Chapter 132: Whipped

Chapter 132: Whipped

Lin Shu’s eyes flinched as if burned; she quickly averted her gaze, cleared her throat, and then called out loudly to the men, "Uncle Zhao San, A Ye, it’s time for dinner—Aunt Lin sent me to call you—"

Zhou Ye had noticed Lin Shu the moment she arrived. He was always sensitive to people’s gazes, but he knew A Shu had been staring at him and was afraid that looking back abruptly might startle her.

Besides—

Recalling where A Shu’s gaze had lingered the longest, Zhou Ye’s ears turned burning red.

He had noticed it before when A Shu secretly came to see him one evening—A Shu seemed to really like his physique, especially… his waistline.

When A Shu finally called out to them, Zhou Ye looked up at her, and he looked surprised. "A Shu?"

He had thought A Shu would leave after calling them, but unexpectedly, she walked straight toward him.

"Uncle Zhao San, you all go ahead. I have something to say to A Ye alone," Lin Shu said frankly to Uncle Zhao San and the others.

Zhao Laosan nodded and immediately called for Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun to leave first.

Before leaving, the men quickly tidied up their things. The thatch that was spread out needed to be bundled again to prevent it from being blown away in case night winds came up. The borrowed shovels and axes were valuable, and had to be taken and stored at the nearest Lin Dashan’s house, to be retrieved the next day when work resumed.

They worked efficiently; after packing up, they picked up their clothes and left without delay.

Liu Erzhuang couldn’t resist sneaking a look back but was stopped by Zhao Laosan before he could take a second look.

"What are you looking at, you kid?" Zhao Laosan scolded.

Liu Erzhuang: ...

What’s the big deal? He just thought Brother Zhou Ye and his wife were perfect together—was it wrong to take an extra look?

Zhou Ye hadn’t thought much of it at first—A Shu just wanted to talk to him. But the way Uncle Zhao San and the others hurried away, like they couldn't wait to give him and A Shu privacy, made him feel kind of embarrassed.

Zhou Ye looked up again and saw Lin Xiaopu grinning at him before following Uncle Zhao San and the others.

Soon, only he and A Shu were left.

"A Shu, everyone’s gone. What did you want to say?" Zhou Ye asked.

Lin Shu looked at him and smiled. "Why are your ears red? I’m the one who came to talk to you, and I’m not embarrassed. Why are you?"

Zhou Ye lowered his head and suddenly blurted out, "A Shu, while working today, they asked about you. They also asked when we’re getting married. Old Man Liao asked before too."

Lin Shu drew out an "oh" thoughtfully. "And what did you say?"

She wasn’t surprised that the men had talked about her while working. After all, she hadn’t tried to hide her relationship with A Ye, and everyone knew they were a couple.

Women talk about anything and everything when they chat, and guys are no different—though they tend to focus more on each other’s family matters. When they asked Zhou Ye about his life, it was only natural that they’d mention her, his bride-to-be.

Zhou Ye said, "I told them I’d listen to you in everything. They laughed and called me a henpecked husband."

Lin Shu burst out laughing. "They called you henpecked? Do you think you are?"

"I don’t think so. Being henpecked means a man is afraid of his wife and does everything she says." Zhou Ye also smiled, his expression softening noticeably.

He rarely smiled, but when he did, it had a captivating charm, like steel turning into something tender and irresistible. Lin Shu was utterly charmed.

Not letting on what she was thinking, Lin Shu retorted, "But aren’t you doing everything I say?"

"It depends on the situation. I won’t listen if it’s something that’s not good for you."

Hearing this, Lin Shu’s smile widened.

"A Ye, what if I want to wait three to five years before getting married? Would you mind?"

Zhou Ye paused only briefly before replying, "A Shu, I don’t mind. I remember you once said you’d never marry. Now that you’ve agreed to marry me, I’m already very happy. It’s something I never dared to hope for at first."

As if realizing he’d slipped into saying what A Shu called "cheesy lines," Zhou Ye pressed his lips together slightly.

Lin Shu couldn’t help but tease him. "Oh, really? Someone once insisted he’d treat me like a sister, just like Xiao Pu. But look how quickly that same person boldly swept his so-called ‘sister’ off her feet. Talk about shameless, going back on his word and pretending to be righteous!"

Zhou Ye fell silent. He knew A Shu was teasing him, but he had no rebuttal—after all, that was indeed what he’d thought initially.

Lin Shu huffed lightly. "A fresh, delicate girl like me, as lovely as a lotus flower—and you only wanted to treat me as a sister, barely even glancing my way. You were like a wild boar unable to appreciate fine grain."

Zhou Ye suddenly murmured in response, "A Shu, how do you know I didn’t glance your way more than once?"

Lin Shu was taken aback, then grinned until her eyes crinkled. "Oh~ So the man who claimed he’d only see me as a sister was secretly stealing glances all along?"

Zhou Ye looked at her and nodded, admitting it outright.

Lin Shu clicked her tongue. "A Ye, could it be that you fell for me at first sight without even realizing it? You men are all the same—talk about love at first sight, but it’s really just being captivated by looks."

Zhou Ye hesitated, then explained, "A Shu, that’s not true. Finding you beautiful and loving you are two different things."

"Alright, alright, I get it. No more of that," Lin Shu said, shooting him a playful glare. "If you keep going, it’ll just be more of your sweet talk meant to flirt with girls."

Zhou Ye fell silent.

"A Ye, I didn’t make any snacks for you today. You’ve been working all day—you must be hungry, right?"

Zhou Ye first shook his head, but meeting A Shu’s beautiful eyes and seeing his own reflection in them, he felt a sudden warmth in his chest and nodded. "I listened to you and didn’t overwork, but sometimes my mind wanders to you, and I end up working faster. Still, when I’m hungry and think of you, I don’t feel as hungry anymore."

Zhou Ye said this with a straight face, but his blunt confession made Lin Shu’s heart flutter. Annoyed, she pinched his arm. "I told you not to say things like that! Why do you always ignore me? A Ye, if you keep this up, I’ll really get angry!"

Zhou Ye looked both apologetic and troubled. "A Shu, I’m sorry. I can’t help but tell you the truth."

Whenever he looked into A Shu’s eyes, it was as if his soul was captured, and all his thoughts came pouring out.

Lin Shu tried to hold back but couldn’t. Suddenly, she lowered her head and rested her forehead against his chest, hiding the faint blush on her face.

This is deadly, she thought. Her "seducer" persona was crumbling—because A Ye was more like a male enchantress!

In this day and age, it wasn’t just fair-skinned scholars who could be seductive; brawny, sturdy men could too! And here was living proof.

Zhou Ye trembled slightly at her sudden movement and quickly glanced around.

Even though A Shu wasn’t hugging him, her head was resting against his chest. If anyone saw...

Fortunately, Lin Shu only leaned against him briefly before lifting her head. The blush on her face hadn’t faded—instead, it had deepened.

"I’m done talking to you. Let’s go back. Aren’t you hungry? For dinner, my mother, Aunt Lin, and I made wild vegetable dumplings. They’re made with lard, eggs, and the dried shiitake mushrooms you gathered from the mountains. They’re delicious—I’m sure you’ll love them."

With that, Lin Shu walked ahead.

Zhou Ye paused briefly, then took two big strides to catch up. "Ah Shu, did you ask to speak with me alone earlier just to say that?"

Lin Shu turned her head to glance at him. "Can't I ask to speak with you alone even if I have nothing to say?"

Zhou Ye quickly said she could, a smile crept into his eyes.

Did Ah Shu miss him?

He thought he wouldn't see Ah Shu all day today, and only he couldn't get her out of his head.

As Zhou Ye followed Lin Shu back, he put on the upper garment he had taken off earlier.

Lin Shu glanced back just in time to see him tying his belt, then adjusting his collar and straightening his hem.

Lin Shu's expression suddenly took on a peculiar look.

A man and a woman emerging suddenly from somewhere, the woman's cheeks flushed, the man still putting on his clothes and tying his belt...

Lin Shu immediately quickened her pace, putting some distance between herself and Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye, having finished dressing, looked up to see Ah Shu almost breaking into a jog, and he looked puzzled.

Without overthinking it, he took advantage of his long legs and big strides, catching up in a few steps and returning to the courtyard with Ah Shu.

After Uncle Zhao San and the others returned, they didn't sit down to eat right away but exchanged a few pleasantries first. By the time the two returned, the others had just finished washing up and taken their seats.

Zhou Ye quickly washed his hands under the bamboo pipe and sat down with a calm expression.

As for Lin Shu, not a trace of anything unusual could be seen on her face.

On the table, bowls and chopsticks were already set out. The rice porridge, neither too dry nor too thin, paired with the wild vegetable dumplings, was devoured heartily by the men who had just finished working, all enjoying the pleasure of food after a day of labor.

"Aunt Lin, what did you put in these wild vegetable dumplings? They're so good!" Liu Erzhuang asked during the pause between his second and third dumpling.

Lin Zhaodi laughed, "We added several spoonfuls of lard, and mixed in scrambled egg bits and diced dried mushrooms—of course they're delicious! All you men, eat to your heart's content. There are plenty of wild vegetable dumplings, and a third batch is still steaming on the stove!"

Liu Erzhuang grinned and agreed, slowing his eating pace slightly.

At village banquets, people tended to eat quickly because the good dishes were limited, and eating slowly meant missing out. But after Lin Zhaodi's reassurance, Liu Erzhuang no longer felt rushed.

Wang Zhangshun, who had been eating the wild vegetable dumplings in big mouthfuls, also slowed down.

As they slowed down, they took a closer look at the filling inside the wild vegetable dumplings and actually spotted bits of egg and diced dried mushrooms.

The filling in the large basin was mostly dandelion greens. Three scrambled eggs, chopped into bits, didn't amount to much, and there were only seven or eight dried mushrooms, diced and mixed in with the egg bits—barely visible unless examined closely. Yet, with just these small additions of egg and mushrooms, the flavor improved significantly, especially with three big spoonfuls of lard mixed in. Lard was a meat product!

Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun both marvelled inwardly: Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin were truly generous!

By the end of the meal, each of the men had eaten about five wild vegetable dumplings, not to mention the porridge—each having at least two bowls.

On Lin Shu's side, He Guixiang and Lin Zhaodi each ate two wild vegetable dumplings, while Lin Shu and Lin Xiaopu also had two each, though theirs were the smaller ones made earlier.

The remaining ten or so wild vegetable dumplings were all eaten by Zhou Ye alone, after he confirmed everyone else was full.

With today's work finished, Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun left with round, full bellies.

Zhao Laosan and Lin Zhaodi, before leaving, expressed their gratitude repeatedly to Lin Dashan's family, especially Zhao Laosan, who never expected his wife, with the help of Sister-in-law He and Lin Shu, could prepare such lavish meals for two daily servings.

"Lin Dashan, I don't know how to thank you enough."

"You're welcome? It's nothing major," Lin Dashan said, waving his hand cheerfully.

Zhao Laosan, like Lin Zhaodi, wasn't one for empty words, but he took it to heart. On their way back, he reminded Lin Zhaodi again, "Lin Dashan and Sister-in-law He are decent folks. If their family ever needs help in the future, we should lend a hand whenever we can."

Lin Zhaodi replied, "Do you really need to remind me of that? San Lang, I really want to finish repairing the house quickly so we can move out soon."

Zhao Laosan thought of his parents and older brother and sister-in-law, falling silent for a moment, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Zhao Di, even though we've divided the household, we should still come for holidays and festivals. Don't worry, I'll be with you."

Lin Zhaodi didn't speak but nodded after a moment.

She was already very satisfied that Zhao San could do this much for her. Even though his parents had been harsh to them, they were still Zhao San's birth parents, and she didn't want him to become completely estranged from them.

As for the helpers Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun, after returning home and describing the two meals they had that day, the elders of the Liu and Wang families were astonished.

"Son, you're not pulling my leg, are you? You ate that well?" Liu Er'er asked in surprise, thinking his son might be tricking him. But it didn't sound like it—he listed everything he ate one by one, even detailing the ingredients in the wild vegetable dumplings for the evening meal.

"Dad, why would I lie about this? The wild vegetable dumplings at night were really delicious. I ate five of them, each the size of a fist! Breakfast was even better—we never have such a spread even during holidays! The fish pieces were fried, the mushroom soup had a chicken-like aroma, and the dried radish and cucumber were stir-fried in lard! And..."

By the time Liu Erzhuang finished, the whole family was stunned.

They had sent their son to help out of friendship with Zhao Laosan, but it turned out to be the right decision? Their son didn't go there to suffer—he went there to enjoy himself!

A similar scene unfolded in the impoverished Wang household, though Wang Zhangshun wasn't as articulate as Liu Erzhuang. When his parents asked what he ate, he just listed the dishes woodenly.

After recovering from his shock, Wang A'dad said to his eldest son, "Work hard, understand? You can't accept so much good food for free."

Wang Zhangshun nodded.

Because her eldest son had eaten so well, Wang A'mother had gotten ideas. "Tomorrow, go ask your Uncle Zhao San if he still needs more hands. If he does, have your younger brother go too."

Wang Zhangshun didn't respond.

Wang A'mother immediately slapped his shoulder and said irritably, "I'm asking you a question! Look at you, so uncommunicative, no wonder you're still unmarried at twenty-five years old!"

Wang Er'di couldn't stand it anymore. "Mom, how can you blame my big brother for not being married? It's because our family is too poor—no girl is willing to marry into this household."

Wang A'mother:...

Ungrateful boy, who was she doing this for? With the eldest son getting older and harder to marry off, if the second son also couldn't marry, when would she and the kids' dad ever hold a grandchild? If both sons ate out a few more times, the household would save a lot on food—every bit counted.

After a long while, Wang Zhangshun said taciturnly, "Mom, Uncle Zhao San doesn't need more help. Zhou Ye from Lin Dashan's family alone does the work of three or four people."

Hearing this, Wang A'mother dropped the idea. That Zhou Ye lad was truly unmatched by others.

Lin Shu had no idea that just two meals had stirred other thoughts in the Wang family, nor was she interested in such matters. After going to bed at night, she thought about what she had seen during the day and accidentally found herself with insomnia again.

A Ye's eight-pack abs were so nice to look at... She suddenly really wanted to touch them.