If Aunt Liu hadn't meant no harm and had just been teasing her, she would have really dug a hole and crawled inside.

However, this also made her very embarrassed.

good!

She was hesitant just now, but now she has made up her mind.

Xue Fu gritted her teeth. She could bear to eat the food that Gu Chong had made; it wasn't impossible.

She'll lay low for a while, and once everyone's forgotten about it, she'll go over and freeload a meal.

Aunt Liu had long wanted to tease the two of them. She had seen Gu Chong come over many times to help people with chores and take them to and from work; he was incredibly considerate.

Aunt Liu has been married into Qingtang Village for many years, and she knows Gu Chong's temperament well.

She had never seen the eldest son of the Gu family so considerate and gentle. It seems that you really have to be shameless to win over a wife.

Gu Chong didn't consider himself a shy person, but standing next to Xue Fu and being teased together for the first time, he felt a little embarrassed.

Fortunately, he didn't show much expression, so no one noticed his discomfort.

Aunt Liu was an impatient woman. After saying a few words, she changed the subject and told Xue Fu to hurry up and check the grass she had cut that day, because she still had to go home and cook.

Before Xue Fu could even explain, Aunt Liu quickly put down the fodder and left.

Xue Fu and Gu Chong were left standing blankly by the fishpond, the previous lighthearted atmosphere gone.

Xue Fu: "......"

Gu Chong: "......"

The two looked at each other, then suddenly looked away.

It's a bit awkward.

Actually, if Gu Chong were to ask Xue Fu again now whether she wanted to continue eating at his house.

If he were even braver and pursued her to confirm the rumor, Xue Fu might actually agree.

After all, she did have a good impression of Gu Chong, and with this good impression and the legitimate nature of their relationship, Xue Fu could tolerate the gossip.

Ironically, it is this limbo that is most troubling for Xue Fu.

She needs a push to give her a push.

She needed to find a legitimate reason for herself. And that reason could be Gu Chong's 'invitation'.

But at this moment, Gu Chong seemed dumbfounded, unable to understand her gaze, as if he were mute.

Xue Fu immediately wilted.

Xue Fu can be enthusiastic and proactive, but she's inexplicably conflicted about this matter.

She hoped Gu Chong would take the initiative.

Xue Fu is the kind of person who would never take the initiative to confess her feelings to someone.

For once, Xue Fu stood firm: "Then I won't go to your house for now."

Gu Chong lowered his eyes and landed on the ground. The shadows of the two of them overlapped as the sun began to set.

He hummed in response, but his tone betrayed little emotion.

Xue Fu pursed her lips, suddenly feeling somewhat unwilling: "Then I won't go tonight either."

Gu Chong looked up at her, his expression deep and serious: "Yes, I'll take you to the educated youth settlement."

Xue Fu refused: "If you send it over, it's no different from me eating at your house."

Gu Chong took a deep breath, but seeing her furrowed brows, he was afraid of making her even angrier, so after a few seconds he nodded: "Okay."

His cooperation made Xue Fu even more awkward.

Xue Fu glared at him secretly, then turned and left first.

She doesn't want to talk to Gu Chong at all today!

This guy is such a straight man!

Xue Fuzhen didn't go to Gu Chong's house for dinner.

She returned to the educated youth settlement, used her food coupons to eat with them in the communal kitchen.

The difference in food is quite significant.

Xue Fu ate sweet potatoes for two days at the educated youth settlement, along with a bowl of bland bok choy soup.

After months of being fed by Gu Chong's cooking, Xue Fu found it hard to endure.

Thinking of Gu Chong's wooden-like reaction, Xue Fu lowered her head and took a bite of sweet potato to vent her anger.

These past few days, when Xue Fu went to work, many people would come up to her and ask about her and Gu Chong, assuming that the two of them were dating.

They've even started using Li Jing's example to pressure her into marriage.

Xue Fu has a big head.

However, a few days later, for some reason, these aunties who used to talk to her stopped mentioning Gu Chong in front of her.

Xue Fu was suspicious, but she wasn't foolish enough to ask the other person why they hadn't been talking about her rumored boyfriend these past two days.

It's best not to mention these things.

Today, Xue Fu finished work a little later than usual because Aunt Liu, who usually delivers fodder, was a bit late.

So on her way back, Xue Fu ran into Gu Fei, a primary school student who had just finished school.

Having not visited the Gu family for several days, Xue Fu naturally hadn't had a chance to see Gu Fei. When she saw him for a moment, Xue Fu was stunned. It was only after Gu Fei called out to her loudly, "Sister Afu!" that she came to her senses and greeted the child with a smile.

"Xiao Fei, school's out?" Xue Fu said with a smile.

The elementary school student exclaimed excitedly, "Yes!"

Gu Fei jogged over and took Xue Fu's sleeve. The child tugged at it, and Xue Fu looked down at him: "What's wrong?"

"Sister Afu, I think you've lost weight."

Gu Fei's eyes were just as black as Gu Chong's, as dark as ink, which made people feel convinced of him for no reason.

Staring at her so sincerely by Gu Fei, Xue Fu raised her hand to touch her face, her eyes widening slightly: "Really?"

Gu Fei nodded: "You've lost weight."

The food at the educated youth settlement was definitely not as good as what they ate at home; even a kid like Gu Fei knew that.

The educated youth were not as physically robust as the villagers, so they generally earned fewer work points and received less food rations.

Gu Fei thought, "That's how my sister got so thin from starvation."

He really felt that Sister Xue Fu had lost weight. After not seeing her for a few days, her chin looked a bit sharper than before.

"Sister Afu, come to our house for dinner!"

Gu Fei gently tugged at the hem of her dress, as if he were being coquettish.

Xue Fu swallowed hard. To be honest, she was really craving it.

She thought so too; she had been eating sweet potatoes for days and drinking porridge every day.

Xue Fu unconsciously touched her face and realized that she seemed to have lost some weight.

However, Xue Fu shook her head: "Xiao Fei, hurry home, I need to go back for dinner too."

Gu Fei looked somewhat disappointed, but didn't press the matter further: "Okay."

Xue Fu and Gu Fei parted ways at the fork in the road, and one of them went back to the educated youth settlement.

Meanwhile, Gu Fei returned home and immediately saw his brother peeking out from the kitchen. He looked around behind his brother, but finding no one there, he casually looked away.

Gu Fei: "..."

“Brother, I ran into sister today,” Gu Fei said.

Sure enough, his brother immediately peeked over and quickly asked, "And then? What did you say? How is she?"