Chapter 165: A Gentleman Does Not Take What Others Hold Dear

“Yeah! Little Bean won! I told you my Little Bean is amazing!”

Liu Yan’er and Zhu Damei were overjoyed, jumping and cheering.

Xiao Kaile opened his mouth wide in astonishment, as if he could swallow an egg whole.

Wow, who would have thought Lin Xiaodou was so fierce!

All the things he said earlier were completely proven wrong.

Ouch! That really stings!

Zhou Qinglang looked on with a smiling gaze at that charming figure.

No wonder she was so confident—it was because she had the strength all along. He had been worrying for nothing.

It seemed every time they met, she brought him a new surprise.

Truly a remarkable woman.

The bonfire party was already lively, but after Lin Xiaodou effortlessly flipped Batu to the ground, the evening reached an unprecedented peak.

Everyone was thrilled, cheering and applauding Lin Xiaodou together.

Batu also stood up and extended a friendly hand to Lin Xiaodou. They shook hands warmly.

“Comrade Lin Xiaodou! You’re really incredible. I admit my defeat wholeheartedly.”

Lin Xiaodou smiled slightly. “You’re not bad either.”

As the champion of this recreational wrestling event, Lin Xiaodou received a prize.

It was a sturdy little Mongolian yurt.

Seeing the prize, Lin Xiaodou’s eyes lit up.

It was like a pillow arriving just when she was sleepy.

She had been thinking about finding a reason to move out these past few days, and now one had appeared!

Without hesitation, Lin Xiaodou went straight to the head of the ranch to explain her situation.

After watching the wrestling match, the ranch manager had a very good impression of Lin Xiaodou.

This girl was incredibly fierce, straightforward like the Mongolians themselves, and he deeply admired her.

So when he heard her request, he didn’t hesitate at all and waved his hand in agreement.

When Lin Xiaodou returned to their original barbecue spot, Liu Yan’er curiously asked where she had gone, and Lin Xiaodou told them about what had happened.

Hearing that she was moving out, Liu Yan’er and Zhu Damei felt reluctant.

Liu Yan’er sniffled, “Little Bean, I’ve gotten used to sleeping next to you at night. If you’re not there, I won’t be used to it.”

Zhu Damei cautiously asked, “Little Bean, can I move out with you?”

Liu Yan’er immediately stopped pretending to cry, her big eyes sparkling as she looked expectantly at Lin Xiaodou.

Clearly, both girls wanted to live with her.

Lin Xiaodou refused directly. “I’m used to living alone.

Besides, the Mongolian yurt is only 30 square meters, with just one room and a living area. It’s not big enough.”

The large Mongolian yurt at the ranch’s veterinary station was 200 square meters—very spacious indeed.

Lin Xiaodou didn’t want anyone to discover the secret of her space, so she had to move out alone.

“We’ll just sleep separately at night but work together during the day. You can come visit my yurt anytime, and I’ll cook delicious food for you.”

After all, they were sisters; she had to comfort them a little.

At these words, Liu Yan’er and Zhu Damei’s eyes brightened.

As Lin Xiaodou’s good friends, they had tasted her cooking before—it was truly excellent.

Their reluctance was replaced by anticipation, and the two girls nodded repeatedly. “Okay, it’s a promise.”

Nearby, Zhou Qinglang’s eyes trembled slightly upon hearing this.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t tasted her cooking in almost a year.

Those delicious meals were truly unforgettable.

Zhou Qinglang said, “Comrade Lin Xiaodou, I happen to have a day off tomorrow. May I visit your yurt?”

Xiao Kaile, who was eating barbecue, thought to himself:

Boss, why lie? You’re clearly working tomorrow.

And what’s there to see in a 30-square-meter yurt?

Xiao Kaile opened his mouth to speak but suddenly thought of something.

He chuckled and agreed, “Yeah, we’re off tomorrow. It’s a good chance to visit you.”

Zhou Qinglang glanced at him sharply.

Xiao Kaile grinned, giving him a look that said, “I’ve got this.”

Batu raised his hand as well. “Can I come too?”

Lin Xiaodou said, “Sure, you’re all welcome. Tomorrow we’re all off, so we can gather in my yurt to chat and eat.”

Everyone exchanged smiles. “Sounds good!”

The wrestling event at the bonfire party ended, followed by the second act—a song and dance performance.

Beautiful Mongolian girls, dressed in magnificent costumes, danced gracefully.

Their movements were elegant and enchanting, like flowers blooming on the grasslands.

The young men sang loudly, expressing their love for life and hope for the future with passionate voices.

“I love the beautiful grasslands, red flags waving like seas of green, the sun’s radiance lights my way, and my heart forever soars forward~” (adapted from a patriotic song)

After the performance, everyone stood hand in hand, encircling the bonfire and dancing a joyful circle dance.

Under the firelight, each face glowed with a happy smile.

The ranch manager watched with tears in his eyes. “New China is truly wonderful. Look how good life is now.”

Old Mr. Wang, who usually wore a worried expression, now relaxed slightly.

Unlike the straightforward Mongolians, the expressions of Lin Xiaodou and her companions were somewhat subtle.

This was because some of them were holding hands with members of the opposite sex.

Sitting by the fire, Lin Xiaodou had Liu Yan’er on her left and Zhou Qinglang on her right.

On Liu Yan’er’s other side were Zhu Damei and Batu, while Xiao Kaile sat next to Zhou Qinglang.

So, when everyone stood up and held hands to dance, Lin Xiaodou and Zhou Qinglang inevitably held hands.

The moment their hands touched, both felt a sudden flutter in their hearts.

Lin Xiaodou thought: I’ve never held a man’s hand in my life, and now it happens in such a situation.

It’s... quite awkward.

Zhou Qinglang thought: Her hand is so soft, like a cotton ball.

Why is my heart beating so fast?

Their thoughts were completely different, not on the same wavelength at all.

But despite the rich inner drama, their expressions remained fairly normal.

Unlike Zhu Damei and Batu holding hands nearby.

Their faces were as red as a monkey’s behind, clearly telling a story.

Zhu Damei said, “Batu, why are your palms so sweaty? It’s not even hot today.”

Batu replied, “I... I’m nervous...”

Zhu Damei burst out laughing, “Nervous about what? I’m not nervous at all. You’re such a big man, and you’re useless!”

Batu laughed foolishly too, “Haha, Damei, your smile is really beautiful.”

Zhu Damei thought: This guy is quite good at sweet talk. Hmph.

The bonfire party was a huge success, and everyone had a great time.

Several Mongolian men even drank some strong liquor to boost their courage and openly confessed to Lin Xiaodou.

“Comrade Lin Xiaodou, I really like you. Will you go out with me?”

“Sorry, I already have a fiancé in the capital city. We’ll get married when I return.”

Lin Xiaodou used this standard reply to turn them down uniformly.

Zhou Qinglang and Xiao Kaile overheard this as well.

The speaker was unintentional, but the listeners were intrigued.

Even back at the research institute, Xiao Kaile kept mumbling.

“Boss, Lin has a boyfriend! What are you going to do? Do you want to steal her away?”

Zhou Qinglang gave him a hard glare.

“A gentleman doesn’t take what already belongs to others. You shouldn’t think like that!”

With that, he turned and left...