“Zhou Yinghuai?”
After a long time without receiving a response, Cheng Fangqiu hesitated slightly and stopped wiping him. Lowering her eyes, she met a pair of eyes tinged with crimson—narrow and deep, the surging red within them barely concealed, restlessly stirring.
Seeing this, she tightened her grip on the towel, nervously retreating a little. But in the very next second, he suddenly leaned in. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her, a large, warm palm pressed against her back.
“Careful.”
She turned her head and realized that, in her hurried retreat, she had nearly bumped into a metal part of the tractor. It was only because he had reached out to block it that an accident was avoided.
That cold chunk of iron—if she had hit it, she couldn’t imagine how painful it would have been.
“Thank you.” A trace of lingering fear surged in Cheng Fangqiu’s heart. She quickly moved forward, distancing herself from the metal, but it was a case of escaping the tiger only to meet the wolf. As she got closer, the space between them shrank, to the point where they could almost hear each other’s breathing.
She could even hear the irregular, rapid beating of his heart within his chest.
Thump. Thump. Each beat seemed to pound right beside her ear.
And as she moved closer, Zhou Yinghuai’s gaze darkened further, staring at her without blinking—like a beast in the jungle, poised to pounce on its prey, brimming with restrained aggression.
Sensing the danger keenly, Cheng Fangqiu instinctively pressed her lips together. The tip of her tongue swept across her red lips, leaving behind a glistening trace—subtle yet tantalizing.
She hesitated for a moment before forcing an awkward laugh and suggesting, “Are you hungry? Let’s go back and eat first.”
As soon as she spoke, she turned to open the excavator’s door. But before she could react, her wrist was suddenly grasped. The next second, a gentle yet irresistible force pulled her straight into his embrace.
The originally cramped seat suddenly felt much more spacious.
Cheng Fangqiu trembled as she placed her hands on Zhou Yinghuai’s chest, her long, curled eyelashes quivering uncontrollably. The usually bold and passionate “rogue woman” was now completely timid. While she called his name in a warning tone, she couldn’t help but think—so this was how two people were supposed to sit inside the cockpit.
“Dinner can wait. Right now…”
A deep male voice brushed against her ear, every word clear and distinct, carrying a temptation that seeped straight into her heart.
Not eating dinner… Did that mean he was going to eat her instead?
As soon as the thought popped into her head, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, and a well-defined hand captured her chin. His slightly cool, thin lips unerringly found hers and pressed down without hesitation.
Suck. Hold. Lick. Nibble. Twist. Turn.
Cheng Fangqiu weakly pushed at him twice, but her strength was about as effective as a tickling sensation. Naturally, she failed to push him away. Instead, his grip around her waist tightened even more, pulling her forward. She stumbled slightly, her soft body swaying as she crashed into his chest.
Both of them trembled at the contact, and her face instantly turned red.
She had never truly intended to push him away, so from start to finish, her resistance was half-hearted. But she hadn’t expected that she would actually…
Bump into it.
Zhou Yinghuai froze for two seconds, even pausing his kisses. Then, the next moment, he launched an even fiercer assault, capturing and plundering without restraint.
The palm resting on her waist grew hotter and hotter, the temperature gradually climbing until it was almost scalding.
Unable to catch her breath from the intense kiss, Cheng Fangqiu clenched his collar tightly. The fabric quickly wrinkled under her grip. She couldn’t help but think—Wuwuwu, wasn’t Zhou Yinghuai supposed to be pure and innocent?
Back then, if she so much as winked at him, he would get embarrassed and quickly look away. But now, he actually dared to treat her like this—so boldly, so dominantly.
He had completely reversed their roles.
Cheng Fangqiu secretly cracked open her eyes and caught a glimpse of his cold, noble face, now gleaming with an unmistakable madness.
This contrast struck her hard, making her heart tremble uncontrollably.
“Qiuqiu.”
Zhou Yinghuai’s sharply defined features carried a natural air of aloofness, but at this moment, his usually clear black-and-white eyes glowed with a tender light. Seizing a brief moment to breathe, he rubbed the tip of his nose against hers, his voice hoarse as he called her name.
“Mm?” Cheng Fangqiu, her eyes misted with tears, clung to his shoulders. Her soft response made Zhou Yinghuai’s gaze darken further. His fingers traced her slender waist twice.
“Don’t touch—it’s ticklish.”
She reached out to grab his hand, her entire being resembling a rose blooming in the rain, its petals slightly drooping from the downpour’s intrusion.
Zhou Yinghuai’s gaze deepened, a hint of crimson flickering at the corners of his eyes. He intertwined their fingers tightly, clasping her hand firmly, savoring the warmth from her palm. A primal instinct surged within him—he wanted to torment her…
But not yet. Not now.
Slowly, Zhou Yinghuai released his grip and buried his head into the curve of her collarbone, taking deep breaths, trying to steady his racing heart. Even as he did so, a thought flashed through his mind—When will that damn report finally get approved?
At that very moment, the report Zhou Yinghuai had been waiting for lay quietly on a mahogany desk. A capped fountain pen tapped against it absentmindedly, leaving shallow imprints on the paper.
“Cheng Fangqiu?”
The middle-aged man sitting behind the desk slowly read the name aloud, his brows furrowing slightly.
Not far away, Xu Shanliang, who had been observing him the whole time, suddenly felt his heart tighten. He seized the right moment to speak. “This female comrade’s background has already been investigated. There are no major issues, it’s just that…”
The middle-aged man cast a light glance his way, and Xu Shanliang immediately held his breath, not daring to beat around the bush any longer. He spoke directly, “Her mother’s family is the Ding family from Hu City.”
That single sentence said everything, yet nothing at all.
The sound of the fountain pen tapping against the paper abruptly ceased. The middle-aged man pondered for two seconds before speaking. “Have him call me personally.”
After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling Xu Shanliang to leave. Once he heard the door close, he picked up the report, gave it a long, deep look, then placed it into the right-hand drawer.
Outside the office, Xu Shanliang let out a deep breath. After adjusting his collar, he continued walking forward, preparing to carry out his superior’s instructions. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting back to that report.
Comrade Xiao Zhou… was actually getting married.
—
Drip, drip… The rain gradually lightened, droplets landing crisply on the umbrella’s surface. The two of them squeezed under a single umbrella, their hands tightly clasped together, warmth intertwining.
Cheng Fangqiu touched her cheeks, still radiating heat, and felt a little flustered.
“I’ll walk you home, then head back to the educated youth station,” Zhou Yinghuai turned his head to look at her profile, the corners of his lips curving up—his mood was clearly good.
She nodded, then invited him, “Why don’t you come over for dinner?”
Zhou Yinghuai wanted to, but after thinking about it, he shook his head. “We have a meeting tonight.”
Right now was a crucial time, and with the heavy rain, they needed to come up with a countermeasure to ensure the project stayed on schedule.
“Alright then,” Cheng Fangqiu pouted, looking a bit disappointed. Zhou Yinghuai squeezed her palm gently and said in a soft voice, “What about tomorrow?”
“Hmph, tomorrow my family might not have time for you.”
Though it seemed like she was deliberately trying to provoke him, she wasn’t lying. Cheng Xiaohua’s wedding was in three days. Her uncle’s family was so busy their feet barely touched the ground. Their two families had always been close, and with blood ties between them, it was impossible for her family to just sit back and watch—they had to help out.
Zhou Yinghuai had already heard Cheng Fangqiu mention this before, so he wasn’t upset. Instead, he slowly smiled. Seeing her puffed-up cheeks, he couldn’t resist the urge to pinch them.
But he also knew that they were no longer in the secluded area near the excavator but in the village. There was a high chance someone might stumble upon them at any moment. So, in the end, he only tightened his grip on her hand under the cover of another umbrella.
“You still have five days before you leave, right? Xiaohua told me to invite you to the wedding banquet.”
The mention of his departure date made both Cheng Fangqiu and Zhou Yinghuai’s eyes darken slightly, but in silent agreement, they didn’t dwell on it.
“Alright.” Zhou Yinghuai nodded, recalling the little girl in the county town who had once gone out of her way to create opportunities for him and Qiuqiu.
But as the saying goes, man proposes, but heaven disposes—the next day, Zhou Yinghuai was suddenly called away from Ping Le Village due to an urgent matter.
By the time Cheng Fangqiu received the news and rushed to the educated youth station, not even a trace of the car’s exhaust fumes remained. He was already gone.
A strange sadness welled up in her chest. She could understand that he had to leave for something urgent, but… couldn’t he have at least told her personally before he left?
Then again, if he had time to say goodbye, it wouldn’t really be an urgent matter.
She knew this logic made sense, but she still couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit upset with Zhou Yinghuai.
Holding her umbrella, she absentmindedly kicked at the small stones on the ground. The rain shrouded everything, making it impossible for anyone to see her expression clearly. She took a deep breath, rubbing her slightly sore eyes. Before long, her beautiful fox-like eyes were tinged with red.
“Comrade Cheng!”
Just then, a familiar voice called out from not far away. She turned her head and saw Zhao Zhigao approaching with an umbrella. He moved quickly, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of her, leaving her no room to avoid him.
Zhao Zhigao had initially been grinning widely, but upon noticing her reddened eyes and slightly lost expression, his smile stiffened awkwardly. In a flustered voice, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“It’s nothing, just got some sand in my eye.”
Cheng Fangqiu felt frustrated with herself for being sentimental over nothing. Embarrassed at showing weakness in front of Zhao Zhigao, she let out two dry laughs and forced a faint smile.
But Zhao Zhigao was as dense as ever and completely failed to notice her attempt to avoid the topic. Instead, he let out a slow sigh and tried to comfort her, “Comrade Cheng, don’t be sad. The factory contacted Brother Huai for an urgent matter. He left so quickly that he didn’t even have time to pack his luggage.”
Cheng Fangqiu twitched the corner of her mouth, feeling the sting of having her unspoken thoughts exposed. Yet, she had to admit—after hearing Zhao Zhigao’s explanation, the resentment she held toward Zhou Yinghuai dissipated considerably.
“Oh, right,” Zhao Zhigao added, “Brother Huai also told me to let you know that as soon as he’s done, he’ll come back to pick you up.”
After saying that, he cleared his throat, his face suddenly flushing red. “A-and, also…”
“What else?”
Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t expected Zhou Yinghuai to leave her a message. Her eyes lit up slightly. Seeing Zhao Zhigao hesitating and stammering, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity and urged, “Just say it already!”
Zhao Zhigao pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and then, as if preparing for a heroic sacrifice, shut his eyes and blurted out, “He said he’ll miss you.”
A gentle breeze swept by, carrying the lingering mist of the rain along with those words. Yet, instead of cooling her down, it sent a rush of heat straight to her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes glistened, waves of emotion surging through them, glowing with an alluring charm.
Cheng Fangqiu pressed down on the rapid pounding of her heart and inwardly cursed Zhou Yinghuai for being shameless. How could he say something like that and have someone else deliver the message?!