Reborn in 72, I hunt to support my family and spoil my younger sister rotten.

Before Zhang Yulan could say anything more, Chu Qingxuan had already turned and walked forward.

Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, casting a long, slender silhouette on her back.

"This child..." Zhang Yulan looked at her daughter's back and felt inexplicably flustered.

She knows her daughter too well; the more nonchalant her attitude, the more it shows that she already has a plan in mind.

As Li Xiangyang stepped out of the hospital, a cold wind blew in his face, and he instinctively wrapped his cotton-padded coat tighter around himself.

Recalling the scene in the ward just now, he shook his head and smiled, took out the envelope Zhang Yulan had given him from his pocket, opened it and found that there was a full fifty yuan inside.

"Zhang Yulan is too kind," Li Xiangyang muttered to himself. He wanted to decline, but then he thought that if he didn't accept her offer, Zhang Yulan would be even more frightened.

He put the money back into the envelope and carefully put it away.

Now that I have some extra money, I should buy something for Li Xiaoyun too.

She's been too busy these past few days, and I haven't had a chance to visit her.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, but the vendors' shouts continued.

Li Xiangyang went to the fish stall first and picked out a lively crucian carp.

Knowing that Xuanmao was picky, I spent an extra two cents to buy a small yellow croaker.

"This cat is harder to please than an ancestor," Li Xiangyang muttered to himself, but couldn't help laughing.

Carrying the fish, he turned and went to the department store.

Various goods were displayed in the counter, and Li Xiangyang stopped in front of the stationery counter.

Li Xiaoyun is currently preparing for the rural teacher qualification exam and is short of pens, ink, and paper.

"Comrade, get me two Hero fountain pens and two reams of stationery."

The clerk quickly packed the items, and Li Xiangyang took them. After thinking for a moment, he added a box of ink.

Only then did he walk back contentedly.

Back home, Li Xiangyang had just pushed open the courtyard gate when he heard a "thump." It turned out that the black cat had leaped down from the eaves and landed steadily in the yard, its golden eyes staring intently at what he was carrying.

"I knew it was you coming back." Li's mother poked her head out of the house. "What good stuff did you buy? This cat's been sitting on the eaves for ages."

"Pshaw, what good stuff could there be?" Li Xiangyang grinned, pulling two fish from his bag. "Here, I bought these especially for our little darling."

The black cat eagerly came closer, placing its front paws on Li Xiangyang's trouser leg and tilting its head back, meowing loudly.

"You're such a charmer," Li Xiangyang said with a laugh. "Just wait, I'll get you sorted out right now."

He squatted in the yard and quickly cleaned the fish.

Although the technique was rough, fortunately, the black cat was not picky.

“Oh, right, Mom,” Li Xiangyang said as he removed the bones from the fish, “I ran into the old Party Secretary’s daughter at the hospital today.”

"Oh? Zhang Yulan gave in?" Li's mother put down her work and leaned over to listen to the gossip.

"That's right, her father's sick, how could she not back down? Oh, and she brought her daughter with her today," Li Xiangyang said, smacking his lips. "The implication is, she wants to take the old Party Secretary to live in the city."

“They live a better life in the city, so it’s normal for them to want to take the old man there to enjoy his retirement,” said Li’s mother. She then asked, “Did the old Party Secretary agree?”

"How could that be!" Li Xiangyang laughed. "You know the old Party Secretary's temper. It's Zhang Yulan, on the other hand, who's so neurotic, like she's afraid I'll have designs on her daughter."

"You silly child," Li's mother couldn't help but laugh, "People are just worried about their daughters. If you had a daughter, you'd be the same way."

"Come on, I already have a girlfriend," Li Xiangyang waved his hand dismissively. "Look, she even gave me fifty yuan, several extra yuan. She said it was to thank me for taking the old Party Secretary to the hospital. I spent some of it to buy some stationery for Xiaoyun."

"You gave me several extra dollars? And you're taking it all?"

"Mother, I didn't mean to take advantage of her. I was just thinking that if I didn't accept it, she would panic even more."

As he spoke, he stood up and patted the fish scales off his hands: "Mother, I'm going to the educated youth settlement to deliver something to Xiaoyun."

"You silly child," Li's mother suddenly called out to him, "don't you think Zhang Yulan is overthinking things?"

“No, that’s not true,” Li Xiangyang laughed. “Xiaoyun and I are doing great.”

Li's mother hesitated, then finally sighed, "Go, go."

Upon arriving at the educated youth settlement, Li Xiangyang immediately spotted Li Xiaoyun hanging clothes to dry in the yard.

"Xiaoyun!" he called out.

Li Xiaoyun turned around, saw it was him, and her face immediately lit up with a smile: "What brings you here?"

"I bought you some things." Li Xiangyang handed over the stationery. "Oh, by the way, something funny happened at the hospital today..."

He vividly described the scene at the hospital, and when he mentioned Zhang Yulan's nervous appearance, he even imitated a couple of phrases.

However, after hearing this, Li Xiaoyun could no longer laugh; instead, she stared at him with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" Li Xiangyang asked, puzzled.

“Xiangyang,” Li Xiaoyun said earnestly, “Aunt Zhang didn’t think too much about it.”

"Huh?" Li Xiangyang was stunned.

“You don’t understand,” Li Xiaoyun sighed. “No one knows a daughter better than her mother. She’s realized her daughter has feelings for you.”

"No way..." Li Xiangyang scratched his head, "We only met once..."

"So what if it's love at first sight?" Li Xiaoyun rolled her eyes at him. "Back then, I was just like that..."

She suddenly stopped talking, her face turning red.

"Aren't you what?" Li Xiangyang asked with a smile.

"It's nothing!" Li Xiaoyun turned around. "I need to write a letter home and ask my parents to come over as soon as possible."

"Write a letter?" Li Xiangyang still didn't understand. "Write what kind of letter?"

Li Xiaoyun turned around, looking at him with exasperation: "Our relationship! We need to settle things quickly."

"So eager?"

"Of course I'm in a hurry!" Li Xiaoyun glared at him. "Do you think city girls are pushovers? If one of them really takes a liking to you, that'll be troublesome."

Seeing Li Xiaoyun's anxious expression, Li Xiangyang suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Are you jealous?"

"Get lost!" Li Xiaoyun blushed and slapped him. "If you dare to change your mind, I'll..."

"So what?"

“I just…” Li Xiaoyun bit her lip, “Ugh, you’re so annoying, I’m going to write a letter.”

Seeing Li Xiaoyun's shy expression, Li Xiangyang couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He reached out and ruffled Li Xiaoyun's hair: "Silly girl, don't you know who's in my heart?"

Li Xiaoyun pushed his hand away: "I know, but we still need to make a decision."

As she spoke, she picked up the pen and stationery Li Xiangyang had bought: "Wait here, I'll write the letter now."

Seeing Li Xiaoyun writing the letter so earnestly, Li Xiangyang felt a warmth in his heart.

Zhang Yulan's worries were completely unnecessary.

Because his heart already belonged to the Lord.