Although Qin Xiaoxiao was heavily pregnant, she was surprisingly fast. By the time the educated youth realized what was happening, Qin Xiaoxiao was already waving her hands and coldly staring at Bai Xiruo.

"Criticize me? What a joke! What right do you have to tell me what to do? You're just a pathetic wretch abandoned by your family, relying on the villagers of Qinjiagou for food, clothing, and shelter. And you dare to yell at me here? You're so spoiled!"

Su Lu walked over to Qin Xiaoxiao, grabbed her hand and looked at it carefully. "Next time you hit someone, tell me and I'll do it. Your hand is all red from hitting you. Does it hurt?"

Upon hearing this, all the educated youth turned their heads away from Su Lu, because the two of them were too good at showing affection, making people jealous.

Bai Xiruo had just recovered from being slapped by Qin Xiaoxiao when she was shocked to find that Su Lu didn't say Qin Xiaoxiao was wrong, and even thought that Qin Xiaoxiao's hand would hurt if she hit her.

"Qin Xiaoxiao, what right do you have to hit me? Did I say something wrong?"

Qin Xiaoxiao didn't even look at her, immersed in Su Lu's gentleness, and only replied indifferently, "You're wrong everywhere. If you don't understand, go ask someone yourself."

Bai Xiruo was furious and stepped forward to retaliate against Qin Xiaoxiao.

Just as she reached out her hand, Su Lu suddenly raised his head and looked at Bai Xiruo with icy eyes.

Bai Xiruo's hand trembled in fright, and she froze, lowering her hand. "You dare to touch her? You can try."

Su Lu glanced at Bai Xiruo's hand, "If you don't want it anymore, just say so, and I'd be happy to help you."

Bai Xiruo swallowed hard, lowered her hand, and dared not meet Su Lu's gaze.

Good heavens, what kind of look is that? It's like they want to eat me alive!

She had no doubt that if she slapped Qin Xiaoxiao, Su Lu would probably kill her.

Unable to fight back, and unable to win an argument, Bai Xiruo burst into tears.

"You guys are bullying me like this, I quit."

After saying that, Bai Xiruo turned around and ran back to her room.

When the educated youth saw her run away, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time couldn't help rolling their eyes.

What a load of nonsense she spouted and then ran away, making them all afraid to look Qin Xiaoxiao in the eye, afraid she'd tell her grandpa.

The villagers already had grievances against the educated youth. If Qin Xiaoxiao told Captain Qin about what happened today, would they still have any good days ahead?

But when she thought about how Bai Xiruo had already taught Captain Qin a lesson because of Dong Hao, she realized that keeping it a secret now would probably be pointless. If she wanted to hate them, she would have done so long ago.

The educated youth felt like they wanted to die, and couldn't help but start blaming Bai Xiruo again.

Lu Zhaodi glanced around. Su Yu and Liu Meijuan were both married off, and Mu Jin wasn't there. She was the only one here who could talk to Qin Xiaoxiao, so she walked up to Qin Xiaoxiao and gave her an awkward smile.

"Qin, we're sorry about what happened earlier. What Bai Xiruo thinks is none of our business. We feel that being able to go to Qinjiagou to work in the countryside is the greatest luck of our lives. If it weren't for Captain Qin's help, we don't know what would have happened to us."

There was no food when they went to the countryside. How long could they survive on subsidies alone? If it weren't for Captain Qin lending them food, these educated youths would have starved when they arrived.

Big cities are xenophobic, and the countryside is no less so. Integrating into this village is no easy feat. If it weren't for Captain Qin mediating, these people would probably have been even more isolated.

Lü Zhaodi's gratitude towards Qin Xiaoxiao was genuine.

Qin Xiaoxiao thought that Lü Zhaodi was much cuter now than when she first arrived. It seemed that she still had a lot to go through. Without a clear understanding of herself, she would never know her own limitations.

Qin Xiaoxiao's face relaxed, and she smiled slightly. "It's okay. If Bai Xiruo hadn't said such nasty things, I wouldn't have slapped her."

By the way, I just looked around, but I didn't see Tao Jingjing. Did she go back to Beijing?

Lü Zhaodi nodded with a smile, "That's right, she just left yesterday. She was supposed to go back before the autumn harvest, but then her family said there seemed to be a change in her job situation, so they asked her to wait a few more days."

Speaking of which, Tao Jingjing is quiet and reserved, but she has the best conditions among us. She even wore leather shoes when she came. I just don't know how her family managed to send her to the countryside.

Despite her good looks, she's a better worker than most. Although she cried a few times when she first arrived, she wiped away her tears and went back to work the next day without hesitation. That alone is something I admire.

Qin Xiaoxiao became increasingly embarrassed as she listened.

She doesn't have the same family background as Tao Jingjing, yet she works just as well as a young girl. Tao Jingjing, on the other hand, is from a wealthy family and is much more capable than her.

Is she being too dramatic?

Qin Xiaoxiao looked at Su Lu.

Su Lu Miao understood and immediately shook her head, "You are very good. You don't need to compare yourself with others. You are you, and you are different from them."

With the Qin family, this local tyrant, protecting you, even if these people have powerful backgrounds, they can't solve your immediate problems. Compared to them, you are still more powerful.

Qin Xiaoxiao felt comforted and nodded at him with satisfaction, then looked at Lü Zhaodi.

“Zhaodi, we don’t know when we’ll leave. Now the Su sisters are all married, Sister Liu is married and has moved away, and Tao Jingjing has returned to the city. What about you? Have you thought about what you’ll do in the future?”

Qin Xiaoxiao thought Lü Zhaodi would be confused when she heard this question, but on the contrary, Lü Zhaodi laughed smugly and unrestrainedly.

"I won't get married. I want to go back to the city. I don't know when that will be, but I will definitely go back whenever I have the chance."

She didn't go home after returning; she wanted to find a way to leave that home, to leave that cannibalistic place.

Qin Xiaoxiao didn't expect Lü Zhaodi to have changed so much. If it were before, she probably would have found a man in the village to marry so she wouldn't have to work in the fields.

The two ran out of things to say after that point, since their relationship hadn't been that good before; at most, they were just exchanging greetings when they met, and there were some things they couldn't say under such circumstances.

Su Lu helped Qin Xiaoxiao back to the backyard. As she walked, Qin Xiaoxiao thought about Tao Jingjing.

She left without even saying goodbye. Was she afraid she'd become dependent on her? Or that she'd have to bother her later?

Qin Xiaoxiao's expression was a little unpleasant, but she quickly composed herself.

She and Tao Jingjing weren't that close, so it's normal for her to think that way.

Actually, Lü Zhaodi didn't tell the whole story. Tao Jingjing's departure was very sudden. Her family was urging her to leave, and she only said goodbye to Qin Feng before leaving. Even Lü Zhaodi only found out about Tao Jingjing because she happened to run into her before she left.

Meanwhile, Tao Jingjing was writing a letter to him on the train. The person sitting next to her was someone Tao Jingjing recognized; it was Shi Lei, who was also returning to Beijing.

Tao Jingjing still remembers that he was Miao Feifei's boyfriend. He had come to the village several times when something happened, but she knew him, while he didn't know her.

Tao Jingjing didn't want to pay attention to him anyway, and the fact that he didn't recognize her suited her perfectly.

After a two-day, one-night train journey, Tao Jingjing got off the train on the second night. With a cold face, she refused Shi Lei's offer of help and took her own things to get off the train first.

The Tao family had someone come to pick them up, and so did the Shi family. The two families happened to meet at the station, and they even knew each other.

When the two arrived, the two families were chatting enthusiastically. Upon seeing them, they first greeted each family's children and then introduced their own children to the other family's parents with smiles.