm tools at the blacksmith's shop, my third brother is still on duty at the clinic, and my fourth brother went to the next village to collect debts. Who among you is free to keep my sister company?"

He spread his hands, his gaze sweeping over his two older brothers' faces before finally settling on Lin Qingqing, his tone becoming somewhat pitiful:

"Are you just going to leave my sister alone at home staring at the wall? Or... do you not trust me? Are you afraid I'll run her away?"

These words were like stabbing Qin Lie and Xiao Yong in the heart.

They are indeed busy.

These days, if you want to live a good life, you have to risk your life.

The family consisted of several grown men who lived a rough life. These brothers, who were orphans, came together to support each other and have something to look forward to in the future, but ultimately, without women in the family, they couldn't muster any enthusiasm.

But it's different now.

Qin Lie wants to save money to build a new house so everyone can live comfortably and spaciously. Xiao Yong wants to make more hoes to buy her face cream. But the busier he is, the less time he has for her.

Lin Qingqing lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

She actually wanted to get some fresh air too.

"Little Crane..."

Lin Qingqing mustered her courage, raised her head, and her peach blossom eyes, brimming with tears, made one's heart tremble. "I want to go to town... to buy some embroidery thread. We've run out of thread at home."

This was the first time she had clearly expressed her wishes in this home.

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Looking at her cautious demeanor, Qin Lie felt a pang in his heart. He silently stood up, his tall figure looming over her, causing Lin Qingqing to instinctively hold her breath.

The man smelled pleasantly of soapberry, mixed with a faint scent of tobacco.

Qin Lie reached into his shirt pocket, rummaged around for a while, and pulled out a roll of money. It was a few "ten-thousand-yuan" bills, warm from his body heat and slightly damp.

He handed the money to Jiang He, but his eyes remained fixed on Lin Qingqing. "Keep an eye on her. Buy her some of her favorite food, don't let her go hungry. Go and come back soon."

Jiang He smiled so hard his eyes curved into crescents, grabbed the money, and then took Lin Qingqing's wrist: "Thank you, big brother."

Just then, Jiang He seemed to notice something, frowned, and lifted Lin Qingqing's wrist.

On her fair, jade-like wrist, there was a red mark, left by Xiao Yong when he put the bracelet on her wrist last night. It looked shocking against her snow-white skin.

"Tsk."

In front of his two older brothers, Jiang He pulled her wrist to his mouth, lowered his head, and gently blew on the red mark.

The hot air sprayed onto her skin, and Lin Qingqing felt a jolt all over her body as if she were being electrocuted. She tried to pull her hand away, but Jiang He held it tightly.

"Sister, does it hurt?"

The boy looked up, his eyes filled with heartache, but the smile on his lips held a hint of provocation. "How could they be so rough? They hurt my sister. Let me blow on it for you, and it will stop hurting."

This gesture is so intimate.

They went too far with their intimacy.

Xiao Yong watched this scene, his teeth grinding and his fists clenched until his knuckles turned white. That was the person he had his eye on, so why was Lao Wu allowed to touch her like that?

"Fifth Brother!" Xiao Yong roared, "Let go!"

Jiang He seemed not to hear, and slowly massaged Lin Qingqing's wrist before letting go.

Qin Lie remained silent, only watching Jiang He's figure with an unfathomable look in his eyes: "After all this time, it's almost dawn. Go to sleep first."

Jiang He glanced at Qin Lie, then at Xiao Yong, still uneasy. He shrugged, "My room isn't ready yet, I'll have to share a room with my second brother."

Xiao Yong was completely oblivious to Jiang He's distrust of him, assuming that Jiang He wanted to cover himself with the newly made quilt. He cursed, "I really owe you, you little devil."