Chapter 16 : Proposal to Separate the Family

Han Zhenyu and Su Xieqiu felt a little awkward when they returned to the house.

This room was very small. Apart from the kang (a traditional heated bed), there was only an aisle, and no windows.

It was already evening, and when the door was closed, the room became pitch dark.

Han Zhenyu, being tall, blocked the faint light that came through the crack in the door.

The two of them stood there, and the whole room felt very cramped.

Su Xieqiu secretly glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but because the room was so dark, she could only vaguely make out his straight nose.

At this moment, Han Zhenyu was also quietly looking at her.

He had never been interested in this woman before and sometimes even found her shyness annoying.

But just now, he heard her calling him “my man” repeatedly, and it didn’t seem to annoy her at all.

The two of them, who had never been in love before, stood there like fools, thinking about various things, without even thinking to light the oil lamp.

It was Su Xieqiu who came to her senses first. When she realized it was quiet outside, she went to the cabinet to find a match and lit the lamp.

With a crackling sound, the kerosene lamp lit up, casting a faint light.

Han Zhenyu couldn’t help but look over. The dim light swept across Su Xieqiu’s face, making her features appear very soft. Even this simple and dull adobe house seemed unusually warm.

Su Xieqiu noticed his gaze and turned her head slightly, and their eyes met.

After looking at each other for a moment, they both quickly turned away. Both felt the atmosphere had subtly shifted.

Han Zhenyu pretended to be calm and opened the cabinet. Without saying a word, he hurried out of the house with his spare clothes.

He was planning to take a shower in the backyard when he saw Han Zhenhua coming out of the kitchen with a bucket of water, probably planning to bathe as well.

So he turned around and walked out of the house. Only when he reached the river at the foot of the mountain did he breathe a sigh of relief.

It was dark now, so he took off his clothes and dived into the river. He stayed underwater until he could no longer hold his breath before coming back up.

Han Zhenyu was feeling very unsettled. He had known for a long time that the woman had someone else in her heart, and he had never considered becoming a real couple with her.

But why had he stared at her just now like some kind of ghost? It was so embarrassing.

He wasn’t sure if she noticed it or if she would overthink the situation.

It seemed like he couldn’t stay in this house anymore. It was always awkward for a man and a woman to live in the same house.

Han Zhenyu planned to ask the team leader for leave in two days.

This time, he was going south by car, and the round trip would take at least 20 days. When he returned, he would figure out a way to get the woman back to the city.

But what he didn’t know was that Su Xieqiu didn’t want to go back at all.

Even if she managed to get back to the city through connections, she would only be working in a factory. Most factories now operate in three shifts, and she really didn’t want to work late into the night doing that kind of work day after day.

If there hadn’t been compensation from the King of Hell (a metaphor for a lucky turn of events), and Su Xieqiu had to choose between farming and factory work, she would have chosen to return to the city for a job.  

But now things were different. She had an abundance of food stored at home, and with occasional light work, it was enough for her to live comfortably.  

At this point, all she wanted was to enjoy a few peaceful years in the countryside, use the time to review her lessons, and prepare for college entrance exams when they resumed.  

Su Xieqiu had no idea about Han Zhenyu’s plans. She was sitting and staring at the kerosene lamp, lost in thought.  

Thinking back to the brief moment their eyes had met earlier, she found it amusing.  

From the original owner’s memories, Han Zhenyu had never liked her. Whenever they spoke, his gaze was always full of impatience.  

But the way he looked at her just now had a hint of joy.  

Su Xieqiu wondered if the serene night had played tricks on them, drawing them toward each other.  

Although she had lived for 28 years in her previous life, she had no experience in love.  

She often watched movies or read novels where the protagonists fell in love, but she had never experienced it herself.  

Su Xieqiu wasn’t sure if she had developed feelings for Han Zhenyu. She only knew she didn’t dislike him.  

Since they were already married, she thought it was better to let things progress naturally.  

If Han Zhenyu was willing, they could give their relationship a try.  

If things didn’t work out, they could simply live their own separate lives without interfering with each other.  

When Han Zhenyu returned, the rest of the Han family was eating dinner in the main room.  

After hanging his washed clothes in the backyard, he was about to get some food when the door to his room opened.  

Su Xieqiu waved him over. Han Zhenyu paused, then walked toward her.  

“Why didn’t you go eat? Did they not let you?” he asked.  

“What’s there to eat? Didn’t you see they’ve almost finished everything? Your stepmother didn’t cook for us. We’ll just drink some cold water later, tighten our belts, and go to bed early. You won’t feel hungry when you’re asleep,” Su Xieqiu said loudly, pulling him into their room.  

Once inside, she closed the door and retrieved a basket from the kang cabinet.  

It was the same basket Han Zhenyu had placed the roast chicken in the previous day. Su Xieqiu lifted the cotton cloth covering it.  

Inside were a stack of golden scallion pancakes, a few boiled eggs, two small cucumbers, and two slightly underripe tomatoes she had picked that afternoon.  

She placed the basket on the kang table and brought out a jar of boiled water she had prepared earlier.  

Handing him a scallion pancake, she said, “I made this earlier today. Eat up.”  

Han Zhenyu stared at the golden, crispy pancake in her hand, then at her familiar yet slightly unfamiliar face.  

A strange feeling stirred in him, and the emotions he had suppressed earlier began to resurface.  

“Hurry up and eat. You’ve worked all day, aren’t you hungry?” Su Xieqiu urged when she saw him distracted. She stuffed the pancake into his hand and started peeling an egg.  

Han Zhenyu quickly averted his gaze, lowered his head, and began eating.  

After he finished one pancake, Su Xieqiu handed him a peeled egg.  

Han Zhenyu hesitated, then said, “You should eat it. The doctor said you need good nutrition to recover. You can have these pancakes and eggs. I’ll just eat coarse grains.”  

“I already ate while I was cooking earlier. I’m not hungry now. You should eat quickly, if they find out, they’ll start another argument,” Su Xieqiu replied.  

In truth, she had been eating food from the space a replenishing stash she accessed monthly. It didn’t run out, even if she skipped meals, and she saved the household food for Han Zhenyu.  

Seeing that she wasn’t pretending, and since it wasn’t his nature to refuse, Han Zhenyu continued eating.  

After he finished, Su Xieqiu brought up the idea of moving out.  

“This family didn’t like us to begin with, and things are worse now. If we keep living together, there will definitely be more conflicts. I think we should separate, move out, and live our own lives. That way, we don’t have to deal with them anymore. It’s exhausting,” she said.  

Han Zhenyu looked at her in surprise. He never expected her to suggest separating from the family.