Han Yu walked forward and pulled Cheng Xiaorui to her feet, only to discover that the back of her hand had been cracked by the woman’s beating, showing traces of blood.
The frostbite wounds had also begun to ooze blood.
Before Han Yu could say anything, Cheng Xiaorui pulled her hand back, turned, and ran into the house.
Han Yu stood in place, looking rather awkward and superfluous.
Watching her disappear into the house, Han Yu finally withdrew his gaze and glared at the woman, "Even though she's your family, domestic violence is also against the law. They can arrest you too! If there's a next time, I won't show any mercy."
After a round of warnings, he left Cheng Xiaorui's home.
Upon returning to Meng Jingwei's doorway, Qing Muye was still chopping firewood. Those few people were no longer at the entrance.
However, smoke was curling from the kitchen chimney in the front yard, indicating that Meng Jingwei's mother was preparing lunch.
Han Yu took a cigarette from his pack and handed it to Qing Muye, "It's the first day I've realized that a body full of muscle is meant for chopping wood."
Qing Muye took the cigarette, and Han Yu lit it for him. He took a puff and exhaled a thin wisp of smoke towards Han Yu, "That little mute is not even eighteen yet."
Han Yu, who was bending down to light his own cigarette, suddenly froze. After a two-second pause, he continued to light it and said slowly, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Your little thoughts are too obvious," Qing Muye said, raising an eyebrow and tilting his chin towards Han Yu's pocket.
Han Yu looked down and realized that the packaging for the frostbite cream he had bought was too long, revealing a section with the words 'Frostbite' written on it.
His thoughts exposed, Han Yu exchanged a look with Qing Muye and leaned against a nearby tree, quietly smoking.
Qing Muye flicked some ash and reminded him, "She dropped out of high school before finishing, and she's still mute. You need to think carefully."
"I want to sponsor her to continue her studies."
"Is it out of charity, or is there an ulterior motive?"
Qing Muye knew Han Yu too well.
He had always been uninterested in women, busy with work every day, and had no time for romantic pursuits. He certainly didn't have time to interfere in the affairs of people unrelated to him.
"I'm not as dirty-minded as you think," Han Yu scoffed.
Qing Muye smiled without saying anything, "Then I'll arrange for someone to send her to study in Xuancheng." He deliberately said 'Xuancheng.'
Because Meng Jingwei lived in Xuancheng.
"Xuancheng is not as good as the capital, Lancheng. If second brother wants to help, why not send her to Lancheng?"
"Oh, Lancheng..."
Qing Muye said in a sarcastic tone.
Han Yu's lips twitched slightly, "You... I... I just feel that she's mute, and Lancheng is the capital. Schools in big cities are more inclusive. It would be very good for her."
"Fine, I'll listen to you." Qing Muye naturally understood Han Yu's intentions and didn't say anything more.
Han Yu, however, added another reminder, "Absolutely, absolutely do not let that chatterbox Tang Si know, otherwise who knows what he..."
"What can't I know? Mute, are you not treating me as a brother?"
As they were talking, Tang Si suddenly appeared from somewhere.
Han Yu turned around and saw Lu Yanming and Tang Si walking over.
Tang Si said, "You, you've been acting suspiciously all morning, what are you hiding from us, and not letting us know?"
Qing Muye took another puff of his cigarette, then dropped it to the ground, scuffed it out with his toe, picked up the axe, and continued chopping firewood.
Tang Si, his curiosity piqued, darted over and stood in front of Han Yu, asking, "What can't I know?"
"Nothing."
Han Yu, with a cigarette between his fingers and his arms crossed, turned his body to look elsewhere.
If he hadn't moved, his turning would have perfectly exposed the item in his pocket to Tang Si.
Tang Si snatched the medicine box from his pocket, "Frostbite cream? Yo, tsk tsk tsk... That's interesting."
"Xiao Si, give me back my stuff!"
Han Yu reached out to grab it, but Tang Si put it behind his back, "I won't give it back. Mute, none of us brothers, nor Little Chili, have frostbite. Oh, I get it. Second brother just mentioned a little girl named Cheng Xiaocheng in this village with Meng Jingwei earlier. Could it be her?"
"What Cheng Xiaocheng? Her name is Cheng Xiaorui!"
Han Yu immediately corrected him.
But after saying it, his expression stiffened, one of his eyebrows twitched, and he instantly stopped wanting to say anything more.
It was self-incriminating!
This was practically admitting it without being asked.
"Oh~~ Hahahaha, Cheng Xiaorui, yoyo yo, our Mute has made a breakthrough! This is great news." Tang Si genuinely felt happy for Han Yu, but still punched him in the chest, "Heartless. You still have to hide this from me."
"Don't talk nonsense. She's mute, and she's a young girl not yet eighteen. I just want to sponsor her education." Han Yu snatched the frostbite cream from his hand, shoved it into his pocket, and walked away.
Lu Yanming, standing nearby, said nothing.
Tang Si, however, tilted his head to look at Qing Muye and asked, "Second brother, what's the situation? Mute, not yet eighteen? This... this is absurd."
The man remained oblivious to the outside world, his mind solely focused on chopping firewood well.
Completely ignoring Tang Si, Tang Si lost interest, shook his head, "Forget it, I'll go ask Little Chili."
...
Before noon, Qing Muye finished chopping the firewood and neatly stacked it, as if he had OCD.
After tidying everything up, he picked up the axe and prepared to go inside.
Meng Jingwei happened to come out. Seeing that he had finished, her heart warmed. She ran over, "You've worked hard. Let me take the axe."
As she said this, she took the axe from Qing Muye's hand.
However, Meng Jingwei only then noticed that Qing Muye's right palm had developed three blisters.
She put down the axe, grabbed Qing Muye's hand, and looked at the three nearly transparent blisters, feeling heartbroken. "You've gotten this bad, why didn't you rest?"
Meng Jingwei then grabbed his left hand, which also had three blisters.
Considering that he had never done any manual labor before, and now he had spent the entire morning chopping a pile of firewood by himself, Meng Jingwei felt guilty.
"Wait for me here for a moment."
Meng Jingwei took the axe and ran into the house, only to come out again shortly with Qing Muye's jacket. She ran around behind him, "Come, put on your jacket."
She proactively helped Qing Muye put on his jacket.
The man was immersed in it, thoroughly enjoying this exceptional treatment.
He extended his hands, put on his jacket, and then saw Meng Jingwei taking off her scarf from around her neck, "Here, put on the scarf. Otherwise, you might catch a cold from sweating after working."
Qing Muye watched as Meng Jingwei thoughtfully wrapped the scarf around him. Even though it was a red scarf, he didn't dislike it at all.
Then Meng Jingwei took his hand and walked towards the roadside, "Let's go, I'll take you to town to buy some medicine."
Qing Muye really wanted to refuse, as they were just blisters from friction, nothing significant.
But he wanted to seize the opportunity for private time alone with Meng Jingwei even more, so he followed her onto the road, drove a car, and headed straight for the town.
On the way, Qing Muye sat in the passenger seat, tilting his head, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on Meng Jingwei, his mood exceptionally good.