Unexpected Encounter

The feeling the man gave her was something she had never seen in anyone else, though she had met many men. A surge of anticipation welled up in Li Xiu Xiang's heart; she wanted to tell Wang Yong Gui this good news.

Tomorrow she would divorce. After the divorce, Wang Yong Gui could be a bit bolder, and in the future, the two of them could secretly be together without fear. Moreover, once she broke ties with Wu De Wang, Wang Yong Gui would no longer have to worry about being harassed by him. Who knows, perhaps he would marry Er Ya in the future.

Her mind was already set on that man; she couldn't wait any longer. She believed that as soon as she delivered this news, when she arrived at the orchard, Wang Yong Gui would surely be unable to control himself, and the feeling of that night would resurface.

Li Xiu Xiang sometimes felt guilty, but once that thought was in her head, she couldn't control it much. She knew Wang Yong Gui wasn't exactly a gentle soul; he also had intentions towards her, perhaps even hoping that she and Er Ya would both come to his home, making him even happier.

Li Xiu Xiang stepped out into the yard, looked up at the starry sky, then observed the quiet surroundings. She subtly adjusted her hair and clothes, then stealthily twisted her mature body towards Wang Yong Gui's orchard.

The further she walked, the faster her heart beat. When she reached the banana forest at the foot of the orchard, she looked up and saw a flickering light in the shed.

"That mischievous boy isn't asleep yet in the middle of the night? Is he thinking of me, waiting for me to come?" Thinking this, her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.

"Tsk tsk, that guy is really scary, making people think about him until they're frantic..." She muttered to herself, but before she finished, she shivered and jumped.

In the dead of night, a sudden "crack" sounded behind her, as if someone had just stepped on a broken branch. The sudden noise startled her. Immediately afterward, light footsteps approached.

"Oh no, could someone have discovered me sneaking out at night and followed me? Fortunately, I haven't gone up to see Wang Yong Gui yet, otherwise, the matter would have been exposed."

Li Xiu Xiang looked back. In the faint moonlight, she saw the silhouette of a woman with a full figure looking around nervously and heading this way.

"Could it be Yang Qiu Ju? Her figure looks similar, but looking closely, there's a slight difference." She thought to herself, then quickly hid in the banana forest, holding her breath and observing.

As the silhouette approached, under the faint moonlight, Li Xiu Xiang was so shocked that she had to cover her mouth to suppress a gasp of surprise.

"Impossible! Wu Chun Yan—Pan Sheng Lin's wife—why is she here in the middle of the night? Could she also be coming to find Wang Yong Gui? It seems Wang Yong Gui isn't simple, actually having a secret relationship with the village chief's wife."

But then she thought: "It can't be. Wu Chun Yan is from the city and married here. She's usually very arrogant, so how could she fancy Wang Yong Gui? Did she see me go out and follow out of curiosity? This woman is not easy to provoke."

The woman sneaking over was indeed Wu Chun Yan. Ever since she saw Wang Yong Gui recover from his illness, she had been longing for him. Tonight, seeing Pan Sheng Lin drunk and sleeping like a log, she finally mustered the courage to sneak out to find him. She knew Wang Yong Gui was in the orchard because she had heard him talking to Yang Qiu Ju that afternoon.

Wu Chun Yan also didn't dare to turn on her flashlight. Just now, she had stepped on a branch and almost fell. When she looked up, the figure in front of her had disappeared.

"Could I have been discovered?" She entered the banana forest, where the view was clearer, but still saw no one.

"Cough cough!" Wu Chun Yan coughed lightly, then stared at the bushes and shouted, "Come out! I saw you hiding in there. If you don't come out, I'll throw rocks!"

Li Xiu Xiang knew she couldn't hide any longer and stepped out of the banana forest. The two women faced each other, and the atmosphere became incredibly awkward.

"Wu Chun Yan, what are you doing in Wang Yong Gui's orchard in the middle of the night?" Li Xiu Xiang quickly asked first to gain the upper hand.

Wu Chun Yan maintained her arrogant attitude: "How dare you ask me? Why are you running around here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? I saw you sneaking around, so I followed to see. You're usually promiscuous, are you now setting your sights on Wang Yong Gui too?"

Li Xiu Xiang forced a bitter smile, knowing her family background was inferior to the other's, so she didn't dare offend her: "What are you talking about? Everyone knows about Wang Yong Gui's illness, what's the point of looking for him? I came to borrow some food, and while I'm at it, discuss marrying Er Ya to him. Er Ya was so frightened she got a fever, and I know he understands a bit of medicine, so I came to ask for some."

Wu Chun Yan felt a sour taste in her heart upon hearing this: "Marry Er Ya to him? The child is still so young, how can that be suitable?"

Just then, Yang Qiu Ju's voice echoed down from the shed: "Yong Gui, aren't you asleep yet? Let me watch the fire for you. I think I heard someone in the garden just now, I'm a little scared."

Wang Yong Gui replied: "Aunt Qiu Ju, there's no one in the middle of the night. You must have misheard. Go to sleep, I can watch the fire."

Hearing Yang Qiu Ju's voice, both women were startled. With Yang Qiu Ju there, their intentions surely couldn't be carried out. Wu Chun Yan sighed: "Alright, I saw you sneaking around, so I followed to see. I'm going home now."

After Wu Chun Yan left, Li Xiu Xiang also stealthily returned home. Lying next to her two daughters, her mind was still filled only with Wang Yong Gui's image. On the other side, Wu Chun Yan also tossed and turned, secretly scolding Li Xiu Xiang and blaming "that little rascal" Wang Yong Gui for stealing her soul.

In the orchard, Wang Yong Gui sat cross-legged in meditation, glanced down at the garden below, then sighed, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Damn it, at this rate, I'll have to work like an ox for the whole village later. I'm going to die of exhaustion."