When the roast pork arrived, Yu Xiaoduo couldn’t wait to try a piece. It was fatty but not greasy, melted right in your mouth, and cooked to perfection. Dipped in the villagers’ special seasoning, it was pure bliss. If they opened a restaurant in Shanghai with this, the line would stretch from morning till night.
Bai Jie ate very delicately, nothing like Yu Xiaoduo’s gobbling. She chewed slowly and gracefully, and just watching her was a pleasure in itself.
The dishes that followed really whetted Yu Xiaoduo’s appetite. Whoever the cook was, they should just open a small home-style restaurant—business would definitely boom.
And the homemade fruit wine? Absolutely incredible. It went down like a soft drink, and if you added some ice, it would be even more refreshing.
But as he kept drinking, Yu Xiaoduo started to feel a bit tipsy. He hadn’t expected the wine to have such a kick.
“This kind of fruit wine should be sipped slowly. Drinking it too fast will get you drunk easily,” Bai Jie said with a soft laugh, lifting her cup and taking a small sip.
“Bai Jie, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“And why didn’t you ask earlier?”
Yu Xiaoduo felt helpless. After spending this day together, even Bai Ye had learned to talk back.
Just then, the villagers piled up firewood in the center of the clearing and lit it. The flames shot high into the sky—it was one of their traditions.
After eating and drinking their fill, the villagers gathered around the bonfire, singing and dancing.
Yu Xiaoduo, already a little drunk, loved the atmosphere. He suddenly reached out and took Bai Jie’s delicate hand. “Bai Jie, let’s join them!”
“No, you go ahead.”
Yu Xiaoduo could tell that Bai Ye wanted to, but she seemed a bit embarrassed. He figured—someone as high and mighty as Bai Ye fooling around with everyone else? If word got out, it wouldn’t look good.
“Bai Jie, there’s no one else around. Just enjoy the moment.” He gave her hand a gentle tug. This time, Bai Jie didn’t seem to resist, and Yu Xiaoduo half-pulled, half-persuaded her into the center of the circle.
When the villagers saw Bai Jie joining in, they got even more excited.
“But I don’t know how to dance,” Bai Jie said helplessly.
Yu Xiaoduo laughed. “Bai Jie, just move to the rhythm. It’s really simple.”
With Yu Xiaoduo leading the way, Bai Jie quickly got the hang of it. A brighter smile appeared on her already stunning face. Maybe it had been a long time since she’d been this happy, free from worrying about everything else.
After the dance, they returned to their seats. Yu Xiaoduo was breathing heavily, while Bai Jie seemed calm and steady.
“Wan’er, you really need to exercise more,” Bai Jie said, pulling out a tissue and handing it to Yu Xiaoduo.
He took it and wiped his sweat. How can you say I don’t exercise? It’s just that Gu Wan’er’s body is in such terrible shape.
Just then, a boy came running over from a distance. The scar-faced bodyguard, who had been on alert, moved to stop him, but Bai Jie silenced him with a single look.
The boy had dark skin and didn’t look very old—probably around fourteen or fifteen. His face was flushed red, his head was lowered, and his hands were hidden behind his back.
Nearby, a group of boys were cheering him on.
Yu Xiaoduo instantly understood. Have you even hit puberty yet, and you’re already confessing your feelings? You’re braver than me, Yu Xiaoduo. I salute you.
“Tie Wa! What do you think you’re doing? Get back here!” A middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd and yelled.
The boy, Tie Wa, steeled his nerves, knelt down right in front of Bai Jie, and brought his hands out from behind his back. In them was a bunch of wildflowers he’d picked from the mountains.
Yu Xiaoduo nearly spit out his fruit wine. Are you praying to Buddha or confessing your love?
“This is nonsense! Take your boy away now!” The old village chief was half-sobered up by the shock. This was downright disrespectful to the guests.
Seeing his father storming toward him, Tie Wa quickly shouted, “Sister Bai, I like you!”
Yu Xiaoduo was impressed. Dude, even I don’t have that much nerve.
The old village chief was so angry his white eyebrows shot up. “Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!”
But Bai Jie didn’t say anything harsh. She simply stood up, took the bouquet of wildflowers, and said, “Study hard. Get into a good university.”
Tie Wa stared blankly at the beautiful Sister Bai Jie, feeling as if she were a fairy who had descended from the heavens.
“Sister Bai Jie, I promise I’ll study hard!”
“You little brat! I’ll teach you a lesson!” His father came charging over with a bamboo switch. Tie Wa scrambled away, laughing all the way.
“Miss Bai, I’m really sorry. My son is naughty. I hope he didn’t offend you.”
Bai Jie said gently, “It’s all right. Don’t be too hard on him.”
Sitting beside her, Yu Xiaoduo thought, *Bai Jie is like a warm, caring big sister, the kind who looks after you 24/7 without ever missing a beat. That kind of tenderness is dangerously addictive.*
By the end of the meal, Yu Xiaoduo declared he was completely stuffed. Good thing Gu Zong wasn’t there, or she’d be nagging him endlessly.
“Let’s take a walk,” Bai Jie suggested.
Yu Xiaoduo agreed. He needed to digest a bit—his belly was starting to stick out.
The countryside air was so crisp and clean. Instead of car horns and city noise, the sounds around them were of insects chirping, frogs croaking in the fields, and above them, the stars shone brilliantly, like a river of silver stretching across the sky.
Yu Xiaoduo sighed softly to himself. At such a romantic moment, why do I have to be a woman?
“Why did you fall out with Pan Wei yesterday?” Bai Jie suddenly asked.
“Bai Jie, it all started because of Fu Yangxue. I didn’t expect things to turn out that way.”
“You won against Pan Wei and got a lot of praise, but you also made an enemy of him. When you add it all up, you didn’t really gain much. And Pan Wei has Ye Shishi above him. As for the squabbles among you younger ones, it’s not really my place to step in.”
Hearing Bai Jie’s words, Yu Xiaoduo felt relieved. Mission accomplished, Gu Zong! Not only did she change how she addresses me, but she’s also looking out for me.
Yu Xiaoduo laughed teasingly. “Bai Jie, the way you say that makes us sound like little kids fighting.”
“Isn’t that what it is? You’re too competitive, and you’re way too reckless. That was dangerous,” Bai Jie scolded gently, though it was clearly out of care.
So Yu Xiaoduo didn’t argue. He just admitted his mistake honestly.
“But your personality is a lot like Ye Shishi’s. You really keep me worried.”
Yu Xiaoduo believed that a woman who knows how to act cute has the best luck, and the ones who don’t end up losing an advantage.
So at that moment, he took Bai Jie’s arm and said in a sweet, coaxing voice, “Bai Jie~”
That high-pitched, cutesy tone almost made Yu Xiaoduo cringe to death. Gu Zong, your voice is just too much.
“Wan’er, sometimes I wonder… which side of you is the real one?”
Bai Jie’s words sent a chill through Yu Xiaoduo’s heart. Did I get caught because I acted too well?
But the truth was, Yu Xiaoduo had acted so convincingly that it created a sharp contrast with the real Gu Wan’er. In Bai Jie’s eyes, the Gu Wan’er she saw at the office that day matched the rumors.
Still, could that stop Yu Ge? The more pressure he felt, the better he performed.
So Yu Xiaoduo said, very seriously, “Bai Jie, the truth is, I’m actually a man. I’ve been completely captivated by you, Sister Bai Jie—I can’t help myself. Bai Jie, will you be my girlfriend?”
Bai Jie was stunned for a moment, then flicked Yu Xiaoduo on the forehead and said playfully, “In all these years, you’re the first girl who’s dared to flirt with me. You’re asking for trouble.”
Fine. I told you the truth, Bai Jie, and you didn’t believe me. What can I do?
