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

The moon quietly climbed over the mountain and then set behind the other side of the mountain.

The next morning, just as Lin Qingqing and Jiang He were getting ready to leave, Qin Lie suddenly walked to the door and blocked their way. He was half a head taller than Jiang He and possessed an innate, menacing aura.

He reached out and straightened Jiang He's collar, his actions resembling those of a kind older brother, but his voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it.

"Fifth brother, she's timid and can't handle being scared."

Qin Lie patted Jiang He on the shoulder with his large hand, "Be careful when you go out to play, don't go too far."

Jiang He's smile faded slightly, then he raised the corners of his mouth again and replied in the same low voice, "Don't worry, brother, I'm not like some people who only know how to use brute force."

After saying that, he took Lin Qingqing's hand and strode out of the courtyard gate.

In the early morning, Qingshan Village was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, and the air was filled with the smell of earth and dew.

Stepping out of that oppressive courtyard, Lin Qingqing felt much easier to breathe.

Jiang He, with his long legs and large strides, deliberately slowed down to accommodate her. His hand remained loosely around Lin Qingqing's back, as if protecting some rare treasure, yet he never actually touched her. This ambiguous feeling was completely different from the domineering manner of Qin Lie and the others.

"Hey! Isn't this Qingqing? Where are you going so early in the morning?"

Just as I reached the big locust tree at the village entrance, a sharp, loud voice shattered the morning tranquility.

Wang Dazui was holding a chamber pot, about to empty it, when he saw the two of them, his beady green eyes lit up instantly.

She had been eavesdropping all night after the commotion at the Qin family last night. This morning, seeing that incredibly beautiful young widow with the newly returned fifth son, her gossip-loving spirit instantly ignited.

"Tsk tsk, is this the fifth one? He's grown so tall! Where are you taking your sister-in-law... oh no, your cousin... to play somewhere?" Wang Dazui's eyes swept back and forth between the two of them.

Lin Qingqing instinctively shrank back behind Jiang He. She was afraid of this woman; her mouth could talk the dead back to life and the living to death.

Jiang He stopped and completely blocked Lin Qingqing's path.

He looked at Wang Dazui, a bright smile spreading across his face, revealing a set of white teeth that looked particularly cold in the morning mist.

"Aunt Wang, you're up so early!"

Jiang He spoke gently, as if chatting with a neighbor, "I heard things weren't peaceful in the village last night; Li Ergou got his comeuppance. You know, I'm not as reasonable as my eldest brother, nor as straightforward as my second brother. If anyone frightens my sister, or if I hear anything filthy..."

He took a step forward, getting closer to Wang Dazui, his voice suddenly lowering, carrying a chilling undertone: "I like to light fires under people's windows at night. Aunt Wang, your woodpile is quite high, isn't it?"

Wang Dazui's hand trembled as he looked at the smiling young man before him, feeling a chill run down his spine. This fifth son of the Qin family, who used to seem so scholarly, how come he's become so sinister after two years of wandering around?

"Oh... Look at what you're saying, Auntie was just saying hello, just saying hello..." Wang Dazui chuckled dryly, picked up the chamber pot, and turned to leave.

Lin Qingqing stood behind Jiang He, staring blankly at Wang Dazui's back.

In this village, she was always the object of scrutiny and gossip, forced to keep her head down. Although Qin Lie and Xiao Yong protected her, they mostly used their fists to silence her; their protection carried a sense of oppressive urgency, as if they wanted to hide her away.

But Jiang He is different.

He seemed to have blocked out all the malice, yet allowed her to stand in the sunlight.

"Sister, let's go."

Jiang He turned around, the gloom on his face vanishing instantly, and he returned to being the obedient younger brother. He naturally took Lin Qingqing's hand, and this time, their fingers intertwined.

Lin Qingqing struggled, but couldn't break free.

"Don't move." Jiang He tightened his fingers, his palms dry and warm. "The road is uneven, don't fall."

Beyond the village entrance lies a dirt road leading to the county town. Dense cornfields line both sides, rustling loudly in the wind.

With the neighbors out of sight, Lin Qingqing relaxed a lot. She looked at the boy's back as he walked ahead; although his old jacket was a bit big, it couldn't hide his thin but upright back.

"Xiao He," Lin Qingqing asked softly, "you...were you just trying to scare her?"

Jiang He paused, but didn't turn around. Her voice carried on the wind: "If that's what you think, then so be it."

He suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Lin Qingqing.

The sun had just risen, and golden light filtered through the leaves, casting a glow on his face that made his skin almost translucent, revealing even the fine hairs on his face. He was backlit, so his expression was somewhat indistinct.

"elder sister."

Jiang He took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them to the point where they could hear each other's breaths. He didn't smell of sweat, only a faint, fresh scent, like crushed grass.

Lin Qingqing had no choice but to look up at him, her heart skipping a beat for no apparent reason: "Wha...what's wrong?"

Jiang He lowered his head, his gaze falling on her slightly parted red lips, his Adam's apple bobbing. He suddenly smiled, a smile tinged with cunning, and a dangerous longing that Lin Qingqing couldn't understand.

"This road is too long, and I'm tired from walking."

His voice was low and husky, as if it had a hook, "Big brother gave us a lot of money. Sister, let's not come back tonight, let's stay in town for the night, okay?"

Lin Qingqing suddenly opened her eyes wide.

No...not going back?

A lone man and woman spending the night out alone?

"No way!" Lin Qingqing shook her head frantically. "My brother will be angry, and... and without a letter of introduction, the guesthouse won't let us stay..."

"I have a way."

Jiang He interrupted her, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear with his fingers, his fingertips lightly brushing against her sensitive earlobe.

"Big brother will only be angry that I didn't take good care of you. As for where you live..." He leaned close to Lin Qingqing's ear, his warm breath tickling her ear canal, "Sister, you've been here for two years, haven't you? You weren't having a good time at Old Li's house before, but things are different now. Don't you want to see what town is like?"

Lin Qingqing was stunned.

Jiang He looked at her confused and hesitant eyes, and the smile on his lips deepened.

Two old fogies, do they really think they can be fooled by giving people some money?

"Let's go, sister."

Jiang He didn't give her a chance to think anymore. He pulled her along and strode into the golden morning light.