Hearing this, Zhou Yinghuai let out a slow sigh of relief, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“I was angry at the time too. I knew you didn’t mean it that way, but I just couldn’t control myself and said those things…Brother Huai, you’re not mad at me, are you?”
She leaned out from behind him, her voice as soft as cotton. Zhou Yinghuai immediately reassured her, “How could I be mad at you?”
Then, after a brief hesitation, he cautiously asked, “What about you?”
“I was a little mad at you at the time.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yinghuai’s heart tensed up again. Just as he was about to say something to redeem himself, she shook her head.
“But not anymore.”
This dramatic pause nearly gave Zhou Yinghuai a heart attack. His emotions were tossed up and down, but in the end, they settled back into place. He let out a relieved sigh, and a faint smile curved his lips.
After clearing the air, the atmosphere between them became much more relaxed. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the health clinic. The place was small, and they quickly found the doctor to explain the situation.
The doctor examined Cheng Fangqiu’s hand for a few seconds before making a diagnosis.
“If you’d come a few minutes later, it would’ve healed on its own.”
Both of them were momentarily stunned by the doctor’s teasing remark, their faces heating up. It took a few seconds before they fully processed what he meant. Cheng Fangqiu, in particular, wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. She had thought her injury was at least somewhat serious, but to her embarrassment, it turned out to be so mild that she didn’t even need any medicine.
Zhou Yinghuai was also a bit embarrassed, but he hesitated before asking, “Doctor, could you check again? Her hand is still red.”
Hearing this, the doctor glanced at Cheng Fangqiu’s hand again. “That’s normal. The redness will fade soon. If the family member is still worried, you can buy some ointment to apply later.”
Family member?
The moment that term came out, both of them felt even more uncomfortable. They wanted to explain, but the doctor cut them off before they could.
“If there’s nothing else, you lovebirds can head out now. There are people still waiting in line outside.”
Lovebirds?
The moment the doctor said that, the two of them exchanged glances, catching the embarrassment on each other’s faces. Both instinctively reached up to touch their hair, scratching the backs of their heads awkwardly. After a long pause, Zhou Yinghuai was the first to look away. Seeing that the doctor was in a hurry to see the next patient, he decided not to waste time explaining and simply said, “Doctor, please prescribe us some ointment.”
“There’s no need—”
Cheng Fangqiu had barely begun to refuse when Zhou Yinghuai had already started discussing with the doctor which ointment to get. She hurriedly stepped forward and tugged on his sleeve, lowering her voice to whisper, “I didn’t bring any money.”
At that moment, a flicker of embarrassment flashed across her face.
It wasn’t just that she hadn’t brought money—she had no money at all. The entire household’s finances were controlled by Ding Ximei, who managed all expenses for their family of four. Every month at the beginning of the month, she would give a small allowance to Cheng Fangqiu and her younger brother.
But the original owner of this body had always been a spendthrift, and this month’s allowance was already long gone.
The moment she spoke, Zhou Yinghuai immediately understood her concern. He lowered his voice to a volume only the two of them could hear and responded, “I’ll pay. You got burned because of me—I should take responsibility for this.”
“It’s really not necessary. The doctor already said it’s not serious.”
Having lived in the countryside for so long, Cheng Fangqiu had unknowingly developed a habit of being frugal. No matter how she looked at it, this wasn’t his fault at all. She had anticipated the injury wouldn’t be severe when she made the decision to spill the soup, so she hadn’t planned on spending money on medicine in the first place.
“It’s better to buy one just in case.”
Zhou Yinghuai gave her a reassuring look, then turned to take the prescription from the doctor and stepped out to pay for the medicine.
“Your man treats you well.”
The doctor had worked in the clinic for years and had seen all sorts of people. A young man willing to spend money on medicine for his wife wasn’t something he came across often, so it naturally caught his attention.
Hearing the words “your man”, Cheng Fangqiu’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. She forced a vague smile at the doctor, then quickly followed Zhou Yinghuai outside.
After collecting the medicine, the two walked toward where the bicycle was parked. Seeing that no one else was around, Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes flickered as she let out two dry laughs, seizing the chance to bring up a topic.
“Do I really look like I’m already married? I’m obviously still very young, okay?”
“You don’t.” Zhou Yinghuai shook his head. Noticing that she was deliberately trying to ease the atmosphere, he followed along, saying, “People get married early around here. It probably has nothing to do with age. The doctor likely just saw us alone together and assumed.”
“That’s what I thought too.”
Cheng Fangqiu pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly, sneaking a glance at him from the corner of her eye before testing the waters.
“But it could also be that we’re a handsome man and a beautiful woman—an exceptionally well-matched pair, so…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear to both of them.
Zhou Yinghuai looked at her, amused by how her words were full of confidence and boldness, yet her demeanor was cautious and hesitant. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Is that a compliment to me or to yourself?”
“Both, both!”
Cheng Fangqiu clasped her hands behind her back, bouncing lightly as she walked toward the bicycle. Then, as if casually bringing it up, she asked, “By the way, Brother Huai, how old are you? You said people get married early—why haven’t you gotten married yet?”
The question was somewhat sensitive. Zhou Yinghuai paused briefly before answering, “I should be older than you. I’m twenty-two.”
After speaking, he didn’t answer the last part of her question. Instead, he smoothly redirected, “What about you? Are you planning to get married soon?”
Cheng Fangqiu stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. Her large, clear eyes gazed directly into his, bright and unguarded. The young girl furrowed her delicate brows as if troubled.
“Just thinking about it annoys me. I don’t know what my mother and Aunt Li Er were talking about, but suddenly she came home with a photo and said she wanted to set me up with someone.”
“I don’t want to marry someone I don’t like.”
Her words reached his ears, and the suffocating pressure that had been lingering in his chest for so long suddenly dissipated. His mood inexplicably lifted, though he himself wasn’t even aware of it. The corners of his lips curled up slightly as he stepped forward, took the bicycle, and began leading it back.
“Then I really was right to call you Brother Huai since you’re two years older than me.”
Cheng Fangqiu’s gaze landed on the subtle smile at the corner of Zhou Yinghuai’s lips. Her eyes flickered with curiosity, and she had no intention of letting him off the hook.
She pressed on, “So, is it the same for you? Is that why you haven’t gotten married yet?”
Hearing the question again, Zhou Yinghuai knew there was no avoiding it this time. After a moment of silence, he finally answered, “Mm… you could say that.”
“Then what kind of girl do you like?”
Cheng Fangqiu grasped the hem of his shirt lightly and swayed it gently, looking completely innocent and curious—so much so that it didn’t feel intrusive at all. Instead, it simply seemed like she was genuinely interested in his answer.
Adding to that, the slight nervousness in her tone was just right, subtly shifting Zhou Yinghuai’s focus. Originally, he hadn’t intended to answer, but now, he found himself seriously considering it.
Yet, he couldn’t think of any specific words to describe it.
What kind of girl did he like?
The moment that question surfaced in his mind, an image automatically formed—a certain familiar figure.
Realizing this, Zhou Yinghuai’s heartbeat sped up.
It was as if an electric current had coursed through his body. His breathing became erratic, and he instinctively glanced sideways, catching sight of her delicate, fair profile. His heartbeat only grew faster, pounding wildly in his chest.
His mind was a mess. An answer seemed to be on the verge of breaking free.
Just then, a voice from up ahead interrupted his thoughts.
“Comrade Zhou! Qiuqiu!”
Both of them turned toward the voice and saw Cheng Baokuan and Ding Ximei rushing over.
“Dad, Mom?”
Cheng Fangqiu quickly got off the bicycle and ran to meet them.
“How’s your hand?”
Ding Ximei’s first instinct was to check her daughter’s injury. She scrutinized it over and over, not finding any serious problem. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, though her eyes still reddened with concern.
“What did the doctor say?”
“It’s nothing, just a minor burn. It’s already fine now.”
Cheng Fangqiu shook her head, feeling too embarrassed to repeat the doctor’s original words, so she quickly changed the subject.
“Why did you both come here?”
Hearing that even the doctor had said it wasn’t serious, Ding Ximei finally relaxed completely. She explained, “Comrade Zhao came to tell me you got burned. Your father and I were scared out of our wits! Luckily, it’s nothing serious.”
After speaking, she finally took notice of Zhou Yinghuai, who was standing to the side holding the bicycle. She quickly turned to him with gratitude.
“Comrade Zhou, thank you so much. Our Qiuqiu has troubled you twice now. I must have Old Cheng invite you over for a meal sometime soon!”
“Auntie, you’re being too polite. No need to be so formal with me.”
It was Zhou Yinghuai’s first time speaking directly with Cheng Fangqiu’s parents. For some reason, he felt nervous, unconsciously straightening his posture.
“It’s just a simple home-cooked meal, our way of showing appreciation.”
Ding Ximei was insistent. Seeing that there was no way to refuse, Zhou Yinghuai finally nodded. “Alright, then.”
Only after he agreed did Ding Ximei smile in satisfaction.
The four of them walked back together, with most of the conversation being between Ding Ximei and Zhou Yinghuai. Cheng Fangqiu chimed in from time to time, making the atmosphere unexpectedly harmonious.
When they parted ways at the village entrance, Ding Ximei watched Zhou Yinghuai and Cheng Baokuan walk away, unable to hold back a sigh.
“That young man is really quite good.”
“He is.”
Cheng Fangqiu nodded, then silently added in her heart: Which is why I’m going to make sure he becomes your son-in-law.
Ding Ximei had no idea about her daughter’s little schemes. She took Cheng Fangqiu’s hand and started heading home. It was only then that Cheng Fangqiu finally had the chance to ask about Aunt Li Er’s matchmaking attempt.
“Oh, my memory is terrible!”
Ding Ximei suddenly remembered. “I meant to tell you about this earlier, but I got busy and forgot.”
No one had expected Li Lifen to move so fast. It had only been a short while, yet she had already found a young man who seemed good in all aspects, even bringing over a photo.
Thinking about it now, Ding Ximei’s eyes carried a trace of approval. She sighed, “Soldiers are reliable. He looks decent, too. What do you think?”
Seeing her mother’s satisfied expression, Cheng Fangqiu felt a headache coming on. She pursed her lips in exasperation.
“Mom, why didn’t you talk to me first before going to Aunt Li?”
Hearing the complaint in her daughter’s tone, Ding Ximei belatedly realized that she might have been too hasty. But in the countryside, this was common practice. Some girls didn’t even know who they were marrying until right before the wedding. It was a reality she had seen so often that it felt natural.
Yet, in the process, she had overlooked her daughter’s feelings.
Without even realizing it, she had become one of those parents who made decisions with a single word.
“Qiuqiu, you’re right. That was my mistake.”
Ding Ximei sighed. “I just thought you were at the right age. Your cousins are already engaged, so it’s time for us to start considering this too.”
She took Cheng Fangqiu’s hand, guilt in her voice. The latter held her mother’s hand back and bit her lip, hesitating before speaking.
“I know you’re doing this for my sake, but I…”
Her words trailed off, her expression hesitant. Seeing this, Ding Ximei grew anxious.
“What is it? You and I are mother and daughter—there’s nothing we can’t talk about.”
“It’s just…”
A soft flush spread across Cheng Fangqiu’s fair face at just the right moment. The natural hint of shyness unique to young girls made Ding Ximei, a woman who had been through it all, immediately realize something.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Qiuqiu, do you already have someone in mind?”
“Are you interested in someone?”