"Yingying, your mother is right. I'm an outsider and can't offer you a stable life. Besides, I'll have to go back to the city one day," Xu Zhizhou said, making no secret of his intentions. "Although I can't go back now, I can't stay in the countryside forever. My family is also trying to find connections. I heard that if I'm accepted by a job or retire due to illness, I can go back to the city. Yingying, I don't want to lie to you."

"I know, Governor, I know what you are thinking. I will support you if you return to the city. You have talent and ability, and you will only be buried here."

Du Yingying's words made Xu Zhizhou happy. "I'm glad you understand me. So, Yingying, although I know I'm not young anymore, I still want to build a career first and then start a family. Only in this way can I be worthy of you and give you a better life. Yingying, can you wait for me?"

"I can, Zhizhou, I'll wait for you"

"But your mother's side..."

"Zhizhou, don't worry, you don't have to worry about my mother. My mother loves me the most, she will definitely not force me." Looking at the lover standing in front of her, Du Yingying's eyes were filled with the shadow of his shadow, and her heart and eyes were full of Xu Zhizhou. As for the current warnings, Du Yingying had already thrown them out of the window. "My mother loves me the most, she will definitely not go against my wishes. As for you, being an elementary school teacher is a good job. I know it's a good thing for you to help the weak, but it's not good to withdraw from the exam now that you haven't been selected. It's better to take the exam first. If you pass the exam, I don't mind if you give it to someone else, but at least your talent should be visible to others. What do you say, Zhizhou?"

Du Yingying's words of retreating to advance instantly dispelled Xu Zhizhou's original idea. "Yes, why didn't I think of that? I was only thinking about helping Bai Yongjun, but I forgot that this exam is full of talented people. This is good. I will also take the exam. If I pass, if the policy allows, I will give it to Bai Yongjun. This is not necessarily a good idea."

"Zhizhou, you are the kindest person I have ever met." These words of praise made even Xu Zhizhou's cheeks slightly red. Facing Du Yingying's eyes full of admiration, Xu Zhizhou was speechless.

Seeing this, Du Yingying covered her mouth and smiled, "You are still so shy."

Xu Zhizhou smiled shyly again and remained silent.

Du Yingying, who hadn't received an answer from Xu Zhizhou, wasn't disappointed. After all, this man was never one for sweet talk. It was just that, compared to her memory of how Tianniu and Li Hongjun interacted, Du Yingying felt a little regretful. She looked back at the snowflakes drifting on the grass, and said, "Zhizhou, go back. Standing in this shade for too long is bad for your health."

"Okay, I'll take you home," Xu Zhizhou's considerate words made Du Yingying happy again, but she forgot that her home was on the same way as Xu Zhizhou's, so there was no question of whether to take him home or not. However, maybe people who are in love have poor eyesight, and they have a blind filter for their loved ones, filtering the other person to be perfect, even Du Yingying is no exception.

When Du Yingying returned home, she was met with scrutiny from her mother the moment she entered the courtyard. Aunt Cui looked at the grass and snow on the edges of Du Yingying's shoes and wondered, "Did you go see Xu Zhizhou again?"

Du Yingying looked away and couldn't find a suitable reason to explain herself. Seeing this, Aunt Cui understood everything. She immediately threw away the broom in her hand, walked forward, and pulled Du Yingying into the house.

In the room, mother and daughter sat facing each other. Aunt Cui looked at Du Yingying, closing her eyes and then opening them again. After several attempts, she finally couldn't contain her anger. "What on earth do you see in him? From the beginning until now, has he ever taken the initiative? There are so many people in the village, isn't there anyone you like? What's more, Xu Zhizhou isn't from here. If he suddenly leaves, what will you do? Have you ever considered that the rumors in the village are enough to drown you?"

Du Yingying disagreed with this. "Mom, the prefect said that if he left, he would definitely tell me in advance. Besides, it's not that he doesn't have feelings for me. It's just that he doesn't have a career right now, so he can't express his feelings. But I know he has me in his heart."

"There is you, Yingying, don't be silly. Look at Li Hongjun and He Jiefang, neither of them looks better than Xu Zhizhou, especially Li Hongjun, who is a lot worse than Xu Zhizhou in appearance. But that person, after meeting Tianniu on the riverbank, started to notify his family. Although no one came from home, letters and betrothal gifts were sent over." Aunt Cui's face was full of dissatisfaction. If this was not her own child, she would have slapped her long ago, "Wake up, do you really think you are Cui Yingying who pursues true love in that opera? Yingying, Xu Zhizhou is not Zhang Sheng, and your father and I are not the people in power in the prime minister's mansion. I was obsessed with it before, always thinking that the master said you were destined to be rich and noble and let you do whatever you want. Yingying, you are not young anymore. If you were in the village at your age, you would have been married and had children long ago. Although I don't force you to get married, Xu Zhizhou is really not suitable for you."

Aunt Cui's chatter did not wake Du Yingying up at all, but instead made her more determined to be in love with Xu Zhizhou. Faced with her mother's disapproval of her lover, Du Yingying immediately retorted, "Mom, I am indeed not Cui Yingying in the opera, and Xu Zhizhou is not that Zhang Sheng, but the relationship between us is stronger than gold. Zhizhou is a man who values ​​friendship and loyalty. You can see, didn't my dad oppose me?" Finally, Du Yingying was afraid that she could not persuade Aunt Cui, so she pulled Village Chief Du out.

Looking at Du Yingying's insistent face, Aunt Cui felt helpless. "I was too generous to you after all. You didn't listen to the old man's advice and now you are suffering."

"Mom," Du Yingying stood up and snuggled into Aunt Cui's arms, lowering her voice and coquettishly saying, "Mom, don't worry. Your daughter is not stupid. I just don't want to work hard. Among so many people, Xu Zhizhou is the most honest and steady. Besides, once he passes the exam to become a teacher at the school, he will have a stable job. He is right under your noses, so nothing will happen to him."

Hearing this, Aunt Cui said nothing more. She simply reached out and embraced Du Yingying in her arms, gently stroking her back up and down, her tone full of helplessness and doting. "You, you, really, there's nothing I can do about you. But although we can talk, you must not do anything out of line, understand?"

"Yeah," Du Yingying nodded and snuggled into Aunt Cui's arms again, which made Aunt Cui angry and helpless. She had to suffer the consequences of her own child.

Xu Zhizhou had no idea about the unpleasant conversation between Du Yingying and Aunt Cui. At this time, he was immersed in Du Yingying's love, feeling a little nervous and hesitant, so he showed some emotions on his face when he went back. This made some people like Du Jiang who were wandering around the yard with nothing to do very curious, but because it was a private matter, they could not inquire about it and could only guess at each other.