The two families' behavior seemed like they were looking at potential partners, but Tao Jingjing and Shi Lei didn't think in that direction. They just watched the two parents smiling like Buddhas, which was very puzzling!

On countless nights afterward, when his wife kicked him out of bed, Shi Lei would regret it so much that he would stand there, kicking his feet and beating his chest.

If he had known his wife was in Qinjiagou, why would he have gotten involved with Miao Feifei? Not only did he cause his sister suffering, but he also got himself into trouble.

Wouldn't it be better to have a pure and innocent romance with your wife sooner?

Now look what's happened, the innocent romance is gone, all that's left are my wife's big feet.

Even so, Shi Lei didn't dare to say a word. He lay on the bed and used his charm to get into bed with his wife whenever she changed her expression.

Qin Xiaoxiao now knows that she will still have contact with Shi Lei and Tao Jingjing in the future. At this moment, she is sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) at Aunt Song's house, chatting with Aunt Liu and Aunt Song.

“That Bai Xiruo is absolutely bizarre. You know, my little girl just finished eating and went out to play for a while, and not long after, she brought her here. Do you know what she’s up to? You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

Aunt Song slapped her thigh and complained angrily to Aunt Liu, her face turning black when Bai Xiruo was mentioned.

Qin Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "I can guess a little bit. It's not like you're asking your little girl to give up some good food, is it?"

Aunt Song's eyes lit up. "That's right, you understand her best."

Qin Xiaoxiao smiled but didn't say anything.

I don't know her at all. I probably know her better than she knows herself. I know all the weird things she might do in the future.

Aunt Liu asked curiously, "What's going on? Why are you giving your things to outsiders? Do you know them?"

Aunt Song rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I don't know them at all! Oh, wait, I really do know them. How could we not know each other when we live in the same village?"

I'm so angry I'm confused.

Let me tell you, you know my little girl is small, she can't eat by herself and I have to feed her. I always have to feed her first before she can eat by herself.

Yesterday, just last night, I had just finished feeding her and sent her out to play when that man surnamed Bai brought her back. He pointed his finger at me and said I didn't know how to raise my granddaughter, that I favored boys over girls, and that I had spoiled the child.

Oh dear, my temper is raging!

Who in the village doesn't know our family traditions? Let alone our family, how many families in the entire Qinjiagou village are sexist? There are some, but they're a minority, aren't they?

That vixen surnamed Bai immediately accused me, saying that I had corrupted my granddaughter, that she didn't know how to unite with other children, and that she ate alone.

I'm just baffled. Why do we give our food to outsiders? Isn't it better for us to eat it ourselves?

What right does she have to criticize us? Do we owe her anything?

Damn! I got really angry and gave her a good scolding, which made her cry and run away.

Damn it! Persimmons are so soft you can just squeeze them, do you think I'm easy to bully?

Qin Xiaoxiao laughed after hearing this, and leaned back comfortably against the pile of quilts at Aunt Song's house. (Pile of quilts: In Northeast China, every household has more than one quilt. Since there's no kang (heated brick bed) at home, the quilts are folded up during the day and there's nowhere to put them, so they're piled up and placed in a corner of the kang. Women from Northeast China will understand this, but younger people might not, so I'm explaining it here.)

"I can imagine that's the kind of person she is. You can call her a saint, but she just takes other people's things and pretends to be a good person. In my opinion, she's just a hypocrite."

Aunt Song and Aunt Liu blinked, puzzled, and asked, "What do you mean? Explain!"

"Just like I said, she takes other people's things to pretend to be a good person, but she doesn't take any of her own things out."

Like what happened to my little girl yesterday, she took my things and wanted to share them with other children, but what did she give in return? She just talked her way out of things, and in the end, the other children didn't appreciate it; they just thought she was a good person.

Aunt Song and Aunt Liu understood, and their faces showed disgust.

"She's just too..."

"Don't know the rules, pretending to be generous and a good person, what a piece of trash!"

Aunt Song rolled her eyes, her face darkening.

Damn it! So this is what happened after all this time. I was wondering why something felt off!

Bai Xiruo's actions infuriated Aunt Song. After Aunt Song's big mouth spread the word, Bai Xiruo's bad reputation spread. In less than half a day, everyone in Qinjiagou knew that there was a female educated youth in the educated youth compound who was good at taking other people's things and pretending to be generous. They should stay away from her and tell the children to stay away from her as well.

Even in the dead of winter, Bai Xiruo rarely went out and was unaware that her reputation was ruined and that everyone in Qinjiagou was ostracizing her. On New Year's Day, Bai Xiruo went to the county town with several female educated youths. While riding in an oxcart, she saw the women in the village rolling their eyes at her and giving her no friendly looks. She wondered how she had offended them.

She tried to inquire, but no one paid any attention to her. Helpless, Bai Xiruo had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being and concentrate on picking out clothes for Dong Hao.

The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and how can we celebrate without new clothes?

Although she didn't have much money, she could eat less and save the money to buy Dong Hao a new outfit.

She's so good to him, he'll definitely be very touched.

He's been here for so many years, and he's definitely never worn new clothes. She must be the only person who ever buys him new clothes.

Thinking of how Dong Hao looked at her with such emotion when he saw the new clothes, and how he whispered sweet nothings in her ear while holding her, Bai Xiruo blushed and shyly picked out the most expensive outfit for Dong Hao.

When the other female educated youths saw that she had spent so much money on a men's outfit, they all looked constipated and kept their distance from her.

She's insane! She can't even afford to eat herself, yet she spends money on clothes for men. What a waste of her time!

Back in the village, Bai Xiruo rushed to the cowshed and presented the clothes to Dong Hao. Blushing, she whispered, "The New Year is almost here, and I bought you new clothes. You've never worn new clothes before, have you? I'm here, so you can wear new clothes for the New Year every year from now on."

Dong Hao looked at Bai Xiruo as if she were an idiot.

Holy crap! Where did this mentally ill person come from?

Dong Hao's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. "This educated youth,"

Before Dong Hao could continue, Bai Xiruo said urgently, "My surname is Bai. We've met before, have you forgotten?"

Dong Hao: Why should I remember you? I don't want to remember you; that's my dark history.

Dong Hao closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, saying, "Bai Zhiqing, we have no relationship, you don't need to buy me clothes."

Also, I wore new clothes.

Where did I get this outfit? I've never worn new clothes before. I've been here for almost seven or eight years. Don't I grow taller?

Dong Hao really wanted to kick the man away, but he was afraid that if he accidentally hurt him, he wouldn't be able to explain it, so he could only hold back.

Bai Xiruo was completely bewildered: "How could this be? You actually wore new clothes?"

Upon hearing this, Dong Hao's face darkened even more, and he became even less inclined to pay attention to Bai Xiruo.

He's mentally unstable too. Wouldn't it be better for him to use that time to go up the mountain, hunt a rabbit, and roast it instead of wasting on her nonsense?