Chapter 4: Brother Yubai, Can You Hold Me?

Chen Ziyun never expected Shen Chuning to turn her anger towards him.

He had sensed Shen Chuning’s shift in tone and was ready to discreetly disappear, planning to coax Shen Chuning later when there were fewer people around.

After all, Shen Chuning was just a lapdog circling him.  A few kind words from him were already a great favor to her.

Chen Ziyun’s face was filled with anger and embarrassment.  This lapdog, Shen Chuning, dared to demand an apology from him.

He glared at Shen Chuning with hatred, “Fine, Shen Chuning, I apologize to you. Don’t regret this!”

Shen Chuning blinked her innocent, watery eyes at him, “Comrade Chen, you slandered my reputation, didn’t apologize, and threatened me?”

She paused, as if realizing something, and like a frightened little rabbit, covered her mouth and took two steps back, “Comrade Chen, are you planning to retaliate against me after apologizing?”

Her body trembled slightly from fear, her eyes reddening again, “Uncles and Aunties, you all heard it. If anything happens to me in the future, or if I’m gossiped about again, it will definitely be related to Comrade Chen.

Please stand up for me!”

Shen Chuning was naturally delicate-looking, and everyone in the village had watched her grow up.

Her appearance immediately evoked everyone’s protective instincts.

An aunt immediately said angrily, “Ningning, don’t cry. He’s an outsider. If he dares to retaliate, not only your father and brothers, but we won’t let him get away with it!”

“Right! We won’t let him!”

…

Shen Chuning wiped her tears and gratefully smiled at everyone, “Thank you, uncles and aunties.  I wouldn’t know what would have happened without you standing up for me today.”

Chen Ziyun watched the crowd, incited to righteous indignation by Shen Chuning’s words, clenching his fists and glaring at Shen Chuning with resentment.

An older educated youth, who had always disliked Chen Ziyun’s womanizing, also spoke up, “Comrade Chen, you, a grown man, did something shameless and slandered a good comrade’s reputation. If you don’t apologize, go to the commune and explain yourself. Don’t implicate the educated youth center.”

The educated youth center was a collective. The team leader assigned work and distributed rations and money at the end of the year; their interests were intertwined.

There was already conflict between the educated youths and the villagers. If this conflict was further exacerbated by Chen Ziyun, the team would assign them the hardest and most tiring work, giving them the fewest work points, and they would all starve!

Chen Ziyun felt as if countless slaps had been dealt to his face, burning with pain.

He glared fiercely at Shen Chuning, gritting his teeth, “I’m sorry!”

Shen Chuning’s face turned pale, she stumbled back two steps, almost falling.

Her tender little finger pointed at Chen Ziyun, “He… he glared at me, he’s so fierce, he’ll definitely retaliate against me, wuwuwu…”

Zhou Yubai’s face instantly darkened, his fierce gaze fixed on Chen Ziyun.

Before he could act, a figure quickly ran over, “Ningning, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Who bullied you?”

“Third Brother… wuwuwu…” As soon as Shen Chuning saw her third brother, the grievances from her dream and reality welled up, making her cry even harder.

“Zhengrong…” Zhou Yubai spoke, briefly explaining the situation to Shen Zhengrong.  He conveniently omitted the part where Shen Chuning had barged into his house, only mentioning that she had barged into his mother’s house and was woken up by his mother with cold water.

Shen Zhengrong’s eyes fiercely glared at Chen Ziyun. He casually pushed Shen Chuning towards Zhou Yubai, “Brother Bai, help me take care of my sister.”

Chen Ziyun trembled under his gaze, backing away in fear, “Shen… Shen Zhengrong… what… what are you going to do? Don’t think that just because you’re a soldier, you can…” do whatever you want.

“Bang!”

Before Chen Ziyun could finish, Shen Zhengrong’s heavy fist landed on his face.

Then, Shen Zhengrong’s punches landed one after another, making Chen Ziyun howl and cry.

Finally, he lifted Chen Ziyun, who had panda eyes, by the collar, “Dare to bully my sister? Come on, let’s go to the village committee!”

As Shen Zhengrong took Chen Ziyun away, he didn’t forget to ask Zhou Yubai, “Brother Bai, please help send my sister home.”

Shen Chuning took two steps towards Shen Zhengrong with red eyes.

Shen Zhengrong, with a fierce face, gently touched her head, “Ningning, be good. Go home with Brother Yubai. Third Brother will deal with this dog and then go home.”

Thinking of her third brother being knocked away and bloodied in her dream, and then looking at her third brother’s gentle and doting expression, Shen Chuning had a thousand words to say but couldn’t utter them.

She only gently bit her lip, holding back her tears, nodding to reassure her brother.

The crowd loved to watch the excitement. Shen Zhengrong was taking Chen Ziyun to the village committee to seek justice, so naturally, everyone followed to watch.

Shen Chuning obediently listened to her brother and walked home.

However, the night was exceptionally dark, without moon or stars, pitch black.

She wasn’t brave to begin with, and walking on the village path at this time, she felt that anything could jump out from the rice paddies, cornfields, or even behind the rocks.

She trembled with fear.

“Quack——”

Suddenly, a crow’s caw accompanied by the sound of flapping wings.

“Ah——”

Shen Chuning was instantly so scared her legs went weak.  She subconsciously turned and hid in the arms of the tall man behind her.

A fragrant scent accompanied by softness embraced her.

The lower part of his hard chest pressed against two soft, doughy lumps.

His bronze-colored skin instantly felt like it was on fire.

Fortunately, it was dark enough; even if his face turned red, no one would see it.

He calmed down and tried to push Shen Chuning away.

But he felt the little girl’s soft body trembling.

He lowered his head and, using the superior eyesight he had developed in the army, saw the little girl fearfully biting her lip, two lines of tears on her fair face.

“Brother Yubai, I… I’m scared…”

The voice was so soft it could drip water.

Zhou Yubai: How can this woman be so spoiled?

He was full of disdain, but after helping the little girl stand steady, he squatted down, “Don’t be afraid, get on, I’ll carry you.”

Shen Chuning bit her crimson lip, her body trembling, her watery eyes looking at him hesitantly, but she didn’t move.

He thought she was worried about being seen, affecting her reputation.

He also felt a little annoyed at his own abruptness.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, about to stand up and find a way to protect her without affecting her reputation.

But he heard Shen Chuning softly ask, “Brother Yubai, I… I’ll still be scared from behind. Can… can you hold me?”