Shen Qingjun didn’t find Aunt Su around and, realizing she had already left, said in surprise, “Aunt Su helped with so much work, and I wanted to invite her for lunch—how did she just leave?”
“There will be plenty of opportunities later.” Zhou Zhanyang set down the lunchbox in his hand. “Let’s eat.”
Shen Qingjun nodded, washed her hands, and plopped onto a stool. Resting her chin on her elbows, she watched Zhou Zhanyang arrange the utensils and lunchbox. “Are you done with your work?”
Zhou Zhanyang nodded. “The leaders asked me to report on the last mission and, while I was at it, to request marriage leave.”
“How about we have our wedding this Sunday?” Zhou Zhanyang asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“Sure.” Shen Qingjun picked up a forkful of shredded potatoes. “But there are only six days left—is that enough time?”
Seeing her agreement, Zhou Zhanyang’s eyes lit up with joy. “Plenty of time! Even if we hold it tomorrow, it would still work.”
“Let’s not rush to tomorrow…”
Shen Qingjun stopped eating when she was about eighty percent full. Zhou Zhanyang, as usual, cleared the remaining food. Watching him eat with such gusto, Shen Qingjun once again marveled at the variations in human appetites.
After lunch, Zhou Zhanyang told Shen Qingjun to go take a nap while he continued tidying up—cleaning the floor, putting away clutter, repairing the table and chairs that had been kicked about… By the time Shen Qingjun woke up, the room was restored to its original state.
Zhou Zhanyang came in from outside, shirtless, with a military-green towel draped around his neck. He occasionally pinched a corner of it to wipe sweat from his forehead and neck, revealing the contours of a well-defined, toned abdomen.
Seeing Shen Qingjun, his ears flushed red. He quickly turned and ran to the yard, putting on a vest from the drying line in a few quick movements.
Shen Qingjun felt a twinge of regret, her gaze lingering on the man’s abdomen—she had caught a glimpse of the eight-pack.
Zhou Zhanyang’s face and neck burned bright red. Clearing his throat, he said, “We’ll go to my grandfather’s for dinner tonight. I’ll bring you back after we eat.”
Shen Qingjun stepped closer, deliberately close to his ear, and whispered, “Comrade soldier, will you still be responsible for this lady’s safety tonight?”
Zhou Zhanyang’s mind went blank; his cheeks turned red, and his gaze shifted. “T-That will have to wait until after we’re married.”
“What are you thinking? I sleep on the bed and you on the sofa, dummy.” Shen Qingjun covered her mouth and giggled, lightly tapping his brow from a distance.
Zhou Zhanyang swallowed hard, grabbed her small hand, leaned in, and silenced the rest of her teasing.
By the afternoon, they arrived at the west area of the courtyard.
After getting out of the car, Shen Qingjun walked ahead, while Zhou Zhanyang carried two cloth bags filled with fruits, wine, and nutritional supplements.
As they approached the small villa, they heard a girl’s voice from inside.
Opening the door, they saw Zhou Liye sitting on a single sofa, next to him an elderly person on a similar sofa, and a girl about twenty years old.
The girl had delicate makeup, curled hair, and wore a light-colored dress—clearly fashionable and well-groomed. When she turned to face them, Shen Qingjun immediately recognized her as the same girl who had given her a strange glare at the department store.
“Zhong Yang, Qingjun, you’re here. This is Director Xu, and beside him is his granddaughter, Xu Jianyi,” Zhou Liye smiled, introducing them.
“I’m Shen Qingjun, Zhou Zhanyang’s fiancée,” Shen Qingjun said, only to feel Xu Jianyi glare at her again.
This girl must have a problem with her eyes, Shen Qingjun thought. She always seemed to glare at people.
Without another word, Shen Qingjun sat on the other sofa, and Zhou Zhanyang followed, picking up fruit from the table and feeding it to her.
“Have some fruit to fill your stomach before dinner,” he said.
Shen Qingjun took a bite, found it unappetizing, and pushed his hand away. “Not good.”
Zhou Zhanyang didn’t mind; he ate the pear she rejected in a few bites. Xu Jianyi, watching, widened her eyes in disbelief.
Zhou Zhanyang, the childhood bully of the compound, how could he eat someone else’s leftovers!
Xu Jianyi had wanted to wait and observe, but now she could no longer sit still. She spoke up, “Zhanyang, don’t you remember me? We played together all the time as kids and were very close.”
Director Xu laughed along. “Yes, back then I joked with Old Zhou that when Jianyi grew up, she could be Zhanyang’s wife. In a blink, the kids are all grown, and Jianyi still doesn’t have anyone…”
Xu Jianyi blushed and coquettishly called out, “Grandpa.”
Director Xu laughed heartily, his face full of affection. But when he looked at Zhou Zhanyang, his expression darkened, especially seeing Shen Qingjun beside him—his brows could crush a fly.
“Zhanyang, you should just play outside. Don’t bring random people home.”
Shen Qingjun couldn’t help but snicker twice.
Director Xu frowned, displeased. “Young lady, what do you mean by that? Showing such an attitude to your elders? Do you even know what etiquette or politeness is?”
Shen Qingjun felt her anger rise like a blaze.
This old man, full of pretensions yet shameless in his behavior, not only tried to steal a girl’s attention but also had a foul mouth. Today, she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.
Just as Shen Qingjun was about to speak, she felt Zhou Zhanyang grasp her hand tightly and shake his head. Shen Qingjun glared—why was he lecturing her on respecting elders? Look at the old man—did he even deserve it?
Seeing her about to combust with anger, Zhou Zhanyang whispered, “Wife, leave it to me. I’ll show him why today’s flower is so red.”
Hearing this, Shen Qingjun shot him a look and let him handle it.
Win, move on. Lose, well… humph.
Zhou Zhanyang smiled appeasingly. If not for the timing, he would have pounded his chest and sworn to guarantee her satisfaction.
He put on a serious face, staring at Director Xu, projecting his presence like a tidal wave.
“Director Xu, my fiancée reserves her courtesy for reasonable people. You clearly aren’t one. Respect is mutual. When you demand politeness from others, first examine your own actions!”
Director Xu’s face darkened, and his hands gripping the sofa creaked loudly.
“Also, Shen Qingjun is my fiancée—none of your business. What right do you have to dictate terms? I called you ‘grandfather’ only because of your relationship with my grandfather. Without that, who are you?”
“And Xu Jianyi, huh? Many kids in the compound followed me around as a child. Your Xu Jianyi is not special enough for me to marry! Take a good look at your own audacity!”
“I’ve said all I needed to. I hope that in the future, when you see my fiancée, you show some respect. Of course, I will respect you as well.”
Zhou Zhanyang’s words came out like a machine gun, rapid and relentless. Director Xu’s face changed from blue to red to purple, chest heaving in anger. Xu Jianyi hurriedly tried to calm her grandfather.
Director Xu pointed a trembling finger at Zhou Zhanyang but glanced at Zhou Liye.
“Old Zhou, aren’t you going to control this devil? Everything I said was for his own good, but he’s like a madman trying to take a piece of me. Heartless!”
“Grandpa, calm down. Zhanyang isn’t doing it on purpose,” Xu Jianyi said softly.
“No! Today, Old Zhou, you must give me an answer. Is my granddaughter’s engagement to Zhou Zhanyang valid or not?”
Director Xu refused to let it go; he had come all this way today specifically for this matter and would not leave without resolving it.