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

After leaving the restaurant, the three of them strolled along the main street.

These days, there aren't many entertainment options in county towns, except for the department store, which is a bit lively. Gu Qiangying led them inside and headed straight for the women's clothing counter on the second floor.

"Pick two," Gu Qiangying said, pointing to the polyester shirts and floral dresses hanging on the rack.

Lin Qingqing waved her hands repeatedly: "I have clothes to wear. Xiao He bought me some nice fabric, but I haven't had time to make clothes yet. Autumn will be here soon, so it would be too wasteful to buy clothes now."

"They bought what they bought, and I bought what I bought." Without further ado, Gu Qiangying picked out a dark green floral dress and a white shirt, holding them up to Lin Qingqing. "Go try them on."

Upon seeing this, the sales clerk immediately greeted her warmly: "Oh my, this young lady is so pretty, she'll definitely look good in this! It's a brand new style that just arrived from Haishi!"

Lin Qingqing was ushered into the changing room.

Jiang He leaned against the counter, watching Gu Qiangying pay and take the ticket, his eyes darting around: "Third Brother, are you treating your sister-in-law like a daughter?"

Gu Qiangying counted the change she received: "She's never had a good life before. Now that she's with us, we can't let her suffer."

"Then why didn't you buy it for me?" Jiang He asked sourly.

"You?" Gu Qiangying glanced at him. "You're good-looking, you'd look good even in a burlap sack, you don't need to buy clothes."

Jiang He was speechless with anger.

When Lin Qingqing came out after changing her clothes, everyone around her stared in disbelief.

The dark green dress made her skin look fairer, and the cinched waist design perfectly accentuated her slender figure. The hemline reached just below her knees, revealing a glimpse of her fair calves.

Her hair was loose and slightly wavy, and with her slightly tipsy face, she looked like a movie star who had stepped out of a calendar.

Gu Qiangying's gaze behind his glasses froze for a moment before returning to normal. He nodded, "It's alright, wrap it up."

Jiang He smiled and said, "Sister, you're so beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven."

Being praised like that in public made Lin Qingqing a little shy, so she quickly ran back to the dressing room to change back into her old clothes.

It was already dark when we came out of the department store.

The three of them found a guesthouse not far from the station.

The receptionist, an older woman wearing arm sleeves, was knitting. Hearing the noise, she looked up, her gaze sweeping over the three people before she asked warily, "What are you doing here? How many of you?"

Gu Qiangying slapped her letter of introduction and work ID on the counter: "We're from the commune's health center, here to purchase medicinal herbs in the county. Three people, two rooms."

The woman picked up the letter of introduction and examined it carefully for a long time. She then compared the photo with Gu Qiangying's work ID and, after confirming that everything was correct, put down her knitting needles and took out two keys from the cabinet behind her.

"Turn left on the second floor, rooms 203 and 204. Hot water is at the end of the corridor. The doors are locked at 10 PM, so don't wander off."

Gu Qiangying took the keys and gave one to Lin Qingqing: "You live in 203. Lock the door yourself and don't open it for anyone unless it's us."

Jiang He immediately protested, grabbing Gu Qiangying's arm: "Third Brother, I want to sleep with Sister! I'm afraid of the dark!"

The middle-aged woman paused in her knitting, looked up, and glared at me: "What are you yelling about! Don't you want to stay here anymore?"

Jiang He shrank back, looking at Lin Qingqing with a pitiful expression: "Sister..."

Lin Qingqing didn't know what to say, so she could only look at Gu Qiangying.

Gu Qiangying smiled gently, grabbed Jiang He by the back of his collar and pulled him back: "Stop embarrassing yourself here. How old are you and you're still afraid of the dark? Should I get you a pacifier?"

Jiang He pouted and muttered under his breath, "All you do is bully me."

Gu Qiangying ignored him, escorted Lin Qingqing to the door of 203, watched her go inside, and then heard the sound of a latch being inserted inside before turning around and opening the door to 204 next door.

The room was small, with two single beds separated by a bedside table, on which sat a thermos and two enamel mugs.

The bedding was clean, but it had a faint musty smell.

As soon as Jiang He entered the room, he kicked off his shoes, sprawled on the bed in a starfish position, and sighed while staring at the ceiling.

"Third Brother, did you do this on purpose?"

Gu Qiangying took off her coat and hung it on the hanger, then rolled up her sleeves to pour water: "What do you mean, 'on purpose'?"

"We could have booked three rooms, or even a large dormitory, but you insisted on booking two." Jiang He rolled over, lying on the bed and staring at Gu Qiangying's back. "You just don't want me to be close to my sister. You have to keep an eye on me."

"This is for her own good." Gu Qiangying poured hot water into the enamel mug, which was steaming. "This is a county town, with lots of people and eyes. If people find out that she's sharing a room with two grown men, it won't look good."

"Tch, that's easy for you to say," Jiang He retorted, "At home we..."

"That's home, this is outside." Gu Qiangying interrupted him, picked up her water glass, walked to the bedside, sat down, and took a sip of hot water. "Besides, don't think I don't know what you're up to. Behave yourself these next few days and don't cause me any trouble."

Jiang He sat up, crossed his legs, and grinned mischievously: "Third Brother, you wouldn't be thinking of having Sister all to yourself, would you? The way you looked at Sister at the mall just now was all wrong."

Gu Qiangying paused, looked up at him, and sneered, "If you keep going like this, I'll start looking at you differently."

"Why are you threatening me?!"

Jiang He felt a little wronged. His third brother usually doted on him the most, but his sudden cold smile made him feel uncomfortable.

"We brothers all know each other. The eldest brother spoils us openly, the second brother... the second brother... let's not talk about the second brother for now."

Fourth Brother is the best at making girls happy. Third Brother, you're the most cunning.

Gu Qiangying put down her water glass, reached out and pinched Jiang He's chin. The force wasn't strong, but it was so tight that Jiang He couldn't break free.

"Little Five, you've grown up, haven't you?" He smiled, his tone so gentle it sent chills down your spine. "You dare talk to your third brother like that now?"

Jiang He felt a chill run down his spine and quickly raised his hands in surrender: "I was wrong! I was wrong! Third Brother, spare me! I'm mute, I didn't say anything!"

Gu Qiangying released her grip and flicked Jiang He on the forehead: "You should use your brain to think about more important things and read more books every day."

"Go wash up and go to bed. You still need to buy medicine from me tomorrow."

……

The next room.

Lin Qingqing lay on the unfamiliar bed, occasionally hearing the sound of bicycle bells and pedestrians talking outside the window.

She touched the new clothes placed beside her pillow; the fabric was smooth and cool.

Everything that happened today feels like a dream.

This was the first time in her life she had stood up for someone, the first time she had ever stood in front of someone else.

This was the first time in her life that she hadn't been wronged at home, and her younger brother, who always bullied her, was so frightened that he knelt down and begged for mercy.

Lin Qingqing was in this familiar Hongqi Town, but staying in an unfamiliar guesthouse. It was an environment where she could sleep peacefully, but she couldn't fall asleep.

She recalled Gu Qiangying's focused demeanor when treating patients.

What can she do?

Does she want to live her whole life under someone else's wings?

……

We've finally moved in!

tomorrow!

Hey!

Hey!