The footsteps outside the window were getting closer. The dull, hurried thumping made Chuntao's heart tremble.
"Let go, someone's coming!" Her small face flushed red as she pushed Zhou Zhijun, keeping her voice low.
Zhou Zhijun's eyes were already red with urgency. "Don't make a sound!"
He instinctively lowered his head to cover her mouth, a flash of fierceness in his eyes.
In the middle of the night, what was everyone doing instead of sleeping?
Before the two could recover their wits, the roar of Old Man Wang from the south end of the village sounded outside the yard. "That wretched girl, when I catch her, I'll break her legs!"
"What kind of mess is this? She doesn't want me to live anymore!"
The crying of Old Man Wang's wife, Li Yuzhen, also drifted in. "My foolish girl, how could you run off with a man... It's so disgraceful..."
"That damned girl, when we catch her, I'll skin her alive!" This was the voice of Old Man Wang's son, Wang Qingshan.
Another gruff voice shouted, "You guys, chase them over there! The rest of you, search the village. Look in every nook and cranny!"
There were also the shouts of a few teenage boys. "Look over by the east ditch!"
As the chaotic sounds from outside reached their ears, Zhou Zhijun's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and the fierceness faded from his eyes.
He secretly rejoiced, his arms tightening around Chuntao.
His scalding breath brushed against her ear. "Don't be afraid. It's Chouni eloping with someone. No one will come here."
Chuntao's face rubbed against Zhou Zhijun's coarse cloth jacket. She listened to the frantic beating of his heart in his chest, feeling as if it might leap out in the next second.
Her own heart felt like several little rabbits were thumping wildly inside.
She wanted to push him away, but the crying, cursing, and sounds of pursuit outside were drawing nearer.
Fearful, her small frame involuntarily shrank into his embrace.
His tall body enveloped her, surprisingly bringing a trace of reassurance. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the front of his shirt.
The chaotic noises outside hadn't faded, but Zhou Zhijun couldn't care less, his eyes turning a deep red.
"Tao, it's been so long. I've missed you to death..." He held her tightly, wishing he could crush her and meld her into his own body.
"There are people outside, let go of me! If someone hears..." Chuntao kept her voice extremely low, so frail it was almost inaudible.
"If you're afraid someone will hear, then don't make a sound. Be a good girl!"
...
"Liar, you said you just wanted to hold me..." Before Chuntao could finish her sentence, her words were blocked by his burning lips.
Panting heavily like a bull, he still managed to utter shameless words. "Tao, be good and listen to me, I promise to make you..."
"Shameless, let go..." Zhou Zhijun's scalding lips made her whole body tremble, and she squeezed out a few words with difficulty between gasps.
"...I'm afraid..."
"Don't be afraid..."
"...What if I get pregnant..."
Zhou Zhijun's body suddenly stiffened; he hadn't thought about that at all.
It had been several times already. What if she really did get pregnant?
But at this moment, he couldn't afford to think about so much.
"If you do, I'll take you away from here..."
...
The Start of Winter had long passed, and the chill in the air grew heavier. A strong wind suddenly whipped up in the sky, the north wind driving icy snow pellets against the paper windows. They crackled, like countless pairs of eyes trying to pry into the secrets within.
On this bleak winter night, Chuntao's heart felt as if it were being roasted by a charcoal fire and simultaneously blown by the freezing wind—half scalding hot, half bone-chillingly cold.
She knew she shouldn't do this, that she should push him away, but in the end, she didn't.
She was so terrified that her breathing became ragged, afraid of the gossip if the villagers found out, and even more afraid of having no way to explain if she really got pregnant.
Yet, on the other hand, she couldn't help but crave this searing, tangible warmth.
She didn't dare admit this affection, despising herself for becoming a "shameless" woman.
The conflicting joy and apprehension intertwined in her heart, inseparable.
The cold wind outside blew harder, and the sound of snow pellets beating against the window grew louder.
After an unknown amount of time, the broken wooden bed in the room finally grew quiet.
It was toasty warm under the covers. Zhou Zhijun held her tightly. "Tao, how was it? I do what I say!"
Chuntao's small face instantly turned even redder. She didn't dare look at him, burying her head under the quilt.
"You shouldn't treat me like this. What if I get pregnant?" Chuntao asked with a sob, her tears falling onto the quilt and dampening a patch.
"Don't be afraid. If you really do, I won't abandon you!"
Chuntao's silent tears turned into soft sobs. "How will you take care of it?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier? As long as you're willing, I'll take you away, treat you well, and give you a good life. We'll have a whole bunch of kids!"
Zhou Zhijun suddenly remembered the pack of chocolate he had bought at the Nangang family quarters.
He had meant to give it to her as soon as he walked in, but the moment he saw her, he forgot everything...
He fished the pack of chocolate out of the small cloth pocket at his waistband, tore open the bag, and took out a piece.
It wasn't like regular fruit candies. Fruit candies were wrapped in cellophane, but this chocolate was wrapped in tin foil.
Zhou Zhijun had never seen this foreign novelty before, let alone eaten it. His rough, large hand stroked the top of Chuntao's hair as he spoke gently, "Be a good girl, look what I brought you."
Chuntao kept her face buried in the covers. "I don't want anything!"
"You don't want it? This is a rare item, I bet you've never seen it before! Come on, taste it!"
Chuntao's crying slowly stopped. She was curious but still didn't move.
Zhou Zhijun pulled the quilt down a bit, revealing her tear-stained little face. He reached out his rough hand and gently rubbed the corner of her eye with his thumb.
His tone was gentle. "Don't cry, I brought you something good!"
He clumsily peeled off the tin foil and, without a word, brought it to Chuntao's lips.
Growing up, Chuntao had never even heard of "chocolate." Looking at its dark brown appearance, it seemed more like a dried lump of medicine.
She frowned. "I won't eat it. It looks weird. Eat it yourself!"
"Silly girl! This stuff is expensive, I bought it especially for you!"
Getting anxious, Zhou Zhijun simply used one hand to gently pinch her mouth open and the other to pop the chocolate inside, softening his voice. "Just let it melt, don't spit it out. You'll know once you taste it."
Chuntao had no choice but to hold the hard piece in her mouth.
At first, she only noticed a strange taste; it wasn't sweet like candy, but rather a bit bitter.
But after a short while, the bitterness melted away, and a sweet flavor flowed down her tongue, not cloying at all.
It was a taste she had never experienced in her life, much more delicious than fruit candy.
Tears couldn't help but well up again—not out of grievance, but an ache in her heart.
Guarding an empty house all these years, who else was willing to care for her like this? Although Zhou Zhijun was forceful and domineering, sometimes recklessly "bullying" her, his kindness toward her was genuine.
The sweetness spread across her tongue, sweet enough to warm her heart, yet carrying a hint of astringency.
Zhou Zhijun was just like this piece of chocolate: when he bullied her, he made her heart feel bitter, but afterward, the bitterness faded, leaving only a warm sweetness.
Her eyes grew even redder as she gently shrank into Zhou Zhijun's arms, pressing against his burning chest, as if this moment were not the dead of winter, but a toasty midsummer.
Zhou Zhijun suddenly rolled over and hugged her tightly, his breathing turning ragged again. "Tao, I want to..."
