Chuntao took a subconscious step back. She abruptly turned to leave, but Zhou Zhijun caught her by the waist and lifted her into his arms.
She couldn't help but let out a gasp. A layer of goosebumps instantly broke out across her skin, and even her hands and feet went stiff.
Holding her, he sat down on the grass. Chuntao's little heart had leapt into her throat; she was terrified it would pop right out if she so much as opened her mouth. She didn't dare to cry out, let alone struggle.
She knew this man was immune to both persuasion and force; her only option was to obediently comply.
Her small face burned like a hot coal, and she didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
"We need to go back quickly, otherwise Xiaohong will be worried when she gets home and doesn't see me..."
Zhou Zhijun laid her flat on his coarse cloth jacket, slowly leaning over to envelop her petite frame in his shadow.
In that single moment, Chuntao forgot herself and everything else in the world. All her past suffering was driven away by a mysterious force, leaving not a trace behind.
She only wanted to sink down like this, to drown in it, oblivious to heaven and earth!
...
As the night grew deeper, Zhou Zhijun gently helped her put her clothes back on. His movements were incredibly light and tender, a stark contrast to his earlier frenzy.
A gust of wind blew past, bringing a chill. She couldn't help but shiver. The tears on her face had been dried by the wind, leaving only tear tracks behind.
He lifted her up, but she couldn't stand steadily at all, falling straight into his embrace.
She tried hard to steady herself, doing her best to keep her distance from him.
But he pulled her tightly into his arms, his voice terribly hoarse. "Tao, why are you so captivating? Whenever I see you, I just can't help myself!"
His heart pounded wildly, thudding so hard it felt like it would burst through his chest.
Chuntao's eardrums buzzed from the vibration. Tears spilled from her eyes, quickly soaking a large patch of his coarse cloth jacket.
"Cry! If you're feeling awful, just cry it out!"
Zhou Zhijun loosened his grip, his large hands coming up to cup her small face. His rough fingertips gently brushed across her cheeks, wiping away her tears.
"Tao, you are a good woman. All the women in the Qingshan Commune put together can't even compare to your little toe!
In my heart, you're thousands of times better than a heavenly fairy! You're just too stubborn. You always think of others and never of yourself. Living like this is truly bitter for you, I know it all!
I want to take you away, to earn a good life for you..."
"Stop talking, I don't want to hear it..." She covered her ears, her cries muffled and suppressed.
Zhou Zhijun picked up the bicycle that had fallen on the ground.
His voice was very gentle. "Get on!"
Chuntao didn't want to, but she had no other choice. She could only obediently sit on the back seat.
Zhou Zhijun pushed the bicycle up the slope, his whole body radiating an endless supply of energy.
By now, the moon had peeked out. Under the dim moonlight, he rode the bicycle, taking her toward Wangjiazhai.
Along the way, neither of them spoke. There was only the rattling sound of the bicycle chain and the sound of their gradually steadying breaths.
Sitting on the back of the bicycle, Chuntao felt her heart clench with waves of aching pain.
Every day, she felt like she was walking on the edge of a cliff; one moment of carelessness and she would fall, leaving not even bone fragments behind.
As they neared the village, Zhou Zhijun suddenly spoke up. "Go back and get a good rest, and whatever you do, don't overexert yourself! I'll take care of the chores at home and in the fields!"
Chuntao remained silent, but her disappointing tears flowed out again. It wasn't just sadness; it was a complex mix of countless emotions.
Regarding the incident where she was stabbed, people ignorant of the truth would definitely gossip and spread rumors about her.
She only wanted to live a peaceful life, to have enough to eat and wear. But achieving such a simple wish was far too difficult.
Suddenly, the beam of a flashlight from the edge of the village shone toward them, drawing closer and closer.
"Sister-in-law!"
"Second Uncle!"
It was Wang Xiaohong and Zhou Xiaowei.
Wang Xiaohong and Zhou Xiaowei had taken the small path and arrived home just as it was getting dark.
Zhou Zhijun was riding a bike, so logically, he should have returned earlier. Yet Wang Xiaohong had already finished her soup and tidied up the kitchen, and there was still no sign of them.
So she went to find Zhou Xiaowei, asking him to accompany her to check the road.
The two of them spotted them right after leaving the village. Wang Xiaohong ran up to them. "Why were you so slow? Brother Xiaowei and I have been home for a good while now!"
She shined the flashlight on Chuntao's face and saw the tear tracks, instantly becoming worried. "Sister-in-law, why are you crying?"
"N-nothing..." Chuntao stuttered slightly.
Zhou Zhijun's voice was as calm as usual. "We ran into a wolfhound on the way, and it scared her!"
Chuntao thought to herself, what wolfhound? He was simply a starving wolf in human skin, wanting to take a bite the moment he saw her.
