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

Once the clothes were almost completely hung out to dry, Li Dongye leaned against a tree trunk, took out a match, struck it with a snap, and lit the cigarette he was holding in his mouth.

He took a deep breath, exhaled a bluish-white smoke ring, and looked through the smoke at Lin Qingqing, who was tidying up the empty wooden basin.

"If the third brother bullies you when you get to town, go find me at the convoy." Li Dongye flicked his cigarette ash, his tone still nonchalant, but his eyes were much more serious.

Lin Qingqing put the scattered clips into her pocket without looking up: "Third Brother would never bully me, he's very good to me."

"He's not bullying you?" Li Dongye scoffed, walked over, bent down, and whispered in Lin Qingqing's ear, "He's ruthless and heartless. Do you really think he brought you there just to teach you medicine?"

Lin Qingqing's ears itched from his hot breath, and she shrank her neck to the side, saying, "Third Brother said I should learn some skills."

"Is he really stupid or just pretending?" Li Dongye reached out and pinched her soft earlobe, making Lin Qingqing shudder. "He wants to keep you tied to his belt and watch you every day. That third brother is the most petty and scheming. If you go to town, you'll be far away from others, but close to him."

"Stop trying to sow discord." Lin Qingqing draped the last piece of clothing over the wire, picked up the empty basin, and walked back. "Third Brother is a refined man, unlike you, whose mind is full of... all that nonsense."

Li Dongye followed behind her, his long legs quickly catching up with her: "I call this honest advice hard to swallow. If you, a little white rabbit, enter a wolf's den, you'll be devoured until not even bones are left!"

Lin Qingqing walked to the kitchen door, stopped, turned around, and looked at him with her watery eyes: "You're a wolf too."

"I am," Li Dongye readily admitted, not only not backing down, but taking a step forward instead.

He stretched out his long, strong fingers and gently pinched Lin Qingqing's delicate chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"But I don't eat the grass near my nest. Unless..."

His rough thumb pressed gently against Lin Qingqing's rosy, full lips, the soft touch sending a shiver down his spine.

"Unless what?" Lin Qingqing felt flustered by his gaze, reached out and slapped his hand away, her cheeks starting to burn again.

"Unless the grass by your side comes to you on its own." Li Dongye lowered his head and leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers, his voice low and husky and alluring, "If you're happy and willing, Fourth Brother guarantees to serve you comfortably."

Just as the two were chatting and laughing, a loud cough suddenly came from the kitchen.

"Ahem!"

Jiang He stood by the stove, holding a pair of black fire tongs, coldly watching them.

His delicate face was expressionless, his eyes as gloomy as the sky before a storm, staring intently at Li Dongye's hand that had just touched Lin Qingqing's lips.

Li Dongye straightened up and calmly put his hands in his pockets: "Hey, Fifth Brother, what are you doing starting a fire in this sweltering heat?"

"Boil water." Jiang He slammed the fire tongs on the ground with a loud bang, and said through gritted teeth, "Wash your eyes."

Li Dongye chuckled, knowing that the little wolf cub was jealous. He didn't argue with Jiang He and turned to go back to washing the car.

Lin Qingqing carried the wooden basin into the kitchen, and seeing Jiang He's sullen expression, she said helplessly, "There's cold water in the water tank, why are you boiling water?"

Jiang He didn't say anything, but walked over and hugged Lin Qingqing from behind.

"Sister," Jiang He rested his chin on Lin Qingqing's thin shoulder, his voice muffled, "Fourth Brother bullied you again."

"No, he's just that glib-tongued guy." Lin Qingqing reached out to pry his arms off her waist. "It's so hot."

"No." Jiang He hugged her even tighter, his arms tightening around Lin Qingqing so much that she could hardly breathe.

He buried his face in Lin Qingqing's neck, greedily inhaling her sweet fragrance, his voice tinged with a hint of grievance and obsession, "Now that you've gone to town, Fourth Brother can't bully you anymore. But... I can't hug you anymore either."

As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at Lin Qingqing's fair and slender neck, a fierce possessiveness flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly opened his mouth, revealing sharp little fangs, and bit down.

"Ouch—Jiang He! Are you a dog or something?!" Lin Qingqing winced in pain and slapped him hard on the back.

Jiang He didn't let go; instead, he stuck out his warm tongue and licked the spot where he had been bitten in a pleading manner.

Only when a clear ring of teeth marks remained on that fair skin did he finally relax his teeth, satisfied.

"I want to leave a mark." Jiang He repeatedly stroked the circle of teeth marks with his fingertip. "When we get to town, people will see this and know you're taken. When you look in the mirror and see this, you'll know I'm still at home. Sister, you must never forget me."

Lin Qingqing's heart skipped a beat, her words sharp and cutting.

……

That night, Lin Qingqing slept very restlessly.

The dream was bizarre and fantastical, filled with the heavy breathing and burning gazes of those men.

One moment Xiao Yong was wielding a blacksmith's hammer, sparks flying directly at her;

One moment it was Qin Lie's unfathomable black eyes, staring intently at her like a wolf;

Finally, the scene shifts and focuses on Gu Qiangying's reflective gold-rimmed glasses. Behind the lenses, her eyes are slightly narrowed, exuding an irresistible allure.

The next morning, as soon as the rooster crowed for the first time, Lin Qingqing suddenly opened her eyes.

The sky outside the window was still dark, and the courtyard was quiet, with only a thin layer of morning mist shrouding the old locust tree.

The early autumn morning was chilly. Lin Qingqing put on a thin, coarse cloth coat and quietly pushed open the door to the east room.

Gu Qiangying had already gotten up. He was sitting at the square table, head down, holding tweezers and an alcohol swab in his hand, wiping the instruments in the medicine box.

Hearing light footsteps, Gu Qiangying turned her head and glanced at her: "Awake so early? Why not sleep a little longer?"

Lin Qingqing stood by the threshold, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes, looking somewhat flustered: "Third Brother, you got up even earlier."

Gu Qiangying then stopped what she was doing, her gaze falling on Lin Qingqing, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Why are you dressed so scantily clad?"

"I'm not cold..." Lin Qingqing muttered softly.

"You're not cold, but I feel cold."

Lin Qingqing lowered her head, thought for a long time, and said, "Third Brother, I want to go to the clinic with you."

Gu Qiangying chuckled lightly: "Didn't Big Brother agree yesterday?"

"That's what my elder brother said." Lin Qingqing knew that Gu Qiangying also wanted her to give an answer. When she went out to treat patients, she couldn't be so unclear.

She pursed her lips and continued, "What I'm saying now is that I want to go."

Gu Qiangying smiled and nodded. "Have you thought it through?"

Lin Qingqing nodded, "Yes, I want to learn more. I think what you said makes sense."

Gu Qiangying stood up, walked to Lin Qingqing, and tidied her slightly messy sideburns. "Learn more, you won't regret it."

His fingers were slightly cool as they touched Lin Qingqing's warm cheek, sending a slight shiver down her spine. There was no surprise in his eyes, only certainty.