Chapter 4

After finishing their meal, Zhou Yao swiftly and skillfully gathered the dishes and headed to the kitchen.

Wen Yue was momentarily stunned but quickly followed him.

She watched as Zhou Yao placed the dishes in a wooden basin, picked up a loofah hanging on the wall, scooped two ladles of cold water, and prepared to wash the dishes.

“Wait.” Wen Yue didn’t expect Zhou Yao to wash the dishes voluntarily. She was stunned for a couple of seconds before coming back to her senses. She pointed to the iron pot and said, “There’s hot water in the pot. Use hot water to wash the dishes; it cleans better.”

Earlier, after cooking, she remembered that there might not be dish detergent in the countryside, so she rinsed the pot, scooped in a few ladles of water, and added two sticks of firewood to the stove, intending to use hot water to wash the dishes.

Without dish detergent, using hot water was an acceptable compromise, as cleanliness and hygiene were essential for items that came into contact with food.

“Tch.” Zhou Yao looked up, expressionless, and glared at her, his thin lips pressed together. His dense eyebrows and sharp phoenix eyes gave him an intimidating appearance. “Is it necessary to go through so much trouble?”

Wen Yue looked back at him with bright eyes and said, “You promised to listen to me. Cold water doesn’t clean well enough; you have to use hot water.”

Zhou Yao: “…”

Great, she’s starting to use her newfound authority.

With a sullen face, Zhou Yao poured out the cold water from the wooden basin and scooped hot water from the pot, which was steaming.

Wen Yue’s eyes curved in a smile as she walked over to the stove.

The fire in the stove had gone out. She picked up a bundle of dried grass, struck a match, and thought about lighting another fire to boil more hot water to clean all the furniture in the house.

The hay caught fire easily but went out shortly after being placed in the stove.

Wen Yue was puzzled.

What was going on?

She struck another match, reignited the hay, and placed it in the stove, only for it to extinguish again after a few seconds.

“……”

Is starting a fire this difficult?

As Wen Yue stood there, perplexed, a pair of large hands appeared beside her, taking the matchstick from her. Zhou Yao, silently, took the half-burnt hay, lit it again, placed it in the stove, and stoked it twice with the tongs, successfully igniting the grass.

Zhou Yao then added more hays, followed by some firewood.

The orange-red flames reflected in Wen Yue’s bright eyes, and a blush appeared on her still somewhat pale lips, mingling surprise with embarrassment.

“At the rate you’re burning, you’ll run out of matches,” Zhou Yao said sarcastically.

He was bent over, and his broad chest was just a few centimeters behind Wen Yue, making it look as if he were holding her.

They were very close, and the fresh scent of soap from Zhou Yao made Wen Yue blush.

“I want to boil water to clean everything in the house,” she said, her eyes downcast, her eyelashes fluttering. Her small, fair face turned red. “Can you help me move the tables and chairs outside later?”

Zhou Yao, not noticing anything amiss, straightened up after ensuring the fire wouldn’t go out again. He glanced at the petite girl sitting on the bench, his eyes lingering on her slender wrists. “Okay.”

When the water boiled, Wen Yue poured some cold water into the basin and carried it outside.

She found that Zhou Yao had moved all the tables and chairs from the room into the yard, and the chicken droppings on the ground had been swept to the doorways of the two adjacent houses, clearing a clean space.

The sun was scorching at this hour, so Zhou Yao casually took off his dark blue jacket, revealing a white undershirt underneath.

The weather was stiflingly hot, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his body. His honey-colored skin, glistening with sweat, highlighted his strong and beautiful muscles. His arms bulged with veins, showcasing impressive strength.

When he bent over, his shirt rode up, revealing a slender waist, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist—a perfect shoulder-to-waist ratio.

This figure and this look are really amazing. If he were in the entertainment industry , he would make a lot of money. I guess his wife fans combined could circle the earth ten times.

Wen Yue glanced over, then looked again.

It’s worth it to have a handsome man around, at least it’s pleasing to the eye. Like now, she had already unilaterally forgiven him for making her cry earlier.

With a cheerful smile, Wen Yue placed the water basin on the steps, soaked a cloth in hot water, and began scrubbing the table.

The tabletop was filthy, likely not cleaned since being brought home, and a thin layer of grease had built up. She scrubbed with all her might but could only remove a bit of the grime.

After a short while, sweat beads formed on her forehead, and her face paled, as if she might faint at any moment.

Zhou Yao: “Stop cleaning; let me do it.”

He had no desire to visit the hospital again.

“Huh?” Wen Yue stopped, panting heavily, her ears ringing. “What did you say? Say it again, I didn’t hear you.”

Zhou Yao didn’t bother speaking, took the cloth from her hand, and pushed her aside. “Step back, don’t get in the way.”

So troublesome. Doesn’t she realize her tiny frame isn’t up for this?

He kept a stern face and casually wiped the table twice, quickly removing the stubborn grime that had resisted Wen Yue’s efforts.

She widened her eyes in surprise, her lips pale, and her voice was soft, “You clean so fast! I couldn’t get it off earlier. You’re amazing, Zhou Yao!”

Zhou Yao scoffed and didn’t respond.

Seeing him hard at work, Wen Yue rested for a while. Once she recovered, she grabbed a broom and went into the room to sweep the dust off the floor, then went back to shake out the bedding.

There was a musty smell.

Washing it now wasn’t feasible, so she took it outside to air it out and planned to wash it the next day.

She carried the bedding outside and hung it on the only clothesline that had no clothes on it, and patted it twice.

Zhou Yao had finished cleaning the table and was now washing the chairs. After hanging the bedding, Wen Yue went back into the house to organize the cluttered desk. She threw away the useless garbage and set aside the things that could still be used.

To be honest, she also wanted to take down the mosquito net and wash it, but she didn’t know how to remove it.

Forget it; she would leave it for Zhou Yao.

Clapping her hands, Wen Yue turned to organize other items.

“Brother Yao! Brother Yao!” A voice called out from outside the courtyard. Zhou Yao lifted his eyes slightly to see two young men standing at the gate, grinning broadly.

Without a word from him, the two men casually walked in.

“Brother, what are you doing?” Fang Shitao scratched his head.

Zhou Yao glanced at him. “Taking a bath.”

Fang Shitao: “Huh?”

“You idiot, can’t you see that Brother Yao is washing furniture? Do you even need to ask?” Ren Yeliang knocked on his head before stepping forward to lend a hand. “Brother, the villagers are saying you beat your wife into the hospital. What’s going on?”

“They’re just spreading rumors.”

Zhou Yao didn’t elaborate further. He threw a dirty cloth into a wooden basin and looked at the now-clean tables and chairs, realizing they weren’t originally black; he had thought that was their natural color.

Once he finished, he addressed the two men, “Do you need something?”

“Yes.” Ren Yeliang lowered his voice. “Have you forgotten? Boss Sun is coming from Shanghai tomorrow with the items we asked him to bring…”

Zhou Yao paused, having indeed forgotten due to the recent events.

Seeing his silence, Ren Yeliang chuckled, winking, “It’s understandable to forget, Brother, especially since you just got married. You should be enjoying a few sweet days with your wife. So, how does it feel to have a wife? Is it blissful?”

“Get lost.” Zhou Yao kicked at him, “If you’re curious, go find yourself a wife.”

“Zhou Yao, can you help me take down the mosquito net? I want to wash it…” Wen Yue’s words trailed off when she noticed the two unfamiliar figures.

“Hello, sister-in-law!” Ren Yeliang greeted with a cheerful grin, nudging Fang Shitao to do the same. “Don’t just stand there, say hello.”

Fang Shitao scratched his head, smiling sheepishly, “Hello, sister-in-law.”

“Hello,” Wen Yue smiled, her sweet almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents, though she felt quite awkward inside. “You all chat; I’ll keep organizing.”

She spoke while backing away.

Zhou Yao followed her, “Didn’t you want to take down the mosquito net?”

Entering the room, he noticed it had become much tidier, with the previously cluttered items on the desk now neatly arranged.

Not only was it tidier, but it also seemed brighter.

Taking note of the changes, Zhou Yao said nothing as he easily took down the mosquito net, bundling it in his arms. “Stop overworking yourself and get some rest. We don’t want you ending up in the hospital again.”

Wen Yue obediently agreed.

She had realized just how weak this body was. Even cleaning felt like running a thousand meters, leaving her breathless, dizzy, and nauseous.

Indeed, she needed to rest.

She lay down, curling up on her side, and quickly fell asleep.

When Zhou Yao brought the table back inside, he noticed her sleeping figure and paused, moving more quietly.

“Brother, are you taking your wife to the city?” Ren Yeliang and Fang Shitao, squatting by the large basin, were helping wash the mosquito net. Both worked efficiently.

Zhou Yao shook his head without hesitation, “No, her health isn’t great. It’s better if she stays home.”

The trip from the village to the city took three to four hours, and with Wen Yue’s frail condition, she probably couldn’t handle it.

Ren Yeliang grinned, “Brother cares about his wife.”

Zhou Yao didn’t respond.

He wasn’t worried about Wen Yue, he was just afraid that she would faint again and end up in the hospital again. The hospital was an annoying place and he didn’t want to go there again. It had nothing to do with caring. If anything, he was more concerned about the cost.