Chapter 87 – Sleeping With You

“Why give it to me?”

Xu Jiaojiao replied naturally, “These fish belong to everyone anyway, but I can’t help that many people. And besides, aren’t we friends?”

Yang Mei looked at her with a complicated expression, her feelings hard to describe. In the end, she said nothing, just loosened her grip on the basket and continued searching in the paddy.

Xu Jiaojiao had stepped into the mud but soon regretted it. The soil was too soft, her feet sank in easily, so she climbed up and sat on the ridge instead. She rinsed her feet in the clear water again and again, cleaning the mud off her leather shoes.

Xie Zhi came back with two fish and sat down beside her. “Not fun?”

The girl pouted. “There’s no solid ground to step on. The mud’s too sticky—it’s not fun.”

He nodded in understanding, then showed her the two fish he had caught. As always, Xie Zhi picked based on looks—two big, plump, and sure-to-be-delicious ones.

“How should we cook them?” he asked.

“Braised. I want spicy. Or fish with pickled mustard greens.”

“Alright.”

The two of them sat aside, watching the others continue fishing. The fat ones had already been taken. Now only children and elderly folks waded into the paddies. Xu Yan and Xu Ze each gave away a few fish to some struggling elderly villagers, then returned with two each left in their baskets.

Xu Jiaojiao smiled approvingly—she hadn’t expected her brothers to be so considerate.

“Fourth Brother, give one to Yang Mei. Hers is tiny,” she suggested.

Hearing this, Xu Yan quickly walked over to Yang Mei, grabbed her basket, and dropped one of his fish inside.

Yang Mei froze, staring blankly at him. Her lips pressed tightly together. She already knew the Xu family siblings were all good-looking, but this man… he was just too handsome. Refined, scholarly, completely different from the other men in the village.

Blushing, she stammered, “Th-thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

The breeze carried Xu Yan’s gentle voice to her ear. A moment later, he turned and walked back to the ridge, rinsing off quickly.

“Let’s go,” he said to the three waiting for him.

“Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother—I never expected you two to be so responsible, even sharing your fish with others,” Jiaojiao praised.

“We’ve done it before, you just never knew,” Xu Ze teased.

“At least now we’ve finally made up with our sister,” Xu Yan said warmly.

With the girl surrounded by her brothers, each doting on her, Yang Mei stood behind them, staring blankly at their retreating figures. She didn’t know what to say—Xu Jiaojiao really was so loved, so blessed.

“Xie Zhi, look at them. You never speak up for me,” Jiaojiao grumbled.

Xie Zhi chuckled low. “They’ve got a point.”

The girl huffed angrily.

In the past, the three brothers had always stood united—displeased every time their sister clung to another man, feeding him scraps and chasing after him. Especially since Sheng Jie had no sense of responsibility at all. But now Jiaojiao had changed. The little white dumpling they’d raised finally looked like her old self again.

Even before stepping inside, the girl loudly reported their results: “Mom, we caught five fish!”

Yan Fenglian took off her daughter’s raincoat, teasing, “And how many did you catch?”

Jiaojiao panicked. “Mom, why would you ask such an embarrassing question!”

Everyone burst into laughter. Yan Fenglian pushed her toward the neighboring courtyard. “Enough. The water’s been heated—go bathe.”

Xie Zhi helped carry the hot water over—his share was included too. Bathing together wasn’t a problem. Xu Yan and Xu Ze also entered to wash up.

Meanwhile, Father Xu busied himself with the fish, while Mother Xu steamed the rice. After so much drought, this rainfall truly gave people hope.

For lunch, the fish was cooked exactly as Jiaojiao wished: one braised, one with pickled vegetables. The braised one had potato strips and tofu added in, each piece soaked through with rich sauce. Xu Jiaojiao ate with immense satisfaction.

Yan Fenglian instructed, “This afternoon, send two fish to your mother.”

“Okay, I’ll take them over after I’m done,” Jiaojiao promised.

Yan Fenglian’s gaze fell on her daughter carefully picking bones from her fish. She said half-scoldingly, “Your grandpa sent over a chicken this morning too. Said you’re too tired and should eat something nourishing.”

“Grandpa and Grandma love you so much.”

“I love them too,” Jiaojiao said sweetly. With her pretty face and honeyed words, she could make anything sound sincere.

Beside her, Xie Zhi carefully picked out fish bones for her, making sure even the tiny ones were gone before placing the meat in her bowl. Everyone noticed—no one else could ever treat her with such meticulous care, not even her brothers.

He gently placed the piece of fish before her. “Eat, be good.”

“Oh.”

She replied without thinking—then realized something was off. She was already eating obediently! But soon the food distracted her again. Stroking her rounded tummy, she thought: This is the life.

That afternoon, the rain lightened. Xu Jiaojiao sat under the eaves, watching raindrops spatter rapidly against the ground. Her chin propped in her hand, she eventually tilted sideways toward the man beside her.

“I wonder if we can get into town tomorrow… my big client is waiting.”

Xie Zhi answered calmly, “The day after tomorrow. The sun will come out tomorrow, but we’ll need to wait for the road to dry a bit before the car can pass.”

“Alright…”

The mist-shrouded mountains in the distance gradually revealed themselves. The trees looked lush and green, freshly washed by the rain.

“Have you decided which university to apply for, husband?” she asked, her eyes turning to him as he read.

She had to admit, Xie Zhi always carried a certain restrained, ascetic air—almost like a deity in human form.

He looked up at her and smiled. “Wherever Jiaojiao goes, I’ll go.”

“Jiaojiao can’t wash clothes, can’t do anything, and she’s so beautiful. Of course I have to stay by your side all the time, so no one else steals you away.”

“Hmph, I’m not like that. And I only like you.”

So soft her own ears barely caught it, he muttered, “Let’s hope that stays true.” His words drifted away with the patter of rain, unheard even by Jiaojiao.

Perhaps it was because he worked so hard every day—always either reading or sleeping beside her—he seemed like someone programmed with fixed tasks and emotions.

“I want to sleep with you,” Xie Zhi suddenly said, voice low and thick, his Adam’s apple bobbing—betraying his unrest.

No one knew how much he endured around this girl. Every move, every look from her tugged at his control. Xie Zhi was often burning with suppressed desire.

Jiaojiao rolled her eyes, exasperated. Truly a robot with only one setting. Her gaze narrowed dangerously. “As if I even had a choice.”

Xie Zhi watched her shifting expressions with indulgent amusement, answering lazily, “It was only a symbolic question.”

He caught her earlobe between his teeth, sucking and grinding it gently. Who knew what flavor it carried, for him to crave it again and again?

Xu Jiaojiao shivered and twisted her head away. “That tickles!”