The next day, Cheng You couldn't help but curl her lips as she listened to the voices of Song Yulian and Cheng Tao coming from the loudspeaker.
Thinking about their dejected appearances made Cheng You incredibly happy.
However, San Leng stomped into the room, furious.
"Sis, your brother is here too!"
Cheng You blinked in surprise. "Where?"
"At the radio station!"
He had gone with Song Yulian and Cheng Tao, looking as if he were part of their family.
The smile on Cheng You's face faded slightly, as if her previous joy had also diminished.
Did she care about this brother? Of course, she did.
But she could barely protect herself, and currently, she had the will but not the strength to look after him.
Cheng Wenyu was very much like her in one aspect: stubbornness. He found it hard to change his mind.
He firmly believed that Song Yulian and Cheng Tao genuinely cared for him. Even if Cheng You spoke her mind, he wouldn't believe her.
Unless, Song Yulian and Cheng Tao's true colors could be exposed.
She was alone and unsupported; how could that be easy?
"Sis, don't be sad. From now on, I'll be your brother, your real brother!" San Leng thought she was overwhelmed with sadness.
Cheng You smiled. "I'm not that sad. Let him be."
San Leng: "He'll regret it!"
Forgoing such a good sister.
Cheng You's eyes were unreadable, and she remained silent.
In the afternoon, Cheng Tianhua came again to call Cheng You home.
"Your second mother and Cheng Tao have both written self-criticisms. What more do you want from them? Do you expect them to send a palanquin to fetch you?"
Cheng You playfully twirled a strand of her hair and said nonchalantly, "Dad, the way you say that makes it sound like they wrote self-criticisms for me. Didn't they make mistakes themselves? You don't seem like someone who admits their mistakes. Should I find Sixth Grandma to have a word with you?"
Cheng Tianhua's face turned as dark as charcoal. He wished he could discipline her right there.
"I didn't mean that. I just want you to come home!" he said through gritted teeth.
Cheng You slowly stood up, picked up her packed belongings, and walked out.
"San Leng, I'll come to play with you again next time."
San Leng cheerfully replied, "Okay!"
On her way home, Cheng You encountered Zhao Yunlin.
Zhao Yunlin, with a face full of indignation, said, "Are you satisfied now!"
He was naturally referring to Cheng Tao and Song Yulian having to make self-criticisms at the radio station.
"It wasn't me who punished them, so why would I be satisfied? If you have the guts, go ask Sixth Grandma if she's satisfied."
Zhao Yunlin's face turned crimson. He dared not.
Cheng You's smug look only strengthened his resolve to break off this engagement!
"Cheng You, just you wait!" he declared, leaving behind a harsh threat.
Cheng You smiled and waved at his retreating back. "I'll wait for you."
As soon as she returned home, not in the mood to argue with Song Yulian and the others, she put down her things and left again.
She hurried to Uncle Li's place to report for duty.
"Uncle Li, I can come back to cook for you!"
Eight work points a day and five yuan a month. She couldn't bear to waste it.
Uncle Li was cheerfully grinding medicinal herbs. "Don't you need a few more days of rest?"
Cheng You showed him her wound. "No, it's already healed!"
Uncle Li squinted and said in surprise, "Your wound... it's healing quite quickly."
Cheng You chuckled and said nothing.
She couldn't possibly tell him how much Linglu she had used.
If she didn't come to help soon, the Linglu would be all gone.
Uncle Li nodded, got up, and gave her his seat.
"You take over here."
Although Cheng You didn't know how to treat illnesses, she could do all the other tasks, including cooking, and could indeed help him a lot.
Since she was here, he was naturally happy to relax.
Cheng You washed and dried things, organized medicinal herbs at his place, and busied herself happily.
In the blink of an eye, it was sunset.
Qi Chengyan arrived.
Her eyes lit up, and the joy on her face was undisguised.
Uncle Li cleared his throat and glanced at her. "Be more reserved!"
Cheng You stuck out her tongue and then withdrew her gaze.
After Qi Chengyan finished administering the acupuncture, he paused in front of Cheng You.
"Come out."
His tone was somewhat forceful, but Cheng You paid it no mind.
She excitedly followed him out.
"Educated Youth Qi, what is it?"
Qi Chengyan took a step back, creating distance between them, and looked down at her.
After a long while, he still hadn't spoken, and Cheng You couldn't help herself.
"You called me out just to look at me?"
Qi Chengyan: "Yesterday, I saw you and Cheng Tao."
After returning from the supply and marketing cooperative, he had gone to deliver fish to Aunt Six's house.
He saw Cheng Tao looking for Cheng You.
He heard the entire conversation. It could be said that Cheng Tao's visit to Sun Xiaowan was deliberately guided by Cheng You.
This girl was not as simple and ignorant as she appeared.
Cheng You didn't try to hide anything and smiled sweetly.
"Yes, she came to scold me! But I thought, with Young Graduate Sun's personality, she would at most just scold her back. I didn't expect things to escalate so much."
However, everything was developing in the direction she wanted.
Qi Chengyan said in a deep voice, "You didn't expect it, but you are very pleased."
The stirrings he felt because of Cheng You had always struck him as absurd.
A girl like Cheng You, with her hidden depths and ruthless schemes, was precisely the type he disliked the most.
Cheng You pouted. "Of course, I'm pleased! You saw how they spoke, slandering me for having a secret affair with you!"
Qi Chengyan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you?"
Cheng You huffed playfully. "I really do want to, I just haven't had the chance yet. Admitting it now would be too much of a loss, wouldn't it? After all, we haven't done anything that couples do."
Qi Chengyan was taken aback, coughed lightly, and reprimanded with a stern face, "Frivolous!"
Cheng You didn't let him retreat, grabbing his hem.
"Educated Youth Qi, are you wearing the clothes I gave you?"
The girl stood on tiptoe, her delicate and charming face close to his.
He could even smell a faint fragrance emanating from her, her breath like orchid dew.
After a struggle, Qi Chengyan grabbed her wrist and said with a frown, "Let go!"
His handsome face held a look of indifference.
Cheng You pouted, feeling displeased, but her wrist was hurting from his pinch, so she had to release him.
"Educated Youth Qi, do you hate me that much? My engagement with Zhao Yunlin will be dissolved soon. When that happens, can we be a couple?"
Faced with such a soft and sweet inquiry, any other man would be unable to refuse.
But Qi Chengyan's self-control was far better than Cheng You had imagined.
After a long silence with a stern face, he managed to say, "I don't hate you."
Cheng You was already satisfied to hear him say this.
Her eyes brightened slightly, and she pressed on, "If you don't hate me, does that mean you like me?"
This led the pedantic and serious man to reprimand her again, "Young ladies should be modest!"
Cheng You pouted unhappily, truly boring.
"If you don't like me, fine. There aren't only you male comrades in this world."
She shot him an annoyed glance, twisted her slender waist, and turned to leave.
Qi Chengyan rubbed his temples and reluctantly conceded, "Let's talk about it after your engagement is dissolved."
Cheng You's footsteps halted, and like a little fox, she revealed a triumphant smile.