Fixing the wiring could be both simple and complex. The others didn’t understand the technical aspects and didn’t dare to mess around, so although there were a lot of people helping, in reality, Zhou Yinghuai was the only one doing the actual work. He was running all over the house, moving ladders up and down, never stopping for a moment.
By the time everything was set up, he was already drenched in sweat. His clothes were soaked in large patches, but the first thing he did was turn the now-spinning electric fan towards Cheng Fangqiu. Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled, “How is it? Cool enough?”
“Cool.” Cheng Fangqiu, feeling a pang of heartache, pulled him over so he could enjoy the breeze as well.
Zhou Yinghuai grinned without dodging, then turned to Zhou Yingchen and said, “Go check if the other rooms have power now.”
“We’ll go check too. Yinghuai, you’ve worked hard. Go back to your room and rest for a while,” Ding Ximei said, handing him both a glass of water and a towel.
“Thanks, Mom.” Zhou Yinghuai took a big gulp of water, then shoved the rest into Cheng Fangqiu’s hands before grabbing one of the fans single-handedly. “I’m going to find some clothes and take a shower before lying down for a bit.”
“There’s still hot water in the kettle. Let Qiuqiu show you to the bathroom.”
“Got it.”
The others followed Zhou Yingchen to Ding Ximei’s room to test the other two fans, while Zhou Yinghuai wrapped his arm around Cheng Fangqiu’s shoulders and guided her toward her room.
“You’re covered in sweat—don’t rub it on me!” Cheng Fangqiu pushed his hand away in disgust. But instead of backing off, Zhou Yinghuai shamelessly leaned in closer. “Smell me. Do I stink?”
“Zhou Yinghuai, are you asking for a beating?” Cheng Fangqiu held her breath and, grabbing a towel, swung it toward his arm. He deliberately jerked his hand, making the fan nearly slip from his grip.
Cheng Fangqiu gasped, her heart stopping for a moment. She only relaxed when she saw that Zhou Yinghuai had swiftly caught the fan. Not daring to hit him again, she could only glare at him with fiery eyes to express her dissatisfaction.
Seeing this, Zhou Yinghuai let out a low chuckle, reached out to push the door open, and placed the fan on the table before plugging it in. The fan started to spin steadily.
Facing the cool breeze, he casually lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead. His broad shoulders and muscular back arched slightly, making the sharp lines of his narrow waist stand out even more. Further down, his firm, rounded hips and long, powerful legs completed the picture.
The sheer sensuality of it was off the charts.
Cheng Fangqiu’s pupils slightly dilated as she unconsciously swallowed, unaware that this subtle movement was quite noticeable in the exceptionally quiet room. By the time she realized this and wanted to cover her mouth, it was already too late.
Zhou Yinghuai’s motion of wiping sweat paused, then he turned his head, his deep eyes accurately catching her gaze. His sharp eyebrows slightly raised, and the curve of his lips gradually widened.
The hand holding the hem of his clothes lifted even higher, exposing a large area of pale skin. Glistening beads of sweat faintly shimmered on his well-defined chest muscles, his distinct abs, and…
A piece of fabric that stood out prominently due to the wind and his own physique.
The longer she stared, the deeper the faint red at the corners of Zhou Yinghuai’s eyes became.
“Here’s the towel.” Cheng Fangqiu suddenly snapped out of her daze, her face red as she shoved the towel into his hand. He frowned and complained, “Aren’t you going to help me wipe?”
“Aren’t you going to take a shower? Hurry up, the bathroom is in the backyard, easy to find.” Cheng Fangqiu felt like her whole body was on fire. Ignoring Zhou Yinghuai’s protest, she found him a set of clothes and pushed him out of the room.
Leaning against the wall, she took a few deep breaths before her heart rate slowed down.
But then Zhou Yinghuai returned, poking his head through the window and whispering, “Want to shower together?”
“Get lost.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the person outside disappeared, clearly just teasing her.
Cheng Fangqiu gritted her teeth, feeling that the recent situation was a bit off. How could she keep falling for Zhou Yinghuai’s tricks? Was the allure of male beauty really that strong?
Well, maybe it was a bit strong. Women, under constant pressure, indulging in some high-quality male beauty to relieve stress was perfectly normal.
After comforting herself, Cheng Fangqiu lay down on the bed to rest for a while.
The fan whirred, like a lullaby in the hot summer. Soon, she fell asleep. In her drowsiness, she felt a large, fragrant soap squeezing next to her—sweet and smooth, but a bit hot, like a furnace.
But further inside was an earthen wall covered with old newspapers. Comparing the two, she frowned and chose the large soap.
Zhou Yinghuai, who had just returned from his shower, lay on the edge of the bed, watching her roll back and forth on the bed, finally wrapping her arms and legs around him.
His breath hitched for a moment, then grew heavier. He placed a hand on his forehead, took several deep breaths, and suppressed his desire. He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and, holding her slender waist, fell asleep.
But the sleep was far from peaceful. The bed was too small, and any movement from either of them was easily felt. Afraid of waking her, he stayed mostly still, while she, on the other hand, kept moving, restless.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Ding Ximei’s voice calling for dinner interrupted this torturous nap.
“Zhou Yinghuai.” Her voice was hoarse and soft, like a kitten’s scratch, stirring his heart. He had been holding back, but now he couldn’t take it anymore. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her.
Cheng Fangqiu’s drowsy mind instantly woke up, but she was pinned down, with little room to resist.
Luckily, Zhou Yinghuai still had some sense left. After kissing her fiercely a couple of times, he let her go. Then he picked her up, put on her slippers, tidied her hair, and pushed her out the door.
“You go first. I need to calm down.”
Calm down? Cheng Fangqiu blinked, her peripheral vision catching something. She quickly averted her gaze, opened the door, and ran out.
Zhou Yinghuai’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He stood in front of the fan, cooling off for a while before leaving the room.
Dinner was still lavish. After eating, Ding Ximei took them out to deliver invitations to relatives who could attend the wedding banquet in the provincial city. Since the provincial city was far, only a few could go, so it was quick, and they finished after visiting just a few homes.
As dusk approached, the sunset gradually faded, replaced by darkness. The crops in the fields danced gracefully in the evening breeze, making one want to stop and admire.
The whole family unconsciously stopped, watching the sun set before heading home.
Early the next morning, everyone got up. After a simple breakfast, they locked the doors and windows and went to the commune to catch the bus. With experience, this trip to the provincial city was much simpler.
This was Cheng Xuejun’s first time traveling far from home, and he was so excited that he couldn’t bear to blink as he pressed his face against the car window. But eventually, he dozed off into a drowsy sleep.
By the time they arrived in the provincial city, it was already late. Considering that there wasn’t enough space at home, Cheng Fangqiu had already scouted a guesthouse near the machinery factory, just a five-minute walk away, which was very convenient.
After checking in and having a meal at their usual state-run restaurant, they were completely drained and just wanted to get a good night’s sleep.
Moreover, the next day was Monday, and both Cheng Fangqiu and Zhou Yinghuai had to work, so they needed to rest well. After dropping them off at the guesthouse, they returned home.
“Don’t worry, Zhou Yingchen is at the guesthouse.”
“I’m not worried, I’m just exhausted.” Cheng Fangqiu yawned, and the thought of being so tired and still having to work tomorrow made her want to destroy the world.
Zhou Yinghuai massaged her shoulders and neck. The house had been closed for a few days, and the air was stuffy, so he got up and opened the balcony window a bit. “I’ll go heat some water first. After you shower, we’ll rest early.”
“Okay.” Having such a thoughtful person by her side was truly a blessing. All she had to do was lie on the sofa and wait for her turn to shower. A flicker of contentment crossed Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes, but soon that contentment turned into resentment.
“Let’s shower together to save time.” Zhou Yinghuai quickly squeezed into the bathroom, leaving her no chance to refuse.
Cheng Fangqiu rolled her eyes and gave him a punch, but in the end, she couldn’t resist him. The two took a rare, peaceful shower together and then slept a rare, peaceful sleep.
If she was tired, he was even more so. He had carried most of the luggage and handled all the arrangements.
With such a reliable support system, there was no need to worry about anything going wrong.
As usual, Zhou Yinghuai woke Cheng Fangqiu up when it was time for him to go to work. “Breakfast is on the table. I told Zhou Yingchen yesterday to take Mom and Dad around Rongzhou today and buy some groceries on the way back. Qiuqiu, just come straight home after work. We’re eating at home today.”
Cheng Fangqiu quickly pulled on her clothes and nodded, “I know.”
Zhou Yinghuai couldn’t resist leaning over to kiss her, then ruffled her hair before grabbing his briefcase and heading out.
Cheng Fangqiu pursed her lips, her drowsiness mostly gone.
The routine of going to work at the photo studio was already familiar to her. Even if she dawdled, she still managed to arrive right on time. She greeted Sun Hongyan warmly, who knew she had returned to her hometown. Seeing Cheng Fangqiu in such high spirits, Sun Hongyan also smiled.
“Good morning, Qiuqiu.”
“I brought some peanuts my dad grew. I’ll share some with you later.” Cheng Fangqiu blinked at her.
“What delicious thing are you sharing?” Li Zhiliang walked over from the shooting area, teasing with a smile.
“Peanuts. There’s enough for everyone.” Cheng Fangqiu patted her bag generously and then asked, “Is it busy today?”
“Quite busy. Some people even came specifically for you. When they heard you weren’t here yet, they said they’d come back in the afternoon.” Li Zhiliang’s eyes lit up as he spoke, looking at Cheng Fangqiu as if she were a lucky star.
Ever since Cheng Fangqiu joined, the number of customers had genuinely increased. The reputation was still uncertain since producing photos took time, but everyone she had photographed had nothing but good things to say, at least about the experience.
If this kept up, the reputation of Hongmeng Photo Studio would surely grow.
“Looks like today will be busy again.”
As soon as Cheng Fangqiu said this, four or five people walked in. At a glance, they were all teenagers, with the leader being particularly striking—tall, fair-skinned, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, very handsome.
Well, look at that, a little hottie.