Zhou Zhijun, a grown man, walked over without making a single sound.
Chuntao was suddenly embraced from behind by him, her small frame shuddering involuntarily as if all the blood in her body had frozen.
Her arms and legs went stiff, and she even forgot how to breathe.
Her little heart pounded wildly in her chest, threatening to leap out.
Her mind buzzed and then went completely blank.
At that moment, only two words filled her heart: "It's over," along with a fear that seeped into her very bones.
She wanted to shout at him to let go, but her throat felt tightly blocked, unable to squeeze out any sound.
She could feel the hard, forceful strength from his body; all the hairs on her body stood on end, and her small frame trembled.
Zhou Zhijun held her tightly from behind and even uttered such shameless words.
Without waiting for her to react, he bent down, scooped her up sideways, and strode into the sorghum field.
He moved as fast as if a starving wolf were chasing his heels.
Chuntao was already terrified stiff; only after entering the sorghum field did she snap back to her senses and begin to struggle desperately.
But against this burly man, her feeble strength couldn't even stir dust.
"Let go, let go..." she kept repeating these two words, but her voice grew weaker and weaker.
Holding her with one arm, he used his other hand to pull off his own coarse cloth shirt, spread it on a spot where the grass grew thick, and laid her down on it.
His tall frame loomed over her, his hot breath puffing against her face, the nape of her neck...
"Peach, it's been four years, I've thought of you every day!
I can't hold back anymore...
Today I'm going to have you... make you my woman, Zhou Zhijun's woman..."
He panted like an old ox pulling a plow, speaking in broken phrases.
"No... don't do this, I'm Wang Jieshi's wife. If we do this, I'll become a ruined woman, people will scorn me to death..."
Her pitiful, plaintive sobs were heartbreaking, but Zhou Zhijun was determined this time, his mind firmly set on succeeding!
He didn't want to care about anything else; hardening his heart, he was going to do what he had dreamed of for four years.
To make her completely his woman, to let him taste the joy of being with a woman!
With that little hope of happiness, the days ahead wouldn't seem so bitter anymore!
Chuntao's period had already passed. To prevent Zhou Zhijun from taking advantage of her again, she had been extra cautious. When she came to the field that morning, she had put her sanitary belt back on.
Suddenly remembering this, she cried and pleaded, "Zhijun... Brother Zhijun, my period isn't over yet? We can't, really we can't..."
Her sobs were as faint as a mosquito's hum, like a little wildcat that had been badly bullied.
It had been several days already; Zhou Zhijun didn't believe her. His hand probed downward and indeed felt the thick sanitary belt.
But he quickly saw through this little woman's trick and reached to untie the thin cord at her waist.
Seeing she was about to be exposed, Chuntao's fear peaked. She struggled with all her might, using the greatest strength of her life.
"Zhou Zhijun, you beast..."
"I am a beast... I'm only a beast to you..."
"Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law............"
Suddenly, Wang Xiaohong's voice came from outside the sorghum field.
Zhou Zhijun and Chuntao both froze simultaneously!
"Sister-in-law... where are you?" Xiaohong's voice grew closer, sounding as if she were walking toward the sorghum field.
Chuntao struggled to suppress the humiliation and fear in her heart, her voice still trembling slightly as she quickly answered.
"Hey! I'm here relieving myself!"
Afraid Wang Xiaohong might enter the sorghum field, she quickly added, "Some of our melons are ripe, go take a look. I'll be out in a moment..."
Hearing Wang Xiaohong's footsteps head toward the watermelon field, Chuntao's heart finally settled back into her stomach.
Zhou Zhijun's eyes were red, like a lion in heat, gazing at her with unsatisfied desire.
Chuntao hurried to straighten her clothes, but Zhou Zhijun swatted her hand away. Chuntao shuddered again in fright.
With a tearful voice, she said, "Don't you dare mess around again. If you do, I'll scream!
Let Xiaohong know, let the whole village know. I don't want to live anyway!"
Zhou Zhijun's face seemed coated with a layer of frost, hard and cold. He remained silent, his two large hands buttoning up her clothes and tightening her belt for her.
Chuntao's legs felt weak. She wiped the sweat and tears from her face, took a deep breath, and prepared to walk out of the sorghum field.
Zhou Zhijun pulled her into his embrace once more, his hot breath against her ear, his voice low and hoarse, "Sooner or later, I'm going to do it!"
Hearing his words, the tears she had just swallowed welled up again.
"Let me go, quick! Xiaohong will be here soon!"
Zhou Zhijun loosened his arms. Chuntao broke free from him and stumbled out of the sorghum field.
Wang Xiaohong stood at the edge of the watermelon field, turning her head to look this way, and saw Chuntao walking over.
Her body seemed a bit unsteady, her eyes were red, and a blade of grass was stuck in her hair.
"Sister-in-law, what's wrong? Why are your eyes so red?"
Chuntao's heart skipped a beat. She quickly rubbed her eyes, "A little black bug just flew into my eye!"
"By the way, how's our mother's health?"
Xiaohong frowned, her face falling, "After a few days on IV drip, the doctor prescribed some more anti-inflammatory medicine, said to take it for a while longer, worried about infection!"
Liu Cuilan's illness was caused by the two of them, so Chuntao didn't feel it right to ask for details.
"That bastard Wang Haichao, all smooth talk every day, but when it comes to serious matters, he's nowhere to be found.
If I hadn't borrowed money from Uncle Zhijun, counting on him, our mother would have been gone long ago!
He stayed at the hospital doing nothing, couldn't even last a single day there. Really don't know how our mother got so bewitched by him!" Wang Xiaohong said angrily.
Chuntao didn't pick up on her topic, instead saying, "Let's go, it's noon, time to go home and cook."
They walked from the melon field toward the bean field. Wang Xiaohong continued, "Sister-in-law, don't you think Uncle Zhijun is such a good man? Good character, not bad-looking either.
Apart from being a man of few words and not smiling much, isn't he hundreds of times better than that Wang Haichao in every way?"
Chuntao used to think the same, but she didn't anymore, because she had seen the filth hidden beneath his clothes.
He seemed like a good man on the surface, but in secluded places, he secretly engaged in disgraceful acts.
Chuntao merely gave an "Mhm" in response, then hoisted the hoe from the ground and walked home with Wang Xiaohong.
Zhou Zhijun sat in the sorghum field, expressionless, the beast raging inside his body slowly retreating back into its cage.
He began to feel regret again. That night in the melon field, he should have taken her.
Now Liu Cuilan and Wang Xiaohong were back again; who knew how long he'd have to wait this time!
The reason Chuntao hadn't heard him earlier was because he had taken off his shoes and approached her barefoot.
It was already hot at high noon, and after that ordeal, all his clothes were soaked with sweat.
He returned to the sesame field, put on his shoes, and instead of going straight home, headed to the eastern riverbank, planning to take a bath before returning.
Just as he was nearing the riverbank, he suddenly heard a woman's voice shouting for help.
Zhou Zhijun's heart gave a sudden lurch, and he immediately broke into a run toward the source of the sound.
