"Qing, Qing, why are you still here? Something's happened at your place! You need to go back and check it out!"

The caller was Xiao Zhang Qian, a close friend of Zhou Tingting. They often kept in touch over the phone, which is how Zhou Tingting had learned about Si Nian's family's recent financial success.

Sweat on her brow, Zhou Tingting asked, puzzled, "What's going on?"

Xiao Zhang Qian glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then whispered, "Remember that colleague of yours who was trying to seduce your man? The person you introduced me to just called and said they saw Li Jiaming and her having a private dinner together."

Zhang Qian was of similar age to Zhou Tingting and had also planned to marry into the city, just like Zhou Tingting. However, she wasn't as attractive and wasn't selected back then. Zhou Tingting had the luck of finding Li Jiaming, a man with a stable job in the city, which quickly elevated her status to that of a wealthy city dweller.

Zhang Qian and Zhou Tingting had been close friends since school, sharing a strong bond. Zhou Tingting, known for her loyalty, didn't want her good friend to be mistreated in the countryside, so she promised Zhang Qian that she would introduce her to a city husband. The idea was that they could both enjoy city life together later on.

As soon as there was any hint of movement or gossip, Zhang Qian would seize the opportunity to inform Zhou Tingting, acting as her most reliable informant.

Zhang Qian was of a similar age to Zhou Tingting, and her family hadn't pressured her about marriage because they were waiting for the city match Zhou Tingting had promised. In this day and age, marrying into the city was a significant achievement, a source of pride for the family.

However, marrying into the city wasn't easy; city dwellers weren't likely to choose someone from the countryside without a compelling reason. That's why Zhang Qian had been waiting for so many years.

As Zhang Qian grew older and anxiety set in, she became increasingly impatient. After numerous reminders, Zhou Tingting finally introduced her to a divorced man in his thirties, who was a factory team leader. Although his monthly salary of fifty yuan and his modest background seemed less than ideal, he had a stable city job, a house, and a bicycle.

Despite his age and appearance being less than desirable, Zhang Qian saw potential in the opportunity, especially with his position as a team leader, which might lead to a supervisory role in the future. She was determined not to let this chance slip away, so she endured the awkwardness of the initial meetings.

Now, Zhang Qian frequently contacted him by phone or letter, hoping to keep the relationship on track and worried that he might find someone better in the city.

Coincidentally, Zhang Qian mentioned that the man she was seeing had reported seeing Li Jiaming dining out with another woman. This reminded Zhang Qian of Zhou Tingting's return to her hometown.

Previously, Zhou Tingting had confided in Zhang Qian about a female colleague at Li Jiaming's workplace who persistently tried to seduce him. Zhang Qian immediately relayed this information to Zhou Tingting, feeling it was her duty to assist her friend, especially as Zhou Tingting was helping her find a city husband. Zhang Qian wasn't fully satisfied with her current match and hoped for a better introduction in the future.

When Zhou Tingting heard this, she nearly dropped the broom she was holding. Her lips trembled as she asked, "What did you say?"

In the saying that "family shame should not be aired," only Zhou Tingting knew the true nature of her husband. Although he had previously maintained a semblance of decency due to her brother's wealth and his position as a factory boss, as well as the fact that his brother worked in the family factory, Li Jiaming had been unfaithful.

Ever since she had a falling out with her older brother and sent her brother-in-law to jail, Li Jiaming had found reasons to argue with her. Whenever they fought, he would stay out all night. One day, Zhou Tingting, feeling anxious, went to his workplace to find out what was going on. To her shock, she saw him shopping and laughing with a woman, and he even bought her jewelry.

Zhou Tingting nearly fainted from anger on the spot. Although Li Jiaming claimed that he and the woman were just colleagues and that he was buying gifts for a company leader, Zhou Tingting wasn't fooled. She could clearly see the nature of their relationship. She was furious and alarmed, afraid that her husband might be cheating on her and that she might be abandoned, especially since the woman was younger and more attractive than herself.

She dared not tell anyone else for fear of being mocked if it got out. She only confided in her closest friend, Zhang Qian, who was also aware of the situation.

Now that Zhou Tingting has returned, her main tasks are to mend her relationship with her older brother Zhou Yue Shen and to obtain Si Nian's recipe for braised meat.

She was hoping that when she returned, she would have the upper hand. As long as she had leverage at her in-laws' home, Li Jiaming would think twice before misbehaving. But now that she hadn't yet obtained the recipe, Li Jiaming was already acting out of line again.

Zhou Tingting was so furious that she forgot about sweeping the floor and, without even saying goodbye, left the Zhou family home with Zhang Qian.

With Zhou Tingting gone, the entire Zhou family was relieved and content. They slept much better that night.

Zhou Yue Shen returned late, carrying the scent of alcohol. Perhaps because he had been drinking, he didn't immediately go upstairs. The dim light from the living room cast a shadow on his shoulders.

Normally, by this time, Si Nian would already be asleep. But today, she couldn't shake the feeling that Zhou Tingting's sudden departure might be related to Zhou Yue Shen. The more she thought about it, the more curious she became about what could have happened to make Zhou Tingting, who had previously been so desperate to stay, leave so abruptly.

Once her curiosity was piqued, she found it impossible to fall asleep.

So she planned to ask him about it when he returned. However, just as she lay down, she heard some noise. She went out of her room and stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor.

She saw the tall figure of the man standing by the dining table, dressed in a military green short-sleeve shirt and old camouflage pants. His well-defined fingers were holding the pink mug she had bought, and he was drinking water from it.

Si Nian was drawn to his indifferent expression. Zhou Yue Shen noticed her presence and looked up toward the second floor.

In his deep, dark eyes, there was an emotion that Si Nian couldn't quite interpret.

Si Nian paused for a moment, stood still, and found she couldn't find the words she had intended to say.

Zhou Yue Shen finished the water in his cup and broke the silence first. "Zhou Tingting left?" His tone was certain.

He had evidently anticipated this. This question pulled Si Nian out of her earlier thoughts. She nodded and said, "She left this afternoon. I don't know what happened."

Zhou Yue Shen nodded slightly. "That's good. Without her here, you'll be more comfortable."

Si Nian looked at Zhou Yue Shen and asked, "What did you do?"

Zhou Yue Shen didn't hide it from her and replied in a low voice, "Li Jiaming is cheating."

Si Nian was stunned and exclaimed, "Zhou Tingting knows?"

Zhou Yue Shen nodded slightly, his voice low and tinged with a hint of mockery. "She probably knows in her heart, but she thinks she can still win back the heart of a wayward man."

Li Jiaming's character was questionable even before Zhou Tingting married him. He was smooth and focused on personal gain. A person like Zhou Tingting, who was somewhat naive, would never be able to hold him.

Zhou Yue Shen saw this clearly. Yet, Zhou Tingting ignored the warnings and even thought that her own sister's move to the city was a sign of jealousy, believing that others were speaking ill of her husband.

Zhou Yue Shen didn't bother with it any further.

Some time ago, a friend from the city had reported seeing Li Jiaming with another woman at a hotel. Out of respect for Zhou Tingting being his sister, the friend informed Zhou Yue Shen immediately. Zhou Yue Shen was well aware that once Zhou Tingting was no longer useful, Li Jiaming's true nature would quickly reveal itself.

Yet, despite seeing this, Zhou Tingting didn't take it seriously, thinking she could reform the wayward man. Now that she's returned, trying to ingratiate herself, it's probably all for Li Jiaming's sake. After being used repeatedly, Zhou Yue Shen was already fed up and no longer wanted to give her another chance.

When Zhou Tingting learned about her husband dining out with his mistress, she naturally hurried back to salvage her crumbling marriage.

Si Nian, upon hearing this, felt somewhat rueful. However, recalling Li Jiaming's previous visit here and his shrewd and cunning demeanor, it was clear he was not a man of integrity. Zhou Tingting was likely to face a setback this time.

She shook her head, not feeling any sympathy. There's often a reason behind one's misfortune. She scrutinized Zhou Yue Shen's expression for a while, wondering if the emotion he had just shown was due to Zhou Tingting.

Indeed, no matter what, Zhou Tingting is his own sister. As her brother, it's natural for Zhou Yue Shen to feel unsettled about her husband's infidelity.

Thinking of this, Si Nian moved closer and gently patted Zhou Yue Shen's chest, saying, "It's okay, it's all in the past now."

Zhou Yue Shen: ""

The strange silence was soon interrupted by a sudden downpour.

Si Nian suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no! I haven't brought in the clothes from the roof!"

The clothes were too conspicuous—especially the underwear, which looked different from what people in the countryside typically wore. While Si Nian wasn't embarrassed, she didn't want passersby to see them and feel awkward. She had hung them on the roof to dry, thinking it would be private and effective.

But now, with the rain pouring down, she panicked.

Zhou Yue Shen calmly grabbed her anxious hand and said in a deep voice, "I'll go," before striding up to the roof.

Zhou Yue Shen moved quickly but still ended up half-soaked.

In his arms, Zhou Yue Shen was holding all of Si Nian's small skirts and underwear.

As Si Nian stepped out of the bathroom, she saw the man calmly opening the wardrobe and hanging her clothes on hangers.

When he got to the underwear, Si Nian had to force herself not to blush. She kept repeating to herself, "It's nothing strange, it's nothing strange."

They were married, and they had done everything they needed to do, although most of the time it was in the dark.

Even though she could stay composed, she wondered if the older man, being from an older generation, would feel embarrassed.

She took a furtive glance at Zhou Yue Shen's expression and found him completely unperturbed.

Okay, the old man was even steadier than she was.

Hmph, it seems like all that previous innocence was just an act.

Seeing that he was unfazed, Si Nian felt more relaxed herself. After all, freeing her hands from this task was great—she hated hanging clothes.

She decided to walk around him to the table and started applying creams and lotions.

She didn't notice that as Zhou Yue Shen handled the fabric, his hands—once steady with a machete or a gun—trembled slightly.

Si Nian was in the middle of applying lotion when suddenly—*snap*—the power went out.

In the countryside, the power supply is limited, unless one is willing to pay for extra. Zhou Yue Shen, willing to spend money, ensured they had electricity all day. Unlike others who only had power for one or two hours a day.

The sudden darkness startled Si Nian. Her eyes hadn't adjusted to the low light, and she momentarily didn't know where to go. Instinctively, she called out, "Zhou Yue Shen?"

As soon as she spoke, the man came over and placed his large hand on her shoulder, saying, "I'm here."

Si Nian let out a sigh of relief, continuing to apply the cream to her face with one hand, pouting slightly, "Why is the power out?"

"Probably because the wires burned out," Zhou Yue Shen said, unfazed by the frequent power issues in the countryside. His vision was sharp enough to see clearly even in the dark. He noticed her instinctively leaning towards him and his eyes softened with warmth.

"Go to bed first. I'll check it out," he said, releasing his grip to head outside.

But before he could leave, Si Nian's arms wrapped around him, holding him back.

"Don't," Si Nian quickly stopped him. "If the wires are burnt, it's dangerous. I remember someone from our village died fixing power lines when I was a child."

"Don't go. It's late, and we don't need electricity right now. We can check it out tomorrow. Besides, it's still raining outside; it's risky to handle electrical issues in this weather," she said, her voice laced with concern.

Zhou Yue Shen paused for a moment and then nodded in agreement. They stayed in their positions until Si Nian finished applying the cream to her face.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed him standing still and couldn't help but laugh softly. "Why are you just standing there?" Her voice, when she was happy, was softer and more pleasant than usual.

Zhou Yue Shen paused, then said, "I'll wait for you."

In the darkness of the room, he worried she might not see well and accidentally hurt herself. She was delicate, and even a small fall could be quite painful. Just imagining it made him frown instinctively.

Hearing this, Si Nian couldn't help but smile, finding his attentiveness endearing. It was moments like these that made it easy for even the most resilient woman to fall for him.

Noticing that they hadn't been close for a while, she decided to playfully tease him. She moved closer, wrapping her delicate arms around his neck and said, "Since I can't see, carry me over."





Dear readers

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