Xu Ruantang raised her head and looked directly at Wang Jian, saying, "My surname is Xu. Comrade Wang, just call me Little Xu or Comrade Little Xu, like an aunt."
Her attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and her gaze seemed to see through people's thoughts.
A strange feeling flashed through Wang Jian's mind, but he didn't realize it until a few seconds later.
I was almost intimidated by this girl.
According to the villagers, this Comrade Xu was also from a rural area in another province. She had a younger brother, and her parents accepted a high dowry to get her brother a wife, which was equivalent to selling her to them.
If Wang Jian didn't know her background, he would have mistaken her for an intellectual from the city.
Women from rural areas would never possess this kind of temperament.
Realizing that the girl was just bluffing, Wang Jian's pointed, monkey-like face broke into a smile.
"Alright, alright, Comrade Xu, this kind of tilling work is for men. With your thin arms and legs, you should just sit on the side and watch."
It would be even better if we could hand him a bowl of water when he gets tired.
Thinking this, Wang Jian reached out to grab Xu Ruantang's arm.
Xu Ruantang struck first, picking up a hoe and swinging it towards the ground. By sheer coincidence, the handle of the hoe struck Wang Jian's chin.
"Ouch!" Wang Jian exclaimed, clutching his chin and squatting down on the ground.
Footsteps approached, and Aunt Wang came over carrying a broken bowl, just in time to see this scene.
"Son, what happened to you?"
Aunt Wang quickly walked to Wang Jian's side, wanting to check his wounds.
Xu Ruantang, feigning concern, said, "Oh dear, Brother Wang, what happened? Did my hoe hit you? I'm so sorry, I was just afraid of hurting you, that's why I was digging in the furthest place from you. I don't know why this hoe is so long."
Wang Jian had no way to express his suffering, as he hadn't even done anything yet!
He just wanted to let the girl rest for a bit so he could show off his masculine charm.
How can this woman be so clumsy and awkward!
Wang Jian was in so much pain that tears were almost streaming down his face. That hoe blow had hit him so hard that his jaw almost fell off.
To maintain his masculinity, he had to pretend nothing was wrong.
Wang Jian waved his hand at Aunt Wang and squeezed out three words through gritted teeth: "I'm fine."
After saying just a few words, I felt completely drained.
Aunt Wang ignored him and continued working.
"Brother Wang, why don't you go back and rest? I'm so sorry."
When Xu Ruantang's voice reached Wang Jian's ears, it was so sweet and delicate that he immediately lost all temper.
"I'm fine. It's just a hoe. What haven't you seen, Brother Wang? I can still hoe two acres of land!"
Wang Jian picked up a hoe from the ground and quickly turned over a large area of land.
Xu Ruantang held the seeds soaked in water, pretending to look down curiously. Her eyelashes drooped, and her expression was cold and aloof.
In the original book, the female protagonist ran away with Wang Jian. Although her behavior was wrong, it now seems that there were many contributing factors.
A girl who had never traveled far from home was forced by her family to marry in a place she knew no one, and not only that, there was no wedding.
She married Chen Ji, a man as solid as ice.
Although it's not written in the book, she must have been harassed by Yao Yulan. It's just unknown how the original owner dealt with it; she probably just endured it.
Her husband didn't like her, she was unfamiliar with the place and didn't know anyone, and she was also harassed and ostracized by her fellow villagers.
In such a situation, if a man comes along who is caring and attentive to her and doesn't want her to do any heavy work, the original owner's already fragile mind will immediately collapse.
She is not innocent, but she is also truly pitiful.
While Aunt Wang and Wang Jian were turning the soil, Xu Ruantang went to the front yard to fetch water, as they would need it for watering the fields later.
She went to the kitchen, found two small tin buckets, filled them both, and carried one in each hand out.
As Chen Ji passed by the front yard, he saw her sitting on a stool, holding Xiao Bao in her arms. He noticed that she was carrying buckets full of water in both hands and looked relaxed. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Xu Ruantang had just fetched water when he wasn't even in the yard yet, which made things awkward.
Her mind raced, and she smiled nonchalantly at Chen Ji before calmly walking around the front yard towards the back.
No explanation is the best explanation!
After a busy afternoon, by the time the soil was completely covered, it was almost dark.
With Aunt Wang always there, Wang Jian didn't cause any trouble, only glancing at Xu Ruantang from time to time.
In order to resist the urge to gouge out his eyes, Xu Ruantang almost tore her left hand to pieces again.
After she washed her hands with water and returned to the room, Chen Ji had her apply the ointment again.
She had initially intended to refuse, but upon meeting Chen Ji's gaze, she instinctively shut her mouth.
This man is so dull and cold.
Aunt Wang quickly brought in dinner. Xu Ruantang happened to be in the kitchen, and Aunt Wang came in with the bowl.
"Auntie put it in the kitchen. Can you take it in yourself later?"
"Okay, thank you, Auntie." Xu Ruantang added water to the pot and turned to Aunt Wang with a smile.
"Don't mention it, what's this?"
Xu Ruantang looked in the direction Aunt Wang was pointing and replied, "This is chicken soup that Yao Yulan brought over for Chen Ji."
Neither she nor Chen Ji liked it, and it remained untouched. Xu Ruantang planned to throw it away later.
Aunt Wang slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Oh dear, why aren't you drinking?"
"It's too oily, I can't drink it," Xu Ruantang explained with a faint smile.
"Oh, what a waste! If you're not going to drink it, could you take it back with you?" Aunt Wang was a little embarrassed, but these days it's rare to see people as wasteful as the two of them.
Xu Ruantang replied with a smile, "Auntie, Chen Ji has already had two sips of that soup."
If no one had touched it, it would be fine to let them take it back, but Xu Ruantang felt really embarrassed about having already drunk from it.
Aunt Wang waved her hand dismissively, scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth before Xu Ruantang could stop her.
She wanted to say that even if she wanted to drink it, she should take it home and heat it up; the cold version smelled fishy to her.
Aunt Wang took a sip, and the smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a furrowed brow.
She turned to Xu Ruantang and asked, "Xiao Xu, you said Xiao Chen took two sips?"
Xu Ruantang, not understanding why, nodded honestly.
Aunt Wang frowned even more deeply. "Then he didn't react at all? There were canned peaches in this chicken soup!"
Xu Ruantang suddenly looked up. "Canned? Peaches?"
"Yes, I've already eaten some fruit. Doesn't Xiao Chen not like peaches?"
Chen Ji was reading a book in the house when he heard the voices of two women in the kitchen getting louder and louder.
The noise from behind carried into the courtyard, and Aunt Wang's loud voice rang out, "Xiao Xu, don't go. Let's talk to Xiao Chen about this first."
Xu Ruantang was furious and had no time to care about Xiao Chen. All she could think about was that she hadn't beaten Yao Yulan hard enough during the day.
This person is absolutely insane! Knowing that Chen Ji is allergic to peaches, he deliberately put canned peaches into the chicken soup!
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