With Cheng Tao out of the way, Cheng You felt her life was looking brighter and more promising.
She no longer needed Uncle Li to accompany her when she went up the mountain to gather herbs; she could go by herself with her basket.
She recognized most of the herbs and would bring home any she was unsure of for Uncle Li to identify.
Qi Cheng Yan would usually join her on the mountain after finishing his work.
Although they hadn't explicitly told anyone, everyone could see that there was something going on between the two of them.
However, Zhao Yun Lin was already married to Cheng Tao, and there was no rule stating Cheng You couldn't be in a relationship. Did she have to wait for him?
Qi Cheng Yan appeared rough around the edges, but he was incredibly thoughtful.
He would follow Cheng You, noticing whenever she was thirsty and needed a drink.
Though he spoke little, his actions conveyed his feelings.
"I'm almost done here. Shall we go see if you've caught anything?"
Qi Cheng Yan always carried a handkerchief, which he would wash thoroughly before wearing. He specifically used it to wipe Cheng You's sweat.
He silently offered it to her.
Cheng You held out her hands, pouting playfully, "My hands are dirty, can you help me!"
Qi Cheng Yan took the handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from her brow.
His face remained stoic, but the tenderness in his eyes was undeniable.
This scene was witnessed by two different groups of people.
One was Zhao Yun Lin and Cheng Tao, and the other was Duan Li Ping and Sun Xiao Wan.
Zhao Yun Lin's face turned pale with anger. He desperately wanted to step forward and confront them, but Cheng Tao was standing beside him.
Sun Xiao Wan knew she had no standing in this situation. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked crestfallen.
Duan Li Ping sighed, "Xiao Wan, let's go down the mountain. We probably won't find any more mushrooms."
Sun Xiao Wan didn't respond. She turned and left in a huff.
Cheng Tao, on the other hand, said curtly, "Keep looking, but he's not yours anymore."
Zhao Yun Lin snapped back to reality, looking embarrassed. "Cheng Tao, what are you talking about?"
"You lost your senses the moment you saw Cheng You. What else could I be talking about?"
"That's not true. I was just a little angry. The way they are, they dare to say they didn't have a secret relationship before?"
Cheng Tao snorted, "Whether you had a secret relationship or not is irrelevant to you now."
She stomped off in another direction, not only angry but also feeling wronged.
Ever since she married into the Zhao family and lived under the same roof as Wang Hong Xia, not a single day had been peaceful.
She couldn't get the betrothal gifts back. When she proposed a separate household, Zhao Yun Lin had berated her.
When the matter was brought before Cheng Tian Hua, he ended up lecturing her instead.
Zhao Yun Lin shot an indignant glare at Qi Cheng Yan and quickly followed Cheng Tao.
Cheng You snorted and looked at Qi Cheng Yan.
Qi Cheng Yan raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"
"I saw something unpleasant and need to wash my eyes."
She blinked her large eyes, looking incredibly cute.
Qi Cheng Yan took her small hand and led her towards the traps.
Only when no one else was around would he take her hand willingly.
"Wow, your traps are amazing! You catch game every time."
Cheng You peered onto the ground, seeing a wild chicken's leg securely bound.
"Not every time. It depends on luck."
Qi Cheng Yan untied the chicken's leg. The bird flapped its wings wildly in his hands.
Cheng You envied it, finally understanding San Leng's feelings.
If only she could catch something like this.
Then, Qi Cheng Yan said, "I'll take it back for you."
Cheng You was surprised, "For me?"
She thought for a moment and shook her head, "No, I don't want it. If I take it back, Song Yu Lian will benefit."
She wouldn't let Song Yu Lian take the slightest advantage of her.
Seeing her reaction, Qi Cheng Yan didn't insist. He sat down with the chicken.
"Then let's roast it."
"Roast it?"
Qi Cheng Yan nodded, "Just like last time."
Cheng You's face lit up with a smile, "Okay! I'll go get the seasonings, wait for me!"
"I'll go."
He also killed the chicken and cleaned it.
Cheng You sat obediently to the side, watching his retreating figure with longing.
The dry, warm breeze brushed against her cheeks, and loose strands of hair gently swayed, caressing her beautiful face.
Cheng You rested her chin on her knees, feeling drowsy.
In a short while, she saw a figure approaching from afar.
Her vision was still blurry, and she thought it was Qi Cheng Yan returning, her head rising in surprise.
But upon closer inspection, it was Zhao Yun Lin. Her expression immediately soured.
"What are you doing here?" she said, giving him an annoyed look.
Zhao Yun Lin's face was ashen, as if he had been cuckolded.
"You and Qi Cheng Yan, you've had a secret relationship for a long time!"
"What do you mean 'secret relationship'? I'm openly dating him. Yours and Cheng Tao's is what you call sneaking around! Oh right, why are you alone? Does Cheng Tao know you're looking for me?"
Zhao Yun Lin felt guilty, but he said, "Cheng Tao is very understanding. She wouldn't make a fuss."
Cheng You hummed and glanced behind him.
"Is she really that understanding, or do you not like her enough? If you truly liked someone, you wouldn't be going behind her back to see your ex-fiancée. Zhao Yun Lin, you're not still into me, are you?"
Zhao Yun Lin had always been adept at misinterpreting others' words.
Cheng You's words made him overthink, wondering if Cheng You still had feelings for him.
"Cheng You, compared to her, of course, I like you more! You know, if things hadn't gotten so out of hand, I wouldn't have married her!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept past behind him, and his head was smacked to the side.
He turned around furiously, only to see Cheng Tao's contorted face.
"You wouldn't marry me? Zhao Yun Lin, do you care to explain what you meant by that?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Cheng Tao gritted her teeth, filled with both anger and hurt.
What could be more heartbreaking than her husband openly declaring his affection for someone else in front of her?
Although her initial intentions in marrying Zhao Yun Lin weren't pure, his handsome features completely appealed to her aesthetic. Over time, she had developed genuine feelings for him.
Zhao Yun Lin frantically tried to explain, "Cheng Tao, no... that's not what you think."
Cheng Tao turned and saw Cheng You watching the drama unfold with amusement. She suppressed the urge to beat Zhao Yun Lin senseless.
Family matters shouldn't be aired in public. Even if she were to discipline him, it would be behind closed doors.
With that thought, she angrily shoved Zhao Yun Lin's hand away and ran down the mountain.
Cheng You watched Zhao Yun Lin descend the mountain in disarray, covering her mouth and giggling merrily.
Midway through her laughter, her gaze drifted to Qi Cheng Yan.
Her smile faltered, and a sense of unease settled in her heart.
"When did you get here?"
Qi Cheng Yan's gaze was deep as he walked towards her.
The closer he got, the more oppressive his aura became.
"When do you wish I had arrived?"
Cheng You shriveled her neck, feeling a little intimidated.
"I was just teasing them..."
Qi Cheng Yan stared at her intently, his jaw tightening. It was clear he was angry.
Cheng You wanted to act cute and flirtatious as she had before, hoping to soften his heart.
However, she heard him say in a cold tone, "Cheng You, you have no relationship with him anymore. There's no need to do this."
Cheng You blinked in surprise, "I... I didn't do anything. He was the one who came to provoke me..."
"Using his feelings for you to disrupt his relationship with Cheng Tao, you call that 'not doing anything'?"
Cheng You's face turned pale, and she stared at him blankly.