Bai Wenwen ran sobbing to the haystack outside the educated youth outpost, crying so pitifully that it tugged at anyone’s heartstrings.  

Zhou Zhongwen, who had chased after her, felt his heart shatter at the sight.  

To be honest, what attracted him wasn’t just Bai Wenwen’s family background—it was also her delicate, heart-melting face.  

There wasn’t a girl in the entire brigade as beautiful as Bai Wenwen.  

Every man wanted to marry a pretty girl, and he was no exception. So from the moment Bai Wenwen arrived in their brigade, he had set his sights on her.  

Fortunately, Bai Wenwen was also a shameless flirt. It didn’t take him long to lure her in, and she even gave him her body.  

Right now, they were still in the honeymoon phase—how could they just break up like this?  

Panting heavily, Zhou Zhongwen pulled Bai Wenwen into his arms. She cried while weakly pounding his chest with her delicate fists.  

Though her punches hurt, Zhou Zhongwen patiently coaxed her, “Wenwen, you have to believe me. That fat pig and I have nothing to do with each other.”  

“…But Auntie Bai invited you to dinner today… I’m scared… scared someone will take you away from me…”  

“…Brother Zhou… You’re all I have…”  

“…I’ve already given myself to you… If you don’t marry me in the future… I might as well just bash my head against a tree and die now… so I won’t be a burden to you…”  

As she spoke, Bai Wenwen struggled to break free from his embrace, pretending she was about to run headfirst into a tree. But Zhou Zhongwen couldn’t bear to let her go.  

Using all his strength, he held her tightly against him, even pressing her small hand against his chest. With a hypocritically earnest expression, he poured out sickeningly sweet nothings.  

“Wenwen, you’re the only one for me in this lifetime. If you die, how could I go on living?”  

“As for that fat pig, I already made things clear with her in front of you last time.”  

“I don’t like her. From the beginning till now, the only one I’ve ever loved is you.”  

“If you still don’t believe me, I’ll go to the kitchen right now and cut my heart out to show you.”  

Bai Wenwen was horrified when she heard this. She quickly covered his mouth with her hand and cooed, “Stop talking nonsense! If you cut your heart out, you’ll die! I believe you, okay?”  

Zhou Zhongwen kissed the small hand covering his mouth and shamelessly said, “I knew my sweet Wenwen wouldn’t bear to see me die.”  

Bai Wenwen, embarrassed by his words, buried her face in his chest, too shy to look up.  

Zhou Zhongwen was no gentleman who could resist temptation. With a soft, fragrant woman in his arms, he panted heavily, intoxicated by her scent.  

Bai Wenwen keenly sensed the change in Zhou Zhongwen’s body. Afraid that someone might discover them and ruin her reputation, she tried to push herself away.  

But how could Zhou Zhongwen, a man with desires, let his prey escape?  

He rested his chin on Bai Wenwen’s neck and coaxed in a low voice, “My sweet Wenwen, give yourself to me now, won’t you?”  

“Can’t we wait for another time? I’m scared…”  

“Scared of what? With me here, no one will find out.” As he spoke, his large hands began roaming over Bai Wenwen’s body.  

The temperature between them rose rapidly. Bai Wenwen, herself craving a man’s touch, put up only half-hearted resistance before yielding to Zhou Zhongwen.  

……

Five minutes later, Zhou Zhongwen fastened his pants with a satisfied look and left without a second thought.  

Bai Wenwen was left staring resentfully at his retreating figure.  

Just as Zhou Zhongwen entered the courtyard, he bumped into Lin Shuisheng, who had come to invite him for dinner.  

Although Zhou Zhongwen had promised Bai Wenwen he wouldn’t go to the Lin family’s meal, he ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of meat. So before Bai Wenwen could find out, he followed Lin Shuisheng back to the Lin household.  

At this moment, the Lin house was eerily quiet.  

Everyone had finished eating and gone to bed early to save money, not even lighting the kerosene lamp. Wang Xiu’e sat alone on a chair in the main room, waiting.  

When she saw her husband bringing the young man back, she hurriedly went to the kitchen to retrieve the large bowl of chicken that had been kept warm in the pot. She then had her husband dig out the half-bottle of liquor she had hidden under the bed.  

By the dim light of the kerosene lamp, Zhou Zhongwen caught sight of the half-bowl of chicken on the table—so fragrant it made his mouth water.  

At the same time, his stomach, long neglected, growled loudly in protest.  

A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face. After composing himself, he looked up at Wang Xiu’e, who was eyeing him intently, and said politely, “Auntie, if you have something to say, just say it. The way you’re staring at me is making me nervous.”  

“Auntie doesn’t have anything special to say. I just thought you’ve been working hard lately and wanted to invite you for a meal.”  

“This chicken is my cooking. Go on, try it and see if it suits your taste.”  

Once he ate her food, it would be easier to bring up her real agenda.  

Zhou Zhongwen looked at Wang Xiu’e’s overly enthusiastic smile and inexplicably shuddered.  

But the bowl of chicken on the table was too enticing. Any thoughts of schemes or ulterior motives were pushed aside as he buried himself in devouring the meat.  

Wang Xiu’e sat beside him, refilling his wine glass.  

Out of caution, Zhou Zhongwen stuck to eating and avoided drinking.  

Within minutes, half the chicken in the bowl was gone, and a pile of chewed bones sat beside his left hand.  

Perhaps it was the sight of the usually domineering Wang Xiu’e acting so subservient around him, or maybe he was just too absorbed in the meat, but Zhou Zhongwen suddenly grew bold.  

Gnawing on a chicken foot, he complained disdainfully, “Auntie, you invite me over for a meal, and all you serve me are scraps like chicken feet? Do you have some kind of problem with me?”  

In these times, having meat at all was a luxury, yet here he was nitpicking. The little bastard really had some nerve.  

Wang Xiu’e nearly slapped him right then and there—just to show him exactly why the flowers were so red.  

But then she thought of her precious daughter, who had been so lovesick over this pretty boy, and forcefully swallowed her anger. Keeping her smile plastered on, she said:  

“Nonsense! In our entire Morning Glory Brigade, there’s no one I respect more than you. You’re upright, kind, and an educated youth from Shanghai—no one in the brigade compares to you.”  

Zhou Zhongwen nodded indifferently, fully agreeing with her words, but he still found fault.  

“If you respect me so much, why serve me chicken feet and potatoes instead of drumsticks? Auntie, let’s be honest—you do have a problem with me.”  

“The drumsticks were for Wanwan. That girl loves my drumsticks the most.”  

Hearing that the drumsticks—which should have been his—had gone to that fat pig Lin Wanwan, Zhou Zhongwen flew into a rage and blurted out:  

“Auntie, no offense, but you can’t spoil a daughter like this. Look at what you’ve turned her into! She doesn’t act like a girl at all—what man would ever dare marry her?”  

Wang Xiu’e’s smile froze instantly. She snatched the chicken foot right out of Zhou Zhongwen’s hand and cut straight to the point.  

“Auntie just wants to ask you one thing—are you willing to marry my daughter or not?”