The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

Although Chen Xi's heart was stirred by an unexpected ripple.

But that brief surprise was quickly soothed by her inner calmness, and she returned to her usual indifference.

At this moment, the woman's unintentional action quietly moved the air around her.

She gently rolled up her sleeves, revealing her arms hidden under her clothes.

The purple scar suddenly caught Chen Xi's sight and instantly attracted her attention.

The scars vary in depth and color, like marks of pain and the past, silently telling an unknown story.

Chen Xi couldn't help but feel a surge of speculation in his heart.

This seemingly weak woman must be carrying unspeakable secrets and bitterness.

This intuition made her feel an unusual amount of sympathy and understanding for the person in front of her.

Out of his natural kindness and concern, Chen Xi opened his lips gently and said, "If you feel you need it, I can help you contact the government and seek assistance for you."

She tried to avoid touching on topics that might make the other person uncomfortable.

When the woman heard this, she first showed a hint of surprise, and then an extremely complicated bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

She shook her head slightly, her voice soft but firm: "Thank you so much, but no need, I can handle it."

Behind this simple rejection, there seem to be many untold stories hidden.

Chen Xi understood her persistence and did not continue to ask questions, choosing to respect the other party's decision.

But the curiosity and concern from the bottom of her heart did not dissipate. She asked casually, her words full of concern for the other party's situation: "This place is so remote and sparsely populated. Do you live in a nearby village?"

The woman's gaze passed through the mountains in front of her and looked into the distance. There was a subtle sadness in her tone, "No, my home is in Shanghe Village."

Sensing the subtle change that the other party was willing to open his heart, Chen Xi's face blossomed with a warm smile. She introduced herself softly, her words revealing sincerity and friendliness: "I am Chen Xi, and I am very happy to meet you here. I wonder if I am lucky enough to know your name?"

The woman was silent for a moment, as if her inner defenses were slowly disintegrating in the face of Chen Xi's sincerity. Finally, she slowly uttered her name: "My name is Xu Lihong."

Noticing Xu Lihong subconsciously pulling down her sleeves in an attempt to cover up the scar again, Chen Xi felt a mixture of emotions.

She reminded him with concern, her tone full of genuine care: "It's hot in this summer. If you don't properly treat the wound, it will easily cause infection. You should be more careful."

This sentence not only showed his concern for Xu Lihong's health, but also implied his deep worry about her future safety.

A barely perceptible hint of helplessness flashed across the depths of Xu Lihong's eyes, but it turned into a hint of relief in the smile she tried hard to muster.

"It's really okay. I just fell accidentally."

"I have medicine here..." Although Chen Xi's voice was soft, the unquestionable tone in it made people feel at ease.

She slowly opened the old cloth bag she was carrying, the edges of which had been worn white.

In the deepest part of the bag, there was half a tube of seemingly ordinary ointment. This humble ointment was made by Chen Xi who had spent countless days and nights carefully selecting medicinal materials and patiently boiling them.

Although only half of the tube is left, it is enough to show its preciousness and extraordinaryness.

"Although there is not much left, I believe it will be enough to help you relieve the immediate crisis."

Chen Xi's words were warm and delicate, quietly sowing a seed of hope in Xu Lihong's long-dried heart.

Her eyes were slightly red with emotion, and a crystal teardrop slid silently down her cheek. It was the understanding and care that no one had ever felt for a long time, and it found a home at this moment.

She took the small tube of ointment with both hands. She seemed to be able to feel the other person's warmth and care between her fingertips, and carefully applied it to the minor injuries on her arms and chest.

However, just as she was gathering her courage and preparing to open her heart and share more of her thoughts with Chen Xi, a rapid and angry call came faintly from afar through the thin air.

"Xu Lihong, you are such a useless thing..." Those words were like a sharp blade, making people's hearts tighten.

This sudden interruption was like an unexpected storm, instantly extinguishing the fire of warmth that had just been ignited between the two.

The voice was sharp and harsh; before the person appeared, the severity and irrefutability of the voice were like a dark cloud pressing down on the sky, foreshadowing the coming storm.

In a flash, an old woman, about sixty years old, with a slightly hunched figure but sharp eyes, came walking towards them in quick steps.

She continued to chatter incessantly, and every word was like a sharp arrow pointed directly at Xu Lihong. Even though the distance was still far, the displeasure and blame had already filled the air, making the atmosphere around them solemn and depressing.

Chen Xi's eyes swept across the face of the older woman opposite her, and the gloomy look seemed to confirm that this woman was Xu Lihong's mother-in-law, Yu Qiongying.

"I have to leave quickly. If we meet again in the future, I will definitely repay you for your help today."

After saying this, without waiting for Chen Xi to have a chance to persuade her to stay, Xu Lihong turned around and took a step forward resolutely.

The miraculous effect of the ointment alleviated a lot of her originally persistent pain. She knew deep down that this good medicine that could quickly relieve pain was worth more than a thousand gold. How could she casually accept the selfless gift of a stranger?

Yu Qiongying's eyes lingered on Chen Xi. She sensed an indescribable familiarity on her face, but she could not accurately capture the source of that familiarity in her memory.

After a moment of confusion, her eyes sparkled with surprise and a hint of joy of confirmation: "You...are you Chen Xi?"

These words came out of her mouth with a wonderful flavor of surprise and joy.

In fact, Chen Xi didn't have much energy to have a long and polite conversation, especially when he vaguely understood her harsh attitude towards Sun Yanhong, he was even more unwilling to waste his breath on it.

There was a barely perceptible indifference in her eyes. She neither admitted nor denied it. She just watched it all quietly.

Sun Yanhong, who was standing by, saw that the atmosphere suddenly became delicate and awkward, and hurriedly intervened, trying to ease the atmosphere that was about to solidify with words: "This is my mother-in-law, Yu Qiongying."

Her eyes jumped rapidly between the two of them.

Chen Xi's silence was like a gentle breeze in the mountains, quietly passing through the gossips of the neighbors. Her mind seemed to have already drifted to the depths of the lush forest.