Could it be that Comrade Cheng was afraid that once Brother Huai returned to the provincial capital, he would lose interest in her? So, she insisted on rushing the marriage to lock things down first?
If that were the case, they could understand. After all, the difference between them was too great. If Brother Huai turned out to be a heartless scumbag, Comrade Cheng wouldn’t even have a place to cry.
But wasn’t this approach a bit too manipulative? It was practically moral coercion! This was the New Society—how could she still be using such outdated tactics, like forcing a marriage just because they were dating?
If it weren’t for Brother Huai’s strong sense of responsibility, who would agree to such an unreasonable demand?
As his colleagues who had known him for a long time, they had even secretly felt sorry for Brother Huai over this.
But today, after seeing Comrade Cheng in person, their views took a dramatic turn.
They now believed that Brother Huai must have been the one eager to get married!
They had always thought Comrade Cheng was beautiful, but when she put on an elegant dress and styled her hair differently today, they finally understood what “peerless beauty” truly meant.
They had never seen such an astonishingly gorgeous woman in their entire lives!
And this was just a simple outfit with no makeup at all. If she ever put real effort into dressing up, she would probably be so stunning that even emperors from history would fall at her feet!
A woman like this—every second she wasn’t married was a crime against both herself and the man lucky enough to have her!
Realizing this, they once again stole unwilling glances toward Comrade Cheng’s direction—only to see her smiling sweetly at Brother Huai, her brows and eyes curved in delight.
Their actions were completely proper and reserved, yet for some reason, they exuded an overwhelming sense of intimacy and harmony.
All at once, the sound of teeth grinding filled the bus.
They couldn’t believe it—what had they been thinking before?
Why hadn’t they tried pursuing Comrade Cheng themselves?!
She was so slender—how much could it possibly cost to feed her?!
However, not long after, when they watched Cheng Fangqiu spend money like water—carrying bag after bag of new items into their home—they were suddenly very grateful that they hadn’t been blinded by her beauty.
Only Brother Huai could afford to raise such a gold-swallowing little ancestor.
Of course, that was all a story for another time.
The bus rumbled along the rural roads, its ride far from smooth, frequently jolting as it hit uneven patches. But no one minded the bumpy ride—everyone was thrilled to be finally going home. Their excitement was enough to override any discomfort from the road conditions. In fact, the ever-lively Zhao Zhigao even took the lead in singing revolutionary songs.
One song wasn’t enough—so he launched into a second, then a third…
The atmosphere in the bus became lively and infectious, to the point that even Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t help but hum along for a few notes.
Zhou Yinghuai, noticing how interested Cheng Fangqiu seemed in the scene inside the bus, followed her gaze—only to see Zhao Zhigao prancing around like a flamboyant butterfly, singing from one end of the bus to the other. His eyes narrowed slightly, and without a word, he subtly shifted his body to block her line of sight.
Cheng Fangqiu didn’t notice anything unusual. When she could no longer see what was happening, she simply withdrew her gaze, blinked her long lashes, then suddenly turned to Zhou Yinghuai with curiosity.
“I’ve never heard you sing before,” she said, tilting her head. “Sing a few lines for me?”
Zhou Yinghuai, who had just leaned back into his seat with satisfaction, suddenly stiffened at her request. He forced a smile and said awkwardly, “Let’s not…”
“Aiya, but I really want to hear it.” Seeing his reluctance only piqued Cheng Fangqiu’s interest further. She stared at him directly, openly, her gaze unwavering.
Noticing how he seemed to be avoiding eye contact, the corners of her lips curled upward mischievously.
Then, she hooked her index finger around his pinky and gently swayed it back and forth.
She wasn’t using much strength, but the touch was soft, persistent, and impossible to ignore—entirely too clingy.
“Brother Huai, Brother Huai~” she coaxed, deliberately softening her voice into a sweet, coquettish tone. Her long, curled lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, as if they could speak on her behalf—who could bear to refuse a plea like that?
It was obvious she wasn’t planning to let him off the hook.
A trace of helplessness flashed through Zhou Yinghuai’s deep, dark eyes, but it didn’t take long for him to surrender under her expectant gaze. He glanced around cautiously—seeing that everyone was still focused on Zhao Zhigao’s antics, he cleared his throat, ready to give in.
But in the end…
“I’ll sing for you next time, when we’re alone. Right now… it’s not the best time.” Zhou Yinghuai coughed lightly, ultimately unable to bring himself to sing in front of so many people.
As long as he agreed, the when and where didn’t really matter.
Besides, it was clear that he had some secret reluctance to reveal his singing voice in front of others. Cheng Fangqiu had always been a considerate, understanding little darling, so she simply smiled sweetly and nodded.
Besides—hearing him sing alone would be even better.
No matter whether his voice was heavenly or too embarrassing to describe, she would be the only one to hear it.
Zhou Yinghuai, eager to shift the topic, lowered his voice and said, “If you’re tired, you can lean on me and sleep for a bit.”
“Mm, okay.” Cheng Fangqiu had always been fond of naps, so she adjusted herself, trying to find a comfortable position to rest.
However, the moment she moved, she felt a sharp tug on her scalp—her hair had been pinned beneath her clothes.
“Ow—” she let out a small yelp of pain.
Zhou Yinghuai immediately reached out, carefully lifting her hair from where it was trapped beneath her collar. The silky black strands slipped through his fingers, wrapping around his fingertips with an indescribable intimacy.
Once the stinging sensation subsided, Cheng Fangqiu tilted her head up and beamed at him.
At that moment, Zhou Yinghuai’s heart skipped a beat. He felt a sudden wave of restlessness, a strange warmth spreading across his chest. His fingers instinctively rubbed the ends of her hair twice before he slowly withdrew his hand.
As the bus entered the county’s main road, the ride visibly smoothed out, and the morning sun had fully risen. The heat became more noticeable, so the passengers pulled down the curtains to block out the sunlight.
With the bus plunged into dimness, the atmosphere grew eerily quiet. One by one, passengers began yawning—the earlier excitement finally giving way to drowsiness.
Cheng Fangqiu was no exception. She rested against Zhou Yinghuai’s shoulder, gradually drifting off into a light sleep.
At first, she didn’t sleep soundly, shifting occasionally, but over time, her movements stilled as she slipped into deeper sleep.
Zhou Yinghuai, careful not to wake her, remained completely still. Only when he was certain she was truly asleep did he finally allow himself to lower his gaze and look at her.
The world felt serene, peaceful.
If only… it could always be like this.
Midway through the trip, the bus pulled into a roadside service station, giving everyone a chance to use the restroom.
Since opportunities to stop were rare, nearly every passenger hurried off the bus and rushed toward the toilets.
Zhou Yinghuai gently woke Cheng Fangqiu, and she followed the others off the bus.
For once, there was actually a line outside the men’s restroom, which was rare. Cheng Fangqiu waved casually at Zhou Yinghuai before heading straight into the women’s restroom.
Even though she had already mentally prepared herself for how bad the conditions of a public toilet in the countryside might be, the moment she stepped inside, the overwhelming stench hit her like a sledgehammer, making her vision momentarily black out.
The five pit-style stalls inside were arranged in a row, completely exposed, without even a flimsy door for privacy. The floor was soaking wet, and she couldn’t tell if it was because the staff had just washed it or if it was something much worse.
Cheng Fangqiu immediately covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, forcing herself to mentally power through before cautiously stepping forward to find the cleanest spot she could use.
But just as she took two steps in, she suddenly locked eyes with a very familiar pair of big eyes.
One standing, one squatting.
And of all people—her former love rival.
The air instantly froze into an awkward silence.
Neither of them spoke. The situation was too bizarre—it was as if the universe was deliberately setting up this excruciatingly uncomfortable encounter.
Of course, Cheng Fangqiu had zero interest in watching someone else go to the bathroom. She quickly found a spot, tolerated her disgust, and finished her business as fast as she could. Just as she was about to make her great escape, a soft voice called from behind.
“Comrade Cheng.”
She turned around in confusion, only to see Shen Xilian looking at her uneasily, her face already as red as a monkey’s butt.
“What is it?” Cheng Fangqiu asked with mild curiosity. She was surprised that Shen Xilian was voluntarily speaking to her—especially under these circumstances. Ever since the day Zhou Yinghuai publicly announced their relationship, Shen Xilian had practically turned invisible.
She never approached Zhou Yinghuai again.
She never bothered Cheng Fangqiu either.
Even her personality seemed to have matured overnight, a stark contrast to how she used to behave. It was almost like she had become a completely different person.
“You…” Shen Xilian hesitated, struggling to say the words.
Cheng Fangqiu frowned slightly, quickly realizing something, and lowered her voice.
“Did your period come? Or did you run out of toilet paper?”
The moment those words left her mouth, Shen Xilian’s entire face turned an even deeper shade of red. She had never expected Cheng Fangqiu to be so blunt about it.
Ordinarily, Cheng Fangqiu would have phrased things more delicately, but at this moment, she just wanted to get out of this godforsaken place as soon as possible. Every extra second spent breathing in here felt like an attack on her lungs.
Seeing Shen Xilian still hesitating, she frowned impatiently and urged, “Just say it already.”
Hearing that, Shen Xilian startled slightly, then rushed out the words:
“I—um—that—it started. Can you help me grab that from the bus? And also… a fresh change of clothes.”
“Wait here.” Cheng Fangqiu didn’t even hesitate—she just threw out those two words and immediately left.
—
After she left, Shen Xilian looked around at the filthy, rundown surroundings and suddenly felt the urge to cry.
She had never been to a place like this in her entire life. And now, of all times, this had to happen.
And to make matters worse—she actually had to ask Cheng Fangqiu for help.
But strangely, things didn’t unfold the way she had expected.
Before speaking up, she had mentally prepared herself for Cheng Fangqiu’s likely reactions—
Maybe she’d mock her.
Maybe she’d sarcastically gloat.
Maybe she’d spread the word and make sure everyone knew about her humiliation.
After all, she had once chased after Zhou Yinghuai and even confronted Cheng Fangqiu about it.
But instead, Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t even batted an eye before agreeing to help her without question.
—
Before Shen Xilian could dwell on her emotions any further, Cheng Fangqiu quickly returned.
“There’s no place to put the clothes down in here,” she said matter-of-factly. “Take off the dirty ones, and I’ll hold them for you.”
After saying that, she politely turned her back—clearly not interested in sneaking a peek while she changed.
Seeing her so calm and unbothered, Shen Xilian didn’t hesitate anymore either. She quickly changed into fresh clothes, while Cheng Fangqiu efficiently handed things over and took away the used garments.
The whole process was smooth and efficient, almost like they’d done this before.
When Shen Xilian was done, Cheng Fangqiu added, “Someone asked me why I was taking your things. I told them you felt hot and wanted to change into something cooler.”
She knew that in this era, girls were extremely shy about discussing menstruation—especially in front of men. So, she had come up with an excuse to protect Shen Xilian’s privacy.
Shen Xilian was surprised by her thoughtfulness.
By the time she processed it, she was already feeling strangely emotional—a mix of gratitude and something deeper she couldn’t quite place.
She looked at Cheng Fangqiu’s profile, her smooth, fair skin, her naturally graceful demeanor.
She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking with sincerity—
“…Thank you.”
“Not a big deal.” Cheng Fangqiu waved her hand carelessly, sprinting out of the restroom like she was escaping from a crime scene. “Let’s go, it’s way too disgusting in here.”
The way she tiptoed as she walked—like she was afraid of touching the ground any longer than necessary—was so comically at odds with her usual elegant and refined appearance that Shen Xilian couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Then, realizing she was falling behind, she quickly chased after her.
The moment she stepped outside, she saw Zhou Yinghuai waiting nearby.
Just as Cheng Fangqiu stumbled slightly—probably from rushing too fast in her desperation to escape—he caught her with practiced ease.
“Be careful.”
“I’m done for… The inside was too disgusting.” She complained dramatically, her face filled with genuine trauma. Then, unable to suppress her curiosity, she turned to him and asked, “Is the men’s restroom just as filthy?”
Zhou Yinghuai was both amused and exasperated at her odd curiosity about male restrooms, but in the end, he still answered, “Mm. When you’re traveling, you just have to deal with it.”
“Zhou Yinghuai, we absolutely need to build a proper bathroom in our house.”
“Of course. We’ll do it exactly the way you want.”
Laughing and chatting, the two walked toward the bus parking area.
Midway, Cheng Fangqiu glanced back to check if Shen Xilian had caught up.
Seeing that she had, she finally turned forward again and continued walking.
As the sunlight gradually faded, the bus finally entered the provincial capital.