Chapter 73: The Skin He Touched Felt Scorching

As the evening descended, Xia Sili walked along the edge of the field and happened to see He Xingyu finishing a drink. His upper body looked soaked—though she wasn’t sure if it was water or sweat.

Her gaze lingered for a moment when he lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe his sweat, revealing a set of taut and defined abs.

The last streak of sunlight melted into the deep blue sky, leaving behind the earthy scent of a bountiful harvest. Against this serene backdrop, He Xingyu’s strong, lean frame bent slightly, forming a graceful arc as he worked in the fields. His silhouette exuded a raw yet tranquil strength.

Xia Sili froze for two seconds before quickly averting her gaze. She waved at him, calling out, “Dinner’s ready!”

He Xingyu looked up from a distance, quickly tidied up his tools, slung the basket of grain over his back, and walked toward her.

The thin, damp fabric of his shirt clung to his well-built frame, while his half-wet, jet-black hair framed his angular face and deep-set eyes.

Perhaps from working too long under the sun, his lips were slightly chapped.

Xia Sili didn’t always come to fetch him.

If he stayed in the field too long and lost track of time, she’d occasionally come to call him.

As he walked closer in the dim light of dusk, Xia Sili’s eyes couldn’t help but wander. The lower half of his shirt was completely soaked, clinging to his abdomen, outlining the ridges of his muscles with startling clarity.

She almost felt blinded by the sight.

This… Who wouldn’t call this a “wet shirt temptation”?

It was practically illegal.

He stopped two steps away from her, lowering his gaze as he said in a low voice, “I’d like to take a shower first.”

Xia Sili swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling dry. Thinking he meant to come to her place to shower, she stammered, “Alright… You can shower first. Dinner’s almost ready. Tonight, we’re having garlic eggplant, yam and mushroom chicken soup.”

She spoke as she walked, and he stood still for a moment before silently following her. His large hand rubbed at his hair, looking a little uneasy.

He Xingyu felt awkward. He was dirty all over from working in the fields, and now his wife had seen him in this state—it was embarrassing.

The rural path grew darker as they walked. Xia Sili glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He seemed deep in thought, his expression darker than usual. Was he in a bad mood?

After a while, she sneaked another glance.

Ah, as expected—his side profile made it even more obvious…

The muscles under his wet shirt were so well-defined, each curve and ridge perfectly shaped.

She suddenly recalled the time she’d applied medicine for him and poked his abs.

It had happened so fast she couldn’t quite remember the texture, but surely it was firm and elastic, right?

Right? Definitely, right?

Just then, He Xingyu’s deep voice broke her thoughts. “Wife, why are you staring at my lower half?”

“???”

Xia Sili almost choked on her own spit. She quickly raised her head and retorted, “What nonsense are you talking about? When did I stare at your lower half?”

“…I just thought your shirt looked strange because it’s all wet. I was curious, that’s all.”

She straightened up confidently. “Can’t I take a good look at you?”

He Xingyu frowned slightly.

He glanced down at his shirt, which clung to his dusty, soaked body. It truly wasn’t a good look.

Tugging at the fabric, he explained in a low, almost aggrieved tone, “It was too hot, so I poured some leftover water over myself to cool down. That’s why my clothes got wet.”

Was his wife… disgusted by him now?

His mood sank further.

Recently, Xia Sili had been busy running around outside, leaving him alone in the village to tend the fields. They only got to see each other briefly at dinnertime.

He’d already been feeling a bit down, and now he was even more upset.

While eating dinner, He Xingyu suddenly tightened his grip on his chopsticks as a thought struck him.

Without looking up, he said, “Wife, I’ve been feeling a little scared living alone lately.”

Xia Sili looked at him, puzzled. “What?”

He coughed lightly, his voice low as he mumbled, “…I ran into a hooligan the other day.”

Xia Sili paused mid-bite, intrigued.

“What do you mean?”

His deep-set eyes lifted to meet hers, his expression serious as he added, “A female hooligan.”

“Really. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Qiu Laosan and Tiedan. They were there.”

“That woman was bold. I nearly fell into her trap—nearly… uh, well, almost. Luckily, I was alert, so nothing actually happened.”

His expression grew darker as he spoke.

He wasn’t lying. If he’d been just a minute late, that female hooligan might have actually gotten a look at him!

Xia Sili’s head was full of question marks.

A female hooligan????

“…..”