For a moment, Mingzhu didn't know what to say.

She lacked simple confidence and assertiveness; in fact, few girls possessed that kind of confidence.

However, this society is indeed unfair to women.

In rural areas, people gossip if someone doesn't get married by a certain age, but it's normal for them to be bullied by their in-laws after marriage. Outsiders' first reaction is, "Is this daughter-in-law disrespectful to her parents-in-law, or is she not doing her job well?"

Even if things escalate, others will only try to smooth things over.

"Why don't you just do your job properly?"

"Oh, it's good that you've given birth to a boy. Every wife goes through this, doesn't she?"

She didn't understand before, but after three years in the countryside, she's seen everything. Rural people are hardworking and capable, but there are some old-fashioned rules that she keeps at a distance from.

She wasn't a savior, nor did she expect that she, a mere educated youth, could change things ingrained in people's bones for so many years.

She felt it was wrong and unfair, while others might be enjoying it.

It's like when a couple is fighting and outsiders try to break it up. The woman gets hit by the man and screams for help everywhere. Someone sees this and hits the man, and then the woman comes out to protect him, saying that the other person is meddling. Then the couple walks away happily, while the one who helped becomes the villain.

This is a classic case of Mr. Dongguo and the wolf.

Knowing full well that he would be bitten back, or even bitten many times over, Jian Dan certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to be like Mr. Dongguo.

Although Mingzhu also longed for it in a simple way, she was still rational.

I understand your concerns, but...

Okay, you're still young, you can wait a few more years.

However, you should also be prepared that in the countryside, you're already old enough to be looking for a partner. I bet there will be people watching you. You can make up an excuse or something, since you still have elders here, and you can blame it all on them.

And that Ling Weidong, he doesn't seem like someone who gives up easily either.

"Sigh!" Jian Dan let out a long sigh.

"What a nuisance. Just live your own life. Why are you always keeping an eye on me?"

Mingzhu shook her head helplessly. Isn't he still just a child?

After a few days of rest, the work in the fields was basically done, and the annual harvest season began again.

The autumn air is crisp and clear, and the sun shines brightly.

Early in the morning, Jian Dan let the four little ones, Ji Xiang and his companions, out to run around and have fun.

Mingzhu definitely wasn't going, and Li Yan, being heavily pregnant, couldn't go either. Jian Dan waited at the door for Tan Yajun, Lin Zhaodi, and Bai Xiaoqin, who shared a room with them. After not seeing them for several days, Bai Xiaoqin was dressed almost exactly like them, in work clothes, a headscarf, gloves, and a basket.

It seems that the group gets along well.

I hadn't gone far when a group of children came running over and greeted me.

Although the children only received a few dozen kilograms of produce from that small plot of land, they have been praised by their families ever since. After all, it was something the children had earned themselves, and the way they looked at them was clearly that of family.

"Sister Jane,"

"Sister Jane,"

"Sister Jian, when is Xin Xin coming back?"

Chattering away, I simply stuffed a handful of candy into Tiger's hand, told him not to eat it while running, and sent the children on their way.

Bai Xiaoqin's eyes were filled with envy.

"These children like you so much!"

A simple smile.

“My sister was here before, and these are all her friends.”

Tanya walked side by side with Jian Dan, watching the children stuff the candy they received into their mouths before running off in a flash.

"You've been gone these past few days, and I haven't heard many villagers praising you."

"Oh, you're praising me? I haven't done anything lately!"

He gestured with his chin toward the children.

"Look, it's all thanks to your vegetable garden."

The children brought so much stuff back home, their parents were overjoyed. Who knew such little kids could grow so much? They all praised you for being good with children. And considering what happened on the mountain the other day, I think next year, things might not go well; the job of teaching the children might have to come back to you.”

Simple wasn't happy; she'd rather put in the effort.

"Forget it, those were all methods I came up with to teach Xin Xin. She teaches her better than I do. She hardly ever comes back these days, so why would I bother with that?"

Tan Yajun nodded. She was just saying it casually, to give her a general idea.

"Yeah, Xin Xin has been gone for quite a while this time, hasn't she? It feels like it's been ages since I've seen her."

A simple, wry smile.

"Don't even mention you, I haven't seen her in ages. She's been learning from her uncle, she simply can't find the time, she's so busy."

"By the way, Sister Zhaodi, have you booked a date? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lin Zhaodi blushed.

"We haven't decided on a date yet. Anyway, we don't plan on having a big celebration. The house is up these days. Once we finish harvesting the crops and the land is almost dry, we'll find a day and invite some people from the village to have a meal together."

Tanya nodded.

“Zhao Di’s side is just us educated youth, but Liu Guoqiang grew up in the village after all, and many of the village elders have helped him a lot. Even if we don’t hold a big celebration, we still need to make it lively so that they can have a drink at his wedding.”

"Yes, that's what he said too,"

"Has his sister-in-law caused you any trouble again?"

Lin Zhaodi pursed her lips.

“They made a scene when the foundation was being laid, and they wanted to exchange their old house for ours once the house was finished so they could move into the new one.”

Liu Guoqiang happened to be there and said, "As long as you're not afraid of these things happening to your son, go ahead and make a scene. With a mother like her who's always causing trouble, let's see who dares to marry their daughter into this family."

So she ran away.

It's simple, but I'm speechless.

"Her son is so young, isn't it too early to threaten him like this? It'll be at least ten years before he's old enough to get married, and who will remember such a trivial matter then?"

"No, you don't know, his sister-in-law loves the child, not only because he is a son, but also because when Liu Jiabao was born, she met a beggar monk who said, 'One cause, one effect; one effect, one cause; mutual cause and effect; cause and effect cycle.'"

A few years ago, there was an incident, it seems, where she hit another child because of a fight between their children. Before they even got home, Liu Jiabao fell down. And for three days in a row, he would fall down whenever he got on the ground, even on flat surfaces.

Since then, she has been particularly superstitious about these things, fearing that the sins she committed would be punished on Liu Jiabao.

This is her precious darling; even if it were Liu Guoping or Liu Jiabao's father saying anything, she wouldn't be happy.

"That's so true, everyone has a weakness."

"Yes, I was actually quite afraid of that sister-in-law, but after that commotion, she probably won't dare to come again."

It's clear that Lin Zhaodi is satisfied with Liu Guoqiang; the tenderness in her eyes is overflowing when she speaks.

Seeing this, Jian Dan deliberately frowned and drew out the sound.

"Oh...you keep talking about him, who is he?"