If this thing was seen by others, wouldn't it confirm their gossip?
Even if outsiders didn't see it, it would be bad enough if Aunt Zhou and the others saw it!
Chuntao's heart beat like a drum. She wanted to go over and remind him immediately, but the thought of the shameful scene in the ditch just now made her whole body uncomfortable.
She could feel her face burning as red as hot coals.
"Sister-in-law!" Wang Xiaohong came out of Aunt Zhou's kitchen, saw her standing in the yard, and called out, "Sister-in-law, it's time to eat dumplings!"
Aunt Zhou walked toward the main room carrying two steaming bowls of dumplings. "Tao, come here, the dumplings are ready!"
Zhou Zhijun was squatting at the kitchen door washing his hands, the thing in his pants pocket still sticking out.
Afraid of being seen, Chuntao hurriedly moved over, wanting to use the opportunity of squatting down to wash her hands to tell him.
But before she could get close, Zhou Zhijun finished washing his hands and stood up.
He looked at her, his eyes full of tender affection, and said in a low voice, "I'll scoop some water for you!"
He splashed the dirty water out into the yard, scooped another ladle of water into the basin for Chuntao to wash her hands, and then strode into the main room himself.
Aunt Zhou placed the two bowls of dumplings on the table in the main room, turned around, and called out, "Tao, the dumplings are in the main room, go eat quickly!"
Then she instructed Wang Xiaohong at the door, "Bring a bowl for your brother too!"
Chuntao kept thinking about the thing in Zhou Zhijun's pocket and had no mind to make conversation, walking straight into the main room.
Two bowls of dumplings were set on the square table. One bowl was in front of Zhou Zhijun, and the other was placed right by his hand.
Seeing her come in, he reached out and pulled the chair next to him. He didn't speak, just looked at her steadily.
Chuntao sat down with her head lowered, picked up her chopsticks, and rested them on the edge of the bowl without picking anything up. She squeezed a few words out of her throat, "The thing in your pants pocket..."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear. Zhou Zhijun quickly reached for his pants pocket, his heart skipping a beat as he hurriedly felt for it.
He leaned close to Chuntao's ear. "Tao, this thing is uncomfortable! I heard that men can get a vasectomy with an injection. I'll go get it done some day..."
As he spoke, he quietly slipped off his cloth shoe and gently rubbed her ankle with his toes.
Chuntao's face flushed red. She wanted to get up and go to the yard, but he suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Sit down!" His voice was stiff, carrying an irresistible command.
She could only sit down, lower her head, and shovel dumplings into her mouth, chewing slowly.
Zhou Zhijun, however, ate with great relish. The smacking sounds of his lips were particularly loud. No matter what this man ate, it always seemed as if he was eating the best food in the world.
Chuntao's mind couldn't help but recall his crazy appearance again, and she buried her head even lower.
Zhou Zhijun shoved large mouthfuls of dumplings into his mouth, but his gaze was glued to her lowered profile.
Her cheeks were rosy, like red apples hanging on the tips of branches in late autumn, making his heart itch with craving.
As long as he saw this little woman, his eyes and heart could no longer hold anything else; they were completely filled with her.
Zhou Zhijun was like a man possessed, feeling uncomfortable all over if he couldn't touch her. His feet clamped around her calves.
Chuntao's legs trembled, her heart clenching tightly as she whispered, "Let go!"
"I won't let go!" Zhou Zhijun acted like a rogue. "I adore you, I'm afraid you'll run away!"
"Uncle Zhijun, have you two finished eating? I'll serve you some more!" Wang Xiaohong came out of the kitchen with a bowl and walked toward the main room.
Only then did Zhou Zhijun resentfully release Chuntao's legs. Chuntao subconsciously shifted to the side, her small face burning hot, not daring to look at Wang Xiaohong at all.
"I'll serve myself when I'm done. You just eat yours!" Zhou Zhijun quickly replied.
This girl, she really had to insert herself everywhere!
Wang Xiaohong had already walked into the main room, pulled over a chair, and sat down right next to Chuntao.
"Sister-in-law!" Seeing Chuntao keeping her head down and not saying a word, she called out again.
Chuntao just kept shoveling dumplings into her mouth and gave a soft affirmative hum.
Wang Xiaohong, however, was in high spirits and chattered away, "Sister-in-law, I went to the street to buy meat today and ran into Brother Mingliang!
He said there's something going on in his hometown and he needs to go back for a while, so he asked me to pass a message to you!"
Zhou Zhijun already suspected that Li Mingliang was up to no good, and Wang Xiaohong's words only confirmed his suspicions.
Chuntao could imagine Zhou Zhijun's expression at this moment; it was definitely colder than ice in the dead of winter. She was so nervous that her breathing skipped a beat.
With Wang Xiaohong around, he wouldn't dare do anything to her, but once Wang Xiaohong left, who knew what he would say.
In this lifetime, she could only be yearned for by him.
Chuntao didn't dare to pick up Wang Xiaohong's conversation, but Zhou Zhijun spoke up, "Xiaohong, what do you think of Li Mingliang?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaohong's eyes instantly lit up. "Brother Mingliang is a good person!
When my sister-in-law fainted in Nangang last time, it was Aunt Zhang and Brother Mingliang who helped take her to the oilfield hospital. He even helped me sell a whole cart of watermelons!"
After saying this, she belatedly realized something was off. Her small face turned slightly red, and she asked coyly, "Uncle Zhijun, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
"Nothing," Zhou Zhijun said lightly. "I also think Li Mingliang is pretty good. The young man is not bad-looking and has a formal job. I just wonder if he's engaged to anyone yet!"
Wang Xiaohong was sixteen or seventeen, at the age of ignorant fantasies about love. The more she pondered, the more she felt Zhou Zhijun's words had a hidden meaning.
Feeling embarrassed, she picked up her bowl and walked out the door. "I'm going to the kitchen to get a bowl of dumpling soup!"
Zhou Zhijun watched her back, pulling a meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth.
Wang Xiaohong went to the kitchen and didn't come back, leaving only the two of them in the main room again.
Zhou Zhijun leaned close to Chuntao's ear, his voice deep. "Xiaohong is sixteen or seventeen too, it's time to find her a husband's family."
As soon as his words fell, Liu Cuilan's shrill cursing came from outside the door.
"Li Chuntao, get the hell out here!"
Chuntao's heart sank. It's all over now!
She and Zhou Zhijun were sitting so close, and they were the only two in the main room. If Liu Cuilan saw them, wouldn't it confirm her suspicions?
Chuntao's small body swayed, and she hurriedly tried to stand up, but Zhou Zhijun firmly pressed her shoulder down and said in a deep voice, "Don't move!"
His face turned a few degrees colder. He stood up and stepped outside in two strides.
Aunt Zhou and Wang Xiaohong also came out of the kitchen upon hearing the noise, only to see Liu Cuilan standing with her hands on her hips in Chuntao's yard.
Behind her followed the group of people who had gone to the ditch to catch the adulterers, all wearing smug expressions of finally catching them red-handed.
"How did my sister-in-law offend you? You're here cursing people again!" Wang Xiaohong slammed her bowl on the windowsill and was the first to rush up to Liu Cuilan, hands on her hips, demanding an answer.
"You little girl, stay out of this!" Liu Cuilan glared at her fiercely and raised her voice to shout, "Tell that slut Li Chuntao to come out!"
Saying that, she suddenly raised the thing in her hand, waved it around, and shouted, "Everyone, come look! This is the proof of Li Chuntao's scandalous affair!"
