Chapter 50 Don't bother me, these noisy bugs!
Seeing Xu Zhili's sudden loss of ruthlessness, Li Chunyan felt lingering fear. She murmured a few times before finally managing to squeeze out a dry voice.
“Xu, Xu Zhiqing, you… don’t take it to heart, that’s just her reckless nature…”
The frost on Xu Zhili's face melted instantly, as if the ruthlessness from before had never existed.
She turned and squatted down, giving An'an a gentle smile. Her voice returned to its usual clear and sweet tone, coaxing, "An'an, don't be afraid, the bad bugs have been chased away by your big sister~"
She reached out her finger and gently stroked her little brother's nose. "Come on, let's eat some delicious steamed egg custard, ah—"
She scooped up a spoonful of warm steamed egg custard, blew on it delicately, and carefully brought it to her younger brother's lips, as if it were the only treasure in the world.
An An opened his little mouth expectantly, a carefree smile returning to his face, as if the tense standoff just moments before was merely a pantomime he couldn't comprehend.
The educated youth around them had already fallen silent, exchanging terrified glances as they dispersed without a sound, their movements deliberately stiff.
The air still seemed to retain the suffocating, icy chill from before, like invisible needles pricking the skin.
This Xu Zhili...
That's so creepy!
That look in his eyes was like a poisoned knife; one second it was as gentle as water, the next it could slice someone to pieces!
Who would have thought that this seemingly delicate and petite woman would have such a ruthless and decisive style of handling affairs, almost to the point of being insane?
Many people who had originally intended to be close to her now felt a chill run down their spines and wished they could stay as far away from her as possible, for fear that a single wrong glance would offend her.
She keenly noticed the distance that the other educated youth around her were deliberately keeping, but she didn't care about it and was happy to have some peace and quiet.
A barely perceptible, almost mocking smile curved her lips.
It's quiet now.
Perfect.
As long as these noisy bugs don't bother her and An'an, they can stay as far away as they want.
She was so focused on feeding her younger brother that everyone around her kept their distance, and the atmosphere was so stifling it was hard to breathe.
But she seemed completely oblivious, standing out starkly from the oppressive environment, yet utterly unconcerned.
Just then, a clear-eyed boy with a touch of wildness and unruliness broke through the deliberately maintained silence: "Hey! Is Xu Zhili, the educated youth, here?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
A tall, slender boy wearing a faded old military uniform was leaning against the gate of the courtyard.
With bronze skin and thick eyebrows, he had a pair of clear yet wild eyes, like an untamed wolf cub.
He grinned, revealing two sharp little tiger teeth. Sunlight shone on him, and he exuded a vibrant, earthy sense of freedom, like the unrestrained wind on the plateau.
His roguish yet sunny appearance caused many female educated youths to blush secretly, their eyes unable to resist following him.
Xu Zhili looked up at the sound, her gaze landing precisely on those unique eyes.
Her gaze was calm and unwavering, showing no sign of being drawn in, as if she were merely examining an object.
The young man, Xie Yunze, scanned the crowd and instantly locked onto the slender figure squatting down to feed the child.
His eyes lit up, and he strode up to Xu Zhili in a few steps, his movements as agile as a leopard, exuding a vibrant energy.
"Ha! Xu, the educated youth, I've finally found you! The brigade leader asked me to deliver a message: your land approval in the village is done!"
He spoke with a cheerful tone, tinged with a hint of boasting, "Shall we go? I'll show you around and see which plot of land catches your eye, then we'll finalize the deal right away!"
Site selection?
Xu Zhili's heart stirred.
Is it possible to choose land near the cowshed?
She didn't show it on her face, but simply nodded slightly to Xie Yunze: "Okay, wait a moment."
He then turned to Li Chunyan, his face instantly switching to a gentle and harmless smile, and his voice softened: "Sister Chunyan, could you please look after An'an for me? I'll be right back."
The speed at which she changed her expression startled Li Chunyan, and she quickly nodded, "Don't worry, I'll take care of An'an."
Xu Zhili then stood up and looked at Xie Yunze: "Let's go."
Xie Yunze grinned and gestured "please," with a touch of youthful mischief: "This way, sister! My name is Xie Yunze, I know this area well, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
He walks with a swagger, his steps unsteady yet graceful.
Xu Zhili had a clear goal and walked straight toward the cowshed she remembered hearing about.
"Huh? Sister?"
Xie Yunze quickened his pace to walk alongside her, tilting his head to look at her, a barely perceptible hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes. "You're going the wrong way. If we go any further, we'll be in the cowshed area."
He spoke casually, as if it were just a casual remark.
Xu Zhili didn't stop walking, only slightly turning her face to look at him with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. It seemed as if ice shards were gathering deep in her eyes. Her voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable coldness.
"What? Can't I choose that?"
Her eyes instantly turned sharp, and her aura changed drastically, as if Xie Yunze would turn on her the moment he dared to say "no."
Xie Yunze's heart skipped a beat at her sudden change in gaze, but his smile remained undiminished, instead becoming even brighter, with a touch of recklessness.
"Yes! Of course you can! Your taste is... quite unique!"
Instead of backing down, he seemed to have discovered something interesting and obediently quickened his pace to lead the way. However, when he looked back at her, the depths of his clear eyes held an even stronger sense of inquiry.
The two walked one after the other on the somewhat desolate path. Xie Yunze's back was upright and wild, while Xu Zhili's figure was slender but her steps were firm, creating a unique tension.
When they reached the desolate slope near the cowshed, Xu Zhili's gaze, like a precise radar, instantly locked onto the hunched figure not far away, struggling to dig for wild vegetables in the weeds.
boom--!
My blood seemed to freeze for a moment, then surge wildly in the next second! My heart was gripped tightly by an invisible hand, almost suffocating me.
That familiar feeling, etched into her very bones, of relying on each other for survival and sharing life and death in the apocalypse, overwhelmed her like a tsunami.
It's her!
Definitely Mom!
Despite their tattered clothes and haggard appearance, the mark deep within their souls could never be wrong.
Xu Zhili suddenly stopped in her tracks, her body swaying almost imperceptibly. Her nails dug deeply into her palms, causing a sharp pain that barely allowed her to maintain a calm facade.
A strong, acrid feeling shot straight to the bridge of my nose, and my eyes instantly turned a terrifying crimson, as if I were about to shed tears of blood!
Just as my mind was reeling and my emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control—
"Whoa!"
Xie Yunze looked as if he had discovered a new continent. He looked in the direction Xu Zhili was staring at and saw the people in the cowshed. He then looked at her face, which had turned pale and then red, and her fists, which were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Those must be her relatives.
A glint flashed in the boy's eyes, but his face wore a seemingly innocent yet irritating smile.
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