Chapter 43

A Dream With Hints of Color 

Right in front of Zhang Shiye, Xia Wanyang placed the metal box into her kang chest. In reality, she had tossed it into her hidden space. 

Just as she was about to say something, a familiar voice called out from outside. 

“Wanyang, are you home?” 

Xia Wanyang opened the door and stepped out, finding none other than Director Fan Guangrong standing there. 

“Uncle Fan, please come in and have a seat,” she said warmly. 

After ushering him into the room, Director Fan placed the items he was carrying on the table. 

“Wanyang, I went to the hospital to see you but heard you’d been discharged. So I came here to find you. These are for you—make sure to eat well and recover.” 

Xia Wanyang didn’t refuse. She accepted the gifts with a smile, thinking she would repay the gesture once she was fully recovered. 

Zhang Shiye also came out of the room, and Director Fan greeted him with a smile. 

“Wanyang, this must be your partner? I wanted to let you both know that Li Yu has confessed everything. She colluded with Li Ling and her 4-year-old niece, Zhang Xiaohua, to trick Comrade Zhang Shiye. When the framing failed, they hatched a murderous plot. The case has been resolved: Li Yu was sentenced to thirty years in prison. Li Ling, however, was only involved in the initial setup and was still nursing her child during the later events. She’s been detained for ten days and fined fifty yuan but will be released in a couple of days.” 

Xia Wanyang nodded in acknowledgment, and Zhang Shiye didn’t say much. After chatting for a bit, Director Fan took his leave. 

Zhang Shiye gently pulled Xia Wanyang into his arms. “Wanyang, don’t worry. Even if Li Ling is released, I won’t let her off so easily!” 

Xia Wanyang nodded again. After all, wasn’t Zhang Shiye just as much a victim in all of this? 

When the day’s work ended, the educated youths began returning from the fields one after another. Seeing Xia Wanyang discharged from the hospital, the happiest among them was Li Xiang, who hovered around her, bombarding her with questions. Even Gu Xiuyuan came over to express his concern. He had completely let go of his feelings for her by now. After all, risking your life to shield someone with a knife wasn’t something he had the courage for. It was clear just how deeply Xia Wanyang cared for Zhang Shiye.  

As for Xu Jiaojiao, she already knew everything that had happened to her family. Her father had been executed, and her mother and younger siblings had been sent to a labor farm in the remote northwest. She would never see them again in this lifetime. With no family to rely on, she now had to fend for herself by toiling in the fields. Over the days Xia Wanyang had been in the hospital, Xu Jiaojiao had lost a significant amount of weight. Her face had become sallow and sunburned, and her patched-up clothes only added to her disheveled appearance. She was no longer the proud and haughty girl she once was. 

When she saw Xia Wanyang, Xu Jiaojiao glared at her venomously, her heart full of resentment. She had heard that it was Xia Wanyang’s father who had reported her own father. Now, she was living such a miserable life, while Xia Wanyang’s complexion only grew more radiant. Why does she get to look so healthy and vibrant? she thought bitterly, glaring at Xia Wanyang’s rosy face with barely concealed hatred. 

Of Course, These Thoughts Remained in Her Heart for Now 

Xu Jiaojiao could only stew in her resentment internally. On the surface, she was no match for Xia Wanyang now. 

Wang Jing, on the other hand, had tanned even darker during this time. In her efforts to prove herself, she took on the hardest and most grueling tasks, and now even appeared less put-together than the local village girls. 

—

That afternoon, while Zhang Shiye was at work, Xia Wanyang slipped into her secret space and counted the money in the metal box over and over again. Excluding the bankbook, there was a total of 735 yuan in cash. Compared to her own vast wealth, this amount was insignificant. But because it was from Zhang Shiye, it held a different meaning entirely. 

As she gazed at the treasures in her space—the villa, the car, and the two warehouse-loads of goods—her heart softened. All these things had been given to her by Zhang Shiye in their past life. 

Now that they were together again, should she tell him about the space? After all, without the jade pendant he had once given her, she wouldn’t have access to this secret haven. 

After deliberating for a while, she decided to let things take their course. If he discovered it on his own, she would confess everything then. 

—

After enjoying a restful nap in the villa, she woke up just as it was time for the workers to finish for the day. Knowing Zhang Shiye would be bringing her dinner, she freshened up and exited the space. 

As soon as she stepped out, there was a knock on the door. She hurried to open it and found Zhang Shiye standing there, his hair still damp, slightly out of breath. 

“Wanyang, are you hungry?” he asked. 

She pulled him into the room, glaring at him with a mix of frustration and affection. “Zhang Shiye, you’re not allowed to bring me meals anymore starting tomorrow!” 

Startled, Zhang Shiye quickly set the basket down and wrapped her in his arms. “What’s wrong? Who upset you?” 

“No one upset me,” she pouted. “But you’re working all day, then rushing home to cook for me, barely even having time to bathe. If this keeps up, I might recover, but you’ll collapse instead!” 

Patting her back, he reassured her, “You think too little of me. I’m a man—this is nothing! You lost so much blood, and the doctor said you need to nourish yourself. The meals at the educated youth camp are far from nutritious. Let’s not argue about it. Come, look at what I made for you!” 

He opened the basket to reveal stir-fried pig liver, carrot and pork stir-fry, the ever-present chicken soup, red date porridge, and pumpkin pancakes. 

Xia Wanyang scrunched up her face in dismay. “I’ve been eating these every day! Even if you cook them differently, it’s still the same ingredients. I can’t stand the sight of pig liver anymore—I’m going to be sick!” 

Zhang Shiye sighed. “Wanyang, be good. You need to eat these foods to recover. The doctor said they’re vital for restoring the blood you lost.” 

Frustrated, Xia Wanyang kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the kang, presenting him with the back of her head. 

Zhang Shiye brought the small kang table onto the bed, arranging the food. He removed his own shoes, climbed up, and pulled her into his lap. 

She froze in shock. Though they often hugged and kissed, this level of intimacy was new. Her face flushed crimson, and her mind went blank. 

Scooping a spoonful of soup, Zhang Shiye cooled it and gently fed it to her. “Open your mouth,” he said softly. 

Mechanically, she obeyed, sipping the soup. His gentle smile deepened as he continued to feed her, bit by bit, until she’d eaten more than half the food. 

When she finally felt too full to eat another bite, she snapped out of her daze. “Enough! Stop feeding me! And who said you could hold me? Let me down!” 

Zhang Shiye chuckled, finding her reaction adorable. How could she only now realize she’d been sitting in his lap the entire time? He felt as though he’d discovered a secret way to coax her into obedience. 

But when she began squirming in his lap, his expression stiffened, and he muttered through gritted teeth, “Ancestor, stop moving.” 

Hearing the tension in his voice, Xia Wanyang froze and glanced at his reddened ears. Then, she felt something firm pressing against her thigh. Her face burned even hotter as realization dawned. 

Zhang Shiye released his grip on her waist, allowing her to clamber down onto the kang. 

The atmosphere grew awkward, thick with unspoken tension. Zhang Shiye draped a blanket over his lap and resumed eating. He wasn’t in a state to leave just yet. 

After finishing his meal, he broke the silence. “There are some things I can’t always control. Don’t be afraid.” 

Her voice came out as soft as a whisper. “I know.” 

Relieved, Zhang Shiye exhaled deeply. How tormenting it was to balance his desire to be close to her while ensuring he didn’t scare her away. 

—

That night, Zhang Shiye took a long, cold shower to quell his restless thoughts. Lying on his kang, he counted sheep in vain before finally drifting to sleep. 

In his dream, Xia Wanyang appeared, her shyness replaced by bold passion. She transformed into a bunny spirit, with long, soft ears and a fluffy tail. The dream was vivid, filled with her fiery warmth and irresistible allure. 

When he woke with a jolt, drenched in sweat, Zhang Shiye laughed bitterly to himself. He quietly changed into clean pants, resigned to yet another sleepless night.