Chapter 27: The Promise Made to Lin Qiushui

"What's different?" Lin Qiushui showed a hint of anxiety.

Zhang Yang hadn't expected such a reaction from her and countered, "Isn't it good to be different from others?"

"No, it's not!" Lin Qiushui said firmly. "I've finally caught up with the pace of the villagers, and you say I'm different from everyone else—that just makes me seem even worse than them!"

Zhang Yang laughed heartily at her. "So you really want to become a villager?"

"Exactly!" Lin Qiushui said with conviction.

Zhang Yang grew even more curious about her. "What's so great about being a villager? Working the land with your back to the sun, digging in the soil generation after generation."

"Comrade, your way of thinking is wrong! It’s a dangerous way of thinking!" Lin Qiushui was a bit angry, her cheeks flushed red from the cold, her face serious and solemn, as if ready to give Zhang Yang a lesson.

"The villagers rely on their own hardworking hands, putting their feet firmly on the ground, to earn a stable and peaceful life. How is that not good? The land nurtures its people; where you're born is where you should shine!"

As she spoke, she seemed like a little tiger—fierce but also endearing.

She could intimidate with her stance, but it was all just for show.

How simple-hearted must someone be to see everything as good like her?

Zhang Yang didn’t understand.

But he found her oddly adorable.

Especially compared to Du Shujun and those other refined egoists.

Lin Qiushui was as pure as a fairy who came to save all beings.

"Comrade Zhang Yang, you’re at least the captain of the militia squad now. Some things you can keep to yourself, but you mustn’t spread such negative thoughts to everyone!" Lin Qiushui warned.

Zhang Yang was about to nod when Lin Qiushui shook her head.

She carefully corrected herself even on her own words: "No! You shouldn’t think that way either! You should love this land and be grateful that it gives everyone the chance to work!"

Zhang Yang nodded repeatedly. "Teacher Lin’s words are... right. By the way, I heard from Uncle De that your Knowledgeable Youth team plans to teach the village children next spring—is that true?"

"Of course! I was the first to sign up!" Lin Qiushui’s face lit up with a joyful smile, her rosy cheeks and laughing lips silently expressing her delight.

"I’ve interacted with most of the village children. They’re smart, quick learners, brave and hardworking—great prospects for studying!"

As they talked, they happened to pass by Zhao Dong’s house.

Sister Cuilan had just returned with water, and her two boys, Daming and Xiaoming, were helping pour the water into a barrel for storage.

Last time Zhang Yang came to repair their fence, he noticed they didn’t have a well and had to carry water from others’ houses or even farther away, which was very inconvenient.

He was thinking of mentioning to Zhao Dong to help them out more. Daming and Xiaoming spotted them first and ran over happily.

"Uncle! Teacher Lin!" they called out cheerfully.

Zhang Yang patted the little guys’ heads and asked, following their words, "Has this sister been teaching you? Why do you call her teacher so readily?"

Xiaoming answered quickly: "She has!"

Daming explained, "Teacher Lin taught us math! Three chickens plus four chickens equals seven chickens!"

Xiaoming added in a childish voice, "Five cents plus five cents equals ten cents!"

Zhang Yang smiled. "Looks like she really taught you. Teacher Lin is amazing. You have to study hard with her!"

Lin Qiushui hadn’t expected Zhang Yang to praise her and suddenly blushed.

Daming noticed the change and was surprised. "Teacher Lin, why did your face change?"

Lin Qiushui quickly turned away.

Kids! Were they little tigers or what?

How could they blurt out everything?

Zhang Yang just played along with their innocent words, joking further.

"See? I told you your Teacher Lin is great! She has many talents—not just math and changing expressions, but lots more."

Lin Qiushui was so embarrassed she couldn’t stay and quickened her pace.

Daming and Xiaoming were left staring blankly. "Why did Teacher leave?"

Zhang Yang said goodbye to them. "Teacher and I still have things to do, so we’re leaving first. You two be good and help your mom. I’ll come back to teach you some exercises!"

"Okay!" The little ones nodded earnestly.

Zhang Yang hurried to catch up with Lin Qiushui.

Seeing she hadn’t noticed a small step ahead and might stumble, he quickly reached out to steady her.

Sure enough, she almost lost her balance and staggered.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang caught her; otherwise, she would have fallen again.

"The village roads are like this—bumpy and uneven. You have to watch your step," Zhang Yang said calmly.

Lin Qiushui’s face flushed again.

This time, even the tips of her ears poking out from the cotton hat turned so red they seemed about to bleed.

Seeing how easily she blushed, Zhang Yang couldn’t help but say more.

"When Du Shujun and the others bullied you, you didn’t seem this fragile. I haven’t even said anything bad; you don’t need to be embarrassed."

Mentioning Du Shujun, Lin Qiushui’s smile faded and her expression became serious again.

"When we were at the clinic, I didn’t get a chance to thank you. If you hadn’t spoken up for me, who knows how much more trouble they would have caused."

Zhang Yang didn’t think it was a big deal. "It was nothing."

But thinking about how many people were there, and how Du Shujun and the others were so brazen...

Who knew how the Knowledgeable Youth team treated Lin Qiushui behind closed doors?

He looked at Lin Qiushui’s back with a complicated feeling in his heart.

"Lin Qiushui," he suddenly called out to the girl ahead.

She turned back, her bright eyes full of innocence.

A fiery warmth suddenly ignited in Zhang Yang’s heart.

"Remember, this road leads to my home."

"If anyone from the Knowledgeable Youth team bullies you again, come find me."

"Anytime, for anything, you can come."

Lin Qiushui was taken aback, blushed again. "Okay... Actually, nothing will happen... but thank you, Zhang Yang!"

After these words, the atmosphere between them grew a bit delicate.

They both looked down as they walked on, neither starting another conversation.

Thus, they returned to Zhang Yang’s house.

Zhao Dong was still there, not leaving yet, holding a hard dried sweet potato, sunning it in the courtyard.

Seeing Zhang Yang return, he jumped up from a small stool. "You finally came back! My sister was just nagging me to hurry and help you so you could rest a bit... Days are short; soon it’ll be dark and time to patrol the mountains again!"

Zhang Yang pretended to be annoyed and gave him a sharp look. "Then why didn’t you go? You’re just sitting here in the yard eating leisurely, aren’t you?"

Zhao Dong was embarrassed, scratching the back of his head, still chewing the sweet potato. "I—I was thinking I’d go after I finished eating..."

"Yangzi, you’re back! Come inside and have some hot soup!" Li Huifang came out to greet him. "There’s white radish cooking on the stove, and Mom put some wild boar slices in it—it smells wonderful!"