The pig farm had its own resting area for night shifts.
If not for worrying about the children, Zhou Yueshen wouldn’t have needed to come back at all.
"This... you don’t have to go this far. I-I’ll be fine. The house is big enough—it’s not like there isn’t space," Si Nian said awkwardly.
She had hoped to get to know him better. If he didn’t come back, how could she?
Besides, this was his home. Why should he move out just because of an outsider like her?
She wasn’t from this era, where a mere glance could force someone into responsibility.
Zhou Yueshen nodded thoughtfully. "This matter is up to you."
Perhaps because she had gone to bed too early, Si Nian woke up at dawn.
Hearing movement outside, she turned on the light and saw that the sky was still dark—Zhou Yuedong and Zhou Yuehan were already up, fumbling their way to school in the dim light.
The village wasn’t small, nestled in a mountain hollow. It was called Xingfu Village, divided into three teams.
Her location was the highest—Team Three.
There was no school in the village. The only one was a central primary school eight kilometers away, where students from surrounding villages attended.
Just getting there took an hour or two on foot.
That’s why the children had to wake up so early.
It was barely five in the morning.
After watching for a while, Si Nian lost the urge to sleep and left her room.
The house was large but eerily empty, with dim lighting and a chilly morning air—utterly devoid of warmth.
She passed by Zhou Yuedong and Zhou Yuehan’s rooms. Since the Zhou family had plenty of space, each boy had his own room, sometimes taking turns looking after their little sister.
Zhou Yuedong’s door was closed, but Zhou Yuehan’s stood open, revealing a small wooden bed inside—no more than five feet long.
Wouldn’t it be too cramped if Zhou Yueshen slept with them?
From what she’d seen yesterday, the man had to be at least 6'3".
The thought of having taken over the master bedroom made Si Nian feel a little guilty.
Considering there were so many spare rooms, maybe she could just move to a guest room instead.
But just as she was about to check the guest room, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Their eyes met—both froze in surprise.
Si Nian’s heart skipped a beat.
"Y-You’re here?"
She had assumed Zhou Yueshen was sleeping with Zhou Yuedong—she’d even slowed her steps passing his room.
She never expected him to be in the guest room.
Yesterday, she’d seen that the guest room had no bed—just a thin mat on the floor.
Probably used occasionally by Zhou Yueshen’s workers when they stayed over.
Zhou Yueshen’s gaze swept over her soft, fair face. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his voice rough from sleep. "Got back too late last night. Didn’t want to disturb Yuedong, so I stayed here. Why are you up so early?"
It was only five.
Outside, the sky was still pitch black.
Hearing this, Si Nian felt even more apologetic.
"I woke up early and couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry you had to stay here."
"Doesn’t matter. A bed’s a bed." Noticing the genuine regret in her expression, he looked away. "I need to head back to the pig farm. You should rest a while longer."
Si Nian quickly added, "There are still some steamed buns I made yesterday in the kitchen. You can have them for breakfast."
Zhou Yueshen had already caught the scent earlier, wondering where the delicious aroma had come from so early in the morning.
Now he understood.
He walked to the kitchen and lifted the lid—sure enough, a few plump, steaming buns sat inside, their savory fragrance filling the air.
Zhou Yueshen raised a brow. He’d underestimated her. She actually knew how to cook.
He’d assumed she’d be the pampered type, never lifting a finger.
The sound of the front door closing reached Si Nian’s ears, followed by a few barks from the yard.
She hurried to the second-floor window and looked down—the tall figure of Zhou Yueshen stood below, the aloof Tibetan mastiff that usually ignored her now wagging its tail like an overeager puppy at his feet.
Zhou Yueshen patted its head, and it immediately lay down obediently.
Si Nian watched in amazement. This dog actually listened to commands?
Perhaps sensing her stare, the man below suddenly glanced up toward the window.
Si Nian didn’t have time to hide—her eyes locked with his deep, dark gaze.
Her heart pounded violently. She jerked back, her cheeks burning.
What was wrong with her? It was just a look—why was she acting so guilty?
If Zhou Yueshen noticed, he’d think she was acting strange!
Annoyed, she smacked her own forehead lightly.
By the time she gathered the courage to look again, Zhou Yueshen was already gone—his silhouette disappearing into the dim horizon.
Of course, sleep was impossible now.
Si Nian got up and started cleaning—mopping the floors until they gleamed, polishing the sofa to a shine.
She had a bit of a cleanliness obsession. If she was going to live here, she might as well make it spotless.
But the house was simply too big. She could only manage her own room and the living room for now.
Once done, she went to the kitchen to prepare congee.
By the time she returned upstairs, Yaoyao was awake, gnawing on her pillow with happy little babbles—drenching it in drool.
The moment the toddler saw her, she let go of the pillow and stretched out her chubby little arms, demanding to be held.
At nearly two years old, the child still hadn’t spoken—which meant one of two things: either delayed development or no one had taught her.
Determined to help, Si Nian slowed her speech when talking to her.
The little one didn’t quite understand but listened intently.
"Ge-ge~ (Big brother~)"
"Ya-ya~"
"Ba-ba~ (Daddy~)"
"Yi-yi~"
"Ma-ma~ (Mommy~)"
"Ma-mah~"
Si Nian’s eyes lit up. "Yaoyao, say it again—Ma-ma~"
"Giggle-giggle~" The little one burst into laughter but didn’t repeat the word.
Well, at least it wasn’t a developmental issue—just lack of teaching.
Si Nian wasn’t worried. The Zhou children were all bright. She had no doubt Yaoyao would learn soon.
By now, daylight had fully broken outside.
Si Nian idly turned on the TV, where the morning news played.
Sunlight streamed through the front door, adding a touch of warmth to the empty house.
The crisp mountain air was nothing like the polluted smog she’d breathed thirty years in the future. Every inhale felt refreshing.
She reheated last night’s rice, drizzling it with leftover braised pork sauce. The rich, savory flavors melded perfectly with the steamed grains.
She even taught Yaoyao to use a spoon—the little one picked it up surprisingly fast.
Then she remembered—what did Zhou Yueshen’s dog eat?
She had no idea how to make dog food and was afraid it might get aggressive if hungry.
So she soaked some rice in broth and carried it outside.
Near the doghouse sat a metal bowl covered in fur.
Terrified of the mastiff—which stood almost as tall as her when upright—Si Nian kept her distance, using a stick to drag the bowl over.
She scrubbed it clean before pouring in the steaming rice.
