Shen Xilian asked the very question that everyone was eager to know. One by one, they perked up their ears, afraid of missing the answer, while their minds raced to guess who it could be. Which female comrade from the factory had such skills? Without a sound, she had managed to win over the brightest flower of their technical department!
However, the name that Zhou Yinghuai slowly uttered left everyone utterly shocked. They turned their heads in unison toward another direction in the kitchen.
Comrade Cheng? It’s actually Comrade Cheng?
Shen Xilian’s eyes widened in disbelief. No matter how much she racked her brain, she had never considered Cheng Fangqiu. How long had she and Brother Huai even known each other? How could this be possible?
But at the same time, a thought inevitably crept into her mind—if not her, then who else could it be?
Though she didn’t want to admit it, Cheng Fangqiu was indeed good-looking, and her personality was also poised and confident. If not for her lower background, probably not a single man would dislike her.
No wonder she had said those words in the morning. Since she and Brother Huai were now seeing each other, naturally, she could address him however she pleased, and Brother Huai would only be delighted.
Shen Xilian clenched her palms tightly. To preserve the last shred of her dignity, she forced a smile, but it looked even more pitiful than crying. “I see.”
After speaking, she cast Zhou Yinghuai one last glance before turning to leave. Every step she took felt especially heavy. Even though she knew it was impossible, she still held onto a sliver of hope—would Brother Huai call out to stop her?
But even as she stepped out of the educated youth point, she never heard a single word.
Of course, if he had called out to her, he wouldn’t be the Zhou Yinghuai she liked.
This little episode made the atmosphere inside the room somewhat awkward. For a moment, no one spoke.
Cheng Fangqiu tightened her grip on the spatula. She hadn’t expected Zhou Yinghuai to announce their relationship in front of so many people. At this rate, the whole village would know soon enough.
Just thinking about the gossip she would have to deal with gave her a headache.
But at the same time, she found his way of declaring his claim quite nice—it would at least help her avoid a lot of trouble.
Cheng Fangqiu withdrew her gaze from Shen Xilian’s retreating figure and happened to meet Zhou Yinghuai’s eyes. She slowly curled her lips into a smile and continued to stir-fry the food in the pan as if nothing had happened.
Zhou Yinghuai also acted as if nothing had happened, picking up a broom to sweep away the potato peels on the ground.
The others, still reeling from the shocking news, gradually snapped out of their daze and went back to their tasks. However, their eyes kept darting around, stealing glances at each other as they exchanged excited looks in silent communication.
The last person to hear about this had to be Zhao Zhigao. He had been buried in his work at the desk, diligently writing his report, when he overheard two people whispering about Zhou Yinghuai and Cheng Fangqiu in the corner.
“Brother Huai and Comrade Cheng? No way, stop making things up.”
Zhao Zhigao was convinced that he was closer to Brother Huai than anyone else here, so he was brimming with confidence as he refuted them. After all, in his eyes, Brother Huai was like an untouchable flower on a high peak—someone who had no interest in worldly desires or women.
But unexpectedly, the two people laughed after hearing his words. “Brother Huai said it himself, and Comrade Cheng didn’t deny it. You weren’t there, so you don’t know how intense the scene was!”
“What?!”
Even though he still didn’t want to believe it, there was one undeniable fact—out of everyone here, the one person no one would dare to joke about was Zhou Yinghuai. So this was ninety-nine percent true!
In just this short span of time, what on earth had he missed?
Zhao Zhigao immediately lost all interest in his report. He shut his notebook and dashed outside like a whirlwind, nearly bumping into someone at the door. When he looked up, who else could it be but one of the main characters of this whole incident?
“Brother Huai! They’re saying you and Comrade Cheng are together—is that true?”
Zhao Zhigao pestered Zhou Yinghuai for an answer, while the latter simply raised an eyebrow and shot a cold glance at the two people in the corner.
Those two seemed to realize they had been too loose-lipped. They instantly lowered their heads and cautiously shuffled out of the dormitory.
Once they were gone, only Zhou Yinghuai and Zhao Zhigao remained in the room.
“Mm, from now on, she is your sister-in-law.”
Zhou Yinghuai had returned to fetch some ointment, intending to bring it to Cheng Fangqiu later.
Hearing the confirmation straight from Zhou Yinghuai’s mouth, Zhao Zhigao’s jaw dropped in shock. Deep inside, he felt as if a tiny seedling, yet to sprout, had been abruptly cut down, sending a dull ache through his chest.
“This afternoon, the commune leaders will be coming for an inspection. Remind everyone later.”
These words snapped Zhao Zhigao out of his daze. He quickly responded and, before long, regained his usual playful demeanor.
Liveliness was nothing new, but it had been especially abundant lately. The morning had barely passed, and already, the news about Zhou Yinghuai and Cheng Fangqiu had spread like wildfire. Many were envious—some out of admiration, some out of jealousy.
The women said that Cheng Fangqiu was lucky, that the Cheng family had managed to secure a golden son-in-law, ensuring they would never worry about food or drink in the future.
The men said that Zhou Yinghuai was the lucky one—he had won Cheng Fangqiu’s favor, gaining a beautiful wife in his arms, and that his future would surely be “blessed” in more ways than one.
There were all kinds of comments, good and bad—it all depended on how the people involved chose to take them.
Cheng Fangqiu was actually curious about what the villagers were saying, but unfortunately, no one dared to gossip in front of her directly. What a pity.
No matter what others said or thought, in any case, she was in an excellent mood. After returning from the educated youth point, she lounged comfortably in her room, reading a book and snacking, enjoying a carefree life. This was what being an immortal must feel like.
She hadn’t expected the book she had casually picked up at the bookstore to be so interesting. She was completely absorbed in it. By noon, she even took a nap, though she didn’t sleep for long before waking up.
Estimating that it was almost time for the workers to finish their shift, she decided to go outside.
However, as soon as she opened the courtyard gate, she found a man standing outside. He was waiting there properly, standing tall and straight, dressed in a deep blue suit. His hair was cut short in a military-style buzz cut. Just from his back alone, he gave off the air of a soldier of the people.
A soldier? Cheng Fangqiu suddenly thought of someone.
“Excuse me, who are you looking for?” Cheng Fangqiu suppressed the odd feeling in her heart and stepped forward, speaking politely.
The man turned at the sound of her voice, and their gazes collided midair.
When they clearly saw each other’s faces, a hint of astonishment flickered in both their eyes.
But the man quickly withdrew his assessing gaze and replied with polite courtesy, “Hello, comrade. I’m looking for Comrade Cheng Baokuan.”
Contrary to his sharp and rugged appearance, his voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, carrying an unexpected contrast. This made Cheng Fangqiu involuntarily glance at him a few more times.
“You are?”
Hearing this, the man swiftly responded and introduced himself, “My name is Jia Qingbao. I’m from Tiejia Village, the neighboring commune.”
If he hadn’t said it himself, Cheng Fangqiu would have found it impossible to associate such a strikingly handsome man with the name “Jia Qingbao.” The combination felt oddly amusing.
Her earlier suspicion was confirmed, but instead of clarity, her mind filled with even more confusion.
What is Jia Qingbao doing here looking for my father?
Despite her doubts, she maintained her polite demeanor. “He’s not home right now. Is it something urgent?”
Jia Qingbao stood a step below her on the stairs, yet he was still nearly as tall as her. Hearing her words, he showed no sign of surprise, only nodding slightly. “Then I’ll wait here for him to return.”
At this hour, the members of the various production teams were all at work. He had taken leave from the commune early to arrive during the midday break so he could talk to the Cheng family without delaying their work points.
So he had already prepared himself to wait for a while. He just hadn’t expected someone to suddenly open the door and step out.
His mother had told him that the Cheng family had a daughter—delicate and radiant in beauty, known as the most stunning woman in the entire region. The matchmaker had already arranged the marriage between the two families, and they were only waiting to sit down and pick an auspicious date before she would be married into his home.
This kind of situation had happened countless times since his return from the army. Jia Qingbao found it frustrating yet unavoidable.
He already had someone in his heart. In this lifetime, he would marry no one but her.
No matter how much his mother spoke of the girl, no matter how highly she praised her, he remained unmoved. He hadn’t even bothered to look at the girl’s photograph.
But now, looking at the beautiful young woman standing before him, he had an inexplicable feeling.
A gut instinct told him—she was the Cheng family’s daughter his mother had been talking about.
She was indeed stunning. His mother hadn’t exaggerated a single bit.
But what did that have to do with him?
“Mm.” Cheng Fangqiu nodded, stepping past Jia Qingbao, ready to leave. But after taking just a few steps, she suddenly stopped as a thought crossed her mind.
Jia Qingbao had no familial ties to their family, so why had he suddenly come looking for her father?
And if she remembered correctly, the neighbor auntie had once mentioned that the Jia family was quite peculiar—Jia Qingbao’s parents would go ahead and settle a marriage arrangement with a girl’s family, only for Jia Qingbao himself to personally visit later and refuse the engagement.
Looking at his demeanor today, she had to admit—it really did seem like he was here to break off a marriage.
But the Cheng family had never arranged a marriage with the Jia family!
Sensing that something was off, Cheng Fangqiu turned back and smiled slightly. “I am my father’s daughter. If you have something to say to him, you can just tell me instead.”
Jia Qingbao was momentarily stunned when she turned back, hesitating slightly. “That… doesn’t seem appropriate.”
“There’s nothing inappropriate about it.” Cheng Fangqiu didn’t want to keep playing riddles with him, so she simply got straight to the point. “You’re here to break off a marriage, aren’t you?”
Being exposed so directly, Jia Qingbao, for once, looked a little uncomfortable, but he still nodded. “Yes, I came here this time to—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Cheng Fangqiu cut him off. “To break off a marriage, there has to be a marriage agreement in the first place. Our family has never agreed to any marriage. So where does this talk of breaking off an engagement come from?”
A crack finally appeared on Jia Qingbao’s usually composed face. Clearly, he had never encountered such a situation before. His brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand what you mean, Comrade Cheng.”
“This is a misunderstanding.” Cheng Fangqiu let out a cold laugh. Now she finally understood what was going on. But just to be certain, she still asked, “Comrade Jia, can you tell me who told your family that we had agreed to this marriage?”
Jia Qingbao wasn’t foolish. As soon as she asked this, his expression became serious. “Our family didn’t know yours beforehand. The matchmaker was the one who acted as the intermediary.”
Li Lifen! Cheng Fangqiu clenched her back teeth tightly—so it really was her!
Who knew what kind of benefits the Jia family had promised that woman? Her audacity was simply ridiculous! She had actually dared to use a living, breathing person as a bargaining chip.
“My apologies. I came here without fully understanding the situation.” Jia Qingbao let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he had run into her before seeing her elders—otherwise, who knew how much bigger a joke this would have become?
Even so, standing before Cheng Fangqiu, he still felt embarrassed. At the same time, he couldn’t help but harbor resentment toward that deceitful matchmaker. When he returned, he certainly wouldn’t let this matter slide.
“You should apologize. Coming to our house without verifying the truth was disrespectful to me, and also disrespectful to my family. Right now, there’s no one around, so it’s fine. But if someone had seen you here, have you considered the impact on our family’s reputation?”
Cheng Fangqiu glanced at Jia Qingbao, taking the opportunity to add a few more words of criticism. “You look like a proper man, so why are you so clueless? If you don’t want to get married, the ones you should be dealing with are your parents, not the women involved. We are completely innocent, yet we end up having our reputations dragged through the mud because of you.”
She didn’t know if Jia Qingbao would actually take this to heart, but if he did, that would be great. At the very least, it might stop his family from harming other girls in the future. If he didn’t listen—well, then he could continue suffering at the hands of his absurd parents.
“I hope we never meet again. Now go back.”
With that, Cheng Fangqiu didn’t spare him another glance and simply turned away.
Jia Qingbao stood frozen for a long while before finally striding away.
—
A simmering anger burned in Cheng Fangqiu’s chest. Even her face was dark as she quietly finished stir-frying the dishes. Then, she carried them to the construction site along with He Shenghui.
He Shenghui’s leg had healed significantly by now, and she could already walk normally, though she still had a slight limp and moved a little slower.
“What’s wrong?” As soon as they left the educated youth point, He Shenghui noticed that Cheng Fangqiu was finally willing to speak. Only then did she dare to ask, “Did you have a fight with Comrade Zhou?”
“No.”
Seeing that He Shenghui was blaming Zhou Yinghuai, Cheng Fangqiu found it both amusing and exasperating. She quickly shook her head to deny it. But then, she deliberately hesitated, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.
Her reaction, combined with everything that had happened earlier, completely piqued He Shenghui’s curiosity. She couldn’t help but press further, “Then what happened? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I’ll stand up for you!”
After spending so much time together, their relationship had grown by leaps and bounds. By now, He Shenghui practically treated Cheng Fangqiu like her own daughter. Naturally, she couldn’t bear to see her sad or upset.
Besides, her husband was the village secretary’s cousin, meaning she actually had some authority in the village. When she said she would back Cheng Fangqiu up, it wasn’t just empty words.
“Auntie, you’re so good to me.”
Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t say she wasn’t touched. She clung to He Shenghui’s arm, her voice soft and coquettish as she playfully whined, “Then I’ll tell you everything.”
“Silly girl, hurry up and say it.”
He Shenghui’s heart was practically melting. She patted Cheng Fangqiu’s hand reassuringly, urging her to speak.
So, Cheng Fangqiu recounted the entire situation from start to finish—without exaggeration and without adding fuel to the fire. But even as she kept things factual, it was more than enough to leave He Shenghui both shocked and furious.
“Pah! Li Lifen is getting more and more muddled the older she gets. She actually dares to fabricate something like this?”
Who didn’t have young family members of marriageable age? If Li Lifen went around messing things up like this, who would still dare to find a matchmaker for marriage proposals?
This wasn’t just ruining her livelihood—it was ruining the livelihood of every matchmaker in the area!
“Come on, let’s go find your parents and confront her. Let’s see what she has to say for herself!”
He Shenghui was so furious that she was practically fuming, her mustache bristling as she grabbed Cheng Fangqiu’s hand and strode forward in large steps.
Of course, they didn’t forget their current task. They finished distributing the food to the technicians first. By this time, most of the other family members who had come to deliver meals had also arrived. Once they were done, they planned to find Ding Ximei and Cheng Baokuan.
Just as they were about to leave, Zhou Yinghuai stepped down from an excavator and happened to catch sight of them. Seeing the urgency in their expressions, he frowned slightly and asked, “What’s going on?”
The moment he asked, Cheng Fangqiu instinctively pouted. Her small lips formed such an exaggerated curve that one could practically hang a soy sauce bottle from them.
“Just thinking about it makes me angry. It’s still about that same issue from before!”
She crossed her arms, her cheeks puffed up in frustration. The irritation in her chest had built up so much that her face was flushed red with anger. But when she looked at him, her tone changed—becoming aggrieved, almost pitiful.
Her eyes, tinged with red, gazed straight at him. They seemed to shine with a few bold, unmistakable words:
You need to stand up for me!
Just one look, and Zhou Yinghuai’s heart softened into complete mush.
Can’t wait for more updates 😭😭😭