Chapter 38

Scheming 

Li Ling took Li Yu directly back to her parents’ house. Since she was still in her postpartum confinement period, she didn’t need to work. Her father and mother doted on their youngest daughter, so skipping farm work wasn’t a big deal. 

Li Ling shut the door, then turned around to see Li Yu crying miserably, which gave her a headache. “Xiao Yu, maybe you should just give up. That Zhang Shiye is a moody man. When he gets angry, even my mother-in-law can’t control him. Even if you force him to marry you, what if he resents you and starts hitting you in the future?” 

Li Yu’s eyes, already small, were swollen like walnuts from crying. She could barely open them. “Sister, even if he resents me and beats me, I still want to marry him. I’m confident I can warm his heart! You saw it today—he was so gentle with that educated youth. I believe that one day, he’ll be just as gentle to me!” 

Li Ling sighed deeply. She had no way to deal with this stubborn little sister. When she caused a scene, their parents would inevitably ask her to find a solution. 

“Fine, let me think about it for a while!” 

After returning home, Li Ling saw her baby son lying on the kang (a traditional heated bed) and her daughter Huahua sitting beside him. An idea suddenly came to her. 

At noon, Zhang Shiye finished his work early and hurried home. He retrieved the fish and meat he had left in the well to cool, then skillfully prepared them. Soon, a rich aroma wafted out of the kitchen. After setting aside food for his parents, he packed the rest into a lunchbox and rushed off to the educated youth’s residence. 

Li Ling came out of her room, glanced at the kitchen, then at Zhang Shiye’s departing figure, and smirked before heading back inside. 

Xia Wanyao was eating the food Zhang Shiye had personally prepared, swaying her head in delight. “Zhang Shiye, how are you so good at cooking? This is even better than my mom’s cooking!” 

Zhang Shiye placed some deboned fish into her bowl. “If it’s good, eat more. Look at how thin you are—you’d get blown away by a strong wind.” 

After they finished eating, Zhang Shiye tidied up the baskets from earlier in the day and stroked her cheek. “Take a nap after eating, and don’t forget to apply the medicine to your foot. If it gets infected, it won’t be a joke. I’ll come back tonight to bring you dinner.” 

Xia Wanyao held his large hand and shook her head. “No need. I’m already feeling better and can start working tomorrow. You’re already tired from working in the fields, and you don’t even have time to rest after cooking for me!” 

Zhang Shiye didn’t respond but felt a pang in his heart. He finally had a chance to care for the little girl properly, and yet she was being so reserved with him. 

Seeing his silence, Xia Wanyao thought he had agreed. She quickly kissed the corner of his mouth. “That’s your reward—now go rest!” 

Just as she was about to step away, Zhang Shiye grabbed her waist, and the next moment, her soft lips were fiercely captured by his. 

His kiss was wild and possessive, as if he wanted to devour her. Xia Wanyao’s mind went blank. What just happened? Did he…kiss her? At that moment, Zhang Shiye’s deep, brooding eyes seemed to exude an indescribable allure, and Xia Wanyao felt as though she were drowning in his sudden, intense kiss. 

At first, Zhang Shiye clumsily nibbled on her lips, but soon he figured it out instinctively. 

“Mmm…” 

Before she could say anything, he took advantage of her parted lips, his tongue sliding into her mouth to greedily savor her sweetness. 

No wonder the men in the team joked that once you’ve tasted a woman, it’s like an addiction you can’t quit. The sensation was like being electrified, sending a tingle through his entire body, satisfying not just his physical being but his very soul. 

Xia Wanyao felt as if she might be swallowed whole by this man. Even her tongue didn’t feel like her own anymore. She pushed him away, protesting softly, “Enough… enough. It hurts.” 

Zhang Shiye released her but couldn’t resist planting another firm kiss on her lips. Looking at the flushed girl in his arms, with her face like a peach blossom, slightly reddened eyes, and breathless state, he took a deep breath and hugged her tightly, as if trying to merge her into himself. 

“Wanyao, do you know how much I like you?” Zhang Shiye’s voice was husky, laden with suppressed emotions and desires. His gaze burned as he stared deeply into her eyes. 

Wanyao, still catching her breath, didn’t push him away. She quietly rested in his embrace, listening to his strong heartbeat and heavy breathing. Her heart raced like a startled deer, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes filled with shyness and confusion. 

That afternoon at work, everyone noticed Zhang Shiye’s unusually good mood. Zhou Su sidled up to him with a sly grin. “Brother Shiye, what’s got you so happy today?” 

Zhang Shiye glanced at Zhou Su, his tone insufferably smug. “You wouldn’t understand—because you don’t have a girlfriend.” 

Zhou Su retorted, “As if you actually have one!” 

Putting down his hoe, Zhang Shiye replied, “How do you know I don’t?” 

Zhou Su’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Who? How come I don’t know about this? You’re not messing with me, right? If you really had one, there’d be rumors all over the team!” 

“Xia Wanyao.” 

Zhou Su was speechless. 

“Brother Shiye, she’s only been here half a month, and you’ve already picked the prettiest flower from the educated youth center?” Zhou Su felt his heart break. He had barely started to feel hopeful, hadn’t even exchanged a few proper words with her, and now it was all over before it began. 

Zhang Shiye sneered. “Zhou Su, judging by that constipated look on your face, don’t tell me you had ideas about her too?” 

Zhou Su quickly shook his head. “No, no, Brother Shiye, even if you lent me the courage, I wouldn’t dare think about your girlfriend. She’s so pretty—I was just admiring her from a man’s perspective!” 

With a bitter face, Zhou Su remained dazed for a long time. He had known her first, yet somehow Brother Shiye swooped in and stole the prize. Where was the fairness in this? 

Zhang Shiye ignored him. He needed to focus on his work so he could hurry home and cook for his little girl. In this heat, with all the blood she lost, if she didn’t recover properly and became anemic, what then? 

If Xia Wanyao knew his thoughts, she’d probably want to shake his head and shout, “I scraped my skin, and you’re worried about anemia?!”

After finishing his work, Zhang Shiye rushed home. It was still before the end of the workday, so he had to cook quickly while everyone else was still out. Otherwise, who knew what gossip might arise if someone found out? 

That evening, Zhang Shiye planned to make dumplings for her. Just as he finished kneading the dough, Huahua came running in, crying and tugging at his clothes. “Uncle, little brother fell at Grandma’s house. My mom’s nowhere to be found—please come with me and take a look!” 

Zhang Shiye wiped his hands and asked, “Why are you and your little brother at your grandma’s?” 

“My mom… my mom took us there this afternoon. Then she disappeared and told me to watch my little brother.” Huahua kept her head down, sobbing as she led the way. 

Zhang Shiye hesitated. He didn’t want to go, but this was still his third brother’s child. He couldn’t just leave it alone. 

When they arrived at the Li family’s house, the door was open, but there was no sound of a crying child. Huahua pulled Zhang Shiye inside, then turned and ran off. 

At that moment, Li Yu walked out. She was wearing a slightly used blouse and a pair of black cropped pants with uneven hems, as if they’d been cut short later.