Chapter 24

Qiao Wei was actually a bit anxious.

She and Yan Lei were already sleeping on the same bed, and they were a legitimate couple. They had even given birth to a child—well, she adopted a ready-made child, but it was still motherhood without pain.

Anyway, when it came to matters between men and women, it felt like a given. In those moments when they were holding hands just now, they had already tacitly understood each other, sharing the same expectations for the night.

Qiao Wei read “The Adventure of Little Butou” to Yan Xiang, who listened with relish while Qiao Wei’s heart was wandering.

She would lift her head to glance out the window in between turning pages, and Yan Lei, sitting on the small bamboo chair, was holding the book so high that it was almost above his head, making it unclear whether he was really reading it or just pretending.

Qiao Wei suppressed her laughter and called out to him, “Come in and read if you want; it’s already dark outside.”

Yan Lei replied with an “Oh” and came in with the book. With all three family members gathered in one room, they could save on electricity.

However, two out of the three were not fully focused; only Yan Xiang was earnestly listening to her mother read.

This kind of restless desire persisted until Qiao Wei went to the bathroom with a flashlight before going to sleep, abruptly coming to a halt.

When she came out of the bathroom, she hurriedly returned to the room.

Yan Lei, bare-chested, was wiping his body with a towel by the well, and his gaze towards her carried a hint of heat.

However, Qiao Wei’s expression was subtle, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she didn’t say anything and quickly entered the room.

Yan Lei shouted at her, “Do you want me to warm a basin of water for you?”

Qiao Wei replied from inside the room, “No need.”

Did that mean she wasn’t going to wipe herself?

She was a person who loved cleanliness the most. Why wasn’t she wiping herself tonight? Yan Lei felt a bit uneasy; could it be that he had misunderstood something?

But the atmosphere had been good in the evening, with warmth in both the hands and eyes.

He twisted the towel and walked into the room, but Qiao Wei squeezed out while he was wiping himself.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

Qiao Wei said, “Washing some things.”

“…?” Yan Lei said, “What are you washing? I’ll do it.”

Qiao Wei directly refused, “No need, just a small thing. You go in.”

He didn’t argue with her, went back to the room, and lay on the kang, waiting for her.

There was a vague sound of splashing water in the yard. After quite a while, Qiao Wei finally came in.

“I turned off the lights,” she said.

“Turn them off.”

The room plunged into darkness.

There were rustling sounds as they changed clothes, and soon Qiao Wei climbed onto the kang in the dark.

The two lay side by side.

“Can we install a light in the bathroom?”

“Okay.”

“Put the switch outside the door, so at night, when you go to the bathroom, you can turn on the bathroom light by pulling the string, and then pull it again when you come back to turn it off.”

“Okay.”

No one spoke, and the room fell silent.

After a brief moment, Yan Lei rolled over and pressed down on her.

The man’s breath enveloped her; every part of his body was firm, and his vitality was like a vigorous flame.

Qiao Wei closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and enjoyed this fiery vitality for a moment.

However, when the man nibbled on her neck, she bit her lip and pressed his shoulder, saying, “No.”

Yan Lei froze, thinking he had been rejected as before.

But Qiao Wei immediately explained, “Auntie came.”

“…?” Yan Lei didn’t understand. “You still have an aunt? Is she in town?”

It turned out that, at this time, she was not yet referred to as an aunt. Qiao Wei changed her wording: “It’s just my period, menstruation. You understand menstruation, right?”

A man who had gotten married and become a father at least knew something about women.

Yan Lei was extremely annoyed. “How could it come at this time?”

“Well, it’s not something I can control,” Qiao Wei said innocently.

She tried her best to suppress her laughter, but Yan Lei still noticed the vibration in her abdomen.

It was already frustrating enough, and she was still laughing.

…

In other words, she actually agreed, right? Just now, she didn’t reject him; she just couldn’t.

Qiao Wei hugged Yan Lei’s shoulders, soothingly patted his back, and then tried to push him away.

But her body was delicate and soft, and Yan Lei felt like he could completely envelop her. He didn’t want to let go, instead burying his face in her neck.

Her body’s breath fascinated him.

Qiao Wei didn’t push him away again.

She closed her eyes, embraced him, and accepted his caresses.

His palms had calluses that were very rough. As they slid across, the prickling sensation made her shiver.

Two people who had been lonely for a long time held each other tightly.

No one spoke; only the sounds of their breathing could be heard in the darkness.

Qiao Wei let Yan Lei touch her skin, exploring his body as well.

She took off his undershirt. He also removed her small top. Nothing could be seen in the dark; they had to rely on their hands to confirm the shapes.

The undulating muscles and slender waist were tightly pressed together without any gaps.

Until his palm became more forceful, his breathing became heavier, and she held his hand, murmuring, “Not now…”

Yan Lei also knew it was impossible. He adjusted his breathing, buried his head in her neck, and then raised it to tentatively kiss her face.

She didn’t turn away her face as before.

Encouraged, Yan Lei boldly kissed her again, on her cheek, then on her ear, capturing her earlobe.

That was Qiao Wei’s sensitive spot. It had been in the past, and it was still now in this world.

Qiao Wei whimpered, unable to endure it any longer. She turned her head to break free.

But Yan Lei found joy in this and was relentless, chasing after her.

Unable to escape, Qiao Wei simply grabbed the back of his head, met his lips, and stopped him.

For a moment, Yan Lei seemed to be under a petrification spell, not daring to move at all.

Qiao Wei released his lips and rubbed the back of his neck with her palm.

There were no memories of kissing him in her mind. It could be selective memory, or perhaps… There were really no such memories.

She remembered reading a literary work in the past where a husband who served in the army returned home for a visit. At night, he wanted to kiss his wife, but she slapped him and scolded him for being a hooligan. The story wasn’t set in the 60s or 70s; it was more like the 80s or 90s, in a very remote village.

Whether due to the era or the location, the closed-mindedness led to couples not kissing, which was considered normal.

In any case, the man seemed afraid to move; did he think the earlier contact was accidental?

Qiao Wei slightly tilted her head and gently touched his lips again.

If she really wanted to flirt, she should use her tongue. But Qiao Wei, after all, was just a substitute. Afraid of exposing herself by being too bold, she didn’t dare to do that.

She could only lightly touch and graze with her lips.

A moment of stillness, a moment of breaking the spell.

In the darkness, the man pressed down like a mountain, chasing her lips and biting her. He was clumsy and inexperienced.

Yan Lei’s actions made Qiao Wei giggle.

The man paused, attempting to control his strength. Gradually, he gained some skills.

Qiao Wei stopped laughing and closed her eyes.

Qiao Wei couldn’t remember how she fell asleep; she only remembered Yan Lei continuously seeking her lips, never-ending. It was as if he was a child who had just tasted candy for the first time.

When she was drowsy and muddled, he even said, “Why isn’t there a mattress?”

Her mind was too tired to comprehend what he meant by a mattress.

In her drowsy state, she heard Yan Lei getting off the bed, opening the wardrobe, returning to the bed, lifting her by the waist, and placing something under her.

She didn’t remember what happened next; she just fell asleep, tightly embraced by him.

On the same night, Lin Xixi didn’t have it as easy.

As soon as Captain Zhao returned home, he dragged Lin Xixi to a corner of the courtyard, holding up the lunchbox and asking, “What’s this?”

Lin Xixi’s heart thumped. But she wasn’t really a little girl. After all, she was not so young, and she had been living with her in-laws for so many years. When telling lies, she could do it with a straight face: “Isn’t this the lunchbox I made for Captain Yan this morning? He asked you to bring it back, right?”

She looked calm, and Captain Zhao almost thought he had misunderstood.

But after a second thought, something wasn’t right. He questioned, “Why are you giving biscuits to Little Yan?”

“My sister-in-law told me,” Lin Xixi widened her eyes, looking innocent, “My sister-in-law said Captain Yan seems pitiful, marrying a wife but not having breakfast made by her, eating at the canteen every day. So, I thought of making some pancakes, thinking of bringing them to Captain Yan. We’re neighbors, and he’s your brother-in-law, right? My sister-in-law said you have a good relationship.”

Captain Zhao chuckled. “You’re quite generous.”

It’s not that Captain Zhao is stingy, but in times of scarce resources, buying grains and other supplies requires not only ration tickets but also supplementary food coupons. Under such conditions, families with a large population like his can’t afford to be too generous.

He noticed that the portion given to him in the morning was quite substantial, enough to fill a grown man’s stomach. His sister’s family has always been financially tight, and he sends them money every month. Yet her daughter turns out to be so extravagant, freely giving away things without a second thought.

But Lin Xixi’s expression was too calm, showing no sign of guilt for doing something wrong. Instead, she took the lunch box and, facing Captain Zhao’s gaze, asked, “Uncle, did you call me over to talk about something?”

Captain Zhao found it difficult to speak at this point.

If he misunderstood or said something wrong, the girl’s face would be hard to save. If she took it to heart, jumping into the river wouldn’t be a joke.

Captain Zhao cleared his throat and said, “Mind your own business. You women love to meddle in others’ affairs. When you reach out blindly, it embarrasses Captain Yan and makes him seem like he has a lazy wife, making you all look diligent.”

Lin Xixi retorted, “Captain Yan’s wife doesn’t even make breakfast; she’s indeed a lazy wife.”

Lin Xixi despised such lazy wives, especially those with good fortune, who were pampered by their husbands and in-laws, making it difficult for anyone to mess with them. Unlike her, who worked hard her whole life but was looked down upon by her in-laws for being a rural woman without education.

In this life, she was determined to become a high-ranking official’s wife!

Lin Xixi dreamed of being an official’s wife, and the thought made her eyes turn red. When she became an official’s wife, she would ride in a car to flaunt herself in front of those who had mistreated her, dazzling them.

Bah!

Captain Zhao complained to his wife at night, “Stop gossiping with Xixi. She’s a good girl; don’t let her learn from middle-aged women.”

Sister Yang kicked him, “What’s wrong with middle-aged women? What’s wrong with women? Women can hold up half the sky, as the chairman said! What, you look down on women? Dare you not follow the highest instructions?”

Junzi and Wu Nier slept on the same kang with the couple, and the two children giggled.

Captain Zhao raised his neck and said, “Sleep, or I’ll spank whoever doesn’t.”

The two children quickly closed their eyes, pretending to sleep. Junzi even pretended to snore, thinking he played the act very convincingly.

Sister Yang patted the two children and coaxed them to go to sleep.

After the two children fell asleep, she asked her husband, “What did I say to make you complain about me to Xixi?”

Captain Zhao explained the incident of Lin Xixi giving Yan Lei the bun.

Sister Yang slapped his arm. “Is that my fault? I wondered why there wasn’t enough bread this morning. Oh, by the way, Xixi wanted to take an extra bowl of noodles from the beginning!”

Sister Yang figured it out.

“It’s a girl’s nature. Your niece is reaching adolescence, and you blame it on me?”

“You better manage it well; Captain Yan is a married man.”

Captain Zhao was a bit skeptical. “I used to think the same way, but looking at her, it doesn’t seem like it. When I talked to Xixi about this, she didn’t show any shyness at all. It doesn’t make sense. If she really likes Yan, how could she not feel embarrassed? A seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl can’t fake that. Maybe we’re overthinking it.”

When the uncle said so, the aunt couldn’t forcefully blame her husband’s niece. Young girls couldn’t withstand blame; some might even resort to drastic measures like jumping into rivers or wells or consuming pesticides when pushed too far.

Sister Yang could only say, “Maybe.”

The couple fell silent, and the room was quiet enough to hear the breathing of the two children.

However, both Captain Zhao and Sister Yang kept their eyes open.

What they said was one thing, but their inner feelings were another.

After a while, Sister Yang whispered, “Take a good look at the military base and find a suitable match for Xixi.”

“Yeah.”

“Find someone handsome. Young girls like good-looking guys.”

“Looks aren’t everything… Oh, don’t twist my arm! Alright, alright, I got it.”

Sister Yang let go and scolded him, “Pay attention. If something unpleasant happens with your niece in our house, we won’t be able to explain it to my sister.”

“I know, I know,” Captain Zhao promised. “I’ll take a good look.”