Liu Erleng was completely panicked.
Others might not understand Liu Yan'er, but he knew her well—a beautiful exterior but with the heart of a ruthless predator. On normal days, even a minor mistake would banish him from the bed, and now caught cheating, she might actually commit murder.
This kept Liu Erleng on his toes, as he ran out while shouting, "Don't... don't listen to Da Jun's nonsense, I didn't cheat!"
"Shut your damn mouth, do I need to catch you red-handed to admit it?"
Liu Yan'er cursed while wielding a knife, showing no mercy even in front of many people. Seeing that he couldn't appease her, Liu Erleng immediately pushed through the crowd and ran out.
He ran ahead while Liu Yan'er chased after him, the number of onlookers on the street growing, along with the volume of discussions and laughter.
"Liu Yan'er is so pretty, who would've thought she could be so fierce."
"Fierce women are driven to it by worthless men. If Liu Erleng contributed more at home, Liu Yan'er wouldn't be like this. It's guaranteed he's been drained dry outside, coming home all weak and limp."
"Wonder who the deity was that filmed yesterday's video, quite daring."
"The person who filmed it is certainly bold, but you can't deny Yang Cuihua is really fair and tempting, sleeping with her would be worth dying for."
Listening to everyone's comments, Wang Xiaolong couldn't help but snicker.
But as he was snickering and about to head home, he met Li Qiao'er's gaze.
She had seen the video too, and realized the place where Liu Dajun and Yang Cuihua were together was Wang Xiaolong's field, exactly when he was there last night to water the land.
Knowing them well, she was sure they wouldn't film their own scandal to share in the group. Plus, the peculiar smile Wang Xiaolong had just made her suspect that the video might be related to him.
"Did you see them in the field last night?"
With so many villagers around, Wang Xiaolong naturally wouldn't admit it, and simply played dumb: "See who?"
Seeing his clear gaze, Li Qiao'er shook her head, "Maybe I'm overthinking it. How would a fool like you play such tricks?"
With that, she pulled Wang Xiaolong back home.
After they had separated the previous day, Li Qiao'er had entertained the idea of becoming Wang Xiaolong's bride and curing his illness.
Initially, she was still hesitant after thinking it over for the night, but after seeing the video that morning, she suddenly made up her mind.
Li Qiao'er had been a widow for a long time, usually not minding those things.
But after seeing Liu Dajun and Yang Cuihua's actions in the video, it felt as though her heart was being clawed at.
Honoring her in-laws and her deceased husband for so long, and still young, she couldn't continue being lonely forever. She thought of taking this opportunity to live for herself for once, even if not truly marrying, at least she could taste what it felt like to be a woman.
Of course, she would need to consult Wang Xiaolong's opinion.
"Xiaolong, what do you think of me?"
"Sister-in-law is pretty and very virtuous," Wang Xiaolong continued to feign ignorance on the surface, but his words came from the heart.
"How about sister-in-law becomes your bride for once?"
"Ah?"
Wang Xiaolong was suddenly startled.
"I've looked into your illness. The doctor said it's psychological trauma, and to treat it, you'd need to address your past regrets. Sister-in-law has decided, I'll go to the market later and buy a red dress, and tonight I will come and consummate with you."
Li Qiao'er didn't care whether Wang Xiaolong could understand her or not, she simply spoke her heart out.
In the past, Wang Xiaolong would definitely have agreed, the red dowry was undoubtedly his biggest nightmare.
But now... should he agree, or should he refuse?
In Wang Xiaolong's heart, Li Qiao'er was the most beautiful woman in Xiao Xi Village.
This beauty was not only external but also internal.
Her kindness, her empathy, made one inevitably want to protect her, and her proud and graceful figure, along with her stunningly beautiful face, even more so made one want to cherish her again and again.
Facing such a great beauty's initiative, as a man it was virtually impossible to refuse.
But he also didn't want Li Qiao'er to do that kind of thing just to treat his illness, it always felt somewhat like taking advantage of someone in peril.
"Sister-in-law, I..."
Li Qiao'er cut him off, "I'm not doing this just for you but also for myself. Having been alone for so long, I'm also very frustrated,
but rest assured, I won't cling to you because of this. You're the only college graduate in our village, and your illness is only temporary. Once you recover, you'll surely have a better future. So this time, it's as much me helping you as you helping me."
Wang Xiaolong's lips twitched, the words of refusal suddenly stopping at his lips.
Although he had been foolish for over a year, his memory was still there, and he was very aware of how tough Li Qiao'er had it too.
His father-in-law had leg problems and couldn't do much work, and his mother-in-law was that kind of typical shrew at home, lazy and always eating, leaving Li Qiao'er to farm and do odd jobs to support them.
Being beautiful, she also often received harassment from some of the village bachelors and rogues. She already had it hard enough, yet she still took care of Wang Xiaolong.
How could one not feel compassion for such a kind yet helpless woman?
"Since you're not refusing, then it's settled. I'll come to find you tonight, remember to leave the door unlocked for me."
After saying this, Li Qiao'er walked towards her house.
Watching her graceful figure, Wang Xiaolong's mind was a mess, and it took him a good while to sort himself out.
"I'll worry about tonight when it comes, let's focus on working and earning money for now!"
As he murmured to himself, Wang Xiaolong picked up a woodcutter's ax and a bag and headed towards the mountains.
Although he wasn't sure if he could survive the full moon night, now that he had received the inheritance and had a chance to turn things around, he had to give it his all.
Right now, the most important thing was to find the yin energy.
After pondering, he felt that the so-called yin energy should exist within herbs because, upon checking the ancient medical texts in his mind, he found that medicines have attributes; some are of fire and others of water, fire corresponds to yang and water to yin. If he could find some water-attributed herbs, perhaps he could generate yin energy.
Even if it didn't work, with the current market situation for herbs, he could still sell them to make some money.
He didn't know how long he could live, but every day he was alive, he could not let himself down!
Soon, Wang Xiaolong reached the back mountain.
The ancient medical texts from the inheritance provided records of all herbs in the world, which significantly boosted his capability, and he quickly collected half a bag full of herbs in a Chaoyang Bay.
Especially, the 'Heaven-grade Poria' he dug out from a pit weighed about twenty to thirty pounds. In the market, regular Poria used in joint and stomach medicines typically costs thirty yuan per pound, but this Heaven-grade Poria, in terms of medicinal effectiveness and value, far exceeded the regular ones, and could mostly sell for eighty yuan per pound.
Looking at his morning's labor results, Wang Xiaolong happily said, "Staying in this mountain den can still bring golden profits, the herbs I dug up in a while could at least sell for two to three thousand yuan."