Chapter 14.1

When Zhou Yao returned home, he saw Wen Yue sitting under the eaves with a book in her hands.

She leaned against the back of the chair, her head slightly bowed, the strands of hair on either side of her face hanging in mid-air. This angle accentuated her high, elegant nose, making her look serene and beautiful.

Zhou Yao looked at her for a long time.

Sensing his gaze, Wen Yue looked up from her book and saw the tall figure standing at the courtyard gate. Her voice was cheerful, “You’re back! How was it? Did they like the food?”

“Mm,” Zhou Yao responded, glancing at the book in her hands, “Did you get the book?”

Wen Yue nodded vigorously, her smile was bright, “Yes, Nianqiu was so kind, she even lent me her notes.”

Zhou Yao: “?”

He stared at Wen Yue’s smiling face and asked, “Are there any bad people in your eyes?”

Wen Yue looked at him oddly, “Of course there are.”

Like her uncle and aunt!

“Did you deliver the meat? What did your friends say?” she asked.

Thinking of the bragging he had done, Zhou Yao touched his nose, “They said it was delicious.”

Hearing the affirmation, Wen Yue’s eyes curved into a smile, her sweet voice full of happiness, “Next time, let them come over for a meal when they’re free.”

“We’ll see,” Zhou Yao replied, then added, “You continue reading, I’ll go chop some firewood. We’re out of firewood at home.”

Wen Yue nodded, “Okay.”

Zhou Yao went into the kitchen to get the axe and went out.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Yao returned with a large bundle of dry firewood and threw it in the yard. He brought out a small stool from the kitchen and began organizing the messy firewood into neat bundles.

It was too hot, so he took off his dark blue jacket and casually hung it aside. Sweat rolled down his cheeks, past his Adam’s apple, and was absorbed by his white undershirt.

The wet undershirt clung to his body, outlining his chest muscles. He grabbed a branch thicker than Wen Yue’s arm, his arm muscles bulging as he broke it.

The cracking sound of breaking wood echoed in the yard. Wen Yue couldn’t resist looking up and was immediately captivated by Zhou Yao’s physique.

This man had an incredible body!

Wen Yue glanced several times before blushing and quickly looking away before Zhou Yao noticed. Her eyes sparkled.

She wondered if she would ever get the chance to touch his abs. She had never felt abs before in her twenty-plus years of life.

Zhou Yao quickly organized the firewood into bundles and carried them into the kitchen, then grabbed two buckets and went out to fetch water.

After three or four trips, the water tank was filled to the brim.

The white undershirt Zhou Yao was wearing never dried. After fetching water, he cleaned the courtyard in front of their room, sweeping the poultry droppings to the doors of the other two families.

“Did I bring in the bed sheets?” Zhou Yao asked, looking at the sheets fluttering in the courtyard.

“Huh? I’ll take it in later.”

It took Wen Yue a moment to hear him after he repeated himself twice.

“Okay,” Zhou Yao replied.

Wen Yue, realizing it was about time, put away her book and got up to bring the bedsheet inside and set it up, then headed to the kitchen.

It was time to start stewing the chicken soup so it would be ready by dinner.

“By the way, I have to go to the city tomorrow. Do you need anything, or do you want to buy some groceries?” Zhou Yao asked.

“Let me think about it, and I’ll tell you,” Wen Yue blinked.

Zhou Yao nodded.

Wen Yue had become quite adept at handling ingredients.

She chopped the chicken in half, using one half for stew and the other for braising with potatoes.

She busied herself in the kitchen, her petite figure moving back and forth.

Zhou Yao had finished all his tasks and sat by the stove watching her.

Since his grandmother passed away, he had been alone at home.

He cooked, ate, and did everything alone.

Being alone was too lonely, so he often took food to Fang Shitao’s house to eat. After eating, he returned to a dark house, still alone.

It was only now that Zhou Yao realized the benefit of being married.

Finally, he wasn’t alone anymore.

“Zhou Yao?” Wen Yue raised her voice, annoyed at the man who turned his dazed eyes toward her, “What are you thinking? I’ve asked you to light the fire several times!”

Zhou Yao snapped out of it, lazily grabbing some hays, “Got it.”

Wen Yue said, “The stew in the back pot needs to be on high heat.”

Zhou Yao’s eyes curved with a smile, his tone drawn out, “Alright, high heat it is.”

He ignited the hays and placed two bundles of dry firewood under the back pot.

The flames roared fiercely.

Wen Yue cleaned the potatoes, peeled, and cut them into pieces. “By the way, if you can, please bring back some needles, fabric, or yarn tomorrow.”

“For groceries, bring some beef? Or pork is fine too. I’m craving dumplings.”

With no mobile phones or computers, there were no entertainment facilities, and it was incredibly boring.

Wen Yue wasn’t keen on reading all the time either.

If he bought some fabric or yarn, she could do some handcrafts to pass the time.

“Sure, what color?” Zhou Yao nodded.

Wen Yue replied, “Black or white. Oh, and make sure it’s cotton fabric!”

She had heard that Dacron((A synthetic polyester with tough, elastic properties, used as a textile fabric.) was quite popular now, but it wasn’t breathable or comfortable to wear in summer.

Zhou Yao didn’t ask why, he just raised an eyebrow and agreed, “Alright.”