Suddenly, someone broke into the courtyard gate. Xie Zhao was carrying Cheng Yaoyao. Cheng Yaoyao looked up at the door. Their eyes met and there was a moment of awkwardness on the scene.

Peng Peng's mother quickly turned her back and said, "Well, I came to see my aunt and Aunt Xie. Aunt Xie is not at home?"

Cheng Yaoyao, who was still lying on Xie Zhao's shoulder, hadn't come back to his senses yet. He said blankly, "Grandma went to deliver the dumplings."

Xie Zhao quickly put Cheng Yaoyao down and straightened her messy braid. Then he calmly greeted Peng Peng's mother, "Sister-in-law, sit down. My grandma will be back soon."

Peng Peng's mother then turned around and said with a suppressed smile, "No need. I just brought you some homemade pickled plums."

Peng Peng's mother took out some dried plums from the basket, put them down and was about to leave. Cheng Yaoyao quickly stopped her and said, "Sister-in-law, please sit down. Have a cup of tea. We just made some dumplings at home. Let you try them."

Cheng Yaoyao asked Peng Peng's mother to sit in the living room, and he ran to the kitchen to make tea.

Peng Peng's mother looked at Cheng Yaoyao's graceful back and examined Xie Zhao's face with a smile on her face: "No wonder you didn't look at any of the good girls that your sister-in-law introduced to you before."

Xie Zhao said firmly: "She is the best."

"Yes, yes, yes." Peng Peng's mother couldn't help but smile. "Such a beautiful girl is willing to stay in the countryside for you. I feel sorry for her when I see her. Thank you, brothers. Get the wedding done as soon as possible."

Xie Zhao coughed, and this time it was his turn to feel embarrassed: "It wasn't just now..."

"Sister-in-law knows. I've been through this before! When your eldest brother got married, he was also like this... Hey!" Peng Peng's mother said "I understand" and Xie Zhao's rosy face was flushed.

As soon as Cheng Yaoyao came out of the kitchen carrying a small tray, he immediately strode over to take it and put it on the table.

On the small wooden tray is a cup of hot brown rice tea, on a small plate is a grass-green bean paste dumpling, and with a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

Peng Peng's mother first drank a sip of the hot and fragrant brown rice tea, and then admired the red bean paste glutinous rice balls: "Snacks made by beautiful people are also beautiful. I can't bear to eat them!"

Cheng Yaoyao quietly winked at Xie Zhao, who hurried away to clean up the shelf that was damaged by Qiangqiang. Only Cheng Yaoyao was left to chat with Pengpeng's mother: "This is red bean paste dumplings, sweet. There is also a salty one. Bring a few for Pengpeng later."

Peng Peng's mother ate the qingtuan and praised it endlessly. She took Cheng Yaoyao's hand and said, "Yaoyao, it was my fault last time. I thought you would never come back after going to Shanghai. Your eldest brother and I felt so sorry for seeing the three Xie brothers behave like that, so... Hey, I didn't know that the matchmaker was talking about the daughter of your village party secretary. You must not be angry with me."

As Peng Peng's mother spoke, she looked at Cheng Yaoyao's face anxiously. This beauty, who was famous throughout the whole area, was as famous for her temper as her beauty.

Cheng Yaoyao's face showed no expression. He glanced at Xie Zhao with his peach blossom eyes. The latter had already stood up as if facing a powerful enemy.

Peng Peng's mother's heart was in her throat, and then she heard Cheng Yaoyao say coquettishly: "Sister-in-law, you are doing this for Xie Zhao's sake. I am not angry anymore."

Peng Peng's mother heaved a sigh of relief and then laughed: "I knew that you, Yaoyao, are a sensible girl. It is a blessing for the Xie brothers to marry you! Look at the two of you, the more I look at you, the more well-matched you are!"

Xie Zhao was her son's savior, and Peng Peng's mother really took the Xie family's affairs to heart. But her good intentions led to bad results. If Cheng Yaoyao hated her and didn't allow Xie Zhao to associate with her family, she would be so embarrassed.

Peng Peng's mother was relieved, but she started to worry about Xie Zhao and Cheng Yaoyao's life-long affairs. She asked them when they would get married, but after she had said a few words, Grandma Xie and Xie Fei came back.

Peng Peng's mother smiled and said, "Aunt Xie, isn't this Xiao Fei? Are you back from the city? Is your work going well?"

Grandma Xie started chatting with Pengpeng's mother with a smile. Cheng Yaoyao quickly ran away and hid in the kitchen with Xie Fei.

Outside, Peng Peng's mother chatted with Grandma Xie for a long time, saying that their village would hold a market again in a few days, and asked Grandma Xie to go shopping with her. Grandma Xie agreed immediately, and then she put on the basket with four Qingtuan dumplings and reluctantly went to visit relatives.

Grandma Xie said in the yard: "Mother Pengpeng is gone."

Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei then came out.

Grandma Xie said angrily, "Why are you becoming more and more unruly as you grow older? Why are you hiding when people are visiting? Fortunately, Peng Peng's mother is not a stranger."

Xie Fei bowed his head and admitted his mistake, and Cheng Yaoyao had no choice but to lower his head.

Peng Peng's mother was good in every way, except that she had a common problem among married women of that era, she especially loved matchmaking. She even had her eyes on Xie Fei, and last time she came to tell Grandma Xie that there was a young man in their village who was a very good person and good-looking, and that she could introduce him to Xiao Fei. Xie Fei was so embarrassed that he ran away when he saw her.

Grandma Xie smiled and pinched Cheng Yaoyao's face: "Isn't it just that Peng Peng's mother asked when you will get married? A girl who is usually very generous, now she feels shy?"

Cheng Yaoyao groaned: "Whether I get married or not is none of her business. She keeps urging me, but I'm not in a hurry."

Grandma Xie glanced at Xie Zhao, whose face had changed, and deliberately said, "Are you not in a hurry? Don't you want to marry Zhao'er?"

Cheng Yaoyao raised his chin proudly: "I don't want to!"

Xie Zhao stood up suddenly: "Sister!"

Cheng Yaoyao was startled: "What are you doing!"

"Are you serious?" Xie Zhao stared at her with rapid breathing, like an enraged wolf. If it weren't for Grandma Xie and Xie Fei being there, they would have rushed over and given her a good scolding.

Of course not! But Cheng Yaoyao didn't have the nerve to say it in front of Grandma Xie and Xie Fei, not to mention Xie Zhao was so fierce. She hid behind Grandma Xie: "Grandma, look at Xie Zhao glaring at me!"

"Alright, alright! Yaoyao was just joking. Look how anxious you are." Grandma Xie patted Xie Zhao quickly, "Don't scare Yaoyao!"

Veins popped out on Xie Zhao's forehead, his breathing became rapid, and his face was full of unconcealable...grievance? He turned around and walked away.

Cheng Yaoyao felt like he was dazzled, he could actually see such emotion on Xie Zhao's stern face.

As a result, Xie Zhao didn't say a word until after dinner. Cheng Yaoyao took the initiative to pick up a piece of chicken for him. He looked at Cheng Yaoyao with his narrow black eyes, ate the chicken, and didn't even return the favor! Instead, he continued to eat his meal.

Cheng Yaoyao's expression instantly became like that of a stubborn guy whose tail was stepped on.

Grandma Xie hit Xie Zhao hard and said, "What a stubborn guy! Let's just ignore him, okay?"

Cheng Yaoyao glared at Xie Zhao aggrievedly, said "I'm full" and left the table.

Xie Zhao's eating speed suddenly slowed down, but he remained silent. After finishing his meal, he put down the bowl and went out.

Grandma Xie was so angry that she slammed the table and said, "What a pair of enemies!"

Xie Fei was busy trying to persuade grandma: "Grandma, please don't worry about it. My brother and sister Yaoyao will be fine on their own. My brother is embarrassed to comfort sister Yaoyao in front of us."

Grandma Xie thought it made sense, and she calmed down a little. At night, Grandma Xie asked Xie Fei to sleep in her room. This was Xie Fei's first time working in the city, and Grandma Xie had a lot of experience to teach her.

Xie Zhaoze silently gave Cheng Yaoyao a bath, silently turned on the lights, and then silently... was pushed out of the door by Cheng Yaoyao, and the sound of the door being locked could be heard from inside.

Xie Zhao leaned against the door silently, forcing himself not to listen to the suggestive movements inside.

Cheng Yaoyao took a long bath, so long that Xie Zhao couldn't help but knock on the door and whispered, "Yaoyao?"

"Yaoyao? Are you done washing?"

Xie Zhao's tone revealed a hint of anxiety: "Sister? If you don't say anything, I'm going in."

Still no sound.

Xie Zhao frowned. He pushed the door, but it was ajar and opened immediately.

The kerosene lamp in the room was dimly lit, reflecting the wooden bathtub and the blue brick patterns on the wall. The water in the bathtub was rippling slightly, and Cheng Yaoyao's clothes were still piled on the chair, but he was gone.

Xie Zhao walked into the house, which was filled with the warm and sweet scent of peach blossoms, like stepping into a fragrant dream. The water in the bathtub was too hot, and it made Xie Zhao's throat burn. He raised the candle in his hand, and the dim light with fuzzy edges slowly illuminated every corner of the room as his hand moved.

The room was empty except for the straw raincoat on the wall, the hanging medicinal herbs, the steaming bathtub in the middle of the room, and the underwear scattered on the chairs. Cheng Yaoyao really disappeared like a fairy in a storybook.

It was just a momentary thought, but Xie Zhao felt a deep pain in his heart, as if he had fallen into an abyss...

A burst of sweet fragrance blew by, and the candle in my hand flickered and went out.

Before Cheng Yaoyao's sly smile reached his eyes, he was pressed hard against the door: "Ouch! It hurts, don't hold me so tightly...Xie Zhao..."

After a few rustling noises, Cheng Yaoyao said, "Aren't you ignoring me? Let me go."

Xie Zhao buried his head in her neck, holding her tightly with his hands, and his prickly short hair made her feel a little itchy. Cheng Yaoyao was laughing, but suddenly she felt a little wet on her neck, and immediately panicked: "I was just joking, you don't have to cry... Xie Zhao?"

Cheng Yaoyao hugged Xie Zhao's broad back, imitating the way Xie Zhao usually coaxed her, and patted Xie Zhao's back gently with one hand: "Be good, I hid behind the door just to play a joke on you, are you really scared?"

"Or...or did what I said last night make you sad?"

"I'm kidding, I'll marry you!"

Xie Zhao moved slightly. Cheng Yaoyao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly continued: "Say something, or I'll cry!"

Xie Zhao took a breath and finally spoke: "Say it again."

Cheng Yaoyao asked tentatively: "Am I going to cry?"

Xie Zhao's arms tightened: "The previous sentence."

Cheng Yaoyao's ears turned red in the dark, and she whispered, "I...I will marry you."

Xie Zhao said in a low, hoarse voice: "When?"

Cheng Yaoyao heard his voice was slightly hoarse, maybe he was crying? He promised softly: "As long as I marry you, any time is fine."

In the darkness, Cheng Yaoyao couldn't see Xie Zhao's face clearly. She only heard his breathing suddenly become heavier and the arms around her became as hot as steel.

Xie Zhao's voice was cold and had the sound of metal and stone, but at this moment it was filled with scorching heat: "What if I say, now?"

Cheng Yaoyao didn't say anything.

Xie Zhao did not rush her, but waited patiently. He was the best hunter, and he had a lot of patience.

After a long, long time, or maybe only a moment, Cheng Yaoyao muttered something in a low voice.

Xie Zhao said: "Hmm?"

Cheng Yaoyao suddenly stamped his feet and said angrily, "I said yes! Are you happy?"

Xie Zhao said nothing.

…

Suddenly there was a loud noise outside. The chickens in the chicken coop began to cluck, and the little roosters' crows were particularly loud.

Cheng Yaoyao pushed Xie Zhao away and asked, "What's that noise outside?"

There was a clang, the sound of something heavy falling to the ground. Xie Zhao lit the kerosene lamp, and the room became dimly lit.

Xie Zhao's handsome face looked normal, without any sign of sadness or crying! Cheng Yaoyao realized that he had been tricked, and was about to make a scene when another thumping sound was heard outside.

Cheng Yaoyao asked, "Is there a thief? Or is the weasel here again?"

Xie Zhaoan said, "Stay still, I'll go out and take a look!"

Xie Zhao pushed the door open and walked out. Cheng Yaoyao couldn't stay there any longer, so he quickly put on his coat, held up the kerosene lamp and followed him out. But he saw Grandma Xie and Xie Fei also came out with their coats on, holding lamps, and asked nervously, "What happened? What happened?"

Xie Zhao said in a deep voice: "Don't be afraid, I'll go to the yard and take a look."

At such a time, having a man who is a man of integrity at home can always make a woman feel at ease. Grandma Xie and Xie Fei also calmed down. Cheng Yaoyao ran to Grandma Xie and asked, "Grandma! Is there a thief?"

Grandma Xie quickly pulled Xie Fei and Cheng Yaoyao behind her: "Zhao Ge'er is here, and grandma is here too, don't be afraid!"

The three of them held up kerosene lamps and watched Xie Zhao carefully walk into the yard. Grandma Xie called out, "Brother Zhao, be careful!"

Xie Zhao held up a flashlight in one hand, picked up a stick, and scanned the yard, finally landing on the chicken coop. The chickens in the coop were still clucking, as if something frightened them. The broken aluminum bowl containing chicken feed rolled to the ground. The loud noise just now was made by it.

Could it be the weasel from last time? Xie Zhao held the stick tightly and slowly walked to the chicken coop. He shone the flashlight inside and saw a yellow thing fumbling around in the chicken coop.

But it was not a weasel with a thin waist and a big tail, but a plump little cat, covered with chicken feathers, fighting with the little rooster in the chicken pen.

The hens huddled together, cackling. The little rooster was extremely brave. He flapped his wings and swooped down, pecking the stubborn cock, which let out a miserable "meow".

Xie Zhao quickly pulled out Jianjian. Jianjian had curled up into a ball, with its ears pressed tightly against its head. Xie Zhao used his fingers to pick up its fur, and found that a tuft of its orange-yellow fur was bald, and its beautiful orange-white fur was tangled like a feather duster.

Cheng Yaoyao and Grandma Xie Fei all came over to look and asked, "Why are you so stubborn?"

Xie Zhao handed Jianjian to Cheng Yaoyao, and then carefully checked the front and back of the house with a flashlight. However, he found that the small door in the backyard wall was ajar, and there was a wire stuck in the door lock, indicating that it had been opened.

Half a muddy footprint was left inside the gate.

This means that the person had just stepped half a foot into the door, and maybe because he was stubborn and made a fuss, he was scared away.

Xie Zhao's eyes darkened. Who dared to reach into his house? Was it for money? Or for people? Just thinking about it, Xie Zhao exuded an undisguised cold and murderous aura.

By the time Xie Zhao locked the door again, marked it and returned to the front yard, Grandma Xie had already gone to bed.

When Cheng Yaoyao saw Xie Zhao, he asked worriedly, "How is he? Is everything alright?"

Xie Zhao said in a steady and calm voice: "No. Don't be afraid."

Cheng Yaoyao finally breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his head and continued to mock Jianjian: "I let you owe it to me, always bullying other people's wives, you got beaten, right?"

Jianjianwo lay in Cheng Yaoyao's arms with his head bowed and his face buried in his paws.

Xie Fei said sympathetically, "Jianjian is so pitiful, let's not talk about him anymore."

Cheng Yaoyao said, "How can it be pitiful? It has been teasing chickens and dogs every day recently, and the hens are so scared that they have stopped laying eggs."

It jumped down to the ground with a stubborn "hmm", walked away silently with its little tail hanging down, one of its front paws slightly off the ground, and walked like a small dustpan, bouncing from side to side.

Cheng Yaoyao and the other two: “……!!!”

Xie Zhao quickly picked up Jianjian, and everyone gathered around him to examine him carefully. The pink pads on his front paws were intact, and no one knew where he was injured. Xie Zhao had no choice but to hold him for the time being, and he also fed him two dried fish.

Xie Fei yawned and said, "Jianjian used to be very well behaved. Why did he suddenly become naughty?"

Xie Zhao thought: "Spring is here."

"Spring?" Cheng Yaoyao reacted, "Is Jianjian in heat?!" Jianjian has been chasing chickens during the day and doing parkour at night, and he keeps howling and screaming, looking like he has excess energy. Isn't this a symptom of being in heat?

Cheng Yaoyao's straightforward words choked Xie Zhao, and Xie Fei even covered her face and shouted, "Sister Yaoyao, what are you talking about!"

Cheng Yaoyao reacted. She was used to saying it in modern times, so she said quickly, "Okay, okay, I'll change the word. Jianjian should be sterilized."

Xie Zhao and Xie Fei both expressed doubts: "Sterile?"

Cheng Yaoyao swung his hand diagonally downwards, his face full of murderous intent: "Crack. Do you understand?"

Xie Fei shook her head in confusion. Xie Zhao tightened his grip, sent Xie Fei back to the house, and then took Cheng Yaoyao by the hand and said, "It's time to go to bed."

Cheng Yaoyao yawned and went back to sleep with Xie Zhao. She just said that. There were no veterinarians in those days, and no awareness of sterilizing pets. After a while, she forgot about it. The stubborn cat Lingdang was saved for the time being.