Chapter 21 – If Words Don’t Work, Use Your Fists

It was truly tough for Li Hongmei at noon. After finishing her work in the morning, she went to the river to catch fish, cooked one, and then brought it over to Zhou Ye.

“Director Zhou, I made braised fish today. I brought one for you to try.”

Jiang Manman stood to the side, holding a basket of pigweed, watching the drama unfold.

She even felt like cheering—bravely chasing love, Li Hongmei, you go girl!

Seeing her gleefully spectating, the same auntie from yesterday walked over with a pout.

“Comrade Jiang, how can you still be smiling?

You’ve got a really big heart, huh? But don’t worry, our Director Zhou has very high standards.

He wouldn’t just fall for any city girl.

Director Zhou’s from the capital. From your accent, you sound a bit like him.

Don’t tell me… you’re from the capital too?”

Jiang Manman turned to glance at the aunt beside her.

I’m just here eating melons, and now this auntie wants to eat mine too?

Still—

“Auntie, your ears are sharp!

I am from the capital, but it’s a big place. It’s normal we haven’t met.”

The aunt’s surname was unknown, but since there were several families named Liu in the village, people called her Fourth Aunt Liu.

Fourth Aunt Liu beamed with delight.

“Isn’t that something! Ha! I was right yesterday—both you and Director Zhou are from the capital, and you even saved him once. What is this if not fate?”

Jiang Manman shook her head.

“Or maybe it’s just monkey poop.”

Fourth Aunt Liu tilted her head, baffled as to how monkeys got dragged into this.

Over there, Zhou Ye was already visibly irritated, watching Li Hongmei still pestering him with things.

“I told you, stop bringing me stuff. Stop clinging to me. I’m not interested.

I don’t like you. You annoy me. Don’t hang around me anymore.

I’m no diamond drill, can’t handle your fragile porcelain.”

Next to Jiang Manman, Fourth Aunt Liu clicked her tongue.

“This Li Hongmei, she’s been rejected this bluntly more than once.

They say flies don’t buzz around uncracked eggs, but Director Zhou isn’t giving her any cracks, yet she still keeps circling him.”

Jiang Manman: Do people here always speak in rhymes?

Should I stock up on some anti-rhyme medicine?

By now, Li Hongmei’s eyes were red.

She tried to shove the big bowl of braised fish into Zhou Ye’s arms.

“Comrade Zhou, even if you don’t want to date me, can’t we just be regular friends?

Just friends. I made too much fish, so I brought you one. That’s fair, right?”

Zhou Ye dodged impatiently, nearly turning the pig farm courtyard into a scene of chase.

“Comrade Li, take your fish back immediately.

If you keep harassing me, I’ll report you to the team leader for inappropriate conduct.”

Li Hongmei hadn’t expected such a harsh response just for offering him some fish.

Furious, she stomped her foot and almost smashed the bowl.

Zhou Ye seemed to notice her emotions and quickly said:

“Hold the bowl properly. If you throw that fish, that’s food waste.

Wasting food is shameful!”

Li Hongmei’s raised hand froze as she clutched the bowl tightly.

She stomped again and turned, glaring fiercely at Jiang Manman with red eyes.

Jiang Manman was speechless. Why’s the fire being redirected to me?

I’m just an innocent melon-eating bystander!

She turned away, shielding her face with her hand and muttering:

“You can’t see me, you can’t see me…”

Before Li Hongmei could explode, Zhou Ye shouted:

“Comrade Jiang, what are you doing over there?

Let’s go, time to head back.

We’ll collect more pigweed after lunch.”

Next to her, Fourth Aunt Liu was joyfully munching on this hot drama, even giving a push.

“Oh my, Comrade Jiang, Director Zhou is calling you!

Quick, go home with him!”

Jiang Manman was exasperated. Fourth Aunt Liu, are you trying to ruin me?!

That line instantly maxed out the aggro bar.

“You two are already living together?!

How shameless! You’re not even married and you’re cohabiting! I’m going to report your improper behavior!”

“What nonsense are you spouting?

Lost your memory?

Our houses are right next to each other, and I work in the pig farm yard—what’s wrong with us going back together?

Some people have such filthy minds, they assume everyone else is the same.”

After saying that, Jiang Manman shot a side-eye at Zhou Ye, unsure if his earlier comment was intentional.

Zhou Ye rubbed his nose.

“You’ve got a point. Come on, let’s go back.”

Li Hongmei stomped furiously. If she had known, she would’ve rented the old doctor’s courtyard too.

But the thought of someone having died there still creeped her out.

Watching Jiang Manman bypass her and head toward the pig farm gate, the fire in her chest flared up again.

Holding the bowl of braised fish, she rushed toward Jiang Manman.

If she couldn’t gift the fish today, she’d at least dump it all over Comrade Jiang—just to gross her out.

Jiang Manman always kept her distance from people like this, knowing they could cause trouble.

So she deliberately kept far and veered toward the gate.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Li Hongmei holding the bowl and fast-walking toward her.

“Comrade Jiang, wait! Since Director Zhou won’t eat it, I’ll give you the braised fish instead.

Comrade Jiang, wait up!”

Wait my ass!

This was clearly a setup. Forget it—better get out of here first.

She turned and sprinted toward the pig farm’s gate.

Li Hongmei was actually closer to the gate than she was.

Seeing Jiang Manman sprint off, her eyes darkened.

She also dashed toward the gate.

Just as Jiang Manman neared the gate, Li Hongmei caught up, raised the bowl, and flung the braised fish at her.

Zhou Ye, watching from nearby, instantly realized what was about to happen. His expression darkened.

He rushed forward, using the pigweed basket in his hand to block the flying fish.

Then he quickly wrapped an arm around Jiang Manman’s waist, shielding her with his back.

Jiang Manman: ╭(°A°`)╮

Being grabbed by the waist like that—it was a first.

Why does this feel like a scene from a tacky soap opera?

“You okay?”

Jiang Manman shook her head.

“I’m fine.”

Fourth Aunt Liu and Aunt Wang beside her watched with their hands clasped in front of their chests, faces beaming with auntie delight.

“Oh my…”

“Oh my, oh my…”

“Zhou Ye! I treated you so well, and she’s only been here two days and you’re already bewitched by her?

How could you treat me like this? You’ve gone too far!”

Zhou Ye helped Jiang Manman stand up, his face still dark.

He tried to ignore the soft, squishy feel under his hand—why did it feel… kinda nice?

He turned to glare coldly at Li Hongmei.

“Li Hongmei, I’ve already rejected you many times. You still insist on clinging to me.

You have no shame—don’t expect me to save your face.

Get out right now. You’re not allowed to take a single step into our pig farm again.

Or are you really forcing me to get physical with you?”

Li Hongmei stared in disbelief.

“You’d actually hit me?”

Zhou Ye didn’t hit women—but some people didn’t qualify as human.

If talking didn’t work, then fists would have to do.
Even if he had to take a scolding afterward.