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

Qin Lie looked down at the mother and son, his voice not loud, but as cold as ice.

He wasn't wearing a shirt, his muscular physique glistening in the morning light, the scar across his chest rising and falling with his breath like a living centipede. Add to that the still-dripping butcher's knife, and he was a veritable demon.

The villagers who had been watching the spectacle just moments before immediately stepped back, as if afraid of getting splattered with blood.

Li Liu swallowed hard, forcing herself to maintain her shrewish demeanor, and pointed at Qin Lie's nose: "Qin...Qin Lie! Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you're fierce! Lin Qingqing is my daughter-in-law, what kind of behavior is this, hiding her in the house? You're having an affair! Everyone, come and judge for yourselves!"

"That's right!" Li Ergou peeked out from behind his mother. "I saw it all! She came into your house last night! A man and a woman alone together, who knows what shady things they did!"

Qin Lie didn't even glance at Li Ergou, but merely glanced around at the villagers who were peeking and looking around.

Those whose gaze swept over him instinctively shrank back.

"Who said she's a member of the Li family?"

Qin Lie thrust the knife into the door frame with a "whoosh," the blade sinking three inches into the wood, startling Li Liu Shi.

"She is my distant cousin."

Qin Lie spoke calmly, as if he were remarking on the nice weather, "They suffered a disaster last night, and their family is all gone, so they came to stay with their cousin. What, is that not allowed?"

That excuse is so lame even a three-year-old wouldn't believe it. Everyone knows the Qin family are outsiders; where did this "cousin" come from?

But looking at Qin Lie's cold face and the dangling knife on the door frame, who would dare to say no?

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Li Ergou exclaimed, "She clearly is..."

"If I say she is, then she is."

Qin Lie interrupted him, taking a step forward. The oppressive aura he exuded almost made Li Ergou wet his pants. "What, Ergou, do you want to find a relative? Or do you want to taste how sharp this knife is?"

Looking into Qin Lie's cold, emotionless eyes—eyes that had truly seen blood—Li Ergou had no doubt that if he uttered another word, this madman would really dare to attack.

"Mother... let's go..." Li Ergou chickened out and dragged Li Liushi's trouser leg backward.

Although Li Liu was greedy for money, she also valued her life. She glared fiercely at the Qin family's gate, then spat a mouthful of phlegm on the ground: "Pah! A pair of adulterers! They'll get their comeuppance sooner or later! Just you wait!"

After saying that, the mother and son helped each other up and slunk away into the crowd.

The villagers who had been watching the spectacle scattered like birds and beasts, frightened by Qin Lie's gaze, except for Wang Dazui from next door, who was still clinging to the wall, looking like he hadn't had enough.

Qin Lie turned his head sharply and stared coldly at the top of the wall.

"Oh dear, I'm airing out my quilt! I'm airing out my quilt!" Wang Dazui was so startled that he shrank his neck and slid down in a flash.

The courtyard was finally quiet.

Qin Lie pulled the knife from the door frame and turned to walk back.

Looking up, I saw Lin Qingqing standing at the entrance of the main room.

She appeared out at some unknown time, a small, huddled figure by the doorframe, her face pale, her large eyes still filled with tears, like a frightened rabbit.

Clearly, she heard everything that was said.

Qin Lie frowned.

This woman looks so delicate. She's probably in for a rough time in this den of wolves.

He casually tossed the knife onto the table, went inside and rummaged through the drawers for a while, pulled out a set of clothes, walked up to Lin Qingqing, and threw them into her arms.

"Put it on."

There are only two characters; adding even one more would be too much trouble.

Lin Qingqing, holding the bundle of clothes, paused for a moment.

It was a faded military green tank top and a pair of baggy black pants. The fabric was rough, chafing my palms a little, but it smelled clean with a faint soapy scent.

"If you don't want to be kicked out, put it on." Qin Lie looked at her dazed expression, his tone somewhat harsh. "From today onwards, you're my cousin. Got it?"

Lin Qingqing suddenly looked up and met the man's deep eyes.

"Thank you... thank you, Brother Qin." Lin Qingqing's eyes reddened, and her voice was soft and sweet.

Qin Lie's Adam's apple bobbed, and he looked away: "Call me cousin."

After saying that, he turned around and went to the well in the yard, picked up a bucket and poured a bucket of cold water over his head, as if to extinguish the inexplicable heat in his heart.

Lin Qingqing hugged her clothes and hid in the inner room.

This dress is too big.

Qin Lie is over 1.9 meters tall, while she is only a little over 1.6 meters. The vest she wore covered her thighs, and the two sleeves were so big they looked like two pockets, so that her underwear could be seen when she raised her arms.

Her pants were way too long, so she rolled them up several times and had to tie them tightly around her waist with a rope to keep them from falling down.

But it is precisely because of her size that she appears even more petite.

The rough, army-green fabric rubbed against her delicate skin, creating an unusual sensation. She lowered her head and sniffed her collar; it was filled with Qin Lie's scent. That strong masculine aroma enveloped her, making her cheeks flush and her heart race.

Wear his clothes, live in his house, and even call him cousin...

Lin Qingqing took a deep breath and patted her burning face.

No matter what, survival comes first.

She stepped out of the house and saw a large basin of dirty clothes piled up in the yard. It was the result of several grown men collecting clothes over several days, piled up like a small mountain, and covered with mud and grease.

Qin Lie was still chopping wood, wood chips flying everywhere with each swing of the axe.

Lin Qingqing didn't say anything, but silently rolled up her sleeves, revealing her two fair arms, picked up the wooden basin and walked to the well.

She has to work.

She didn't want to be a useless freeloader, and she didn't want to be looked down upon by Qin Lie.

Cool well water was drawn up and poured into the basin.

Lin Qingqing squatted on the ground, vigorously scrubbing the heavy clothes.

The men's clothes were all made of stiff fabric, especially Qin Lie's blood-stained shirt, which was as stiff as sheet metal. Her hands were naturally delicate, and after rubbing them for a few moments, her palms turned red, and her knuckles ached.

But she gritted her teeth and didn't utter a sound.

Sweat streamed down her forehead, dampening the stray hairs at her temples. The neckline of her tank top swayed slightly with her movements due to the exertion.

Qin Lie slowed down his chopping of firewood.

His gaze drifted uncontrollably toward the well.

The woman squatted there, small and radiantly white. She wore his old vest, and occasionally a glimpse of her cloying white could be seen through the loose neckline.

Those were his clothes.

But now it's pressed against her skin.

This realization made Qin Lie feel parched, and the axe in his hand seemed to weigh a ton.

"Snapped!"

A piece of firewood was chopped into pieces.

Qin Lie turned his back to her with a dark expression, forcing himself to focus on dealing with the blockhead in front of him.

Lin Qingqing had no idea what the man behind her was thinking.

After washing her outer clothes, she reached into the basin and felt a few meager pieces of fabric.

When I took it out and looked at it, my face instantly turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

It's a man's underwear.

And it's huge.

This should belong to Qin Lie, right?

Lin Qingqing couldn't help but recall the man's domineering manner last night, and the fierce look he had when he stood at the door just now.

This person is big in every way.

She was so embarrassed she wanted to throw it back, but she didn't dare. Blushing, she closed her eyes, lathered herself with soap haphazardly, and carefully rubbed the edges with her fingertips.

"Oh, where did this fairy godmother come from?"

A nonchalant voice suddenly came from behind, carrying a hint of mockery and roguishness.

Lin Qingqing was startled, and the pair of shorts in her hand fell into the basin of water with a "plop," splashing up a spray of water.

She turned around in a panic.

A man was standing at the gate of the courtyard.

The man looked a few years younger than Qin Lie, wearing a fashionable leather jacket with the collar turned up, and a cigarette dangling askew from his mouth.

He was quite handsome, but his peach blossom eyes were slightly narrowed, giving off a mischievous and unserious vibe.