Chapter 67

Fortunately, Yuan Qiong was adept at managing her emotions; after a brief moment of confusion, she forced herself to calm down. When Lin Qiang returned, still damp with sweat, she turned her face away, avoiding his gaze, and pretended nothing had happened, saying to him:

Do you know what day it is today?

"What?" Lin Qiang was stunned.

"Winter Blossom Day!" Yuan Qiong glared at him, scolding, "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"Oh, oh, oh."

Lin Qiang had really forgotten.

He wasn't a native of Dayan, and the village was full of rough men. Who would be in the mood for such a festival? Later, after he started building his power, he was so busy every day that he didn't even have time to rest. Even if he heard about it, he didn't pay any attention to it.

Now that Yuan Qiong brought it up, it took him a long time to dredge up this festival from the corners of his memory: "Winter Flower Day!" It seems to be a festival similar to Valentine's Day?

He slapped his forehead and joked, "No wonder you got up so early today. I thought the sun had risen in the west."

Seeing that he really didn't remember, Yuan Qiong snorted with slight annoyance, "Don't you want to spend time with me? Fine, pretend I was never here!"

After saying that, he turned to leave, but Lin Qiang pulled him back with a wave of his long arm, and said with a forced smile, "Okay, okay, who else would I be with if not you?"

Upon touching his warm palm, Yuan Qiong couldn't help but think of the scalding contact just now, his panting breaths still seemed to echo in her ears, and her pretty face flushed red instantly.

"let go!"

She flung his hand away, her back to Lin Qiang, not daring to let him see her current embarrassed state, her face flushed red.

"Then get ready and come out quickly. I'll go see if breakfast is ready."

After saying that, he walked away without looking back, and from his back, there was nothing unusual about him.

Lin Qiang was completely bewildered: "Looking at breakfast???" Didn't the little girl always avoid the kitchen because she disliked the smell of cooking oil? Why is she acting so strangely today?

Touching his lips, the sweet taste from that morning was still fresh in his memory. Lin Qiang's pupils darkened, and the smile on his lips deepened.

Perhaps he knows why the little girl is acting strangely... Hahahaha... So cute!

Tan Xiaoque, who had just skipped and hopped to the door, saw Yuan Qiong blushing and flustered as she came out of Lin Qiang's house. She greeted her with a cheerful smile, "Good morning, Sister Yao!"

"Good morning." She nodded hurriedly and walked past as if a raging flood was chasing her. Tan Xiaoque had excellent eyesight, and in a flash, she saw the red marks on Yuan Qiong's chin and neck, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

Staring intently at Yuan Qiong's departing figure, Tan Xiaoque clenched her fair fists a few times, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes, before quickly regaining her composure and smiling as she pushed open the door.

"Boss, Little Sparrow is here!"

Lin Qiang had just let his hair down and was about to style it into a more formal updo when he turned around and saw Tan Xiaoque pushing the door open and entering. He laughed and scolded, "You little brat, how many times have I told you to knock before you come in?"

"No, I don't want to knock on the door~" she said, throwing herself into Lin Qiang's arms: "Sister Yao never knocks on the door, and you never say anything to her, you're being unfair."

Lifting the clingy girl from his arms, Lin Qiang said helplessly, "How can you be the same?"

"What's different? What's different? Is Xiao Que not pretty anymore?" Tan Xiao Que clung to his arm resentfully, her cat-like eyes brimming with tears. "I saw it all just now. You were being disrespectful to Sister Yao, Boss. You've changed. You never used to be like this..."

"..." Lin Qiang was both amused and exasperated: "Don't talk nonsense, you little kid. That's not being frivolous, it's affection. You'll understand when you grow up. That's something you only do with someone you like."

"I'm all grown up now!" Tan Xiaoque hated that Lin Qiang still treated her like a child: "Does the boss like Xiaoque? Xiaoque wants to too!"

"........"

"I don't care, I like the Boss, I want a kiss too! Just like Sister Yao!"

“…Little Sparrow, stop fooling around.” Lin Qiang pushed her away helplessly and returned to the sink to continue fixing his hair. His tone was no longer as gentle as before: “If you don’t have anything to do, go out and play with Mingyu and the others.”

Tan Xiaoque gazed at his broad back, a venomous jealousy creeping up her heart like a serpent. It was always the same, always the same! It seemed that no one but Yuan Qiong could ever get close to him!

I want to, I really want to destroy this person...

"Boss..." She gently raised her fingertip, and pink powder from the medicine seeped out little by little, blending into her fingertip so that it was almost invisible unless you looked closely. "Don't be angry, Little Sparrow was just joking~ Are you and Sister Yao going out to play together? How about Little Sparrow helps you with your hair?"

"No."

Tan Xiaoque stepped forward and tugged at his sleeve, shaking it coquettishly: "Today is Winter Blossom Day, doesn't the Boss want to be a little more solemn? Xiaoque's hairstyle is very pretty, Sister Yao will definitely like it. Let Xiaoque try it on, okay?"

Lin Qiang thought for a moment and realized that he was not good at styling hair. Women were more skillful, so he decided to let Tan Xiaoque give it a try.

"Okay, thank you for your help."

"Hehe, what's the big deal? Boss, sit in front of the mirror, otherwise I can't reach it."

"good."

Lin Qiang stood in front of the mirror, lifted his shirt, and sat upright. Tan Xiaoque smiled and took the comb, her fingertips running through his hair, gently combing it. The slight coolness spreading through his hair made Lin Qiang feel a little uncomfortable.

"Little Sparrow, why are your hands so cold? Are you not feeling well?"

"You probably just played in the snow outside. Boss, don't move around, I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

"good."

Lin Qiang was feeling sleepy, and he was starting to drift off to sleep. He wondered if Tan Xiaoque's movements were too gentle or if her combing was too comfortable.

On the other side, after Yuan Qiong went out, she symbolically took a walk around the kitchen without going in, and just then she ran into Feng Zhi carrying two rabbits.

"Good morning, sister-in-law!"

"morning."

She wasn't used to this title when she first heard it, but she's basically gotten used to it now.

"Where did the rabbit come from?" she asked curiously.

“Manghu and his men found a rabbit burrow in the field. I brought back two rabbits for my eldest brother and sister-in-law to try.”

Feng Zhi glanced up and saw the red mark on Yuan Qiong's neck. He smiled mischievously, thinking to himself, "Our boss is indeed our boss! He's so quick!"

"I see." Yuan Qiong was still oblivious to his gaze when she suddenly remembered something: "Mang Hu is in charge of our mountain grain planting, right? How have the harvests been these past two years? Can grain be grown in the mountain soil?"

"With the waterwheel and animal manure prepared by Sixth Sister, the harvest is decent. Although it can't compare to the fertile soil of Jiangnan and Northeast China, it's enough to feed and drink the brothers on the mountain." Feng Zhi knew that his sister-in-law was different from other women, so he didn't dare to say too much. He smiled and said, "Then I'll send the rabbits in first, and they can be served tonight."

"Okay, go ahead."

Yuan Qiong pondered for a moment, then turned back. Just outside her own room, she turned and headed towards Lin Qiang's room. She still wanted to get a more detailed understanding of the overall situation in Black Cloud Village.

When she reached the door, she saw that Lin Qiang's door was open, so she pushed it open and went inside. However, as soon as she rounded the screen, she witnessed a scene that horrified her.

A tall man sat lazily in front of a bronze mirror, his eyes half-closed as a pretty young girl behind him braided a lock of his hair into a small braid and tied it into a bun. From a distance, it looked incredibly beautiful and intimate.

Yuan Qiong stood there, her face suddenly turning cold: "What are you doing?!"

"Sister Yao, can't you see? Little Sparrow is styling the Boss's hair!"

Tan Xiaoque looked at her with an innocent smile, and Lin Qiang instantly sobered up, hurriedly got up, and cried out in his heart.

Oh no, it seems like it was a misunderstanding!

"Handling your hair?" How intimate must the relationship between a man and a woman be for the other to do one's hair? Yuan Qiong felt a chill in her heart, but her expression softened: "Are you done? If you're done, Miss Tan, please go out first. I have something to discuss with Black Beard in private."

"Not yet... But since Sister Yao has spoken, Xiao Que will go out first~" Tan Xiao Que put down the comb, greeted Lin Qiang with a smile: "Little Que from the Boss's side is off~" After saying that, she skipped out. As soon as she stepped out the door, the smile on her face disappeared, and a hint of treachery appeared in her eyes.

“Girl, I was just thinking about the Winter Festival today…” Lin Qiang was about to explain when Yuan Qiong interrupted him with a smile: “No need to explain, I’m not angry, I believe you.”

"......." That's a lie. She's clearly angry, otherwise she wouldn't have refused to let me explain.

Never mind, I'll just coax her a bit when we go down the mountain after she calms down.

"You just said you had something to discuss, what is it?"

"It's nothing, I just don't want to see any other women in this room." She smiled faintly. "After you've finished washing up, let's go have breakfast first, and then celebrate the holiday after dinner."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned and left.

Yuan Qiong returned to her room, her face gradually growing colder. She untied the sachet from her waist, opened it, and saw a long red thread.

The joy I felt when I put it in this morning is now a stark contrast to the irony I feel.

Yes, they didn't see each other for four years. Those four years weren't just hers, they were his too. How could she not have considered that there were other women in his life during those four years?

She secured the sachet, placed it back in the makeup box, and then locked the box in the cabinet. Yuan Qiong pursed her thin lips. Indeed, she still couldn't completely trust anyone…