Chapter 161: Yielding

Chapter 161: Yielding

When Zhou Ye brought Lin Shu back, he still felt a bit unsteady on his feet, his mind a blank. Lin Shu’s lips were flushed red, and she kept her head lowered, staring at the ground, looking somewhat shy.

It took a while for Zhou Ye to emerge from the lingering haze, as if fireworks had exploded in his mind. He glanced at A Shu’s hand and asked softly, "A Shu, does your hand... still ache?"

As he asked this, his throat tightened slightly, as if recalling a scene that made his blood race.

Lin Shu let out a soft, indignant hum. "You have some nerve asking! I heard the first time is always... quick, they say. How come you..." She broke off with another indignant huff.

"A Shu, let me massage it for you." Zhou Ye took her fingers and gently rubbed them, guilt flashing across his face.

The moment A Shu touched him, he almost came undone, but he fought to hold back, reluctant to let go.

He had intended to endure it all along—he prided himself on his self-control—but this time, he had clearly overestimated himself. Even though A Shu’s movements were inexperienced and rough, which even hurt a little, the pleasure was overwhelming. His mind exploded like fireworks, and then... he finished in A Shu’s hand.

Lin Shu let him massage her hand. After a while, when it felt less sore and weak, she finally looked somewhat satisfied, pulled her hand back with a yawn, and said, "I’m tired. I’m going to sleep."

Zhou Ye grunted in acknowledgment, but A Shu didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she gave him a playful smile and asked coyly, "A Ye, was it... enjoyable just now?"

Hearing this, Zhou Ye’s barely calmed desire surged again, and a certain part of him stirred restlessly.

"I’m asking you a question," she prodded his chest, annoyed.

Zhou Ye caught her finger and pressed a kiss to it, saying hoarsely, "A Shu, thank you for tonight."

Lin Shu pouted slightly, unsatisfied with the answer.

Zhou Ye added, "I... liked it. But maybe we shouldn't do this again next time."

Lin Shu looked at him, puzzled.

"Your hand aches, right? I don't want you to get sore."

Lin Shu muttered, "Enjoying the benefits and still playing innocent."

Although A Ye said that, Lin Shu felt it must be because he was criticizing her technique.

But she couldn’t be blamed... clearly, his reaction was too overwhelming.

"I’m going to sleep," Lin Shu said, shooting him a faint glare before turning to leave.

"A Shu, wait." Zhou Ye couldn’t bear to let her return to her room just yet. Unable to resist, he pulled her back into his arms, his rough hands roaming and kneading, as if he wanted to crush her delicate form against him. He held her tightly and kissed her for a long time.

Once familiar, twice skilled. While he was taking advantage of her lips, Lin Shu made sure to get her own back with her hands. She tugged open A Ye’s belt and reached inside, feeling the firm contours beneath her touch. The hard muscles quivered faintly under her touch, and noticing this, she smiled into the kiss.

After several rounds of kissing, Lin Shu broke the kiss, gasping for air. "My lips are going to be swollen again tomorrow morning."

Zhou Ye stared at her glistening, flushed lips, his eyes dark with boundless desire, which was not alleviated in the slightest.

But between him and A Shu, it had always been A Shu who called the shots.

If he pestered her for more, A Shu would surely be annoyed.

After taking two steps, Lin Shu turned back to look at him. Meeting his intense, unwavering gaze, she tsked, walked back, went on tiptoe to nip his chin—not too hard, but enough to make Zhou Ye’s heart itch. "Where's your self-control? You see me every day. Isn’t that enough?"

Zhou Ye thought to himself: It’s truly not enough. Far from it.

"I’m really leaving now!"

"Alright..."

Lin Shu slipped back into her room. Just as she was about to climb into bed, Lin Xiaopu suddenly turned over, muttering something in her sleep, making Lin Shu jump guiltily.

Seeing that it was just sleep-talking, she relaxed and quietly climbed into bed.

Lin Shu didn’t know how Zhou Ye slept that night, but she herself slept very soundly. However, when she woke up the next day, aside from her sore feet and legs, her butt also ached slightly.

Lin Shu was baffled. The soreness in her feet and legs was from walking too much the day before—much better compared to the last time when it hurt badly. But why did her butt ache? Why did it also have a slight pain?

Lin Xiaopu woke early every day and was already out of the room. Lin Shu hesitated for a moment, she lifted the blanket for cover and hastily wriggled out of her underwear, and turned to look.

At the sight, Lin Shu gasped sharply.

There, on the curve of her bottom, were two clear, distinct handprints—large and broad, slightly bruised, looking terrifying, as if two ghostly claws had left their mark.

Almost instantly, Lin Shu knew exactly how those "ghost claws" got there.

That bastard A Ye, acting like he’d taken the wrong medicine last night, used so much force that he left bruises on her!

Fuming, Lin Shu hurriedly dressed and went out, intending to settle the score with someone. But as soon as she entered the main hall, she saw a large bouquet of wildflowers on the table, and her anger instantly vanished.

Forget it. A Ye was naturally strong, and it was understandable if he lost control a little in the heat of the moment. Plus, her skin was delicate and easily marked with even a bit of force.

Lin Shu was easy to appease. A Ye’s bouquet of wildflowers easily appeased her.

She had woken up late. By the time she went out, Aunt Lin and Aunt Li were already preparing breakfast.

Aunt Li glanced at her with a slightly strange expression, leaving Lin Shu puzzled.

She looked at the new wooden hairpin in Aunt Li’s hair—one she had carefully chosen with auspicious cloud designs. Although Aunt Li had scolded her for spending money recklessly when she received it yesterday, she was clearly delighted and had worn it today. But today, Aunt Li seemed...

When Lin Shu looked again, Aunt Li seemed normal.

"Aunt Li, Aunt Lin, good morning."

"Only you would think it’s still early," He Guixiang said with a gentle smile.

Lin Shu said matter-of-factly, "I’m still young. I need more sleep to grow. Besides, I stayed up a bit late yesterday, so waking up late is normal."

It would’ve been fine if she hadn’t said that. Upon hearing it, He Guixiang showed that subtle expression again.

Lin Shu thought for a moment, then gasped softly as something occurred to her.

Could it be that Aunt Li found out about her and A Ye going to the river to bathe last night?

Or did Aunt Li see them being affectionate in the courtyard when they returned last night?

She herself didn’t think much of it, but she was afraid the conservative Aunt Li might not be able to accept it.

As it turned out, Lin Shu guessed correctly. Last night, He Guixiang had accidentally drunk too much water and woke up in a daze to relieve herself. She happened to hear voices in the courtyard.

In her dazed state, she didn’t know what time it was and was surprised that someone was still talking in the courtyard so late. She peeked out through the window.

What she saw made He Guixiang feel uneasy instantly.

She saw A Ye holding A Shu in his arms, fiercely devouring her lips. The intensity and ferocity of it—if not for A Shu also groping A Ye—would have made her think A Ye was forcing himself on A Shu!

He Guixiang had witnessed the entire scene and knew the two were in the honeymoon phase, but she was totally shocked—utterly shocked. This was usually a stage only newlyweds reached, yet A Ye and A Shu weren’t even married, and already…

He Guixiang couldn’t sleep for a long time afterward, her mind replaying that embarrassing scene over and over.

She could tell that A Shu hadn’t let A Ye take things all the way—the two youngsters knew their limits and hadn’t crossed the final line. But… with such intense passion, who knew when they might get carried away and consummate their relationship early?

A Ye had good character, but he was at that vigorous age, and A Shu seemed all too willing to let him do what he wanted…

They couldn't put this matter off any longer; A Ye and A Shu had to get married as soon as possible! He Guixiang resolved to ask A Shu about it again.

But He Guixiang didn’t rush. After breakfast, when A Shu returned from Zhang Qiaohua’s place and just as Lin Zhaodi went to deliver mung bean soup to the men working, He Guixiang pulled Lin Shu aside for a heart-to-heart.

They chatted about this and that for a while, but He Guixiang hadn’t yet gotten to the point.

She hadn’t figured out how to start the conversation.

“Mom, if you have something to say, just say it. Between us, do we need to be so formal?”

Only then did He Guixiang speak: “Mom asked you before, and you said you didn’t want to marry so soon, but I’d like to ask you again today. A Shu, you and A Ye aren’t young anymore. Since you’re both into each other, don’t you want to marry him earlier? A Ye is family—even if you marry, things won't really change from now…”

Hearing this, Lin Shu finally confirmed that her mother had indeed seen something last night.

She hadn’t expected to keep it hidden forever, but they'd been found out sooner than she’d thought.

After listening to her mother’s earnest words, Lin Shu felt a bit embarrassed.

Though her mother had phrased it delicately, the underlying message was clear: A Ye was at that age when hormones run high, and she was worried they might take things too far.

She was too embarrassed to admit that she was the one who’d tempted A Ye first.

“…A Shu, tell Mom, what are your thoughts now? Should the wedding be postponed a while longer?”

Lin Shu lowered her head and pouted. “Anyway, I’ve already seen clearly what A Ye's really like.”

He Guixiang was taken aback, then delighted. “A Shu, does that mean…?”

Lin Shu played with a strand of her hair and said leisurely, “Mom, pick an auspicious date and arrange the wedding for me and A Ye.”

In rich city families in the capital, the entire wedding process took at least half a year, sometimes even one or two years. She and A Ye didn’t need all that fuss, but they also shouldn’t rush too much. They still needed to prepare properly, so setting a date early was good.

She thought two or three months later would be perfect—the weather would be neither too cold nor too hot, just right.

“Wonderful!” He Guixiang breathed a sigh of relief and said happily, “Once the date is set, we’ll find someone to partition off your and Xiao Pu’s room, with an additional door on the side. Then that room will be yours and A Ye’s newlyweds' room! We’ll also go to town to buy some red cloth—Mom will personally sew you a wedding dress!”

Red cloth was expensive, and since a wedding dress would only be worn once, most families in the village usually didn’t make one. Those who could afford it would borrow one; those who couldn’t would just wear new clothes and a red veil. He Guixiang herself had only worn a red veil at her wedding.

Now that the family was better off, He Guixiang was set on making a wedding dress for A Shu no matter what.

“I’ll listen to you, Mom,” Lin Shu said, her cheeks slightly flushed.

He Guixiang, with that worry off her mind, was beaming all day.

Lin Zhaodi asked curiously, but He Guixiang didn’t reveal anything, only saying she’d find out later. But Lin Zhaodi wasn’t foolish—she guessed and felt happy for A Shu.

In all the surrounding villages, there was no man more capable than Zhou Ye.

Most importantly, A Ye knew how to treat people right!

“Mom, Aunt Lin, I’m bored staying here. I’m going to see A Ye and the others,” Lin Shu suddenly stood up, her eyes shining.

A Ye had gone to help Uncle Zhao San. The thatched cottage opposite was starting to look like a real house, and with A Ye’s help, it would be completed in a couple of days.

After telling He Guixiang how she felt, Lin Shu had been wondering how A Ye would react when he found out she’d agreed.

But now, she didn’t want to wait for her mother to ask A Ye—she wanted to tell him herself that she was willing to marry him early.