Chuntao was so startled by him that her heart suddenly tightened, and she almost cried out.
"It's never-ending! Let me go..." she choked out.
Zhou Zhijun, however, hugged her even tighter and said in a muffled voice, "Speak, I'm listening!"
"Didn't I just tell you? Someone put a small mirror on the windowsill! The picture on the back of that mirror is so shameful..." Chuntao's voice was thin and trembling.
Zhou Zhijun's eyes darkened, and his tone grew a few degrees colder. "Where is it?"
"Xiaohong saw it and asked for it... I'm just worried, I feel like someone is watching me from the shadows..."
"Don't be afraid." Zhou Zhijun's voice softened again. His large hand stroked the back of her head, gently pressing her against his shoulder.
"No matter who put that thing there or what their intentions are, I've got your back!"
He raised his hand, gently caressing her hair. "Tao, tell me whenever something happens in the future. That way I'll know what's going on and can deal with it."
Zhou Zhijun suddenly remembered the things he had bought for Chuntao at the supply and marketing cooperative today.
"I brought you some good stuff." He gently let her go, reached out to grab the matches on the nightstand, and with a sizzle, struck one to light the kerosene lamp.
Chuntao quickly shrank her entire body under the blanket, covering even her small face tightly, leaving only her forehead exposed.
"Feeling shy again!" Zhou Zhijun couldn't help but tug the corners of his mouth upward, his voice carrying a hint of suppressed laughter.
He slipped on his cloth shoes and got out of bed, picked up the tin thermos from the nightstand, poured some hot water into the new enamel basin, and soaked the towel printed with red peonies in it.
This washbasin and towel were both bought from the cooperative a while ago, kept in his room specifically for Chuntao to use.
He walked back to the bed, reached out to gently pull away the blanket covering Chuntao's face, then wrapped her in the blanket, half-supporting and half-hugging her to sit up.
Zhou Zhijun wrung the water out of the towel and first wiped her tear-stained face.
Then he took her small hands and wiped them carefully. Only then did he take off his shoes, get onto the bed, sit behind her, and securely encircle her in his arms.
He casually pulled over a cloth bag from the nightstand, pulling out a golden, crispy fried dough stick and a round sugar cake. "Here, hold these, one in each hand!"
Without leaving room for argument, he stuffed them into Chuntao's hands. He then untied a small packet wrapped in oil paper, and a savory aroma of soy sauce instantly wafted out.
"Tao, look at the spiced beef I bought for you. It smells delicious!"
He pinched a thinly sliced piece of beef and brought it to Chuntao's lips.
The aroma drilled straight into her nostrils. Chuntao's throat couldn't help but bob gently as she swallowed her saliva.
"I won't eat... I have something else to tell you."
The matter of Zhou Xiaowei being stabbed, and how she had originally planned to go to the commune police station to provide clues that day, but was dragged into the small woods halfway there.
This matter had been bottled up in her heart for days, pressing down on her until she could hardly breathe. She needed to tell Zhou Zhijun quickly.
"Eat your fill first, then we'll talk!" Zhou Zhijun ordered.
"I'm really not hungry, I won't eat!" Chuntao turned her head to avoid his hand, so anxious that her eyes turned red again. "I have something urgent to tell you, really!"
"No matter how urgent it is, it's not as important as filling your stomach. Eat!" Zhou Zhijun turned her face back and gently forced the beef toward her mouth.
"Eat more to replenish your strength, then your legs won't be weak."
She muttered in her heart that this man, Zhou Zhijun, must have been a beast of burden in his past life; otherwise, how could he have so much strength!
Tonight, she had no appetite at all. She had only drunk half a bowl of porridge and hadn't even eaten any pickled vegetables.
After being tossed about so much, her whole body felt like it was falling apart, and the little bit of porridge in her stomach had long been digested.
At this moment, her stomach was grumbling, crying out in hunger.
"Be good, fill your stomach, and then tell me slowly," Zhou Zhijun coaxed her, just like coaxing a child.
"You only have the energy to speak after you've eaten your fill, right?"
This man, who usually showed everyone a cold face, was now holding her and coaxing her with a gentle voice.
"Open your mouth, be a good girl!"
Chuntao ultimately couldn't out-stubborn him. She obediently opened her mouth and took in the spiced beef he brought to her lips.
The beef was well-marinated, salty and savory with a hint of spice, melting in her mouth as soon as she chewed.
"Alternate between the fried dough stick and the sugar cake, don't choke," Zhou Zhijun reminded her again.
Chuntao took a bite of the fried dough stick, her mouth filling with the fragrant oil.
She looked at the sugar cake in her hand, hesitated for a moment, and raised her hand to bring it to Zhou Zhijun's lips.
Eating all by herself made her feel quite embarrassed. Besides, he had also tired himself out just now.
Looking at the little woman in his arms, Zhou Zhijun's heart suddenly warmed. A rush of heat surged from his chest, and his eyes couldn't help but feel a bit hot.
It seemed that she had him in her heart too; she was just stubborn and refused to admit it.
He didn't refuse, opening his mouth to take a large bite of the sugar cake. The sweet taste spread in his mouth, sweetening all the way to his heart.
"So sweet!" he said, his voice carrying a slight, irrepressible tremble.
Zhou Zhijun simply turned Chuntao's small body around so the two of them were facing each other.
Facing each other so openly, Chuntao felt all the blood in her body rush to her face, making it frighteningly hot.
"I... I'll put on my clothes first." She quickly turned sideways, twisting her face away, wrapping her arms tightly across her chest. Her voice was as thin as a strand of hair.
"What are you afraid of? It's not like I haven't seen it before!" Zhou Zhijun chuckled softly, pulling her closer into his embrace.
Chuntao's small frame trembled slightly uncontrollably, turning as red as a ripe cherry from the roots of her ears down to her neck.
He lowered his head, gently biting her burning earlobe, and said in a hoarse voice, "I've had you several times already. Inside and out, what part of you haven't I seen..."
"Stop talking!" Chuntao was both ashamed and annoyed, her tears falling again like pearls from a broken string.
"Alright, alright, I won't say it." Zhou Zhijun said quickly, gently wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with the pad of his thumb. "Be good and fill your stomach first, okay?"
With one arm around her small waist, he held the spiced beef with his other hand, feeding the slices into Chuntao's mouth one after another.
Chuntao knew she couldn't out-stubborn him, so she could only obediently listen to him.
Holding the sugar cake in one hand and grasping the fried dough stick in the other, she would take a bite herself and then bring a bite to Zhou Zhijun's lips.
Zhou Zhijun didn't decline either. Whenever she fed him, he opened his mouth, and the two of them ate like this, taking turns bite by bite.
"Eat more beef. This stuff keeps hunger at bay and builds strength!" Zhou Zhijun stuffed another slice into her mouth.
Chuntao quickly turned her head to avoid it, drooping her eyelids, not daring to look at him. She whispered, "I'm full, I really won't eat any more, you eat."
"What? Do you think I don't have enough strength? You want me to eat some so I can be even stronger?" The corners of Zhou Zhijun's mouth curled into a roguish smile.
Chuntao's small face flushed even redder in an instant.
"Even if I don't eat, I still have plenty of strength." Zhou Zhijun pinched her cheek, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. "I'm afraid that if I eat, I'll be too strong and make you cry again..."
"I'm not listening!" Chuntao was so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole in the ground to hide in.
She had heard the women in the village say before that eating beef was the best for building strength.
She was truly terrified. With that thought in mind, she simply reached out, grabbed the remaining beef from the oiled paper bag, and devoured it in a few quick bites.
Only one last sugar cake remained in the cloth wrapper. Chuntao was far too stuffed to eat another bite, but Zhou Zhijun picked it up and said, "We'll share this one."
As he spoke, he brought the sugar cake to his lips, holding half of it in his mouth. His other hand cupped the back of her head, pressing her mouth against the pastry.
Chuntao tried to pull away, but his grip was ironclad. Left with no choice, she opened her mouth and took a tiny, timid bite from the other side.
Zhou Zhijun bit off the remaining half of the sugar cake. He barely chewed before swallowing it down, leaving just a tiny speck of sugar crumb on his lips.
Chuntao had no desire to lean in again, but he kept that bit of sugar between his lips and forcefully pressed it toward her mouth.
Helpless, Chuntao parted her lips slightly. But the moment she did, Zhou Zhijun swallowed the sugar crumb with a playful gulp and seamlessly captured her lips in a kiss.
"Ah! Let me go!" Having finally eaten, Chuntao seemed to have recovered a bit of strength. She began to struggle frantically, pushing hard against his chest with both hands.
Right at that moment, a sudden bout of dog barking erupted from the west. The barks were loud and frantic, accompanied by the faint, heavy thud of approaching footsteps.
Chuntao's heart clenched in panic. She gave an involuntary shudder and subconsciously shrank back into his arms.
