Chapter Ninety-Nine: Ignited

At this moment, it was just the two of them, a lone man and a lone woman, with Zhao Cuihua already considered Lu Hao’s woman. Two young, healthy bodies, under the midday sun, were completely ignited. Lu Hao and Zhao Cuihua shamelessly swatted away the summer mosquitoes in the courtyard.

They kept at it until dusk, when Lu Hao finally stepped out of the courtyard. By then, Zhao Cuihua was utterly exhausted and could only return to her bed to sleep.

If all the men in Peach Blossom Village who coveted widows had witnessed this scene, they would have surely charged at Lu Hao like enraged bulls. After all, Zhao Cuihua was one of the village’s two most sought-after widows—known as the “Twin Blossoms” among widows. In other words, she was one of the two most beautiful, youngest, best-figured widows, childless, whose husbands had died early, and who never compromised.

There had even been a bet in the village, promising a reward of ten thousand yuan from all the bachelors if anyone could be the first to win over either of these women. Yet, no one had ever claimed the prize—until Lu Hao beat them to it.

Lu Hao tidied his clothes and stepped out. He hadn’t yet returned home when a waft of fragrance suddenly brushed past him. A woman, graceful as a white deer, dressed in jeans and a simple white shirt, wearing a straw hat, walked by. She carried a delicate fragility mixed with an elegance unknown to the countryside, like a drop of pure milk moving through the rugged wilderness.

She had been skipping along lightly, but upon seeing Lu Hao, she immediately halted, stiffening with fear. This was none other than Yun Xiaoyan, the village official Lu Hao had encountered before. She had conquered her fears, moved house, added locks to her room, and refused to eat any food from the villagers.

When Yun Xiaoyan’s eyes met Lu Hao’s, her gaze brimmed with rejection, resistance, hatred, and anger. Neither spoke a word; they merely passed by each other.

Meanwhile, the elderly people sitting on nearby doorsteps began whispering among themselves.

“Hey, who would’ve thought the village college student spends all day chasing women, hooking up with that widow Zhao Cuihua the entire afternoon.”

“His wife’s gone, so now he’s after other men’s wives. These young people today, they call it free love, but it’s really moral decay.”

“Old folks like us just don’t understand.”

Yun Xiaoyan’s expression changed instantly. Recalling the secret conversation Lu Hao had with the village chief earlier, she naturally drew a conclusion: Could Lu Hao, the clinic doctor, be some kind of lecher? No wonder such a promising man had been dumped by his ex-girlfriend. Anyone who fell for someone like him was truly cursed.

“Hey, Officer Yun, have you bought that new lock yet?” Lu Hao suddenly remembered and kindly reminded her.

“I don’t know,” she replied without turning her head, then strode away quickly, unwilling to give him any chance to speak.

The elders resumed their whispered gossip.

“Heh, this young man thinks he can flirt with a college girl from the city? Must have a screw loose.”

“Exactly. To be so obsessed with women, you won’t find many like him in Peach Blossom Village.”

The voices of two old women drifted to Yun Xiaoyan’s ears, deepening her disdain for Lu Hao. It was the first time she truly glimpsed the true nature of the villagers.

Lu Hao suddenly shouted, “Damn it, you old folks, it’s about to rain. Did you get the peanuts in from the sun?”

“Always gossiping here, be careful your grandson gets a rotten ass.”

He aimed a string of curses at the older women sitting on the doorstep, who lowered their heads, muttered curses back, and hurried away with surprising speed.

Yun Xiaoyan saw yet another “unsavory” side of Lu Hao and felt her disgust deepen. Glancing up at the sky, she realized that her work here would be far more difficult than she had imagined. The interpersonal relationships and everything else in Peach Blossom Village felt like a quagmire. Getting things done here was far harder than chatting with mentors back in the city.

Every man in the village looked at her with ill intent, so much so that she no longer dared speak to any unfamiliar men. Yet, stubborn to her core, she refused to give up.

Unconsciously, she had returned to her new “residence.” She rented this place with a young, only daughter from the village who was also studying at a university in another province. Her parents felt sympathetic toward Yun Xiaoyan’s situation.

But at the door, she found an uninvited guest.

“Xiaoyan, I’ve come to tell you something,” said the village chief, Zhou Chao, his broad, pockmarked, round face looming at her doorstep. That face struck a sudden terror deep inside her, causing her legs to tremble involuntarily.

“Tomorrow the village has arranged work for you. After the work, there will be a meal together. You cannot refuse. Leaders from the county will be there, and this is crucial to whether your internship report will be graded excellent.”

“As for other matters, I hope you won’t think too much or misunderstand. Many things are not as they appear on the surface.”

After speaking, Zhou Chao turned away, stooping as he slowly made his way back down the dirt road to his home. His hunched, short, and stout figure suggested someone well over fifty years old.

From just looking at him, one wouldn’t immediately connect him to a sinister villain. But what awaited Yun Xiaoyan tomorrow was yet another terrifying trap.

...

Meanwhile, Lu Hao had returned home. The family atmosphere had eased considerably since Lu Hao had taken on the largest recent expense—the tuition and living costs for his younger sister. The family gathered happily to eat.

His mother, Liu Xiulan, carefully glanced at Lu Hao while holding her bowl.

“Xiaohao, how’s the clinic going lately? Are many people coming?” she asked.

Lu Hao shook his head. “It’s okay. Just as many as needed—the village isn’t that big anyway.”

“The fewer patients, the better.”

“That’s not how you should think,” Liu Xiulan said, setting down her chopsticks. For a lifetime spent in the countryside, she only hoped her son could earn more money. Whether many people were sick didn’t cross her mind.

“What about your restaurant? I heard a few days ago someone brought people to smash it up?” Liu Xiulan asked.