Chapter 7 He picked up Liu Jiao

"You just want me to apologize to you, hoping to break things off with Widow Qian by making a scene? You women only care about these lovey-dovey things."

Tie Niu crossed his arms with a look of disdain.

Brother Tie Niu, what nonsense are you spouting now?

Liu Jiao added more firewood to the wood-burning stove, making the fire burn even brighter. Satisfied, she patted the ash off her hands, stood up from the small stool, and looked at Tie Niu at eye level.

"Brother Tie Niu, you probably haven't realized that we've already broken off the engagement because you still have the engagement certificate."

"You reminded me."

Liu Jiao approached Tie Niu step by step.

What do you want to do?

Under the watchful eyes of Tie Niu, Liu Jiao tumbled around him and went to the cabinet in the hall. She opened the drawer and took out the red engagement certificate between the two of them.

In front of Tie Niu, she threw the engagement letter directly into the stove.

The flames devoured the last piece of firewood, burning it completely, and the raging fire reached its zenith.

"Our engagement is no longer valid."

"Are you crazy!" Tie Niu snapped out of his daze, furious.

This action provoked him so much that his eyes turned bloodshot, and the veins on his arms bulged.

In the past, Liu Jiao was afraid of him.

But now, she seized the opportunity and, just as Tie Niu clenched his fist to smash it, ran ahead to Sang Ji's back.

"Wow, hero, that little bird on your shoulder is so cute!"

Sang Ji had a white-eye bird on his shoulder today, which looked like a kiwi with smooth green down all over its body. He was about to send it to the princess to cheer her up.

Sang Ji ignored her, so Liu Jiao followed closely behind his broad shoulders, stepping on his shadow, reaching for the hem of his robe, and stealing glances at Tie Niu along the way.

Strangely enough, upon seeing Sang Ji, Tie Niu's bulging veins instantly disappeared.

Liu Jiao waved with a smile: "Brother Tie Niu, aren't you leaving yet?"

After a while...

The room became empty.

Liu Jiao laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up.

yeah!

They called off the engagement!

A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Although she didn't know what other tricks Tie Niu might pull, the engagement certificate was gone, so there was no way to file a lawsuit. She no longer had to worry about her father having a relapse of his madness and simply knocking her unconscious and stuffing her into Tie Niu's house. Once the government ruled, she would never be able to get out for the rest of her life.

After the laughter subsided, Liu Jiao gazed at Sang Ji's retreating figure and thought:

Master Sang, you are truly a precious gem.

*

The spring rain is damp and cold, and even the scorching sky is shrouded in mist.

Today is the day Liu Jiao and Sang Ji go to the chicken coop together.

On the country road, Liu Jiao remained huddled behind Sang Ji.

What a joke! Having powerful connections and not using them?!

It was a case of the fox borrowing the tiger's power; those who usually bullied Liu Jiao were about to speak when they were scared back by Sang Ji's impatient frown.

After all, Sang Ji was large and tall, and in a village where people were generally not tall, it was not an exaggeration to say that he could take on ten people at once.

The chicken coop owner was so frightened when he saw the sword-wielding youth with a fierce expression standing in front of his chicken coop that his heart almost jumped out of his throat.

It wasn't until Liu Jiao said that Sang Ji was there to help with the work that the chicken coop owner's initially resistant expression instantly turned into a warm welcome.

Liu Jiao was dumbfounded.

Ha, rich people change their tune so quickly.

After all, such a tall and strong physique makes them very attractive to bosses who do manual labor.

Even though he only works for one month, every month counts, and the money earned this month is still money.

After successfully finding Sang Ji a job, Liu Jiao took out a complete set of tools that she had prepared for him beforehand:

Sang Ji put on flat-soled knee-high boots to prevent chicken droppings, wore a face mask to protect her from wind and dust, and her high ponytail, tied with a feathered crest, stood tall and dashing. Even in her work clothes, she looked beautiful and elegant.

Liu Jiao looked at Sang Ji, who was still handsome even with his face covered, and felt that something was missing.

oh!

Liu Jiao handed a long stick resembling a floating duster to Sang Ji.

"This is to prevent chickens from pecking people. Although our chickens are docile, our boss is very conscientious and will do his best to prevent his employees from getting hurt."

Sang Ji didn't refuse. After shaking hands, he casually brushed his fingers together, revealing that his finger bones were like jade, slightly cold, making him even more handsome, like a young Taoist priest in black robes.

Liu Jiao touched her thick bangs, feeling resentful.

Why wasn't she born so beautiful!

Let's get to work.

The chicken coop was large and spacious, noisy and bustling, with chickens flying and shedding feathers, and the guard dog chasing after them frantically.

Normally, Liu Jiao would have to work over two days, but now that Sang Ji is here, they can each do half the work, which has improved efficiency.

Liu Jiao: "Logically, you should be working in the chicken coop on the east side, but today is your first day, and I'm the instructor! For the first few days, you'll be working with me on the west side!"

She led Sang Ji into the chicken coop.

Sang Ji looked around and was slightly surprised. The chickens in the coop were different from ordinary chickens; they were beige and blue. They also had fluffy feathers and were round and plump.

The first thing is to collect the eggs.

Liu Jiao thought it was nothing difficult, and that it was impossible to make a mistake...

When Liu Jiao's hand touched Sang Ji's hand, and the calluses made it itch, Liu Jiao realized she was wrong, terribly wrong.

Her face turned red immediately.

The kind that becomes an instant hit.

This isn't the first time I've blushed in my life; the last time was when the sun was blazing and I was being roasted.

The biggest problem is that a man and a woman are alone in a room together!

When working together, physical contact is unavoidable.

Her voice stammered, "I'm...I'm sorry, I bumped into you by accident..."

It's getting weaker and weaker.

The last time Sang Ji half-opened his clothes, she looked at his great figure and didn't feel a ripple in her heart. Why is she a little shy when they just touch hands?

Oh no, Master Sang won't suspect her of having ulterior motives!

After all, her father had said that girls and men should keep their distance.

However, compared to Liu Jiao's embarrassment and hesitation, Sang Ji remained extremely calm.

He didn't take it to heart at all, and didn't care about whether there was any physical contact with Liu Jiao. He calmly said, "Keep picking them up, don't stop."

"It's normal to accidentally come into contact with someone. Don't overthink it or take it to heart. Just focus on your work."

Sang Ji uttered a remark not to interfere with the work, and then continued to work on his head.

It moved incredibly fast, leaving not a single cloud behind.

His words seemed to have divine power, and Liu Jiao quickly calmed down.

Good thing there was no misunderstanding, then she can go all out and get to work!

That's true, she was ugly to begin with. Tie Niu once said that a woman like her would make any man have no interest in her.

Sang Daxia is a man, so he certainly wouldn't think about the differences between men and women.

Even a great hero doesn't care about getting involved, so why should she care!

Then, she quickly followed Sang Ji to pick up the eggs; she, an experienced hand, couldn't be outdone by him!

Liu Jiao became more open-minded and completely let go of her lingering doubts about the inappropriateness of physical contact between men and women. She no longer treated Sang Ji as a man, but as someone she worked with.

They were so free that when a fluffy blue chick, seemingly possessed by some mysterious force, darted out of the henhouse and up to the purple-flowered jacaranda tree—

Liu Jiao was incredibly audacious. She pulled Sang Ji over and ordered him to squat down so she could step on his shoulders to climb up.

Sang Ji took a deep breath: "Are you serious?"

Liu Jiao showed no shame whatsoever: "Okay, hurry up and let me step on your shoulder, otherwise the chicken will fly off somewhere again."

Sang Ji coldly refused, displaying the aloof demeanor of a chaste and virtuous man who would not yield to another's advances: "You can climb the tree yourself, or I can catch you."

Liu Jiao sighed, "There's no time to climb the tree, and it's no use for you to go either! After all, you're so strong, you might end up killing the chicken instead of catching it."

As expected, Master Sang was still a novice and didn't understand anything.

Liu Jiao earnestly explained the facts:

"This chicken is quite expensive. With your current financial situation, you can't afford to pay for it."

Sang Ji's eyes throbbed, and he wore a sour expression.

Just as he was about to reprimand her, Liu Jiao widened her eyes and urged, "Hurry, hurry, the chicken is going to run away!"

He patted him on the shoulder as he spoke.

She's stupid, she's stupid, she's stupid.

The princess said that he should have empathy.

Sang Ji, who was being filmed, had to convince himself for a long time before he managed to restrain himself from killing her.

Forget it, he can bear the consequences of killing her, but there's no benefit in it.

But stepping on someone's shoulder is unacceptable; he would never allow someone to ride on his head or make him do things he doesn't like.

Just as Liu Jiao was about to climb onto his shoulder, Sang Ji closed his eyes, and then his large, hot hands directly grasped Liu Jiao's waist, which was exposed by the waist belt.

He supported her with his strong arms, his right leg braced against the tree, and lifted Liu Jiao up like a chick.

Liu Jiao didn't care whether she was being lifted up or stepped on his shoulders; she only cared whether she had successfully caught the chick.

As for the feeling of being picked up by Sang Ji:

There was a slight feeling of weightlessness.

We've got it!

Liu Jiao, carefree, hugged the chick, jumped off Sang Ji, and then casually thanked him before taking the chick back to the henhouse.

While scolding the naughty chicks, he couldn't stop stroking their feathers.

Unlike Liu Jiao, Sang Ji didn't have it so easy.

As he lifted... or rather, picked up Liu Jiao, his upper body was pressed against the girl's soft body, while his lower body was rubbed against Liu Jiao's restless legs...

Sang Ji was stunned by this sudden sensation, and his whole body tensed up.

The young man was full of vigor and had just turned seventeen. His body, which had always been cold and hard, had never been in contact with a girl.

By the time he realized what was happening, he was so angry he could barely breathe.

I was angry at her impulsive touch, angry at myself, and angry at my indescribable reaction.

He wanted to throw Liu Jiao directly to the ground—

But there's no reason to throw it away.

Does that mean she offended him? But he was the one who picked her up and told her not to overthink the physical contact.

After all, Sang Ji knew very well that this silly girl had a straightforward mind and couldn't possibly be thinking about anything.

Every second feels like a year.

He watched as she nibbled at him, her legs and feet rubbing restlessly against him.

Purple flowers, black wood, salty spring rain.

She caught her.

With the fastest speed he had ever used, he released his hands from Liu Jiao's waist.

It has a soft texture.

Sang Ji exhaled, using strong willpower to suppress his thoughts.

After that, Sang Ji ignored Liu Jiao for the entire morning.

Having only learned a rudimentary skill, he went to work alone in the chicken coop on the east side.

He is indeed smart, but not skilled...

This gave Liu Jiao a fright when she went to deliver food to Sang Ji:

The once proud, aloof, and noble Eagle Brother is now in a sorry state, his semi-permanent high ponytail standing on end.

Liu Jiao: "..."

Pfft, hahaha!

Sang Ji gave her a cold look as she laughed wildly.

The spring rain was drizzling in the cubicle where there were only two people.

After a while, Liu Jiao finally stopped laughing, handed the food box her mother had brought to Sang Ji, and thoughtfully served him some pear juice squeezed by Jingzhe.

She had already eaten, and since Sang Ji was eating, she couldn't sleep, so she simply took out a needle and thread from the cloth bag embroidered with yellow and blue chicks and began to work back and forth, stitch by stitch.

The nascent eagle in my hand has only a head and an eye, yet it reveals the superb skill of the craftsman, making it incredibly lifelike.

Holding the food box in his hands, Sang Ji watched Liu Jiao's skillful and exquisite embroidery movements, and a sense of doubt and curiosity arose in his heart.

I just asked casually.

The boy's voice was crisp and clear, with a hint of naivety: "What are you embroidering?"

Liu Jiao replied quickly.

She stopped what she was doing, looked at Sang Ji's bright eyes, and said enthusiastically, "A fan. Spring is almost here, and summer is just a few months away. At that time, our villages in the south will have a night parade of fish and dragon dances, which is very beautiful. You can use this fan to cool off."

Sang Ji stared at her calm and clear eyes for a moment, stunned.

Then she lowered her eyes.

He didn't reply to her.

Liu Jiao pouted, not taking it to heart, and continued embroidering. Her movements were so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.

Sang Ji couldn't possibly ignore it; he watched it silently.

After a long pause, he replied, "You're quite impressive."

"The embroidery is very well done."

This was the first time Sang Ji had naturally picked up on Liu Jiao's words without showing any impatience.

He recognized the embroidery style; it was Bian embroidery, the embroidery art of Huajing, which only the gentry could access.

His mother was a master of Bian embroidery. Unexpectedly, she, who came from a rural background, could do it, and even better than her mother, who had been trained in needlework by renowned masters since childhood.

Very impressive.

Liu Jiao was pleased to be praised by the guardian beast and became more talkative. She even took out her small cloth bag: "Not only the fan, but many of my items are embroidered by myself, like this bag with the yellow and blue chick! Isn't it pretty? If you like, I can embroider one for you too!"

The yellow and blue chicks are so lifelike and vivid, like an ink painting.

Sang Ji: "Do you really like embroidery?"

Liu Jiao: "I really like it!"

Sang Ji pinched the cup, took a sip of the bittersweet pear juice, and concealed the strange feeling in his heart.

This is unusual because it was unexpected by those in control.

It seems that she and he had different ideas.

She wasn't entirely a useless, foolish village girl; she had her own merits and cleverness.

This was something Sang Ji hadn't expected; it revealed his shallowness.

This was the first time Sang Ji had truly looked at the girl in front of him.

She had thick, unfashionable bangs and pigtails, making her almost unnoticable.

However, despite his ordinary appearance, he has a pair of bright, clear black and white eyes.

What is her name?

Sang Ji thought about it, put his heart into it, and left a faint impression.

Her name seems to be Liu Jiao.

A note from the author:

----------------------

Ugh, why did the word "firm" get stuck in my mouth? [Cracked][Cracked][Melted]

① The white-eye is a Class III protected animal in modern times. Don't be like Sang Ji [poor face].

②The beige and blue chickens, Kochi chickens, are used in the story because it's a fictional setting and I think they look good. [heart eyes]