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

However, as she listened to Jiang He's words, the seed of "revenge" in her heart began to sprout quietly.

Why should she always have to swallow her anger? Why should she live in constant fear?

"Sister, you must remember this." Jiang He's fingers ran through her hair, forcing her to look up at him. "In this family, the eldest brother is the pillar, the second brother is the most protective, and the third and fourth brothers are all capable. But me, I don't care about anything else. I just want our family to be well."

"Those dirty, rotten things, my older brothers can't do, and they wouldn't stoop to doing. But I can."

"As long as you behave, I promise no one will dare to bully you again."

Jiang He's voice carried a strange, seductive power.

Lin Qingqing looked at the boy in front of her, who was even younger than herself. He had an innocent-looking face and two small tiger teeth when he smiled, but the words he spoke were so sinister.

In the past, she would have found it terrifying and wanted to stay away from it.

But now, after so many days of fear and anxiety, this ruthlessness has given her an unprecedented sense of security.

That was something that made her feel secure.

"I...I'll do whatever you say." Lin Qingqing lowered her head, her voice barely audible, "As long as it keeps them from causing trouble..."

Jiang He smiled with satisfaction.

He leaned over and bit her rosy lips.

"Good girl."

"Since my sister has agreed, then we should practice properly."

"Practice...practice what?" Lin Qingqing felt a sense of foreboding.

"Practice how to cry," Jiang He said matter-of-factly. "Although your crying sounded nice just now, you can't cry like that with others. When you're outside, you have to cry with tears streaming down your face, as if you want to say something but can't. That's real skill."

As he spoke, his legs under the blanket began to stir again.

"Furthermore, my sister needs to learn how to appropriately show vulnerability. For example, right now..."

Jiang He mischievously scratched her waist.

"Ugh!" Lin Qingqing's body went limp, and she almost cried out.

"Yes, that's it." Jiang He's eyes lit up. "But you still have to suffer a little more. Come on, call me 'good brother'."

Lin Qingqing was filled with shame and indignation, her face flushed crimson: "You...you're younger than me..."

"There are no distinctions of rank in bed." Jiang He shamelessly pressed himself against her. "Say hello, or I'll teach you something else."

***

Her voice was soft and sweet, with a tremor, like a feather brushing against the tip of the heart.

Jiang He's Adam's apple bobbed. "Sister, you're so kind."

(A pretty girl screams, "This part was blocked from review, so I deleted it! I'm so angry! I'm so angry! I'm so angry!")

***

The sun had just climbed to the treetops, and the cicadas hadn't even started their loud chirping yet, but the air was already quite hot.

The two of them came out of the guesthouse. Lin Qingqing stood under the shade of a willow tree at the crossroads, clutching a cloth bag in her hand, her legs still trembling.

Last night, that brat Jiang He really gave me a hard time. Although he didn't do much more, he still found ways to bully me.

"Sister, are you tired?"

Jiang He squatted on a stone stool to the side, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, tilting his head to look at her.

The young man was full of energy. He was up until midnight last night, and he was still full of energy when he woke up this morning. His eyes were bright and shiny as he stared at Lin Qingqing and looked back and forth.

Lin Qingqing glared at him, annoyed, and shrank further into the shade of a tree: "I'm not tired. Why isn't the car here yet?"

"What's the rush? This lousy road could shake the wheels off." Jiang He chuckled as he stood up, brushed the dirt off his backside, and leaned close to Lin Qingqing, lowering his voice, "Sister, if you can't stand, lean on me?"

"You..." We're still on the street. If someone hears this, how will I face anyone?

Lin Qingqing was so anxious that she wanted to cover his mouth, but suddenly a rumbling sound came from afar.

The commotion was enormous; a cloud of yellowish-brown dust, swirling with sand and wind, rolled in from around the bend in the road.

"squeak--!"

The ear-piercing screech of brakes shattered the morning tranquility. The massive tires gripped the ground less than two meters from the two men, and the billowing dust instantly enveloped them.

"Cough cough cough..." Lin Qingqing choked and coughed, tears welling up in her eyes.

The car door was pushed open with a bang, and a large foot wearing military green rubber shoes stepped onto the pedal. Immediately afterwards, a angular face peeked out from the driver's seat.

The man had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth and wore a pair of sunglasses that looked like they came from somewhere, giving him a wild and handsome look.

He pulled his sunglasses down, revealing his eyes.

"Yo."

"Isn't this our fifth child and... our pretty little cousin?"

Li Dongye took the cigarette out of his mouth, held it between his fingers and twirled it. His gaze swept over Lin Qingqing brazenly, finally settling on her small face, which was flushed from coughing, and he let out a loud, lewd whistle.

"What? Are you planning to elope to town, but you've run out of money and are too ashamed to go home, so you're here begging for food?"

Lin Qingqing coughed twice from the smoke, her face turning bright red: "Fourth...Fourth Brother, don't talk nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Li Dongye flicked his cigarette butt away. "Then what are you two doing with all these bags? Are you planning to elope? Or did you wait here specifically for me, hoping I'd take you for a drive?"

Jiang He pulled Lin Qingqing behind him, blocking Li Dongye's hook-like eyes. His smile remained, but his eyes held no warmth.

"Fourth Brother, you've made quite a long journey. I thought you'd be spending a couple more days in your boudoir."

"How could I?" Li Dongye patted the steering wheel, making a crisp cracking sound. "I have such a beautiful little cousin waiting for me at home. How could I bear to stay outside any longer? My soul has been drawn back."

As he spoke, he pushed open the passenger door and leaned in.

"Get in the car, you two. If you dawdle any longer, we won't get home before dark."

These days, trucks advertised as having a two-seater passenger seat are actually pitifully narrow. Two grown men would find it cramped, let alone with Lin Qingqing added.

Jiang He climbed up first, plopped down in the spot near the door, and then reached out to pull Lin Qingqing up.

Lin Qingqing looked at the high step stool and felt a little worried. She was wearing a skirt today, and if she lifted her leg, she was afraid she would expose herself.

Just as she was hesitating, a large hand suddenly reached out, grabbed her waist, and lifted her up easily like a chick.

"Ah!" Lin Qingqing exclaimed, her body leaping into the air before landing steadily in the middle of the seat.

Those hands were large and burning hot; even through the thin fabric, the heat from their palms made her waist feel weak.

"Tsk, so light." Li Dongye withdrew his hand, grinning mischievously. "You'll need to eat more meat in the future, otherwise it'll be hard to hold."