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

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the roosters hadn't crowed more than a few times.

Lin Qingqing got up very early.

Before the fire in the kitchen was lit, she went to the chicken coop and gathered ten red-shelled eggs.

Then I put the small black box that I borrowed from Li Dongye last night into the basket, covered it with a thick layer of scraps of cloth, and carefully placed the eggs on it, afraid of bumping or knocking them.

She went back inside to change her clothes, and just as she slung her basket over her shoulder and opened the door, she bumped into Gu Qiangying standing by the well in the yard, brushing her teeth.

Upon seeing Lin Qingqing's attire, he paused brushing his teeth, spat out a mouthful of foam, and rinsed his mouth.

"Where to?"

"The village chief's house." Lin Qingqing tightened her grip on the basket handle. "Fourth Brother, this matter can't be delayed; the longer it's delayed, the dirtier it gets."

"Go ahead." Gu Qiangying hung the towel back on the rope. "Don't get yourself into trouble. If it really comes down to it, Lao Si can take the blame. At worst, we'll send him to drive a car in another city for two years."

"That won't do!" Lin Qingqing said crisply, then realized that Gu Qiangying was teasing her. She whispered, "Fourth Brother was so angry yesterday."

Gu Qiangying chuckled, said nothing more, and waved her away.

……

The village chief's house is located at the west end of the village, separated from the Qin family's house by a bamboo grove.

Most of the villagers were just getting up. A few men carrying water on the road looked at Lin Qingqing with strange eyes and whispered among themselves. Lin Qingqing pretended not to see them and walked quickly.

When we arrived at the village chief's house, the gate was tightly closed.

Lin Qingqing took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door.

"Who is it? Calling for a soul so early in the morning!"

From inside came the village chief's wife's raspy voice, Su Jiaojiao's mother. Then came the clatter of slippers, and the small window in the iron gate was pulled open, revealing a face full of fleshy bulges.

Upon seeing that it was Lin Qingqing, the village chief's wife's face immediately fell, and she almost spat out a mouthful of saliva.

"Pah! What bad luck! What are you doing here, you jinx? We're going to settle accounts with your man at dawn, and you little hussy dare to come knocking on our door!"

Lin Qingqing took a step forward and raised the basket in her hand slightly, revealing the red-skinned eggs and a packet of brown sugar inside.

"Auntie, I'm here to apologize on behalf of my fourth brother."

Her voice was low and trembling slightly, and her eyes reddened at the opportune moment. "I know Fourth Brother is a scoundrel and made Jiao Jiao angry. Eldest Brother hung him up and beat him severely last night; his legs were almost broken. I felt so bad about it, so I thought I'd come and see Jiao Jiao..."

The village chief's wife looked her over suspiciously.

Everyone in the village knows what kind of people the Qin brothers are.

They're fiercely protective of their own; how could they possibly hit Li Dongye over something like this?

But one can't hit a smiling face, especially since Lin Qingqing was being so humble and carrying things... which greatly satisfied the village chief's wife's vanity.

"Hmph, now you're scared? Weren't your second and third sons quite arrogant last night?"

"Auntie, it's all our fault, no matter what. Please let me see Jiaojiao. I'm a woman too, and I understand the grievances of women this age. I want to apologize to her in person."

The village chief's wife rolled her eyes, her gaze lingering on the eggs and brown sugar. Brown sugar and eggs were precious treats, reserved only for women in their postpartum period.

She rolled her eyes and opened the iron gate a crack.

"Come in. Put your things down, and once you've finished talking, leave quickly. Don't bring bad luck to my family."

Lin Qingqing thanked them profusely as she entered the house and placed the eggs and brown sugar from the basket on the millstone in the yard.

Su Jiaojiao's room was on the second floor. The village chief's wife was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen downstairs and didn't come up, but she called out upstairs, "Jiaojiao, that young widow from the Qin family has come to apologize to you!"

Lin Qingqing pushed open the door.

The curtains were drawn, and the room was dimly lit. Su Jiaojiao was lying on the bed, her head covered by the blanket, and she didn't move even when she heard the noise.

Lin Qingqing closed the door behind her and locked it.

A soft "click" sounded.

Su Jiaojiao stirred on the bed, lifting a corner of the blanket to reveal her swollen, red eyes. Seeing Lin Qingqing standing in the doorway, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at her in annoyance.

"Get out! Who let you in! I don't want to see your family!"

Lin Qingqing turned away from the pillow, neither picking it up nor getting angry. She placed the basket on the table, pulled over a chair, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

The timid and submissive demeanor he displayed downstairs just moments ago has completely vanished.

She stood up straight, her hands folded on her knees, and there was not a trace of tears in her peach blossom eyes.

"Stop pretending, there's no one else here." Lin Qingqing steadied herself.

Su Jiaojiao was taken aback by her sudden change of heart, then became furious and embarrassed: "Who are you calling an imposter? That scoundrel Li Dongye bullied me, and you dare to turn around and blame me? Believe me, I'll call my dad right now to beat you to death!"

"Shout it out." Lin Qingqing pointed to the door. "Call your dad and your mom over, so everyone can hear what's going on in your belly."

Su Jiaojiao's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her lips trembled.

"You... what nonsense are you talking about..."

"A slippery pulse, like pearls rolling on a plate." Lin Qingqing repeated what Gu Qiangying had said yesterday, her eyes fixed on Su Jiaojiao's belly. "My third brother is a barefoot doctor, but he's seen more pregnancy pulses than you've eaten salt. It's been over a month, hasn't it? Su Jiaojiao, you're really brave."

Su Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment.

Gu Qiangying rarely treated the illnesses of her neighbors in Qingshan Village, so she didn't know their capabilities. That's why she boldly went to the Qin family.

She thought Gu Qiangying's medical skills were inadequate and that he hadn't diagnosed her. Yesterday afternoon, she even went to the health clinic in the next town and paid someone to help her register under a fake name.

It was precisely because Gu Qiangying failed to diagnose the problem and happened to see Li Dongye return to the village that she came up with a plan on the spot.

Upon hearing Lin Qingqing's words... she felt as if her spine had been ripped out, and she collapsed onto the bed, fear shooting from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

Getting pregnant out of wedlock will make you the target of gossip and condemnation from the entire village.

Her father is the village chief. If this scandal happens, her whole family will never be able to hold their heads high in the village.

"What...what do you want?" Su Jiaojiao's voice trembled, on the verge of tears. "If you dare tell anyone, I...I'll kill myself!"

"Die? Are you even willing to die?" Lin Qingqing sneered. "If you really wanted to die, you wouldn't have put on that act last night. You want to cling to my fourth brother, aren't you just looking for someone to take your place?"

Having her thoughts exposed, Su Jiaojiao was filled with shame and indignation, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the corner of the blanket.

"Although Li Dongye seems frivolous, he's rich and has many brothers. You won't be at a disadvantage if you marry him. He's got a pretty good plan."

Lin Qingqing stood up, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains.