If they stopped to think carefully, they might turn back right away.

  Beside the graveyard, there was a grove of trees.

  Deep within the woods stood a small wooden cabin.

  It was built from jujube wood pnks, nestled in the dense forest. Guo Dalu had wandered through this jujube grove before, yet he had never seen this cabin.

  It seemed to have been built just in the past couple of days.

  The cat disappeared into the woods, vanishing without a trace.

  But from the cabin, waves of delicious aroma drifted out.

  The aroma of braised pork filled the air.

  Guo Dalu sniffed the air and smiled.

  Inside the wooden cabin, a fire burned beneath a pot.

  An old man crouched by the hearth, fanning the fmes, while an old woman poured soy sauce into the pot.

  A long-haired woman squatted beside them, urging them impatiently.

  The moment the cat entered, it leaped into her arms.

  She was clearly its owner.

  Guo Dalu had finally found the person he was looking for.

  Just as he reached the doorway, she happened to turn around.

  Their eyes met—and both froze in surprise.

  Then Guo Dalu excimed, “Suan Meitang?! So it was you all along?”

  The braised pork was tender, cut into perfect square chunks, each piece no less than four ounces.

  Guo Dalu could fit an entire piece in his mouth in one bite.

  The cat y zily at Suan Meitang's feet. It was an easygoing cat—not picky about fish nor opposed to braised pork.

  Whether human or cat, when hungry, no one would turn down a meal like this.

  Only after eating seven or eight pieces did Guo Dalu finally sigh and say, “Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be you.”

  Suan Meitang covered her mouth and ughed.

  Guo Dalu asked, “Are you always this secretive?”

  Suan Meitang lowered her head and smiled. “I originally pnned to deliver everything myself, but I was afraid you wouldn't accept it.”

  Guo Dalu said coldly, “You didn't need to send any of this.”

  Suan Meitang replied, “You've helped me so much—I couldn't just do nothing in return.”

  Guo Dalu said, “We still can't accept these things.”

  Suan Meitang asked, “Why not?”

  Guo Dalu hesitated. “Because… because you're a woman.”

  Suan Meitang said, “A woman is still a person.”

  Guo Dalu gnced at Yan Qi and chuckled. “She talks just like you.”

  Yan Qi kept a straight face. “Even if a man gave us this much, we still wouldn't accept it.”

  Guo Dalu continued, “Besides, we've already eaten several of your meals—we’re starting to feel guilty about it.”

  Suan Meitang blinked and said, “Then let's just say I'm storing these things with you.”

  Wang Dong said, “That'll cost rent.”

  Suan Meitang said, “I’ll pay.”

  Wang Dong added, “There's also a storage fee.”

  Suan Meitang said, “I’ll pay that too.”

  Wang Dong smirked. “Ten taels of silver per day.”

  Suan Meitang smiled. “Deal.”

  Wang Dong said, “Payment must be made upfront. No credit.”

  Suan Meitang smiled. “How about I pay for ten days in advance?”

  She really did take out a hundred taels of silver.

  Wang Dong didn't move. He just stared at the hefty ingot of silver as if mesmerized.

  Meanwhile, Guo Dalu and the others were staring at Wang Dong.

  Suddenly, they started to feel that Wang Dong was utterly unreasonable—completely absurd.

  Someone had generously given them wine to drink, food to eat, chairs to sit on, and beds to sleep in and had even refurbished their shabby house.

  And yet, he insisted on charging rent—paid in advance, no less.

  “This man is a damn bastard.”

  Guo Dalu gred at him, barely able to hold back from cursing out loud.

  Wang Dong finally tore his gaze away from the silver and stared at Suan Mei Tang.

  Then he suddenly said, “You're sick.”

  Suan Meitang was taken aback. “Sick?”

  Wang Dong said, “Not just sick—seriously ill.”

  Suan Mei Tang ughed. “But I eat well and sleep well. How could I be sick?”

  Wang Dong said, “Maybe your illness comes from overeating.”

  His face remained expressionless as he continued, “You spent a fortune on all these things, went through all this trouble to deliver them here, and now you're even willing to pay me rent. If you're not sick, why would you do something like that?”

  Guo Dalu burst out ughing.

  He was starting to think that Suan Mei Tang really was sick—seriously sick.

  Suan Meitang's eyes twinkled. “What if I said I did all this simply because I felt I owed you all a favor? Would you believe me?”

  Wang Dong looked at Guo Dalu. “Do you believe her?”

  Guo Dalu said, “No.”

  Wang Dong said, “If even he doesn't believe you, then I doubt anyone in the world would.”

  Suan Meitang sighed. “That's why I didn't say it.”

  Guo Dalu asked, “Then what are you pnning to say?”

  Suan Meitang's eyes darted around as she bit her lip. “If a man falls for a woman and wants to marry her, wouldn't he do many inexplicable things?”

  Wang Dong replied, “Yes.”

  A man in love would do anything for the woman he adored.

  Suan Meitang said, “It’s the same for a woman.”

  She continued, “If a woman falls for a man and wants to marry him, she'll also do many inexplicable things.”

  Her face suddenly flushed red. She lowered her head and murmured, “I... I'm already eighteen.”