Chapter 8 : Taking the Initiative

Zhou Yanwen, lost in his fantasies, drifted off to sleep.

Little did Fang Xiaoluo know that Zhou Yanwen could be so self-absorbed.

That evening, she slept with Zhang Xinyan.

Fang Qiang and Fang Jie had pushed two double beds together, while Fang Shijun squeezed into one bed with his two sons.

For Zhang Xinyan, it felt like the return of a long-lost daughter.

They had loved Xu Yaqiu so deeply, but Xu Yaqiu had left without a second thought, returning to the Xu family.

In truth, they didn’t blame Xu Yaqiu. After all, the Xu family’s financial situation was better, and they were her biological parents.

But to suddenly lose a child they had raised for nearly nineteen years, who could bear that?

Now that Fang Xiaoluo had returned, not only did she fill the emotional void they felt, but she also made them feel the kind of familial warmth that Xu Yaqiu never did.

Perhaps, this was the power of blood ties.

Fang Xiaoluo’s soft voice was comforting as she told Zhang Xinyan about the years she had spent. Zhang Xinyan listened attentively.

As midnight approached and the moon rose high, Zhang Xinyan, having fully recovered from her illness, finally fell into a deep sleep.

However, Fang Xiaoluo couldn’t fall asleep.

Although the Fang family’s situation was quite poor, she could tell that they were all very warm-hearted, even Fang Jie, who was usually quiet.

She was thinking about using the spiritual spring water to help Fang Shijun with his health.

But unlike the way she had treated herself and Shen Zheng, or helped Zhang Xinyan with her fever, Fang Shijun’s condition had persisted for five years, and she wasn’t sure how long it would take to improve.

Moreover, the Fang family’s financial situation definitely needed to be improved, so earning more money was essential. She also wondered whether she should accept the job at the embroidery factory.

Her mind also wandered to Zhou Yanwen and Shen Zheng, and she couldn’t sleep for a long time.

The next morning, Zhang Xinyan woke up early.

She sat up, feeling completely refreshed, as if she had an endless supply of energy.

Fearing that she might wake Fang Xiaoluo, she quietly got dressed and went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

The breakfast in a farming family was simple. Zhang Xinyan cooked millet porridge, made coarse grain pancakes, and sliced some salted vegetables.

After Fang Xiaoluo finished washing up, she sat down. Zhang Xinyan and Fang Shijun were a bit anxious, wondering if Fang Xiaoluo would be able to get used to these simple foods.

Fang Jie held a bowl, glancing at Fang Xiaoluo out of the corner of his eye.

Fang Xiaoluo didn’t mind at all. She picked up her bowl and took a sip of the porridge. To her surprise, the millet grown by the villagers tasted much better than the millet she had eaten thirty years later, it had a distinct flavor.

“It’s delicious,” she said.

With Fang Xiaoluo’s praise, the whole family seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Fang Jie’s expression also softened, and he finished his bowl of porridge in no time.

Fang Xiaoluo continued eating the porridge and took a bite of the coarse grain pancake.

She knew that coarse grains would become popular in three or four decades for their health benefits.

Though the pancake was a little tough, it still tasted good when chewed.

After breakfast, everyone went about their respective tasks. Those who needed to work went to their jobs, and the students went to school.

Although Fang Shijun’s legs were a bit weak, he still went to wash the dishes.

Zhang Xinyan said, “Xiaoluo, you stay at home. I’ll go work in the fields.”

Fang Xiaoluo responded, “Mom, do you have any clothes I can wear? I left everything at the Xu family’s place when I came here.”

Zhang Xinyan felt a pang of sympathy. After raising her for so many years, they didn’t even allow her to take her clothes with her when she left.

She searched through her old clothes. “I’ll take care of the field work for a few days, and then I’ll take you to get new clothes.”

“No need, this is fine,” Fang Xiaoluo said as she changed into the clothes. “Mom, let’s go. Show me where our fields are.”

Without giving it much thought, Zhang Xinyan led Fang Xiaoluo to the fields.

Even in simple clothes, Fang Xiaoluo’s beauty was striking, so beautiful that no one could take their eyes off her.

The Fang family had a lot of land, a total of eighteen acres.

If everyone in the family worked together, it would be tough but manageable. But now, the main person doing the work was just Zhang Xinyan.

Of course, Fang Qiang would also help out in the fields when he returned from work.

Previously, Fang Jie often came to the fields, but in the second half of the year, he was going into his senior year of high school, and with his heavy academic workload, the Fang family forbade him from helping in the fields anymore.

Fang Yamei and Fang Yating didn’t have such a heavy academic load, so they often came to help in the fields.

Looking out, the fields were lush and green.

“Over there, we’ve planted wheat, and further ahead are potatoes, then millet, and over there are cabbage…” Zhang Xinyan introduced as she crouched down to thin the cabbage seedlings.

Fang Xiaoluo crouched down as well. “Mom, is this the second thinning of the cabbage? Should we just leave one per hole?”

Zhang Xinyan nodded, “Yes, pick the strongest ones to leave.”

As her words finished, Fang Xiaoluo also crouched down and began thinning the seedlings.

“Xiaoluo, you shouldn’t be doing this kind of work.”

Fang Xiaoluo tilted her head, smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling. “I’m your daughter too, and it’s our family’s work, so it’s only right.”

A villager walking by saw Fang Xiaoluo working in the field and leaned on his hoe, calling out, “Xinyan, your eldest daughter is really not bad. In the past, Yaqiu never came to help you with the work.”

“In my opinion, Yaqiu is just a lazy person with a lucky life. Look, now she’s gone back to the city.”

Zhang Xinyan didn’t want to hear people talk about Fang Xiaoluo and retorted, “My Xiaoluo will definitely have a good life from now on.”

Meanwhile, at home, Zhou Yanwen was waiting for Fang Xiaoluo to bring him the shoes and try to coax him.

The door was pushed open, and Zhou Yanwen saw someone enter. It was someone dressed just like Fang Xiaoluo usually did, and he immediately became smug.

Look, Fang Xiaoluo had come, just like he expected. This woman was so smug yesterday, and now he was going to give her the cold shoulder.

“Yanwen, are you home, Yanwen?”

When Zhou Yanwen heard the voice, he immediately realized it wasn’t Fang Xiaoluo. It was Xu Yaqiu!

Xu Yaqiu, for some strange reason, was wearing Fang Xiaoluo’s clothes.

It looked off. Fang Xiaoluo looked better in her own clothes. Xu Yaqiu just didn’t have the figure to pull it off!

“What are you doing here?”

Xu Yaqiu didn’t care about Zhou Yanwen’s attitude. She came closer, holding something in her hands. “Yanwen, I… I came to bring you something.”

She placed a shoebox on the table. “Yanwen, I saw a new style of shoes at the department store. I thought they would be perfect for you, so I bought them and want to give them to you.”

Xu Yaqiu opened the shoebox, and Zhou Yanwen saw that the shoes were exactly the ones he had wanted. He had mentioned them to Xu Yaqiu a couple of days ago.

It seemed Xu Yaqiu wasn’t as clueless as he thought.

His father was the factory manager of a clothing factory, but with the salary and having to support the whole family, there was hardly anything left.

On the other hand, Xu’s family owned a private woodworking factory, and all the profits went straight into their pockets.

If he could marry Xu Yaqiu, her dowry would surely be generous.

But, unfortunately, Xu Yaqiu didn’t look as good as Fang Xiaoluo.

Zhou Yanwen crossed his arms. “I never asked you to buy these shoes.”

Xu Yaqiu smiled. “Yanwen, I bought them because I wanted to. I heard that Xiaoluo gave you the cold shoulder yesterday. I came to apologize on her behalf, hoping you’ll accept the gift.”

Zhou Yanwen found her words quite pleasing.

“Well, since it’s like that, I’ll try them on.”

The new shoes fit perfectly and looked great. Zhou Yanwen was very pleased with himself.

When he looked up, he happened to notice that Xu Yaqiu’s face was slightly bruised.

“What happened to your face?”

Xu Yaqiu quickly turned her face away, flustered. “Xiaoluo… she accidentally bumped into me. It’s nothing.”

She smiled awkwardly, and Zhou Yanwen wasn’t fooled. “Did Fang Xiaoluo hit you? She’s really gotten bold! You treated her so well, and she even hit you. When I see her next time, I’ll have a good talk with her. She’ll still listen to me.”

Xu Yaqiu forced a smile. “Yanwen, no need. Xiaoluo has always misunderstood me. As long as she feels better, it’s fine.”

With that, Xu Yaqiu crouched down to take off Zhou Yanwen’s shoes. As she did so, her fingers intentionally brushed over his thigh.

Zhou Yanwen felt a strange sensation and coughed several times.

Xu Yaqiu looked up. “Yanwen, is your throat not feeling well? I’ll get you some water.”

She quickly got up and went to get water. While her back was turned, she pulled out a paper packet from her arms and quickly poured some powder into the water.

The powder dissolved instantly, without color or taste.