Chuntao couldn't be bothered with him and turned to go to the cowshed.
"Chuntao, you'd better watch your reputation, don't give the gossips something to chew on!"
Wang Haichao's voice was loud enough to carry across several courtyards, clear as day from far away.
Wang Chunxiao in the west courtyard heard it and craned her neck to look over.
Wang Xiaohong, hearing Wang Haichao's words from the kitchen, stuck her head out the doorway and snapped, "You're the one who needs to watch his influence, now get lost!"
Wang Haichao wasn't angry, just replied with a cheeky grin, "Your sister-in-law is wearing your Uncle Zhijun's clothes, see for yourself if you don't believe me!"
Earlier, Wang Xiaohong had been focused on scrubbing the pot. Even though she heard Chuntao return, she hadn't looked up and hadn't noticed her clothes at all.
Now, seeing Chuntao come out of the cowshed, she caught sight of her blouse in the faint light from the kitchen. It was indeed loose and large, the hem hanging down to her knees. Her heart gave a sudden lurch.
But she quickly figured it out. Chuntao must have run into Zhou Zhijun while cutting grass in the fields.
Zhou Zhijun was a kind-hearted, good man. Afraid Chuntao would get cold in the rain, he must have taken off his own jacket for her to wear.
Zhou Zhijun wasn't usually one for jokes, but his heart was undeniably good, you couldn't find another like him in the whole commune.
Over these four years, he'd helped their family countless times, asking for nothing in return.
Him giving his clothes to Chuntao was purely out of kindness, yet Wang Haichao was smearing it with his filthy talk.
Wang Xiaohong shot him a glare and retorted, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
Wang Haichao gave a light scoff. "I was just giving a friendly reminder!" With that, he turned and left.
As he walked behind the houses, he bumped into someone. Shining his flashlight, he saw it was Zhou Zhijun.
Zhou Zhijun was shouldering a hoe, wearing only a thin undershirt, his outer jacket nowhere to be seen.
Wang Haichao felt even more certain now; Chuntao was definitely wearing Zhou Zhijun's clothes.
Chuntao had just returned, and Zhou Zhijun followed right after. The two of them must have been up to something shameful in the East Gully!
Chuntao stood there wearing Zhou Zhijun's jacket. To take it off or not to take it off? As she hesitated, Wang Xiaohong walked into the main room.
"Sister-in-law, don't take Wang Haichao's words to heart. He's no decent man himself, so he thinks everyone else is like him!"
"I was out in the fields. Uncle Zhijun saw it start to rain and gave me his clothes to keep off the rain!"
Chuntao rummaged in the cabinet, pulled out an undergarment and a blue coarse-cloth blouse, then turned and went to another room to change.
She took off the bellyband Zhou Zhijun had given her, clutching it in her hand, unsure what to do with it.
After a moment's thought, she stuffed the bellyband into the pocket of Zhou Zhijun's jacket, gathered the clothes in her arms, and headed for the Zhou house.
Aunt Zhou had already finished cooking. The old couple were sitting in the kitchen, but there was no sign of Zhou Zhijun.
"Grandpa, Granny!" Chuntao called out as she reached the kitchen door.
Aunt Zhou saw it was Chuntao and quickly stood up. "It's Chuntao! Have you had your supper?"
She put her rice bowl down on the stove, took a scallion pancake from the small pot, and handed it to Chuntao. "Granny just made these, have a taste!"
Chuntao hurriedly waved her hands in refusal. "No, thank you, Xiaohong is cooking soup at home."
"You silly girl, no need to stand on ceremony with Granny, take it!"
Aunt Zhou was a sensible, kind-hearted old woman. Even though Liu Cuilan was a piece of work, that had nothing to do with Chuntao. She genuinely felt for this poor, unfortunate girl.
Old Man Zhou also looked up at Chuntao and urged with a smile, "Take it, see how it tastes!" Unable to refuse their kindness, Chuntao finally accepted it.
When Zhou Zhijun returned from the fields, Aunt Zhou noticed he wasn't wearing his outer jacket and asked where it was. He said he'd given it to Chuntao to keep off the rain.
Only then did Aunt Zhou notice the clothes in Chuntao's arms were Zhou Zhijun's, and she reached out to take them.
But the bellyband was in the pocket. How could Chuntao dare let her have it? She glanced towards the main room and said softly, "Where's my Uncle Zhijun? I'll give the clothes directly to him."
"He went straight to his room as soon as he got back." As Aunt Zhou said this, she stood at the kitchen door and called, "Zhijun, supper's ready!"
At that moment, Zhou Zhijun was standing in his room, clutching that small undershirt in his hand.
His mind was filled entirely with that delicate, soft, pitifully sweet little woman.
Her eyes, shimmering like autumn waves... her small, elegant nose... her rosy, dewy lips... her flawless, fair skin, and that exquisite figure...
His fondness for her had nothing to do with anything else; it was simply that feeling of a single day apart feeling like three years.
He had missed her for a full four years, endured the torment of one thousand four hundred and sixty-one days and nights, dreaming of her all the while.
Before, he had only been close to her in his dreams. Today, in the East Gully, he had finally done what he had longed to do for four years.
She was the woman Zhou Zhijun had cherished in his heart, the one he yearned for...
Zhou Zhijun was lost in these thoughts when he heard Aunt Zhou call him.
He quickly folded the tattered undershirt, placed it together with that piece of coarse cloth under his pillow, answered the call, and walked out.
Just as he stepped out of the inner room door, he saw Chuntao standing there.
"Your clothes!" Chuntao handed him the jacket she was holding.
As Zhou Zhijun took the clothes, he took her hand in the same motion and, in a low voice, said, "Come in."
The man's strength was astonishing. Chuntao had no chance to resist before he pulled her into the room.
The room was unlit, pitch black. Chuntao was so frightened her small frame began to tremble again. "Let me go, I need to leave!"
Zhou Zhijun's large hand loosened its grip slightly. She quickly pulled her hand back, turned, and tried to run outside. But before one foot could cross the threshold, the man embraced her.
"Peach, I miss you again already..."
"You're insane..."
