Their gazes intertwined, neither willing to take a step back.
Time passed by second by second. Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, a trace of disappointment flashed in Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes. The corners of her lips curled up in a self-mocking arc. Without waiting for his reaction, she turned around on her own and closed the lid of the water vat, then silently retraced her steps back.
Yet halfway through, she still stopped in her tracks and gently smiled. “Comrade Zhou, let’s go.”
It was the same smile, but something about it had distinctly changed.
Zhou Yinghuai’s mind was in complete chaos. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but after thinking about it, he swallowed the words back down at the last moment. Without a word, he followed behind her and returned to the main hall.
In the end, she never gave him the other half of the peach. Instead, right in front of him, she slowly ate it, bite by bite.
Cheng Xuejun was a simple-minded person and didn’t notice the strange atmosphere between the two. Seeing Zhou Yinghuai return, he continued pulling him into their previous conversation as if nothing had happened.
But this time, Zhou Yinghuai seemed somewhat absent-minded.
“Come, come, the food is ready! Time to eat!” Ding Ximei enthusiastically called everyone to the kitchen. On the table, four dishes and one soup were laid out—stir-fried pork with chili, scrambled eggs with scallions, braised eggplant with minced meat, stir-fried water spinach, and wild mushroom soup. This was as good as a New Year’s feast.
Cheng Baokuan even brought out the white liquor that he usually couldn’t bear to drink. It was a gift from relatives last year during the New Year, and he had been saving it to drink with his future son-in-law once Qiuqiu had her marriage arranged. But unexpectedly, it was being used here instead.
Thinking of this, Cheng Fangqiu’s downcast eyes flickered with a trace of depth.
She had always thought her approach was quite successful. After all, whether in daily interactions or private meetings, his behavior wasn’t as cold and indifferent as the book described.
Today, he had even crossed boundaries—allowing her to sleep on his shoulder the entire way, holding her hand, stepping in to teach Li Jianping a lesson for her, and just a moment ago, he had even been willing to take the peach she had already bitten into…
All these signs didn’t seem like a failed attempt at stirring his heart.
So why, when she confronted him directly, did he remain silent?
Logically speaking, in that kind of atmosphere, a normal person would at least respond with some level of reluctance before mutual feelings were understood, and then they would naturally end up together.
Cheng Fangqiu bit her lip, her mind tangled in thoughts. She couldn’t help but glare at the culprit. But just as she turned her gaze over, she met his deep and profound eyes.
She was still angry. Seeing him look at her, she immediately withdrew her gaze and, without thinking, grabbed the cup beside her and took a gulp. Who would have thought she’d nearly choke to death?
Clutching her chest, she coughed violently, her entire face turning bright red.
Everyone was startled, but Ding Ximei quickly reacted and hurriedly handed her cup over. “Qiuqiu, you drank my liquor.”
After gulping down two cups of plain water, Cheng Fangqiu finally regained her breath.
Seeing that she was fine, Zhou Yinghuai, who had been sitting across from her, silently relaxed and sat back down as if nothing had happened.
“What kind of liquor is this? Why is it so strong?” Cheng Fangqiu was still coughing, feeling uncomfortable. Although her alcohol tolerance wasn’t particularly high, she had spent enough time in the social circles of her past life, so she could handle white wine, red wine, and beer just fine. There was no way just one cup could leave her in such a sorry state.
“Baogu Shao1Baogu Shao (包谷烧) is a type of high-proof Chinese corn liquor.—it’s pretty strong. Qiuqiu, you don’t drink to begin with, and you drank it so quickly, of course you’re uncomfortable.” Ding Ximei had originally poured herself a cup to liven up the atmosphere, not planning to drink it all. Who would have thought Cheng Fangqiu would accidentally grab the wrong cup and drink the whole thing?
Baogu Shao? She had never had it before.
Cheng Fangqiu pursed her lips, still tasting the faint lingering fragrance of the liquor between them. After savoring it for a moment, she actually found it rather pleasant.
But she didn’t dare drink any more. She put down the water cup and picked up her chopsticks again.
It was said to be high in alcohol, but over there, Cheng Baokuan and Zhou Yinghuai were drinking it like plain water, downing cup after cup without stopping.
“Comrade Zhou, the moment I saw you, I knew you weren’t just any ordinary young man. Looks like I was right, hahaha!”
After three rounds of drinks, Cheng Baokuan was the first to falter. His face was as red as a monkey’s backside. As the saying goes, “liquor emboldens the timid”—usually, he wouldn’t even dare to speak much to Zhou Yinghuai, this young leader. But now, he was holding onto his hand and refusing to let go.
In contrast, Zhou Yinghuai, aside from his slightly reddened eyes, was no different from usual. His hand holding the wine cup didn’t even tremble. He was good-tempered, letting Cheng Baokuan grip his hand while humbly replying, “Uncle, you overpraise me.”
“They all say studying is useless, that it’s better to go to the fields and cut a few more bundles of pigweed. But I held onto this one belief—for my son and daughter, as long as I could send them up the ladder, I would. If I couldn’t, I would sell everything I had to make it happen. Only with knowledge in one’s belly will they not go astray.”
“Look at you—you are living proof that studying can change one’s fate. If my Qiuqiu and Xuejun can also make something of themselves in the future, I could die without regrets!”
Cheng Baokuan downed another cup of liquor, his body swaying unsteadily. At this point, he probably wasn’t even aware of what he was saying.
The dishes on the table had long gone cold, and outside, the sky had darkened. Cheng Fangqiu sat silently to the side, watching as Ding Ximei’s expression slowly darkened as well. Finally, she could no longer endure Cheng Baokuan’s drunken rambling and suddenly stood up, supporting her husband’s shoulder. With a forced laugh, she turned to Zhou Yinghuai and said, “He’s had too much to drink. He’s just rambling nonsense.”
“I’m not drunk.”
Cheng Baokuan stiffened his neck and loudly refuted, nearly freezing the smile on Ding Ximei’s face. Fortunately, Zhou Yinghuai was perceptive and immediately said, “It’s getting late, and there’s construction work tomorrow. I’ll head back first. Thank you, Uncle and Auntie, for your hospitality today.”
“Ah, why don’t you stay the night? There are so many people at the educated youth dormitory, and it’s inconvenient for you to go back now.” While speaking, Ding Ximei signaled for Cheng Xuejun to help support Cheng Baokuan while she went to prepare a bed for Zhou Yinghuai.
“There’s no need to trouble yourself, Auntie. I didn’t drink much. I’ll go back, wash up, and go straight to bed.” Zhou Yinghuai stopped her from making the arrangements.
Seeing his insistence, Ding Ximei didn’t press further. However, noticing that Cheng Xuejun was struggling to support Cheng Baokuan alone, she stepped forward to help. “I’ll take care of your father. You take Comrade Zhou back.”
“Alright.”
But Cheng Baokuan was a large man. The moment Cheng Xuejun let go, he lost his balance and toppled in all directions. Ding Ximei alone couldn’t hold him steady, and after a few struggles, they nearly overturned the entire dining table, throwing the room into chaos.
“I can…” get back on my own.
Before Zhou Yinghuai could finish his sentence, Cheng Fangqiu, who had been silently sitting by, suddenly interrupted him. Her voice was calm as she said, “I’ll take Comrade Zhou back.”
“No need…” A grown man letting a woman escort him back—how would that look?
Before the words fully left his mouth, he saw her beautiful eyes glaring at him. Zhou Yinghuai opened his mouth, but in the end, he obediently shut it.
Ding Ximei also felt that it wasn’t quite appropriate for Cheng Fangqiu to escort him. After all, it was already dark, and she would have to walk back alone after sending him off. Even though the village had been safe for years, one could never be too careful.
“I’ll walk him to the intersection and come right back. Mother, you and my brother focus on getting Father to bed first.” Cheng Fangqiu stood up and, without waiting for Ding Ximei to object, signaled for Zhou Yinghuai to follow. The two of them then walked out the door.
Ding Ximei, caught up in dealing with Cheng Baokuan, wasn’t able to stop them. Irritated, she pinched her husband hard, making him yelp in pain.
Walking to the intersection wasn’t a big deal. This area was somewhere Qiuqiu had played around since childhood—if anything happened, she could call for help immediately.
Besides, Comrade Zhou was with her. What could possibly happen?
Night had fully descended. The dark sky was like ink spilled from a painter’s hand, leaving a heavy stroke across the canvas of the heavens, with only scattered stars faintly shimmering.
The village was always quiet after nightfall. Walking along the path, only the occasional chirping of cicadas could be heard.
Zhou Yinghuai followed behind Cheng Fangqiu in silence. The sound of their footsteps, one light and one heavy, seemed magnified in the darkness, impossible to ignore.
It wasn’t long before he sensed something was off. This didn’t seem like the path to the educated youth dormitory.
“Did we take the wrong way?” He hesitated for two seconds before speaking up.
The moment his words fell, the figure ahead of him stopped. He also came to a halt just in time, narrowly avoiding bumping into her.
Under the moonlight, Cheng Fangqiu turned her head to look at him. A smile slowly emerged on her lips, one that was neither quite amused nor quite serious.
“Comrade Zhou, are you afraid I’ll sell you off?”
A teasing remark, but there was not a trace of lightheartedness in her tone.
“Of course not.” Zhou Yinghuai choked on his words. Her words were barbed, making them feel unpleasant as they landed in his ears.
“Then that’s settled.” Cheng Fangqiu suppressed the frustration in her chest. She didn’t want to argue with him in the middle of the road—she just wanted to get to their destination quickly and execute her plan.
With that thought, she picked up her pace. Seeing this, Zhou Yinghuai could only quicken his steps to keep up.
As they walked, the number of buildings around them gradually decreased, while the surrounding vegetation grew denser. Before long, the two of them entered a small grove. Under the dark night sky, it was impossible to make out what kind of trees they were, but there seemed to be a variety—some tall, some short, their leaves differing in shape and density.
The moment they entered this grove, Zhou Yinghuai became even more certain that she was not taking him back to the dormitory.
But then, why had she brought him here?
Almost as soon as that question formed in his mind, a forceful push came from behind, shoving him backward until his back was pressed tightly against the rough bark of a thick tree trunk.
Then, a soft, warm body pressed up against him.
Zhou Yinghuai’s breathing suddenly grew heavier. His first instinct was to push the person in front of him away, but before he could, something warm and damp splashed onto the back of his hand, making his movements freeze.
She was crying?
“Why are you crying? Don’t cry…” A hint of panic flickered in Zhou Yinghuai’s usually calm, cold eyes. He rarely comforted people, so saying such words felt somewhat awkward, but that awkwardness was quickly replaced by genuine concern.
“Please don’t cry, alright? If something’s wrong, talk to me about it.”
Under the sound of his gentle words, Cheng Fangqiu slowly lifted her head, revealing a delicate face streaked with tears.
She knew better than anyone how to make herself look her best, even when crying. Large teardrops clung precariously to her long lashes. She bit down hard on her lower lip, her pearly teeth leaving deep imprints against its soft flesh.
She had a naturally seductive appearance, carrying an innate allure. A look as pitiful as this wouldn’t stir sympathy—it would instead provoke far more dangerous thoughts.
Zhou Yinghuai’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He cursed himself for being a beast, then forced himself to raise a hand to wipe away the tear clinging to her lashes. But just as his fingertips were about to make contact, she turned her head away, avoiding his touch. His fingers barely brushed against her cheek.
“If you don’t like me, then don’t touch me!”
Cheng Fangqiu hiccuped between sobs, then stubbornly lifted her gaze to meet his again. The corners of her eyes were tinged with an intoxicating shade of red. She took a deep breath, as if mustering up the resolve to say something crucial.
“It’s quieter here, so I brought you here to make things clear—”
“I will never like you again—”
Before she could finish her sentence, her words were swallowed whole by a firm, calloused palm pressing against her lips, scattering them into the wind.
Zhou Yinghuai’s dark eyes deepened. The way he looked at her carried an unmistakable sense of disbelief. When he finally registered her words, a sharp ache bloomed in his chest.
Never like… who? Him?
“Comrade Cheng…” He had barely managed to say those two words when her eyes reddened even further, and at the same time, she began struggling against his grip more fiercely.
There were scattered weeds and jagged stones all around them. Afraid that she might get hurt in the struggle, Zhou Yinghuai swiftly flipped their positions.
This time, she was the one pressed up against the tree trunk.
“Let’s talk properly. Just stop crying for a moment, alright?”
Cheng Fangqiu didn’t answer. Instead, she suddenly bit down hard on the flesh between his thumb and index finger.
She was furious, and the more anger she felt, the harder she bit, using it as a way to force him to let go. But Zhou Yinghuai didn’t loosen his grip at all. Instead, he even adjusted his hand slightly to make it easier for her to bite down.
Madman.
Cheng Fangqiu had never truly intended to bite him to death. After a moment, she let go, which counted as a form of compromise. Seeing this, Zhou Yinghuai finally withdrew his hand.
“What do you want to talk to me about?” Cheng Fangqiu’s voice carried a heavy trace of sobs. She turned her head to the side, refusing to look at him. But out of the corner of her eye, she secretly glanced at his hand, which was now hanging loosely by his side.
Had she drawn blood?
She had bitten him with full force—who told Zhou Yinghuai to act so distant yet still “toy” with her “feelings”?
Before she had come here, she had already made up her mind.
Tonight, one of them would not be leaving this grove unscathed.
Her plan was simple—first, she would cry and appear weak, clearly stating that she would never like him again or cling to him anymore.
If he agreed, then she would forcefully take the initiative—taking advantage of the dark night and secluded woods to ruin his innocence first, and then turn the tables on him, making him take responsibility. After all, with no one around to testify for him, wouldn’t everything be up to her word?
If he refused, that would mean he did have feelings for her. His previous silence must have had another reason behind it, and she would force him to confess the truth before coming up with a way to counter it.
No matter what, Zhou Yinghuai would not escape her grasp.
But who could have expected that Zhou Yinghuai wouldn’t play by the rules? He didn’t follow along with her lead at all. Instead, he changed the subject entirely, completely disrupting her plan.
Zhou Yinghuai had, of course, noticed her fleeting glance at his hand. The corners of his lips couldn’t help but curl up slightly. She kept saying she wanted to cut ties with him, but deep down, she still cared.
“I never disliked you.” Zhou Yinghuai spoke in a low voice, and the moment those words left his lips, Cheng Fangqiu snapped her head up to look at him.
Under the moonlight, their gazes met, like a single stone dropped into the still surface of a lake, sending ripples spreading outward in countless waves.
“I just…”
Just as Zhou Yinghuai was about to continue, his shirt collar was suddenly grabbed, yanking him forward. The next moment, something soft landed against his lips.
The unexpected turn of events made him stumble, nearly losing his footing. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught himself against the tree trunk—but this only drew them even closer. His arms, now braced on either side of her, formed a cage around her, trapping her securely within his embrace.
So close, neither could pull away.
Realizing exactly what she had done, Zhou Yinghuai’s gaze darkened, his pupils deepening in color.
In that instant, it was as if even his breath had vanished.
His eyes half-lidded, he stared dazedly at the woman before him.