Zhou Zehan didn’t pay much attention to whatever expression his older brother was making. Gripping the straps of his backpack with both hands, he hopped and skipped his way through the front door.
"Mom, Yaoyao, I’m home~"
Hearing his voice, Yaoyao, who had been sitting on the sofa hugging her teddy bear while watching TV, immediately slipped down like a little eel and came running out in her tiny slippers.
Though she couldn’t yet call him "brother," Zhou Zedong and Zhou Zehan were the two people she had spent the most time with in her short life.
On ordinary days, the little girl stayed home alone, eating and sleeping when she wasn’t playing with Da Huang.
Being locked indoors was incredibly dull and monotonous for a child.
The highlight of her day was always waiting for her two brothers to come home from school.
Only when they returned would she have someone to talk to.
Only then would she feel a little less lonely.
Zhou Zehan tossed whatever he had been holding in his arms onto the ground, wiped the mud off his hands, and stretched them out, waiting for his little sister to run into his embrace.
She sounded so happy to hear his voice—she must have missed him terribly, right?
After all, he hadn’t seen her for an entire night.
Looking at his sister’s adorable little face, the corners of his mouth stretched even wider, revealing a gap between his teeth.
Come on, come on.
But Yaoyao seemed to look right past him, circling around him instead.
Zhou Zehan: "..."
He stiffly turned his head and watched as his sister threw herself into their older brother’s arms.
His gap-toothed grin froze on his face, making him look rather comical.
Zhou Zedong picked up his sister and ruffled her hair. Noticing his younger brother staring blankly at him, he frowned. "What are you standing there for?"
Si Nian walked out carrying dishes, smiling faintly at the scene.
She placed the steaming braised pork and potato pancakes on the table and called out to the children, "Go wash your hands, it’s time to eat."
The moment the food hit the table, Zhou Zehan had already forgotten his earlier embarrassment. His eyes immediately followed Si Nian’s movements before finally settling on the dishes.
He rubbed his hands vigorously against his clothes before dashing over to Si Nian. His slightly grubby little finger pointed at the potato pancakes as he tilted his head up and asked curiously, "Mom, what’s this?"
Si Nian bent down and patted the boy’s head gently. "These are potato pancakes. Do you want to try some?"
Zhou Zehan nodded emphatically, practically spelling out "I WANT TO EAT" on his face.
"Then go wash your hands first. If you eat without washing them, worms will grow in your belly, understand?"
Si Nian patiently instructed.
Raising children in the countryside wasn’t as meticulous. Families had many kids, and with water not always easily accessible, parents were too busy working in the fields to pay much attention to hygiene.
Some even believed that "a little dirt never hurt anyone."
Baths were rare, let alone washing hands before meals.
Kids would pluck wild fruits from outside and pop them straight into their mouths without a second thought.
Their hands would be filthy, nails caked with mud, yet they’d still grab food and eat without hesitation.
This meant that if their hands or food were contaminated with roundworm eggs, ingesting them could easily lead to intestinal parasites.
That was why children in rural areas often complained of stomachaches or had worms—it was all tied to their living conditions.
Si Nian had observed this village closely. While some families valued cleanliness, most children were left to their own devices.
They’d either be climbing trees to catch birds or wading into rivers to fish.
The same set of clothes would be worn all year round.
Some kids’ clothes were so grimy they practically had a permanent sheen.
Si Nian had a bit of a cleanliness obsession, so she couldn’t stand seeing the two boys looking disheveled.
Fortunately, Zhou Zedong was naturally neat, washing and maintaining his own clothes.
The younger brother, however, was less mindful. He’d leave the house spotless in the morning, only to return covered in dirt. No matter how often she made him wash his hands, his nails always ended up stained with grass and mud. She had just trimmed them recently, yet here they were again, green from vegetable juices.
At her words, Zhou Zehan immediately piped up, "I know, I know! Shitou had worms before—they were THIS long. So gross!" He shuddered dramatically.
Then, glancing down at his own grubby hands, his face fell. He quickly hid them behind his back and scurried off to the kitchen to wash up.
Shitou was always filthy and never took baths.
No wonder he got worms.
But he brushed his teeth, washed his face and hands, and wore clean clothes every day—he’d never get worms!
With that thought, a confident grin spread across his face.
Si Nian’s lips curled slightly.
Though the younger boy was careless, he made up for it by being incredibly obedient—whatever she said, he followed without question.
After washing his hands, the beaming Zhou Zehan even served the rice himself.
Despite his small size, he had a big appetite, always opting for the largest bowl.
Otherwise, he’d never get enough.
Now, he came running out with a bowl nearly the size of his face, placing one in front of Si Nian. "This is for Mom, and this is mine."
Then he dashed back to the kitchen and returned with two more.
"This is for big brother, and this is for Yaoyao."
"Time to eat~"
......
Today, Zhou Zehan ate with unusual haste, as if he hadn’t eaten in days.
A bite of potato pancake, a bite of meat.
The rice was drenched in savory sauce, and he shoveled spoonfuls into his mouth, savoring every bite.
Si Nian had once heard that eating with someone who enjoyed their food could make meals more appetizing.
She hadn’t understood it before, but now she did.
Normally, she only ate one bowl, but tonight, she found herself having a little extra.
Still, she had only been gone for a day—why was the boy so ravenous?
She glanced at Zhou Zedong.
He sat upright, calmly holding his bowl and chopsticks, chewing each bite slowly and swallowing before taking the next. It was hard to believe such refined table manners belonged to a country boy.
Si Nian sighed. They were brothers, yet the difference between them was night and day.
Her gaze then shifted to Yaoyao.
The little girl couldn’t use chopsticks yet, so she had a spoon.
Her rice was soaked in sauce, with minced lean meat mixed in.
On top was a perfectly round piece of meat—Zhou Zehan had placed it there for her.
The tiny girl chased the meat with her spoon, struggling to scoop it up.
Finally, as if frustrated, she buried her face in the bowl and bit it directly, munching happily.
......
After dinner, the two boys automatically took up chores.
Zhou Zedong carried the dishes to the kitchen to wash.
Zhou Zehan grabbed a broom to sweep the floor.
The brothers worked efficiently, cleaning up in no time.
Si Nian enjoyed the peace, carrying Yaoyao outside for a post-meal stroll.
The small plot of land by the door was now lush and green, the vegetables nearly as tall as a person’s hand.
The tender bok choy looked juicy—perfect for noodle soup in the morning.
The sky after the rain was bathed in sunset hues, half of it burning red like fire.
......
"Buy a car? What for? Didn’t you just get a motorcycle?"
Yu Dong nearly dropped the cigarette from his mouth when Zhou Yueshen asked him to check out cars in the city.
What kind of family was this? He’d just gotten married, bought a motorcycle, and now he wanted a car?
Since when did the boss care so much about material comforts?
If he remembered correctly, this man had spent a fortune when he got married.
The pig farm was running smoothly now, but money shouldn’t be spent so recklessly.
Not to mention buying a car—how much would that cost?
Of course, Yu Dong was just puzzled. In his eyes, unless absolutely necessary, Zhou Yueshen was definitely not the type to buy a sedan.
He spent every day running to the pig farm, which was close to home, and deliveries were handled by the big truck.
The pig farm was busy year-round, with early mornings and late nights. Buying a small car would be a complete waste.
Could it be for Si Nian to drive?
Yu Dong immediately turned to look at Zhou Yueshen.
Sure enough, Zhou Yueshen glanced at him and said, "For convenience."
He didn’t need it himself, so the convenience was clearly for Si Nian.
Yu Dong seemed to recall hearing that Si Nian was planning to go back to school.
It was almost December now, and if she was going to school next year, she couldn’t possibly ride a bicycle there, could she?
Si Nian was as beautiful as a fairy. Riding a bike alone on mountain roads would be far too dangerous.
Yu Dong suddenly understood his boss’s thoughtful intentions.
He immediately thumped his chest and assured him, "Got it. I’ll go find Little Fatty tonight—he should have the connections. No problem."
Zhou Yueshen gave a low hum in response, saying nothing more.
Just as Yu Dong was about to leave, the man suddenly changed his mind. "Wait."
Yu Dong turned back, confused. "Huh?"
Zhou Yueshen lit a cigarette and looked at him, his voice deep. "I’ll go with you."
"?" Yu Dong felt personally insulted by these words.
He stared at Zhou Yueshen in disbelief, his tone wounded. "Boss, you don’t trust me?"
Zhou Yueshen held the cigarette between his fingers, giving him a cold glance before remaining silent.
The two got into the truck and drove out of Xingfu Village.
The entire way, Yu Dong’s expression was gloomy.
His fragile heart had been deeply wounded.
Only when the truck started heading in an unfamiliar direction did he snap out of his melancholy.
Confused, he watched as the truck slowly pulled up in front of a department store and couldn’t help but ask, "Boss? What are we doing here?"
Weren’t they supposed to buy a car?
Since when did department stores sell cars?
Zhou Yueshen ignored him and got out.
Yu Dong, itching with curiosity, hurried after him.
But soon, he regretted it.
He gained a profound understanding of the saying, "Curiosity killed the cat."
Who could explain to him why a rough, 190cm-tall man like Zhou Yueshen could walk into a lingerie store without a hint of shame or hesitation?
Yu Dong slammed on the brakes, stopping at the entrance, his face burning red.
"B-Boss, wait..." The last two words were so quiet even he could barely hear them.
The women around him frowned and shot him disapproving looks.
Yu Dong’s face turned beet red, his body stiff with embarrassment.
Once inside, Zhou Yueshen found the same dress Si Nian had bought.
Her color was out of stock, but the same style was still available.
He pointed at it and, under the stunned gaze of the salesgirl, asked her to wrap it up.
But when he reached for his wallet, he realized he’d forgotten it.
Zhou Yueshen glanced outside at Yu Dong and motioned for him to come in.
Yu Dong pretended not to hear.
The salesgirl beside him spoke up, "Sir, he’s calling you."
Yu Dong: "We don’t know each other, really."
Zhou Yueshen: "..."
With the "Little Fragrance" bag in hand, Zhou Yueshen calmly lit another cigarette after getting back into the truck.
"Let’s go."
Yu Dong’s mind was still buzzing from having just paid for a pink nightgown.
He couldn’t process what had just happened.
A grown man like him had actually walked into a lingerie store.
And bought a pink nightgown for his boss?
The salesgirls’ amused, teasing, and knowing looks as they watched him leave were still burned into his memory.
Yu Dong: ...He wished he could dig a hole and disappear.
Zhou Yueshen returned home in the early hours of the morning.
The clothes left outside had already been taken in.
The dress he’d ruined was beyond repair, so he figured if Yu Dong was going to the city anyway, he might as well get a replacement.
Si Nian didn’t like wearing the same clothes repeatedly—she changed and washed them daily.
Going to the city wasn’t convenient for her, and the one dress she’d managed to buy had been destroyed by him.
Zhou Yueshen had been distracted all day.
Now that he’d bought a new one, that uneasy feeling finally faded.
He carried the bag inside, and soon, the sky began to lighten.
After a quick meal, Zhou Yueshen grabbed a basin and squatted by the door, washing clothes.
Aunt Zhang and a few of her friends were on their way to the fields, hoes in hand, when they passed the Zhou household and saw Zhou Yueshen washing clothes at the door again.
She was astonished.
Zhou Yueshen was incredibly diligent—washing Si Nian’s clothes every day?
She called out, "Director Zhou, doing laundry for your wife again?"
Her voice immediately drew the attention of the others.
They turned to look and, sure enough, the usually authoritative Zhou Yueshen was crouched by the faucet, his large hands carefully scrubbing an unfamiliar piece of lace fabric with practiced ease.
His brows were furrowed in concentration, as if handling delicate work.
Everyone was stunned.
Who knew the stern Zhou Yueshen was such a doting husband in private?
Zhou Yueshen paused mid-scrub and glanced up.
His gaze met the four pairs of curious, gossipy eyes at the gate.
After a brief pause, he looked back down at the fabric in his hands, unfazed, and replied in his deep voice, "Yes."
Sure enough, the older women broke into knowing smiles.
"Ah, Director Zhou is such a loving husband. Si Nian is truly lucky."
"Indeed! With how busy you are, you still make time to wash your wife’s clothes. So thoughtful."
Zhou Yueshen didn’t respond. To him, washing clothes wasn’t a big deal.
He usually just tossed his own clothes in water, wrung them out, and called it a day—a matter of minutes.
It wasn’t like heavy labor.
He didn’t understand why people found it so surprising.
Focusing back on the task, he washed, rinsed, and wrung out the delicate fabric with extreme care.
Finally, he hung the thin garment on the clothesline and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he cleaned up the water by the door and was about to head to the pig farm when he suddenly hesitated.
He glanced back at Si Nian’s window, then at the dress hanging nearby.
After a brief pause, the older man turned around.
The moment he left, Si Nian woke up.
Her hand instinctively reached for the space beside her—cold. Clearly, he hadn’t come back last night.
Had she imagined hearing Zhou Yueshen’s voice earlier?
Ever since he’d ruined her dress yesterday, he’d been unusually quiet.
Si Nian hadn’t dared to say much, afraid he’d think she blamed him.
Had he been so preoccupied with it that he hadn’t returned?
Frowning, she got out of bed.
As she drew back the curtains, her gaze was instantly captured by the pink dress standing directly below her window.
