Staring at someone and being caught in the act, Cheng Fangqiu felt somewhat embarrassed. Especially since his gaze carried too much intensity, forcing her to feel even more guilty, making her unable to control the urge to avoid it.
However, the moment she looked away, the plan she had confirmed in her heart last night surfaced in her mind.
Thinking of this, Cheng Fangqiu looked at him again. Unlike the shyness from before, this time, her charming peach blossom eyes were bold and passionate as they gazed straight at him. A deep and indescribable affectionate entanglement gradually spread in her eyes.
The little girl’s thoughts seemed to be as clear as day.
Faced with such a gaze, Zhou Yinghuai was momentarily stunned. This was not the first time he had received a look filled with admiration from the opposite sex. In the past, he had always handled it calmly, even ignoring it entirely. But this time, perhaps because her eyes were too direct, completely lacking the usual restraint and reserve of other girls, he actually found himself at a loss and was the first to look away.
His fingertips, pressed against the seam of his pants, subtly rubbed the fabric’s texture. Taking a deep breath and composing himself, he glanced at her again from the corner of his eye—only to find that she was no longer there.
A faint emotion surged in his heart, unsure whether it was disappointment or relief. His eyelashes drooped slightly as he silently noted that she was actually a villager from Ping Le Village.
On the other side, Cheng Fangqiu had originally been watching Zhou Yinghuai with great interest when Ding Ximei pulled her away.
Before leaving, she intentionally stole another glance at Zhou Yinghuai, the corners of her lips gently curling up. There were too many reserved girls in this era, and he had probably seen plenty of them. If she wanted to occupy a place in his heart, the best way was to go against the norm.
She just wasn’t sure if it would work.
“Your father asked the brigade leader. Today, he still has to follow the rescue team to dig the road, so he won’t have time to come back for lunch. We’ll just eat at home at noon and bring him a meal later,” Ding Ximei muttered a few words while looking at Cheng Baokuan, who was gathering in the distance.
Cheng Fangqiu withdrew her thoughts and followed Ding Ximei’s gaze. Over there, most of the strong laborers in the village had gathered.
Recently, heavy rain had poured continuously for more than a week, causing landslides and mudslides in many nearby areas. The resulting roadblocks even buried more than a dozen households. Seeing the severity of the situation, the higher-ups immediately deployed troops nearby to assist in rescue efforts.
Besides the soldiers, various machinery and trucks were also brought in to help clear the roads, reinforce the mountains, and install protective nets.
As for Zhou Yinghuai, he was currently a senior technician at the provincial machinery factory. He was responsible for mechanical deployment and maintenance in this rescue operation. For the time being, he and his colleagues were staying in Ping Le Village, working alongside the soldiers and villagers.
According to the original book’s plot, they would be staying here for more than a month. Time was tight. If she didn’t win him over by then, there would be no chances in the future.
“They’re starting roll call. I’m heading off first,” Ding Ximei said.
Mother and daughter separated. Following her memory, Cheng Fangqiu found a team and reported to the leading auntie. Once everyone had gathered, the group set off in an imposing manner toward the outskirts of the village. Their task was to cut pig grass, so they had to head toward the village pond.
Unlike the large river she had fallen into yesterday, the pond was much smaller. But due to the recent heavy rains, the water level had risen significantly. There was still some wet mud around it, looking filthy with no proper footing.
The pig grass on the bank was dense, and no one knew if a snake or some other nasty creature would suddenly emerge.
The most unbearable thing was the swarms of tiny insects flying around. A single bite would itch for ages, leaving red bumps on the skin that wouldn’t fade for at least ten days or half a month.
Cheng Fangqiu’s vision darkened for a moment. She frowned and never loosened her brows.
“You go there, and you go here… Everything must be finished before dinner, or work points will be deducted!” the auntie assigned everyone their work areas, and the group dispersed.
Holding a sickle and a basket, Cheng Fangqiu walked to her designated spot, found a relatively clean area to stand, and glanced around. She sucked in a sharp breath, unable to believe that she alone was responsible for cutting such a large patch of pig grass.
“Cheng Fangqiu, don’t slack off. Get to work!” The auntie’s loud voice rang from not far away, startling Cheng Fangqiu into an involuntary shudder. She quickly responded and bent down to start cutting grass with the sickle, moving carefully for fear of accidentally cutting her hand.
Thankfully, she had worn long sleeves and pants today. Otherwise, let alone working, just dealing with the insect bites would have driven her insane.
She worked for two to three hours straight. By noon, Cheng Fangqiu had gradually gone from clumsy and unfamiliar to increasingly adept at handling the task. But compared to others, she was still lagging far behind.
The weather was scorching, and she was already drenched in sweat, her breathing growing heavy.
Looking at the large patch of pig grass still left uncut, her heart sank halfway. She silently prayed for lunchtime to arrive soon. Perhaps her prayers were answered, as not long after, the auntie loudly called everyone to gather and return to the village for lunch.
Cheng Fangqiu walked feebly at the back of the group. By the time she finally reached home, she collapsed onto a chair.
When Ding Ximei returned, she saw her daughter looking listless and couldn’t help but feel distressed. “Go lie down and rest for a while. I’ll call you when the food is ready. After you eat, you can continue sleeping. I’ll take the meal to your father.”
Hearing this, Cheng Fangqiu shook her head. Just as she was about to speak, something suddenly occurred to her, and she changed her words. “Does everyone in the rescue team eat there?”
“Yes, they’re rushing to meet deadlines these days, so they all eat there at noon and then continue working,” Ding Ximei sighed. “Who knows how long this kind of exhausting work will last? In this scorching weather, if it weren’t for the extra work points, who would want to do such backbreaking labor?”
Hearing Ding Ximei’s words, Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes immediately lit up. She had been worrying about not having a chance to approach Zhou Yinghuai, and now, it was like a pillow had been delivered to her just as she was feeling sleepy.
“Mother, I’ll go deliver the meal. You’re already busy cooking and delivering food—it’s too tiring for you.”
Hearing such considerate words from her daughter, Ding Ximei’s eyes flashed with a trace of emotion. But she was still a little worried. “You don’t look well. You’re probably overheated. You should go back to your room and rest.”
“I’m fine! I can do it!” Cheng Fangqiu interrupted Ding Ximei, pushing her toward the kitchen while she herself walked toward her room. “I’ll just change into something cooler.”
“This child…” Ding Ximei shook her head with a smile, rolled up her sleeves, and started the fire for cooking.
Originally, Cheng Fangqiu had wanted to dress up properly. But when she opened the wooden chest containing her clothes, she was stunned. How could she have forgotten that fashion in this era was plain and outdated? The styles and colors of the clothes were exceptionally simple, and for a rural girl, owning a dress made of floral fabric was already considered quite good.
After rummaging through everything, the only remotely acceptable piece was a plain white blouse. This was the one the original host had begged Ding Ximei to buy when she was admitted to the county high school.
Resources were limited—there was no makeup, no skincare products—but fortunately, she was naturally beautiful. Cheng Fangqiu carefully shaped her slightly wild eyebrows, then washed her face, wiped herself down with a damp towel, and applied some soapy water to her neck and behind her ears to ensure there was no smell of sweat, only a faint soap fragrance. Only then did she change into the blouse.
She tied her long hair into a side braid, loosened a few strands near her cheeks, and checked herself in the small mirror two or three times. After confirming that everything was fine, she was finally satisfied and stepped out of the room.
When Ding Ximei finished preparing the three meals and looked up, she was momentarily dazzled by Cheng Fangqiu’s refreshed appearance. Her daughter was already beautiful, but dressing neatly made her look as stunning as a lotus emerging from water—impossible to look away from.
Thinking about what the neighbor lady had mentioned a few days ago, Ding Ximei lowered her gaze. Perhaps it was time to start looking for a match for Qiuqiu.
After the two finished eating, Cheng Fangqiu carefully took the food bag and stepped out of the courtyard.
Cheng Baokuan and the others were working outside the village. She had to follow the main road and walk a considerable distance to reach them. Halfway there, Cheng Fangqiu started regretting her decision. The sun was scorching, and before she even arrived, the careful effort she had put into her hair and fragrance was nearly ruined by sweat.
When she finally saw the cluster of people ahead, she let out a heavy sigh of relief. Turning to tidy her bangs, she took a deep breath before continuing forward. Before she even got close, someone suddenly shouted, drawing everyone’s attention to her.
“Second Uncle Cheng, Fangqiu is here to bring you lunch!”
In the Cheng family, Cheng Baokuan was the second eldest, so the younger generation called him “Second Uncle Cheng.”
The worksite was filled with dirt and stones, making it messy and chaotic. Excavators and trucks were operating, and with so many workers and family members delivering meals, the noise was overwhelming. Yet, the young man’s voice was particularly loud and full of excitement, making it impossible to ignore.
Following the voice, everyone turned their heads and saw a graceful figure in white standing by the roadside. She held one hand above her head to shield herself from the blinding sun. Even from a distance, her delicate and graceful silhouette was unmistakable.
Perhaps she had spotted the person she was looking for, as she lowered her hand and took slow steps forward with a smile. The sunlight fell on her exquisite and beautiful features, making her seem almost unreal—completely out of place in the dusty, chaotic surroundings.
On the driver’s seat of an excavator, a man stared at the girl gradually approaching him. His heartbeat inexplicably skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, he pressed the pause button, then stood up, gripping the door frame and stepping onto the footboard. With a single stride, he easily landed on the ground from the half-meter-high cabin.
Zhao Zhigao, who had been watching the beautiful girl while eating, was startled by the movement next to him. Turning his head, he saw that it was Zhou Yinghuai and couldn’t help but be surprised. “Brother Huai, why did you come down?”
Weren’t they supposed to avoid stopping work as much as possible during the day to meet deadlines? He hadn’t even finished his meal, yet Brother Huai was already stepping down to take over?
“Someone’s looking for me.”
As soon as he said this, Zhou Yinghuai was about to step forward—only to see the slender figure stop in front of a middle-aged man. The two exchanged cheerful words and then walked together toward an open area.
Seeing this, his steps froze in place. For a moment, neither moving forward nor staying put felt right. In the end, he couldn’t help but find his own absurd thoughts laughable.
“Who was looking for you?” Zhao Zhigao, clueless about the situation, followed Zhou Yinghuai’s line of sight. But all he saw was a chaotic crowd—nothing else.
Zhou Yinghuai pressed his lips together without answering. Glancing at Zhao Zhigao’s lunchbox, which was still more than half full, he said coldly, “Hurry up and eat.”