Chapter 23.2

Exaggerations aside, Su Ting’s battle had truly made her famous.  

For the entire day, the family compound was abuzz with discussions about what had happened that morning. Even the children, while playing war games, brandished bamboo poles or tree branches, pretending to charge forward just like Su Ting had.  

Su Ting herself became the subject of endless teasing. Every time someone saw her, they would ask: “What were you thinking when you charged out with that bamboo pole?”  

What was she thinking?  

That, of course, she couldn’t say out loud.  

She might have looked imposing when she rushed toward Yu Hongzhi, but in reality, she had been quite nervous.  

After all, Yu Hongzhi wasn’t short, nor was she frail. And women of this era were fierce when they fought—if things had escalated to an actual physical altercation, Su Ting, who had lived for over twenty years without ever getting into a real fight, wasn’t confident she would come out on top.  

That was precisely why, when she passed by someone’s courtyard and spotted a bamboo pole, she had casually picked it up—to use it as intimidation!  

But in the end, Yu Hongzhi turned out to be even more cowardly than she was.  

Of course, none of this could be said aloud—it would ruin her image.  

And right now, her image was incredibly mighty.  

After she returned home, even He Yan looked at her with sparkling eyes. That little gaze of admiration made her feel like she was floating on air.  

However, the moment He Dongchuan walked through the door, that sense of pride instantly turned into sheer embarrassment.  

Because—He Yan was way too good at embellishing stories!  

Before He Dongchuan could even open his mouth to ask about what had happened that morning, He Yan rushed up to him and enthusiastically recounted the entire event—complete with dramatic flourishes.

When the complaints about Qian Honghong’s mother bullying him again were being made, the scene was still quite normal. But once Su Ting appeared, the direction of the story changed.

“‘Let me see who dares to bully my son!’” As soon as his mother shouted, everyone stepped aside. Then, when he turned his head, he saw his mother charging forward with a stick. “Dad, you wouldn’t believe it, but Mom looked so cool at that moment!”

To make himself appear more imposing, He Yan deliberately found a small stick, raised it, and charged toward his father.

When he was three steps away, He Yan stopped abruptly, stabbed the stick into the ground with a firm motion, and looked down. Seeing that it didn’t break, he awkwardly said: “I don’t have much strength, but Mom is super powerful! With just one strike, she made a hole in the ground, and the stick even cracked. Qian Honghong’s mom was so scared when she saw it that she kept retreating, saying we should talk things out properly. Then, my mom scolded her, saying she bullied me and that she was lacking in morals. She scolded her so badly that she even cried.”

Su Ting’s temple twitched upon hearing this and quickly clarified: “What do you mean, I made her cry? I was reasoning with her. Not a single dirty word was used.”

He Yan admired Su Ting so much now that whatever she said, he believed. He immediately nodded and said: “That’s right! Mom reasoned with Qian Honghong’s mother a lot. Everyone said Mom was right and that Qian Honghong’s mom was wrong. Dad, you didn’t see it, but Mom was amazing today!”

Su Ting, feeling overwhelmed by the praise, humbly responded: “It was nothing, really.”

Watching her look both modest and proud, He Dongchuan’s lips curled up slightly. “It’s a pity I wasn’t home to see it.”

Su Ting thought to herself, Thank goodness you weren’t home. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dared to argue so fiercely in front of you. I still care about maintaining my image.

…

That day, it was Su Ting’s turn to tutor He Yan, so she was placed last in the bathing order.

After He Yan finished bathing, He Dongchuan had come in to tidy up. Except for being a little wet, the bathroom still looked quite clean. Su Ting sat on a small stool to bathe.

At this time, women usually used a bathtub for bathing, but Su Ting was used to showering. Aside from the first couple of days when she used a bathtub, she later switched to filling a bucket with hot water and using an enamel cup to pour the water over herself.

She didn’t have any particular thoughts while bathing—just the usual routine. In about ten minutes, she was done. However, after putting on her clothes and opening the bathroom door, she noticed the warm orange light shining from the open master bedroom.

That reminded her—

He Dongchuan had moved into the master bedroom.

Logically speaking, she should have felt nervous. After all, sleeping together meant intimacy—kissing, cuddling, and other things.

However, Su Ting had already used up all her nervousness and shyness the night before. Now, she had full confidence in the self-restraint of men in the 1970s. Her mind couldn’t generate any inappropriate thoughts at the moment, nor could her heart race like it did last night.

Because of this, Su Ting walked into the master bedroom without the slightest hesitation—

And walked out three seconds later.

What did she see?

From inside, He Dongchuan’s voice sounded: “What’s wrong?”

Su Ting thought, I should be the one asking you that!

Just yesterday, he was still wearing a fitted undershirt, so why was he suddenly in a tank top today?

And it wasn’t even the loose, traditional style that older men wore—it was an ordinary racerback tank top. On him, it made the shape of his abs even more defined than the undershirt did.

If it weren’t for the fact that he had done absolutely nothing last night, Su Ting would have suspected that he was trying to seduce her.

“It’s nothing.” Su Ting patted her face, lifted her foot, and walked back inside. She deliberately avoided looking at He Dongchuan, who was lying on the bed. Instead, she walked along the edge of the room to the vanity, picked up her toothbrush, toothpaste, and enamel cup, then lowered her head and walked back out.

Usually, Su Ting finished brushing her teeth in five minutes. But today, she dragged it out for much longer. It wasn’t until He Dongchuan needed to use the bathroom that she quickly rinsed her mouth and washed her face, then brushed past him to return to the master bedroom.

By the time Su Ting sat in front of the vanity, she had already regained her composure.

It really wasn’t a big deal. They were just abs. It wasn’t like she had never seen them before. Besides, he was still wearing a tank top.

But when she saw He Dongchuan walking back in through the mirror, her throat still moved involuntarily.

What a great body.

There were plenty of men with abs, but having abs didn’t necessarily mean having a good physique.

Many people deliberately bulked up to build muscle, but the result was that while they gained abs, they also thickened their necks and made their faces look heavier.

But He Dongchuan had none of those issues. His facial features weren’t overly sharp, nor did he look bulky. His lines were smooth, and when he wasn’t speaking, he carried a hint of cold sharpness.

His neck wasn’t thick, and his head-to-shoulder ratio was excellent. From his shoulders to his waist, he had a classic inverted triangle shape. His arms were muscular but not overly bulky. His hands reached past his crotch, and below that, it was all long legs.

With a physique like his, if he had been born fifty years later, he could have walked straight onto a runway.

But as Su Ting kept looking, she suddenly felt something was off. She turned her head and asked: “Why are you just standing there?”

“So you can look a little longer.” He Dongchuan said with complete seriousness.

Su Ting’s cheeks warmed slightly, but she stubbornly retorted: “Who’s looking at you?”

He Dongchuan thought to himself—he wasn’t blind. Of course, he knew whether she had been looking at him or not. But he wasn’t foolish either. He knew there was no point in arguing with his wife over something like this. If he provoked her too much, he’d be the one suffering in the end. So, he simply said: “Oh, then I must have seen it wrong.”

Su Ting: “…”

He Dongchuan lay down on the bed but didn’t pick up the book he had been reading. Instead, he turned his head to watch Su Ting.

Her movements as she applied Snow Cream unconsciously slowed. Yet, she didn’t dare ask why he was staring at her. She was afraid he would throw her own words back at her with a “Who’s looking at you?” So, she quickly spread the Snow Cream evenly.

After finishing, Su Ting took out her braids and began brushing her hair when He Dongchuan suddenly spoke.

“Were you scared?”

Su Ting’s hand paused. “What?”

“When you grabbed the bamboo pole and rushed out—were you scared?”

Su Ting was momentarily stunned.

The entire day, everyone had been praising her, calling her powerful and fearless. But He Dongchuan was the first person to consider that she might have been afraid.

Her heart softened involuntarily. She didn’t put on a strong front and instead honestly admitted what she had felt at that moment.

“I was scared. That’s exactly why I grabbed the bamboo pole. But when I ran to the front gate and saw so many people gathered around, I wasn’t scared anymore. Even if I couldn’t win with a bamboo pole, there would be others to step in and break up the fight.”

While Su Ting was speaking, He Dongchuan got up from the bed and walked over to sit beside her. When she finished, he asked: “Were you really planning to fight her?”

“If Yu Hongzhi makes a move, then I will definitely fight her. Otherwise, she will think I’m afraid of her and will bully Xiaoyan even more in the future.”

Su Ting had been struggling in society alone for so many years and had long understood one truth—when out in the world, one must never back down.

No matter how timid one felt inside, at least on the surface, they could not show it.

If one showed weakness, others would see them as easy to bully. Whether justified or not, people would step all over them. But if one appeared strong, even if it was just an act, others would not dare to bully them easily.

One had to put on a strong front.

Su Ting smiled and said: “But Yu Hongzhi is even more of a bully than I expected. When I rushed at her with a bamboo pole, she got scared. If it weren’t for the fact that her husband is also a soldier, I would have definitely made her cry today.”

“Didn’t you just reason with her today?” He Dongchuan teased, recalling what she had said earlier in the evening.

Su Ting gave him a resentful look. Could he not expose her like that?

He Dongchuan let out a low chuckle.

But as he laughed, his voice gradually faded. He lowered his head slightly, his gaze locking onto Su Ting’s eyes with unwavering focus.

Su Ting felt her cheeks grow warm under his gaze. She wanted to lower her head, but before she could, he had already leaned in. The tips of their noses touched, and his deep voice murmured: “I want to kiss you.”

“You…”

Clearly, He Dongchuan’s words were merely an announcement, not a request. Just as Su Ting opened her mouth to speak, her lips were sealed. Her voice was swallowed between their lips and teeth.

His kiss was different from the personality he usually displayed in front of Su Ting. He always seemed serious, a little cold. But in reality, he was measured, respectful, and even a bit gentle.

But his kiss was domineering, as if he were conquering territory.  

Su Ting was forced to tilt her head back, her body following the motion until she was pressed against his palm. He leaned forward, pulling her into his embrace.  

When the kiss finally ended, Su Ting was left breathless.  

As he continued his downward movements, his warm breath brushed against her slender neck and grazed over her heaving chest.  

His deep voice asked once more: “Can I?”  

Su Ting felt dizzy, unable to determine whether this time he was informing her or actually seeking permission. She bit her lip and remained silent. He Dongchuan took her silence as consent, and what followed seemed only natural.  

Su Ting never would have imagined that the man who had appeared so serious and proper just yesterday—lying beside her for an entire night without crossing any lines—would become so… wild tonight.  

…  

As the night wind rustled through the leaves and the waves crashed against the rocky shore, Su Ting closed her eyes in exhaustion.  

Just before she completely drifted into sleep, her hazy mind suddenly cleared for a brief moment. Recalling the stark contrast in He Dongchuan’s behavior over the past two days, a sudden thought surfaced—  

Last night, he had been so well-behaved just to lower her guard!  

Sure enough, a man’s words were nothing but deception.  

She had been too naive.