She thought about what had happened that day, and a scene came to mind. She turned her head and talked to Gu Chong, who had been quiet beside her.

"Gu Chong, I think you're acting strange today."

Gu Chong: "?"

He asked, "What's strange?"

Xue Fu hissed, she couldn't really pinpoint exactly what was different about Gu Chong.

She only clearly felt that Gu Chong glanced at her many times during dinner that night.

Several times their eyes met in mid-air.

However, the emotions in his eyes were obscure, and she couldn't quite understand them.

"Why are you staring at me all day?" Xue Fu thought for a moment and finally voiced her doubts.

She raised her hand and touched her face, from her forehead down to the corners of her eyes, the tip of her nose, and finally her chin. She said, "Is there something on my face?"

She wondered if she had gotten something dirty on her face because she was in such a rush after work.

But then she realized something was off.

Because when she was playing with Gu Fei's younger brother, Gu Fei didn't point it out.

Before Gu Chong realized his own thoughts, he always thought he was doing the right thing and that others could say whatever they wanted.

But after discovering this, I now blush and feel anxious even when cooking a simple meal, and I can no longer be so composed.

He thought, this can't be hidden at all.

If you indulge yourself even slightly and don't restrain yourself, the other party will notice.

Looking at her smooth, fair face, he nodded and lied, saying, "Yes, I do."

"Huh?" Xue Fu was surprised and quickly raised her hand to wipe it again, but she didn't know where it was dirty.

She felt embarrassed and tried to turn her body to cover her face so that no one could see, but Gu Chong's hand pressed down on her shoulder, preventing her from turning around.

He reached out and touched her left cheek near her ear: "Here."

After saying that, he wiped it with his fingertip.

Her hands, rough from doing a lot of farm work, were not smooth at all. Wiping her skin felt slightly scratchy and a bit rough. Before she knew it, Xue Fu hissed.

Gu Chong immediately noticed, removed his hand and put it behind his back, his face darkening with unconscious tension: "Did you hurt yourself?"

Xue Fu shook her head; she was more concerned about whether her face was clean.

She touched the spot he had just wiped with her finger and asked, "Is it clean now?"

Gu Chong unconsciously rubbed his hands behind his back, recalling the feel of his hands just now.

He nodded, "Mmm." But what he was really thinking was, "It feels so soft."

It's even smoother than a tender egg.

He thought to himself that he was really regressing as he got older.

They've even learned to act like hooligans in broad daylight.

As usual, Gu Chong escorted Xue Fu to the gate of the educated youth settlement. After watching her enter, he went home.

When they got home, Gu Fei was still playing in the yard.

Seeing her brother return, Gu Fei put down the toy she was holding and went over to him.

Children speak without restraint.

"Brother, you're lying to sister."

Gu Chong glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Gu Fei continued, "There aren't any chestnut trees on the back mountain at all."

If there were chestnut trees, his brother would have brought them home and eaten them years ago.

His brother knew everything about the hill behind the mountain.

However, although Gu Fei said this and did not quite agree with Gu Chong lying to his sister, when Gu Chong told Xue Fu that the chestnuts were picked from the back mountain, Gu Fei stood next to him and did not say anything to deny it.

Gu Chong unconsciously cleared his throat, preparing to send everyone back to their rooms to sleep; he was about to close the courtyard gate.

Gu Fei didn't move, but smacked his lips and asked, "Brother, are you going to marry sister?" Gu Chong was stunned again and stared at him in place.

Gu Chong did not refute it.

Gu Fei had grown up with him since childhood, and she could guess his expression pretty well.

It's not hard to guess what they're thinking.

Gu Chong stated in a factual tone: "You like her so much."

Gu Fei nodded firmly: "Yes, I want her to be my sister-in-law."

Gu Chong raised an eyebrow and smiled, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

This kid understands him.

Gu Chong reached out and patted his younger brother's head, not answering directly, but simply saying, "She was an educated youth sent to the countryside."

Gu Fei understood the concern, but her mood still inevitably dropped: "I understand."

When Xue Fu was on her way to the Gu family's house for lunch after work today, she passed by the village entrance.

There is an old locust tree at the entrance of the village. It is very big and I heard that it is over a hundred years old.

The locust tree has a large canopy, providing ample shade. When the weather is hot, many people bring their stools over to cool off and chat, creating a lively atmosphere.

For some reason, Xue Fu was extremely excited when she passed by these aunts and uncles. They even grabbed her and chatted with her for a bit before letting her go.

“Hey, Comrade Xue Fu.”

An aunt called out to her. Xue Fu recognized her as the aunt who often brought grass to the fishpond, so she smiled and replied, "Aunt Li, what's up?"

The relationship between the villagers and the educated youth was not cold. Apart from working together, the educated youth usually played with their own people and rarely participated in village affairs.

But Xue Fu is different.

Xue Fu partnered up with the villagers.

When this news first broke, many people thought that Xue Fu had been won over by that rascal Gu Chong and that the two of them were dating.

That's what everyone's saying. But it's all discussed quietly in private.

I just don't know how these words got to Gu Chong's ears. He's clearly oblivious to everything around him. So many people in the village gossiped about him before, but he didn't care at all.

As a result, this time, the young Gu family member picked up a hoe and other tools and headed to the house of the gossipy aunt at the village entrance.

No one knows what she did, but the next day, the auntie went around explaining and clarifying things to everyone.

They said that Comrade Xue Fu gave them money and tickets, and that they were genuinely partners, without taking advantage of Gu Chong.

The two of them are completely innocent and have no romantic relationship.

Some people still didn't believe it before.

The Gu family has no elderly elders, only a ten-year-old child. What happened inside when the man and woman, alone together, opened the door is anyone's guess.

But Xue Fu and Gu Chong have been together for a month or two, and they don't seem to be in any trouble.

When two people walk together, there's enough space between them for two more people to stand in.

Especially Gu Chong, his face was as cold and wooden as a block of wood, it didn't look like they were dating at all.

As a result, fewer and fewer people spread rumors, and they gradually stopped caring when they saw the two of them together.

Moreover, because she partnered with locals, the villagers had a better impression of Xue Fu than other educated youth who did not interact with the villagers.

Recently, Xue Fu has gone out with Gu Fei a few times and has become familiar with Gu Fei's children.

When the children went home and told their parents, the other adults also knew that Xue Fu was a good person.

Seeing Xue Fu approaching, Aunt Li called out to her, "Comrade Xue Fu, do you know that our village is going to open a primary school?"

The news had only been out for a short time, but it had already caused quite a stir in the village.

Starting yesterday at noon, the team leader went door-to-door to count the ages of the children, so that the school-age children could be sent to school.

But a school needs teachers in addition to students.

Being a teacher is a good job right now.