The next day was Sunday. After Xu Zhouzhou finished breakfast, she was in the middle of grading homework when the principal arrived. He said the Education Bureau required every school to organize activities for Children’s Day and asked if she could go into town to buy some decorations for the event.
“We country folk have never really held any Children’s Day celebrations, and no one really understands how to go about it. Teacher Xu, you’re from the city and you have good taste, so please help us buy some things.”
It wasn’t a difficult task, so Xu Zhouzhou nodded. “No problem, Principal. I’ll go in a little while.”
To get to town, she had to walk to the intersection south of the village to catch the bus.
Carrying her bag, Xu Zhouzhou passed through the village. Under the trees lining the street, several women were gathered together, stitching shoe soles.
Seeing this lineup, Xu Zhouzhou felt a bit timid. She intended to smile and greet them, but instead, she saw the women rolling their eyes and wrinkling their noses at her.
Tch. Xu Zhouzhou abandoned the idea of greeting them. As if anyone cares to talk to you lot anyway. She rolled her eyes right back, held her head high, and walked straight past them.
“Oh my, Sister-in-law Li, that educated youth just rolled her eyes at you.”
“Hmph, look at her virtue. Look at the way her butt twists; her hip sockets are about to swing right out of joint.”
“Exactly. Just look at those eyes of hers. My heart trembles just looking at them, let alone a man’s.”
“Hey, don’t talk nonsense. Didn’t she say she’s dating that Comrade Gu? We can’t afford to mess with that man.”
“You just listen to her spout nonsense. Ding Lan said her brother is a politically impeccable officer; he doesn’t date just anyone casually. That educated youth is just shamelessly sticking to him like a plaster; he doesn’t even like her.”
“I heard Zhao Ying has taken a liking to Comrade Gu, too. Her mother is planning to find a matchmaker to go over and test the waters.”
“Oh my, listen to that. The village head’s daughter has a clean family background and good status. Isn’t she a hundred times better than a vixen?”
“Exactly…”
The women’s gossiping voices drifted into Xu Zhouzhou’s ears.
Ding Lan must be afraid her brother will get entangled, so she’s dispelling rumors for him in the village, Xu Zhouzhou thought to herself with a bitter smile. That Zhao Ying failed with one scheme, so she definitely has a backup plan.
Thinking of how she had thrown herself at him last night, and the desire Gu Beizheng had forcibly suppressed, Xu Zhouzhou sighed in frustration. That man must be apprehensive about something—perhaps the village gossip, or her own unpresentable class status, or maybe just his own inner moral baseline.
Although she was very ambitious, she was actually a novice when it comes to romance. She got nervous too. Perhaps her dry, clumsy seduction just wasn’t enough to move him.
When she reached the village entrance to wait for the bus, she turned her head and saw Lu Shijie walking over with a few hooligans. When he saw Xu Zhouzhou, a sloppy, lecherous look appeared on his face.
“Yo? Isn’t this Brother Jie’s dream lover?” a young punk jeered.
Lu Shijie, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, looked at Xu Zhouzhou lecherously and replied to the punk, “I have plenty of dream lovers; the likes of her don’t even make the list.”
As he spoke, he sidled up to Xu Zhouzhou. “Xu Zhouzhou, I heard you hooked up with that soldier? You really are cheap, hooking up with whoever you see.”
Xu Zhouzhou didn’t even want to look at him. She said coldly, “Lu Shijie, it seems I stabbed you too lightly with those scissors. I should have just slit your throat or cut out your tongue to stop that mouth of yours from spraying manure everywhere.”
Lu Shijie recalled Xu Zhouzhou’s ruthless appearance that night, and his shoulder throbbed in phantom pain. “Xu Zhouzhou, what are you acting so tough for? Do you think just because you climbed onto a soldier, I can’t do anything to you?
“With that sluttish look of yours, that soldier is just playing around with you. He’ll leave sooner or later, and you’ll fall into my hands sooner or later. When that time comes, I’ll make you get a good taste of me.”
Lu Shijie whispered threats in her ear.
Xu Zhouzhou felt a wave of nausea. She took a step away. “Lu Shijie, don’t be too arrogant. At worst, it’s a life for a life. The Public Security Bureau hauls me away, and the crematorium hauls you away. Try me if you don’t believe it.”
Xu Zhouzhou’s voice was sinister and cold, causing Lu Shijie’s heart to tighten abruptly. This b*tch is vicious.
“Whoa, this b*tch is spicy. Brother Jie, you’re not chickening out, are you?” a man next to him shouted, looking at Lu Shijie provocatively.
“Pah! Me, afraid of her?” Lu Shijie spat out his cigarette butt and spoke fiercely.
Just then, the bus arrived. Xu Zhouzhou was at the back of the line, about to board, when Lu Shijie suddenly grabbed her arm.
Xu Zhouzhou turned her hand over and slapped Lu Shijie across the face. “Let go, you hooligan!”
Lu Shijie was a bit dazed after taking the slap. Previously, this damn girl would at most just glare at him. Why had she changed so much lately? She dared to pull a knife on him, and now she dared to slap him?
A shout of “hooligan” drew the attention of the passengers and the driver. “What’s going on? Why are you harassing a female comrade?”
“This is my partner; we’re having a lovers’ spat. What’s it to you?” Lu Shijie shouted back at the bus.
Hearing it was a domestic matter, the others didn’t feel it was their place to say anything.
The driver then called out, “So are you getting on or not?”
“Getting on.” Xu Zhouzhou’s arm was gripped tightly by Lu Shijie, and she couldn’t pull it free. Standing at the bus door, she grabbed the doorframe, turned around, and kicked Lu Shijie hard in the stomach.
Lu Shijie yelped and squatted down on the ground. Xu Zhouzhou spat at him and went straight onto the bus.
Crawling up from the ground and hearing the mocking laughter of those around him, Lu Shijie was furious. He wanted to get on the bus and drag Xu Zhouzhou off. Just as his foot stepped onto the bus door, someone pinched the back of his neck.
“Ow, ow!” He cried out twice and turned his head to meet a stern, cold face. His heart jumped. “C-Comrade Gu?”
Gu Beizheng pinched the back of Lu Shijie’s neck, dragged him off the bus, and threw him aside. He said in a cold, deep voice, “Scram.”
Lu Shijie nodded fearfully. “Leaving, leaving right now.”
Xu Zhouzhou was delicate and weak; at most, she could give him a slap. But this man really beat people up. Those kicks to the chest he’d received before—his chest was still bruised even now.
Gu Beizheng boarded the bus and scanned the interior. Seeing an empty seat next to Xu Zhouzhou, he walked over.
He stopped beside her. Xu Zhouzhou lifted her eyelids to glance at him, saw there were indeed no other seats around, lowered her eyes, and turned her body sideways to let him pass to the inside seat.
“You sit inside,” Gu Beizheng said in a deep voice.
Why should I? Xu Zhouzhou kept a sullen face and rolled her eyes at him. Suddenly, the bus stopped again, the door opened, and a crowd of shirtless men swarmed on.
The aisle was packed full. Sitting on the outside seat might not be a good idea. Xu Zhouzhou, realizing the situation, pragmatically moved to the inside seat.
Gu Beizheng sat down beside her. Xu Zhouzhou turned her head to look out the window. After what happened last night, it was somewhat awkward now. His unmoved attitude had also bruised her self-esteem a little, and she was unhappy.
Gu Beizheng glanced at her and said in a low voice, “Try not to have direct conflicts with those people in the future.”
Slapping Lu Shijie just now was certainly satisfying, but if he hadn’t come, would that guy have let her go?
Her moves were fine for a fight between women, but against a man with a huge strength advantage, they were useless. Why didn’t this woman understand how to hide her sharp edges?
If she hadn’t caught a glimpse of him rushing over when she turned around, she wouldn’t have dared to be so arrogant. Xu Zhouzhou pursed her lips and whispered, “None of your business.”
Gu Beizheng: “…Why don’t you know what’s good for you?”
“Who doesn’t know what’s good for them? Didn’t you refuse to help me? Why pretend to be kind now?” Xu Zhouzhou felt like she was acting like a total “green tea bitch” right now.
“I… is that the same thing?” Gu Beizheng gave her a disgruntled side-eye. Why is this woman so disobedient?
“Gu Beizheng, I begged you like that last night, and you didn’t care. Today I didn’t ask you to care, yet you intervened. Is there something wrong with your brain?” Xu Zhouzhou said in a low voice, shooting him a sideways glance.
Seeing him slightly stunned, followed by the tips of his ears slowly turning red, Xu Zhouzhou smiled with satisfaction in her heart.
Gu Beizheng’s ears were burning not only because he remembered that close-contact kiss last night, but also because he had that “white-fleshed” dream again last night, making him feel agitated and restless.
Looking at the woman’s plain, clean face, Gu Beizheng swallowed down his dry throat and asked somewhat sullenly, “Xu Zhouzhou, if it were another man, would you have begged him for help like that too?”
Xu Zhouzhou turned her head sharply, frowning at him in anger. “Of course not.” She admitted her initiative with him seemed a bit shallow, but how could he really think of her as a loose woman?
Hearing her say “no,” Gu Beizheng actually felt a trace of secret joy bubble up in his heart.
Fuck.
Xu Zhouzhou saw him remain silent and thought she had guessed his opinion of her correctly. She felt even angrier and stood up.
“Move.”
“What are you doing?” Gu Beizheng looked up to see an indignant little face. “Getting off?”
Xu Zhouzhou looked at his nonchalant expression and said grumpily, “I’m changing seats.”
As she spoke, she tried to squeeze through the gap in front of Gu Beizheng. As luck would have it, the driver slammed on the brakes, and Xu Zhouzhou lost her balance, sitting right onto Gu Beizheng’s lap.