Before coming to Dalin Village for a blind date, Chu Chaoyang was actually very reluctant.

He didn't understand that he was in good condition, even better than most of his peers in the county, so it would be easy for him to find a girl of equal social standing to marry in the county.

Why did his father insist on arranging a blind date with a country girl just for the sake of brotherly affection?

It is evident that after hearing Shen Jingyan's words, he immediately changed his mind.

Compared to Shen Jingyan's looks and temperament, all the girls in the city seemed vulgar and no longer worthy of his attention.

What's more, the young lady is not only outstanding in appearance and gentle and calm in personality, but also an excellent cook. She is simply the perfect wife in his heart.

He was determined to win Shen Jingyan's heart!

"Brother Chaoyang, let's leave it here."

Shen Jingyan's attitude towards him remained polite but distant. "It's not easy for you to come all this way, so please spend some time talking with my uncle. I won't invite you in."

Her politeness was impeccable, and Chu Chaoyang couldn't very well barge into the young girl's room without shame.

Reluctantly, I said, "Alright, you can go back now. We can talk again sometime."

Shen Jingyan smiled and nodded at him.

"I'll take you to the county town sometime!"

Chu Chaoyang gazed at the little girl's beautiful back and called out expectantly.

Not long after Shen Jingyan walked away, Chu Chaoyang felt empty inside and lost interest in everything around him.

In order to strike up a conversation with Shen Jingyan again, he racked his brains for an excuse.

He pulled out a few beautifully packaged pieces of candy from his pocket and strode after Shen Jingyan.

"Jingya, wait a minute, this is for you!"

He handed the handful of candy to Shen Jingyan.

Shen Jingyan didn't want to offend him, so she had no choice but to reach out and accept it.

Just as her fingers touched Chu Chaoyang's palm, a deep, magnetic voice sounded behind her.

"Jingya, you're here! I've been looking for you for ages."

Upon hearing this sound, Shen Jingyan's heart trembled, and her hand shook, causing the candies to fall to the ground with a "clatter".

Was it her imagination? Gu Zhiyun was actually calling her by her nickname, "Jingya"?

She turned her head and confirmed that the person standing behind her was indeed Gu Zhiyun.

He leaned on a roughly made wooden cane, looking at Chu Chaoyang with a scrutinizing gaze and a cold expression.

Although Chu Chaoyang did not know Gu Zhiyun, according to his male nature, he automatically regarded Gu Zhiyun as a "love rival".

He looked Gu Zhiyun up and down, his sense of crisis growing stronger.

He wasn't blindly confident. The young man in front of him was taller and more handsome than him, and it seemed he had known Jingya for longer.

But when he saw Gu Zhiyun's crutch and his slightly awkward right foot, his sense of crisis lessened a bit.

Is he a cripple? I have all four limbs and my physical condition is much better than his.

Shen Jingyan was still immersed in Gu Zhiyun's "Jingya" and hadn't recovered yet.

It was Gu Zhiyun, who was usually quiet and reserved, who spoke first.

"Jingya, didn't you say you'd help me apply the medicine again today? I've been waiting for you for almost a whole day."

His eyelashes were lowered, and his expression and tone were very aggrieved.

It's as if I'm a lovelorn man who has waited for my beloved for three lifetimes, only to see her living happily ever after with another man.

Shen Jingyan had never seen the usually aloof Gu Zhiyun show such an expression before, and her heart tightened, feeling a little guilty.

She did mention last night that she was going to apply safflower oil to Gu Zhiyun's injured and swollen ankle.

But it's already four o'clock in the afternoon and she still hasn't shown up. No wonder Gu Zhiyun is getting impatient.

"Jingya, who is this?" Chu Chaoyang asked politely.

"This is Gu, the educated youth from the forest farm, he's mine..."

Shen Jingyan racked her brains for words, trying to find a way to properly describe her relationship with Gu Zhiyun.

Gu Zhiyun remained silent, his warm gaze following Shen Jingyan, a hint of expectation even in his eyes.

"……friend."

"Friends?" Chu Chaoyang raised an eyebrow, clearly not so convinced by the word "friends".

In this era, male-female relationships are far from open enough to allow for physical contact.

Not to mention Jingya, an unmarried young girl, helping an educated youth apply medicine.

"And who are you, and what is your relationship with Jingya?" Gu Zhiyun raised his chin and looked down at Chu Chaoyang as he asked.

Shen Jingyan then realized that Gu Zhiyun was actually much taller than Chu Chaoyang, and Chu Chaoyang's aura was immediately overshadowed.

In an era of scarcity, what did this man eat to grow so tall?

Chu Chaoyang stammered, "I am..."

He couldn't very well say that he came to meet Shen Yuqin on a blind date, and then fell for Jingya, could he?

He felt that if he said that, the educated youth in front of him might pick up his cane and hit him in the face.

“Chaoyang’s father and my uncle are sworn brothers. They came to visit during the Chinese New Year.”

Chen Jingyan spoke ambiguously, thus smoothing things over for Chu Chaoyang.

Chaoyang Ge?

These three words stung Gu Zhiyun's ears.

They're calling each other so affectionately!

Why is he addressed with the polite title "Gu the Educated Youth," while a distant relative is called "Brother"?

Even Gu Zhiyun himself didn't realize that he was secretly jealous over these trivial matters.

His handsome face darkened, and his expression toward Chu Chaoyang grew increasingly hostile.

Shen Jingyan sensed that there seemed to be some strange emotion flowing between the two young men.

She felt extremely uncomfortable, sandwiched between two tall men, as if she had needles in her back.

In order to quickly end this meaningless and awkward conversation, Shen Jingyan smiled at Gu Zhiyun and said:

"Gu Zhiqing, let's go back and apply the medicine. Chaoyang, it's getting late, you should go back too."

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhiyun glanced at Chu Chaoyang with a cold gaze, then, leaning on his crutch, limped towards the dormitory.

Seeing that he was having difficulty walking, Shen Jingyan reached out and supported his arm.

Chu Chaoyang stared blankly at the candies scattered all over the ground, a sour feeling welling up inside him.

He stood there for a long while before reluctantly returning to the Shen family home.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Shen Yuqin clung to him like a leech.

"Brother Chaoyang, why did you take so long? Was Jingya bothering you?"

Chu Chaoyang already didn't have a good impression of Shen Yuqin, and listening to her noisy voice, he said impatiently:

"No, I haven't been to the forest farm, I just wandered around there."

Shen Yuqin immediately offered her help, saying, "Brother Chaoyang, if you want to take a walk, I'll go with you. I know that area of ​​the forest farm very well, let's go now!"

She eagerly tried to take Chu Chaoyang's arm, but Chu Chaoyang forcefully slapped her hand away.

He looked at Shen Yuqin with an icy expression and said, "Yuqin, I don't think we're a good match. Don't waste your time on me."