Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Wen Ran: Provocation? Is That All?

The big truck was usually driven by Xiao Chenye. It was his old partner, and there were quite a few of his personal belongings inside.

At this moment, Wen Ran sat on a small stool. In front of her was a small folding table set up with a bamboo fan, a water bottle, and a wax paper package.

Everything showed his attention to detail.

Xiao Chenye cleared his throat, “I didn’t record the numbers well yesterday, and the corn count was a bit off.

So today, I spoke to Uncle Bi to arrange for someone to help me.”

Wen Ran smiled lightly and nodded, seemingly accepting this explanation.

Her peripheral vision caught Xiao Chenye’s side profile, and she suddenly noticed a bruise on his brow bone hidden under his short hair.

When did he get hurt?

She hadn’t noticed.

“Your forehead,” Wen Ran raised her hand, gesturing, “seems like you bumped it.”

Forehead?

Xiao Chenye, used to being rough, heard this and casually touched his face, “No, I didn’t.”

Inadvertently, his fingers landed right on the spot, causing him to wince in pain, his face scrunched up like a meme.

“Ouch~”

Wen Ran couldn’t help but laugh, “See, I told you you were hurt but you didn’t even take care.”

She stood up and leaned in for a closer look, “Don’t move, let me check.”

As Wen Ran approached, carrying a clean and crisp scent, Xiao Chenye didn’t know where to place his hands and stumbled, “Oh, oh, okay, I’ll stay still.”

He truly didn’t move at all. Wen Ran tiptoed, parted his fringe, and examined the bruise. Her cool hands touched his skin, and Xiao Chenye shuddered.

Wen Ran froze momentarily, thinking she had applied too much force, quickly apologizing, “Sorry, I think I’m too strong, I’ll be gentler.”

“No, it’s okay.”

The two were close. Xiao Chenye looked up and could see her long, thick eyelashes fluttering like tiny fans.

His heart felt tickled.

Wen Ran moved her hands again, clearly gentler this time.

The bruise seemed to have been caused by a bump, slightly swollen, and the skin around it felt warm but luckily unbroken.

Wen Ran stepped back, “No broken skin, but it’s swollen. What happened?”

Xiao Chenye felt a moment of guilt, “Maybe I bumped it while sleeping.”

Wen Ran wasn’t dumb; these words were obviously a distraction.

Thinking about how Xiao Chenye went to the county yesterday and returned late, she had a guess but didn’t voice it.

She just admired Xiao Chenye even more.

He had the smarts to take revenge when needed.

However, Xiao Chenye didn’t look as upright as he seemed!

“Okay, be careful next time.”

“Okay.”

Since it was early and the corn hadn’t arrived yet, the two were idly awkward, Xiao Chenye gazed at the creek and decided to roll up his pants and wade into the water.

“Watch me catch some fish and shrimp.”

“Alright!”

Seeing Xiao Chenye fetch two small fishing nets from the truck, Wen Ran was stunned, “Where’d you get those from?”

“Traded for them in the countryside while driving long distances,” Xiao Chenye threw the nets into the river, then ran downstream to start fishing.

“Stand back; don’t slip in.”

“Okay,” Wen Ran obediently took a couple of steps back, eagerly watching Xiao Chenye’s movements.

He caught a mix of fish, larger snails, loaches, and even eels, not letting any go.

He crushed snails to feed the chickens, prepared loaches and eels for his sister to boost her health.

Soon, he had caught quite a bit. Thinking about the slippery loaches and snake-like eels, Wen Ran couldn’t bear to look, “Take that stuff away.”

Xiao Chenye was half soaked, laughing, “Relax, they don’t bite.”

“Take them away!”

“Okay!” Xiao Chenye lifted the small bucket and advised, “No one’s coming right now, keep an eye on the truck, I’ll go home for a bit and be right back.”

“Mhm, okay.”

In a strange turn of events, just as Xiao Chenye left, an uninvited guest showed up.

A braided Li Lihong.

“Brother Xiao!” she shouted playfully, “Brother Xiao, I came to play, Brother Xiao…”

Approaching the big truck, she didn’t see her beloved Brother Xiao but instead saw Wen Ran sitting pretty on a small stool.

Li Lihong reacted as if someone strangled her scream, instantly stopping her smile.

After hurriedly distributing farm tools, she intended to join Xiao Chenye to connect more, only to find Wen Ran beside the truck instead.

Li Lihong’s face instantly dropped, resembling a donkey’s.

Her expression changed faster than a flip of a book, “Why are you here? Where’s Brother Xiao?”

Wen Ran took a slow sip of water, “He went home.”

“Oh.”

Li Lihong hugged her arms, looking down at Wen Ran with scrutiny.

Hoping to find faults.

But the more she looked, the more jealous she felt.

Damn it, city folks, why so good-looking?

Li Lihong’s pride in her looks fell apart in front of Wen Ran, losing without the need for comparison.

Filled with sourness, she could only comfort herself that looking pretty doesn’t feed you.

Marries need to be hardworking and frugal.

“Hey!” Li Lihong warned Wen Ran, “Don’t think staying at Brother Xiao’s makes you closer to him than you are.

Our brigade despises you know-it-all, incapable city youths who only hinder progress.

Brother Xiao is mine. If you know what’s good for you! Move out of his house quickly!”

Wen Ran raised her head, glanced at Li Lihong, and thought her antics were kind of cute.

No need to argue with fools, but…

She spoke up to correct, “You used the idiom wrong.

It’s not about borrowing a ladder to catch the moon; it’s ’getting the moon on the nearest balcony.”

Li Lihong was dumbfounded, “What did you say?”

“Yeah, haven’t you learned ’getting the moon on the nearest balcony’?”

Li Lihong was infuriated, “Are you mocking me?”

Huh.

Struck a nerve.

“No, we’re just having a friendly exchange, aren’t we?”

“You…”

Li Lihong extended her hand, fingernails full of dirt, pointing straight at Wen Ran’s face.

Wen Ran felt exasperated, “Don’t point fingers at people.”

It’s very rude.

Li Lihong became bolder, “I can do what I want, so what? Go from…”

This kid won’t listen to reason.

Wen Ran acted swiftly, grabbing Li Lihong’s finger and mildly twisting it back.

“Aaaaah~”

Li Lihong immediately crumbled, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”

Wen Ran let go, Li Lihong cradling her finger with teary eyes, backed off a couple of steps making threats, “Wait, I’m telling Brother Xiao on you!”

Then ran off in a dash.

Wen Ran: “…”

She thought Li Lihong would be more troublesome.

But.

That’s all?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep