Chapter 2, The Poor Boy

Zhao Yu lowered his eyes, noncommittal. He continued to work hard, and he had naturally heard about the opportunity to earn money by helping the young lady move things. However, two hundred yuan was not a long-term solution. Other families had not only movers but also other strong laborers, while his family had only him. It would be better to harvest the rice, dry the grains, and once the family had stored food, he could feel more at ease when looking for work outside.

Chen Xiaoli's mind stirred; although she did not know what Xinghua Village was, any place the young lady went to must be a good place

The old man stood at the door, watching his granddaughter's car drive away

The apricot blossom village depicted in the book is indeed terrible and backward. To what extent is it terrible? It is so bad that there is no money even to buy a bride.

Du Tianxin let out a sigh of relief and called softly, "Brother Zhao Yu."

As she passed by the ridge of the field, she caught sight of a figure harvesting rice in the field

Du Tian, seeing that he had no intention of moving things, handed over the water bottle he had brought.

However, this person is truly an ingrate, slandering their own reputation everywhere after a few years, claiming how cruel and malicious they are, as if they have become good friends with the female lead, yet it is uncertain what will happen next

When she was seventeen, she indeed had a good friend, a girl from a well-off family, slightly plump but sweet-tongued, named Chen Xiaoli. Daining was not kind to others, but had no complaints about Chen Xiaoli

Dai Ning took out a bag of sunflower seeds to crack open. She is a stingy person; she shared some with Uncle Qian and Xiao Zhang, but did not share any with Chen Xiaoli: "It's from Xinghua Village."

In the room, Ji Tian, who was sewing clothes, couldn't help but frown. She had been transported into this book for nearly half a month. Initially despairing at the poverty and backwardness of this village, she never expected that in this dilapidated place, there would be a remarkable figure emerging several years later.

The villagers have been farming for generations, but due to the remote terrain, their rural life is even inferior to that of the countryside in the 1960s.

~ .

Dai Ning felt a tinge of bitterness in her heart; she wished to spend more time with her grandfather. Regardless of how powerful the plot was, her grandfather was the only person who had never hated or given up on her

But time waits for no one; to escape the tragic fate of her grandfather's death, she had no choice but to leave

Everyone went to help the young lady move things, but he did not go

Chen Xiaoli was very suspicious, wondering how to get in this place. Even walking would cause one to slip!

The young lady is seated

Until the afternoon, a sudden rain fell, making the ground wet and muddy, and they were about to enter the mountains

Chen Xiaoli was in a state of confusion, unable to believe that this was Ji Daining! How could she have become so beautiful!

Two hundred ah

She is truly unaccustomed to the rustic terms of address used by the people of Xinghua Village, with boys calling her XX kid and girls calling her X girl

He jumped down, picked up the spare shoes of the young lady, and did not feel that it was inappropriate for Chen Xiaoli to walk. He was walking too, besides, only someone as beautiful and delicate as the young lady would look like they could not walk at first glance

The young man looked up

He had clear and refined features, with a faint new scar on his cheek from the rice stalks, and his expression was weary. The young man wiped the sweat from his brow and asked, "Tian Niu'er, what is the matter?"

As they ventured further into the remote area, a few individuals switched to a tricycle to continue their journey, and Chen Xiaoli finally sensed that something was amiss

Zhao Yu remained silent, while the sounds of shouting came from afar. The people around him who were harvesting rice straightened their backs and looked towards the road.

As a male-oriented novel, perhaps in order to create a sense of exhilaration through overcoming challenges, this backward place, devoid of national subsidies, seems isolated from the world, relying solely on the future male protagonist to save it

Du Tian had long realized that she was different from the other girls in the village. She possessed a delicate and graceful appearance, and her mother was also quite elegant. However, the elegance of both mother and daughter made their lives in the countryside rather challenging

Chen Xiaoli was restless, yet she made a great effort to suppress it. She reassured herself that a young lady would not willingly seek hardship; there must be a paradise waiting for them.

As the villagers passed by Widow Du's door, one kindly called out, "Your Tian Niu can also go; the more she moves, the more money she can earn."

After a long time, Daining thought for a while and finally remembered who the "good friend" was

Dai Ning sat in the car chewing bubble gum when Uncle Qian, the driver, suddenly said: "Miss, your friend is waving at you"

Ji Tian has never been a person to wallow in self-pity; she believes that being by the side of a future magnate is fate, and she is immediately filled with determination. By clinging to Zhao Yu's thigh, how could she worry about not having a good life in the future

A heavy burden rests on the shoulders of the youth; even though he is intelligent and has ideals, in such a fragile family, if he were to leave, the others might not survive even half a month

In their Apricot Blossom Village, selling one hundred jin of rice costs less than two hundred yuan. Regardless of whether it is true or false, in the afternoon, men, women, and children all compete to help the young lady move her belongings

Thank you. Zhao Yu did not refuse; he was indeed parched. The mountains loomed like a silent prison, enclosing him within. His family consisted of five members: his father was paralyzed, his mother was ailing from overwork, his younger brother, who was twelve this year, attended junior high school in the village and had to take care of their parents and younger sister when he returned home. As for the younger sister, she was only six years old this year

How lively it is, that must be the little girl from the big city

The villagers were extremely curious and caught the second daughter of the village chief.

Xiao Zhang, whose full name is Zhang Yongfeng, is known for his honesty and integrity, and has a muscular physique

"Are you going to take care of me?" After a few years of experience, I realized that Chen Xiaoli's shallow thoughts were simply not worth considering, as everything was written all over her face

After a short while, Uncle Qian returned, accompanied by two mountain dwellers who had been waiting in advance. They were carrying a finely crafted small chair, which had a canopy that could provide shade from the sun and shelter from the rain

The car had already driven a short distance, and seeing that Dai Ning had no intention of getting out, Chen Xiaoli had no choice but to chase after her, panting heavily.

She deliberately changed into her best outfit, a light pink dress

Where are you going

In contrast, Dainin on the small chair was eating snacks, while Zhang Yongfeng occasionally spoke to amuse her

To speak frankly, Uncle Qian has never liked Chen Xiaoli. This girl, despite her young age, has quite a few thoughts. Although she appears domineering as a young lady, she has suffered losses in front of Chen Xiaoli.

Uncle Qian got out of the car first: "Miss, wait a moment, I will be back soon"

Chen Xiaoli: "I will make a phone call back."

The girl in front of me, as delicate and beautiful as a doll, arched her eyes and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Dai Ning chuckled softly, her appearance sweet and her voice crisp like a bell: "You walk, oh."

Du Tian put down the clothes in her hands and couldn't help but ponder whether there was such a precious young lady in Zhao Yu's youth as described in the book, and if it had any relation to the future rise of Zhao Yu's fortunes

For a hungry person, a beautiful girl is not as appealing as a fragrant steamed bun. It will be even hotter in the afternoon, so we must seize the time to work now

After all, in male-oriented literature, the events leading up to the rise are not clearly explained. Du Tian calmed down and decided to find out what exactly had happened

Zhao Yu cut rice for the entire morning and finally got to drink some water

Chen Xiaoli watched helplessly as Daining took a seat, unable to restrain herself from asking: "What about me?"

Er Niu'er's cheeks were sunburned a dark red, and she said: "Father said the young lady's family is very wealthy, we need to lay a carpet on the cement floor. I have seen her carpet, it feels so comfortable to the touch"

Dai Ning waved her hand, her voice sweet: "I will be back soon!"

The car was driven for a day and a half, with a night spent resting at a hotel along the way

The boy's pant legs are rolled up high, and he is barefoot, with sweat all over his forehead. It has just rained, and now the sun is shining brightly.

She turned her eyes and said, "I know you have not been feeling well lately, I will accompany you, and I can take care of you."

It's nothing, let me bring you some water, please drink it

Du Tian watched his rolling Adam's apple and simply sat down on the ridge of the field: "Let me keep you company and talk for a while."

Chen Xiaoli gritted her teeth, feeling extremely wronged, as she followed behind them

Dainin almost laughed

Several people are sitting on the tricycle, and only Daining has a cushion

Du Tian was momentarily taken aback, and Zhao Yu also raised his head to look over.

This is hardly a paradise; it is simply a place of desolate mountains and harsh waters. Is there really such a poor and miserable place in the country?

The village chief's house was the first to be built as a bungalow, while the other households have tiled houses. The bungalow has not yet had the chance to be inhabited, and it now seems that it is to be let out.

Originally, Daining had made plans to attend the exhibition with her, but Daining did not go. Usually, these events are paid for by the young lady of the Ji family. With Daining's absence, Chen Xiaoli, reluctant to spend money, naturally did not attend either

A hint of amusement flickered in Daining's eyes

Until a few days ago, several men dressed in shirts arrived in the village. Their clothes were so white and so neat that they carried countless sealed boxes into the village chief's house to discuss something

Xinghua Village has only a few dozen households, and the news spread quickly on the day of the gossip. It is said that a precious young lady from the city is coming to their village! It is rumored that each person who helps her move things can earn at least 200 yuan

Uncle Qian said: "I apologize, we have only prepared for the young lady; Miss Chen may also choose to return."

She opened the car door and, as usual, complained: "Dainin, didn't we agree to watch ... ... together yesterday"

Indeed

During the busy farming season, it was unexpected that the village chief's family had stopped harvesting rice. Instead, the entire family went to tidy up the newly built bungalow, and all those beautiful boxes were carried into the bungalow.

"Please park the car." Let's see what Chen Xiaoli intends to do

She suppressed her sour feelings and became even more dissatisfied: "Going to the exhibition!"

She is unaware that her identity is Ji Tian, the illegitimate daughter of the Ji family, as she currently bears her mother's surname and is called Du Tian

The villagers peered out curiously, speculating that a significant event was about to take place

Old Master Ji gently touched his granddaughter's soft, curly hair, feeling quite reluctant: "That's right, our Ning Ning is so beautiful, don't follow those bad students, this is very cute."

As soon as the words were spoken, Chen Xiaoli froze, looking at the girl in front of her in disbelief

Dai Ning called out softly, patted Xiao Zhang's head, and pulled her leg back, causing Xiao Zhang's face to instantly turn bright red

Chen Xiaoli instinctively wanted to lose her temper, but when she looked into the bright eyes before her, she found herself unable to say a word. She had a premonition that if she were to fall out, her "friendship" with Daining would be ruined.

Du Yuexiang shook her head: "Tian Tian is weak, forget it"

Indeed

Dai Ning said, "Alright, but won't your parents be worried?"

She happily stuffed a milk candy into Zhang Yongfeng's mouth, a scene that clearly resembled teasing a dog in Chen Xiaoli's eyes, yet Zhang Yongfeng remained completely oblivious, his ears flushed red

What Du Tian said, he did not listen to it

Just call me Du Tian

Are we going into the mountains

Er Niu was sniffling: "My father said that a young lady is coming to stay at our home, and my brother and sister will be going to help the young lady move her things later."

In a few days, Daining is preparing to set off

Chen Xiaoli looked despairingly at the endless road ahead

Chen Xiaoli felt very anxious, looking around, but this place seemed to resemble a remote mountain area. She took out her phone to check, but there was no signal at all

~ .

The young man's skin has been tanned to a wheat color, and his exposed arms and legs are very sturdy. He is young and diligent, moving with agility, and wherever he passes, the rice plants are gathered in heaps.

Er Niu, what is your father doing? Your house is so nice, who would want to move in?

Dai Ning did not stop her; she watched as Chen Xiaoli climbed into the car, looking excited. Chen's father and mother also loved to take advantage of opportunities. Chen Xiaoli had gained hundreds of thousands from Dai Ning over time, and they were eager for their daughter to befriend the young lady, even praising Chen Xiaoli for her cleverness

She let two large trucks carrying supplies go ahead, bidding farewell to her grandfather.

Dai Ning hummed a tune, feeling quite cheerful, her calves swinging in the air. Raindrops fell on her tender calves, and the young man, Xiao Zhang, said: "Miss, please don't do that, you might catch a chill"

Such a wonderful thing is actually being trampled by the young lady

Thus, in the village, the only path to continue the lineage is for a family with a daughter of suitable age to unite with another family that has a son of suitable age

Eighteen-year-old Zhao Yu

The little girl was simply adorable in her childhood, almost too cute to be true. In comparison to her thin younger brother, Ji Moju, she was exceptionally beautiful, to the extent that after all these years, the old man still treats Daining the best.

Chen Xiaoli felt a bit scared, but since she was already there, she couldn't just leave without gaining any benefits

After walking for more than an hour, Chen Xiaoli's pants were covered in mud spots. She felt extremely regretful and wanted to turn back, but upon seeing the path she had come, with its rugged cliffs and winding mountain trails, she was filled with despair and could only continue to grit her teeth and move forward

Dai Ning suppressed a smile: "Let's set off."

Dai Ning looked at her, finding it quite interesting, and said: "Xinghua Village Resort"

Dai Ning propped her chin up and said, "Oh, I forgot"

Where are we actually going

In the later part of this book, anyone who saw Zhao Yu had to respectfully address him as Master Zhao