Si Nian's cheeks flushed slightly. Not hugging him now would seem rather affected. She stretched out her arms, her fair and slender limbs wrapping around his lean waist, her delicate fingers interlacing tightly.
The road was rough, so it was better to be cautious.
Even with the helmet on, the wind roared loudly in her ears. Si Nian let out a soft breath, her breathing inexplicably growing warmer. Beneath the helmet, her starry eyes trembled faintly.
How could an ordinary motorcycle like this make him exude such a rugged, biker-like aura?
Pedestrians along the road turned their heads at the sound, their gazes lingering on the pair.
At the sight of the sleek, brand-new black second-generation Honda CB125T, envy flickered in their eyes.
Men coveted the motorcycle, while women envied the woman riding on it.
In this era, owning a Honda CB125T made wooing girls almost effortless.
Taking someone out for a ride on it wasn’t much worse than a car.
In her past life, Si Nian had never had a boyfriend. She had never experienced the youthful thrill of being picked up by a boyfriend on a motorcycle, the kind of feeling that belonged to the carefree days of youth.
She hadn’t understood it then.
But now, she thought she might be starting to.
This feeling... wasn’t bad at all.
She lifted her gaze to the man in front of her.
He was so tall, his back broad enough that if she just leaned in slightly, most of the wind would be blocked entirely. All she could smell was the faint, refreshing scent of mountain springs clinging to him.
Her arms tightened around him instinctively.
He wore thin clothing—just a simple olive-green tank top that accentuated the muscles in his arms. They weren’t overly exaggerated, just perfectly defined.
Through the fabric, she could feel the firmness of his muscles, even catching the faint outline of his abs beneath.
Si Nian sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of regret: Why can’t the lower half of a man be as hard as the rest of him?
Still, such well-defined muscles weren’t something one encountered every day.
She had never touched a man’s abs before, and her fingers twitched with the urge.
In an instant, his body tensed.
His breathing grew heavier, his voice dropping low with a husky warning: "Si Nian, don’t move around."
Si Nian froze in embarrassment.
Just a little touch, and he reacts like this. Anyone would think he’s some untouched maiden.
The motorcycle left the city limits, the crowd thinning as the speed picked up. Motorcycles in this era could go surprisingly fast.
With a startled gasp, Si Nian clung tighter to his waist, pressing her face against his back.
"Zhou Yueshen, slow down..." Her voice was soft and sweet when she called his name, almost musical.
Zhou Yueshen’s dark eyes remained fixed ahead, his jaw tight, but he eased off the throttle slightly.
His voice softened. "Don’t be afraid."
After riding for a while, Si Nian realized just how steady he was on the bike. Even on this rough mountain road, she never once felt like she might be thrown off.
Soon, she relaxed.
Zhou Yueshen was fast, yet controlled.
He even overtook a minivan at one point.
What usually took an hour and a half by bus into the city, he covered in under an hour before the village entrance came into view.
The peaceful countryside amplified the sound of the motorcycle.
People working in the fields turned to stare as they passed.
When they recognized the pair, their expressions turned wistful.
The Zhou family really has struck it rich. Not even two years after building that big house, they’ve bought a new motorcycle...
Though everyone said Si Nian had married into the family as a stepmother and would suffer for it, looking at her now—who in the surrounding villages lived as comfortably as she did?
A fleeting moment of happiness was still better than a lifetime of hardship.
Especially for the women her age in the fields, who had once looked down on Si Nian for being short-sighted.
But lately, with all the packages the Zhou family brought home, their lives growing more luxurious by the day, and Si Nian not even having to lift a finger in the fields—now even returning from the city on Zhou Yueshen’s new motorcycle—who wouldn’t be green with envy?
Meanwhile, they still had to rush to finish their work before the rain, not a moment’s rest in sight.
She’s too lucky!
The villagers couldn’t help but recall the recent drama between the Zhou and Liu families.
Aunt Liu had returned today, bringing Zhou Tingting with her.
Zhou Tingting had argued with Si Nian, and word was that Si Nian had barred her from entering the house.
Aunt Liu was one thing—she had messed up, so it was understandable.
But how could Si Nian dare to keep Zhou Tingting out?
That was Zhou Tingting’s own family home!
The villagers hadn’t paid much mind before, but now, seeing Si Nian living so lavishly, bitterness welled up inside them. The situation seemed magnified in their minds, and they couldn’t help but imagine themselves in Zhou Tingting’s shoes—returning home after marriage only to be barred by an outsider.
"Honestly, there must be something wrong with Si Nian. Aunt Liu is one thing, but what did Zhou Tingting ever do to her? I heard she locked her out!"
"Acting so domineering right after marrying in—she’ll get what’s coming to her."
"She’s just taking advantage of the fact that the Zhou family has no elders to keep her in check!"
"I’ve always thought there was something off about her. Remember Zhou Yueshen’s first wife? They slept in separate rooms for a whole year—never even touched her, let alone took her shopping in the city or out to eat. And now, driving her around personally! Haven’t you noticed how often Zhou Yueshen’s been coming home lately?"
"Well, she is beautiful. Soft and fragrant—what man could resist?"
"But I heard she’s not exactly faithful. Just yesterday at noon, I passed by the Zhou house and saw Li Mingjun talking to her. And the way she was dressed—so provocative..."
"Really?"
"Would I lie about something I saw with my own eyes?"
"How shameless can she be? One man like Zhou Yueshen isn’t enough? Now she’s seducing others too?"
Meanwhile, Si Nian remained blissfully unaware that a simple motorcycle ride with Zhou Yueshen had sparked such malicious gossip.
That was just how things were in this era. If you lived poorly, people scorned you for being destitute. If you lived too well, they resented you, convinced you must have gained it through underhanded means.
At the entrance of the Zhou household, under the eaves, Zhou Yuehan sat on a small stool doing his homework. Despite his young age, he already carried the weight of worry, his little brow furrowed in distraction.
Zhou Yuedong swept the courtyard, his calm demeanor bearing a striking resemblance to Zhou Yueshen’s.
He was disciplined beyond his years, always finishing his homework before his younger brother and then busying himself with chores—playing with their little sister, cleaning, or even washing clothes for his siblings...
At just ten years old, he had already dedicated every moment outside of school to his family, never wasting time playing with other children.
Quiet and introverted, he hardly spoke.
In the village, he had no friends at all.
