Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

After a brief chat with Meng Ran, we parted ways, using the excuse of having something to do. The blue bricks on the new house had already reached the calf, and the overall outline of the house was revealed.

"Nuan, why are you here?" Ji's father was helping to carry bricks with a wheelbarrow. When he saw Ji Nuan coming, he stopped and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Seeing Ji's father busy and sweating profusely, Ji Nuan felt distressed. She hurried forward and gently advised: "Dad, just ask someone else to do these heavy tasks. Don't exhaust yourself."

Facing his daughter's concern, Ji's father showed a hearty smile. He waved his hand and said casually: "It's nothing. I don't know how to build a house. I can only help out. What are you doing here?"

"I came back early today. I came to see how the house is going."

"Hahaha, it seems my daughter is anxious to live in the new house!" Father Ji couldn't help laughing when he heard Ji Nuan's words. He patted the dust off his hands and said proudly, "Don't worry, wait another half a month and the house will be ready!" Father Ji's smile looked particularly bright in the sun.

Ji Nuan looked at Ji's father's face, which was full of traces of time, and smiled too.

When Ji Nuan was about to reach home, the village chief's aunt came towards her.

"Village Chief Auntie."

Ji Nuan couldn't help but feel a headache. Every time she interacted with Meng Ran, she would inevitably encounter the critical face of the village head's aunt the next day. Not to mention that the current Ji Nuan had no feelings for Meng Ran at all, even the original Ji Nuan, when Meng Ran took the initiative to approach her and she just showed some interest, was caught by the village head's aunt and had her sexually assaulted twice. After Meng Ran didn't explain, he rationally gave up.

The village head's aunt started talking to herself as soon as she arrived: "Nuan girl, your family has built a new house now, and your life is getting more and more prosperous. Your mother should also arrange for you to find a good family. Girls should get married when they reach a certain age, unlike boys who can first establish a career and then start a family. Speaking of my Meng Ran, he will continue to study and take the imperial examination in the future, so naturally he will find a girl of equal status to marry. You, just live your life well."

The village head's aunt's words were implicit in urging Ji Nuan to get married soon and stop dreaming about her son. She was also hinting that Meng Ran had a bright future and should find a wife of equal status, and that there was no possibility between her and Meng Ran.

Ji Nuan curled her lips secretly, thinking that your son is a gold ingot and everyone likes him!

Although Ji Nuan was displeased with the village head's attitude, she didn't let it show on her face. Not wanting to get entangled with such a self-righteous person, she smiled and replied, "Yes, Brother Meng Ran is truly remarkable. He's already passed the imperial examination at such a young age. His future is bound to be limitless. A man of his caliber naturally deserves to be paired with a noble lady." Ji Nuan expressed her complete agreement with her words and hoped she wouldn't say such nonsense in front of her again.

When the village head heard Ji Nuan's words, she immediately smiled and clasped her hands together, as if Meng Ran's achievement was already a foregone conclusion. She said with a smug look on her face, "You're right to think so!"

The village head aunt had no intention of pestering her any further, so Ji Nuan found an excuse to leave. "Village head aunt, if there's nothing else, I'll go home first. My mother is still waiting for me at home for breakfast."

So she nodded slightly, turned around and walked towards home.

The village head's aunt returned home in a good mood, but was surprised to find her son busy packing his bag. She was upset and quickly grabbed the bag, asking in confusion, "What are you doing? You don't have anything to take with you. It's not too late to pack it tomorrow morning."

Meng Ran looked at his mother, heartache and disappointment flashing in his eyes. He sighed softly, his tone filled with a hint of helplessness and indifference: "You went to see Ji Nuan again."

When the village head's aunt heard Meng Ran mention Ji Nuan, she couldn't contain her anger. Her eyes widened, and her voice rose a few degrees. "Why can't I go find her? I'm doing this for your own good! She's just a peasant girl, how could she be worthy of a scholar like you?" Her words were filled with disparagement and disdain for Ji Nuan, and also with disappointment that her son didn't understand her. In her view, everything she did was for her son's future. Marrying Ji Nuan would not help his future in any way, and might even become a stumbling block on his path to wealth and glory.

"Mom! Why don't you understand?" Meng Ran's voice was filled with helplessness and anxiety. "Taking the imperial examination is my own business. I just need to work hard on my own. I don't need to rely on anyone!" His words revealed deep disappointment and confusion with his mother. He understood that his mother had good intentions, but her approach was unacceptable to him. Ever since he knew that his mother would go to Ji Nuan and say some cold words to push her further away, he rarely came back. He finally came back once, thinking that he could stay at home for two days, but he didn't expect such a thing to happen again. Meng Ran's heart was full of contradictions and struggles. He didn't want to disobey his mother, but he didn't want to give up his feelings and principles.

Upon hearing her son's words, the village head's face darkened slightly. She spoke earnestly, "How many scholars lack connections, ultimately being overlooked and achieving nothing? You should understand this better than I do." Her words were filled with frustration at reality and hope for her son. While everyone praised education, their peasant family lacked the necessary connections and background to succeed in the imperial examinations. She hoped her son would be realistic.

A sense of powerlessness washed over Meng Ran. His mother's behavior left him feeling oppressed and constrained. He sighed, a touch of exhaustion and resignation in his voice. "Mom, I get it. Don't go looking for Ji Nuan again." He couldn't change his mother's mind, nor could he stop Ji Nuan from estranged from him. He could only accept it all silently, burying the pain and loss deep within his heart.

Meng Mu finally let go of the bundle in her hand. She looked at her son's determined eyes and knew that no matter how much she tried to persuade him, it would be useless.

Mother Meng looked at her son's departing back with mixed feelings.

After finishing his breakfast, Ji Chuan decided to use the free time in the afternoon before returning to the city to work, and invited Ji Nuan to go up the mountain to collect herbs together.

He smiled and said to Ji Nuan, "Nuan Nuan, I have to go back to the city to work this afternoon. I don't know when I will be back next time. Why don't I go with you to the mountains to collect herbs?

When Ji Nuan heard this, her eyes lit up immediately: "Okay, then I'll go hunt some pheasants and bring them back."

The two were discussing going out when Ji He came with Ji Qinghu.

"Sister Nuannuan, are you going up the mountain to collect herbs?" Ji He seemed particularly enthusiastic today, and even called her "sister" in a very affectionate manner.

Ji Nuan looked at Ji He's overly enthusiastic expression, and knew clearly that she was definitely up to no good. We all grew up together, so who doesn't understand each other?

She nodded calmly and asked deliberately, "You are so enthusiastic, do you have something to talk to me about?"

When Ji He heard this, he quickly came over with a smile, took Ji Nuan's arm affectionately, and said, "Oh, Sister Nuannuan, you are so smart! My cousin is here, and he has nowhere else to go, so he thought of going up the mountain with you to play."

Ji Nuan didn't know what she was planning, so she deliberately said, "I'm going there to pick herbs, not to have fun."

Zhang Qinghu was afraid she would refuse, so he grabbed her and said quickly, "Sister Nuannuan, we can help you pick herbs and won't delay you!"

Ji Nuan noticed Ji Chuan was about to refuse and quickly winked at him, signaling him to hold his tongue for the moment. Then, looking at Zhang Qinghu's embarrassed expression, she thought for a moment and finally nodded, "Okay then."

He turned around and pulled Ji Chuan towards the main hall, saying as he walked, "Third brother, come and help me find something I need to bring."

Ji Chuan followed her strength and followed Ji Nuan into the main room.