Chapter 24: Brother Zhou, Awesome!

One o’clock in the afternoon.

Ruan Xiaotang, wearing a straw hat and carrying a large basket containing two small iron shovels, walked ahead excitedly.

Zhou Xingze followed behind with a smile in his eyes.

“Comrade Ruan, where are you taking me?”

Ruan Xiaotang didn’t turn around, her voice light and cheerful, “Up the mountain, treasure hunting.”

The man heard the crisp, sweet, and lively little voice.

His good mood was also lifted.

With a raised corner of his mouth, he quickened his pace, caught up, and took the basket.

He took her small hand, and under the warm spring breeze, they ran along the winding mountain path, freely exuding the vigor of youth.

“Xiaotang, is this bitter lettuce?”

“This isn’t bitter lettuce, this is dandelion, but it’s also edible.”

Ruan Xiaotang picked up the freshly dug bitter lettuce, shook off the soil from the roots, held it in her palm, and patiently explained, “Bitter lettuce is entirely green, and the sides of the leaves are serrated. Look, the one by your right foot is it.”

“Yes, Teacher Ruan, I remember.”

His serious learning posture looked like a foolish person obsessed.

His thick eyebrows were raised, and he had a studious look in his eyes.

He was extremely serious.

He gave off a silly and easy-to-deceive impression.

Zhou Xingze joined the army at the age of 14, and since then he had been living in the collective dormitory of the army. He ate in the canteen and wore uniforms provided by the army.

In the army, his scores in all aspects were among the best, and he won first, second, and third-class merits in various competitions. These honors had always been a source of pride for him.

But outside the army, his private life skills were really not proficient.

For example, right now, picking wild vegetables.

Looking around, the mountains were covered with green, how to pick? How to identify?

Zhou Xingze squatted in a patch of green, covered with various wild grasses, vegetables, and beautiful wildflowers.

He silently recited the tips Ruan Xiaotang taught him on identifying wild vegetables.

His eyes quickly scanned the green patch, aimed at one, and accurately dug it up with a shovel.

“Is this right?”

“Yes, my Brother Zhou, you’re awesome!”

Ruan Xiaotang gave a thumbs-up affirmatively.

Her voice was gentle and patient, as if coaxing a child.

With his judgment affirmed, Zhou Xingze was happily delighted, innocently and naively.

With Zhou Xingze as a capable assistant.

In less than an hour.

They picked a full basket of bitter lettuce, dandelions, watercress, wild onions, and wild garlic.

But she underestimated the man’s enthusiasm for picking wild vegetables.

Zhou Xingze, who was completely engrossed, was like a stubborn mule that eight horses couldn’t pull back.

He kept swinging his small shovel.

Finally, the basket was limited in space and couldn’t hold so many vegetables.

Zhou Xingze didn’t hesitate to take off his brand-new white shirt, leaving only the white tank top underneath.

“Put them here.”

Ruan Xiaotang looked at the brand-new white shirt on the ground, a little reluctant.

What a waste of such a good shirt.

Zhou Xingze saw her worry and said half-jokingly and half-seriously, “If the clothes get dirty, you have to wash them for me. If you don’t wash them clean, you’ll be punished.”

“I’ll wash them, who’s afraid of who!”

The little girl muttered, complaining unhappily.

Turning her back to him, she picked a tree leaf and sulked.

“Don’t be angry, my Comrade Xiaotang!”

A bunch of colorful Gesang flowers suddenly caught his attention.

Flowers, did he understand this too?

Quite romantic.

Although they were wildflowers, this thoughtfulness was enough to touch the heart.

She timidly took the flowers.

She held them preciously in her arms.

Lowering her head, her small nose sniffed them hard.

Fragrant.

It was the sweet scent of love.

She smiled with crescent-shaped eyes, extremely happy.

“Do you like it?”

At some point, Zhou Xingze’s hot chest pressed against her.

By the time Ruan Xiaotang noticed, she was already encircled by his strong arms.

His strong arms, like strong and durable hemp ropes, were wrapped around her waist.

Her body stiffened, not daring to move.

His hot breath fell on her head.

Wet.

Numb.

Her already flushed little face was now so red from excitement and shyness that it seemed to bleed.

It was as if a small deer was running wildly in her chest, frantically wanting to escape.

“I’m asking you something, do you like these flowers?”

The urgent and hot breath extended from the back of her neck to her tender earlobe.

Her heart trembled violently.

She reflexively shrank her body.

A soft moan escaped her nostrils.

“Hmm~”

The soft and boneless tenderness in his arms made Zhou Xingze, who had extremely strong self-control, retreat again and again.

He endured the surging heat in his heart and struggled to hold on.

But.

That soft moan.

Completely broke down all his defenses.

In an instant, his defenses crumbled.

To hell with the rules about men and women not being too familiar.

He turned the girl around to face him.

Because of his height advantage.

He could only see the top of her thick hair.

Nothing else.

He didn’t even think.

Nor did he ask for the girl’s permission.

With his arms around her slender waist, he lifted her up, forcing her to look at him.

The moment their eyes met.

Ruan Xiaotang belatedly covered her mouth.

Her eyes were full of panic.

“What are you doing? This is outside, what if someone sees us?”

“Believe me, I’ve just checked, there’s not a single living person within 500 meters.”

“Put me down, you hooligan.”

Zhou Xingze held the girl’s hips tightly, tilted his head back, and looked at her tenderly.

Because of her unstable center of gravity, Ruan Xiaotang had to lean on his shoulders.

Her round fingertips sank deeply into his shoulders.

She couldn’t go up or down.

Ruan Xiaotang, whose face was red as pig liver, glared at him fiercely.

She threatened, “If you don’t put me down in three seconds, I’ll scream!”

“Scream! Anyway, it’s not just me who’ll be embarrassed.”

Zhou Xingze had her figured out.

No matter how she struggled or threatened, he remained unmoved.

The shy girl above couldn’t resist his strength.

She could only give up.

Her voice softened, pleading, “Put me down, your muscles are hurting me.”

Her soft voice was like a clear spring, slowly flowing into his heart.

For a moment, he was dizzy and fascinated.

Finally, he softened.

“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore.”

He released his arms.

Her soft body slowly slid down his chest.

“I warn you, don’t you…”

The words stuck in her throat were swallowed by his lips.

The kiss came unexpectedly.

His kiss was domineering, almost making her breathless.

She instinctively wanted to push him away, but the moment her palm touched his heart, she surrendered.

Following her instincts, she surrendered to him!