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Yan Xiao carried a pile of his beloved’s clothes back to the house at the foot of the mountain.
Normally, he just roughly scrubbed his own clothes a couple of times. With his strong hands, even the dirtiest stains came off easily.
He rarely even used soap, but yesterday, after smelling the clothes Qingqing had washed, he couldn’t resist.
So he had specially gone to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a bar of soap, just so he could wash Qingqing’s clothes today.
Her clothes weren’t dirty at all—there wasn’t even a trace of sweat, only the lingering fragrance of her body.
Holding the two palm-sized soft pieces of fabric in his hands, recalling the sight of her wearing them yesterday, his throat went dry.
His little sweetheart was small everywhere…
No, there was one place that was quite full.
Yan Xiao’s handsome face flushed red. When he hugged her, he had secretly felt it—it was unbelievably soft.
Thinking of that made his whole body tense. Tsk, he really was tormenting himself…
Wen Qinghe’s clothes were all made of soft fabric, so when he washed them, he didn’t even dare to use force, afraid his rough strength would damage them.
After finishing her laundry, he then used the same basin of water to scrub his own clothes.
When all the clothes were finally hanging on the drying pole in his courtyard, with her delicate pink garments interspersed among his, the corners of his lips curled up unconsciously, his heart swelling with satisfaction.
Truly, now their scents were the same…
Well, even if it was only on the clothes for now…
——————————————
The educated youth spot was missing one person, but no one noticed.
When Yao Min got up in the morning and didn’t see him, he was slightly puzzled, but assumed Fang Ming had gotten up early and gone to the fields.
By midday, the village loudspeaker suddenly blared—
“Today, a vile incident of hooliganism occurred in our brigade.
Comrade Fang Ming, stark naked, harassed a respectable woman. This malignant case has been reported, and it has been decided he will be sent to the Northwest labor camp for reform and re-education.
We ask everyone to keep watch on each other. Report any hooligans immediately.
For your own safety, please make sure to shut your doors and windows at night. Prevent perverts—this is everyone’s responsibility.”
The educated youths at the camp all turned pale with fright. None of them had thought that an exhibitionist pervert had been living right among them.
Even the male educated youths were in disbelief—how could the person they’d been eating and sleeping beside all this time be a woman-molesting hooligan?
It was utterly revolting, like swallowing a fly…
The reputation of their educated youth point had been completely ruined.
——————————————
When Wen Qinghe heard this, she was startled. Thankfully she hadn’t opened the door to let him in last night.
She hadn’t really been afraid—after all, Yan Xiao was there.
But if she had seen him naked, her eyes would have been tainted.
Yan Xiao hadn’t expected Fang Ming’s punishment to be announced so quickly. Remembering how frightened Qingqing had been when she heard the knocking last night, he worried she might continue to live in fear.
When he delivered her meal, he thought it over carefully. This time it had been Fang Ming—but what if next time it was a Zhang Ming, or a Li Ming?
The safest way was to keep his little sweetheart by his side, where he could watch over her.
He had to find a way to arrange for her to move into his place.
His house was spacious. From the moment she had agreed to be his sweetheart, he had already started going up the mountain to collect wood, preparing to make furniture.
In the past two days, he had already crafted a large bed and a big wardrobe.
——————————————
Originally, he had wanted to tear down the hut and build a brick house.
But in the village, no one had built with bricks yet.
Since he always kept to himself and did his share of farm work, if he were the first to build a brick house, it would draw too much attention.
So he abandoned the idea.
On the outside it was still a thatched hut, but inside, he had plastered the main bedroom walls with cement, and the floor had also been smoothed with cement.
These past two days, it had been left to air out and dry.
…
“Move into your house?”
Wen Qinghe looked at him in surprise.
Yan Xiao spoke with utter seriousness: “Yes. You’ve heard about the hooligan in the village—he was that educated youth from last night. Qingqing, for your safety, I really can’t rest easy with you living in this little room…”
Wen Qinghe frowned slightly. She had also thought about leaving the educated youth spot, but ever since she had been sent down, her household registration had been placed in the Hongxing Brigade.
Without the educated youth dorm, she had nowhere to stay.
Earlier, she had thought about buying a plot of land from the brigade leader and building a pretty little house, even a brick house.
But when she first transmigrated, her body had been so weak that she was out of breath after just a few steps. She hadn’t had the energy to split rations or live alone.
Now, after Dr. Li’s acupuncture, she no longer felt constantly short of breath, but the discomfort in her heart still lingered.
She thought of how the other educated youths had shunned her in the beginning. Her clear eyes fixed on Yan Xiao, her voice calm but carrying a trace of complex, hard-to-define emotion:
“Brother Yan, don’t you mind?”
Yan Xiao looked at her in confusion. “Mind what?”
“I’m sick. Doctors once said I might not live past eighteen. Even though Dr. Li’s treatment has extended my life by maybe ten more years… for me, that’s already more than enough. But you’re different—you have so much time ahead of you. You shouldn’t waste it on me…”
Yan Xiao’s expression twisted with grief. His eyes reddened as he cut her off: “No! Qingqing, don’t worry. I’ll find a way. We’ll grow old together, till death do us part…”
Before she could say more words that terrified him, he lowered his head and sealed her lips, breaking through her defenses with force. One large hand cupped the back of her head, holding her gently.
The moment he tasted the sweetness of her mouth, the fierce dominance that had surged just a second ago softened. His tongue became tender, coaxing, savoring.
After a long while, suppressing the pain in his heart, his hoarse voice whispered against her lips:
“Qingqing, don’t be afraid. No matter how long it is, no matter where, I’ll stay with you…”
Wen Qinghe understood what he meant.
It was as if a seed had been planted in her heart, sprouting at lightning speed.
How could he? What did she do to deserve such deep devotion?
“Is it really worth it?” she asked softly.
“You’re the bright moon in the heavens, the most dazzling pearl at the bottom of the sea. As long as I can be with you, every moment I have is the greatest gift heaven could give me. But still, I’m greedy enough to want more time with you…”
Wen Qinghe’s nose stung, her eyes filling with mist. Every word he spoke pierced the softest part of her heart, sending warmth rushing through her body.
A fleeting heartbeat could never compare to such enduring devotion.
Yan Xiao let out a low sigh. His thin lips brushed away the dampness at the corner of her eyes, and he pulled her into his arms.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart…”
He knew Qingqing might only be with him on a whim. He never dared hope to truly win her love. All he wanted was to stay by her side.
He believed that even drops of water could wear away stone.
One day, he would make her unable to leave him.