Font Size:
“Why are you so good to me?”
Yan Xiao’s tall figure was uncharacteristically tense, but his words were sincere:
“I like you, I want to be your partner, I want to treat you well for a lifetime…”
Hearing this, Wen Qinghe teased him, “So if I don’t become your partner, you won’t be good to me anymore?”
Yan Xiao hurriedly replied, “Of course not!”
But deep down, his heart was full of panic and bitterness.
She suddenly laughed,
“Then would you mind if there’s a trial period? Like if I’m not satisfied, we can end it.”
Yan Xiao, afraid of misunderstanding her meaning, actually trembled a little despite his 1.9-meter-tall frame.
“Your… your meaning is, you agreed?”
Wen Qinghe lightly nodded.
Yan Xiao only felt as if something had exploded inside his mind at that instant. His heart in his chest seemed to go mad, pounding wildly.
He reached out and drew her thin shoulders into his arms, his movements gentle yet incomparably cherishing, pulling her into his embrace.
His deep, pleasant voice carried an almost imperceptible tremor:
“I’ll make sure you’re always satisfied!”
Looking at the tiny face in front of him, barely half the size of his palm,
He couldn’t hold back from doing what he had always wanted to do.
His tall body bent down, and he leaned in to kiss her smooth, tender cheek.
So soft, so fragrant, so small…
The precious pearl was in his arms. How wonderful.
……
Yan Xiao checked the time and realized the educated youths were about to return.
Looking at the tender, delicate face in his arms, and her pink lips, he sighed inwardly that now wasn’t the right time, suppressing the impulse to take another taste.
His voice was low and gentle, carrying a hint of warmth:
“Qingqing, they’re almost back. I’ll come again at dinner. You must eat the food while it’s hot. After eating, just leave it there, I’ll take it tonight to wash.”
A blush crept up Wen Qinghe’s pretty face. “Alright.”
After watching the man leave, she sat on the bed in her room, her gaze landing on the folding mirror placed on the cabinet.
Only then did she realize just how alluring and seductive her own expression looked.
She couldn’t believe it—she actually got herself a boyfriend from the 1970s countryside!
She patted her flushed, burning cheeks, then opened the aluminum lunchbox on the cabinet.
To her surprise, it was a double-layered one: one held fragrant lotus root with duck, the other a portion of shiny, steaming white rice.
She took a bite— the lotus root was soft and glutinous, the duck tender and flavorful.
Mm! Delicious!
Wen Qinghe was very satisfied—handsome and a good cook~
Double points, double points!
……
“Qinghe, time to eat.”
Tang Lingling carried in food,
But found that Wen Qinghe was already eating.
“You…”
“My partner brought this for me~”
After spending this time together, she already treated Tang Lingling as a friend.
“Par… partner?”
“Mm, it’s Yan Xiao…”
Thinking of that man, Tang Lingling looked utterly incredulous: “You two actually… got together?”
Wen Qinghe caught on to her key word: “Got together? What do you mean?”
Tang Lingling hesitated, but finally told her about the time she came to cook and ran into the man, and also about how the educated youths had been eating meat dishes every day recently—all sent by him.
Wen Qinghe was shocked. He had actually done so much for her without her knowing…
No wonder—so the corn gruel on the very first day was the real “normal meal” here?
But where did he get such a steady supply of meat to keep sending over?
If she hadn’t pierced through this paper-thin layer today,
Would he have just kept silently giving and giving without ever letting her know?
Her previous relationship had taught her to never give her true heart to a man, that way she would never be hurt by betrayal again.
Even today, when she agreed to Yan Xiao, it was only because life in the countryside was too dull. She thought a little romance to pass the time wouldn’t be bad.
Besides, the man was good-looking, his physique perfectly hit her XP. She just wanted to try a fling—body only, not heart.
(Author’s note: Later, Qingqing will regret having such thoughts so much her intestines will turn green! Didn’t she think about her tiny frame, 162 cm vs 190 cm—how is that fair?)
Yet now, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache for the man.
……
Just as she finished lunch and was about to nap,
Her door was knocked on. Wen Qinghe was surprised—at this time, the educated youths hadn’t left yet, how could Yan Xiao be here already?
But when she opened the door, she saw it was Fang Ming, dressed in a white shirt and black pants…
Her brows furrowed slightly. Weren’t they still supposed to be at work this afternoon?
She had never seen anyone go to work in white clothes…
“Is there something?”
Fang Ming was taken aback by her cold attitude, his inner heat cooling instantly.
“N-no, I just came to give you a book to pass the time.”
“Sorry, I don’t like reading. I’m going to nap now. Don’t you still need to go to work?”
“Ah, oh… then I won’t disturb you.”
After he left, she closed the door, her face full of puzzlement.
At noon, Fang Ming deliberately changed into a clean outfit that screamed “intellectual,” thinking it would earn him a look of admiration from her.
After all, back then whenever he dressed like this, young girls would trail after him.
But after being in the countryside for so long, with wind and sun beating down on him, his face was not only tanned dark but also speckled with sunspots.
Even if he wore a dragon robe, Wen Qinghe wouldn’t spare him a glance.
What’s more, she had just confirmed their relationship that morning, and compared to Yan Xiao, Fang Ming was far, far behind.
…
Everyone finished work at six o’clock, but Yan Xiao came a little earlier to bring her dinner.
When Wen Qinghe opened it, the fragrant aroma surged out—it was black-bone chicken soup with goji berries.
She tasted it—perfectly seasoned, not greasy at all.
This brand-new boyfriend of hers really was a good cook~
Uh, it was just… way too much food.
She hadn’t even finished the lotus root and wild duck from lunch.
“Yan-ge, have you eaten?”
“You eat first. I’ll eat later when I get back.”
“But… I can’t finish this. It’s too much~ I didn’t even finish lunch…”
As she spoke, she pulled out the lunchbox from noon. She had only eaten a tiny corner of the rice, not even a tenth of it.
She had eaten some of the wild duck, but more than half still sat in the box.
“You actually didn’t need to come tonight… there’s still so much food left from lunch…”
Hearing her soft, sticky-sweet voice, Yan Xiao’s heart filled with tenderness.
“Qingqing, just eat. Whatever you can’t finish, give to me.”
Feeling embarrassed about making him eat her leftovers, she took out the washed utensils and a small bowl, ladled him a portion of chicken soup.
“Then let’s eat together!”
“Mn.”
As the meal went on, Wen Qinghe only managed one bowl of soup before she was full.
Yan Xiao frowned slightly—how could she eat so little?
But seeing the girl rub her stomach, he simply finished all the remaining soup along with the leftovers from lunch.
Noticing lunch was wild duck and dinner was chicken, Wen Qinghe suddenly thought of how the educated youth point had been eating chicken, duck, and fish almost every day this past month.
“Yan-ge, all the meat at the educated youth point… you’ve been the one hunting and sending it, haven’t you?”
Yan Xiao was stunned—he hadn’t expected her to notice.
“Mn.”
“Yan-ge, why didn’t you tell me?”
The man paused. “Qingqing deserves to be cherished in the palm of someone’s hand. I only wanted you to live more comfortably.”
Wen Qinghe was moved. “But you already work two shifts every day, it must be exhausting. And you still go to the trouble of hunting just for me.”
At her words, Yan Xiao’s gaze deepened.
“Qingqing… you feel sorry for me?”
She gently wrapped her arms around his waist and buried herself in his chest.
“Mm. I do. So Yan-ge, you don’t have to trouble yourself hunting anymore. Besides, now I’ve separated from the educated youth’s shared meals…”
“Mn. Then from now on, I’ll only hunt for Qingqing alone.”
God, this man was too good at flirting!
Wen Qinghe’s cheeks flushed red.
Looking at the delicate face in his arms, Yan Xiao lightly tilted up her chin.
He licked his lips, mouth parting instinctively, eyes filled with longing.
“I want to kiss you. May I?”
Wen Qinghe’s lashes trembled as she closed her eyes. She thought he would lean down to kiss her, but all she felt was a warm breath brushing her cheek before he pulled back.
Uh… was that it?
She thought…
Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that even if she stood on tiptoe, she would only reach his Adam’s apple.
Hooking her arms around his neck, she whispered:
“Lower your head.”
At her words, Yan Xiao obediently bent down.
Her lips pressed softly against his, sweet and milky.
His pupils shrank sharply. Just as she tried to pull back, his large hand held her nape, trapping her lips he had long craved. He gently sucked and traced along them.
“Mm—” Wen Qinghe let out a muffled little cry she couldn’t suppress.
Without teaching, he slid into her mouth, exploring more deeply.
The scent of sweetness filled his nose, and her lips tasted soft and sweet. He lost himself, coaxing her tongue and savoring it.
Her slender waist was gripped by his large hands, pulling her close, his arms tightening.
Overwhelmed by his kiss, Wen Qinghe went weak all over, her head dizzy.
Just when she thought she might faint, he finally let her go.
Yan Xiao’s breath was heavy, his entire body trembling. That kiss had been hundreds, thousands of times more delicious than he had imagined.
Sweet, soft, fragrant, smooth…
He wanted more…
But mindful of her fragile body, he noticed her breathing slightly quickened, and immediately asked in worry:
“Qingqing, are you okay? Does your chest hurt?”
Wen Qinghe: ……
Should she say yes or no?!
In the end, she just buried her face against his chest and shook her head.
Knowing she wasn’t in pain, he finally relaxed.
Out of concern for her health, he had already restrained himself—but after tasting something so sweet, if not for his immense self-control to anchor his sanity, the little girl would already have been devoured whole…