In the village, there are specific customs for moving and setting up the bed; it can't be done casually. An auspicious day must be chosen, or at least the first or fifteenth of the lunar month.
Therefore, Zhou's father decided to move today.
Zhou Chenglei and his father took cleaning tools to clean the old house.
Jiang Xia worried that men wouldn't be as meticulous as women at cleaning; she had high standards for the cleanliness of her home, so she said, "My things don't need much packing, I'll help clean too. More people means faster work."
The original owner had only been married for a short time and was ready to divorce at any time, so many things were still in the red, white, and blue bags.
Now was a convenient time to move.
"Okay, then let your mother stay and help your sister-in-law divide the things."
Tian Caihua thought Jiang Xia was shrewd; now she was pretending to be diligent in cleaning while Zhou's mother stayed behind to divide the things.
Would she really have the nerve to give her mother-in-law the old, broken, and undesirable items? She
really underestimated her!
So clever!
Suddenly, she recalled the entire family division process. Jiang Xia had acted all virtuous and unassuming, making her appear petty, sharp-tongued, and even unfilial. In the end, aside from getting a slightly better deal on the new house, the two elders hadn't wronged them at all.
Tian Caihua grew angrier the more she thought about it!
Bah! She didn't believe Jiang Xia was truly unassuming and didn't want anything. That big bad wolf!
Utterly cunning and treacherous!
She figured the two elders probably felt Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia had been taken advantage of by moving to the old house, and were secretly giving them some of their savings.
Thinking this, Tian Caihua became unhappy again.
Jealousy made her temporarily forget that Jiang Xia was getting a divorce; what did she care about?
*
The Zhou family lived in a small fishing village, relying on the mountains and the sea for their livelihood. Most villagers made their living by fishing.
Moreover, their area was mostly plains with few mountains, sparsely populated, so every household owned a considerable amount of land.
The villagers' lives were relatively comfortable; they didn't go hungry.
The Zhou family's old house was relatively close to the sea, but not quite on the beach, just very close.
Houses near the sea tend to be damp and prone to rheumatism, and living there for extended periods can easily lead to illness. They also risk being destroyed by a tsunami, far from the poetic imagery of "I have a house facing the sea, with spring flowers blooming." Therefore, villagers rarely build houses near the sea.
While the seaside scenery is beautiful, they see it every day and find it unremarkable.
It was only later, with economic development and the creation of tourist areas and selling points, that many houses and hotels were built near the sea.
Jiang Xia surveyed the long-abandoned stone house. The courtyard walls were also made of stone, looking sturdy and old.
The yard was overgrown with grass, but quite large.
In his previous life, Jiang Xia was a city dweller. After his parents passed away, their house was sold at a loss. The house he lived in afterward was a small, dark basement room allocated to him by his grandmother before she retired as a sanitation worker. It had no windows, and even flowers couldn't survive inside.
It wasn't until she got into university, paid off the medical bills incurred for her grandmother's treatment, and graduated with a master's degree two years later that she finally had the money to buy a one-bedroom apartment in Beijing outright. Unfortunately, she transmigrated before the apartment was even handed over.
So, she'd never lived in a house with a yard in her entire life!
This yard was quite large, and Jiang Xia liked it immediately. She thought that after her divorce, she would buy a house with a yard, planting flowers in the front and fruit trees in the back.
She was already using this yard as a model to imagine how she would build her own little courtyard.
Right now, the yard was overgrown with weeds, and because it was an old house built decades ago, it hadn't been lived in for two or three years. It was dilapidated and lacked any human presence; many of the roof tiles had fallen off. Standing inside, you could see light filtering through the gaps in the tiles.
Naturally, it leaked rain.
Zhou's father frowned: "We need to buy some tiles to repair the roof, otherwise it'll be troublesome when it rains or there's a typhoon."
Zhou Chenglei: "I'll go buy some tomorrow."
Jiang Xia looked up: the sky was a clear, deep blue, not like it was going to rain, but she couldn't help but think of a scene from a book.
In the book, a super typhoon made landfall along the coast, and afterwards, the beach teemed with fish and shrimp. The female lead went to collect them to sell, earning money for living expenses and tuition, as school started in September. However, she was too reckless; chasing a fish, she ran too far and was swept into the sea by a wave. The male lead rescued her.
According to the book, the original owner of this body and the male lead were divorcing today, and the female lead should be making her appearance!
Who knows when that super typhoon will arrive?
A little anxious, she said, "August is typhoon season, and we don't know when it will rain. It's still early, can we go buy some tiles now and fix the roof?"
Mr. Zhou replied, "We've started issuing weather forecasts this year, and the typhoon broadcast station will announce that people shouldn't go out to sea."
Jiang Xia felt a little relieved, but couldn't help but wonder, "Is the weather forecast accurate?"
"Sometimes it's accurate, sometimes it's not."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Mr. Zhou: "The weather forecast covers the entire city, and there are so many counties under the city."
Zhou Chenglei noticed her worry and said, "Dad, I'll go see if there are any tiles for sale. If we buy them, we should be able to fix the roof in an afternoon."
Not wanting to be alone with his daughter-in-law for too long, Mr. Zhou said, "I'll go! You guys stay here and clean."
There was a tile kiln in the next village, and they would deliver the tiles to their door, so Zhou Chenglei didn't insist on going.
Mr. Zhou then left.
Zhou Chenglei looked at the weeds in the yard. Weeding would be quite tiring, so he said, "You go inside and clean, I'll clear the weeds from the yard."
Most of the furniture had been moved out, so the house was empty. It had been cleaned during the move, so it wouldn't be messy, just dusty. Cleaning wouldn't be too tiring for her.
Jiang Xia had no objections, so she tied her headscarf, covered her mouth and nose with a cloth, and then, full of ambition, picked up a broom and began inspecting her "new home."
The house had four rooms in total: a living room in the middle and bedrooms on either side.
The living room was long and deep, with a less than ideal layout.
To the left and right of the main house were two lower rooms. The left room was the kitchen, with two large stoves and two smaller, lower stoves next to them.
The right room was a storage room, used for storing farm tools.
Next to the kitchen was a low, narrow room, which was the shower room, or bathroom.
The bathroom floor was paved with red bricks, while the kitchen and storage room weren't. The room itself was paved with square old-style bricks, carefully laid out.
Jiang Xia had heard from her college roommate that her hometown still had mud-brick houses from the 1950s and 60s, with unpaved, hardened mud floors that had turned black from being walked on.
The houses also had large backyards with stone-built pigsties, cowsheds, and chicken coops, though all were dilapidated.
After the tour, Jiang Xia found it much better than she had imagined, and decided to start cleaning the rooms.
The old house had electricity and lights; Jiang Xia pulled a rope on the wall near the door, and the tungsten bulbs lit up.
She picked up a long broom and decided to start by cleaning the cobwebs on the walls and beams.
After sweeping the four walls, as she swept the beams, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with two snakes on the beams.
"Ah!" Jiang Xia was so frightened that she dropped the broom and ran out like the wind, blowing the cloth off her face.
Zhou Chenglei was weeding with a hoe, having already cleared a large patch, when he heard a scream. He immediately dropped the hoe and rushed inside.
As soon as he entered the living room, Jiang Xia rushed up to him, jumping onto him and clinging to him tightly, trembling all over.
Zhou Chenglei was slightly taken aback, not daring to touch her, and simply let her cling to him, asking, "What's wrong?"
"Snakes! Snakes! Huge ones, two of them! They're staring at me!" Jiang Xia was trembling with fear, her voice shaking.
Jiang Xia wasn't actually that brave. Before, when she worked, she often didn't get home until the middle of the night, and she'd even dared to beat up a pervert she encountered at the subway exit.
She wasn't afraid of people, ghosts, stray dogs, rats, or cockroaches—she wasn't afraid of any of them, but she was afraid
of snakes! She was terrified of snakes! Even seeing them on TV through the screen terrified her.
Encountering one so unexpectedly had almost scared her to death!
She clung tightly to Zhou Chenglei's neck, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. "Get out! Get out! Hurry! Hurry!..."
Zhou Chenglei's neck felt like it was about to break from her choking.
He could only carry her out of the yard, gently coaxing, "Don't be afraid, it's just a snake. I'll catch it. Let me go first."
Once outside the house, Jiang Xia wasn't so scared. She calmed herself and loosened her legs, but when she looked down at the grass on the ground, she shrank back, wrapping her legs tightly around his, refusing to put them down. "There aren't any snakes in this yard, are there?"
Zhou Chenglei: "..."
He really couldn't be sure.
In the middle of summer, snakes were quite common.
Jiang Xia's screams must have been too loud, alerting the neighbors next door and attracting the attention of two families. Then they saw the two of them embracing, in a position that was... utterly disgusting!
Their gazes towards Jiang Xia changed. Even though they were husband and wife, doing this kind of thing in the yard, and screaming so loudly, was utterly shameless!
Zhou Junjie joked, "Chenglei, in broad daylight, you're so impatient you can't even wait to get into the room?"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Jiang Xia's buttocks.
Even with Jiang Xia's thick skin, she blushed. She let go of Zhou Chenglei, got off the ground, and, still afraid, glanced around at her feet.
Zhou Chenglei's face darkened. He stood in front of Jiang Xia, blocking Zhou Junjie's view. "Don't talk nonsense!"
A woman in her forties or fifties noticed Jiang Xia's expression and realized everyone had misunderstood. She wanted to help the couple: "Ah Lei, what's wrong with your wife? Is she scared?"
Zhou Chenglei took over from his great-grandmother and explained, "There was a snake in the house just now, and Jiang Xia was frightened. Jiang Xia, this is your great-grandmother."
Jiang Xia looked over, surprised that the woman was so young to be his great-grandmother, but grateful for her help, and smiled, calling out, "Great-grandmother."
His great-grandmother chuckled, "Good girl!"
Zhou Chenglei added, "You stay here with Great-grandmother, I'll go catch the snake."
Upon hearing "catch the snake," Great-grandmother's eyes lit up: "Catch the snake? Where? I'll go catch it! What's there to be afraid of in a snake!"
Great-grandmother rushed into the house, her excitement as if she'd heard there was some treasure inside.
Jiang Xia: "..."
Zhou Chenglei explained, "Great-grandmother is very good at catching snakes. She taught me how to catch snakes. I'll go in and take a look."
Jiang Xia only had two words: Admiration!
Great-Grandma suddenly turned around and asked, "Where's the snake?"
Jiang Xia pointed inside the house: "Facing the main door, it's on the beam of the innermost room on the right. Never mind, I'll go in with you." With
so many people around, Jiang Xia wasn't as afraid, especially since several villagers were staring at her like she was a monster.
Zhou Chenglei went along with her, knowing she was embarrassed to face the villagers, and with Great-Grandma, a snake-catching expert, around, nothing bad would happen.
The three went inside. Jiang Xia pointed to the room, but she was too afraid to go in and just stood in the hall.
Unexpectedly, the others followed to see what was going on.
Zhou Junjie, unafraid of snakes, wanted to see if the snake was valuable, so he went into the room too.
The three women didn't go in.
Pan Daidi approached Jiang Xia, her face full of gossip, and asked, "Niece-in-law, why are you cleaning this old house?"
Jiang Xia glanced at her, not recognizing her, and had no recollection of her. She replied, "We're moving in."
These three women were from the next house, the three women being mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Upon hearing this, Pan Daidi's eldest daughter-in-law also asked, "Moving in? You've separated your households? You and Zhou Chenglei are moving in together?"
"Yes," Jiang Xia nodded, responding softly, not used to saying much.
They really have separated their households? Pan Daidi's eldest daughter-in-law was a little envious.
Pan Daidi continued, "This house is so old and dilapidated, why did you agree to move in? Have you all retired to the fields to pick flowers?"
Jiang Xia replied, "This house is quite comfortable after cleaning it up."
At least in her previous life, she had never even lived in a house like this.
Pan Daidi's youngest daughter-in-law glanced at Jiang Xia, her eyes clearly disbelieving. She hadn't even cared about the new house before, threatening divorce; would she really be comfortable in this one? She
probably only cared because she was waiting for her lover to come and take her away; she wouldn't be staying there long anyway.
Looking at her delicate, fair skin, it was clear she was restless and wouldn't last long in the village; she'd leave sooner or later.
"Who proposed the division of the family property? You, or your sister-in-law? Who will support your parents-in-law, and who will they live with?" Pan Daidi asked again.
"Auntie, I'll go in and see," Jiang Xia said, unaccustomed to discussing such matters, and went into the room.
But she didn't know that dealing with these village women meant talking about these things—gossiping about everyone, including your own family's affairs. You had to agree with them on everything; otherwise, they'd think you were pretentious and antisocial.
Seeing that Jiang Xia ignored her, Pan Daidi rolled her eyes at Jiang Xia's retreating figure. "Pah! City people think they're so great? They ignore me after a couple of questions! Do they think they're above
everyone else?" Jiang Xia stood inside the room, seeing the two snakes still on the beam. Zhou Chenglei picked up the long broom Jiang Xia had thrown down to lure them down.
One snake coiled around the bamboo pole and started to climb
down. The other snake, frightened, slithered away from the beam.
Great-Grandma: "Ah Lei, give it to me, I'll do it!" Zhou Chenglei
lowered the bamboo pole.
Great-Grandma went around to the snake's tail, seized the opportunity, and swiftly grabbed the snake by its neck.
The snake's tail immediately coiled around her arm.
Jiang Xia was horrified.
There was still one on the beam. Zhou Chenglei threw down the long broom, lightly leaped up, and climbed onto the beam with both hands. He used his arms to lift his entire body, then used his long legs to reach the top of the beam.
Then he cautiously approached the snake.
Jiang Xia dared not look at the snake, yet feared it might fall.
Zhou Chenglei's arms, visible beneath his rolled-up shirt sleeves, were muscular and veined; his long legs, encased in green military trousers, were strong and powerful.
"Go, go, go...go over there!" Great-Grandma, holding a snake in one hand and picking up a long broom with the other, tried to scare it away.
Jiang Xia snapped back to reality, seeing the snake crawl to the other side. Her heart skipped a beat, and she dared not look. She instinctively glanced elsewhere and noticed the three women staring at Zhou Chenglei, their eyes practically drooling. She couldn't help but find it amusing. A
man like Zhou Chenglei, with his exceptionally handsome appearance, robust physique, and vibrant, almost ascetic aura, would be a heartbreaker for women ranging from eight to eight years old even in modern times.
Zhou Junjie unknowingly approached Jiang Xia: "Sister-in-law, are you afraid of snakes?"
Jiang Xia gave him a cold look and walked away.
Zhou Junjie smiled.
On the beam, Zhou Chenglei quickly found an opportunity to grab the snake by its vital spot, then jumped down, landing steadily.
Zhou Chenglei and his great-grandmother, still holding the snake, headed towards the door. Jiang Xia, standing at the doorway, saw the snake flick its tongue and turned to run away in fright.
His great-grandmother laughed, "Hahaha, what's there to be afraid of? It's just a grass snake, not poisonous, they're everywhere. You'll see more of them eventually, you won't be afraid anymore."
Jiang Xia: "."
Zhou Chenglei, seeing Jiang Xia's terrified expression, said, "Great-Grandma was just joking. Snakes are only found on mountains and grasslands, not everywhere."
Great-Grandma: "Ah Lei, don't lie to me! I'm not wrong, snakes are common, they're everywhere in vegetable gardens and fields. They even crawl into houses at night; I've caught one in my bed."
Crawl into the bed? Jiang Xia's face paled, remembering news she'd seen online.
Seeing Jiang Xia's utterly dejected face, Zhou Chenglei felt he couldn't let his great-grandma say another word. He said, "Great-Grandma was just kidding, trying to scare you. Great-Grandma, could you help me throw these two snakes away?"
If his great-grandma scared her any more, she probably wouldn't dare sleep tonight.
He picked up a snakeskin bag he'd brought to collect trash and threw the snakes inside.
The village elders said the snakes that had entered the house couldn't be killed, only thrown out.
"I'm not lying, it's true." The reason there were snakes in the bed was that Great-Grandma had caught two snakes for her grandson to play with, and the bamboo basket lid hadn't been properly secured that night, allowing the snakes to escape.
Seeing Jiang Xia's pale face, she figured he was scared enough and probably wouldn't dare sleep alone that night.
She threw the snakes into the snakeskin bag, then called to the neighbors, "Go on! It's alright, everyone go back to your own business! If you have nothing to do at home, you can stay and help my little stone tidy the yard."
The Pan family next door all left upon hearing this.
They had a mountain of chores to do at home that morning; they had no time to tidy someone else's yard.
Zhou Junjie glanced at Jiang Xia; he wanted to stay, but his wife pulled him away.
After everyone left, Great-Grandma intentionally tested Jiang Xia's courage. How could someone in the countryside be afraid of snakes? In the middle of summer, snakes could jump out at any moment while walking on the road.
Great-Grandma grabbed Jiang Xia's hand and pulled her outside, saying, "Come on, Great-Grandma will take you to catch the snake."
Jiang Xia stiffened as Great-Grandma led her: Had Great-Grandma just caught a snake with that hand?
The two walked towards the field.
Not far ahead, Pan Daidi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go and weed the peanut field today."
Zhou Junjie, Pan Daidi's youngest son, immediately said, "Mom, I'll go to the docks and see if there's any work."
Then he ran off!
Pan Daidi's eldest daughter-in-law pursed her lips. At this time, all the ships had gone out to sea; what work could there be at the docks?
Her second son was lazy, greedy, lustful, and a gambler; he was probably gambling. She even considered dividing the family property.
Pan Daidi ignored him and led her two daughters-in-law towards the peanut field.
Pan Daidi's youngest daughter-in-law said, "Two grass snakes and she's scared like this? Making a fuss over nothing! I thought something terrible had happened!"
The eldest daughter-in-law said enviously, "She's from the city, she doesn't see snakes often. She sees cars all the time."
Thinking of Jiang Xia ignoring her, Pan Daidi said sarcastically, "I've seen plenty of people afraid of snakes, but I've never seen anyone as afraid as her! So delicate, she shouldn't have married into our village! Didn't you see how she acted just now? She wouldn't even talk to you, her eyes were practically on the top of her head. So what if she sees cars all the time? It's not like she owns one!"
The youngest daughter-in-law, thinking of the way her husband looked at her, couldn't help but retort sarcastically, "So what if she's from the city? She's a city girl, and in the end, she still married a fisherman. And she says she's educated? So how can an educated person be so indecent? Riding on a man in broad daylight, she has no shame! Even the chickens in District 3 can't ride like her!"
These words infuriated Jiang Xia and her great-grandmother!
Jiang Xia desperately wanted to throw the snakes from the snakeskin bag at her.
Her great-grandmother seemed to read her mind and handed her the snakeskin bag.
Jiang Xia, emboldened by some unknown force, immediately took it, flung the bag away, and the two snakes flew out, landing right at the feet of the three women.
Hearing the noise, the three looked down.
"Ah!"
The two snakes slithered around their feet, and the three women screamed in terror, jumping around wildly.
Just then, an old man came up from the path in the field, and the young daughter-in-law jumped directly onto his back!
After throwing the snakes, Jiang Xia grabbed her great-grandmother and ran!
The two ran all the way back to the Zhou family's old house, looked at each other, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Zhou Chenglei was cleaning inside when he heard the noise, came out, and looked at them, puzzled.
Her great-grandmother smiled and said, "Chenglei, your wife is quite good; you must cherish her."
Jiang Xia was speechless. Where did her great-grandmother get the idea that she was good?
Was throwing snakes at people good?
" Or just dump it and run? A hit-and-run, isn't that good? "
Zhou Chenglei glanced at Jiang Xia, puzzled, and simply nodded politely in response to his great-grandmother's words.
Jiang Xia felt a little awkward and quickly said, "I'll go clean the house."
Jiang Xia went inside, looking around the house, feeling like snakes might be lurking in some corner waiting for her.
Zhou Chenglei thought she was still afraid: "I'll clean the house, you go home and pack your things!"
Jiang Xia shook her head: "No need, we'll clean together, I need to check carefully."
Zhou Chenglei didn't say anything more, knowing that she probably wouldn't dare move in without a thorough inspection.
He suddenly understood why she had been making a fuss every few days; she was probably really uncomfortable in the countryside.
Zhou Chenglei looked at the drafty, musty house; the living conditions were even worse now.
She probably wouldn't last more than a few days before leaving.
Great-Grandma: "Let me help you weed."
The couple replied in unison: "No need, Great-Grandma, we can do it ourselves!"
Great-Grandma chuckled: "It's alright, I'm just killing time anyway. Xia, remember to check carefully, I wonder if those two snakes laid a nest of snake eggs and hatched a brood of baby snakes in the house."
Jiang Xia: "..."
What kind of outrageous talk is this?
Laying a nest of snake eggs and hatching a brood of baby snakes?
Is that even possible?
She wanted to go back in time!
She missed the one-bedroom apartment she bought in Beijing, even though it hadn't been handed over yet.
Great-Grandma, holding a hoe, smiled as she hoeed the weeds: Haha. I don't believe she'd dare sleep alone at night.
Wouldn't she be so scared that she'd have to hug A-Lei to sleep?
She was still hoping to hold her great-grandson!
Great-Grandma's son was the same age as A-Lei (but of a different generation), and his grandson was old enough to go to elementary school.
Great-Grandma was of a higher generation, only two years older than Zhou's mother, but of a higher generation.
She worked very efficiently, hoeing away a thin layer of weeds with each stroke.
It wouldn't be good to leave Great-Grandma alone in the yard, so Jiang Xia went to help her.
Jiang Xia tried to imitate her great-grandmother, but she couldn't do it as well. Either she hoeed too deep, creating a hole, or she hoeed too shallow, leaving the weed roots behind; the ground was a mess of potholes and a sorry sight. After
hoeing for a while, her back and hands ached.
She looked down and saw blisters on her palms.
Her hands were so delicate; blisters appeared so quickly. Her body was too fragile.
Jiang Xia glanced at them but ignored them, continuing to hoe slowly.
After Zhou Chenglei finished cleaning, Great-Grandma and Jiang Xia also cleared the weeds from the yard.
Jiang Xia was skilled with her hands and had already learned how to hoe, even though she had several blisters on her palms that had broken. She didn't feel much pain while working and didn't pay much attention to them.
Great-Grandma looked at the neatly tidied floor that Jiang Xia had cleared, flat and clean, and praised with a smile, "Xia learns so quickly! Lei, you've married a gem!" She'd
never seen anyone so capable, picking things up so quickly.
Zhou Chenglei looked over.
Zhou Chenglei's gaze was originally on Jiang Xia's hands, but upon hearing this, he turned to look at the ground she had cleaned. He was also surprised that she learned so quickly, but his nature was stern, and he couldn't bring himself to offer praise. He simply said, "You all sit down, I'll go throw away these weeds."
Then he carried two snakeskin bags full of weeds out.
Humans are social animals, so villagers' houses are generally built in a concentrated area.
The Zhou family's old house had many neighbors, and many villagers passed by the Zhou family's house for half a morning. Soon, most of the village knew that the Zhou family had split up.
Zhou Chenglei moved to the old house with Jiang Xia.
The women gathered together mending fishing nets, all discussing the matter.
"Why did the Zhou family suddenly split up?"
"Is that even a question? Anyone with a brain could guess it was that educated wife who caused it. She's clearly not the type to manage a household; she's ruined the family. Anyone who marries a woman like that is doomed!"
"Zhou Chenglei and his wife live in the old house with his parents, and his wife actually agreed? I saw her cleaning the yard and she seemed quite happy, all smiles. City girls are just different; her skin is so white it glows, and her smile is prettier than TV stars. She's so beautiful, like a celestial being."
"What's the use of being beautiful? Look at her, she can't even hold a hoe! She can't do anything! What's the point of marrying her? To be a decoration?"
"Too beautiful, useless, she'll run off with someone else! Zhou Chenglei's head is like the grass in that yard, haha."
Zhou Chenglei, carrying a sack of weeds in one hand, suddenly stopped in front of them.
The group looked up and instantly fell silent.
"Wrong, she wasn't running off with someone that day. That person was her high school classmate, someone I know. She was talking to her about the college entrance exam. Aunties, please don't misunderstand anymore. I don't want to hear these things again, especially if she hears them."
Zhou Chenglei finished speaking and walked past them expressionlessly, carrying two large bags of grass.
He didn't know why he stopped to say those words; he had never cared about such rumors.
The rumors eventually dissipated.
Probably because of the blisters on her palms.
Zhou Chenglei joined the army after graduating from junior high school and served for over ten years. He had been to the battlefield and killed the enemy. When he was angry, his domineering aura was something a few village women couldn't withstand.
The women watched him walk away without daring to breathe, and even after he returned from throwing out the trash, they didn't dare to speak. As he passed by, they even lowered their heads and pretended to be diligently weaving fishing nets.
Only after Zhou Chenglei's figure completely disappeared did they breathe a sigh of relief. They remained silent for a long while before anyone spoke, tacitly agreeing not to discuss the Zhou family's affairs anymore.
*
When Zhou Chenglei returned after taking out the trash, his great-grandmother was teaching Jiang Xia how to draw water with a bucket.
The well in the old house didn't have a hand-cranked pump; to draw water, you simply threw the bucket, tied with a rope, into the well and then pulled it up.
Jiang Xia had never tried this before. She threw the bucket into the well, but it floated on the surface and wouldn't sink completely no matter how much she shook it. After a long time, she only filled it halfway.
Her great-grandmother pulled it up and demonstrated again. After two attempts, she finally succeeded in submerging the bucket and filling it to the brim.
She exclaimed happily, "Alright!"
Great-Grandma smiled and continued to instruct, "You're amazing, you learned it in no time! Be careful, pull it up. It's easier to exert force when the rope is wrapped around your arm..."
Jiang Xia happily pulled the bucket up, but she overestimated her strength. Halfway up the bucket, her foot slipped, and Jiang Xia rushed towards the well opening. She quickly let go, the bucket fell back into the well, and she was pulled and stumbled, crashing into a solid chest.
Great-Grandma reached out and pulled her back, still shaken. "Luckily, Chenglei came back. Xia, you're not strong enough to draw water."
Zhou Chenglei pulled her a few steps away from the well before letting go. His heart was still pounding, and he said with a dark face, "Didn't I tell you to sit? Don't you know it's dangerous near the well? Don't you have any common sense?"
Jiang Xia wasn't afraid. "It's okay. I just didn't know any better, and my shoes were muddy, and it was wet, so I slipped. Next time I'll just draw water half a bucket at a
time." Great-Grandma nodded. "Yes, yes, yes, half a bucket
at a time." "Don't draw water anymore," Zhou Chenglei said directly.
Great-Grandma nodded. "Yes, yes, yes, don't draw water anymore. There's Chenglei here! He's strong, let him draw. Falling into the well is no joke."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Great-Grandma, all you know how to do is say yes, yes, yes?
You agree with everyone, yes, yes, that's very fickle, don't you know that?
Zhou Chenglei didn't say much. He picked up the rope that had fallen to the ground, easily filled a bucket with water, and carried it up.
Jiang Xia thought she could do it too; it really was an accident.
But Zhou Chenglei's stern face was a bit intimidating, so she decided against it.
Just then, Zhou's father returned, carrying a cartload of roof tiles, followed by a cartload of sand and cement.
"Grandma's here? Chenglei, come over and unload the tiles. This is your Uncle Wen."
Zhou Chenglei pulled a small bottle from his pocket and gave it to Jiang Xia: "Put some medicine on your hand."
Then he went over to help, greeting the delivery people, "Uncle Wen."
Great-grandmother also went over: "You bought so many tiles!"
"Many tiles fell off," Zhou's father said to Great-grandmother while working.
Jiang Xia glanced at the small bottle, unsure what kind of medicine it was, and stuffed it into her pocket before going over as well.
The cartload of tiles included flat pieces and semi-cylindrical pieces, and behind it were a cartload of sand and two bags of cement, all delivered by others.
Jiang Xia also saw a young girl helping to push the cart.
Another female lead?
She was a little confused. Didn't the male and female leads only meet after the female lead was swept away by the waves and the male lead rescued her?
They'd already met twice before!
Indeed, those destined to be together always meet.
Jiang Xia thought: she should find a way to earn money and move out as soon as possible.
Wen Wan was startled to see Jiang Xia still there: Why was she still there?
Shouldn't she and Zhou Chenglei have divorced long ago, and then she never came back to the small fishing village?
The brick kiln happened to be in Wen Wan's village. Wen's father worked at the kiln, and Wen Wan would help tread mud and break tiles when she had time. She knew Zhou's father, and seeing him buying tiles to repair leaks, she figured Zhou Chenglei would definitely fix leaks, so she used the excuse of helping her father push the cart to follow him.
She wanted to get to know Zhou Chenglei as soon as possible, and also wanted to get to know the Zhou family more so she could marry into the Zhou family quickly.
She could get married first, and then take the college entrance exam.
But why was Jiang Xia still there?
She glanced at Jiang Xia: covered in dirt, her clothes stained with mud, was she also helping to repair the house?
What was going on?
She wanted to ask, but didn't know how to start.
Jiang Xia glanced at her and then looked away. She went to Zhou's father and asked, "Dad, are there enough tiles?"
Zhou's father glanced at the roof: "It should be enough, definitely enough for the main house. We'll buy some more for the kitchen and other areas to repair later."
Zhou Chenglei glanced at Jiang Xia, then gestured for the delivery people to unload the goods under the eaves so they could be handed up later.
He carried two bags of cement directly under the eaves.
Zhou's father helped move the tiles.
Jiang Xia also went to help move the tiles.
Seeing Wen Wan standing there motionless, Wen's father shouted, "Aren't you going to help? What are you standing there for? You're not quick-witted at all!"
Being scolded in front of Zhou Chenglei, Wen Wan blushed a little, but still went to Zhou Chenglei's side, lowering her head to move the tiles, looking somewhat pitiful.
The two were standing a little close.
Zhou Chenglei stepped back a few paces: "I don't need your help, go sit on the threshold and rest for a bit." Wen Wan
replied softly and gently, "It's okay, I'm used to doing this."
Zhou Chenglei frowned at Jiang Xia, ignoring Wen Wan's words. Seeing that Jiang Xia didn't react, he walked directly to her side.
Jiang Xia was looking down at the tiles, figuring out how many she could carry at once with her delicate body. She heard Zhou Chenglei speak, but she thought he was talking to Wen Wan.
She reached out, deciding to carry ten tiles at a time for safety.
Her hand was grabbed just as she stretched it out.
Zhou Chenglei grasped Jiang Xia's wrist and pulled her away from the cart with a slight force.
Jiang Xia was stunned, looking up at him in confusion.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" Zhou Chenglei frowned.
Jiang Xia: "..."
She heard him, but didn't know he was talking to her.
Zhou Chenglei pulled her to the eaves by the door: "Sit down. Doesn't your hand hurt? Did you apply the medicine I gave you? It's Yunnan Baiyao, very effective. Apply some, and it won't hurt the next day."
Wen Wan watched Zhou Chenglei pull Jiang Xia away, her face flushed: So he wasn't talking to her after all?
She was just being presumptuous!
Jiang Xia said, "I'll apply it tonight before I go to sleep. I still have work to do now, and it'll just rub off anyway, it'll be a waste."
Yunnan Baiyao is indeed very effective, but using it on her hand injury is a bit of a waste; that medicine must be expensive.
Jiang Xia sat down on the threshold, picked up the green military water bottle next to her, and was about to unscrew it.
Zhou Chenglei stretched out his long arm, took it from her, unscrewed it for her, and handed it to her: "There's nothing for you to do, the sooner you apply the medicine, the sooner it will heal."
After saying that, he went back to help move the tiles.
Jiang Xia took the water bottle but didn't drink immediately. She called to her great-grandmother, "Great-grandmother, the sun's strong. Come sit down and have some water."
Her great-grandmother smiled and went over. Jiang Xia handed her the bottle, but she waved it away, saying, "I'm not thirsty. This water was opened for you by Lei. I'm afraid it'll be too sweet; it's not good for old people to eat too much sugar!"
Jiang Xia
was speechless. Her great-grandmother sat down beside her. "Isn't my Lei very caring?"
Jiang Xia couldn't deny it; she remembered he had washed her clothes last night.
"I think Great-grandmother is even more caring. She's so considerate of me, reluctant to let me drink water. If she wants me to drink more, she should just say so." She then tilted her head back and began to drink.
Her great-grandmother smiled.
This child was eloquent and a perfect match for the quiet Lei
. After spending half a day together, her great-grandmother grew increasingly fond of Jiang Xia.
This child worked quickly, and although she was physically delicate, she wasn't at all; she had a strong will.
Everyone in the village said she'd run away sooner or later, but she didn't believe it!
"Ah Lei is lucky to have married you."
Jiang Xia choked, coughing.
She wasn't Zhou Chenglei's official partner!
Besides, he was eager to divorce her!
Hearing Jiang Xia's cough, Zhou Chenglei turned to look.
His great-grandmother noticed him looking and exclaimed, "Ah Lei, Xia said marrying you is lucky!"
Jiang Xia's eyes widened: She didn't say that!
"Haha." His great-grandmother laughed heartily.
Zhou Chenglei knew his great-grandmother was teasing Jiang Xia and didn't pay any attention, turning back to continue carrying tiles.
Wen Wan: "..."
She looked at the man opposite her, who seemed to be deliberately keeping his distance while carrying tiles, and was extremely surprised. What was going on?
Weren't they getting a divorce?
This didn't seem like it.
Why would Jiang Xia say that?
Just then, Wen's father asked Zhou's father, "This house seems to have been uninhabited for a long time. Why are you repairing it again?"
Zhou's father replied, "The children are all married now, and the original house wasn't big enough, so my younger son and his wife moved in."
Wen Wan blurted out in surprise, "The two of them moved in?"
Mr. Zhou glanced at her with surprise, not understanding why his daughter was so agitated, but still said, "Yes, we two old folks will come too."
Wen Wan seemed thoughtful.
It wasn't like this in her previous life. She clearly heard that after Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei divorced, she went straight to the city to find her lover.
She also heard that Jiang Xia had followed Wu Qizhi without even getting a marriage certificate.
Later, when she took the train to university, she saw Jiang Xia and Wu Qizhi taking the train to visit her parents, and Wu Qizhi even told Jiang Xia to persuade her parents to help him find a job.
It's not like this now!
Zhou Chenglei should have divorced Jiang Xia, and Jiang Xia should have been with Wu Qizhi.
Where did things go wrong?
Jiang Xia and her great-grandmother, one old and one young, sat under the eaves watching them move tiles, chatting idly.
Jiang Xia was mainly asking questions, because she was afraid of being questioned, so she took the initiative, subtly trying to find out about the Zhou family and the small fishing village.
The roof tiles were quickly removed. Throughout the entire process, Zhou Chenglei didn't even glance at Wen Wan, even avoiding her while carrying the tiles.
After the tiles were removed, Wen Wan had to leave with her father.
She couldn't help but glance back at Zhou Chenglei, wondering where things had gone wrong.
What would she do if Zhou Chenglei didn't divorce her?
She looked again at Jiang Xia, sitting in the corner, her skin fair and radiant.
No, they would divorce.
Jiang Xia couldn't stand rural life; she wanted to be a government official's wife. Living in this dilapidated house, she definitely couldn't bear it.
When that big typhoon came, the roof would be blown away, and she'd probably run away in fear.
A flower grown in a greenhouse couldn't withstand the blows of wind and rain.
She remembered a big typhoon that made landfall in this area in her past life. After the typhoon, many shrimp were left on the beach. Back then, even the shrimp picked up by children in this village could sell for over ten yuan.
She was also waiting for that typhoon to come, so she could make a fortune picking shrimp, thus solving her high school tuition and living expenses.
Great-Grandma said she was going back to cook, and Jiang Xia stood up and said to Zhou Chenglei, "I'll go back and help with the cooking."
Zhou Chenglei was about to climb onto the roof to clean up some broken tiles when he heard this. He glanced at her, his first thought being, "Can she even cook?
" Then his gaze fell on her hands: "No need, my mom and sister-in-law can cook."
At this moment, Zhou's mother walked in, holding Zhou Zhou's hand and carrying a red, green, and yellow plastic basket: "Time to eat! Eat first, then you can work."
Zhou Zhou, with a military water bottle hanging around his neck, obediently said, "Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt, time to eat."
Zhou's father was mixing sand and cement together, planning to add some water later and stir it to make cement sand. Hearing Zhou's mother's words, he put down the shovel and went to wash his hands before eating.
Zhou's mother took two silver aluminum lunch boxes from the basket and handed them to Jiang Xia: "This is for you, and this is Chenglei's food."
Zhou Chenglei's hands and clothes were covered in cement dust, so he went to wash his hands.
Jiang Xia took the bottle and smiled, "Thank you, Mom."
Zhou Zhou, holding a green military water bottle, timidly approached Jiang Xia, "Auntie, would you like some water?"
Jiang Xia smiled even more gently, "Thank you, Zhou Zhou. Auntie has some too. Auntie isn't thirsty; give the water to Grandpa."
"Okay." Zhou Zhou felt relieved and ran to give the bottle to her father.
Zhou Chenglei washed his hands and face, his face still wet, and came to Jiang Xia's side, taking the lunchbox she handed him. "Go sit on the doorstep and eat."
He turned and walked away, picked up a hoe, laid it down, and sat directly on the handle, under the blazing sun.
Jiang Xia glanced at him, "Why are you sitting there in this sun? Come sit with me at the door! You've worked all day; shouldn't you drink some water before eating?"
There were no chairs here, and the house was stuffy. Only under the eaves of the hall entrance was it cooler and sheltered from the sun.
But there was no room under the eaves.
Zhou's father, carrying his lunchbox, sat directly on a bag of cement. Zhou's mother pulled Zhou Zhou to sit on another unopened bag of cement.
The cement was stored under the eaves, so sitting on it was sheltered from the sun, even more comfortable than sitting on the threshold.
Zhou Chenglei glanced at her; her skin was dazzlingly white in the sunlight, her eyes deep and clear, showing neither disgust nor disdain.
He had just finished working, covered in sweat and dust, especially smelling of fish from the sea. She usually looked at him like he was a fly.
Sitting together, didn't she mind that he was dirty?
Jiang Xia never shunned the smell of labor. Her grandmother used to be a cleaner before selling vegetables, which earned her more.
She sat down against the doorframe, leaving him plenty of room, and handed him the water bottle: "Have some water first."
Zhou Chenglei was indeed thirsty. He glanced at the seat next to her and sat down.
"I'll hold your lunchbox for you."
Zhou Chenglei had intended to put the aluminum lunchbox on the ground, but upon hearing this, he handed it to her, took the water bottle she offered, unscrewed it, tilted his head back, opened his mouth wide, and poured the water from the bottle into his mouth through the air.
Jiang Xia glanced at him.
His posture of drinking water, tilting his head back and opening his mouth wide, wasn't exactly elegant, but it was incredibly wild. His
jawline and profile were beautiful, his skin was tanned with fine pores, his neck was long, and the top button of his shirt was fastened tightly. His sharp Adam's apple rose and fell with his drinking motion, as if trying to break free from the collar, making him incredibly sexy.
This man is flawless from every angle!
Zhou Chenglei gulped down half a bottle of water, then put it down and noticed Jiang Xia staring at him, lost in thought. Thinking she wanted a drink, he handed her the bottle: "There's more."
Jiang Xia snapped out of her reverie, took it, and gulped down several mouthfuls.
Damn, she was completely mesmerized.
This man is addictive!
Seeing her drinking so quickly, Zhou Chenglei reminded her, "Slow down, don't choke."
Jiang Xia slowed down.
Zhou Chenglei noticed her fair face flushed slightly from the heat, her fingers holding the army green water bottle were white, slender, and delicate, the porcelain-white skin contrasting sharply with the green bottle, incredibly eye-catching.
He looked away after just one glance.
Jiang Xia took a few sips and then stopped drinking; drinking too much water before a meal would ruin her appetite.
Zhou Chenglei waited until she finished, then took the bottle from her, screwed on the cap, and set it aside.
Jiang Xia handed him the lunchbox on her lap. He took it, opened the lid, revealing a box full of food, with a lot of dried fish and a boiled egg.
Zhou Chenglei handed her the lunchbox, then took the one she hadn't opened yet.
Jiang Xia was touched by his thoughtfulness and politely smiled back, "Thank you."
Her voice was clear, melodious, and slightly soft, very pleasant to listen to. Zhou Chenglei couldn't help but glance at her.
The sky was a clear, cloudless blue, and the girl's smile was gentle and pure.
"No need." With just one glance, Zhou Chenglei silently looked away, expressionless, and opened the lunchbox in his hand, revealing a box full of food: mostly greens and pickled vegetables, very little dried fish (only two pieces), and very little rice but mostly sweet potato—a stark contrast to the previous lunchbox.
Jiang Xia also saw that it was originally the lunchbox Zhou's mother had given her.
She didn't care; they were getting a divorce anyway, and she understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
“I can’t finish this, let’s switch.”
Zhou Chenglei picked up his chopsticks and started eating. “No need, you can eat until you’re full.”
Seeing that he had already started eating, Jiang Xia put a few dried fish into his lunchbox.
Zhou Chenglei avoided it. “No need, you eat.”
Jiang Xia: “I really can’t eat this much.”
Zhou Chenglei: “Eat until you can’t eat anymore.”
Jiang Xia had no choice but to give up.
Zhou’s mother saw this and frowned, thinking that Jiang Xia was being inconsiderate!
Men need to do physical labor, and they need to eat more meat to have strength.
Jiang Xia can’t do anything, so why is he eating so much meat? Is he going to gain weight?
The rice was sweet potato rice, and the dishes were steamed dried fish, bok choy, and pickled cabbage.
The dried fish was very fragrant, and because they were so small, the fish bones could be chewed and swallowed directly. The pickled cabbage was refreshing, the bok choy was very tender, and the sweet potato rice was sweet and delicious. It had nothing to do with cooking skills; it was because the ingredients were very good.
Jiang Xia ate until he was full and still left a little less than half a box of food, after all, it was prepared according to Zhou Chenglei’s appetite.
She stretched, easing her stomach. Growing up poor, and with her family selling vegetables, she never wasted a single grain of rice, but she couldn't eat anymore.
Zhou Chenglei had just finished eating and, seeing her stretch, asked, "Can't eat anymore?"
Jiang Xia nodded, "I'm stuffed."
Zhou Chenglei took the lunchbox from her hand and quickly shoveled the remaining half-eaten food into his mouth.
Jiang Xia: "."
Zhou Zhou then came over with his lunchbox, saying, "Uncle, I can't finish this. Grandma said it's for you."
Zhou Chenglei took the food without saying anything and quickly ate the leftovers from Zhou Zhou.
Jiang Xia's expression became more natural.
After finishing his meal, Zhou Chenglei took the small spoon from Jiang Xia's hand and carried the three lunchboxes to the well to wash them.
After washing the lunchboxes, he told Jiang Xia and Zhou's mother to go back for a nap, as the midday sun was quite strong and he was worried she wouldn't be able to handle it.
Jiang Xia didn't go back; she had a bit of OCD and didn't like to rest until the work was finished.
Zhou's mother took Zhou Zhou back, as Zhou Zhou had to go to school around 1 p.m.
Zhou's father and Zhou Chenglei started working. Zhou Chenglei climbed onto the roof, while Zhou's father mixed cement and sand.
Jiang Xia, wearing a straw hat, did small tasks below, such as passing tiles.
Soon, Zhou's mother, Zhou Chengxin, and Tian Caihua arrived, bringing a cart full of tables and chairs.
Then, Zhou's father, Zhou Chenglei, and Zhou Chengxin all went up to the roof to repair the leaks. Zhou's mother mixed cement and sand below, while Jiang Xia and Tian Caihua, one on a ladder and the other on the ground, passed tiles and cement and sand.
Not long after, Great-Grandma's family arrived to help.
Great-Grandma's six-year-old grandson, Zhou Jie, shouted as soon as he entered, "Big brother, big nephew, little nephew, I'm here!"
(Big brother) Zhou's father: "."
(Big nephew) Zhou Chengxin: "."
(Little nephew) Zhou Chenglei: "."
Great-Grandma's son, Zhou Yongguo, was the same age as Zhou Chenglei, but two generations older, belonging to his grandfather's generation. Therefore, he had to call someone his great-grandfather.
Zhou Chenglei, from a young age, never called him that, only Zhou Yongguo by his name, never "Grandpa."
The two had studied together, skipped classes together, and played very well.
Because Zhou Chenglei didn't call his grandfather, Zhou Yongguo taught his six-year-old son to call Zhou Chenglei "little nephew. "
On the roof, the three Zhou family members pretended not to hear.
Zhou Yongguo climbed the bamboo ladder onto the roof, looking at Zhou Chenglei: "Little grandson, your grandfather's here and you don't even greet him!"
Zhou Chenglei wanted to kick him off!
Zhou Jie skipped and hopped up to Jiang Xia: "Niece-in-law, I'm your uncle!"
Jiang Xia looked at the chubby-faced Zhou Jie: "..."
She patted his head: "Hello, Uncle! Uncle, have you not eaten? Why are you so short and thin? If we take you out, people will think you're my son, not my uncle. You need to eat properly."
Jiang Xia got the better of him verbally, but the boy had a big head and a thin body, looking malnourished.
She had just chatted with her great-grandmother and learned that her great-grandmother's family had only one grandson for three generations, who was weak, sickly, and a picky eater, causing them great worry.
Zhou Jie hated it when people said he was short; he was the shortest child in the whole village. He pouted: "No manners! Humph, I'll grow up someday and be taller than you! Humph!"
Everyone in the yard laughed.
Great-grandmother chuckled: "Then you need to eat properly and not be picky."
Zhou Jie didn't listen; he ran to ask where his mother, Zhou Zhou, and Guangzong Yaozu were.
Hearing they were at their new house, I went to find them.
Many hands make light work; with three more adult men, all skilled workers, the six of us repaired the roof in two hours.
Zhou Yongguo, I don't know where he found it, brought back two large buckets of whitewash and used them to paint over the moldy, blackened, and peeling walls.
It was summer, and August is the hottest time, so it dried quickly; one side was finished, and the other was dry too.
Jiang Xia looked at the newly painted room—clean, bright, and much more comfortable.
Her great-grandmother's three sons helped paint the walls,
while Zhou Chenglei and his two sons went back to move things. By a little after five o'clock, everything was moved over.
However, because there wasn't much stuff, the living room only had two old square tables and eight chairs; nothing else.
Jiang Xia looked at her new home; although the walls were bare, perhaps because there were many people, it didn't feel lonely or cold.
Tian Caihua walked in at this moment, glanced at the newly renovated house, and said with a hint of envy, "This old house is quite comfortable after being renovated. But the renovation shouldn't have cost more than three hundred yuan, right?"
Jiang Xia glanced at Tian Caihua: "If you think this house is better, I can exchange it with you."
Tian Caihua: "."
At this moment, Zhou's mother walked in carrying a red, white, and blue bag and casually asked, "Exchange what with your sister-in-law?"
Tian Caihua immediately said, "Nothing, Jiang Xia was just joking. Mom, is there anything else to move? I'll go move it!" After saying that, she ran out.
Zhou's mother was puzzled but didn't pay attention to her and handed the red, white, and blue bag to Jiang Xia: "These are Lei's clothes, you can put them back in your room."
"Okay." Jiang Xia paused for a moment and then agreed.
Zhou Chenglei had told her when he was cleaning the house today that he was afraid his parents would not agree to the division of the family property. He didn't mention their divorce, only the division of the family property, and asked her not to mention it for the time being.
Jiang Xia had no choice but to take it and carry it into her room.
She thought about it and didn't help him tidy up.
The bed and wardrobe in Jiang Xia's room were new. Zhou's mother had even cut out various sizes of "囍" (double happiness) characters from leftover red paper from their wedding and pasted them on the walls, windows, and doors, making it look like a newlywed's room.
Jiang Xia's dowry included all thirty-six legs, two Phoenix brand bicycles (one for a man and one for a woman), a Huanan brand sewing machine, a Shanghai brand watch, and a Hongxing brand radio.
It was only the early 1980s, and this dowry was already quite impressive, especially in the countryside. Of course, in the city, some people's dowries included televisions instead of tape recorders.
In a few years, washing machines, refrigerators, and televisions would be considered high-end wedding accessories.
Jiang Xia took her clothes out of her red leather suitcase and put them in the wardrobe.
At this moment, Zhou's mother came in carrying a black plastic bucket with a long-handled wooden lid. She said to Jiang Xia, "Xia, take out A Lei's clothes. Give me the bag; I need it to store the quilts."
Jiang Xia had no choice but to open the red, white, and blue bag and take out Zhou Chenglei's clothes as well.
Most of the items were white shirts and military uniforms, along with boxer shorts and vests. Jiang Xia quickly stuffed these undergarments into the wardrobe, as if they were burning her hands.
After taking everything out, Jiang Xia took the bag out and gave it to Zhou's mother, her face still a little red. However, when she saw Zhou's mother place a black bucket behind the door, she asked curiously, "Why is this bucket behind the door?"
Zhou's mother replied, "It's a chamber pot, used at night. The urine can be used to water the vegetables."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Putting a chamber pot in the room, doesn't it smell bad?
Seeing Jiang Xia's surprised expression, Zhou's mother, remembering that Jiang Xia was from the city, asked, "Do you want to put one in the room?"
Jiang Xia quickly shook her head, "No need."
Zhou Chenglei walked in at this moment.
Jiang Xia quickly changed the subject, "Great-Grandma and my older brother helped us with chores all day today. Go buy some seafood, I'll cook two meals to thank them, and also to celebrate our move to our new house." Even
if Jiang Xia hadn't said anything, Zhou Chenglei had the same idea. He came in to tell his mother that he was going to buy seafood so that she could pick some vegetables from the garden.
Jiang Xia's suggestion surprised him a bit.
Zhou's mother was also somewhat surprised that Jiang Xia had thought of such things. As for her mention of preparing two meals, Zhou's mother didn't take it to heart.
She smiled and said, "I'll go pick some vegetables from the garden now. A-Lei, you go buy seafood."
Zhou Chenglei nodded, "I was just about to go buy some."
Then he said to Jiang Xia, "Let my mother cook the meals. Don't get your hands wet."
Jiang Xia nodded, "I know."
Zhou's mother glanced at Jiang Xia after hearing her son's words, then picked up the chamber pot and went out.
Her son was good to her, but she wondered if his sincerity was misplaced.
As for having Jiang Xia cook? Could she even do it? Zhou's mother didn't dare to hope!
She was already grateful that Jiang Xia had helped with the chores today without causing any trouble.
Zhou's mother didn't know that Jiang Xia had helped clean the yard; otherwise, she wouldn't have thought of it this way.
Next, Zhou Chenglei went to buy seafood, Zhou's mother went to pick vegetables, Jiangxia washed the pot and wiped the stove clean, then washed the rice and cooked rice, and Tian Caihua washed the dishes for later use. These dishes had not been used for a long time and were covered in dust.
Great-Grandma brought over a piece of pork belly, weighing over three pounds, along with a few fresh cucumbers. Jiang Xia felt a little embarrassed.
Great-Grandma chuckled and said, "Here you go! Tonight I'll make braised pork for everyone. May your new home be prosperous and thriving!" Since
Great-Grandma had said so, it wouldn't be right to refuse. Jiang Xia accepted with a smile, "Thank you for your kind words, Great-Grandma. I'll make braised pork for you." Great
-Grandma smiled, "My teeth aren't good, so I love braised pork that melts in my mouth."
"I guarantee it'll melt in your mouth!" Jiang Xia laughed.
Great-Grandma went to start the fire with a smile.
Making melt-in-your-mouth braised pork wasn't difficult, but it took time.
Zhou Chengxin went home and brought over a large iron pot. Cooking with two pots at once was quick.
Each family had their own large iron pot when the family divided the property.
Tian Caihua was worried that Jiang Xia couldn't cook, so she said, "I'll cook, you can wash the dishes and vegetables!"
Jiang Xia smiled and said, "It's alright, thank you for your hard work today, sister-in-law. I'll cook, and you can help me."
Tian Caihua didn't insist. It wasn't her family hosting guests, and if
the food wasn't cooked well, it wouldn't be her who was embarrassed. Besides, cooking for so many people would make it hard to eat after inhaling so much oil and smoke.
Just then, Zhou's mother returned with two large baskets of vegetables: green beans, eggplants, cucumbers, loofahs, and bok choy.
Tian Caihua went out to wash the vegetables.
When Zhou's mother saw Jiang Xia cooking, she looked at Tian Caihua and said, "Why did you let her cook? Is it even edible?"
Tian Caihua replied, "She insisted on cooking herself, I didn't want her help."
Tian Caihua felt that her mother-in-law was biased, so she went to wash the vegetables with a dark face. Her great-grandmother's daughter-in-law also helped wash the vegetables, so she didn't want to show her displeasure in front of outsiders.
Zhou's mother quickly went in to help.
Jiang Xia was making cucumber salad; she had just glanced at the vegetables Zhou's mother had brought back and already knew what to make.
She had already soaked the uniformly sized pieces of braised pork belly in lightly salted water. Soaking in salt water softens the meat, making it easier to cook and improving its texture. It also removes the blood and any unpleasant smell.
While the pork belly was soaking, she made a cucumber salad.
Seeing that Jiang Xia had done a good job, getting the salt, sugar, wine, and vinegar right, Zhou's mother was somewhat surprised, but then went out to wash the vegetables with peace of mind.
After the pork belly had soaked and dried, Jiang Xia poured it into a hot iron wok without adding oil and stir-fried it over low heat until the surface turned golden brown.
Jiang Xia skimmed off the excess oil, which she would later use to fry eggplant or stir-fry vegetables.
Then she added ginger, scallions, dried chili peppers, sugar, salt, soy sauce, and other seasonings to the braised pork belly, and continued to stir-fry until the rock sugar was completely melted and the pork belly was colored. She added water and wine, brought it to a boil, and then transferred it directly to a clay pot next to the stove to simmer over low heat.
Jiang Xia washed the large iron wok clean, then deep-fried the eggplant until cooked, and made a braised eggplant with green beans and perilla.
Tian Caihua brought in the washed vegetables and was astonished to see how much oil Jiang Xia used to stir-fry the eggplant! Good
heavens, was she eating eggplant or oil?
Luckily, they had separated; otherwise
, she wouldn't dare let her cook. But it smelled so good!
Just looking at the glistening purple eggplant and green beans made her want to eat.
Zhou Chenglei also returned with seafood: bamboo shrimp, blue crabs, grouper, mudskippers, small red squid, and clams.
Seeing Jiang Xia cooking, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, then his gaze fell on her delicate white hands. Remembering the blisters on her hands, he went over and reached out to take the spatula from her hand. "I'll do it."
His tall figure suddenly approached, and Jiang Xia instinctively turned around, her elbow accidentally bumping into his waist. Because of this turn, Zhou Chenglei's large hand grasped her small hand.
The touch under his hand was soft and boneless, and Zhou Chenglei withdrew his hand, taking a step back.
Jiang Xia also casually went to check the food in the large iron pot.
Great-grandmother chuckled, "Oh, I didn't expect A-Lei to be so good at taking care of his wife. Xia, you should let him do it."
Zhou Chenglei said again, "I'll do it."
This time he didn't reach out.
Jiang Xia didn't look at him, "No need, I can do it. Go wash the white clams for me."
She was worried that there might be sand in the white clams, so they needed to be rinsed in blanching water before being used to make a garlic-steamed loofah.
Zhou Chenglei felt embarrassed to stay any longer and obediently went out to wash the white clams.
Jiang Xia cooked with two iron pots by herself, and she also set up two small stoves.
Because most of the meat was seafood, it was easy to cook, and there were many people helping out. In about two hours, Jiang Xia had prepared ten dishes and a soup.
The men chatting outside had long been tempted by the aroma wafting from the kitchen, their stomachs rumbling.
The Guangzong and Yaozu brothers went to herd cattle and ducks, and returned home at nightfall to eat. The children, drawn by the delicious aroma from the kitchen, gathered at the doorway, praising their aunt's cooking.
Tian Caihua scolded and shooed them away several times, but they refused to leave.
Finally, Jiang Xia smiled and sent them out to help pick some flowers for plating, and they happily ran off.
When the food was served, everyone was stunned by the beautifully presented dishes, a feast for the eyes and the palate.
Jiang Xia, having worked as a kitchen helper in a five-star hotel in her previous life, decorated the braised pork with purple eggplant flowers picked by the Guangzong and Yaozu brothers; she arranged the boiled tiger prawns in circles, placing a small red carrot flower in the center, making it look like a blooming peony; the grouper was sliced into rings and steamed, garnished with scallions and red chili peppers, and the mouth of the fish was decorated with a loofah flower, like a peacock spreading its tail—it was incredibly lifelike and beautiful!
Normally, people just boil food and plate it without much thought, never arranging it neatly or decorating it.
Mr. Zhou said, "Did Xia make this? It's so beautifully presented, I almost don't want to eat it." Mrs. Zhou
smiled, "How do you know Xia made it?" Mr.
Zhou gave her a meaningful look: "What do you think!"
His wife and eldest daughter-in-law only care about cooking something cooked through and not causing diarrhea; why would they make it so fancy?
Mrs. Zhou secretly gave him a kick.
Zhou Chengxin exclaimed in surprise, "Fourth sister-in-law, your skills are truly remarkable! You 've been keeping this a secret!" Great-grandfather exclaimed,
"This is more than just good skill; it's better than anything in a state-run restaurant! "
Great-grandmother chuckled and said, "I've lived most of my life and this is the first time I've ever seen food cooked to perfection. I've really learned something new today." Zhou Yongguo gave Jiang Xia a thumbs up, "Granddaughter-in-law,
your skills are superb!" Then he turned to Zhou Chenglei next to Jiang Xia and said, "Grandson,
you're so lucky!" Zhou Jie mimicked his father, "Little nephew, you're so lucky!"
Zhou Chenglei ignored their banter; his attention was focused on the dishes on the table. He had eaten at state banquets before, and he suspected that with more ingredients, she could easily prepare a state banquet.
But was her cooking really that good? In her
previous life, Jiang Xia lived for 28 years, and after the age of three, she always lacked food and clothing, often going hungry because she was busy working and didn't even have time to eat properly. She only felt relieved after graduating from university and paying off her medical bills. After that, she enjoyed cooking, making sure the food was beautifully presented and presented. She loved plating her meals, arranging each dish beautifully – it was her only pleasure in her spare time.
But the original owner of this body could never cook like that.
Noticing Zhou Chenglei's scrutinizing gaze, Jiang Xia had already prepared an excuse, smiling, "My maternal grandfather's ancestors were imperial chefs in the palace. My grandfather's cooking skills are excellent; I learned from him when I was young. However, he hasn't cooked in a long time, so I don't know how it tastes. Please bear with me."
Everyone immediately praised it, saying, "It looks delicious!"
"It smells so good it makes my mouth water!"
...
Zhou Chenglei knew that Jiang Xia had indeed lived with her maternal grandparents for a period of time when she was little, but that was before she started elementary school, right?
Jiang Xia picked up her wine glass, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Shall we, as husband and wife, toast everyone?"
Zhou Chenglei snapped back to reality.
The words "husband and wife" brushed against Zhou Chenglei's heart like a feather. He looked down at her delicate white hand clutching his sleeve, then at the glass wine glass with the red "囍" (double happiness) character printed on it in her other hand—the one they bought for their wedding.
They were indeed husband and wife, though they were about to divorce.
He lowered his eyes, picked up the "囍" wine glass, and stood up.
Zhou Chenglei raised his glass in a toast, saying, "Thank you all for your help today. Jiang Xia and I would like to drink to you all to express our gratitude."
Jiang Xia stood up as well, adding, "Thank you so much today. Without your help, the house wouldn't have been repaired so quickly. Thank you!"
Good meat and dishes are never complete without good wine, so Zhou Chenglei bought some on the way back. Before dinner, Jiang Xia found wine glasses and poured some for everyone.
She had asked Zhou's mother and the others, as they didn't drink alcohol, except for her great-grandmother who said she'd have a small glass. Jiang Xia then prepared watermelon juice for the adults and children who didn't drink.
The watermelon was brought by Zhou Jie's mother; it was grown by her family, a very large, rock-hard watermelon, so large that it was sandy when cut open, and it had been soaked in well water, making it exceptionally sweet.
Everyone raised their glasses of wine/watermelon juice and stood up to clink glasses, saying, "Congratulations on your new home! May your house be prosperous and your health be excellent!"
Jiang Xia downed her glass in one gulp, not a drop left.
Her drinking posture was skillful, composed, and graceful, a pleasure to watch.
Zhou Chenglei glanced at her.
Even a small sip of strong liquor felt harsh to him, but she, so delicate, downed it in one gulp without batting an eye, as if she had toasted countless times before.
Great-Grandma chuckled and finished her drink, saying, "Xia is a really good girl! Capable in both the living room and the kitchen, she's got great potential. A-Lei, your good fortune is yet to come."
Zhou Chenglei picked up the bottle and poured wine for everyone, remaining silent.
Jiang Xia playfully retorted, "Great-Grandma has the best eye, her insight is sharp! She saw at a glance that I'm a lucky charm for my husband!"
Everyone at the table laughed at Jiang Xia's shamelessness.
Hearing everyone praising Jiang Xia, Tian Caihua looked at the table of glistening, oily dishes and pursed her lips: Whether she's lucky for her husband or not, she's definitely going to be a spendthrift!
Who would use so much oil in their cooking?
The half-jar of oil they received after the family division was almost completely wasted on the first meal.
Even if Zhou Chenglei is capable, he can't afford to support her, can he?
Zhou Yongguo picked up his wine glass and said to Zhou Chenglei, "Ah Lei, you've married a lucky wife, we two must have a toast! Granddaughter-in-law, you too!"
Jiang Xia smiled and agreed. Zhou Chenglei didn't pour her any wine; she reached for the bottle, but he took it away and placed a glass of watermelon juice he'd just poured in front of her: "This wine has a strong aftereffect, drink the watermelon juice."
Zhou Yongguo exclaimed, "Hey, hey, hey, that won't do! Grandpa's toasting, you have to drink the wine! You can't drink the watermelon juice!"
He'd heard the two hadn't even consummated their marriage yet.
His grandson was really having a tough time; twenty-eight years old and still hadn't tasted a woman's touch.
Considering his grandson had always fought for him since he was little, tonight, as his grandfather, he decided to lend him a hand!
Zhou Chenglei glanced at Zhou Yongguo indifferently.
"Grandpa Sun," Zhou Yongguo immediately backed down: "Watermelon juice is good, Xia Xia can just drink watermelon juice!"
He even forgot to call her granddaughter-in-law. Grandpa
instantly turned into grandson!
Jiang Xia had an excellent alcohol tolerance, something she had honed in her previous life. After graduating with her master's degree, she partnered with her senior to start a venture capital firm.
Working in venture capital meant endless socializing, and where there was socializing, there was always drinking. Especially at the dinners she hosted, she had drunk so much that she was hospitalized several times with stomach bleeding, and continued drinking after being discharged.
In her previous life, there was nothing she could do, but now she could do as she pleased. She had already offered a toast, so she picked up the glass of watermelon juice and smiled, "My alcohol tolerance is indeed low, one glass and I'm out, so I'll use watermelon juice instead of alcohol to toast Grandpa."
Zhou Yongguo's spine immediately straightened; he was the grandfather! Why was he backing down?
"Grandson, hurry up, your granddaughter-in-law is about to toast me! Hurry up!"
Zhou Chenglei didn't argue with him and picked up the glass.
The meal was a great success, with everyone enjoying themselves immensely and finishing every last dish.
The four brothers, known for their pride and camaraderie, even mixed the remaining sauce with their rice, leaving no trace of it.
Even the picky eater Zhou Jie ate an extra bowl of rice.
Everyone raved about Jiang Xia's cooking.
Great-Grandma exclaimed, "I've never had such delicious braised pork!"
Zhou Chengxin commented, "Even with just boiled shrimp, Fourth Brother's wife's shrimp is exceptionally sweet and tender."
Unlike his wife, whose shrimp were always bland.
"I just realized that loofah and clams are a perfect match!"
"Even the chefs at state-run restaurants can't cook as well as Lei's wife."
Hearing everyone's praise, Zhou's mother beamed, finding Jiang Xia much more agreeable.
Tian Caihua felt a pang of jealousy. She had worked tirelessly for years after marrying into the Zhou family without receiving a single compliment, yet Jiang Xia's meal had practically showered her with praise.
Using so much oil in the cooking—even a sow could have cooked it!
However, she also admired Jiang Xia's knife skills; they were simply superb! After
dinner
, the men put the tables and chairs back in their place, and the women cleared the dishes.
Jiang Xia was about to wash the dishes when Zhou Chenglei stopped her, saying, "Let my mom and the others wash them."
She had already cooked enough, and using a spatula didn't require much water, but washing dishes was different; her hands needed to be wet.
Zhou Chenglei then said to his mother, "Mom, Jiang Xia cleared the weeds in the yard with a hoe; her hands are blistered. You wash the dishes!"
Zhou's mother was speechless. "
Have a son! Have a son! These boys forget their mothers as soon as they get married!"
But, Jiang Xia had actually cleared the weeds in the yard? This meal had already made Zhou's mother look at Jiang Xia with new respect, and now she felt even more that Jiang Xia was willing to live with her son.
Otherwise, why would she be so enthusiastic about chores?
As long as Jiang Xia was willing to live well with her son, she wasn't the type to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law.
And seeing their relationship developing well made her very happy.
Mother Zhou laughed, "Ah Lei, why didn't you tell me you had blisters on your hands? We can wash the dishes, why don't you sit down?"
Great-Grandma's daughter-in-law, He Xinghuan, laughed, "Xia, don't get your hands wet with blisters. We can wash a few dishes, and you must be tired from cooking so much."
Jiang Xia didn't insist; she disliked washing dishes the most. "Then I'll sweep the floor."
Tian Caihua pursed her lips. What's so great about blisters on your hands? She used to cut her hand badly with a sickle, and she still did everything.
Thinking this, Tian Caihua didn't show it, simply agreeing. After washing the dishes, she wiped the stove clean before carrying her family's large iron pot and earthenware pot away.
After the house was cleaned and everyone had left, Zhou Chenglei carried the last few chairs back to Great-Grandma's house and closed the courtyard gate.
Father Zhou and Zhou Zhou had already washed up and gone to their rooms; they were used to going to bed early.
When Zhou Chenglei saw Jiang Xia carrying a bucket of hot water out of the kitchen, he quickly went over to take it from her.
Jiang Xia said, "I want to wash my hair, just leave it in the yard."
The shower room was too cramped and unlit; who knew if there were snakes? She was hesitant to stay in it for too long.
Taking a shower was unavoidable, so she
had to grit her teeth and do it. Zhou Chenglei frowned: "Can't you wait a few days?"
"I can't stand not washing." Between cleaning and cooking, her hair was covered in dust and the smell of cooking oil; she couldn't stand it.
"Doesn't your hand hurt?"
"Even if my hand hurts, I'll still wash it. I can't stand my dirty hair."
Zhou's mother came out of the shower room at this moment and said, "A-Lei, you can wash Xia's hair."
The two were speechless.
Zhou's mother saw they were both stunned: "What's wrong? Isn't it natural for a man to wash his wife's hair? When I injured my hand before, your father washed mine too."
The more time a couple spends together, the stronger their bond will naturally become. Her son was already twenty-eight years old and didn't even have a child yet.
Zhou Yongguo was the same age as A-Lei, and Zhou Jie was about to start elementary school.
Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia: "Let me help you!"
Jiang Xia blurted out: "No need, you can help me wash my hair, but what about bathing?"
Zhou's mother: "I can help you bathe too. When you're old and can't move, won't you still rely on your husband to help you?"
Zhou Chenglei: "."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Did she get on the wrong bus?
Zhou's mother simply took out a small stool and sat in the yard to dry her hair, staring at them: "Hurry up, Chenglei, what are you standing there for? Aren't you going to help Xia wash her hair?"
The two had no choice but to bite the bullet and get to work.
*
On an August night, cicadas chirped, a gentle breeze blew, and the twinkling stars peeked at the couple on the ground.
Jiang Xia sat on the small stool, her head covered in bubbles.
These were bubbles from Bee & Flower brand shampoo. In the whole village, only Jiang Xia used shampoo to wash her hair. People in the village usually used soapberry, cypress leaves, camellia seeds, and other things to boil water to wash their hair.
Zhou Chenglei stood behind her, his ten fingers gently grasping her scalp, his hands covered in bubbles, a little flustered. It
was Zhou Chenglei's first time washing someone's hair, and he had no experience. Jiang Xia said there wasn't enough lather and asked him to pour more shampoo, so he poured in a little more, and then too much!
It made them both quite embarrassed.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, worried he'd used too much force.
"No, it doesn't hurt, you can rinse now." Jiang Xia used a towel to wipe the water and bubbles that had run down her face, eyes, and neck.
It was even more painful than washing her own hair!
Jiang Xia lowered her head, placing her hair against the enamel basin with the big red flower print, revealing her smooth, white neck, long and graceful.
Zhou Chenglei scooped a spoonful of water from the bucket beside him and slowly poured it onto the back of her head, while running his hands through her hair to rinse away the bubbles.
"If only I could lie down while getting my hair washed, then I wouldn't have to worry about water getting into my eyes," Jiang Xia said, wiping the water from her eyes.
Zhou Chenglei didn't reply, but he thought about going to the market the day after tomorrow to buy a reclining chair.
Tomorrow wasn't an option; they were going out to sea.
His elder brother, probably feeling guilty, let him go to sea first, with his turn coming the next day,
and their father's turn on the last day. Zhou Chenglei was lost in thought when the water that had been cascading down Jiang Xia's silky black hair playfully veered off course, flowing down her slender, fair neck and into her collar.
Zhou Chenglei instinctively reached out to wipe it away, inadvertently catching a glimpse of the firm curves of her breasts beneath the collar of her floral blouse.
Zhou Chenglei's hand holding the water ladle slipped slightly. He quickly grabbed a dry towel from the back of the chair and draped it over her neck, covering her alluring figure.
Suddenly, a large amount of water flowed down her neck. Jiang Xia, unaware of what was happening, hurriedly wiped her neck with the towel: "Too fast, slow down, my clothes are all wet."
"Sorry." His voice was slightly hoarse.
After finally washing Jiang Xia's hair clean, Zhou Chenglei carried two large buckets of hot water into the shower room for her to take a bath.
Fortunately, Zhou's mother had already gone back to her room; otherwise, if she had urged them to bathe together, he wouldn't know how to handle the situation. After
showering, Jiang Xia sat in the yard drying her hair.
The wind tonight was pleasant, carrying a faint scent of the sea.
In the fishing village at night, there was no light pollution, and the stars filled the night sky.
As Jiang Xia combed her hair with a red plastic comb, she wondered what to do next.
She definitely had to take the college entrance exam, not just for the diploma,
but also so that she could legitimately use what she had learned in her past life. However, she couldn't take the exam this year; the time had passed, and she only had a hundred yuan on her, which definitely wouldn't be enough. She had to find a way to earn money to
take the exam next year. She had to take it no later than next year because, according to the book's setting, after next year, married people could no longer take the college entrance exam.
But how could she earn the money?
Zhou Chenglei came out after showering and saw Jiang Xia staring blankly at the night sky, seemingly lost in thought. He said, "It's windy in the yard, and there are a lot of mosquitoes. Go to bed early if your hair is dry, don't catch a cold."
Jiang Xia snapped out of her reverie and glanced at the two people's clothes in the basin. Her face felt inexplicably hot, and she quickly replied, "Okay, then I'll go back to my room first."
He had taken the clothes from her basin as soon as she finished showering.
She said she would wash them herself, since they were getting a divorce.
He gave her a cold look: "You said you don't know how to wash? I've always washed them for you, it won't make a difference if you do it a few more days."
What could Jiang Xia say?
Zhou Chenglei waited for Jiang Xia to return to her room and then began washing the clothes they had changed out of.
In the room, Jiang Xia's hair was already dry.
Lying on the bed, she looked at the old-fashioned white mosquito net, listening to the sound of clothes being washed outside, wondering: Would Zhou Chenglei come back to sleep in the room after he finished washing the clothes?
Probably not! They had both agreed to divorce, and Zhou Chenglei hadn't slept in the same room with her last night. Now that he'd moved in tonight, he had his own room, so he should have one by himself.
Not long after, she heard a door close in the living room, followed by the sound of a door closing in the next room.
Jiang Xia heard it, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
Outside, cicadas chirped, and she could vaguely hear the sound of waves. The room was quiet, perfect for sleeping.
Exhausted from the day, Jiang Xia quickly felt sleepy.
In her drowsy state, she heard a faint creaking sound from the roof tiles, like something crawling across them.
Jiang Xia froze!
She opened her eyes wide. In the darkness, she couldn't see anything, but she suddenly remembered the two snakes in the room during the day. She
remembered what her great-grandmother had said about a nest of snake eggs hatching into a brood of snake babies.
Jiang Xia: "..."
Why did she have to think of these things?
No, she must have misheard.
She pulled the covers over her head.
Just then, another strange noise came from the roof tiles.
It was so quiet in the room that it was all too clear!
"Zhou Chenglei!"
The scream almost ripped the roof tiles off!
Jiang Xia threw off the covers, pulled back the mosquito net, got out of bed, and ran out like a gust of wind.
In the next room, Zhou Chenglei had just taken off his shirt and was about to go to sleep when he heard the scream. He ran out without even putting his clothes back on.
Then a dark shadow pounced on him, clinging to him like a sloth.
"A snake! There's a snake on the roof!"
Zhou's parents were both startled awake. Only Zhou Zhou, being a child, was sleeping soundly, even snoring.
The two of them quickly got out of bed and went to check.
Zhou's mother opened the door, then quickly closed it again.
"What's wrong with her now?" Zhou's father followed behind her, clearly annoyed at being woken up. This wasn't the first time she'd made a scene in the middle of the night.
Zhou's mother nudged her husband to bed, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing, Lei's here! Xia'er was probably scared by the snake during the day and had a nightmare."
Zhou's mother had also heard from her great-grandmother about the snake in the house during the day.
Zhou's father dismissed the concern. It was just a snake; they saw them every few days in the summer, and Lei could catch snakes. What was there to be afraid of?
People from the provincial capital were just making a fuss over nothing.
The two lay back down on the bed and went back to sleep.
*
In another room, Zhou Chenglei held Jiang Xia, turned on the light, and shone a flashlight around.
She was clinging to him too tightly and refused to get down.
Zhou Chenglei held Jiang Xia in his right arm and held the flashlight in his left, checking everything thoroughly.
Even though he knew it couldn't be a snake, but probably a rat, he still checked meticulously.
“Look, there’s no snake. It must be a rat crawling across the roof. Rats usually don’t bite.” After injuring his right ear, he was almost deaf, only able to hear with one ear, so his hearing wasn’t as sharp. That’s why he hadn’t heard it earlier, but he could guess.
Jiang Xia looked around in his arms, following the beam of the flashlight. There was nothing there, but she was still scared!
He probably couldn’t understand, but she was just afraid of snakes, terrified of snakes.
“I’m afraid to sleep alone.”
Zhou Chenglei: “…”
*
The floor had been washed today and wasn’t completely dry, so they couldn’t sleep on the floor. In the end, Zhou Chenglei carried her back to the next room to get his pillow, thin blanket, and the clothes he had just taken off.
He was used to sleeping shirtless, but he couldn’t sleep shirtless with her.
Jiang Xia lay on the inside of the bed, watching him put on a long-sleeved shirt, buttoning it all the way up, his muscles faintly visible beneath the shirt…
Zhou Chenglei turned off the light, sat on the bed, tucked in the mosquito net, and lay down.
“Sleep!” The man’s voice was deep and a little hoarse.
A thin blanket separated them.
Jiang Xia closed her eyes, feeling at ease.
It was mid-August, no fan, no air conditioning. The person beside her exuded a scorching heat that was impossible to ignore. Jiang Xia felt a little hot and her mouth was dry.
"Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger," she thought. In her past life, she'd been around that age too…
What was she thinking? Startled by her own thoughts, Jiang Xia turned over, facing the wall, gently kicking off the blanket and hugging it, trying to clear her mind of all the lewd thoughts. Listening to the cicadas and the sound of the waves, she forced herself to think of nothing and sleep.
Zhou Chenglei was also hot; he was covered with a thin blanket.
The bed was 1.5 meters wide, and the two of them were a little close together, so the blanket made them feel safer.
Sensing Jiang Xia kick off the blanket, he asked, "Are you hot?"
Jiang Xia stiffened and replied, "Yes, hot."
In August, it was normal to be hot.
Zhou Chenglei threw back the covers, got out of bed, grabbed a large palm-leaf fan, and lay back down, gently fanning the two of them.
The breeze from the fan came in gentle, soft, and cool gusts, just right, neither too hot nor too cold.
Perhaps it was the comfortable breeze, or perhaps it was the calm and reassuring aura of the person beside him, but Jiang Xia's breathing quickly became shallow.
Zhou Chenglei felt the person beside him had fallen asleep, but he couldn't sleep himself. He wanted to fetch two buckets of well water to take a cool shower; it was too hot.
But as soon as he moved, the person beside him turned over, draping their arms and legs over him.
Zhou Chenglei: "..."
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Zhou Chenglei finally drifted off to sleep. He felt like he hadn't slept long when he heard his parents talking softly outside.
Zhou Chenglei opened his eyes: We're going out to sea!