Aunt Zhou looked at Tao again. "I'll go and see what your Second Aunt Zhou is up to in the fields!"
As soon as she stepped out of the yard, Zhou Zhijun squatted in front of Tao. He gently held her small hand with his rough big one and softened his voice. "Tao, did you vomit again just now?"
Before Tao could answer, he got up and strode to the table. He picked up the untouched bowl of hot water, blew on the rim of the bowl repeatedly, and then handed it to her. "Drink the water first to warm your stomach."
Tao took the bowl. Her hands were still trembling slightly. She asked in a low voice, "Brother Zhijun, what on earth did you talk about with Officer Yang? Did he make things difficult for you?"
Afraid of making Zhou Zhijun suspicious, she didn't dare to call him "Brother Weiming" but respectfully addressed him as "Officer Yang".
"What kind of difficulties?" Zhou Zhijun's tone was gruff, but his eyes were full of pity.
"I haven't broken the law. Protecting my own woman and child, there's nothing to be in a difficult situation about.
He asked me if you were pregnant, and I said yes.
Then he asked me if I was afraid, and I said no."
He paused for a moment, leaned forward, and looked at her seriously. "Tao, I, Zhou Zhijun, am a man. I dare to do something and I'll take the responsibility.
You're carrying my child, and I'll be responsible for you to the end and protect you for the rest of your life."
Tao's little face flushed instantly. She pursed her lips and asked, "Why did you tell him? Aren't you afraid..."
Zhou Zhijun pulled over a wooden chair and sat opposite Tao. He leaned forward slightly, and his eyes were so gentle that it seemed they could melt water.
"Officer Yang knows how tough you've had it. He also understands that right now, the one who can protect you and give you a stable life is me.
Before he left, he told me to treat you well and not to let you suffer any more grievances.
Tao, don't worry! I'll definitely be good to you. I'll earn a lot of money and let you and the child live a good life!"
Tao never expected that there would be no problem between Zhou Zhijun and Yang Weiming. Instead, they both took pity on her hardships.
A warm feeling suddenly welled up in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Zhou Zhijun reached out and gently wiped away the tears that had overflowed from the corner of her eyes with his fingertips, being so gentle as if he was afraid of breaking her.
"I went to the commune to inquire. The crackdown might end by the end of the year.
Once the crackdown is over, I'll take you to get the marriage certificate and hold a grand wedding for you.
After we get married, you don't have to do any work. Just stay at home and enjoy the blessings.
Whatever you want, I'll try my best to get it for you.
If you want the stars in the sky, I'll build a ladder and climb up to pick them..."
Zhou Zhijun's words were half - serious and half - joking, but Tao liked to hear them.
The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes curved into crescents. She said coquettishly, "You're teasing me again!"
"I'm not teasing you. I'm telling the truth!"
Seeing Tao smile, the corners of Zhou Zhijun's mouth also couldn't help but turn up. "Tao, you look even more beautiful when you smile. Smile more often in the future."
Tao suddenly remembered that this was the busiest time for the autumn harvest. So she asked, "It's so busy. Why did you and Aunt Zhou come here today?"
"I missed you. No matter how busy I am, I have to come and see you."
Zhou Zhijun reached out his big hand and gently stroked Tao's little face. His fingertips slowly rubbed on her delicate skin.
Zhou Zhijun and Aunt Zhou originally planned to come to see Tao after the autumn harvest, but he was really worried. So he took Aunt Zhou and rushed here overnight.
Before coming, he slaughtered two old hens at home and put all the saved eggs in a basket to bring to Tao to nourish her body.
Aunt Zhou also made a new lined jacket, a cotton - padded jacket, and a pair of cotton trousers for Tao, even making gloves and cotton socks. The lining, the outer fabric, and the cotton were all new.
They knocked down more than ten catties of red dates from the jujube tree in the yard and packed pickled spicy vegetables and pickled garlic cloves that Tao liked to eat. They brought quite a lot of things.
"I'm doing fine here. It's not convenient to travel back and forth such a long way." Tao said softly.
"You still say you're fine? If I hadn't come, that guy Yang Weiming might have taken you away!"
Zhou Zhijun stopped smiling and gently scraped the tip of her small nose with his finger.
Tao's face turned even redder, and she quickly defended herself. "What are you talking nonsense about? He has a wife!"
"If he didn't have a wife, would you be willing to be with him?" Zhou Zhijun stared at her eyes seriously.
"No!" Tao replied crisply.
If there was no Zhou Zhijun and Yang Weiming was still unmarried, maybe she would. But now she wouldn't.
Zhou Zhijun was good to her, and Aunt Zhou treated her even better. She wasn't an ungrateful person. Moreover, she herself had long been inseparable from Zhou Zhijun.
"Really?" Zhou Zhijun asked again.
Tao was too embarrassed to look at him and turned to look at the yard. She said in a low voice, "If you don't believe it, forget it!"
"I believe you!" Zhou Zhijun held her little face with both hands and gave a "smack" on her smooth forehead.
Just then, Second Aunt Zhou and Aunt Zhou came back from outside and happened to see this scene.
The two old ladies blushed and quickly walked into the kitchen, pretending not to see anything.
Tao caught a glimpse of them from the corner of her eye. Her little face blushed to the roots of her ears. She hurriedly pushed Zhou Zhijun. "Aunt Zhou and the others are back. Let go quickly!"
Zhou Zhijun glanced at the yard. Seeing the two old sisters hiding in the kitchen, he smiled at Tao. "What are you afraid of? You're my woman. What's wrong with a kiss?"
Tao glared at him coquettishly. "Shameless!"
Zhou Zhijun lowered his voice and said playfully, "We've slept together. What's this?
They know it in their hearts. They just don't say it."
In the kitchen, Aunt Zhou and Second Aunt Zhou were secretly happy about the young couple's intimate behavior.
As Second Aunt Zhou added firewood to the stove, she said, "This Zhijun usually doesn't talk much and doesn't like to smile. I didn't expect him to be so caring towards his wife!"
Aunt Zhou peeked out of the door. Her face was full of relief. "That's right. He really dotes on Tao. If he didn't, he wouldn't even bother to lift an eyelid."
"Sister, Zhijun's wife is good - looking and has a good temper. At first, I thought she was bought from outside. Zhijun said she's from the same village... You're really lucky!" Second Aunt Zhou sighed.
Aunt Zhou felt very happy and replied with a smile, "Who says it isn't?"
Second Aunt Zhou asked again, "Did Zhijun find her on his own, or was it a matchmaker who arranged it?"
Since Zhou Zhijun and Tao hadn't got the marriage certificate yet, Aunt Zhou didn't want to tell Second Aunt Zhou the truth for fear that she would worry needlessly. So she said vaguely, "It was a matchmaker who arranged it. They hit it off and got together."
Second Aunt Zhou complained, "Zhijun should have told us when he was getting married. We could have added our share of good wishes!"
"We didn't tell you about the wedding. That's why we've come to trouble you!" Aunt Zhou said with a smile.
In the north room, Zhou Zhijun and Tao sat facing each other. Even without saying a word, they felt very at ease.
Tao thought that Aunt Zhou had traveled all night and hadn't taken a rest since she arrived. How could an old woman like her stand it?
So she said to Zhou Zhijun, "Go and help Second Aunt Zhou cook. Let Aunt Zhou take a rest."
"Okay." Zhou Zhijun stroked Tao's little face. "You also lie on the bed and rest. I'll call you when the meal is ready."
He got up and went to the kitchen and called Aunt Zhou over.
Aunt Zhou walked to Tao's side and said softly, "Tao, you also go to sleep. Your health is important."
Since Tao got pregnant, she always felt weak. Coupled with not being able to eat, her legs were as soft as if they had no bones. So she obediently went into the inner room and lay down.
After the meal was ready, Zhou Zhijun didn't let Chuntao get up. He carried a bowl into the inner room and fed her spoon by spoon.
Chuntao drank a bowl of porridge and ate two hard-boiled eggs. Strangely enough, she didn't feel nauseous at all.
"Tao, eat more. Only in this way can our son grow up as strong as a calf," Zhou Zhijun said with a smile.
Chuntao lowered her head and asked in a soft voice, "How do you know it's a son? What if it's a daughter?"
"A daughter is okay too," Zhou Zhijun replied immediately, his eyes full of affection. "As long as it's yours, I'll love it."
Chuntao's face was rosy, and her lips were as charming as a ripe cherry on a branch, making people can't help but want to take a bite.
Zhou Zhijun put down the empty bowl. His eyes became hot, and his voice dropped a little. "Tao, can I give you a kiss?"
Previously, he never asked for her permission for anything he did to her. It was quite unusual today.
"No!" Chuntao refused, but her voice was as sweet as honey.
"I'll just kiss your lips. I won't do anything else," Zhou Zhijun leaned over, gently holding her shoulders with both hands, and his breath gradually became hot.
Aunt Zhou was sleeping in the inner room opposite, and Second Aunt Zhou was in the kitchen. Zhou Zhijun was really bold.
Chuntao was so nervous that her heart was about to jump out of her throat, but she didn't push him away.
It was not easy for him to come all the way to see her overnight. Just think of it as a reward for him.
But as Zhou Zhijun kissed her, he became more and more demanding.
