Lu Tingzhou was also watching her out of the corner of his eye. After all, nighttime was their alone time, and he felt somewhat uneasy yet vaguely expectant.
This complex emotion kept churning in his heart, making him unable to resist paying attention to Meng Ying.
She was indeed beautiful, as evidenced by the way people in the compound had stared at her that day.
"Going to sleep?" Lu Tingzhou asked.
Meng Ying turned around. "You go ahead. I'll read a bit more."
About fifteen minutes later, she finished the last chapter. Hearing no movement from behind, she called out Lu Tingzhou's name but received no response. She then walked to the door and turned off the light, feeling her way from the foot of the bed to climb inside.
She took off her shoes and moved quietly, then got into bed. But the room was too dark, so she had to take it slow.
Just as she was about to reach the innermost side, she adjusted the pillow and was about to lie down when the man suddenly opened his eyes.
In the darkness, his gaze was too intense, burning brightly.
Meng Ying could hear his breathing, heavy and deep.
She blinked and quickly moved to the innermost side. Just as she was about to slip under the covers, an arm wrapped around hers.
Lu Tingzhou hadn't fallen asleep at all. Years of military experience made it difficult for him to sleep when there was movement. When Meng Ying called him, for some reason he didn't respond.
Now, as their eyes met, his heartbeat quickened. The woman's fragrance lingered around him, impossible to ignore.
Meng Ying could see his face clearly in the moonlight. The hand holding her arm was startlingly hot. She couldn't help but swallow, sensing the tension between them.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Lu Tingzhou closed his eyes, trying to suppress the heat in his abdomen, but it was almost useless. His usual restraint was completely ineffective at this moment.
He opened his mouth, his voice as if filled with sand, hoarse to the extreme.
"Are we kissing again tonight?"
Hearing this, Meng Ying immediately laughed. Did he think kissing was like training, something to be done on a fixed schedule every day? She didn't answer but instead asked him, "Do you want to kiss?"
Lu Tingzhou didn't know what to say. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his body temperature rose even higher.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Meng Ying felt a bit disappointed and was about to break free from his grasp.
The next moment, a scorching kiss landed on her lips, followed by the probing of his tongue.
Meng Ying froze. She had never experienced a kiss like this before. That day had only been superficial—nothing this deep.
And he was still trying to go further.
"Lu Tingzhou…"
Her voice was soft and seductive, like a bewitching fox spirit. The rich fragrance filled the space between them, making Lu Tingzhou's heart tremble as he was enveloped by an unfamiliar emotion.
"Meng Ying, I want…"
This was his answer to her question. She knew it, but the man's advance was too intense, leaving no room for hesitation.
Meng Ying's mind was in a haze, filled only with the burning sensation on her lips.
Lu Tingzhou's kiss was somewhat clumsy, but mostly exploratory. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he completely lost control, capturing her lips and deepening the kiss. Perhaps dissatisfied with their awkward position, Lu Tingzhou wrapped his arm around the back of her neck and pulled her into his embrace.
Their bodies pressed tightly together, and the softness of her form was clearly felt through their clothes.
Meng Ying felt an unbearable restlessness, her hands gripping his clothes gave a slight push, then she arched her neck upward.
This indeed gave him an opportunity. Lu Tingzhou pulled back slightly, then pressed his kisses to the side of her neck. A tingling coolness spread across her skin, and Meng Ying couldn’t help but raise her hand to clutch his hair tightly.
Meanwhile, Lu Tingzhou’s hand slipped inside along the seam of her waist, cupping her breast.
Like dough—soft and delicate—he didn’t dare to exert much force.
After a long while, the air in Meng Ying’s lungs had been completely drained. She pushed him away fiercely.
Lu Tingzhou lifted his head, his eyes clouded with confusion and lingering desire. Meng Ying’s eyes were tinged with crimson at the corners, her nose flushed red, and her eyelashes fluttered lightly as she complained, “That was too long.”
Lu Tingzhou steadied his breathing, his fingers still stroking the soft flesh of her neck. Hearing her words, he kissed her forehead again. “Sorry, I’ll be more careful next time.”
Originally, he had only intended to indulge lightly tonight, but she had been so soft and so pliant just now that he couldn’t restrain himself.
Meng Ying let out a soft hum, then nestled into his embrace, burying her head against his chest. A faint, clean scent of soap lingered there. Feeling sleepy, she yawned. “Let’s sleep.”
Lu Tingzhou nodded.
The next day, Lu Tingzhou went off for training again. After breakfast, it wasn’t long before Sister-in-law Liu from next door came over, beaming with a smile and carrying a basket of vegetables.
“Xiao Meng, I tried the chili sauce you made last night—it was really delicious! My husband couldn’t stop praising it and even ate an extra steamed bun.”
Meng Ying smiled, pleased that her cooking was appreciated. After hanging up the freshly washed towel, she said, “I’m glad you liked it.”
Sister-in-law Liu found this young woman quite endearing. When they first met, she had only looked out for Meng Ying out of consideration for the good relationship between her own Jianguo and Lu Tingzhou. But now, she genuinely liked Meng Ying as a person.
So early in the morning, she brought over a variety of vegetables, thinking that since they were new here, they might not have much fresh produce at home. She grew plenty in her own yard, more than she could eat herself.
She stepped forward and set the vegetables on the ground. “Sister-in-law doesn’t have anything fancy at home, but you can make do with these vegetables for now. When the flat beans are ready, I’ll bring you some more.”
Meng Ying perked up at this. She loved vegetables the most. The seeds she had planted at home had just gone into the soil, and even fast-growing greens like baby bok choy would take a month. Having someone bring vegetables over now was perfect.
“Sister-in-law, you’re too kind. Thank you.”
Sister-in-law Liu waved it off. “No need to thank me, it’s nothing much. Oh, by the way, the cooperative in our residential area is making wine later. Want to go take a look?”
Making wine?
Meng Ying recalled that grapes were a specialty of this northwestern region, where the large temperature difference between day and night made them exceptionally sweet. But she hadn’t expected there to be a place here for making wine.
Sister-in-law Liu nodded. “Yes, every year the cooperative organizes a collective wine-making session. Anyone with free time can go help out.”
“Aren’t they afraid people will learn the techniques?”
“They only let helpers do the preparatory work outside. The core techniques—they’d never let us see those.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
She had nothing else to do at the moment.
Sister-in-law Liu nodded happily. “I’ll head home first then. We’ll meet at the entrance later.”
Meng Ying changed into the white shirt and bell-bottoms she had bought that day, paired with a pair of small white leather shoes. She looked bright and fashionable, a sight that caught the eye.
Sister-in-law Liu praised her repeatedly. Meng Ying followed her for about ten minutes before arriving at the destination.
The entrance of the cooperative was already crowded with people. Just as they tried to squeeze their way in, they spotted Wang Guifen, who was munching on sunflower seeds.