She could only blame herself. In her past life, she’d paid so little attention to the Gu family and Gu Juncheng that she’d never even noticed Chen Xia. The villagers rushed forward, helping Gu Juncheng and Chen Xia to their feet. Chen Xia finally let go of Gu Juncheng’s neck, only to cradle his hand in hers. “Oh no, Brother Chengzi, you’re bleeding! What are we going to do? This is all my fault.” Lin Qingping stood at the back of the crowd, her gaze cutting through the people to fix on the pair. A man as perceptive as Gu Juncheng had already sensed her presence. He pulled his hand back, his tone dismissive. “It’s nothing, just a small scratch.” With the rescue over, the villagers dispersed, each returning to their own tasks. It was the busy farming season, after all. Soon, only Gu Juncheng, Lin Qingping, and Chen Xia remained on the back hill. It was only then that Chen Xia seemed to notice Lin Qingping. Standing beside Gu Juncheng, she called out, “Sister-in-law,” her face a mask of surprise. “You’re here too?” Lin Qingping couldn’t tell if the surprise was genuine or an act. She smiled and looked at Gu Juncheng. “Mom never told me we had a sister in the family. How come I don’t know her?” Before Gu Juncheng could say anything, Chen Xia jumped in, laughing. “Brother Chengzi and I have known each other since we were in diapers. It’s all my fault today. I shouldn’t have asked him to meet up and reminisce. We got caught in the landslide, and he got hurt because of me. I’m so sorry, Sister-in-law!” *Tsk, tsk.* Lin Qingping marveled internally. Now *that* was a master-class performance. Lin Qingping smiled sweetly and slipped her arm through Gu Juncheng’s. “Chengzi, dinner’s ready. Mom sent me to call you home. Would your friend like to join us?” Chen Xia’s eyes fell on Lin Qingping’s arm, locked around Gu Juncheng’s. In the countryside back then, it was rare for a husband and wife to be so openly affectionate in public. Chen Xia’s expression dimmed, and she forced an awkward smile. “No, no, that’s alright. I have things to do…” “Oh, well, we’ll be on our way then. Goodbye,” Lin Qingping said, already guiding Gu Juncheng down the mountain path. She glanced up at him, noticed a dry blade of grass caught in his sideburns, and reached up with a smile to pluck it away. Behind them, Chen Xia watched Lin Qingping’s beaming face, and the light in her own eyes grew even dimmer. ———— Lin Qingping knew Gu Juncheng was watching her. From the moment on the mountain when her hand had slipped through his arm, his eyes had been on her. But Lin Qingping pretended not to notice. Back home, she found the bottle of antiseptic he had used on her arm the other night. She sat down in front of him and ordered him to hold out his hand. She had to use an order because a tough-as-nails man like Gu Juncheng wouldn't think twice about a little scrape on the back of his hand. “This is nothing compared to our usual…” He completely ignored her fussing. Lin Qingping put on a stern face. “I don’t care what your usual training is like! In the army, your soldiers listen to you. At home, you listen to me!” She didn’t care how resigned he looked when he finally extended his hand. She just focused on carefully dabbing the antiseptic on his skin, blowing on it gently as she went. Gu Juncheng watched her bowed head and serious expression, a little speechless. Lin Qingping couldn’t care less what he thought. Once she was satisfied with her work, she let him go to the dinner table. She had made such a feast that even after Zhiyuan had finished eating, he lingered by the table, reluctant to leave. As she and Gu Juncheng had walked in, they’d heard her mother-in-law, Liu Fen, telling Zhiyuan, “If you like it, eat more! Why are you running off?” Lin Qingping knew Zhiyuan loved the pumpkin cakes she’d made today. But as a child living in someone else's home, and one she had always treated with disdain, he was bound to be sensitive. It would take time for that to change. She set aside two pumpkin cakes for him, planning to give them to him later. Come to think of it, Zhiyuan had always had a sweet tooth in her past life. It was strange, how a man so stubborn, hardened, and street-smart could love sweets… Gu Juncheng, however, stared at the spread of dishes, momentarily stunned. She would have been stunned too, in his place. After all, since she’d married into the Gu family, no one in the entire Gujia Village had ever seen her do a lick of work. Gu Juncheng was a fast eater. She sat across from him, and before she could finish a single pumpkin cake, he had already polished off a large bowl of rice… “Is it good?” she asked with a smile, her voice soft and a little coquettish. Gu Juncheng was just about to serve himself a second bowl. Her question made him pause, chopsticks in hand. He took another bite before answering, “She asked me to help with her family’s orchard. Her brother hurt his foot.” Lin Qingping nibbled on her pumpkin cake and nodded, her eyes curving into crescents. “Mm-hmm!” Was he answering her question about the food, or was he explaining what had happened on the mountain? The "she," of course, had to be Chen Xia… In any case, that was just his personality—the quiet, reserved type, never one to say what was on his mind. It had been the same in their past life. She never knew what he was thinking; he would just send money and goods from the city that you couldn’t buy in the countryside, right on schedule every month. He was highly respected in the village. The village chief, figuring he was in the army and knew more about the world, consulted him on everything. He had barely finished his meal when the chief came to fetch him again. He was gone the whole afternoon. That evening, the chief insisted Gu Juncheng stay for dinner and even sent someone to invite Lin Qingping as well. Lin Qingping was delighted. She went over happily. But no sooner had she stepped through the door than Chen Xia arrived right behind her. Chen Xia arrived with a sunny smile and a piece of pork. “Chief,” she said, “thank you so much for helping with our farm work while my brother’s foot is injured. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you. My brother sent me to thank you.” Then, feigning surprise, she added, “Oh! Brother Chengzi and Sister-in-law are here too!” The chief chuckled. “That’s right, I’m having the young couple over for dinner. Why don’t you join us?” “Well…” Chen Xia glanced at Gu Juncheng and Lin Qingping. “That would be wonderful. I haven’t seen Brother Chengzi in so long. Sister-in-law, you don’t mind, do you?” Lin Qingping’s face was all smiles, but inside she was scoffing. The village chief invites me to dinner, and she asks if *I* mind? I’m not that rude, am I? Besides, even if she said she did mind, Chen Xia would have sat down anyway. As the dishes were brought to the table, the chief produced a jar of homemade wine. In those days, liquor was a luxury. Villagers couldn’t afford to buy it; they made their own. And even then, they wouldn’t use precious grain for rice wine. They used the wild fruits from the mountain—wild plums, wild grapes, wild berries. With the mountains at their back, nearly every family in Gujia Village did the same. The chief enthusiastically filled a cup for Gu Juncheng, but he declined, explaining he had to return to his unit the next day and couldn’t drink. A hand suddenly reached out and picked up the cup in front of him. “Brother Chengzi has his discipline to follow. He can’t drink. I’ll take this one for him!” It was Chen Xia. *Oh?* Lin Qingping thought. *This woman is certainly getting interesting.* Chen Xia looked at Lin Qingping with an expression of pure innocence. “Sister-in-law, Brother Chengzi and I… we’re as close as brothers. I’ll drink this for him!”