The countryside at night wasn't as idyllic as I had imagined.

If you're not careful, you never know what might fall under your feet.

It was pitch black.

Even so, Qin Jingru remained stubbornly attached to Qin Huairu, like a piece of leech.

"Look at her. I told you not to tell her. Look at her now, what a mess she looks like." Qin Huairu followed behind the two of them, teasing her younger sister.

"None of your business! I'm the rightful wife!" Qin Jingru retorted angrily.

"Fine, fine, I won't bother with you. Just don't cry later." Qin Huairu said with a half-smile.

"Cry? Why are you crying?" The little girl clearly didn't understand the reasoning behind it.

"You'll see when the time comes." Wang Shouren also joined in teasing the young girl.

"No...no, tell me!" The little girl became anxious, stopped walking, and wouldn't move.

"Tsk, she's got quite a temper." Qin Huairu pulled the girl, who was almost in tears, aside and babbled a string of Cantonese.

Wang Shouren wasn't in a hurry. He just stood quietly on the edge of the field, looking at the night view of the village through the darkness.

Tonight, the stars are few and far between, so you can see some outlines.

Through the darkness, one could vaguely see the little girl's rosy cheeks; she seemed a little embarrassed, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Finally, Qin Huairu patted the little girl's bottom, signaling that it was time for her to go back.

"Then...then it's settled, you have to help me." The little girl seemed a little reluctant.

"Yes, yes, I'll help you."

"This isn't for kids, is it?"

"Pfft." Qin Huairu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "I feel like I'm coaxing a child right now."

"I'm ignoring you." With that, the little girl ran away, her face flushed.

"Slow down, don't fall," Wang Shouren added, and the little girl ran even faster.

The remaining two wandered through the dark village.

This was the only time the two of them could barely be considered a date.

"What did you say to her that made her run so fast?" Wang Shouren asked cheerfully.

"What's wrong? Feeling sorry for your empress?"

"You, you." Wang Shouren chuckled. Good heavens, there was a hint of sourness in his words. He took Qin Huairu's hand: "Point me in a direction, let's take a walk together."

Dating women always follows a set pattern. You give them what they need, and they always manage to get caught up in their emotions. Just like now, Wang Shouren didn't say anything romantic; he simply held her hand. Qin Huairu felt her heart pounding faster and faster, as if she had returned to that day, the day she turned eighteen, on this very path in the village fields.

She told her friends in the village that she wanted to marry into the city and live the life of a city dweller.

Back then, I could be considered a pretty woman, but over the years...

As she thought about it, her mood darkened.

She's not young anymore, she's thirty.

Wang Shouren, at most, was only twenty-two years old, making them eight years apart in age.

She opened her mouth, but Wang Shouren spoke first.

"Huai Ru".

"Hmm..." she responded softly, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"I'll teach you a method. Practice hard, and you'll have a long road ahead of you."

"Huh? Ah?" Qin Huairu looked up in confusion, and met Wang Shouren's clear eyes.

"That old man and his wife have been practicing with me, and that's why their health has improved. Haven't you noticed that they're getting more and more energetic?"

"Yes, I've noticed it. Even the older woman's skin has improved." Qin Huairu was the most qualified to talk about this. An older man lived next door to her, and they usually washed clothes together. The changes in the older woman's skin were the envy of all the other older women in the neighborhood.

"That's right. Practice hard. When we're old enough to be grandpas and grandmas, we'll probably be in better shape."

These words undoubtedly gave Qin Huairu a certain strength.

Yes, even though I'm a middle-aged woman, people are saying my skin looks like a young girl's. If I really practice, I could...

For a moment, her steps became lighter.

Sensing that her mood seemed to have improved, Wang Shouren smiled but didn't say anything.

The two of them did nothing, just quietly walked hand in hand from Qin Jingru's house to Qin Huairu's house.

The next day, the little girl, with tears in her eyes, saw Wang Shouren off at the village gate, muttering things like "I was tricked last night." Her words were a plea for Wang Shouren to come and get her soon.

Qin Huairu teased the little girl, saying that the house was already renovated and they were just waiting for the lady of the house to come in. This made the little girl scream again.

The matter had a certain impact on the small village, becoming one of the main topics of conversation among the villagers.

Wang Shouren did not rest after returning to the courtyard.

The things Lou Xiao'e left behind were still quite important to him.

What matters is not the wealth she left behind, but the people she left behind.

With his spatial abilities, making money in this era wouldn't be difficult at all. To be honest, even if he went to the countryside, bought a few chicks, and brought them back to the city to sell, doubling his profit wouldn't be a problem. Moreover, his space also has a preservation function; at the very least, he could stock up on some green vegetables in the summer and sell them in the winter, which would still earn him a considerable amount.

However, he never considered the black market.

On one hand, it's not the right time yet. Even if you make money, it's meaningless in this era. What can you do with money if you don't have tickets? Moreover, there aren't many luxuries to buy or games to enjoy in this era. You could say that in this era, if you work hard enough, your life might be on par with those at a higher level.

On the other hand, he was short of people. At 22 years old, he was in an awkward position, and not many people were willing to believe him. In addition, the black market was too complicated, and if he were to fall into a trap, it would be troublesome.

Therefore, he never used his abilities to make money.

Now, the things Lou Xiao'e left behind have made some things clear to him. Perhaps this is a breakthrough, and he can start making a move.

However, before taking any action, we need to observe this group of people carefully.

————

Snowflakes drifted down, and as the wind blew, pedestrians on the road unconsciously tightened their collars and sleeves.

Everyone was excitedly heading into the factory.

Today is the 27th of the twelfth lunar month. Unlike later generations, factories nowadays are doing quite well, so they'll close two days early for the holidays. The holiday will last from the 28th of the twelfth lunar month to the 3rd of the first lunar month. Work will resume on the 4th.