I Don't Want You to Die

The village head looked at the crowd gathered outside and pointed at Fu Shaoli: "Look for yourself, nowadays, anyone in the village who is hardworking can have three full meals a day by collecting and chopping firewood. They don't have to leave their families and homes to do hard labor outside."

Jiang Yuning could do what a village head couldn't.

As long as he remains the village head, he will not allow Jiang Yun Ning to be bullied by the villagers.

They were hoping that next spring, everyone in the village would follow Jiang Yun Ning in planting tomatoes, make money so that every household could build a new house and every child could go to school.

The village head's words were not an exaggeration at all. Jiang Yuntian and his wife, the third son of the Jiang family, listened from the side, raising their heads with pride.

"Exactly. If it weren't for Yun Ning, where would my wife find a job that pays twenty or thirty coins a day and includes lunch?"

"This year, following the Jiang family's example of planting corn, my family's corn yield has increased by several bushels."

"Yes, this year has finally been a prosperous one."

Jiang Yun Ning smiled but remained silent.

The seeds she planted back then are sprouting and growing little by little. Without her having to say a word, people will remember her kindness.

"You guys! All you do is make money, right? Anyone can do that, huh!"

Fu Shaoli angrily pushed her way through the crowd and left. Jiang Zhaodi glanced at everyone awkwardly and hurriedly followed.

"It's good that you're alright." The village head nodded with relief after seeing that the Jiang siblings were unharmed. "I have something to do. You should go home and tell your parents everything. They were so worried."

Jiang Yunning smiled, said a few more words, and then stood at the door watching the village head leave.

Judging from that direction, it seems they're heading towards the Fu family's house behind the main building.

She raised an eyebrow and stepped into the house.

"Daughter, have you had lunch yet? Mom will cook you noodles." Wang Cuihua held her hand, not asking about the process, but instead asking if she had eaten.

Jiang Yunning waved her hand: "No need, Mother. I had lunch in the county town. My older brother and I also bought a lot of pretty little floral fabrics to make little quilts for my niece."

Just then, Laifu rushed in: "Miss. There's someone outside who says his name is Zheng Qi and wants to see you."

Jiang Yun Ning's smile abruptly vanished.

Countless years have passed in my mind.

Are they here to confront her? Or is it about the soap incident again?

"Take him to the front hall, I'll be right there." She stood up and walked towards the front hall.

Upon seeing her arrive, Zheng Qi immediately stood up, clasped his hands together, and gave a deep bow: "Miss Jiang, I'm so sorry."

Before Jiang Yun Ning could even wonder what was going on, she was startled and quickly moved to the side, avoiding the direction where he was bowing: "Boss Zheng, what brings you here today?"

Zheng Qi said with some shame, "I'm here to apologize. Master Qian told me that he had already finalized a deal with Miss Jiang regarding a soap collaboration. I didn't know he was lying to me."

"After meeting Miss Jiang yesterday, I planned to go and talk things out with Master Qian today. But when I got there, I found out..."

Jiang Yun Ning looked at him with some skepticism: "But these things have nothing to do with you."

Zheng Qi pursed her lips: "Although it has nothing to do with me, I can't escape responsibility. Master Qian only came up with such a vicious plan to curry favor with the Zheng family. I can't pretend I don't know anything."

Jiang Yun Ning laughed: "Boss Zheng, don't you think it's a bit undignified for someone of your Zheng family background, like me, a country bumpkin, to apologize, especially for a woman like me?"

As she spoke, she carefully observed Zheng Qi's expression.

"Miss Jiang! I never judge a person's worth by their background." Zheng Qi frowned. "Perhaps we haven't known each other long enough. If we have more opportunities to spend time together in the future, Miss Jiang will understand what kind of person I really am."

His mother, Zhou Yushu, was looked down upon by her family because of her humble origins. As a child, he also endured a lot of scorn because of this.

I once swore that even if I ever rose to prominence, I would never do the same things as those people.

Jiang Yun Ning nodded and took a sip of tea: "Boss Zheng, don't worry. Although I'm not exactly a gentleman, I won't hold a grudge against others. The matter of Master Qian is settled, and it has nothing to do with you."

Zheng Qi breathed a sigh of relief, chatted for a few more minutes, and then prepared to leave.

This time, however, Jiang Yun Ning did not return the gift he brought.

This also made him completely believe that Jiang Yun Ning would not have any estrangement from him because of the Qian Yuanwai incident.

Who knows, we might actually be able to collaborate in the future.

No sooner had the Zheng family's carriage left than Xie Shengan arrived.

"Boss Jiang, I just saw Zheng Qi. Are you alright? I heard someone set a fire in the middle of the night?"

His voice came through before he even arrived.

Jiang Yunning waved his hand: "It's nothing. The wall is just a little charred."

Xie Shengan breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down in the spot where Zheng Qi had just been sitting: "How about... how about you cooperate with the Zheng family too? I'm afraid you'll die."

Jiang Yun Ning stared at him in astonishment, her eyes wide with surprise.

"No. That wasn't Zheng Qiqian's. It has nothing to do with him." She looked at Xie Shengan with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "It was all Master Qian's doing."

Xie Shengan nodded: "I know. Zheng Qi isn't that kind of despicable person. But the Zheng family isn't. This time, just because Zheng Qi came, this kind of thing happened. What if the Zheng family sends someone else later?"

Not everyone is as upright and honest as Zheng Qi.

"I don't want you to die." Xie Shengan frowned, looking at her earnestly.

Jiang Yunning also began to ponder.

With her current abilities, she really can't go head-to-head with a powerful family. What if they're not afraid of anything and just bring hundreds of people to rob her, or kidnap and blackmail her family members when they're alone?

She really couldn't bear to think about the possibility of such a thing happening.

Jiang Yun Ning hesitated, rubbing her index finger and thumb together incessantly.

It took him a while to look up: "I signed an exclusive supply agreement with you, it's exclusive. But..."

She pursed her lips and, under Xie Shengan's curious gaze, said, "You could cooperate with Zheng Qi? Have him buy it from you."

Xie Shengan left with shining eyes.

As night fell, Jiang Che returned with Dongmei, Changxi, and the others. As soon as they entered the house, they searched everywhere for Jiang Yunning.

"Mother, where is Yun Ning?" He crawled into the main room, only to see Wang Cuihua, Liu Yuzhi, and a few others sitting together by the stove.

Wang Cuihua laughed: "Look at you, what's the rush? You think you can run away? You're in the backyard with your older brother, looking after the soap."

"Mother, this is the first time the young couple has been separated for a whole day. My brother-in-law is really reluctant to part with her," Liu Yuzhi teased, watching with satisfaction as Jiang Che's ears turned blush.

"Mother, sister-in-law. I'm going to find Yun Ning." He awkwardly looked away and quickly walked towards the backyard.

"Brother, sister-in-law's belly is getting bigger and bigger, Chunyan has to stay by her side. All the soap in the house is for you and Mother." Jiang Yun Ning's voice was getting closer and closer.

Jiang Yuntian chuckled and replied, "Don't worry. She's my wife, how could I not care? But the other day your sister-in-law asked me when you and Jiang Che are going to have a baby?"

Jiang Che stopped in his tracks, even unconsciously slowing his breathing.

"Let's wait a little longer. Besides, I have Anhe and my little niece, that's enough."

Jiang Che pursed his lips, the disappointment in his eyes perfectly concealed by the black smoke.

"Yun Ning. Big Brother." He walked over, took Jiang Yun Ning's hand, and slipped it into his sleeve. "Has Master Qian gone inside?"

Jiang Yun Ning nodded and unceremoniously reached in with her other hand: "Of course! And we also took care of the Zheng family."

Seeing the light sparkling in her eyes, Jiang Che's lips unconsciously curled up.