Her grandmother has poor eyesight, so it’s too dangerous for her to go out at night. What if she gets bumped into something?

"Oh! How could I have forgotten about this!"

Yi Yao was also anxious. She didn't bother to ask about Fu Qingqing anymore. She grabbed Su Muyun's arm and walked quickly towards home.

"Brother Mu, let's go quickly! Grandma must be waiting anxiously!"

Su Muyun did not struggle, but let her pull him and followed her silently.

As the night deepened, the surroundings were silent, with only the chirping of insects and the hurried footsteps of two people.

Su Muyun lowered his eyes and looked at the little girl in front of him who was pulling his sleeve and staggering a little because of her anxiety.

She is really small, thinner than most girls her age, and looks like she will fall over if the wind blows.

Ever since he could remember, Yi Yao had always looked timid, like a frightened little rabbit, always hiding behind people.

A few days ago, the sudden mudslide mercilessly swallowed up her mother who was out walking in the mountains.

Overnight, she went from a child loved by her parents to an orphan with no one to rely on.

Su Muyun still remembers how Yi Yao's grandmother, the old lady who always smiled and would secretly give him candies, cried heart-wrenchingly after learning that her son and daughter-in-law had both died. Then, those eyes that always smiled were blinded by crying.

This already impoverished family was devastated overnight.

From that day on, this little girl, who was originally timid and cowardly, had to learn to be strong and to support a shaky home where only she and her lost grandmother were left.

Their two families were neighbors, their houses next to each other, separated by a low fence.

He was one year older than her. Since childhood, they had rolled around in the mud together, chased each other on the ridges of the fields together, and grew up under the watchful eyes of their respective parents.

Therefore, after the accident in Yi Yao's family, he naturally thought that he should take care of her like a brother and be more sympathetic to this poor sister.

He almost treated Yi Yao as his own sister, cherishing her and protecting her in his heart.

On weekdays, if he went hunting in the mountains and caught some pheasants or rabbits, or secretly caught a few fish in the river, or exchanged cloth coupons for some rare food in the supply and marketing cooperative, as long as he had a bite, he would definitely think of giving some to Yi Yao and her grandmother.

He thought he had done his best to protect her and prevent her from being bullied by the naughty children in the village.

But this little sister, whom he carefully protected under his wings, was bullied by an outsider in a place he didn't know... and was protected by another outsider.

*

Several people walked in silence on the small path coming from Sujia.

Su Muyun's decisive rejection just now made the atmosphere in the Fu family even more heavy.

Lin Jianxue glanced at Fu Qingqing, who was standing beside him with her head down, looking somewhat lost and frightened, and sighed in her heart.

She looked at Fu Zhewei, who was walking on the other side with a straight figure but never said a word.

He exuded a cold and hard aura that kept no one away. At this moment, that coldness was mixed with a hint of suppressed anger and powerlessness.

Lin Jianxue knew that he must be blaming himself for what happened to his sister.

"Zhewei," she said softly, breaking the silence.

Fu Zhawei paused, turned his head to look at her, his dark eyes showing mixed emotions.

Lin Jianxue met his gaze and said calmly, "Since Su Muyun's side doesn't work, Qingqing's safety cannot be delayed."

"To prevent Jiang Erniu's family from harassing me again, I think I should let Qingqing live in my educated youth dormitory for the next few days."

Her voice was particularly clear in the twilight.

Fu Zhawei's deep gaze fell on Lin Jianxue's face.

Her eyes were clear and open, without any hesitation or reluctance.

His Adam's apple rolled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end it just turned into a very light sigh.

"...It will cause you trouble."

There were many people at the educated youth camp and they were gossipy. He knew that if he asked an unmarried girl like her to bring Qingqing to live there, it would definitely lead to gossip.

Lin Jianxue just smiled faintly and shook her head.

"You're welcome."

"Now is not the time to talk about this. Protecting Qingqing is the most important thing."

Fu Zhewei looked at her. The girl's face was gentle and her eyes were clear and bright.

The pent-up anger in his chest seemed to be somewhat relieved by this gentle yet resolute gaze.

He pursed his lips tightly, and after a long while, he uttered two words in a low voice: "Thank you."

Lin Jianxue curled the corners of her lips: "You're welcome."

The three of them soon arrived in front of the Fu family's low adobe house.

"What's going on? Xiaoxue, did the kid from the Su family... agree?" Dong Yulan immediately came forward when she saw them coming.

Lin Jianxue stood at the door, looking at Dong Yulan's bloodshot eyes and her face full of worry, feeling sorry for her.

She shook her head gently: "Aunt Dong, Su Muyun...his family rules are very strict. He refuses to accept disciples and refuses to interfere."

The hope on Dong Yulan's face dimmed in an instant, her body swayed, and she almost fell.

Fu Zhewei quickly supported her: "Mom."

Lin Jianxue then said, "But don't worry, Aunt Dong. I have a solution."

"I want Qingqing to stay in my educated youth dormitory for the next few days. There are a lot of people there, and even if the Jiang family wants to cause trouble, they will have to think twice."

Dong Yulan was stunned when she heard this, and then her face was filled with deeper guilt and uneasiness.

"This...what does this mean!"

"Xiaoxue, you're a girl, this is too much trouble for you..."

She knew that her daughter's affairs had already made this kind-hearted girl worry to death.

Lin Jianxue still looked gentle as ever. She stepped forward and gently held Dong Yulan's other arm.

"Aunt Dong, why are you being so polite to me?"

"We all came here from Kyoto together. We're unfamiliar with the place and the people here, so it's only natural that we help each other."

"Besides, Qingqing and I are friends. I can't just watch her get into trouble."

Her words were so sincere that Dong Yulan's eyes became hot and she almost shed tears.

"What a naughty child, what a naughty child..." Dong Yulan choked and nodded repeatedly.

Lin Jianxue turned to Fu Qingqing and said softly, "Qingqing, go in and pack some clothes and daily necessities. Don't bring too much. I have everything you need."

Fu Qingqing nodded reluctantly, looked at Lin Jianxue gratefully, turned around and went into the house to pack her things.

Soon, Fu Qingqing came out carrying a small, patched old cloth bag.

Fu Zhewei silently took the bag from his sister. It was heavy and he didn't know what was inside.

He carried his bag and walked silently with Lin Jianxue and Fu Qingqing towards the educated youth dormitory.

After walking for about a cup of tea, we saw the educated youth's residence was not far away.

Fu Zhewei suddenly stopped.

"I'll just send you here, I won't go any further." He whispered.

Lin Jianxue glanced at him. In the dim light of the setting sun, she couldn't see the expression on his face, but she could feel the lingering melancholy from him.

She whispered, "Don't worry, I will take care of Qingqing."

In this life, she would never, ever let Fu Qingqing experience the same tragic things that happened in her previous life!

Fu Zhawei looked at her with complicated eyes. His bottomless eyes seemed to be filled with many emotions that she could not understand.

In the end, he just nodded slowly.

The word "䗽" was stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter it.

The powerlessness of reality made him feel ashamed in front of his sweetheart.

After watching the backs of Lin Jianxue and Fu Qingqing disappear at the entrance of the educated youth center, Fu Zhawei stood there for a long time with his empty hands, and finally turned around and blended into the gradually deepening night.

It was already time for vacation, and the usually bustling educated youth compound seemed a little empty.

Most of the educated youth were either visiting each other to chat or taking a walk around the village in the moonlight to digest their food.

Lin Jianxue brought Fu Qingqing to her small single dormitory.

She pushed open the wooden door, stepped aside to let Fu Qingqing in, and then lit the kerosene lamp on the table.

Lin Jianxue turned her head and looked at Fu Qingqing, who was standing at the door, feeling a little uneasy, and smiled gently.

"Remember? It was you who helped me clean up this house on my first day here."