Chapter 11: The Adorable Little Rabbit

After leaving the space, Shen Chuning brewed a pot of mung bean soup, put it in an earthenware pot, and chilled it in the well water.

Putting on her hat, she carried the pot and a basket with several bowls and headed to the field.

It was the corn-harvesting season.

The lighter work of harvesting and drying corn was usually assigned to women and older children.  Strong laborers like Father Shen, Shen Zhengxu, and Shen Zhengliang carried the corn.

Shen Zhengrong wouldn’t return to the army until tomorrow, so he was also helping his father and brothers.

Shen Chuning carried the mung bean soup directly to the drying field, waiting for the Shen family’s father and sons.

The women drying corn were already discussing her marriage to Zhou Yubai. When they saw her, they were stunned.

In the sunlight, her skin was so white it reflected light, and her small face was flushed with heat. Even the women present felt their hearts quicken.

Not to mention her swaying, soft waist as she walked, it could melt anyone’s heart.

Shen Chuning’s alluring appearance made even the city educated youths look like maids in comparison to her.

“Aunties, drying corn?” Shen Chuning walked into the drying field and greeted the aunties with a smile.

Before the aunties could answer, an unfriendly laugh came from behind them, “Oh, Shen Chuning, you’re so caring.  Are you bringing mung bean soup to Comrade Chen again?”

The speaker was Li Xiaolan, the oldest unmarried girl in the village, 22 years old.

There were rumors that she hadn’t gotten married because she liked Zhou Yubai, but Zhou Yubai didn’t reciprocate.  Seeing that Zhou Yubai hadn’t gotten engaged, she had been waiting.

Shen Chuning had previously been unsure about the truth of the rumor, but hearing Li Xiaolan say this, she knew it was probably true.

Shen Chuning remained calm, putting on a shy expression, and said coyly, “Sister Xiaolan, don’t tease me. I have nothing to do with Comrade Chen. I’m here to bring mung bean soup to my father, my brothers, and…”

She deliberately bit her lip, even more shyly, “…and Brother Yubai!”

Saying this, she shyly stamped her foot and turned away.

Her act was perfectly over-the-top.

Li Xiaolan’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She clenched her fists, wishing she could kill Shen Chuning, that vixen.

The Zhou Yubai she had waited for so many years had been taken away by this little vixen.

There were no men around, so who was she putting on this act for?

Just as she was about to scold Shen Chuning, Chen Ziyun arrived at the drying field carrying half a load of corn.

Seeing Shen Chuning, shining brightly in the sunlight, Chen Ziyun’s eyes lit up.

He dropped his load and immediately ran towards Shen Chuning, “Comrade Shen Chuning, the mung bean soup? Quickly give me a bowl to cool down, I’m dying of heat!”

Shen Chuning, like a startled little rabbit, immediately hugged the basket and took two steps back, “Comrade Chen, what are you doing? Don’t try to steal my mung bean soup!”

As soon as her trembling voice came out, her eyes turned red, looking as if she had been bullied.

Chen Ziyun was stunned.

Shen Chuning, spoiled by the Shen family, didn’t work to earn work points.  In the past, when she went out in such hot weather, she only did one thing: bring him chilled mung bean soup to cool down.

Before Chen Ziyun could react, he saw Shen Chuning, hugging the basket, run away like a frightened rabbit.

He instinctively chased after her for two steps.

But he saw Shen Chuning shrinking into a tall embrace, trembling and looking at him coyly, “Comrade Zhou… Zhou Yubai, Comrade Chen… Comrade Chen wants to steal the mung bean soup you sent your fiancée!”

Zhou Yubai had come to help his father work.

He had seen Shen Chuning’s small figure standing in front of Chen Ziyun from afar while carrying corn.

For some reason, he remembered what she said when he went to her house, about breaking off the engagement and finding Chen Ziyun. He felt immediately displeased.

Thinking he wouldn’t feel upset if he didn’t see it, he was about to dump this load of corn and immediately carry the next one.

A startled little rabbit ran into his arms, complaining to him that she was being bullied.

He felt a breeze pass through his heart, blowing away all the irritation in the hot weather.

His sharp gaze fell on Chen Ziyun’s face, and he said in a deep voice, “Comrade Chen, please respect yourself. If you continue to make things difficult for my fiancée, I won’t be polite.”

Zhou Yubai’s aura, honed in the army, was intimidating.  Chen Ziyun felt his legs weaken just looking at him.

He steadied himself. In broad daylight, would Zhou Yubai dare to hit him?

He looked at Shen Chuning with a hurt expression, “I’m sorry, Comrade Zhou.  Because Comrade Shen always brought mung bean soup to me before, I got used to it, so just now…

I’m sorry, I misunderstood.”

As soon as he said this, Shen Chuning could feel the strong pressure emanating from the man beside her.

Her big eyes were red, and she gently bit her lip, as if mustering her courage, before softly saying, “Comrade Chen, every time I brought mung bean soup before, you came over. My father said that you educated youths don’t work well and don’t have enough food every year, and I thought you were too hungry, so I gave you some food.

I didn’t expect that I was kind enough to give you food, but you slandered my reputation. You’re really…”

Shen Chuning said, her eyes reddening, looking as if she was angered by Chen Ziyun’s ingratitude.

Chen Ziyun’s slightly arrogant face visibly changed.

Shen Chuning meant that she had only given him food out of pity?

Those mung bean soups were specifically meant to please him!

But if he argued with her now, people would only think he was clinging to Shen Chuning for a bite to eat.

He looked at Shen Chuning unwillingly.

Shen Chuning didn’t intend to continue paying attention to him. She poured a full bowl of mung bean soup, holding it with both hands, and gave it to Zhou Yubai with a smile, “Brother Yubai, here. I made it, freshly chilled mung bean soup.”

Zhou Yubai looked at her, his heart uncontrollably softening.

How could there be such a delicate and cute woman?

“Thank you.”

Zhou Yubai took the mung bean soup and drank it in one gulp.

The chilled mung bean soup was cool and instantly dispelled the heat.

At this time, Father Shen and the three Shen brothers also returned with their corn.

Shen Chuning quickly greeted them, pouring a large bowl of mung bean soup for her father and brothers.

Father Shen drank the mung bean soup, feeling happy but also distressed, “Ningning, this mung bean was specially saved for you to make mung bean soup. Now you’ve made it for us, and it’s still hot for another two months, what will you do?”

Shen Zhengxu said, “Dad, Ningning has grown up and knows to be considerate. It’s a good thing, don’t say anything to her.”

Shen Zhengliang wiped his mouth, “Dad, we’ve run out of mung beans, we can just exchange some at the brigade. It’s so hot, Ningning can’t be without mung bean soup.”

Shen Zhengrong put the bowl back in the basket, “After I return to the army, I’ll send more fine grain coupons home.”

Hearing her father and brothers’ words, Shen Chuning felt her eyes welling up again.

Her father and brothers were giving her the best, while she had been like a bloodsucking parasite on them.

If it weren’t for that dream, she might really have sucked the blood of her father and brothers, harming them.