When Zhou Zhijun wrapped his arms around Chuntao from behind, it felt as though a massive boulder had suddenly crushed against her chest, leaving her suffocating.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's, as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Zhou Zhijun mumbled, "Tao, it's been half a month. I've missed you so much! Just let me hold you!
I'm the only one in this world who truly cherishes you. If you say the word, I'll take you away right now...
No matter where we go, I will always cherish you. I won't let you suffer... Tao... I've set my heart on you for the rest of my life. I can't live without you. Without you, I won't be able to go on!"
Zhou Zhijun's voice choked up, a rare occurrence. From the very first time he laid eyes on her, he had fallen for her from the bottom of his heart.
But back then, he hadn't dared to hope for anything more; he was content just being able to see her every day.
He had helped out the Wang family for four years, not for Liu Cuilan, but solely for her. Yet, he had never dared to show it.
It wasn't until Wang Laohan died and Liu Cuilan remarried that his long-suppressed heart finally began to stir.
He had restrained himself for four years, suffocated his feelings for four years, and he didn't want to endure it anymore.
That night, he had followed her to the melon field, but at the final step, he hesitated, afraid of scaring her.
Afterward, he regretted it, blaming himself for being hesitant and not acting like a real man.
Such an opportunity was too rare to come by. For the next few months, he suffered in agony every single waking moment.
Finally, half a month ago, in the eastern ditch... she had become his, Zhou Zhijun's woman.
Since then, she was the only thing on his mind from morning until night.
"Tao, you have no idea. Thinking about you tears me up inside. Once the urge hits me, I just can't control myself..."
"Stop talking, I'm begging you. Please leave!"
Zhou Zhijun showed no intention of leaving. "Tao, you're so good... I can't get enough of you. I think about you every single day!"
Chuntao's tears of grievance broke like a burst dam, impossible to hold back as they streamed down from the corners of her eyes.
She bit her lip hard, forcing her sobs back down her throat.
He turned her body around, his rough fingertips gently caressing her face, wiping away her tears.
"Why are you crying? You're my woman for the rest of your life. I'm just showing you how much I care for you."
"Brother Zhijun... for the sake of... my godmother... could you please just let me go?"
Chuntao's petite frame trembled like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind, her words stuttering out. "I don't need you to cherish me. I just... want to live a peaceful life!"
Seeing her so overwhelmed with grievance that she could barely breathe, Zhou Zhijun pulled her tightly into his arms again.
His voice softened. "Tao, don't cry... I'll go, I'll go in a bit. Just let me hold you a little longer, just for a little while..."
Seeing his mother hesitate to speak that morning had left him distracted at work all day.
But the moment he saw her, all he wanted was to hold her and be close to her, completely forgetting about the important matter.
He suddenly cupped her face. "Tao, tell me, did someone bully you?"
"It's all your fault! You caused all this!
That day... sob... I was so scared, so scared I couldn't sleep..."
Zhou Zhijun's brows knitted into a tight knot, flames of anger flickering in his eyes.
Chuntao shook her head and covered her mouth, muffling her sobs in her palms as her shoulders trembled even more violently.
The coldness in Zhou Zhijun's eyes deepened. He gritted his teeth and said, "If anyone dares to lay a single finger on you, I'll tear their bones apart!"
"The one bullying me is you! Just go, leave!" Chuntao pushed against his chest, but her strength was as weak as a kitten's scratch.
"Silly girl, how could I ever bear to bully you?" Zhou Zhijun sighed, using his sleeve to gently wipe away the endless stream of tears on her face. "Don't cry. I'll go. I'm leaving right now."
He let go of her and turned to leave, but his footsteps halted. He abruptly spun around and pulled her tightly into his embrace once again.
When he finally released her, Zhou Zhijun pulled two fruit candies from his pocket. He unwrapped one and, without a word of argument, pressed it to her lips.
Chuntao turned her head away, her lips pressed tightly together. "I won't eat it!"
"Eat it!" His voice was cold and hard, carrying an undeniable dominance.
Wanting him to leave as quickly as possible, Chuntao obediently opened her mouth and took the candy.
She remembered when she was little, her grandmother had returned from visiting her aunt and given her a piece of candy.
That candy had been so sweet, its sweetness spreading from her mouth all the way to her heart, lingering for days.
But at this moment, no matter how sweet the candy in her mouth was, it couldn't mask the bitterness in her heart. The bitter taste spread from the depths of her soul, leaving her eyes burning with unshed tears.
Zhou Zhijun slipped the other candy into her pocket, his fingertips gently brushing against her cheek. "I'm leaving. Go to bed early and don't overthink things."
He finally left. Chuntao stood leaning against the doorframe for a long time, feeling as if a piece of her heart had been hollowed out, leaving behind an empty, aching void.
It felt as if a rusty saw was dragging back and forth across her heart, the pain so intense she could barely breathe.
She thought of the strength in his embrace when he held her, a strength that left her both terrified and inexplicably reassured.
Lying in bed, Chuntao pulled the blanket over her head, her mind completely filled with thoughts of Zhou Zhijun.
His kindness towards her, his overbearing nature... every aspect of him made her feel both hatred and fear. Yet, deep down, there was a trace of anticipation and longing that even she despised herself for feeling.
What was wrong with her? She had survived the hardest of days without a single impure thought in her mind.
But now, these shameful, forbidden thoughts were like spring weeds, determined to sprout even if it meant pushing through solid rock.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhijun lay in his own bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The scenes of the day played out in his mind over and over again like a movie.
Zhou Zhijun reached under his pillow and pulled out a piece of coarse cotton cloth, pressing it against his burning chest as if he were holding her once more.
"Tao, come away with me, okay? I'll give you a good life..."
