Her reaction was so exaggerated that it was impossible for Zhou Yinghuai not to notice. Seeing her bury herself entirely under the blanket, his brows twitched with a hint of helpless amusement. Worried that she might suffocate, he kindly reminded her, “You stared at it for so long last night—haven’t you gotten used to it yet?”
“How is that the same?!” Cheng Fangqiu huffed in exasperation. But since he himself wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest, her reaction seemed a little too dramatic. After a moment, she reluctantly lowered the blanket again.
Zhou Yinghuai was facing away from her, rummaging through the wardrobe for clothes. His wide shoulders tapered into a narrow waist, his back broad and sturdy, muscles sharply defined with just the right amount of sculpted perfection—like a masterpiece carved by an artist. His firm, round rear, followed by his long, muscular legs, completed the view.
Hearing her words, he let out a deep chuckle. “Then don’t smother yourself in there.”
As he spoke, he turned his head—only to see her bright, sparkling eyes staring at him intently. Not a single trace of the embarrassment or anger from before remained.
Zhou Yinghuai raised an eyebrow, his thin lips curling into a smirk. “Looks like I was overthinking.”
“Hmph. If I don’t look, you’ll complain. If I do look, you still complain. So, no matter what, I’m in the wrong, huh?” Cheng Fangqiu caught the teasing in his tone and immediately flipped the blame back onto him, her voice dripping with feigned grievance.
Zhou Yinghuai wasn’t the least bit annoyed. Without a word, he casually lifted a fitted tank top over his head. The fabric slid down, covering his chiseled chest and abs inch by inch, gradually concealing the sight she had been staring at so openly.
Once his upper body was dressed, he finally started to put on his underwear.
Unfortunately, the one he picked today happened to be the exact pair she had accidentally grabbed the other day—a thin black-gray fabric.
Spreading the material open in his hands, he lifted one long leg and slowly pulled it up, tucking a towering mass inside. As if it wasn’t adjusted properly, he even reached in to shift things into place.
Every single motion exuded a raw, masculine allure.
Cheng Fangqiu’s face grew hot, her heart pounding erratically. She gulped unconsciously, her long lashes trembling slightly, suddenly regretting her stubborn insistence on watching.
Zhou Yinghuai, however, remained utterly calm from start to finish. He didn’t look the least bit embarrassed at being ogled. Instead, it was she who had turned redder than a monkey’s backside.
After dressing neatly, Zhou Yinghuai transformed from a “beast” back into his usual refined and noble self. His cold, distant eyes flickered slightly when he caught sight of her thoroughly flushed face, and he couldn’t help but reveal a hint of obscure amusement. Taking just a few steps to the bedside, he reached out and pinched her cheek.
“What are you doing?” Cheng Fangqiu stiffened, trying to dodge his approaching hand, but he was faster. In the end, he still managed to catch her.
The soft texture felt just like a freshly steamed bun—one squeeze left a tiny indentation. Unable to resist, he gave it another couple of pinches, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile. “Tonight, we’ll continue watching.”
“Watch your damn head!”
Cheng Fangqiu was so exasperated that she let out a laugh. She grabbed the pillow beside her and hurled it at him, but he caught it effortlessly and placed it at the foot of the bed. “Wait for your man to come back.”
Hearing that, she frowned deeply, feeling goosebumps rise all over her body. She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Zhou Yinghuai, what kind of disgusting line was that?”
Zhou Yinghuai seriously pondered for two seconds before responding, “Not disgusting.”
“Disgusting!”
“Not disgusting.”
He continued arguing back, just like a childish brat. Cheng Fangqiu simply decided to ignore him, curling up in the blanket and turning over. “I’m going to sleep.”
The corners of Zhou Yinghuai’s lips lifted slightly, a faint warmth spreading across his handsome face. Before leaving, he gently ruffled the top of her head. Then, as he walked out of the room, he thoughtfully closed the door behind him.
The factory cafeteria wasn’t far from the residential quarters. Zhou Yinghuai didn’t bother taking his bicycle—after a short walk, he arrived. Since it wasn’t mealtime yet, the cafeteria was nearly empty. He found the serving window and explained his request. After taking his money and ration tickets, the worker prepared two bowls of rice noodles for him.
Noticing that another counter was selling boiled eggs and corn, Zhou Yinghuai bought two portions as well.
As he carried the food out of the cafeteria, he happened to run into his department supervisor, Lei Jiang.
“Supervisor Lei.” Zhou Yinghuai took the initiative to step forward and greet him.
Lei Jiang was originally flipping through the documents in his hands, preparing to submit them to the factory director later. When he heard someone greeting him, he closed the files and turned his head. Upon seeing that it was Zhou Yinghuai, the smile on his face became noticeably more genuine. “Ah, it’s Xiao Zhou.”
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the food Zhou Yinghuai was carrying, and something came to mind. With a smile, he said, “I haven’t congratulated you yet—heard you took your partner to get a marriage certificate yesterday?”
“Thank you, Supervisor Lei. Yes, we just got it.” Zhou Yinghuai admitted openly, his face full of the refreshed and spirited look of a newlywed.
Having been through it himself, Lei Jiang naturally understood and didn’t tease him too much. He simply reminded him, “Even though you’ve been granted a few days of marriage leave, you still need to attend the commendation meeting tonight on time.”
This commendation meeting was specifically for the technicians who had been sent to the countryside. Zhou Yinghuai had performed exceptionally well, so his name was naturally on the award list.
“Understood.” Zhou Yinghuai nodded in acknowledgment. After exchanging a few more words, they parted ways.
When Zhou Yinghuai arrived home, he instinctively glanced toward the bedroom. The door was open, indicating that she had already woken up. While setting the food down on the table, he called out, “Qiuqiu?”
“I’m in the bathroom.” Cheng Fangqiu was brushing her teeth, so her response was a bit muffled.
Zhou Yinghuai proceeded to remove the lids from the meal containers, then went to the kitchen to fetch chopsticks. Just as he finished setting everything up, Cheng Fangqiu came out after freshening up. Following the sound of her movements, he turned his gaze toward her, and immediately, his pupils darkened.
Her black hair was casually tied into a bun atop her head, revealing a delicate and stunning face. She was wearing nothing but his work uniform shirt—the collar was a bit loose, unable to fully conceal the marks on her neck and chest. The hem barely reached the tops of her thighs, and as she walked, the fabric swayed slightly, making her fair, slender legs appear all the more tantalizing.
As she reached up to apply face cream, the shirt shifted upward as well. Zhou Yinghuai narrowed his eyes and caught a glimpse of a tiny floral fabric wrapping around her curves. Though nothing was truly exposed, the suggestive peek was far more enticing than full exposure.
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and his Adam’s apple rolled subtly twice.
“Smells so good.” The little seductress remained completely oblivious to the fire she had ignited. She took a deep breath, happily rushing to the dining table. Without hesitation, she picked up the chopsticks, eager to start eating.
But as she was about to take her first bite, she noticed Zhou Yinghuai standing motionless, staring at her without blinking. Out of kindness, she asked, “Why are you just standing there? Aren’t you eating?”
“I am.” Realizing his throat was somewhat dry, Zhou Yinghuai cleared it uncomfortably before taking a seat beside her. Noticing the distance between them, he reached under her chair and pulled her closer.
The scraping of the chair legs against the floor produced an ear-piercing sound.
Cheng Fangqiu gasped lightly. When she registered what had happened, she found that she and Zhou Yinghuai were now sitting so close that their hips were pressed together.
“You’re so clingy.” She deliberately pouted and gave him a look of mock disdain. Unfazed, Zhou Yinghuai simply placed a bowl of rice noodles beside her hand and gently reminded her, “It’s hot, eat slowly.”
“Okay.” Cheng Fangqiu twirled some noodles around her chopsticks and pursed her lips, blowing on them delicately. Just as she was about to take a bite, she suddenly felt a large, warm palm resting on her slim waist—the most sensitive spot on her body. Her carefully cooled noodles slipped right back into the bowl.
Zhou Yinghuai gave the soft flesh at her waist a light squeeze, his voice husky. “Why are you wearing my clothes?”
“I can’t?” After he left, she had tried to nap on the bed but couldn’t sleep. Wanting to freshen up, she got up to wash up. But because she didn’t want to look like a country bumpkin when they went into town, she had only packed some pretty but impractical outfits. They weren’t comfortable to wear at home, so she had casually grabbed one of his shirts instead.
After all, his work uniforms were provided by the factory—good quality, durable, and plentiful. She didn’t have to worry about getting them dirty, and they were comfortable to wear.
“It looks really good on you.” The same work uniform that looked strict and professional on him became incredibly seductive when worn by her. There was an indescribable allure to it.
At this point, Zhou Yinghuai had yet to understand that this kind of allure had a name—it was called “erotic appeal.”
After speaking, he still felt that his words weren’t enough, so he leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “You already have me, so why would I care about a piece of clothing?”
Cheng Fangqiu’s face instantly turned bright red. She shot him a glare, half scolding, “Shameless.”
She was starting to feel that ever since they got their marriage certificate, Zhou Yinghuai had been getting more and more outrageous. His occasional flirty remarks were just one example—every time he spoke them, she got goosebumps all over, yet at the same time, her heart fluttered uncontrollably.
“I only say it to my wife.” His reply was so righteous and unwavering that it left Cheng Fangqiu speechless.
Moreover, his deep, magnetic voice carried a lingering warmth, and just those few words—”my wife”—had an undeniable charm that could melt hearts.
“Just eat your rice noodles!” Cheng Fangqiu reached out and pushed his face away, the tips of her ears tinged with a faint red. She picked up her chopsticks again, blew on the rice noodles to cool them down, and stuffed them into her mouth.
Zhou Yinghuai also withdrew his hand from her waist and started eating.
The cafeteria food wasn’t particularly good, nor was it particularly bad—definitely not comparable to state-owned restaurants. Cheng Fangqiu had a picky palate; she only ate half a bowl of noodles and half a corn cob before stopping. As for the boiled egg, she didn’t even touch it.
“Eat a little more.” Zhou Yinghuai frowned slightly when he saw her eating like a little kitten.
“I’m full, not eating anymore.” Cheng Fangqiu waved her hand. Seeing that he seemed a bit displeased, she immediately softened her voice and whined, “I really can’t eat any more. I always eat this much.”
The moment she acted spoiled, he had no way to argue with her. Resigned, he finished all the leftovers himself before getting up to wash the dishes.
“Ahhh, my dear Brother Huai is so amazing! He can do everything!”
“So clean! Having you is my greatest fortune!”
When it came to a man who willingly did housework, Cheng Fangqiu naturally didn’t hold back on her praise. She showered Zhou Yinghuai with a barrage of compliments, so much so that he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile.
Seeing that he clearly enjoyed it, she even reached out and massaged his shoulders a little, coaxing him into a state of utter relaxation.
Zhou Yinghuai didn’t say anything on the surface, but right after washing the dishes, he went straight to the bathroom and started cleaning the bedsheets, blankets, and both of their clothes from the night before.
From beginning to end, Cheng Fangqiu simply sat nearby, holding the snacks she had bought the day before, cheering him on from the sidelines.
Praising him more, building up his confidence—this way, there would be a next time, and a time after that, and a time after that…
Her goal was crystal clear.
For a while, the entire house was filled with the sound of her incessant, chirping sugar-coated flattery.