Chapter 66: The Affection of an Older Man  

Zhou Chongshan’s gaze remained silently fixed for a long time.  

“Xiaochuan and Xiaohua were also very capable. They helped me pick a lot today… I just got back and haven’t had time to make dinner yet. Chongshan, which one do you like? We can make it for dinner tonight.”  

Jiang Rou had already started planning the evening meal in her mind.  

However, the man in front of her remained in a daze.  

He stared at her as if lost in thought.  

“Chongshan?” Jiang Rou tugged at Zhou Chongshan’s arm. “I’m asking you, what do you want for dinner?”  

Zhou Chongshan snapped back to his senses.  

He swallowed his dry throat and spoke: “You’re letting me choose?”  

“Of course.”  

Jiang Rou nodded without a second thought, seeing nothing unusual about it.  

Little did she know.  

In Zhou Chongshan’s heart, a warm and restless breeze had begun to stir.  

In the Zhou family, Zhou Chongshan was the third child. He had an elder brother and sister above him and a younger brother below.  

His elder brother, as the eldest son, was highly regarded by the elders.  

His younger brother, as the youngest child, was especially cherished by their parents.

Zhou Chongshan, stuck in the middle, was someone dispensable, easily overlooked.  

When he was a child—  

Aside from his elder sister occasionally asking, “Chongshan, do you like this?”  

No one else cared about his preferences.  

Moreover, in a poor rural family, they ate whatever was available. There was never a chance for a child to be picky.  

As he grew older—  

Zhou Chongshan joined the military.  

The military was an even more disciplined and rigid place.  

Whatever the canteen served, they ate.  

Meals were simply to fill the stomach. As long as it was edible, he would eat it.  

Like—  

That was a luxury.  

But he liked Jiang Rou’s braised pork belly. It was fragrant and delicious.  

Jiang Rou lifted her head and looked at the man beside her, asking once again,  

“These are wild vegetables, after all. Some people might be allergic, and some might not like them… Chongshan, what do you like the most?”  

This time—  

Zhou Chongshan had an answer in his heart.  

“I like that—”

Zhou Chongshan pointed at the tender, vibrant green pea shoots.  

Because he remembered—earlier, when Jiang Rou spoke, she had said, “I really like these.”  

He likes Jiang Rou.  

And he likes the food that Jiang Rou liked.  

For the first time, the heart of this rugged, iron-willed man was stirred by a deep and lingering emotion.  

Jiang Rou, however, was unaware of the twists and turns in Zhou Chongshan’s thoughts.  

“Oh, this… Pea shoots are best when they’re fresh. They don’t taste as good if left overnight. Eating them tonight would be just right.”  

She picked up the pea shoots, preparing to take them to the courtyard to wash.  

As the two of them walked outside—  

Zhou Xiaochuan had just finished his bath and stepped out.  

This time, he had spent a full half hour bathing.  

That was enough time to lather himself twice with soap and scrub off a whole layer of dirt.  

The hot water cascaded over him, washing away the grime—  

It was a thoroughly refreshing feeling.  

Except… the soap smelled too fragrant.  

Now, his whole body carried the strong scent of soap—just like a girl’s.  

The little wolf cub felt uncomfortable.  

Jiang Rou glanced at Zhou Xiaochuan. After the bath, the young boy looked much cleaner and even more handsome.  

Droplets of water clung to his short, spiky hair, dripping down without being dried.  

The water trickled down his neck and slid further down.  

“It’s getting dark soon, and the evening breeze will start. Why didn’t you dry your hair?”  

Jiang Rou was naturally the type to worry about everything, always meticulous in her care.  

Without hesitation, she grabbed a dry towel from the clothesline nearby.  

Only this time—

Jiang Rou did not rush to dry Zhou Xiaochuan’s hair. Instead, she shoved the dry towel into Zhou Chongshan’s arms.  

“Chongshan, hurry and dry Xiaochuan’s hair. Make sure he doesn’t catch a cold.”  

After saying this, she did not wait for Zhou Chongshan’s response and went straight to wash the vegetables.  

From the very beginning, Jiang Rou had felt that the way this father and son interacted was not quite right.  

Zhou Chongshan undoubtedly loved both children, but his love was too silent, too authoritative.  

Most of the time, his interactions with Zhou Xiaochuan resembled those between a military unit commander and a young soldier.  

Zhou Xiaochuan held admiration for Zhou Chongshan as a father and genuinely liked him.  

After all, at his age, boys were at the stage where they idolized their male role models the most.  

He had almost instinctively taken Zhou Chongshan as an example, subconsciously mimicking his words and actions.  

Thus, this father and son—  

One was reserved and taciturn, not skilled in expressing emotions.  

The other followed suit, keeping silent as well.  

How could such a father-son relationship ever be truly close?  

That was why, when Xu Chunxiang did so many terrible things in secret, Zhou Xiaochuan had remained silent, enduring everything through clenched teeth.  

As for the tragic fate of the two children in the original novel…  

Even in his final moments, Zhou Xiaochuan had never spoken a word of truth to Zhou Chongshan.  

He had only felt deep regret, believing himself unworthy of being Zhou Chongshan’s son.  

Whenever Jiang Rou recalled this part of the story, she could not help but feel a pang of sorrow.  

She might not have been a professional child psychologist, but she understood the significance of childhood and a healthy family environment in a child’s development.  

That was why she had done this on purpose!

This gave Zhou Xiaochuan an opportunity where he had no choice but to get closer to Zhou Chongshan.  

In the courtyard—  

After seeing Jiang Rou’s actions, Zhou Xiaochuan’s dark, bright eyes naturally turned to Zhou Chongshan.  

This was his father now.  

Zhou Chongshan stood there, so tall, so imposing, like a towering tree.  

He wore a military uniform, and on his shoulders, there were stars.  

Those were Zhou Xiaochuan’s favorite.  

There had been a time when he had secretly reached out and touched those epaulettes when Zhou Chongshan wasn’t paying attention.  

The gleaming five-pointed stars were particularly beautiful.  

The little wolf cub stood there in a daze, water dripping from his hair, trickling down into his collar, soaking the fabric around his neck.  

“Xiaochuan, come here.”  

Zhou Chongshan beckoned him over.  

Only then did Zhou Xiaochuan take a few steps forward.  

As soon as he reached Zhou Chongshan, a sun-warmed, soft towel suddenly descended from above, covering his head.  

Immediately after—  

A broad, steady hand followed.  

With his palm spread open, Zhou Chongshan could easily cover Zhou Xiaochuan’s entire head with just one hand.  

Pressing the towel gently against the boy’s damp hair, Zhou Chongshan began to rub it dry.  

In a low voice, he reminded him,  

“When you wash your hair, make sure to dry it properly.”  

His voice was muffled through the layer of fabric.

Zhou Xiaochuan listened to Zhou Chongshan’s voice. It seemed… different from usual.  

It felt…  

Softer. Closer.  

The low voice echoed right beside his ear.  

“Mm.”  

Zhou Xiaochuan responded.  

He dared not say too much, afraid that the lump in his throat would betray him.  

His eyes felt hot, and so did the strands of hair on his head.  

That warmth came from Zhou Chongshan’s palm.  

With each gentle motion, the warmth seeped into him.  

The little wolf cub was at a complete loss when faced with such tender affection.  

He clenched his teeth, silently enduring the storm of emotions surging within him.  

Just then—  

A tiny, adorable face suddenly appeared under the towel.