Well, to be precise, only the two sisters were out of breath. Zhou Yinghuai, on the other hand, remained completely composed. His breathing hadn’t even quickened. He followed beside Cheng Fangqiu as if nothing had happened.
Cheng Fangqiu eventually gave up. Instead of chasing after her cousin, she slowed down, strolling leisurely while taking in the sights of the street.
This era had a unique simplicity to it. The buildings and roads were all dusty gray, with the most vibrant colors being the motivational slogans painted on the walls.
There were no bustling city streets filled with cars like in later years. The most luxurious form of transportation was the occasional bicycle passing by. Its rider would sit tall and proud, brimming with confidence, as if daring others not to notice them. And sure enough, passersby would cast envious glances their way.
She had experienced this firsthand just recently, sitting on the back of Zhou Yinghuai’s bicycle. The feeling had been exhilarating—probably akin to the modern-day sensation of riding in a sports car.
“Xinhua Bookstore!”
Cheng Fangqiu’s sharp eyes spotted a small shop at the corner of the street. The wooden sign bore four large characters, instantly triggering a wave of nostalgia.
Who hadn’t begged their parents to buy them a dictionary at the Xinhua Bookstore as a child?
Naturally, Zhou Yinghuai heard her exclamation. Following her gaze, he glanced at the store and chuckled.
“Want to take a look?”
She hesitated for two seconds before calling out to Cheng Xiaohua, who was still charging ahead.
“Xiaohua, we’re stopping by the bookstore. Want to join us?”
“You two go ahead. I’ll wait outside.”
Cheng Xiaohua was panting between words, clearly exhausted. Besides, she had never been a good student—books gave her a headache. There was no way she was stepping into a bookstore voluntarily.
More importantly, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity? Why not leave Sister Fangqiu and Comrade Zhou some alone time?
Seeing that Cheng Xiaohua was waving them off, Cheng Fangqiu didn’t insist. She turned to Zhou Yinghuai instead.
“Let’s go in, then.”
“Alright.”
As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by the distinct scent of paper. The bookstore had large windows on both sides, allowing warm golden sunlight to flood in, illuminating the space. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with an array of books, making it difficult to decide where to start.
This era didn’t have the flashy stationery stores of later years. The shelves only displayed simple pencils, fountain pens, ink bottles, and yellow-wrapped notebooks.
After a quick browse through the first floor, they made their way up the wooden staircase to the second floor.
Unlike the bright and open first floor, the second floor felt cramped. Tall, deep-red bookshelves were packed tightly together, leaving just enough space for a single person to pass through.
It looked messy at first glance, but in reality, the books were neatly categorized. As long as one followed the labels on the shelves, it wasn’t hard to find what they were looking for.
Cheng Fangqiu didn’t have any specific books in mind, and she couldn’t afford to buy any either. She was simply curious to see what a bookstore in this era looked like.
So, after browsing to the far end of the second floor, she decided it was time to leave.
But just as she turned around—
She crashed directly into him.
Stumbling slightly, she instinctively reached out, grabbing the fabric of his shirt to steady herself.
The sunlight filtered through the uneven gaps between the bookshelves, casting a soft glow over them, creating a picturesque scene.
Cheng Fangqiu’s gaze lifted ever so slightly, and she found herself staring into a pair of deep, dark eyes.
He stood against the light, his hands gently supporting her. His broad palms made her wrist appear even more delicate and fair. The warmth of his touch sent tingling heat through her skin, making it feel as though fire was spreading from the point of contact—burning, itching, impossible to ignore.
As if scalded, they both instinctively stepped back.
“Careful.”
His voice was low and magnetic.
His short black hair gleamed like ink, his sharp features cast in soft shadows. The backlight obscured his expression slightly, adding an air of mystery and danger.
And yet, when he looked at her, his eyes were nothing but gentle.
The contrast made her throat go dry.
She pressed her fingers against her chest, as if trying to steady the wild beating of her heart—warning it to calm down.
From the very first time she met him, she knew—he was the kind of man who could make someone’s heart race far too easily.
And after spending time with him, that impression had only deepened. There were even moments when she almost couldn’t hold herself back.
Cheng Fangqiu’s long lashes trembled. While thanking him, she casually pulled a book from the shelf to cover up her flustered state. The title and author were neatly printed on the cover—it was one of the most popular red books of this era. Judging by the synopsis, she found it quite interesting. But… she could barely afford food, so buying books was out of the question.
“Have you read this one?” She sought out a topic to disperse the lingering tension. Normally, she enjoyed this kind of atmosphere, but right now, she just wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
Zhou Yinghuai glanced at her slightly reddened ears in confusion. It wasn’t even hot—why did she suddenly look like a cooked shrimp?
Though puzzled, he still answered, “Yes, I have.”
“What about this one?” Cheng Fangqiu pointed to another book nearby. Zhou Yinghuai followed her finger and nodded again.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Not willing to give up, she randomly pointed at a few more books—yet, without exception, he nodded at every single one.
“Are you serious?” Cheng Fangqiu narrowed her eyes in suspicion, clearly not convinced.
He wasn’t just like those men who pretended to have read everything just to impress women, was he?
Zhou Yinghuai let out a helpless chuckle, rubbing his forehead lightly. Without even opening the book, he picked up one of them and started talking about its contents—his voice smooth and unhurried, flowing like a gentle stream into her ears. He didn’t hesitate for a single word.
Cheng Fangqiu refused to believe it so easily. She snatched the book from his hands, flipped to the first page, and checked the book’s introduction—only to find that everything he said was indeed accurate.
So, he wasn’t lying.
“You’ve read that many books?” After a long pause, all she could do was offer this statement as a cover-up for her earlier doubts.
How could she have forgotten? He was the top-tier figure from the novel. Being widely read was just standard for someone like him!
“Let’s go.”
With that, she ducked under his arm and strode toward the exit.
Zhou Yinghuai watched her retreating figure, his lips curving slightly before shifting his gaze to the book she had been holding earlier.
She had spent quite a while looking at it.
“Are you coming or not?” Cheng Fangqiu’s voice urged from ahead.
Zhou Yinghuai withdrew from his thoughts, took the book off the shelf, and quickly caught up.
When Cheng Fangqiu saw him carrying a book as they walked out, she casually asked, “Didn’t you say you’d already read it? Why are you buying it?”
“Mm.” He had indeed read it, but for some reason, he had impulsively wanted to buy it again.
And then…
His gaze fell on the girl staring up at him with curiosity.
Zhou Yinghuai pressed his lips together, ultimately leaving the rest of the sentence unsaid. He simply replied in a soft voice, “I want to read it again.”
Great figures had their own logic. Cheng Fangqiu didn’t question him further. Once he paid, they stepped out of the bookstore together.
The moment Cheng Xiaohua saw them emerging, she tried to make a run for it.
But Cheng Fangqiu grabbed her arm before she could escape, locking her in place.
“Aren’t you tired?” Cheng Fangqiu shot her a small glare.
Cheng Xiaohua scratched her head, lowering her voice, “I was just trying to create opportunities for you!”
“Oh, thank you so much.” Cheng Fangqiu rolled her eyes before switching gears. “Come on, let’s hurry to the supply and marketing cooperative. If all the good fabric is taken, you’ll cry and have nowhere to complain.”
That last remark successfully shut Cheng Xiaohua up. Without further argument, she dragged them forward in a hurry.
There were multiple supply and marketing cooperatives in town, but the largest and best one—stocked with the most complete selection—was the one that had opened in the central district two years ago. It was practically on par with a department store.
A two-story department store, at that.
The moment they stepped inside, Cheng Fangqiu nearly gaped in shock.
It was packed.
People crowded around every single shelf. Not all of them were actually buying things—some were just there to look, while others had simply accompanied friends or family.
The three of them could barely find a place to stand.
“The fabric section is on the second floor. Let’s head up.”
Unlike Cheng Fangqiu, Cheng Xiaohua was unfazed. This was nothing—she had come with her mother once before and had to wait in line outside.
Crowds inevitably led to jostling.
In just a short while, Cheng Fangqiu found herself caught in the tide of people, bumping shoulders with strangers and nearly stumbling.
Just then, a tall figure stepped closer, positioning himself between her and the crowd. Only then did the chaotic pressure around her ease.
She cast Zhou Yinghuai a grateful glance before instinctively moving closer to his side.
But there were too many people.
Every few steps, they had to stop, and each time, their movements didn’t align perfectly—leading to repeated instances of unintended contact.
After who-knew-how-many times their fingertips brushed, Cheng Fangqiu finally moved first.
Taking a deep breath, she daringly curled her pinky around his, tentatively rubbing against it.
Her heart pounded wildly, like a deer frantically leaping inside her chest.
She swallowed nervously, staring straight ahead, not daring to turn and look at his expression.
But… he didn’t pull away.
That meant—he wasn’t rejecting this intimate little gesture.
Still, she started to lose her nerve.
After two light strokes of her pinky, she intended to retreat, planning to “accidentally” find a chance to explain later—something along the lines of: Oops, I was just afraid of getting separated in the crowd!
With a proper excuse in mind, Cheng Fangqiu prepared to subtly loosen her fingers.
But just as she started to move—
The next second, a large hand intertwined with hers, one finger at a time, until their fingers were fully interlocked in a firm grip.
His palm was warm and slightly damp, effortlessly enveloping her smaller hand. The action was both dominant and unyielding, yet if one paid attention, they would notice that his fingertips were trembling ever so slightly.
The marketplace was bustling with noise, yet all she could hear was the wild, chaotic rhythm of a heartbeat—whether it was hers or his, she couldn’t even tell.
“Finally made it up!”
Cheng Xiaohua’s excited voice rang out from the staircase. Turning back, she looked for her cousin and Zhou Yinghuai, only to see the two of them standing a little too close—before suddenly pulling apart.
Her instincts told her something had happened.
But no matter how she racked her brain, she couldn’t quite figure out what. Shrugging off the thought, she grabbed Cheng Fangqiu’s hand and dragged her toward the fabric section.
Cheng Fangqiu, however, kept looking back at Zhou Yinghuai, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. She bit her lip and hesitated before asking, “Are you coming with us?”
“You two go ahead. I need to buy some other things,” Zhou Yinghuai replied, trying his best to maintain composure as he shook his head.
Yet, as soon as the words left his mouth, the tips of his ears turned bright red.
He rubbed his thumb over his fingertips—there was still a lingering warmth there, a trace of something indescribable.
It was the first time he had ever held a girl’s hand.
Logically, in that situation, he should have let go immediately. But he just couldn’t. Instead, he had followed his instincts and grasped her hand even tighter.
That completely shattered everything he thought he understood about himself.
Holding a girl’s hand like that? Wasn’t that… borderline scoundrel behavior?
His mind was a chaotic mess. He needed some time alone to think.