The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

This is not just a meal, but also a small sense of ritual for Chen Xi's ordinary life.

However, she never expected that this exclusive tranquility would be interrupted by Xu Gaoping's visit.

Xu Gaoping's gaze lingered on the pot of temptingly colored, steaming unknown meat, and a barely perceptible complex emotion flashed across his eyes.

This pot of meat seems to silently tell the story of the Xie family's past hardships and their sudden wealth today.

He had heard that the Xie family lived a tight life and often had only a simple meal at home, but ever since Chen Xi stepped into this small village, everything had quietly changed.

The villagers' after-dinner talk always revolves around the name Chen Xi. It is rumored that she can enjoy meat for almost every meal. How can such a lifestyle not make others envious?

"Hmm, this fragrance... is rich and tempting. It attracted me even outside the door."

There was a hint of surprise and curiosity in Xu Gaoping's words. His nose twitched slightly, as if he was trying to capture every delicious molecule floating in the air.

At this moment, a childish voice interrupted from the side.

Xiao Chen still had half a cake in his hand, with cake crumbs on the corners of his mouth. He said in a baby voice full of pride: "This is the mutton soup that my sister stewed! My sister is a great cook. She always makes the house smell delicious. I am almost becoming a greedy cat!"

Xiao Chen's eyes sparkled with admiration, and his words revealed his deep attachment and pride towards Chen Xi.

Upon hearing this, Xu Gaoping couldn't help but cough lightly, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across his face.

He scratched his head sheepishly and tried to explain: "Chen Xi, you may not know, this is a free-range chicken I caught from my backyard. I thought since you are here, I should give you a decent treat. This chicken has been fed with grains since it was young, and its meat is delicious. I hope you like it."

Chen Xi frowned slightly when she heard this, her eyes full of confusion and puzzlement.

She looked up at Xu Gaoping, and her clear eyes seemed to reflect countless question marks: "Village Chief, do you mean... this chicken is specially prepared for us?"

Her voice was soft but with a hint of surprise, and it was obvious that she had not expected such sudden enthusiasm and thoughtfulness.

"Well, I was thinking..." There was a subtle hesitation in his words, and his eyes wandered, as if he was looking for the most appropriate words, "You have many ways to make money. It would be great if you could take me with you in the future."

Having said this, he smiled sheepishly, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his eyes. He still didn't have the courage to look directly at Chen Xi. His evasion revealed his desire and uneasiness about his future livelihood.

"You also understand that my meager monthly income is barely enough to make ends meet after careful calculation. It's really tight."

Hearing this, Chen Xi's mind suddenly became clear. It turned out that the purpose behind these visitors was nothing more than hoping to borrow her light and find a chance to make a fortune.

Memories going back to the days spent at the Chen family, this person often instigated everyone in the clan to confuse right and wrong and made things difficult for them and their brother and sister.

Now that they see her life is getting better, they flock to her like bees chasing honey, intending to share in her sweetness.

Xu Gaoping obviously reflected on his past behavior. There was some sincerity in his words, and his tone was almost pleading. His attitude was even more humble. "In the past, I did not do well and brought you a lot of unhappiness and trouble. Now I have come to my senses. I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against someone as shallow as me."

Facing Xu Gaoping's apology, Chen Xi only glanced at him lightly and did not blame him too much.

After all, although he has only a small amount of power in officialdom, he may be able to become a useful force in the future.

With a sudden change of mind, Chen Xi was planning to organize the villagers to go up the mountain to collect mushrooms and fungus, but he was suffering from the lack of a suitable leader.

Isn't this an opportunity to go with the flow and make things work for both parties?

Therefore, Chen Xi readily took the chicken handed over by Xu Gaoping, and said with an unquestionable determination, "Okay, I understand what you mean."

When Xu Gaoping saw this, his face was immediately filled with smiles and his joy was beyond words.

Chen Xi immediately turned around and prepared to go to eat without much greeting, nor did he invite him to dine together.

She knew very well that he had not eaten meat for several days and must have been tempted by the smell of food in the room. The gurgling sound that came out of his throat inadvertently revealed his embarrassment.

Feeling that the atmosphere was tense, Xu Gaoping quickly came to his rescue, "Chen Xi, if you need my help in the future, just let me know. I will never refuse to help. I don't have anything urgent to do today, so I'll take my leave first."

Chen Xi nodded gently in response, without trying to persuade him to stay.

Her time is precious, as she has arrangements to go to the clinic for consultation and also needs to deal with the sale of the herbs she collected yesterday.

The moment he left Xie's house, Xu Gaoping's steps were extremely cautious. He looked left and right, and from time to time he passed every corner of the street, fearing that there was a pair of prying eyes hiding in some hidden darkness, which would expose his secret of trying to please Chen Xi to the public.

His hands were tucked tightly into his collar, as if that was not only a token of his love for Chen Xi, but also a hot potato, with a complex feeling of nervousness and anticipation.

As soon as he stepped into the bluestone path of Xu's house, before he could enjoy the tranquility of returning home, Xu Gaoping's ears were pierced by an angry and sharp scolding. It was the unique voice of his wife Guo, which was so fiery that it seemed to shake the air.

"Who is this blind thief who dares to extend his claws to the village chief's house? Are you tired of living? When I catch you, I will peel off your skin and pull out your tendons!"

Guo was burning with rage. The stolen old hen became her dearest child. Every word she spoke was as heavy as a thousand pounds, revealing her deep sorrow and anger over the loss of her poultry.

Xu Gaoping, who was just entering the courtyard, heard this and his expression instantly became awkward. He stepped forward quickly, trying to use a steady and majestic voice to suppress the anger that was about to burst out of the courtyard wall.

"What drama are you acting in? You act like a street shrew."

Although the words were harsh, they could not hide the helplessness in his tone.

Guo's complaints came back like a string of cannonballs: "Gaoping, our golden hen has been targeted by thieves! We wanted it to lay more eggs and improve our lives, but now it's gone! This world is becoming more and more lawless!"

Before she finished her words, she hurriedly picked up a bucket of cold water and gulped it down her throat, trying to extinguish the anger in her heart.

Xu Gaoping took a deep breath and finally told the truth: "Don't shout, I took the chicken to give to Chen Xi."

As soon as these words were spoken, Guo's actions came to an abrupt halt, with the ladle hanging in the air, her face full of surprise.