This is terrible! My future prime minister keeps trying to kiss me forcibly.

Li Yuemei stomped her feet in the courtyard, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes.

Such disgusting things are only found in the dry toilets at home, why would they appear in the yard?

She lifted her left foot and then her right foot, carefully examining her trouser legs, as if afraid that something would crawl onto her.

Li Yuemei asked, "Young Master Lin, are there any dead rats in your yard?"

Lin Xiucai glanced at a corner of the courtyard and replied absentmindedly, "Probably, I'll clean it up later."

"Then I'll stay and help you clean up."

Li Yuemei volunteered, wanting to present a virtuous image to Lin Xiucai.

"No need," Lin Xiucai said slowly, his face gloomy, refusing Li Yuemei's kindness.

Unexpectedly, the person opposite him said shyly, "Young Master Lin, you have to get used to it. After all... this is our shared home."

After saying that, she walked over and picked up the broom that was placed under the eaves.

Looking around the yard, she noticed something seemed off. Driven by curiosity, she walked step by step toward that corner.

Seeing her walk in a certain direction, Lin Xiucai clenched his fists and followed her like a ghost.

"Young Master Lin, can you smell anything?" Lin Yuemei sniffed and felt there was a faint, unpleasant odor.

Lin Xiucai's eyes darkened. Standing behind Li Yuemei, he slowly raised his hands, about to strangle her...

His eyes were filled with madness: Don't blame me, blame yourself for meddling!

"Bang bang bang-"

A knock on the door suddenly sounded.

Lin Xiucai paused, walked over and opened the door a crack. A middle-aged woman with a stocky build stood in the doorway, smiling at him.

"Aunt Zhang, is there anything I can help you with?"

"It's nothing. My hen laid a few eggs this morning, and I brought you some to thank you for teaching my dog, Gou Dan, to read these past few days."

Lin Xiucai declined repeatedly before finally accepting.

Aunt Zhang was overjoyed when she saw him accept it.

Before leaving, she kindly reminded him, "Scholar Lin, have you noticed any strange smell lately? The neighbors in our alley are saying there's a foul odor..."

As she spoke, she waved her hand and then covered her nose.

That stench is back, and it's getting stronger.

Lin Xiucai remained calm and said, "I have been studying hard these days and have not smelled the strange odor that you mentioned, Aunt Zhang."

Looking at the young man before her, Aunt Zhang couldn't help but admire him, saying, "Scholars are different; they can calm their minds."

"Good that you didn't smell it. I'll be going now."

Aunt Zhang made up her mind that she would definitely have Gou Dan learn a lot from Scholar Lin.

“Young Master Lin, that old lady just said that they also smelled the scent, so it definitely isn’t from your yard,” Li Yuemei said confidently, putting down her broom. “It’s getting late, I should head back now.”

She had no idea that she had just narrowly escaped death.

......

The next day, Ye Xiaoxiao took two pieces of cured meat and two large baskets of bamboo shoots to town to sell.

Grandpa Wang's injuries hadn't fully healed, so he couldn't drive, but when he heard that Ye Xiaoxiao was going to town, he generously lent her his oxcart.

Unable to refuse such a kind invitation, Ye Xiaoxiao felt it would be difficult to decline.

So He Jing sat in the front and became the coachman. He held the reins in one hand and the whip in the other, his expression as warm as a spring day.

April is a time of beautiful spring sunshine.

He Wuyang also wanted to go to the town to take a look; she had never been there before in her life.

Ye Xiaoxiao treated everyone equally; she couldn't just take the little girl along. In the end, the number of people going to town increased from two to four. And then there was Little Black, nestled in He Wuyang's arms, equally excited.

Halfway there, Ye Xiaoxiao shifted her position and sat next to He Jing. She swung her legs, feeling quite relaxed, and hummed an unknown tune.

The little girl's face was practically beaming with joy. She stroked Xiao Hei's round head with one hand and asked, "Sister-in-law, this tune is really nice! Right, Second Brother?"

"Yes, yes!" He Wuyou nodded solemnly.

"Right, big brother?" The little girl insisted on asking each one individually.

A deep, mellow voice came from ahead: "Hmm."

Ye Xiaoxiao smiled and half-closed her eyes to enjoy the spring sunshine.