Chapter 46

On this day, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Wu Aizhen got out of bed. In fact, she had been in a state of half-sleep all night, struggling with her thoughts.

Getting up at around 5, she was unusually energetic and felt no fatigue at all.

She quickly washed her hair and carefully dried it with a dry towel.

She opened her wardrobe, took out a white dress that she had kept at the bottom, put it on, and combed her hair neatly, letting it fall smoothly over her shoulders, which made her look more like a lady. She put on a pair of mid-heel leather sandals, turned and twisted in front of the mirror to check every detail, and finally felt somewhat satisfied with her appearance.

Wu Aizhen told her mother she was going to play with a classmate and set off on her bike.

Yesterday, she had specially asked for a day off from the boss, saying she had some personal matters to attend to. The boss was very unhappy but agreed. Thinking about it now, Wu Aizhen still felt a bit uneasy.

Her job at the newspaper stand had no days off; she had to go every day and work for seven or eight hours, after which the boss would take over.

If she took a personal day off, the boss would have to cover for her.

It was no wonder the boss was unhappy.

The morning air was fresh, the sun had just risen, and the heat had not yet set in. A gentle cool breeze blew, making her feel refreshed. The cotton fields by the road were lush and green, but there were few farmers working in them.

Thinking about meeting Xiao Fei soon, Wu Aizhen's face flushed.

Was her visit too sudden?

Would Xiao Fei welcome her?

She had spent the whole night in mental turmoil, hesitating whether to go or not. Rationality told her that it was inappropriate for a girl to visit a boy's home on her own.

But she just wanted to see his home and meet him.

Seeing him made her happy.

Longing for him made her heart ache.

Was this the feeling of falling in love?

But why couldn't she like him? He was talented, had a good personality, and as their interactions increased, she found herself increasingly drawn to him.

Love doesn't fall from the sky; it doesn't just happen for no reason, Wu Aizhen thought. If she liked him, she should take the initiative to pursue him.

Even if she failed, she wouldn't have any regrets.

If she kept her feelings buried in her heart, she might really have no chance at all.

Of course, Wu Aizhen would never confess her feelings. As a girl, she knew that subtle hints could keep her in a position of initiative.

Thus, Wu Aizhen was torn and thoughtful as she rode along.

She asked for directions to Xili Village.

By around 8 in the morning, she had reached the entrance of Xili Village.

By then, she was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

The scorching sun shone on her, turning her skin a rosy hue.

She looked out and saw an endless plain, with a rolling, verdant hill surrounding a desolate and dilapidated village, where smoke rose gently from the rooftops.

The road was a dirt path.

The loose soil hindered the wheels of her bike.

Wu Aizhen got off her bike, her heart pounding, and slowly walked towards the village, passing through a narrow pass and approaching the village.

A few villagers loitering by the village entrance looked at her curiously.

A girl as delicate as a water lily appearing in such a desolate village was bound to attract attention.

Moreover, apart from street vendors, few outsiders ever came to Xili Village. A fashionably dressed, snow-white girl walking into the village could not help but draw the curious gazes of the villagers.

Among those standing at the village entrance were Xiao Yang and Liu Mingxing.

"That girl is really beautiful," Liu Mingxing said, his eyes fixed on her, making a gesture as if to wipe away drool.

"She doesn't look like a villager, she's so fashionable," another person commented.

"Should we bet on which house she'll go to?" someone else suggested.

Xiao Yang looked at Wu Aizhen a few times, feeling a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen her somewhere before. He frowned, trying to remember where, and said, "I think I've seen her before."

The reason Xiao Yang didn't recognize her at first was that Wu Aizhen's appearance was very different from what he had seen in the county town. He hadn't expected the girl who seemed to be close to his brother to travel such a long distance to his village alone.

"Heh!" Liu Mingxing laughed, "Xiao Yang, do you get a sense of familiarity every time you see a pretty girl?"

"Ah! I remember now, she's Xiao Fei's friend. That day, I went to the county town with Fei and saw her. She must be here to see my brother," Xiao Yang exclaimed.

He finally recognized the girl as Wu Aizhen.

"Really? Xiao Fei has such a beautiful girlfriend?" Liu Mingxing asked, half-disbelieving.

At this moment, Wu Aizhen also saw Xiao Yang and immediately recognized him as Xiao Fei's brother.

She smiled and waved at Xiao Yang, "Big Brother Xiao Yang, is Xiao Fei at home?"

"Yes, yes!" Xiao Yang nodded quickly, feeling a bit nervous and a little proud.

"Ooh, ooh—" Liu Mingxing and the others exclaimed in surprise.

Wu Aizhen's face turned even redder.

She wasn't used to such a scene.

Xiao Yang turned and kicked at the group, explaining to Wu Aizhen, "Don't mind these guys, they just like to make a fuss. I'll take you home to see Xiao Fei."

"Okay," Wu Aizhen replied, lowering her head.

Thus, Xiao Yang led her through the village street towards his home, with Liu Mingxing and the others following behind, telling the curious villagers, "This is Xiao Fei's girlfriend, from the city, she came specially to see Xiao Fei."

They spoke loudly.

Wu Aizhen naturally heard them.

She thought, this was a beautiful misunderstanding.

The villagers loved to watch a spectacle, and Wu Aizhen soon noticed that the crowd following her was growing larger. Many villagers followed behind, pointing and discussing, and their voices were quite loud.

"Is she really Xiao Fei's wife?"

"How beautiful! Xiao Fei is such a lucky guy."

Of course, there were also those who said nasty things.

"Hehe! When this girl sees the state of the Xiao family, she might be very disappointed and turn around and leave!"

"How could a city girl like her, who looks like she stepped out of a painting, possibly marry into the Xiao family? Can she endure such hardship?"

Someone immediately countered.

"Do you think Xiao Fei will stay in the countryside forever? He will definitely get into college and leave the farming life. The girl values Xiao Fei himself, not his family background!"

"Even if Xiao Fei doesn't get into college, with his talent for writing, he can certainly find a job in the city where he won't have to worry about the elements! You need to think long-term."

Thus, Wu Aizhen followed Xiao Yang as he led the way.

Behind them, a crowd of villagers, like a snowball rolling down a hill, gradually gathered and followed them to Xiao Fei's courtyard.

"Xiao Fei, Xiao Fei, look who's here!" Xiao Yang called out from a distance.

At that moment, Xiao Fei was writing at a square table in the courtyard. Hearing his brother's call, he stood up and saw Wu Aizhen, her face flushed and her forehead glistening with sweat, pushing her bike into the courtyard. A large crowd of villagers quickly filled the courtyard.

"Wu Aizhen? Why are you here?" Xiao Fei was taken aback, blurting out.

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