Beishan, as its name suggests, is located in the north.

That area is uninhabited, with a waterfall. The mountain is steeper than the one that the people from Qingshan Brigade usually go to. A few years ago, someone ran in and never came out. When people went in to look for him, they only found bloodstained clothes. After that, almost no one went in again.

Although the people of Qingshan Brigade wouldn't turn pale at the mention of Beishan, if they knew someone was running into the mountains, they would still think that person probably didn't want to live.

"Third brother!"

Someone on the road saw Xie Zhu carrying a basket and walking towards the supply and marketing cooperative. Their expression was somewhat complicated. "Going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things?"

Xie Zhuo glanced at him but didn't answer.

"Hey, you're married now, how come you're still acting so arrogant?" Qian Yong's younger brother, Qian Hu, didn't care about Xie Zhuo's reaction and moved closer to him.

"The whole brigade has heard all about how you used to forbid your wife from spending money on things when she went to the market," Qian Hu said.

"I didn't expect that you had this young educated youth, Xu, completely under your control. You told her not to spend money, and she really didn't spend a single penny."

“I heard that when she came back that day, her basket was empty.”

Xie Zhuo paused, glanced at him, and finally spoke, "Who told you that?"

“Hey, don’t worry about who said it,” Qian Hu said, his interest piqued when he saw that Qian Hu was paying attention to him. “Just tell me if there’s any truth to it?”

Xie Zhuo thought for a moment and realized that when Xu Yan came back that day, there was nothing in his basket except for a few fried dough cakes and some pretty hair ties.

His hesitation made Qian Hu's expression even more interesting.

"Wow, Lao San, it's one thing to marry the most beautiful female educated youth in the whole county, but he can even go this far."

"How about I share some experience with you, brother? My heartless stepmother is planning to arrange a marriage for me recently. I heard she's planning to marry Tian Fang to me. Damn, everyone knows what kind of family the Tian family is."

"I can't rely on anyone else, so I plan to find a wife on my own..."

Qian Hu kept rambling on until he reached the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative. Seeing that Xie Zhuo wasn't going in, he took a strange step back.

"What's wrong, third brother?"

“It’s alright,” Xie Zhuo said. “My wife has been spoiled since she was a child and doesn’t like the things from the village supply and marketing cooperative. I’ll go to the department store in the city to buy them for her when I have time.”

Qian Hu: "..."

In short, he explained Qian Hu's previous statement that he had manipulated Xu Yan.

As for whether the other party believes it or not...

He didn't really care.

Qian Hu, who had originally planned to buy him a pack of cigarettes as a reward before continuing his "journey of learning," was speechless.

“Well…” Qian Hu hesitated for a moment, “Some people also said that you hit Xiao Xu, the educated youth, and that’s definitely true—”

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Mancang lifted the military green curtain of the supply and marketing cooperative, stepped out, and blurted out the same words Xie Zhuo had said to him that day: "You actually believe this kind of nonsense?"

Qian Hu was startled by his sudden appearance.

Then the curtain was lifted again, and Zhao Jisheng came out.

"Finished buying?" Xie Zhuo glanced at the two of them and then said, "Let's go if you're done."

The three of them hurriedly walked towards the North Mountain. Qian Hu stared at them with wide eyes until someone else came out, at which point he turned his gaze away and entered the supply and marketing cooperative.

While buying cigarettes, Xie Zhuo's words unexpectedly came to mind.

He sighed and said, "The third child has a tough life!"

Why bother marrying a tyrant and keeping her at home like a beast of burden?

Xie Zhuo had no idea what Qian Hu was thinking. He turned his head and saw Liu Mancang smoking a cigarette, then looked away.

"Third Brother, really not want one?" Liu Mancang noticed Xie Zhuo's gaze, took a satisfied puff, and exhaled a puff of smoke before asking.

"No," Xie Zhuo refused without even thinking.

He did smoke in his previous life, but not for long. Mainly because he had two little kids at home, and his mother would always scold him when she saw him, so he stopped smoking after getting annoyed by her nagging.

In this life, although no one will nag him about smoking, Xu Yan is clean and always smells sweet. He doesn't want to be disliked for smoking when he gets close to him.

“Smoking is bad for your health,” Xie Zhuo glanced at Liu Mancang and Zhao Jisheng. “I remember you two weren’t this addicted to cigarettes before.”

“To bolster courage,” Liu Mancang said.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to Beishan,” Zhao Jisheng said, then glanced at Xie Zhuo, “Third Brother, are you really not afraid?”

"What are you afraid of?" Xie Zhuo asked.

“Everyone says that Widow Wang was eaten by wolves in the mountains,” Zhao Jisheng said. “Didn’t you have any doubts when you first went into the mountains?”

“No,” Xie Zhuo said.

This wasn't just him trying to save face; he genuinely wasn't afraid.

Because he knew what was in that mountain.

They also knew that Widow Wang hadn't actually been eaten by anything in the mountains; it was just a scheme devised by her and her lover in the city to deceive others.

In the later years of his previous life, more people went up the mountain, and he also made many trips up there.

There are indeed large, formidable creatures deep inside, but the surrounding area is mostly populated by smaller animals.

The three walked very fast, and it took them less than ten minutes to reach the foot of the mountain.

If either Liu Mancang or Zhao Jisheng were to come alone, neither of them would have the courage. But with Xie Zhuo by their side, they had no such concerns.

Third Brother is very capable.

Third Brother is agile and skillful.

Third Brother is very strong.

Third Brother is a crack shot...

Before Xie Zhuo could finish showering Liu Mancang with compliments, he suddenly made a gesture, indicating that Liu Mancang should be quieter.

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