Chapter 186: The Dried Fish

Yu Xiangnian kissed Cheng Jingmo’s jaw and continued to comfort him, “Be good, go to sleep.”

“Okay…” Cheng Jingmo rolled off Yu Xiangnian and lay on the bed, still looking at her with yearning eyes, “Wife.”

Yu Xiangnian, feeling impatient, said, “Alright, alright.”

She then blew out the kerosene lamp, lay down next to him, and Cheng Jingmo pulled her close, closing his eyes with satisfaction.

The next day.

When Cheng Jingmo returned from fetching water for the third time, the rest of the family was already up.

Cheng Shuan looked at him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Jianwa, good morning.”

Cheng Jingmo, feeling a bit guilty, couldn’t shake the feeling that their expressions held some deeper meaning.

As he remembered what happened last night, he felt embarrassed and shy throughout the morning.

He nodded to them, went into the kitchen, and poured the water into the water tank.

When he came out of the kitchen, Cheng Shuan was holding a basin, preparing to wash his face.

Seeing Cheng Jingmo, he seemed to remember something and chuckled, “Jianwa, this house isn’t soundproof!”

Cheng Jingmo’s ears burned with embarrassment, and he pretended not to understand what Cheng Shuan meant.

The family went off to work, and Cheng Jingmo also left the house.

That afternoon, as the family was having lunch, Cheng Shuan said, “Tonight at seven, there will be a movie screening at the village office playground in Zhaojia Village. Who wants to go?”

Upon hearing about the movie, everyone got excited, and the children’s voices were a chorus of “I want to go, I want to go.”

Here, it’s not easy to watch a movie. The nearest cinema is in the county town, which is too far for some people, and they might never visit the county in their lifetime.

The only chance to see a movie is when the projectionist brings the equipment and films to the villages for an outdoor screening.

But such opportunities are rare, usually only three to five times a year.

Yu Xiangnian and Cheng Jingmo exchanged a look, and without needing words, they both felt more excited than the children about going to the movie.

Cheng Shuan urged, “Hurry up, eat quickly, and go find a good spot after dinner.”

Everyone hurriedly put down their bowls and started preparing, while Laowu, anxious, still had to wash the dishes.

Cheng Jingmo said, “I’ll wash the dishes, you go get ready and hurry up.”

Laowu was surprised and delighted, “Brother, you’re not going?”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “I watch movies often, so I’ll stay home and guard the house.”

Laowu happily ran back to her room to get ready, and Xiao Jie asked, “Aunt, are you going?”

Cheng Jingmo answered quickly, “Your aunt isn’t going; it takes over forty minutes to walk there, so she probably doesn’t want to.”

Yu Xiangnian gave Cheng Jingmo a meaningful glance.

Xiao Jie hesitated, unsure if he should go.

Yu Xiangnian said, “You should go with them. The experience is different from what we usually watch; it’s quite fun.”

Xiao Jie responded, “Okay.”

This was also Yu Xiangnian’s first time seeing people go to an outdoor movie.

Everyone carried a stool, and since Ermao and Anzi were too young to walk far, Li Cuihua and Zhang Hongli carried them on their backs.

Cheng Shuan urged everyone, “Hurry up, if you’re late, there won’t be any seats left!”

Everyone hurriedly left, including Cheng Huazi and Mu Huanzhen.

Yu Xiangnian checked the time; it was only five in the afternoon. The screening was at seven, and it would likely end around nine, so the family wouldn’t get home until around ten.

Cheng Jingmo was washing dishes in the kitchen. When he heard the yard quieting down, he quickened his pace.

Once he finished washing the dishes, he came out and saw Yu Xiangnian alone, sitting outside the living room with her chin propped up.

“Nian Nian…” Cheng Jingmo looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Yu Xiangnian glanced at him and said, “I want to take a bath.”

Cheng Jingmo said in a pleading tone, “How about we wait until tomorrow to bathe?”

While waiting for the water to boil, Yu Xiangnian took a shower. Two hours had passed.

“I didn’t wash yesterday,” Yu Xiangnian pouted.

Cheng Jingmo knelt in front of her, took her hand, and rubbed it. “Stop nagging me… It’s not easy having just the two of us at home.”

The pitiful big wolf dog is back!

Yu Xiangnian felt guilty. “But you still need to brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your feet, and wash down there!”

Cheng Jingmo immediately stood up. “I’ll go get the water.”

He had already started boiling water while washing the dishes earlier.

He didn’t mind Yu Xiangnian, but he worried that she might mind him.

While Yu Xiangnian was washing her face and feet, he quickly took a cold shower.

He impatiently closed the door and pinned Yu Xiangnian against it.

Feeling his cold skin, Yu Xiangnian furrowed her brow. “You…”

All words were stopped short.

It was like two fish stranded on the shore, nearly dried out, suddenly greeted by a heavy rain.

The two fish joyfully enjoyed the rain, excited and thrilled, jumping from the water into the air and crashing down, splashing water everywhere.

Yu Xiangnian was so tired her eyes were barely open, faintly hearing people’s voices.

Cheng Shuan said, “It’s so late, still washing clothes.”

Cheng Jingmo asked, “Was the movie good?”

“It was great!”

Then everyone started discussing the movie.

When Cheng Jingmo finished washing the clothes and returned to the room, the room still seemed to have a sticky smell.

Yu Xiangnian had fallen asleep, her breathing even and steady.

Cheng Jingmo sat by the bed, looking at her sleeping face, his gaze resting on her slightly swollen lips.

His mind involuntarily recalled how, earlier, when she was deeply emotional, her red lips parted slightly, making delightful sounds.

It had been half a month since they returned home.

That day at dinner, Cheng Huazi looked at Cheng Jingmo with an unhappy expression. “I heard from people in the village that you’ve been giving that Dong Ju guy a hard time every time you see him. Yesterday, you almost came to blows with him?”

Cheng Jingmo remained expressionless. “Yes.”

Cheng Huazi slammed her chopsticks on the table. “It looks like your years in the army have made you think you’re so capable! Fighting with Zhao Hai and his gang for days, and now meddling in other people’s family matters. Do you even know who you are anymore?”

“Don’t think that because you wore a few of their clothes and ate a few buns when you were young, you have the right to interfere in other people’s affairs! How Dong Ju and her man get along has nothing to do with you!”

“And Zhao Hai and his people! Do you even know what kind of people they are? If you provoke them, and after a few days you leave, they might come looking for trouble with our family. Will you care?”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “I’ll take care of what I need to.”

“What do you mean by what you need to?” Cheng Huazi said. “You can’t even manage the affairs at home! How can you meddle in other people’s business?”

Cheng Shuan, who loved stirring up trouble, said, “Dad, I also just heard that Jianwa used to plan to visit Dong Ju’s house! He saw an old friend being bullied and went to help!”

Yu Xiangnian’s voice was cold. “Stop believing every rumor you hear! What Dong Ju’s father said casually has turned into something else when it comes out of your mouth!”