Chapter 8: Women Who Act Cute Have the Best Luck!

The next day.

Before dawn had fully broken, Zeng Cheng rode a bicycle to the Old Qian house to pick up Zhao Qianqian to get their marriage certificate.

“Why so early?” she asked, yawning.

“You think I want to? It’s because of you—I’ve already had two meals without eating properly,” Zeng Cheng shot a sideways look at the drowsy woman.

Zhao Qianqian ignored him.

As if remembering something, she puckered her lips and acted coy to the man. “But I’m really sleepy. Can’t I sleep a little longer? I got pretty badly hurt yesterday. Look at this big lump.”

As she spoke, Zhao Qianqian leaned closer to him, bent down, and showed Zeng Cheng the swollen bruise on her forehead.

Some injuries don’t feel serious at the time.

But give it a day or two of rest, and you feel it.

Just like Zhao Qianqian.

She remembered in the 21st century once taking a vacation to climb a mountain—she’d hiked four-plus hours straight to the summit.

While climbing she hadn’t felt that tired, but by evening her legs and waist wouldn’t move, and it hurt so much she couldn’t sleep.

Almost a week later her legs still felt uncomfortable.

This time, too.

The injury on her head hadn’t felt serious then, nor very painful.

It was mostly lots of bleeding… feeling woozy and wanting to sleep!

But after one night’s sleep, she really felt awful.

Most importantly—

She hadn’t slept enough and had been woken by Zhao’s mother: “Qianqian, Zeng Cheng’s here to take you to get the certificate. This marriage you traded your life for—you must treasure it. Get up quickly!”

The moment Zhao Qianqian heard that, she sprang up.

Zeng Cheng was her meal ticket for the second half of her life—how could she not cling tight!

Seeing how uncomfortable she looked, Zeng Cheng finally softened. He pedaled her back to his place so she could sleep a little more.

He himself made a cup of wheat milk essence to ease his hunger.

Bedroom.

After brewing the wheat milk essence, he pushed open the bedroom door to check whether Zhao Qianqian had fallen asleep.

He had barely approached the bed when—

Zhao Qianqian wrapped both arms around his neck. “So you like me that much? Can’t bear to leave me for even a moment—you can’t even eat without—”

“Your skin is really unusually thick.”

“If it weren’t, how could I have managed to hook such an excellent man like you?” Zhao Qianqian smiled ingratiatingly.

She threw herself into his arms again—then flattered him.

For once, Zeng Cheng was in a good mood. “At least you have good taste.”

He rarely did this: one hand lifting the bowl to drink wheat milk essence, the other arm circling the woman who had thrown herself into his embrace. He even asked, “Want some?”

“I’ll drink if you feed me!”

“Heh, why don’t you go to the moon while you’re at it!” His words were sharp, but he still lifted the bowl to her lips himself.

Zhao Qianqian took two big gulps before stopping.

What did they say—women who act cute have the best luck!

See—she only said a few soft words, and he was already standing there, eagerly feeding her.

When she stopped after two sips, Zeng Cheng drained the rest.

Honestly, he was starving.

He had eaten a little, but wheat milk essence and a few crackers were things he usually treated as snacks.

He genuinely felt as if he hadn’t eaten at all.

Because he was so hungry, he pressed the woman in bed: “Are you going to sleep a little more, or should we head to town now?”

Zhao Qianqian hugged his waist and burrowed into his chest, coaxing, “Of course I’m going to sleep a bit more—stay with me.”

This habit of constantly throwing herself into his arms irked Zeng Cheng a little.

Mainly because, in the face of her coquetry and clinging, he felt like he was being led by the nose.

“You really are quite wanton.” With that, he moved to leave.

But Zhao Qianqian clutched his waist and wouldn’t let him go.

When he tried to pry her hands off, she showed him the injury on her head again.

He softened for a moment, and Zhao Qianqian toppled him onto the bed.

He simply kicked off his shoes and climbed up to sleep beside her.

In outsiders’ eyes she was already his wife.

They were getting the certificate today—there was no issue of improper conduct anymore, was there?

Fortunately, once he lay down, Zhao Qianqian didn’t act up—she just nestled against him and slept.

Zeng Cheng could tell—

She was uncomfortable because of the head injury.

A trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.

In fact, when Qian Sanya attacked her that day, he hadn’t intervened.

First, morally speaking, Zhao Qianqian had seduced him; she did deserve some punishment.

Second, he could tell Qian Sanya wasn’t hitting that hard—not enough to be fatal—and besides, both of them had wronged Qian Sanya.

Most importantly—

He resented Zhao Qianqian.

Because he hadn’t been able to resist her temptation!

It wasn’t that he wanted to excuse himself as some upstanding, red-rooted man.

He had come down to the countryside to demonstrate good behavior and avoid being dragged down by his maternal family’s trip to the cowshed.

But if he mishandled things with Zhao Qianqian, he really could end up in the cowshed.

Zeng Cheng hated that he would risk that just to tangle with Qianqian.

Previously, his relationship with Zhao Qianqian had been like this:

He genuinely liked her.

But he didn’t quite dare to—because at the time he was engaged to Qian Sanya.

They could have kept a polite distance.

But after Zhao Qianqian started seducing him, everything changed!

Zeng Cheng simply couldn’t withstand the deliberate teasing of a pretty little beauty.

Actually, from the very first moment he saw Zhao Qianqian, this soft, laughing girl had hooked him.

It was just that, having newly arrived in Qianjia Village and under the shadow of his maternal family’s trip to the cowshed, he didn’t dare make a move.

Even though Qian Sanya was his fiancée, whenever he gave Sanya something, he also gave Zhao Qianqian a share.

He even put more thought into Qianqian’s gifts than Sanya’s.

He would privately give Qianqian pretty ribbons and hair clips.

Because in Zeng Cheng’s eyes—

The sturdy, rough Qian Sanya didn’t deserve pretty ribbons and nice clips.

Thinking along those lines, he too slipped into sleep with Zhao Qianqian in his arms.

When Zeng Cheng woke again—

Two hours had passed.

Zhao Qianqian was pinching his nose. “Get up, let’s go get the certificate.”

Looking at the woman sprawled on him, a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes. “You get up first, otherwise I’m afraid I’ll knock you over when I stand.”

Zhao Qianqian pecked his lips and then got up.

A light kiss, carrying a woman’s unique fragrance—something in Zeng Cheng’s heart felt sweet!

In that moment—

Zeng Cheng actually didn’t regret choosing Zhao Qianqian.

Because spending a lifetime with a woman he liked was happiness!

Even if he had to pay a great price for it.

Leaving the house and heading to town—

Zeng Cheng suddenly stuffed a wad of “Big Unity” bills into Zhao Qianqian’s hand.

She blinked, confused.

Zeng Cheng cleared his throat, a faint blush spreading across his face. “In light of your good behavior—this is to make up your bride price.”