Zhou Ye couldn’t help but want more. His toes curled up, his entire body trembling with overwhelming pleasure.
His feet stretched taut.
His teeth bit tightly into his lip as a single embrace made Su Xiaoqi fall onto the bed.
His entire weight pressed down over her.
From outside, an unrestrained voice suddenly came through.
“What time is it and you’re still using kerosene lamps? All of you just know how to leech off others. I really raised a bunch of ungrateful wolves!”
Yang Huaihua had gotten up at night to use the bathroom and saw that Su Xiaoqi and Zhou Ye’s room was still lit.
She immediately began scolding them, furious.
Zhou Ye clenched his fists.
All his restrained emotions instantly turned into anger. He leaned close to Su Xiaoqi’s ear and whispered, trembling slightly,
“Xiaoqi… I’m sorry.”
Su Xiaoqi bit her lip and glared at him pitifully.
“Let’s wait until we go to the army together. Your mother is too scary.”
Zhou Ye kissed her forehead, then got up and put on his undershirt.
His usually gentle features were now filled with suppressed fury, as if he needed to vent his anger.
He walked to the window and opened it.
Yang Huaihua was still cursing outside when Zhou Ye suddenly threw the kerosene lamp out the window.
It crashed to the ground.
A burst of sparks exploded.
Yang Huaihua was startled. She had always scolded Zhou Ye like this before—he would just endure it and let it pass.
But this time was different.
He had snapped.
She froze in place as the lamp flickered on the ground and then went out.
“Zhou Ye, you—”
His cold voice came from inside.
“If you keep yelling, none of you will sleep tonight.”
“You unfilial thing!”
Zhou Ye opened the door and kicked the doors of the Xu family one by one—first Xu Yong’an’s room, then Xu Meizhen’s, then Xu Youtian and Yang Huaihua’s.
“Get up. All of you.”
It was the first time Zhou Ye had ever lost his temper like this.
Even Yang Huaihua didn’t dare to shout back.
Xu Youtian stayed in his room silently, lighting a lamp and smoking his pipe.
Xu Yong’an, frightened awake, came out in a daze.
“What’s going on?”
Zhou Ye stood there like an ice sculpture.
No one dared speak.
Su Xiaoqi came out of the room and tugged at Zhou Ye’s arm.
“Let’s go back to sleep.”
“Aren’t you the one who likes to curse? Go on, curse.” Zhou Ye’s cold gaze swept across Yang Huaihua.
“Everyone will stay up tonight and listen to you curse.”
He let go of Su Xiaoqi’s hand and kicked the other doors again.
“No one is allowed to sleep.”
Xu Yong’an knew his mother’s midnight cursing habit had flared up again.
But tonight was different.
“Mom, I’m getting married the day after tomorrow. Can we have two quiet days?”
Zhou Ye turned back coldly.
“No.”
“Don’t come back in yet!” Xu Youtian slammed his pipe on the table.
Yang Huaihua gritted her teeth and went inside.
She muttered under her breath,
“Ever since that jinx entered the house, my life has become like I’m the one being bullied…”
She had finally risen from years of being oppressed by her mother-in-law.
Now, just as she had gained power over her sons, Su Xiaoqi had come in and turned everything upside down.
Zhou Ye kicked the door again.
“Mom, who are you calling a jinx?”
Yang Huaihua clutched her chest, terrified.
“I didn’t say anyone!”
“I heard you.” Zhou Ye’s senses were extremely sharp.
“Apologize to Xiaoqi.”
Inside, Xu Youtian slammed his pipe.
“Zhou Ye, give your uncle some face and go back to sleep.”
Zhou Ye’s voice was cold.
“Uncle, you don’t have face here.”
Su Xiaoqi felt a sudden rush of satisfaction.
She grabbed an axe and handed it to Zhou Ye in front of everyone.
“Are you stupid? Using your feet is slower than an axe for breaking doors.”
Xu Yong’an panicked.
“Mom! Just apologize!”
Xu Yongguo was so frightened he nearly wet himself.
“She’s really switching to an axe!”
Yang Huaihua finally gave in.
“Su Xiaoqi… I’m sorry. That was just my habit. I wasn’t targeting you.”
“I don’t accept your apology.”
“If it’s a habit, then keep using it on Xu Meizhen.”
“I think she’s the real jinx.”
With that, she pulled Zhou Ye back into the room.
That night, the Xu family did not sleep at all.
Su Xiaoqi pushed Zhou Ye onto the bed.
She touched his legs.
“Your feet hurt? Does it hurt?”
“No.”
She didn’t believe him.
She had kicked people before—she knew exactly how painful it could be.
“Alright, sleep.”
She smiled.
This was the kind of life worth living—slowly falling in love after marriage.
Zhou Ye took off his clothes, leaving only shorts, and slipped under the blanket.
He placed one arm under his head.
Su Xiaoqi pointed at it.
“Move it.”
“To let you use it as a pillow.”
Her eyes widened.
“You’re trying to take your anger out on me now?”
Zhou Ye quickly pulled his arm back and turned over.
Just as he closed his eyes, a soft warmth pressed against his back.
“A’Ye, don’t you dare be fierce with me.”
Zhou Ye smiled slightly.
His hand rested on her waist.
“I’m henpecked. I don’t dare.”
She yawned and draped herself over him completely.
The next morning, Yang Huaihua got up early but didn’t dare say anything.
In the kitchen, she saw a cleaned fish and planned to hide it.
But Zhou Zheng stood at the door holding a shovel.
“Mom. That fish was caught by my big brother.”
Then he left for work.
The Xu family gradually went out.
Everyone was exhausted, but strangely happy—they would have fish for lunch.
When Su Xiaoqi woke up, Zhou Ye was already gone.
She wore a light yellow blouse and a black ankle-length skirt.
A yellow ribbon tied into her braid hung over her chest.
Her outfit stunned Xu Meizhen.
The jealousy in her eyes was obvious.
“Su Xiaoqi, who are you dressing up for?”
“For you, the sour lemon.”
“You’re so jealous you’re practically bubbling, aren’t you?”
Xu Meizhen frowned.
“You’re a married woman. You shouldn’t be wearing such nice clothes.”
“Do you have more?”
“I do.”
“Lend me one. My third brother is getting married tomorrow. I need to dress nicely.”
Su Xiaoqi rolled her eyes.
“Buy your own. I’m not lending them.”
Xu Meizhen stomped her foot and called out to her mother.
Hong Shanpang also chimed in.
“As a sister-in-law, you should be generous.”
But Xu Meizhen snapped at her too.
“Who wants your ugly clothes? You look as ugly as your clothes!”
Then she stormed into the kitchen.
Leaving Hong Shanpang stunned.
Su Xiaoqi laughed so hard she bent over.
Just then, Zhou Ye returned.
He held two yellow croaker fish.
“Early morning catch. I’ll make noodle soup for you.”
He cleaned the fish and went to the kitchen.
“Mom, open the cabinet. I need flour.”
“I already made breakfast—corn porridge.”
Reluctantly, she refused.
“We’ll save the flour for lunch.”
Su Xiaoqi walked in and picked up the big fish.
“If no flour, then cut the fish head and stew it.”
In the end, Yang Huaihua reluctantly went to get the flour.
Sighing deeply.