```
Wang Chen had just finished bandaging the grey wolf, and as he was about to turn around to speak, Xiao Yan's jade hand happened to touch his cheek.
The unexpected action left Wang Chen slightly startled, but he did not attempt to dodge.
Since Xiao Yan was his aunt, and he hadn't seen her for several years, there was nothing amiss with an elder touching his face.
He smiled naively and then looked towards Xiao Yan's injured foot.
Through the socks, one could clearly see her slender ankle was severely swollen. With the foot in that state, it would be very difficult for her to walk down the mountain, even if the bones were not injured.
Some of the herbal medicine he had picked earlier while treating the grey wolf was still left over.
He grabbed a handful, put it into his mouth, chewed on it, and gently took off Xiao Yan's shoes and socks.
Xiao Yan's feet were small, and although she often did farm work like the other villagers, they were well-protected by her socks and quite fair.
A few delicate toes were even painted with red nail polish.
It added a unique beauty to these jade-like feet.
As Wang Chen marveled that Xiao Yan would paint her nails, he also placed her delicate foot into his hands and began massaging it with techniques from traditional Chinese medicine.
Uh~!
The sudden firm grip on her small foot caused Xiao Yan to tremble slightly, and the comfort of the massage involuntarily elicited a soft moan from her.
In her dazed state, she couldn't help scolding, "You old man, why are you in such a rush the moment you come back?"
Wang Chen's eyebrows twitched, completely unaware of Xiao Yan mistaking him for her husband.
Just as he was confusedly looking over, the hand that had been on his face slid down and grasped his hand, pulling it towards Xiao Yan's embrace, and whispered softly, "During the day, I'll let you take a little advantage, but wait until the child is asleep before getting cozy with me at night."
Uh!
Wang Chen's eyes narrowed, and he instinctively pulled back, hurrying to say, "Aunt Xiao Yan, what's gotten into you?"
His sudden voice startled Xiao Yan out of her reverie.
Her blurry eyes suddenly cleared, and the face of her husband that she had imagined before her instantly morphed into Wang Chen's.
This abrupt change made Xiao Yan's face feel as if it were on fire.
"I... I just now..."
Watching Xiao Yan fumble for words without saying much, Wang Chen did not press further, thinking perhaps she was a bit distracted after receiving two scares in a row.
Lost in thought, Wang Chen knelt down again, spat the chewed herbal medicine onto the swollen ankle, and gently applied it.
Then he resumed massaging the nearby acupoints.
Seeing that he did not inquire about the earlier incident, Xiao Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and, while rubbing her flushed cheeks, she scolded herself in her heart: What's wrong with me? Why did I have those thoughts about Wang Chen, that child, twice in a row? Could it really be that I'm too lonely with no man at home?
After a while, Wang Chen let go of her foot and carefully helped her put her shoes and socks back on.
Helping her up, Wang Chen smiled and said, "Auntie, try walking a few steps to see if it still hurts."
Xiao Yan tentatively walked and there was still a bit of soreness, but the swelling had visibly reduced and there was also a cool and comfortable sensation.
"Chenzi, your medical skills are amazing."
Wang Chen scratched his head and chuckled naively, "Since you're feeling better, Auntie, let's head down the mountain."
"Alright, I'll go over there to grab the mushrooms I've picked."
```
Xiao Yan went ahead to pick up her bag, while Wang Chen also went to the opposite side to pick up the herbs he had gathered.
The two of them slowly walked towards the village outside the mountain.
After they had left for a while, the grey wolf that had been lying on the ground also stood up, stared at Wang Chen's back for a good while, then limped towards the deep part of the ravine...
...
On the way back to the village.
Xiao Yan said, "Chenzi, when we reach the mountain pass, let's go our separate ways."
"What's the matter, Auntie?" Wang Chen asked.
"If Liu Dagen finds out that you were the one who scared him, he'll definitely cause trouble for you," Xiao Yan said.
Wang Chen thought about it, "He probably didn't notice me."
"Still, you need to be careful. Liu Dagen is a scourge. Anyone he sets his sights on hardly ends up well."
"With the trouble he's causing, hasn't anyone dealt with him over the years?" Wang Chen asked.
Xiao Yan sighed, "His older brother is the village head. Who would dare to intervene?"
"His brother doesn't care?"
"Hey, both the brothers are cut from the same cloth," Xiao Yan said with a bitter face. "You saw what we were doing earlier, so you must have heard our conversation, right?"
Wang Chen nodded, "I heard. It seemed like he was threatening you with your daughter's job."
"The village head also threatened me with the same words a couple of days ago." Xiao Yan sighed again, "They offered my niece a job as an excuse, but in reality, they're taking advantage of the fact that my man isn't home to take advantage of me."
"In that case, you definitely shouldn't let your niece work at the village committee. Wouldn't that be like entering the wolf's den?" Wang Chen said hurriedly, shaking his head.
"Of course, I won't let my niece work there, but this girl is really giving me a headache. She used to be so well-behaved as a child and said she wanted to go out and study like you. Seeing her intelligence, I had the same idea, and her father and I sent her to the school in town.
But who would have known, she didn't pick up anything good in town, only the bad. The other day she came back home with her hair dyed yellow and even started smoking, copying others. It's really driving me crazy."
Wang Chen thought for a moment, "If that's the case, you should take control as soon as possible, otherwise, it could lead to serious trouble. One of my roommates in school picked up smoking and drinking from hooligans on the street, and after getting into a fight, he ended up in prison."
Hearing this, the worry on Xiao Yan's face deepened, and she grabbed Wang Chen's hand, "You've seen the world out there; give your aunt some advice."
"I..." Wang Chen said with an awkward smile, "I don't have any good ideas at the moment."
Xiao Yan thought for a moment, "How about this, since she won't be able to find work anytime soon, let her follow you for now. You can teach her something and help me keep an eye on her."
"This..."
Just as Wang Chen was about to decline, an increasingly enthusiastic Xiao Yan interrupted him, "Let me tell you, my niece is very charming. If you two spend time together and feelings develop, then in the future, we might be able to become one family."
Xiao Yan was clever. Wang Chen, having been educated and learned Medicine, was like a phoenix perched atop a branch in this dilapidated village.
If her daughter could get together with Wang Chen, then her family could benefit from his light.
Wang Chen scratched his head, "Auntie, please don't joke. Your niece is three years younger than I am."
"So what? Don't those older guys on TV always go for much younger girls?" Xiao Yan patted Wang Chen's hand, "It's settled then. It's almost noon; come to my house for lunch, and after eating, you can take my niece to your place."
"I... I better not go to your house. Yang has been poisoned by a snake and is waiting for me to save her," Wang Chen said, then headed in the direction of his home.
Xiao Yan smiled, "Then I'll send my niece over to find you later."