Early the next morning, while Su Ying was still in her dream, beating and biting the big gray wolf, she was woken up by someone.
Zhou Kuangye knew he had been too rough yesterday after being pushed to his limit. Seeing her wake up, he very gently pinched her rosy, sleep-flushed cheeks.
“Ying Bao, time to get up. I’ll help you get dressed, be good.”
He held underwear about the size of his palm and helped her put them on.
Then he slipped a white top and dark blue pants on her, followed by white socks and shoes. Throughout the whole process, the woman didn’t even open her eyes once.
By the time Su Ying was fully awake, she was already sitting at the dining table, with two snow-white eggs waiting for her in the bowl.
Just as she was about to eat, her hand holding the chopsticks trembled uncontrollably, making it impossible to pick up the eggs.
She shot an angry glance at the man beside her. It was all his fault—too big, too long.
Her arms were sore to death, and her legs were probably rubbed red by him too. What a big jerk!
Zhou Kuangye rubbed the tip of his nose. Seeing the blame in her eyes, he directly fed her the eggs.
He also promised to do all her work for her, finally coaxing her into a better mood.
Su Ying’s mouth was stuffed full. As she chewed, she thought to herself that Wu Yan was the real fool.
Zhou Kuangye’s performance last night showed he was absolutely crazy about her. Men must all be like him—
they like plump ones.
Someone as skinny and dry as her would never be liked.
She was still the prettiest, not fat at all, and needed to eat more.
After breakfast, Zhou Kuangye put a straw hat on her, filled her water bottle, and then led her to the warehouse to get farming tools.
Although educated youth could now return to the cities and the college entrance exam had reopened, as long as they hadn’t returned to the city, they still had to work in the fields.
It was currently wheat harvesting season, with tight deadlines and heavy workloads. Everyone kept their heads down and worked hard.
Only under the big tree at the edge of the field sat a pale figure idly, chin in hand, gazing at the sky.
In the field, Zhou Kuangye swung his sickle with vigor and power. Each swing of his sickle cut more than two swings from others. Under the scorching sun, sweat quickly flew off with his movements.
The plot next to him belonged to Wu Yan.
Wu Yan looked up and saw Su Ying sitting freely at the edge, not having to do anything, then glanced at Zhou Kuangye, who was working as hard as an old ox. Her heart felt stifled and uncomfortable.
Holding her sickle, she walked over to stand beside him. “Comrade Zhou, you should take a break. Working like this will wear you out.”
Zhou Kuangye didn’t even glance at her, just kept his head down and worked.
His mind was occupied with what to cook for his little woman at noon to nourish her.
Yesterday, she lost too much fluid and even fainted. He needed to make her more soups and broths.
Although he felt sorry for her,
he… also liked it.
Seeing him ignore her, Wu Yan continued, “Comrade Zhou, with your good conditions, you could easily find someone who matches you.”
“Su Ying is getting more and more excessive. At first, she could still do some farm work, but now she dumps everything on you. She simply doesn’t deserve you treating her so well.”
“I know you’re a good man, willing to take care of her, but people’s appetites only grow. She’ll definitely become lazier and lazier. A woman like that doesn’t deserve your kindness.”
Only a diligent, educated, and cultured woman like her was worthy of him.
Zhou Kuangye recalled when they first got together. The woman had first asked him to do a quarter of her work.
He figured since she was his woman, it was fine for him to do it. She was so thin and small; she probably couldn’t finish it all anyway.
Then it was half, and then she herself only did a third, until now, she doesn’t lift a finger to harvest a single stalk of wheat, leaving it all to him—truly growing lazier by the day.
But with so many people here, why does she only give her work to him? Doesn’t that also mean he’s the only one in her heart?
From the initial one-fourth to half, and now to everything.
Her stubborn nature—he understood it better than anyone.
Thinking this, he worked even more vigorously.
Wu Yan’s throat was nearly hoarse from talking, but this man just kept his head down and worked, completely unmoved.
Zhou Kuangye finished cutting his row, looked up, and glared coldly at the woman chattering beside him.
He really thought there was something wrong with her head—why was she saying all this to him for no reason?
Although he was a man, he could still understand a woman’s intentions perfectly well. Couldn’t he tell what was genuine and what was fake?
He wasn’t someone to be blinded by beauty.
Did this Wu Yan really think he could take a liking to her?
Once again, he sternly warned, “Comrade Wu, stay away from me and my woman. What right do you have to talk about our affairs?
Even the aunties at the village entrance aren’t as gossipy as you. Just mind your own business. If you dare say another word, don’t blame me for turning hostile.”
After speaking, Zhou Kuangye glanced from afar at his fair-skinned little woman, sitting leisurely on the ridge and swinging her legs, and felt renewed strength to continue working.
Zhou Kuangye didn’t hold back while speaking, and those nearby heard him. Hearing the muffled laughter of others, Wu Yan couldn’t stay any longer and turned to leave.
The more she thought about it, the more something felt off. Logically, there should already be a rift between the two of them by now—why was he still speaking up for her?
Could it be that Su Ying hadn’t started making a fuss about breaking up yet?
But at this point, she should have started long ago. Wu Yan couldn’t figure it out, so she decided to observe quietly.
If they still didn’t separate, she would have to take matters into her own hands.
Zhou Kuangye was hers for the taking.
The sun grew increasingly intense. Even sitting under the big tree, Su Ying was already sweating. She took a sip of water, wiped the sweat from her neck, and began to think about going back.
“Comrade Su, I specially made this mung bean water for you to drink.”
Lu Pingshu climbed onto the ridge and handed her the carefully prepared mung bean water.
Born into a family of scholars, he had come to the countryside in response to the nation’s call.
When he first saw Su Ying, he didn’t find her particularly special.
But as time passed, she grew more and more beautiful.
Now, even though she was sweating from the heat, she still smelled sweet and looked increasingly fresh and tender.
He shamefully felt his heart stir. Even though he knew she was already someone else’s partner, he still wanted to try his luck.
Fortunately, he had been admitted to university, which gave him a brighter future than Zhou Kuangye and could fulfill her wish of living in a big house.
So he had been waiting for her to break up with Zhou Kuangye so they could be together.
Su Ying was unbearably hot, and the thought of the sweet, cool mung bean water made her mouth water. She was just about to reach out and take it.
But from afar, she saw Zhou Kuangye walking over and instinctively felt guilty, quickly pulling her hand back.
Zhou Kuangye noticed the woman’s little gesture, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a roguishly handsome smile.
Good girl, she didn’t take it—otherwise, he would have had to teach her a lesson.
“Comrade Lu, my woman doesn’t drink other people’s mung bean water. Take it away.”
Lu Pingshu clenched his fists tightly, wondering how Zhou Kuangye could be so arrogant and still refuse to let Su Ying go.
After some thought, he turned and headed to Su Ying’s plot of land to help her with the work.