Si Nian nodded, giving the Fu family some face. Then she stood up, holding Yao Yao, and left the police station with Zhou Yueshen. They had already spent too much time there.

As they walked away, Fu Yang's mother let out a heavy sigh of relief. Although the issue with Lin Sisi hadn't been resolved, at least the matter with her son was over.

Watching the departing figures of Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen, she couldn't help but notice how tall and strong the man was, like a towering mountain, exuding a sense of security. He held the child in his arms while Si Nian stood beside him. Though people said he was from the countryside, looking at them now, they did seem like a well-matched couple.

They had initially thought Si Nian had married poorly, but now it didn't seem so bad after all.

Mrs. Zheng glanced back at her son's bruised and battered face and was taken aback. She had been so focused on soothing Si Nian's emotions that she hadn't realized how badly her son had been beaten. After all, he was a soldier—how could he have been beaten so severely? It must be because he was bullying Si Nian and felt too ashamed to fight back!

Mrs. Zheng was well aware of her son's skills and had observed his previous attitude toward Si Nian. She couldn't bring herself to defend him now, though she felt sorry for him. More than that, she was frustrated and disappointed.

It was one thing when he didn't like Si Nian and showed her a cold face; she understood that. But now, when they were the ones seeking help, he still showed a bad attitude and bullied Si Nian and her child, even causing the little girl to cry! It was absolutely disgraceful!

Unable to hold back, she scolded him sharply: "Si Nian might have been a bit clingy in the past, but she never had any bad intentions and treated you well. Even if you didn't like her, you had no reason to bully her and her child while her husband wasn't around! What's wrong with you? You were supposed to help mediate, but instead, you made things worse and embarrassed yourself. Do you have no shame at all?"

Fu Yang's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot: "......"

He wasn't being shameless; he was just a bit angry. He hadn't actually laid hands on anyone—he only accidentally scared the child and ended up getting beaten up badly. Now, being dragged to the police station and receiving disdainful looks from several officers, as if he were some kind of villain who had harmed a respectable woman, was infuriating.

He hadn't done anything to Si Nian, and now even his own family was blaming him. His explanations fell on deaf ears. It was incredibly frustrating!

Fu Qianqian quickly came back after saying goodbye to Si Nian, glaring at her elder brother: "Big Brother, you've gone too far. Si Nian is already married, and you still did such things. You've lost your shame, but what about me? How am I supposed to face Si Nian in the future?"

"......"

Fu Yang: "......"

Zhou Yueshen had just received Yaoyao's examination report. The doctor confirmed that, physically, everything was fine and the little one had even gained a bit of weight. A few months ago, Yaoyao had appeared malnourished.

Her vocal cords were normal, and her inability to speak was likely due to a late start in learning to talk. There were cases where children didn't speak until they were seven or eight due to a lack of proper teaching. Yaoyao's situation wasn't uncommon.

Zhou Yueshen realized that, amid his busy schedule and limited conversations at home, he had never really considered the importance of teaching Yaoyao to speak. By the time he got home, the child was usually already asleep. With two sons in school and his own introverted nature, he hadn't thought to focus on teaching Yaoyao.

The oversight during a crucial period had meant that Yaoyao had lacked the proper guidance. It was ultimately their fault that the child's development was delayed.

Si Nian had only recently begun to realize the importance of addressing Yaoyao's speech delay, thanks to her presence. The child could now say some simple words. The doctor advised that with consistent teaching, Yaoyao's speech development should improve over time. With everything else in good shape, both of them felt relieved and decided to head home.

They had accumulated quite a bit of stuff, so Zhou Yueshen tied everything together with a rope and attached it to the back of the motorcycle, creating a makeshift mountain of belongings.

Si Nian watched as he, with his back to her, tied up the items with rough, almost careless movements, as if he were bundling up a load of hay. She winced at the sight and said, "Hey, be careful with that dress. The fabric is quite delicate."

Zhou Yueshen paused, his hand holding the rope stopped mid-air, and he turned to look at her.

His face bore some minor abrasions, but they only added a rugged charm to his already chiseled features. Zhou Yueshen observed Si Nian's pained expression with a hint of amusement, showing no sign of irritation over the recent incident with Fu Yang, nor did he bring it up. It seemed he was content with how things were now.

Once he finished securing the belongings, Si Nian stepped forward, pulling out a tissue and motioning for him to lower his head. "Zhou Yueshen, bend down a bit."

Zhou Yueshen hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze as she stood on tiptoe to reach him.

Si Nian carefully wiped the sweat from his minor abrasions. Though not severe, the sweat would make it sting. "Do you need to have this looked at?" she asked with concern.

Zhou Yueshen straightened up once she finished and, his Adam's apple moving slightly, replied in a low voice, "It's just a small injury. No need for that."

Si Nian observed him for a while, seeing that he genuinely didn't mind, and then nodded. "Alright, let's head home. As for Lin Sisi, let the Si 'family handle it."

The money would eventually return to them. There was no need for them to get further involved. With evidence and witnesses in place, Lin Sisi had no way to escape. Si Nian didn't want to waste any more time on this family.

Zhou Yueshen nodded in agreement and started heading home. Si Nian got on the motorcycle and settled Xiao Tuanzi in the middle, hugging her closely. The family of three gradually rode away from the bustling city.

A heavy rain had fallen the previous night. The road back to the village was already rough, full of potholes and waterlogged. Zhou Yueshen noticed that Si Nian was holding onto him tightly, so he slowed down a bit. Yet, they encountered another downpour on their way back to the village, and this time it was a torrential rain.

Although Si Nian didn't mind getting wet herself, she was deeply distressed about Yaoyao and the precious items she had bought getting soaked.

Zhou Yueshen handed over his coat to Si Nian, prioritizing the protection of the child. Eventually, they arrived home, both soaking wet.

As soon as they stepped inside, Si Nian sneezed twice and rubbed her nose. "I'll take Yaoyao for a bath first," she said.

Zhou Yueshen was equally drenched, with his slightly longer hair dripping water down his sharp eyebrows. His soaked tank top clung to his muscles, revealing their definition. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching Si Nian struggle with the child as she ascended.

He glanced at the items scattered on the floor—clothes and toys that Si Nian had carefully chosen for the child. If they had stayed with the Si' family, she wouldn't have been caught in the rain.

Now, despite Zhou Yueshen's relatively good conditions, it was still a bit rough for her. As he watched her retreating figure disappear up the stairs, he remained silent, lowering his head to take out each item from the bag and lay them out in the living room, drying them with a towel.

Zhou Yueshen knew the clothes had to be washed. Fortunately, the rain had stopped. While Si Nian was still in the bath, he took the clothes outside and filled a basin with water. Adding some of the laundry detergent Si Nian had bought—different from the cheap, coarse kinds, and more delicate and fragrant—he placed the children's jackets aside and put Si Nian's more delicate clothing into the basin first.

As he handled the lightweight fabric, it suddenly tore with a ripping sound. Zhou Yueshen: "......"

Si Nian finished her bath and came downstairs. Yaoyao had been bathed and was now sleeping soundly.

Noticing that Zhou Yueshen was still wet, Si Nian decided to get him cleaned up quickly.

Si Nian was puzzled when she didn't see anyone in the living room. Did this man go straight to the pigsty right after coming back?

As she approached the door, her steps faltered. There was Zhou Yueshen sitting on a small stool that seemed too small for his tall frame, his long legs spread awkwardly, and he looked quite stiff.

Si Nian moved closer. "What are you doing?"

Her gaze shifted downward, and she saw the basin with clothes in it. Among them was the silk nightgown she had picked out yesterday.

However, now, in the man's hands... there was a large tear.

Si Nian: "?"

Zhou Yueshen: "....."

"Nian nian, you're back?"

Aunt Zhang, seeing that the rain had stopped, hurried out to tend to the pig feed. As she came down with a bamboo basket, she spotted the two at the door and excitedly called out.

Si Nian looked away from the fabric and turned to her with a smile. "Yes, Aunt Zhang. Thank you for watching the kids yesterday. Please come over for dinner tonight. I bought quite a few things, and bring Shitou along."

Aunt Zhang's face brightened with satisfaction. "Oh, don't be so polite. We still have some meat from Xiao zhou so there's no need to come over for a meal. Besides, it's nothing much to help out with watching the kids. Xiao dong and Xiao han are sensible and even helped me feed the pigs. You're always so kind to Shi tou, so don't be so formal with me."

She then noticed the fabric in Zhou Yueshen's hand. Aunt Zhang's sharp eyes immediately recognized it as fabric used by women. So, Boss Zhou was doing laundry for his wife.

Wow, he really knows how to show affection. In their village, there were few men who would do such things—let alone do laundry for their wives. Even cooking a meal would be rare, and it would earn them a lot of criticism.

Aunt Zhang had always thought that someone like Zhou Yueshen, who was so focused on his career and making money, would be less likely to engage in such domestic tasks. Even when raising a few children, they were taught to take care of themselves from a young age. But now, here he was, doing laundry for his wife. It was truly enviable.

She threw a knowing glance at the couple and, sensing the need to avoid further rain, quickly said her goodbyes and headed off with her basket.

Si Nian smiled and agreed.

The awkward moment was finally broken.

Once Aunt Zhang had left, both of them spoke up at the same time.

"I didn't mean to—"

"It's okay—"

Si Nian: "......"

Zhou Yueshen: "....."

The atmosphere became strangely awkward, even affecting dog, who was sleeping in the corner. The dog looked up with a puzzled expression.

"Stop playing games," Si Nian said, her tone more inquisitive.

Zhou Yue Shen cleared his throat softly, an unusual hint of awkwardness in his usually composed demeanor. "I'm sorry, I just saw that it was wet and wanted to help you clean it."

Si Nian, unlike others, always washes and dries new clothes before wearing them. Zhou Yue Shen had only just taken them out to clean.

Si Nian was touched by the man's thoughtfulness, feeling a bit sweet inside. But it was a shame; the silk nightgown was very expensive, and she particularly liked it. It was a trendy piece favored by celebrities. The dresses in the city at this time were quite fashionable, not outdated at all, and would even be very popular in the future. The color was avocado green, which was very flattering. She had already imagined how she would look wearing it.

But the man tore it apart.

To be honest, how strong is he? Some tasks really are better suited for women. Si Nian sighed lightly, and even such a small gesture made the already guilty man stiffen with regret. He looked down at the delicate fabric in his hands; even if he wanted to mend it, there was no way to fix it properly.

Zhou Yue Shen felt even more guilty. Not only did he let her get caught in the rain today, but now he had also ruined her new clothes. For a moment, he felt utterly terrible. The man who was always confident, whether in the military or on the pig farm, found himself in a rare state of self-doubt.

Si Nian couldn't bring herself to blame him, seeing his lowered gaze and furrowed brows. Even though he was still wet and his shirt was sticking to his back, he was busy trying to wash her clothes? Her heart ached.

She had promised to cherish the man who seemed to have bad luck for a lifetime, and now she was the one in trouble.

"Zhou Yue Shen, it really doesn't matter. It's just a piece of clothing," she said.

Zhou Yue Shen remained silent for a long time before finally responding softly, "Mm."

Zhou Yue Shen took a shower and then headed to the pig farm. The new clothes were hung up to dry outside the door. The toys inside the house were neatly arranged, and fortunately, the food he bought hadn't gotten wet—just a quick wipe and it was fine.

By the afternoon, Si Nian was feeling a bit hungry, so she went into the kitchen to cook. She peeled a few potatoes, sliced them into thin strips, coated them with flour, and then fried them in a pan.

Soon, the aroma of pork fat filled the entire kitchen. The potato strips turned golden brown and crispy as they came out of the pan. She made square potato cakes that were both crispy and delicious—something she used to love eating. A sprinkle of five-spice pepper on top added an extra layer of flavor. It was one of the popular snacks from a certain state in the future.

As soon as Zhou Zedong and Zhou Zehan finished their classes, they rushed home. On the way back, the two little guys had collected a bunch of wild vegetables and were holding a large handful of "juju" (a local wild herb).

Seeing the smoke rising from the chimney at the front of the house, Zhou Zehan's eyes lit up instantly. Ignoring his brother, he darted into the house like a little airplane, exclaiming, "Brother, Mom's back! Tonight we finally get to eat something delicious!"

Even before stepping inside, he could already smell the delicious aroma. It was the kind of smell only Mom could make!

Zhou Zedong glanced at him and asked, "Wasn't last night's meal good?"

Zhou Zehan, drooling with hunger, awkwardly laughed, "Brother, I didn't mean to say your cooking was bad!"

Zhou Zedong: "....."