NOVPUBBefore setting off, Ji Nian felt that Linshan Village wasn’t entirely unfamiliar for two reasons.
First, among the over 200 primary schools established by the charity founded in her name by Ji Tingzhou over the years, one was built in Linshan Village, nestled against the mountains.
The Ji Nian Primary School here was even named after her.
The second reason, coincidentally, was that this was He Xiang’s hometown, where he had lived for seven years.
Next to the half-built house stood He Xiang’s old family home.
Ji Nian had initially wanted to pause and take a photo to send to He Xiang, but the appearance of Yuanyuan interrupted her thoughts, so she let it go for the moment.
Before coming, Ji Nian had asked He Xiang if he wanted her to bring anything for his relatives. He replied that he had no family left here, but there was someone he still worried about.
So she stopped by a small shop to buy a jar of candy, which He Xiang had asked her to deliver to his young neighbor, Yuanyuan.
Yuanyuan had clung to He Xiang like an older brother when she was little. Her mother had even considered arranging a marriage between her eldest daughter and He Xiang—until fate took him to the big city.
When Aunt Li learned that Ji Nian was actually He Xiang’s classmate, she grew excited, bombarding her with questions about him. Hearing that He Xiang’s grandmother had fallen ill but received help from a sponsor, she sighed and said, "Good people really do get good karma."
Her attitude visibly warmed, and she even sent Yuanyuan’s older sister over with a basket of wild berries, claiming they’d whet the appetite before meals.
After seeing Yuanyuan’s family off, Ji Nian suddenly heard You Er sigh as he surveyed their surroundings.
Meeting Ji Nian’s puzzled gaze, You Er pressed his lips together and said, "The conditions here are terrible."
He didn’t mind where he stayed, but letting Ji Nian sleep here felt like an injustice.
Ji Nian took a closer look—she hadn’t paid much attention earlier.
The house was a typical two-story rural home with a courtyard. A water pipe fed into a basin in the yard, and the place had been swept clean, with only unavoidable dust remaining.
Inside, the floors were spotless, though the furniture was sparse. Both rooms on the first floor had beds, and the bedding looked fresh and new.
"I think it’s fine," Ji Nian said.
"Well, except the toilet’s inconvenient—it’s a squat toilet in the yard."
And there was no air conditioning.
The thought had barely crossed her mind when You Er’s expression darkened further.
But there was no helping it. This was the best house in the entire village. There were hotels in the county town below the mountain, but Ji Nian didn’t want to deal with the back-and-forth commute.
Despite the kind provision of bedding, You Er swiftly replaced it with their own supplies, arranging everything neatly and giving the place another thorough cleaning.
He even produced a potted plant from somewhere and placed it by the window where Ji Nian would sleep.
By the time Ji Nian woke from a nap, a brand-new electric fan—still wrapped in its plastic—had appeared in the room.
"Come eat," You Er called, stepping in with a headscarf and apron tied around him. Seeing the girl awake, he motioned for her to join him outside.
Night had fully fallen, but the courtyard was lit. You Er had set dinner outside, and the aroma roused Ji Nian from her drowsiness.
He had made stir-fried potatoes, peppers, and eggplant (a dish called "dī sān xiān"), scrambled eggs with green peppers and ham, and a soup of cabbage, fried eggs, and tofu—simple home-style dishes, but the smell was irresistible.
The colors alone were enough to make one’s mouth water.
Pointing at the steamed buns on the table, You Er said, "Aunt Li brought these over earlier."
Finally fully awake, Ji Nian stared at You Er in amazement.
[I thought I hired You Er for protection…]
And yet here he was—tidying, organizing, and even cooking!
Misreading her surprise as dislike for the food, You Er frowned.
Blame himself for only knowing how to make ordinary dishes, nothing compared to what Ji Nian usually ate.
"If you don’t like it, we can go to the county town to eat."
Ji Nian immediately plopped onto the stool, protectively hovering over the dishes. "Wait, Uncle You Er, when did I say I didn’t like it?"
At first, he thought she was just being polite—until he watched her mix the stir-fried vegetables into her rice and devour it with relish. Then she held out her empty bowl.
"Can I have another serving?"
You Er took the bowl and stood, his usually expressionless face betraying the faintest hint of a smile as he turned away.
Years ago, he had been a nobody in Ji Tingzhou’s organization—an orphan with no family, relegated to the margins.
Assigned the name "You Er" (Right Two) simply because he stood second from the right in formation, he had no identity beyond that.
Then one day, after finishing work, he went to report to his superiors at the Ji residence. Unaware that he was injured, he left a trail of blood behind him. By the time he realized, he could no longer stand, collapsing to the ground.
At that moment, he thought, Ah, so this is how I die.
As he sat motionless, waiting to bleed out, a green-eyed child suddenly appeared, staring at him in confusion.
"Hey, you can’t poop here."
You Er recognized her immediately—Ji Tingzhou’s daughter. Gritting his teeth, he rasped, "I’m not pooping."
Assuming she was disgusted by his blood staining the ground, he snapped, "Go away. Don’t bother with me."
The little girl did leave.
But soon, she returned—holding a slice of cake. She crouched in front of him and took a bite.
You Er, who hadn’t eaten in two days: "……"
Thinking she was mocking him, he was stunned when she scooped a fresh spoonful from the untouched side and shoved it into his mouth.
"Is it sweet?" she asked earnestly.
His vision was blurring, but the rich sweetness of the cream exploded on his tongue.
"Sweet…"
"Is it good?"
He didn’t understand her intent but answered, "Yeah."
Then, to his shock, she put the cake aside, pulled out a spray bottle, and aimed it at his festering wound.
Her childlike voice carried softly on the wind.
"Only the living get to taste things."
"If you die, you won’t even get to eat dog poop."
The rest was a blank. He passed out.
When he woke in a hospital bed, a blue-eyed man named Bruce (or "Blue Tomato," as some called him) was exclaiming, "You didn’t even know you were poisoned?"
"Do you remember what happened before you got here? Do you know how the antidote worked?"
The fervor in his gaze was scorching.
You Er had an inkling but stayed silent. No matter who asked, he refused to speak.
After recovering, to his surprise, he was transferred to work directly under Ji Tingzhou.
Guessing why he’d suddenly earned favor, You Er never mentioned the antidote. He threw himself into his duties, and on his days off, he’d occasionally treat himself to something sweet.
“So full…”
After finishing dinner, Ji Nian rubbed her round belly, unreservedly praising You Er’s cooking skills.
Bringing You Er along was easily one of the best decisions she’d ever made in her life!
While washing the dishes, even though she’d been shooed away several times, Ji Nian stubbornly crouched by the sink to help.
The yard’s lone light was nothing more than a dim bulb, casting a faint glow. You Er knelt by the sink, watching Ji Nian beside him scrubbing away at the dishes with gusto, humming a little tune under her breath. He fetched a stool so she could sit instead.
Once the dishes were done and everything put away, the two stepped outside.
You Er locked the door securely, then turned to look at Ji Nian.
Her hands tucked into her pockets, the childish innocence had vanished from her youthful face. Her dark green eyes gleamed with a cold, ruthless light in the night.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Standing beside her, You Er bowed his head respectfully and murmured, “Yes, Young Mistress.”
