Zhou Zhijun's heart melted completely. He was about to respond when he noticed Chuntao's eyelids flutter.
He quickly leaned down, his gaze so tender it could drip with water.
"Tao!" he called softly.
Chuntao slowly opened her eyes, her long, curved eyelashes trembling slightly, her eyes veiled as if with a mist.
Her little face was flushed, radiating the softness of just waking up, her nose tip pink, her lips soft and inviting, looking especially endearing.
He wanted to touch her cheeks, but feared his rough, calloused hands might hurt her, so he placed his hand on the top of her head and gently rubbed it.
Zhou Zhijun's expression was gentle, a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Tao, awake?"
Chuntao was dazed. She raised her hand to rub her sleepy eyes before she could clearly see the person in front of her.
It was indeed Zhou Zhijun's face—angular, tanned to a bronze, ruggedly handsome.
She had just had a dream, a dream where Zhou Zhijun came.
Chuntao found it hard to believe. Had her dream come true?
Her pink lips moved, about to speak, but Zhou Zhijun beat her to it.
"Tao, you missed me. You were calling my name even in your dreams!"
Chuntao's flushed face turned even redder. She had indeed missed him, but she denied it aloud. "I wasn't thinking of you!"
"I heard it myself. Aren't you going to admit it?" Zhou Zhijun couldn't help but tap her delicate nose with his finger.
His fingers were coarse, hot and hard, a little painful, but deeply comforting, carrying the rough, earthy feel of a farmer, and smelling faintly of soybeans.
Chuntao turned her head and saw his bare feet, covered in mud. She looked at the bloodshot eyes beneath his eyes, and her heart ached with a mix of pain and longing.
Wang Family Village was over a hundred li from here. A trip took at least ten or more hours, meaning he hadn't slept all night.
Her eyes were tender as she scolded softly, "Silly, why aren't you wearing shoes? Aren't you afraid of stepping on something sharp?"
Zhou Zhijun grinned, showing his teeth. "Seeing you, I forgot about everything else."
Chuntao's eyes were full of concern. She wanted to reach out and touch his face, but felt too shy.
As if reading her thoughts, Zhou Zhijun reached out, caught her soft little hand, and guided it toward his own cheek.
That's when he noticed a bright green jade bracelet on her arm. Zhou Zhijun recognized it immediately—it was his mother's.
"Tao, did my mother give you the bracelet? This bracelet was my grandmother's, said to be a family heirloom. My mother always wore it. She didn't give it to either the eldest or the third brother's wives. Looks like the old lady values you the most!"
Aunt Zhou did truly care for her, but wearing this bracelet always made Chuntao feel uneasy.
Wang Haiying and Huang Meili were both Aunt Zhou's daughters-in-law. By seniority and rank, it shouldn't have been her turn!
If those two found out that Aunt Zhou had given her the bracelet, it would spell trouble.
"Mm, Mother does care for me."
When Zhou Zhijun heard her say that, his eyes lit up. "Tao, you've changed how you address her—you called her 'Mother'!"
Chuntao was embarrassed by his excitement and lowered her eyes without speaking.
Zhou Zhijun pressed her hand against his cheek. "Tao, I can't wait any longer. I want to go get the marriage certificate right now!"
Chuntao's fingers instinctively traced his cheek. "The marriage certificate? How can we get it without our household registration? Besides, my belly's starting to show now. If the family planning office catches us, we'll be in trouble!"
"That's true."
As he spoke, his other hand moved toward her stomach. Chuntao quickly pressed his hand down and whispered near his ear, "Don't move, you'll scare the baby."
Zhou Zhijun paused, then the tenderness in his eyes deepened. He hadn't expected this gentle, delicate woman to already know how to protect the child in her belly!
"Tao, you really are starting to look like a mother!"
"Zhijun, is Chuntao awake yet? The egg noodle soup is ready!" Just then, Aunt Zhou's low voice came from the inner doorway.
A hint of panic flashed on Chuntao's face as she quickly moved his hand away and smoothed the stray hair by her temples.
"She's awake," Zhou Zhijun said, moving toward the inner doorway and lifting the door curtain.
Aunt Zhou walked in carrying a coarse porcelain bowl. Seeing the mud on Zhou Zhijun's feet, she frowned and said, "Your feet are caked in mud. Go wash them right away!"
She set the bowl on the nightstand and turned to Chuntao, her tone instantly softening. "Tao, sit up and eat some noodles. I put two eggs in it for you. You're eating for two now, so you need to eat well, or you won't get enough nutrition!"
Aunt Zhou took care of Chuntao like she was a new mother recovering from childbirth, cooking five or six meals a day, afraid she might go hungry.
Chuntao had a bowl of congee and half a steamed bun in the morning, then had lain down for a while and hadn't felt hungry until now.
But the smell of scallion and egg noodle soup hit her, and her stomach started rumbling. "Mother, sorry for the trouble."
Aunt Zhou pretended to scold her. "Don't say such distant words from now on!"
Zhou Zhijun helped Chuntao sit up and placed a pillow behind her lower back. "Don't lean against the wall. It's cold."
It was different when it came to someone you cherished—even a rough man could become so attentive. Aunt Zhou's smile grew even warmer.
She picked up the bowl and said to Zhou Zhijun, "I've heated some water in the big pot. Go wash your feet."
Zhou Zhijun replied with a "Sure," then turned to look at Chuntao before leaving. "Can you eat properly now? Still feeling nauseous?"
Aunt Zhou answered for her. "Once the third month passed, she was fine. She's eating well now!"
Chuntao pursed her lips and nodded.
Zhou Zhijun ladled hot water into a basin and took it into the outhouse. He took off his clothes and washed himself from head to toe.
He'd walked all night, and by now it was almost noon. His stomach was growling. He went to the kitchen, had a bowl of noodles, wolfed it down, and had a big steamed bun on top of that before he felt full.
He untied the fertilizer sack. Inside were three cloth pouches: one held a jar of malted milk, two packs of biscuits, and a bag of fruit candies.
Another pouch contained the autumn and winter underwear he'd bought for Chuntao, along with a cashmere scarf.
The biggest pouch was filled with shiny yellow millet.
Aunt Zhou looked at the items and said, "Carrying all that for over a hundred li—you must be exhausted. Go get some sleep!"
Zhou Zhijun grabbed the pouch with the clothes and headed to the north room. "Tao, it's getting cold. I bought you two sets of long underwear, so you can switch between them. And a cashmere scarf—I had someone buy it in the city. It'll keep you warm!"
He set the cloth bundle on an old wooden chest by the head of the bed and pulled out a pink cashmere scarf.
"Here, try it on."
He wrapped the scarf around Chuntao's neck. Her already delicate, flushed face became even fairer with a hint of rosy pink, like a peach blossom in early spring about to bloom.
The scarf was soft and warm, and a wave of warmth spread from her neck straight to her heart. Chuntao's nose tingled.
"Tao, you look beautiful!"
Zhou Zhijun studied her from every angle. Chuntao felt shy under his gaze. "Stop looking. You should get some rest now!"
"Alright. I want to sleep holding you."
Zhou Zhijun said in a low voice, a fierce flame kindling in his eyes.
Chuntao knew exactly what he was thinking. She scolded him softly, "I've been asleep all morning. I don't want to sleep anymore!"
A mother knows her son. Aunt Zhou knew that Zhou Zhijun was craving Chuntao's company. It had been over a month since they'd last seen each other. After traveling such a long way, it would be heartless not to let them have a moment together.
"Zhijun, I'm going to the fields to see if your second aunt is done yet. You and Chuntao stay home." Aunt Zhou called from beside the window.
A flicker of joy lit up Zhou Zhijun's heart. "Alright!"
Aunt Zhou suddenly spoke again, "Come outside for a moment!"
Zhou Zhijun hurried out into the yard. Aunt Zhou pulled him aside and lowered her voice, saying, "Chuntao is carrying a child in her belly now, so she’s delicate. You’re rough with your hands, so you’d better be gentle..."
Zhou Zhijun understood her meaning at once and quickly nodded. "Don’t worry, Mother! I know how to handle it!"
As Zhou Zhijun went back inside, Aunt Zhou closed the main door and glanced at the big yellow dog lying at the entrance. "Keep watch over the door!" she ordered.
Once Aunt Zhou had left, Zhou Zhijun couldn’t wait to climb onto the bed.
He braced himself with both hands on either side of her, his tall, sturdy frame completely enveloping the soft, delicate woman beneath him.
His eyes stared straight down, fixated on her slightly rounded belly, his voice hoarse. "Chuntao, how many months along is the baby?"
"Four months!"
Unexpectedly, the next second...
"I’ve endured four months already. Let me, just this once... okay?"
