Si Nian nodded slightly, offering a token acknowledgment.
Then she stood up and left the police station with Yaoyao and Zhou Yueshen.
They had already spent far too much time here.
Once they were gone, Mother Fu finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Though Lin Sisi’s matter remained unresolved, at least her son’s issue was now behind them.
Watching Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen walk away, the man’s tall, sturdy frame stood like an unshakable mountain, radiating an undeniable sense of security. He carried the child in his arms, with Si Nian by his side. Despite being from the countryside, the two of them looked surprisingly well-matched—like a perfect pair.
They had initially assumed Si Nian’s husband was beneath her, but now, it didn’t seem so bad after all.
Mrs. Zheng turned back to glance at her son, his face bruised and swollen: "..."
Honestly, in her haste to placate Si Nian earlier, she hadn’t even noticed how badly her son had been beaten.
He was a soldier, for heaven’s sake—how could he have ended up in such a state?
It must be because he bullied Si Nian and her daughter, feeling too guilty to fight back!
Mrs. Zheng knew her son’s skills well.
And given Fu Yang’s past dismissive attitude toward Si Nian, which they’d all witnessed, she couldn’t bring herself to defend him now.
Though her heart ached for him, frustration outweighed sympathy.
Back when he disliked Si Nian and she clung to him, his coldness was understandable.
But now, when they were the ones seeking help, he still acted high-handed, scared the child, and made things worse!
Absolutely unacceptable!
Unable to hold back, she scolded him: "Si Nian might have been clingy before, but she never meant any harm. She treated you well! Even if you didn’t like her, how could you take advantage of her when her husband wasn’t around? What’s wrong with you? You were supposed to help smooth things over, not land yourself in trouble! Have you no shame?"
Fu Yang’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot: "..."
Since when was he shameless? He’d just been angry—he hadn’t even laid a hand on her! The child had gotten scared by accident, and then he’d been beaten senseless.
Dragged to the police station, subjected to the officers’ scornful glares as if he were some villain preying on innocent women…
He hadn’t done anything to Si Nian!
And now even his own family was blaming him.
No one would listen to his side.
Infuriating!!!
Fu Qianqan bid Si Nian farewell before stomping back over, glaring at her older brother: "Big Brother, you’ve gone too far! Si Nian is married now—how could you pull something like this? If you have no dignity, at least spare mine! How am I supposed to face her after this?"
"..."
Fu Yang: "..."
Meanwhile, Zhou Yueshen had received Yaoyao’s medical report.
The doctor confirmed that her health was fine—the little one was even slightly chubby now.
Just a few months ago, she had looked malnourished.
Her vocal cords were normal; the initial assessment suggested her speech delay was due to a lack of early teaching.
Some children, without proper guidance, didn’t speak until they were seven or eight.
So Yaoyao’s case wasn’t unusual.
Only then did Zhou Yueshen realize—in his busy, quiet routine, he’d never even considered teaching her to talk.
When he returned home, the child was usually already asleep.
His two sons were busy with school and had introverted personalities to begin with—they hardly spoke themselves, let alone could teach Yaoyao.
As a result, during the most crucial period, this matter was overlooked.
Without proper guidance, it was no wonder Yaoyao struggled to speak.
It was ultimately their fault that the child’s development had been delayed.
It wasn’t until Si Nian arrived that they began to realize the issue.
Now, Yaoyao could already say a few simple words.
The doctor advised them to spend more time teaching the child, and with some time, everything should be fine.
Otherwise, there were no major concerns.
Now, the two of them could finally relax and prepare to leave.
Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen were ready to head home.
They had a lot of things, so Zhou Yueshen found a rope and tied everything to the back of the motorcycle.
It piled up like a small hill.
Si Nian watched as the man, his back turned to her, roughly secured each item she had bought—handling them as if they were bundles of hay.
She winced in distress. "Hey, that dress is made of delicate fabric. Be gentle with it!"
Zhou Yueshen paused, his grip on the rope tightening slightly, before turning to look at her.
His face bore a few minor scratches, but they weren’t serious—instead, they added a rugged charm to his sharp, defined features.
He studied Si Nian’s pained expression for a moment. She didn’t seem angry that he had hit Fu Yang, nor did she bring up what had happened earlier. Good.
He looked away and simply said, "Alright."
Once everything was secured, Si Nian stepped forward, pulling out a tissue. "Zhou Yueshen, lower your head a bit."
Zhou Yueshen hesitated, then glanced down as she stood on her tiptoes.
He obliged, bending slightly.
Si Nian carefully dabbed the sweat from his wounds with the tissue. Though the injuries weren’t severe, sweat would surely make them sting.
"Should we get them treated?" she asked worriedly.
Zhou Yueshen waited until she finished before straightening up. His Adam's apple bobbed as he replied in a low voice, "Just minor scratches. No need."
Si Nian studied him for a moment, confirming he truly didn’t mind, then nodded. "Then let’s go home."
As for Lin Sisi’s situation, she’d leave it to the Si family to handle.
The money would eventually find its way back to them anyway.
There was no need for them to intervene further.
With both witnesses and evidence in place, Lin Sisi wouldn’t escape consequences.
Si Nian had no intention of wasting any more time on that family.
Zhou Yueshen looked at her and agreed. Home it was.
Si Nian climbed onto the motorcycle, settling the little one between them as she held her close.
The family of three rode off, gradually leaving the noisy city behind.
It had rained heavily the night before.
The road back to the village was already rough, full of potholes and puddles.
Zhou Yueshen felt the arms around him tighten, so he slowed down slightly.
Yet, they still ran into trouble.
On the way back to the village from town, it started raining again.
This was the second time they’d been caught in a downpour since leaving. And this time, it was a torrential storm.
Si Nian didn’t mind getting drenched herself, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Yaoyao and her precious purchases getting soaked.
Zhou Yueshen gave her his jacket, but it could only shield the child for now.
In the end, they arrived home completely drenched.
As soon as they stepped inside, Si Nian sneezed twice, rubbing her nose. "I’ll take Yaoyao for a bath first."
Zhou Yueshen was equally soaked. His hair had grown out slightly, and water droplets slid down from his sharp brows.
His damp undershirt clung to his muscles, faintly outlining his well-defined physique.
He stood downstairs, watching Si Nian clumsily carry the child upstairs in the rain.
His gaze then fell to the items scattered on the ground—clothes and toys she had carefully picked out for the child.
If she were still with the Si family, she would never have been caught in the rain like this.
But now that she was with him, even though his circumstances weren’t poor, it still felt like she was making do.
Zhou Yueshen watched her figure disappear on the second floor without saying a word. He bent down, pulling each item from the bags and arranging them in the living room, drying them off with a towel.
As for the clothes, they’d have to be washed.
Luckily, the rain had stopped by then. Since Si Nian was still bathing, he grabbed a basin and carried the clothes outside.
He filled it with water and added the laundry detergent she had bought.
Even the detergent she chose was different—not the rough, cheap kind, but something soft and fragrant.
Zhou Yueshen poured some in, setting aside the children’s jackets before placing the clothes she had bought for him into the basin.
Her clothes were more delicate, light and thin to the touch, so they needed to be washed first.
He lowered his eyes, gently scrubbing the delicate fabric when—rip—a sudden tear.
Zhou Yueshen: "......"
Si Nian came downstairs after washing her hair and taking a shower.
Yaoyao had already been bathed and put to sleep.
Thinking about how Zhou Yueshen was still damp, she wanted to hurry him into the shower.
Not seeing him in the living room, she frowned.
Could he really not sit still for even a moment? Had he gone straight back to the pig farm after coming home?
Just as she reached the door, she paused.
There he was—his tall, broad frame awkwardly perched on a tiny stool, his long, muscular legs spread wide in an unnatural, stiff posture.
Si Nian blinked.
She stepped closer.
"What are you doing?"
Her gaze dropped to the basin.
Inside was the silk nightgown she had fallen in love with just yesterday.
Now, however, it had a gaping hole right in the middle—courtesy of the man holding it.
Si Nian: "?"
Zhou Yueshen: "....."
"Si Nian, you’re back?"
Aunt Zhang, seeing the rain had stopped, had hurried out to gather pig feed.
Just as she slung her bamboo basket over her shoulder, she spotted the two standing at the door and called out excitedly.
Si Nian finally tore her eyes away from the ruined fabric and smiled at her. "Yes, Aunt Zhang. Thank you for looking after the kids yesterday. Come over for dinner tonight—I bought plenty of groceries. Bring Shitou along."
Aunt Zhang immediately waved her off with a warm expression. "Oh, don’t be so polite! We still haven’t finished the meat Zhou Yueshen gave us last time—how could we impose on you again? Besides, neighbors help each other out. It’s no trouble at all. Little Dong and Little Han are such good boys—they even helped me feed the pigs! And you’re always so kind to Shitou. No need to stand on ceremony with me."
Then, she noticed the fabric clutched in Zhou Yueshen’s hands.
Aunt Zhang had sharp eyes—she recognized it as something only a woman would wear.
Since Si Nian was the only woman in the Zhou household, that meant Zhou Yueshen was washing his wife’s clothes.
Well, well. He really had learned to be considerate.
In their village, how many men would do something like this? Forget washing clothes—some acted like cooking a meal would be the death of them.
She had always assumed a capable man like Zhou Yueshen, so focused on his work and making money, would never bother with such things.
Even when raising children before, he taught them to bathe and wash their own clothes at a young age.
Yet now, he was personally washing his wife’s clothes.
How enviable.
Aunt Zhang cast a knowing glance at the couple but didn’t disturb them. Worried about the impending rain, she quickly shouldered her bamboo basket, bid them farewell, and hurried off to her tasks.
Si Nian smiled and acknowledged her.
At least the awkward moment from earlier had finally been broken.
As soon as Aunt Zhang left, the two spoke simultaneously.
"I didn’t mean to."
"It’s fine."
Si Nian: "..."
Zhou Yueshen: "..."
The silence that followed was inexplicably awkward.
Even Da Huang, napping in the corner, seemed affected by the tension, tilting his head in confusion.
What’s with the cryptic talk? QwQ.
Zhou Yueshen cleared his throat softly. The usually composed older man now spoke with rare unease.
"Sorry, I just saw it was soaked and wanted to wash it for you."
Si Nian was different from others—she always washed and sun-dried new clothes before wearing them.
That’s why Zhou Yueshen had taken it out to clean.
Si Nian hadn’t expected him to be so thoughtful, and secretly, it warmed her heart.
Still, it was such a shame. That silk nightgown had been expensive, and she’d loved the design so much.
It was a celebrity-inspired style, after all.
Honestly, even in this era, the dresses in the city were incredibly fashionable.
The designs were far from outdated—some would even remain trendy years later.
The avocado-green color was especially flattering against her fair skin.
She’d already imagined how she’d look wearing it.
And then the man had torn it.
Really, just how strong was he?
No wonder some things were better left to women.
Si Nian sighed softly, but even that small sound made the already guilt-ridden man stiffen.
He lowered his gaze to the delicate fabric in his hands. Even if he tried to mend it, the fine silk wouldn’t hold.
Zhou Yueshen’s remorse deepened.
First, he’d let her get caught in the rain, and now he’d ruined her new dress.
For a moment, he felt utterly useless.
A man who had always been confident, whether in the military or running the pig farm, was now questioning himself for the first time.
Si Nian couldn’t bring herself to blame him. Seeing him with his head bowed, brows furrowed, his damp vest clinging to his back—yet here he was, prioritizing washing her clothes?
Her heart ached.
They say pitying a man dooms you for life. Well, she was doomed.
"Zhou Yueshen, it’s really fine. It’s just a piece of clothing."
Zhou Yueshen stayed silent for a long while before finally murmuring, "Mm."
Zhou Yueshen took a shower and left for the farm.
The new clothes hung outside to dry.
Inside, the toys were neatly arranged, and thankfully, the snacks they’d bought remained untouched by the rain—just a quick wipe would do.
Soon, it was afternoon.
Hungry, Si Nian went inside to cook.
She peeled and julienned a few potatoes, coated them in flour, and fried them in oil.
The rich aroma of lard soon filled the kitchen.
Once the potato strands turned golden and crisp, she took them out.
The square-shaped potato cakes were crunchy and fragrant—a childhood favorite.
A sprinkle of five-spice pepper elevated the flavor even more.
It was a popular snack from a certain region in the future.
...
Zhou Zedong and Zhou Zehan rushed home as soon as class ended.
On their way back, the two little ones had gathered quite a handful of wild vegetables, their hands still clutching bundles of shepherd's purse.
Seeing the curling smoke from the chimney at home, Zhou Zehan's eyes instantly lit up. Without even finishing his conversation with his brother, he dashed toward the house like a little airplane: "Brother, Mom's back! We finally get to eat something delicious tonight!"
Even before stepping inside, he could already catch the mouthwatering aroma.
That was the kind of fragrance only Mom could create!
Zhou Zedong glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "Was last night's meal not good enough?"
Zhou Zehan, drooling like the little foodie he was, chuckled awkwardly. "Brother, I didn’t mean your cooking was bad!"
Zhou Zedong: "..."
qiU'Wei'ai'fa'd
