Chapter 42

Returning to the Village 

After the doctor finished giving instructions, Zhang Shiye went to handle the discharge paperwork. When he came out, Zhou Su was already waiting outside with a tractor. 

Zhang Shiye threw their belongings onto the tractor and took out a cushion he had prepared beforehand before carefully carrying Xia Wanyang onto the vehicle. Watching this, Aunt Qiao couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy in her teeth. 

Noticing Aunt Qiao’s expression, Xia Wanyang quietly pinched Zhang Shiye’s waist and said through gritted teeth, “Enough already! Tone it down a bit.” 

Zhang Shiye looked confused. “What’s wrong? Is the cushion not thick enough?” 

Xia Wanyang held her forehead. “I’m already fine. There’s no need for you to fuss over me like this. You might not care, but I still have some dignity!” 

Zhang Shiye glanced at his mother, then leaned close to Xia Wanyang’s ear and whispered, “Feeling shy? Don’t worry, my mom will get used to it eventually. Besides, I didn’t do anything outrageous.” 

Xia Wanyang ignored him. Soon, the tractor arrived at the educated youth dormitory, where everyone else had already gone to work. 

Zhang Shiye carried Xia Wanyang off the tractor and immediately started tidying up the small house. In just half an hour, the place looked completely refreshed. 

“Wanyang, I’ll head back to make lunch for you. You rest well. Don’t touch the dirty clothes; I’ll wash them this afternoon. Promise me you won’t overdo it.” Zhang Shiye gave her a stern warning. If it weren’t for the fear of village gossip, he would have taken Xia Wanyang back home to care for her himself. 

Having been cooped up in the hospital for days, Xia Wanyang eagerly waited for Zhang Shiye to leave before disappearing into her space. 

Inside, the crops her mother had planted were sprouting, though she had no idea what they were. She didn’t bother to check—money wasn’t an issue for her, and she had no intention of selling such miraculous items, knowing it could bring trouble. 

After taking a bath in the stream, she made sure to keep her arm raised. This space was so magical that if the scar vanished completely, she wouldn’t be able to explain it. Rubbing the stream water on her wound daily for gradual healing seemed like a safer approach. 

After her bath, she dumped her dirty clothes into the washing machine and ran up the mountain to find Dazhuang and Cuihua, her tiger friends. She wondered if Cuihua had given birth yet. 

Upon arrival, she saw Dazhuang lying protectively beside Cuihua, who was grooming a tiny tiger cub nursing at her belly. Xia Wanyang’s eyes sparkled with delight. 

The cub looked newly born, its eyes not fully open yet. It was small and soft, resembling a kitten as it kneaded Cuihua’s belly for milk. 

“Wow, Dazhuang and Cuihua, is this your baby?” 

Dazhuang glanced at Xia Wanyang, his tiger face drooping as if thinking, *Why is she here again?* 

When Dazhuang nodded, Xia Wanyang dashed over, petting the tiny tiger. “Is it a boy or a girl?” 

She picked up the cub from Cuihua’s belly and inspected it. “Haha, it’s a little boy! Let’s call him Hǔtou (Tiger Head), okay?” 

Dazhuang panicked, pacing in circles, while Cuihua gazed at Xia Wanyang with teary eyes. Feeling guilty, she quickly returned Hǔtou to his mother. 

She ran to the storage room in her space, grabbed 10 pounds of beef and a whole chicken, and brought it back to the mountain. Offering the food to Cuihua, she said, “Here, enjoy!” 

Cuihua nudged her with her cold, wet nose in thanks, while Dazhuang gave her a grateful look. After playing with the tiger family for a while, Xia Wanyang returned to the house. She knew Zhang Shiye would panic if he found her missing. 

The memory of her sneaking out during her hospital stay was still fresh. While Zhang Shiye cooked, she had slipped out to stretch her legs. In that short time, she came across a lost child and stayed to wait with the child until their parents arrived. By the time she returned, Zhang Shiye had nearly turned the hospital upside down looking for her. 

When she finally returned, he was on the verge of reporting her missing. Since then, Zhang Shiye never left her side without someone else to watch her, treating her like a flight risk. 

Just as she was recalling the incident, Zhang Shiye came rushing in with a basket, visibly relieved to find her resting obediently on the kang bed. Xia Wanyang couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m fine now. Can you stop worrying so much? I’m not a kid anymore; nothing’s going to happen to me!” 

Setting the food down, Zhang Shiye helped her put on her shoes. “It’s so hot, and your wound is freshly unstitched. If it gets infected, it’s no joke! Do you have any idea how severe your arm injury was?” His voice grew choked with emotion as he spoke. 

Xia Wanyang felt helpless. Whether in her past life or this one, she realized she didn’t really understand this man. In her previous life, before she left the Dongfanghong Brigade, the two had only shared a few lingering glances. By the time they met again, it was right before her death. Now, after spending so much time with him in this life, she discovered that this man wasn’t quite the tough guy she had imagined. 

What’s with the constant teary eyes? 

“Hey, why are you acting like this again?” 

Zhang Shiye stood up, looking aggrieved. “Xia Wanyang, do you think I’m too controlling? Are you tired of me already?” 

What could Xia Wanyang say to that? She was helplessly drawn in by his vulnerability. The moment his eyes reddened, her maternal instincts kicked in, and she wanted nothing more than to pull him into her arms and comfort him, forgetting everything else. 

After two seconds of silence, she decisively wrapped her arms around Zhang Shiye’s neck, burying her head into his shoulder. Stroking his hair gently, she said softly, “How could I ever tire of you? You’re my partner—soon to be my husband. We still have a lifetime to share together, don’t we?” 

Zhang Shiye responded with a muffled hum, his arms tightening around her slender waist, pulling her closer. In that moment, where she couldn’t see, a faint smile tugged at his lips. 

After holding each other for a while, Zhang Shiye led her to the table, where he set out bowls and chopsticks, cooling the food before feeding her bite by bite. Xia Wanyang swallowed a mouthful and cautiously suggested, “Look, my left arm is injured, but my right arm is perfectly fine. I can eat and do laundry on my own now. How about I start feeding myself from today?” 

The chopsticks paused in Zhang Shiye’s hand. He turned to glance at her before continuing to feed her as if nothing had happened. “Wanyang, your wound hasn’t healed yet. If you strain it, it’ll be trouble. Just focus on recovering. I’ve got everything else covered.” 

Xia Wanyang was speechless. What was she supposed to do with someone so stubborn? 

After the meal, once everything was tidied up, Zhang Shiye pulled out a tin box. “This is my personal stash. The hospital stay cost 90 yuan, and I’ve set aside 300 yuan for other needs. The rest is for you to keep.” 

What? Why was he suddenly giving her money? 

Xia Wanyang pushed the box back. “You already spent money on my hospital stay; I can’t take any more from you. I have enough of my own.” 

Zhang Shiye placed the box in her right hand. “I know you have money, but here in the countryside, it’s the wife who manages the finances.” 

The wife manages the finances. 

Wife. 

Manages the finances.

Xia Wanyang’s face flushed. She was used to being the one teasing him, but had Zhang Shiye suddenly gotten a whole new personality? 

Seeing her blushing face, Zhang Shiye smiled faintly. “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to marry me? I’m just giving this to you a little early. Take it. I still have my wages and work points.” 

Xia Wanyang opened the box. Inside were a savings passbook and a stack of ration tickets, topped with rolls of large-denomination bills, a verdant jade bracelet, and several small gold ingots that nearly blinded her. 

Unable to suppress her surprise, Xia Wanyang asked, “Where did you get so much money?” 

Zhang Shiye took out the savings passbook from the bottom and handed it to her. The balance written on it was a staggering 12,000 yuan. 

“Two years ago, I earned it with a few friends in the city. Back then, I was young and reckless, dabbling in some speculative trading. Once, I nearly got caught and narrowly escaped. My parents were so worried they lost weight over it. After that scare, I quit and settled down. To give me a stable job, my dad arranged for me to become the brigade secretary. I had a high school diploma, so nobody really objected. That’s when I decided to stay put and never went near the black market again.” 

As Zhang Shiye explained, his voice held a tinge of fear. He was worried that Xia Wanyang might look down on him, but he knew he had to give her this money eventually—sooner or later. Better to get it over with now. Summoning his courage, he decided to come clean.