When the still-slacking Huo Zheng heard this, he immediately straightened his back and followed the direction Zhao Yingjun pointed.
At a glance, he saw Su Qian’an walking gracefully toward them, carrying little Huo Jibei in her arms without any sign of being bothered by the heat or fatigue.
Su Qian’an also saw Huo Zheng and quickened her steps toward him with the child in her arms.
“Huo Zheng, so you’re here!” She wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her flushed face looked soft and bright under the sun, like a blooming flower just about to open—beautiful beyond measure.
She was wearing a cyan dress that revealed a slender ankle. When Huo Zheng noticed the men around them glancing at her, his brows lowered and his eyes turned cold as he swept a warning look over them.
The men quickly lowered their heads and pretended to be busy.
Huo Zheng withdrew his gaze, frowning. “What are you doing here?” And dressed so conspicuously too. There were all kinds of people in the countryside—didn’t she worry about something happening?
Of course, he didn’t say the rest out loud.
Su Qian’an answered softly and a little playfully, “I was bored at home, so I came out for a walk.”
When she spoke like that, her voice sounded almost like she was acting spoiled.
Zhao Yingjun, standing nearby, was stunned by how she treated Huo Zheng.
He had already been shocked enough by their sudden marriage—he didn’t expect there was even more surprising stuff to come.
Su Qian’an smiled politely at him, making Zhao Yingjun feel flattered and a bit overwhelmed.
Married to Brother Zheng… how did she suddenly seem like a completely different person? It was like she had become someone else entirely.
Seeing her flushed face from the sun, Huo Zheng took off the straw hat on his own head and placed it on hers.
“You know the sun is strong and told me to wear a hat, but you don’t wear one yourself?”
His tone sounded blunt, but it was clearly concern.
Su Qian’an adjusted the hat and muttered, “I came out when it wasn’t sunny yet…”
In her arms, little Huo Jibei twisted around and reached for the dangling strap of the hat. Only then did she remember the child was also exposed to the sun, so she quickly tried to remove the hat and put it on him instead.
But Huo Zheng was faster. He stopped her and made her keep wearing it, then glanced at Zhao Yingjun.
Zhao Yingjun immediately understood and took off his own hat, placing it on little Huo Jibei.
“Sister-in-law, I’ll let my nephew wear mine.”
Su Qian’an felt a bit embarrassed. “Is that okay?”
The sun was still strong today. Even though the corn stalks gave some shade, it was still hot.
Zhao Yingjun waved it off. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? This is my gift to my dear nephew.”
Su Qian’an: “???”
Gift?
Did she hear that right?
Huo Zheng: “……”
A moment of silence fell.
Zhao Yingjun also realized he had said something wrong and quickly slapped his mouth.
“No, no, I meant—I feel sorry for my nephew!”
“My nephew is so fair and cute. We can’t let him get tanned like charcoal.”
Little Huo Jibei, as if agreeing, let out a couple of cheerful babbles.
At that moment, the brigade leader came over and saw the scene, immediately snapping in anger.
“Huo Zheng! Zhao Yingjun! You two are slacking off again!”
“If this field isn’t finished today, you won’t get a single work point!”
Neither Huo Zheng nor Zhao Yingjun cared much about work points. After all, they didn’t rely on them to live.
But Su Qian’an was different. She had insisted on them working precisely to earn points and live properly.
Hearing this, she quickly urged Huo Zheng to get back to work.
Huo Zheng said nothing, picked up his sickle, and began cutting corn stalks. His arm muscles tightened with each swing, veins bulging under sun-kissed skin—strikingly powerful.
In no time, a large patch of corn was cut down.
The brigade leader nodded in satisfaction.
After sitting for a short while, Su Qian’an saw the sun getting stronger and decided to take the child home.
Seeing this, Huo Zheng also estimated the time and followed her out of the field.
Zhao Yingjun tagged along as well.
“Where are you going?” Su Qian’an asked.
“Home to cook,” Huo Zheng replied, reaching for the child.
But little Huo Jibei shook his head, pushing his hand away and tightly grabbing Su Qian’an’s clothes instead.
Zhao Yingjun grinned. “Sister-in-law, I’m coming over for lunch today. Hope you don’t mind. I’ve never even eaten Brother Zheng’s cooking before.”
Huo Zheng shot him a sideways glance but said nothing.
“I don’t mind,” Su Qian’an replied.
“Don’t mind, don’t mind!”
Huo Zheng forcibly took the child from her arms. The little one immediately became restless, twisting and struggling with obvious displeasure.
Looking closely, he even seemed a little嫌弃 (slightly disgusted).
“Or I’ll carry him?” Su Qian’an suggested.
“No need. Walk your own way,” Huo Zheng replied.
This little brat was surprisingly heavy and strong. He glanced at Su Qian’an’s thin arms and legs, wondering how she even managed to carry him earlier.
Behind them, Zhao Yingjun clicked his tongue repeatedly.
Brother Zheng was really done for.
On the fields, people watched the couple walking together and shook their heads in regret.
What a fresh flower… wasted on a lump of cow dung like Huo Zheng.
“Who even started that rumor that Su Qian’an was hopelessly in love with Educated Youth Meng?”
“Exactly. Said she would even die to follow him back to the city.”
“That was definitely fake. No one actually saw it.”
At another corner, gossip continued to spread as people leaned in closer…
……
Back at home, Su Qian’an went into the room to feed the child.
Meanwhile, Huo Zheng entered the kitchen to prepare lunch, and even Zhao Yingjun was dragged in to help.
Zhao Yingjun thought he had come here as a guest—how did he end up working instead?
But thinking about eating Huo Zheng’s cooking made him willingly stay.
Seeing how skilled Huo Zheng looked, he teased, “Brother Zheng, don’t tell me you’ve been coming home early these past few days just to cook for sister-in-law.”