Aunt Zhou and Chuntao were both shocked and embarrassed when Jianshe peed all over Zuo Jinhui.
“Oh, this stinky boy! He couldn’t have done it sooner or later?” Aunt Zhou scolded as she hurriedly took Jianshe from her.
She looked at Zuo Jinhui apologetically. “I’m so sorry!”
Chuntao quickly joined in, apologizing as well. “Sister Zuo, little children never know where they’re going to pee. We’re truly sorry!”
As she spoke, Chuntao hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping her off.
Zuo Jinhui felt deeply uncomfortable. Her expression stiffened, but she still forced herself to maintain her dignity and squeeze out a faint smile. “It’s all right. I’ll just go home and change.”
With that, she turned and left, heading straight back to the street-front shop she had recently rented on Qingshan Street.
Now that the commune had been reorganized as a township, business on the street was gradually picking up.
She worked for the county foreign trade bureau. Taking advantage of her position, she had arranged to take unpaid leave and was preparing to go into business by opening a clothing store.
At first, she had chosen a location on Banqiao Street because it would make it easier for her to get close to Zhou Zhijun.
But after reconsidering, she decided that the reservoir would eventually be completed. In the end, she chose to open her shop on Qingshan Street, where she would have more excuses to run into Zhou Zhijun in the future.
She changed into a clean shirt, then went to the back courtyard and scrubbed her soiled clothes clean. Only then did the discomfort in her heart ease a little.
At the Banqiao Reservoir construction site, dust filled the air.
Zhou Zhijun kept his head down as he worked, but his mind was filled with thoughts of Chuntao and the two children.
It had been two months since he left. How was Chuntao recovering? Had the two children put on more weight?
Chuntao’s shapely figure, Jianshe’s sturdy, round little face, and Nuannuan’s delicate, rosy features drifted before his eyes again and again.
He instinctively raised his head, only to see a sea of dark figures and clouds of dust before him.
The hint of tenderness at the corners of his mouth instantly froze. He tightened his grip on the wooden shovel until his knuckles turned white.
It had rained only a few light showers over the past two months, none of which had delayed the work.
Every day, he hoped for a heavy downpour. If the rain stopped construction, he could take the chance to return home and see his family.
“Brother Zhijun! Missing home?” Zhao Qingyun called out gruffly from beside him.
Zhou Zhijun merely glanced at him and said nothing.
After work that evening, Zhao Qingyun carried his bowl over while they were eating.
“Zhijun, this reservoir’s going to take at least another two or three months to finish. The wheat in the fields is already turning yellow at the tips. I want to ask for leave to go home and bring in the harvest.”
Zhou Zhijun was a hardworking and fair-minded man. Shortly after arriving, he had been appointed team leader by the supervisors and was put in charge of several dozen workers. Zhao Qingyun was one of them.
“Everyone who came to build this reservoir is a farmer. If you take leave, the others will want to leave too. If everyone goes home, how are we supposed to build the reservoir?” Zhou Zhijun’s voice was deep and cold.
Zhao Qingyun gave an awkward smile. “My situation is special. If I don’t go home to harvest the wheat, my family will have nothing to eat! Zhijun, just give me two days off. You can say I went home for a funeral…”
“Can you make up something like a death in the family?” Zhou Zhijun frowned, his tone turning even harsher. “I only follow the rules here. If you really want to leave, go ask the supervisors yourself.”
The last time Zhao Qingyun had secretly slipped home at night, Zhou Zhijun had caught him red-handed and punished him with five hours of extra work.
They were from the same village, yet Zhou Zhijun had shown him not the slightest bit of leniency.
Zhao Qingyun cursed him silently, but he didn’t dare let it show. He could only mutter, “Fine. I’ll go ask the supervisors!”
But when work began the next day, the supervisors rejected him just as firmly.
“The rainy season is almost here. The reservoir schedule cannot be delayed by even a single day. Your leave is denied!”
Zhao Qingyun’s last hope vanished. With a bellyful of anger, he lowered his head and went back to work.
In truth, Zhou Zhijun was more anxious than anyone. The wheat in the fields was ripe, and he wanted to go home too. But as team leader, he simply couldn’t leave.
Before he had departed, he had entrusted the farm work to Zhou Zhiguo and his wife.
They were both kindhearted people. Afraid that Chuntao and Aunt Zhou would worry, they had given priority to harvesting Zhou Zhijun’s fields.
The family rose before dawn and worked late into the night, cutting the wheat, hauling it in, and threshing it. After nearly a month, they had finally finished dealing with the wheat from both households.
Just as they were about to plant soybeans, the heavens suddenly opened.
The rain came down hard and fast. No one could go outside, let alone work in the fields.
The atmosphere in the Zhou family’s main room was peaceful and warm.
Aunt Zhou and Old Man Zhou each held one of the babies, slowly teasing and playing with them.
Chuntao sat by the doorway, stitching the sole of a shoe. The needle flashed rapidly between her fingers.
“Who are those little shoes for?” Aunt Zhou asked casually.
“A pair of cotton shoes for Xiaobao.”
Chuntao paused her sewing and said softly, “Brother Zhijun isn’t home, and the family has depended on Big Brother and Sister-in-law for help. I want to make each of them a pair so they’ll have something warm to wear when winter comes.”
“We’re all family. There’s no need to be so polite,” Aunt Zhou said, trying to stop her, though her heart felt warm.
Having such a sensible and gentle daughter-in-law was a blessing for the Zhou family.
Outside, the rain grew heavier and heavier, and the sky gradually darkened.
Aunt Zhou opened her yellow oilcloth umbrella and prepared to go to the kitchen to make soup. Old Man Zhou also rose to help.
Chuntao stayed inside to soothe the babies. She held Nuannuan first and nursed her. The little girl fell asleep while feeding.
Jianshe sat in the baby pen, watching his sister nurse. He was already so anxious that he kicked and waved his arms, crying, “Ah, ah!”
Chuntao placed Nuannuan on the bed and hurried over to feed Jianshe.
Like a starving little wolf cub, Jianshe latched on and refused to let go. He finished every drop Nuannuan had left behind, yet it barely took the edge off his hunger.
“Stay right there. Mama will make you some rice cereal.”
Chuntao put him back in the baby pen, straightened up, and went to the side table to get the rice powder.
She mixed it with hot water and turned around—only to walk straight into a hard, rain-soaked chest.
“Ow!”
She stumbled and nearly fell, but an arm immediately caught her around the waist.
“Brother Zhijun?”
She looked up, and Zhou Zhijun’s familiar face came into view.
His hair was dripping wet, water running down his cheeks. His clothes were soaked through, making him look as though he had just climbed out of a river.
“You’re completely drenched! I’ll find you some dry clothes to change into!”
Without giving it another thought, Chuntao turned and hurried into the inner room. Zhou Zhijun followed her in.
Chuntao took a clean set of clothes from the cabinet and laid them on the bed. “Change quickly, or you’ll catch cold. I’m going to feed Jianshe his rice cereal!”
Zhou Zhijun looked at her slightly flushed face. Then he reached out, caught her by the wrist, and pulled her toward him. Without giving her a chance to protest, he cupped her face and kissed her.
Chuntao tried to resist, but her body went soft as if she had no strength left.
Zhou Zhijun kissed her only once before letting go. In a low voice, he said, “I’m still wet. We’ll take our time tonight.”
Her little face flushed bright red in an instant. Daring not to look at him, Chuntao fled the inner room.
Zhou Zhijun quickly changed his clothes and came out. He carried over a stool and sat beside Chuntao, watching as she fed Jianshe.
Under his gaze, Chuntao’s hand trembled slightly, and her movements became stiff.
Jianshe spotted Zhou Zhijun in the baby pen and began babbling at him. Then he broke into a wide grin and laughed.
“You little rascal. You still recognize your pa. Your pa hasn’t spoiled you for nothing!”
Zhou Zhijun reached out and gently tapped his chubby cheek.
Jianshe stretched both arms toward him, calling, “Ah, ah!” His little legs kicked wildly inside the pen.
Zhou Zhijun lifted him out and kissed his rice-covered face again and again. Jianshe giggled nonstop, delighted by his father’s teasing.
Watching them, Chuntao’s eyes grew faintly hot.
Aunt Zhou had already finished cooking the soup. She brought over a large bowl piled high with thick, steaming noodles. The moment she saw Zhou Zhijun, she froze.
“Lao Er? What are you doing back? It’s raining so hard!”
“Ma! The rain’s too heavy to work at the construction site, so I came back to take a look!”
Aunt Zhou was overjoyed. She hurried to the doorway and called out, “Old man! Zhijun’s back. Hurry and bring him a bowl of food!”
“I’ll get it myself!”
Just as Zhou Zhijun was about to step outside, Old Man Zhou arrived with a steaming bowl of noodles.
“Zhijun, you’ve been gone for several months. How’s your health? Have you recovered?”
“I’m fine! Not a thing wrong with me!”
Zhou Zhijun looked just as strong and sturdy as before, and his voice was loud and full of vigor. Only then did Aunt Zhou and her husband finally put their minds at ease.
Afraid of interrupting the young couple, they went into the kitchen to drink their soup.
Zhou Zhijun and Chuntao sat in the main room. Chuntao picked up an egg from her bowl and placed it in his.
But Zhou Zhijun picked it up and held it to her lips, his voice low and husky. “Eat.”
“I still have some in my bowl. You eat it.”
“I don’t like eggs.” His dark eyes were filled with barely restrained desire. “I only like eating big, white steamed buns.”
