She clearly heard his breathing grow heavier, and the movements of his lips and tongue became even more aggressive, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
Unable to withstand the intensity, Cheng Fangqiu slowly lifted her flushed face. Her misty eyes trembled, carrying a fragile and pitiful charm. Her neatly arranged hair had long become disheveled, with a few strands sticking to the delicate skin of her neck, accentuating the faint blue veins beneath—making her appear even more delicate and heartbreakingly beautiful.
This sight alone nearly made Zhou Yinghuai lose all control.
He had always believed he possessed strong self-restraint, immune to both people and circumstances. But ever since meeting her, everything had fallen into chaos. The self-control he once prided himself on had become completely useless.
His kisses softened as he placed a gentle peck at the corner of her eye, then her nose, before returning to her lips.
Then, he lifted the hem of her dress, his fingers wrapping around her slender ankle before sliding up her smooth, porcelain-white calf, tracing along her knee before tightening his grip and effortlessly scooping her up into his arms.
She instinctively wrapped her long legs around his waist—something she had wanted to do for a long time.
The night was already humid and scorching, and now, with their bodies pressed together, it was like dry wood meeting a raging fire, impossible to stop.
The items they had bought from the supply and marketing cooperative were scattered all over the ground. Zhou Yinghuai only gave them a brief glance before expertly maneuvering around them and carrying her over to the round table in the corner, setting her down.
The sheer black fabric of the tablecloth draped over the surface, and the faint glow of sunset filtering through the window cast a mesmerizing and intoxicating hue upon it.
He leaned over, pinning her against the table as he kissed her fiercely. Their bodies fit together perfectly, every touch making it impossible to ignore the contrast between her softness and his firmness.
Cheng Fangqiu was left breathless from his kisses, her mind blank. Just as a thought flashed through her head, she suddenly gasped for air and pushed against his chest. Then, as if afraid he would pounce on her again, she hurriedly lifted one leg and pressed the tip of her foot against his shoulder.
“Hmm?” Zhou Yinghuai, who had been pushed away, gazed at her in confusion. But in the next second, his breath hitched.
She was too preoccupied catching her breath to realize just how provocative her posture was—her dress was hiked up, bunched messily around her waist. One leg dangled off the table, while the other was propped up against his shoulder, completely exposing the delicate scene at the center.
Zhou Yinghuai’s eyes darkened with a tinge of red. Tilting his head, he placed a lingering kiss on her calf before pressing his cheek against it, his warm breath fanning over her skin. The sensation sent a shiver down Cheng Fangqiu’s spine, her already flushed face turning even redder.
Seeing that he was about to trail kisses further up, she panicked and blurted out, “No, I—you’re covered in sweat!”
She knew she was ruining the mood, but after traveling all day and running around outside for so long, she couldn’t bring herself to go through with it without washing up first.
After all, compared to temporary pleasure, hygiene and health were more important.
Though her words were incoherent and flustered, Zhou Yinghuai understood her meaning after a brief pause. A flash of frustration and embarrassment crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself. Letting go of her leg, he leaned down to place a few more gentle kisses on her lips before coaxing softly, “Rest for a bit. I’ll go heat up some water.”
“Mm.” Cheng Fangqiu nodded obediently, letting him kiss her one last time before propping herself up on the table and sliding down. As she adjusted her disheveled collar and smoothed out her tousled hair, she finally settled into a chair.
But just as she turned her head, she nearly had a face-to-face encounter with a very prominent part of him.
For a moment, all three “parties involved” froze.
Zhou Yinghuai was the first to react, swiftly turning his back to her. He yanked his shirt out of his waistband, making sure everything was completely covered before clearing his throat and speaking in a deliberately calm voice.
“I’ll go heat the water now.”
Cheng Fangqiu had never seen Zhou Yinghuai this flustered before. She covered her mouth, laughing so hard she nearly fell off the chair. Unable to resist, she teasingly called out, “No worries, no worries. I’ll be seeing it sooner or later anyway.”
Zhou Yinghuai, who had just reached the kitchen entrance, paused mid-step before quickly disappearing inside.
Watching Zhou Yinghuai’s “retreating in defeat” back, Cheng Fangqiu was feeling smug about finally gaining the upper hand. But just as she was reveling in her victory, he suddenly strode back, grabbed the back of her neck, and kissed her deeply.
By the time he let go, her body had gone half weak from his kisses. Then, right beside her ear, his voice rang out, teeth-gritted and full of warning—
“I’ll deal with you later.”
“……”
They always say you shouldn’t provoke a man at times like these. Now, she thoroughly believed it. And she had learned her lesson.
Even so, she still couldn’t help but bare her teeth and mutter a string of silent curses in the direction of the kitchen. Only after her legs stopped feeling weak did she get up and start organizing their luggage.
She hadn’t brought much—just two sets of clothes, half a tin of Snowflake Cream, and some money and ration tickets stuffed into her hands by Ding Ximei before she left.
By comparison, Zhou Yinghuai’s belongings were significantly more—after all, he had stayed in Ping Le Village for over a month.
“Your clothes—I put them in the bedroom.” Cheng Fangqiu casually called out toward the kitchen.
Zhou Yinghuai poked out half his body. “Just leave them there. I’ll sort them later.”
“You’d better save your energy for later.”
The moment she finished speaking, Cheng Fangqiu realized how suggestive those words sounded. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth in an instant.
But it was too late.
Zhou Yinghuai had clearly heard it, and the way he chuckled, low and meaningful, made it even worse. The sound alone sent shivers down her spine—it was dangerous.
“I didn’t mean it that way!” She panicked and rushed to explain. “I meant you’ve already worked hard heating the water, so I should do something for the household too!”
But because of what she had said before, no matter how much she explained now, it didn’t matter anymore.
Seeing that she wasn’t going to talk her way out of this one, Cheng Fangqiu’s face turned beet red. Forget it—just let it go! She turned around and walked off immediately, refusing to say another word.
—
This house was still new to them—Zhou Yinghuai had only moved in two days ago. Both bedrooms were almost completely bare. One had a bedspread laid out, while the other had nothing but an empty bed frame.
She took one glance and headed straight for the first room.
It was the master bedroom, noticeably larger than the other. Cheng Fangqiu walked in and pulled open the curtains, letting in as much natural light as possible. But since it was nearly dark outside, it didn’t help much.
She glanced out the window, and to her surprise, she could see the lake view from here. That realization made her pause—she hesitated for a moment, then quickly closed the curtains again.
Just to be sure, she double-checked from different angles to confirm that no one could see inside. Only after that did she relax.
…Then she realized what she was doing.
Her cheeks burned hot, and she jerked her hands back as if she had touched something scalding. Ridiculous!
To distract herself, she turned and flicked on the light. The warm yellow glow illuminated the entire room, allowing her to take a proper look at everything inside.
In the center of the room stood a large bed, covered with deep gray bedding. She only glanced at it once before quickly looking away.
To the right was a window, hung with indigo curtains. Next to the window sat a wooden dressing table.
To the left was a large wardrobe.
All the furniture here was old—traces of time were evident everywhere, especially the wardrobe. The moment she pulled the door open, it let out a sharp creaking sound. Inside, there were several compartments but no hanging space. Zhou Yinghuai’s few neatly folded clothes were tucked inside one of them.
Something caught her eye.
Her gaze froze. Curious, she picked up a small corner of the fabric, revealing a square piece of cloth neatly folded inside.
The second she realized what it was, a strange feeling rose in her chest.
Her heart pounded, and she snuck a quick glance toward the bedroom door—seeing that Zhou Yinghuai was still in the kitchen, she swiftly refolded it and put it right back where it was.
After that… she refused to let curiosity get the better of her again.
She quickly finished folding the rest of their clothes, stuffed them into the wardrobe, and rushed out.
—
In the living room, Zhou Yinghuai was bent over, cleaning up the mess at the entrance. His work pants hugged his firm, sculpted hips, highlighting their perfectly toned curve.
A man with the perfect butt—nothing could beat that.
Cheng Fangqiu tried very hard to resist the urge… but in the end, she couldn’t.
She pretended to walk over to help, then lightly patted his ass.
Because honestly, who could hold back? Certainly not her.
“Good job,” she said, voice completely serious as she swiftly retracted her hand. She then squatted down and started gathering the scattered candies on the floor—these were the ones she had bought earlier to taste-test before picking which ones to use for their wedding favors.
Behind her, Zhou Yinghuai slowly straightened up. His brows furrowed slightly.
…Had he just been slapped on the butt?
He wasn’t sure.
Before he could process it fully, she cut off his thoughts with a commanding tone.
“Zhou Yinghuai, what are you standing around for? Hand me the bag!”
Zhou Yinghuai put away his suspicions for now. He reached for a small box on the table and passed it to her instead.
“Use this box.”
The two of them worked together to tidy up the house, and afterward, with nothing else to do, they sat in the living room making idle conversation. However, both of their gazes frequently drifted toward the kitchen.
In town, most households still used coal for cooking and boiling water. It wasn’t the slowest method, but it certainly wasn’t fast either.
Cheng Fangqiu personally witnessed Zhou Yinghuai running back and forth to the kitchen several times. Finally, on his last trip, he emerged with the kettle in hand and headed straight for the bathroom.
Zhou Yinghuai poured a full kettle of boiling water into the wooden tub. As the steaming liquid splashed in, wisps of mist began curling up in the enclosed space, filling the entire bathroom with a hazy fog. Once the kettle was emptied, he left to fetch some cold water to mix in, swiftly filling the tub to the brim.
He reached in to test the temperature with his hand. Perhaps deciding that it was just right, he turned to leave, presumably to heat another kettle.
During this entire process, Cheng Fangqiu stood quietly at the side, watching his every move without knowing why.
It wasn’t until he returned once more and slowly shut the bathroom door behind them that she realized how small and intimate the space had suddenly become.
—
Through the drifting mist, their gazes met.
Then, without a word, Cheng Fangqiu turned her back to him.
She swept her long hair forward, letting it drape over her chest, revealing the small row of buttons running down her back.
Zhou Yinghuai instinctively stepped closer.
His hot palm landed on her waist, and in that moment, both of their breathing became noticeably heavier. He lowered his head, pressing his thin lips against the shell of her ear. He felt the way she trembled slightly, and then his lips slowly trailed downward—from the sensitive skin of her nape, to the row of buttons, to the dip of her spine.
A faint shiver ran through her body.
The fabric of her long dress slipped off her shoulders.
Then, the thin undergarments followed.
The belt loosened, the blouse slid down, the pants pooled at her feet, and the last delicate scrap of fabric was removed.
Their discarded clothing lay scattered on the floor, intertwining—just like their bodies.
—
The sound of water splashing filled the air, droplets flying outward and dampening everything around them.
Cheng Fangqiu leaned against him, her body slightly tilted, long black hair cascading down her back. Her swan-like neck arched upward, and with each breath she took, the delicate blue veins beneath her skin rose and fell.
Her wrists were pinned above her head, leaving her completely at his mercy. She could only look at the man before her with a dazed, unfocused gaze.
Zhou Yinghuai had always been physically strong—years of rigorous training had left his body toned to perfection. Every curve of his muscles carried a raw, untamed power, exuding an explosive sex appeal.
His well-defined abs, the faint V-line leading downward…
And further down, hmm…
She knew she’d get to see it sooner or later. Now that she was actually seeing it—it was indeed impressive. Not just visually, but in terms of color, and most importantly… size.
Absolutely magnificent. Completely to her liking.
“Qiuqiu.”
Zhou Yinghuai panted against her ear, his voice hoarse from restraint.
That single murmur sent a violent shiver down her spine. If it weren’t for his firm hand gripping her waist, she would have collapsed right then and there.
And it was only at this moment that she remembered—
Wait.
Had he not found the right spot yet?
Cheng Fangqiu, who had been relaxed and pliant in his arms moments ago, suddenly tensed up.
She fumbled for words, her ears turning bright red from embarrassment.
She knew she should help. She should just part her legs a little more and guide him in…
But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Instead, she just glanced downward and subtly gestured with her eyes before whispering, “It’s… right here.”
Zhou Yinghuai: “……”
Forget it. Asking her was useless.
He tightened his grip on her waist and tried again, nudging forward carefully—
Still not quite right.
For a moment, both of them grew impatient.
She shifted uncomfortably, rubbing her knee against his thigh, and grumbled in frustration, “Should we just move to the bed?”
The two of them were still beginners—unlocking a high-difficulty bathroom play right from the start didn’t seem very appropriate.
Zhou Yinghuai was clearly very much in agreement with this decision. Almost as soon as she finished speaking, he lifted her up horizontally in his arms, and before she could even react, she was already pressed down onto the soft bed.
However, there was one rather embarrassing issue—
This bed… creaked every single time they moved.
The sound wasn’t particularly loud, but it was extremely humiliating!!!