Zuo Jinhui was a woman around thirty years old; by all rights, she should have started a family long ago.
But the courtyard was dead quiet, without even a shadow of a family member. Could something have happened in her family?
Zhou Zhijun's mind was a mess.
He and Zuo Jinhui weren't very close to begin with, and with no one else at home, standing there made him feel completely at a loss and uncomfortable all over.
Leaving wasn't right, staying wasn't right, and he certainly couldn't go inside the house to comfort her.
Besides, as a rough and unrefined man, he had absolutely no idea how to comfort people.
Scanning the courtyard, he spotted a stone table in the corner. He walked over quietly and placed his mesh bag steadily on it.
He had come today to help with chores, so he simply bent down, picked up a shovel, slowly spread out the crushed coal, and mixed it well with yellow clay and water.
As he worked, he pondered over it. She must have run into some trouble. Unable to help with anything else, he decided to finish the work quickly so he could leave.
Zhou Zhijun was also afraid she might do something foolish, so he occasionally glanced toward the north room, pricking up his ears to listen for any movement inside.
He heard the sound of low sobbing coming from the room.
As long as there was sound, and the crying didn't grow louder, he felt relieved.
Women loved to shed tears when they encountered trouble; once she cried it out and vented her feelings, she should be fine.
After mixing the coal cinders, Zhou Zhijun picked up the coal press and began making coal briquettes.
He buried his head in his work, not even daring to breathe too loudly, only thinking of finishing the coal briquettes as fast as possible to escape this awkward place.
The late afternoon sun was a bit harsh. Before long, Zhou Zhijun's cloth shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his back.
He wiped a face full of sweat with his sleeve and continued to bury himself in the work.
After a long while, Zuo Jinhui walked out, holding a small bottle of champagne in her hand.
"Brother Zhijun, it's too hot. Have a drink of this beverage and rest a bit before you continue!"
Her facial expression was calm, but her eyes were red, carrying a trace of lingering sadness deep within them.
"I'm not thirsty, you drink it!" Zhou Zhijun glanced at her, then quickly lowered his head back to work.
She popped off the bottle cap and offered it closer to him. "It's already open. Finish it before you work!"
Seeing her insistence, Zhou Zhijun found it hard to refuse. He took it, tilted his head back, and chugged it all down in one breath.
Zuo Jinhui told him to rest for a while, but he said he wasn't tired, keeping his head down and continuing to work.
He wanted to finish quickly and leave early.
With no one else at home, a man and a woman spending time alone together needed to avoid arousing any suspicion.
The sun was already setting in the west; if it got too late and she asked him to stay for soup, it would be even more awkward.
"Brother Zhijun, take your time. I'm going to cook. You can leave after eating dinner!"
Hearing this, Zhou Zhijun wished he could leave immediately, but if the mixed coal wasn't pressed into briquettes, it would all go to waste.
Without looking up, he said, "Don't cook for me. I'll head back to the hospital as soon as I'm done. If I go back late, they'll worry!"
Zuo Jinhui didn't say a word, turning around and walking into the kitchen.
Zhou Zhijun hurried as fast as he could, finally finishing the work just as the sky was growing dark.
"Brother Zhijun, the food is ready. Hurry and wash your hands to eat!"
Zhou Zhijun was looking down, cleaning up the coal cinders on the ground, when he heard Zuo Jinhui calling him from the kitchen door.
"No, Sister Jinhui, thank you for your kindness, but I really should head back!" Zhou Zhijun said in a deep voice while packing up his tools.
Zuo Jinhui walked out of the kitchen, her voice dropping a bit. "Brother Zhijun, you've worked all afternoon. If you don't stay for dinner, when my cousin finds out, he'll think I didn't even feed you!"
With no one else at home, wouldn't it be terribly awkward for a man and a woman to sit together and eat?
If outsiders saw them, who knew what kind of gossip might spread.
Besides, she had cried inexplicably today. Zhou Zhijun felt uneasy in his heart and decided he absolutely could not stay for dinner.
He clapped the dust off his hands, not even bothering to wash them, and lifted his legs to leave, saying as he walked, "Really, no. I'm leaving now!"
"Brother Zhijun!" Zuo Jinhui suddenly called out to him, her voice thick with tears.
Zhou Zhijun's footsteps paused, his heart skipping a beat.
Little did he know, Zuo Jinhui had admired soldiers ever since she was a little girl, dreaming of marrying one when she grew up.
That year, when Zhou Zhijun and Wu Mingwei came to the Zuo family to stay the night, she was instantly captivated by the tall, handsome Zhou Zhijun in his green military uniform, and her girlish feelings had quietly begun to sprout.
But the two of them were several years apart in age, and their family backgrounds were worlds apart; this affection could ultimately only remain hidden at the bottom of her heart.
Later, Zuo Jinhui got into a junior college, and after graduation, she was assigned to work as an accountant at the county foreign trade bureau.
When she reached the age for marriage, she followed her parents' arrangements, went on a blind date, and started a family.
Her husband was a section chief at a work unit, young and promising, but their relationship wasn't good, and they had divorced a few years ago.
She had been disheartened, thinking she would just live alone for the rest of her life.
That was until that year, when she bumped into Zhou Zhijun while visiting relatives at Wu Mingwei's house. Her long-dormant heart finally came alive again.
The failure of her first marriage had dealt her a massive blow. This time, she didn't want to listen to anyone else's arrangements; she just wanted to follow her own heart.
That day, when Wu Mingwei called and asked her to go to the hospital to pay a hospitalization fee, upon hearing it was Zhou Zhijun's relative in the hospital and that Zhou Zhijun was there too, she was incredibly excited.
She quickly asked for leave from work, went to the bank to withdraw money, and rushed over.
Originally, she had planned to visit the hospital more often over those few days, but her son's situation had left her completely overwhelmed.
When they divorced, custody of their son was given to her ex-husband, and they had agreed at the time that she could visit the child whenever she wanted.
But when she went to see her child last weekend, her ex-husband's family refused to let her see him, claiming the child didn't want to see her.
During those days, she took leave from work and didn't even have the time to go to the hospital. She ran to her ex-husband's house every day, struggling to see her child, but was driven out every single time.
She went to discuss it with her parents, saying she wanted to take her ex-husband to court.
In this era, a woman getting a divorce was already considered a very shameful thing.
If she sued her ex-husband over the child, it would be even more disgraceful, so her parents did not support her in doing so.
Her mother advised her, "The child is of their family's bloodline; they won't mistreat him! Just let it go!
If they don't let you see him, then don't. Find someone else while you're still young, have another child later, and live a good life!"
With her ex-husband refusing to let her see her child, she had been in a terrible mood recently.
She desperately needed an emotional anchor; otherwise, she truly felt like she couldn't hold on much longer.
Usually, she would ask her brother to help make coal briquettes. Today, she had specifically asked Zhou Zhijun because she wanted to confide in him.
But unexpectedly, Zhou Zhijun was like a block of wood, completely oblivious to her feelings.
Hearing her tearful plea to stay, Zhou Zhijun tried to soften his tone and said, "Sister Jinhui, I truly appreciate your kindness, but I really can't stay for dinner. If it gets late, Xiaohong and the others will worry!"
Zuo Jinhui took two steps forward, her voice heavy with a nasal tone. "Brother Zhijun, if you don't want to eat here, I won't force you to stay.
I just want to invite you into the house to sit for a while and have a cup of tea, otherwise, I will feel really bad about it.
Although we haven't met many times, in my heart, you are like my own older brother...
If you don't come in and sit, it means you look down on this sister of yours!"
With things said to this extent, Zhou Zhijun was truly caught in a dilemma.
If he just braced himself and walked away, it would be far too heartless.
He followed Zuo Jinhui into the house, but didn't dare to walk further inside, merely standing right at the door.
"Brother Zhijun, please, take a seat!" Zuo Jinhui offered warmly.
"No thanks, I'll just stand for a bit and then head out!" Zhou Zhijun waved his hand.
Zuo Jinhui poured a cup of warm water and handed it over. He took it with both hands, offered a stiff "Thank you," and downed it in a single gulp.
"Sister Jinhui, I drank the water, but I really have to go. It's pitch black outside!"
Zuo Jinhui raised her eyes to look at him, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.
Just as Zhou Zhijun bent down to set the teacup down, she suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Brother Zhijun... I like you..."
