The next time Tan Zheng woke, it was broad daylight. The aftermath of the binge was a throbbing headache. Tan Zheng raised a hand, pinching his sore, swollen forehead. He pushed himself to a semi-reclined position in bed, leaning against the headboard, and closed his eyes to recover. Like Song Ni, he didn't forget what happened when he was drunk. Tan Zheng naturally remembered how Song Ni had elbowed and kicked him. He also remembered how she had wiped his face, and more so, her restless hands when she was cleaning his chest. Tan Zheng let out a wry chuckle. "Little pervert."
When Tan Zheng emerged after dressing, Song Ni was in the courtyard with Aunt Xi, making pickled vegetables. "Auntie, if you put this much salt, will it be edible? Won't it be too salty?" "Auntie, why don't you split them open and then add the seasoning?" "This jar doesn't look big, why is it so heavy to lift?" "Auntie, can you and Uncle eat this whole big jar by yourselves?" "What? This stuff can last for several months?!" "..."
The weather was fine that day, with the sun out. It was nearing noon, and the sunlight was strong. Song Ni had tied her hair into a bun, revealing her clean, unadorned face. She looked young and energetic, like a freshman girl just starting university. Tan Zheng leaned against the doorframe, watching for a long time.
At some point, Uncle Xi came over with a basket of firewood, which he then unceremoniously dumped on the ground. He found a small stool, sat down, and leisurely took out his tobacco. He squinted, carefully rolling a cigarette with his hands, and snorted. "You sure have good fortune, kid." As he spoke, Uncle Xi glanced at Song Ni, who was hovering around Aunt Xi, a hint of a smile in his eyes. No one could dislike such a pretty, sweet-talking girl.
Tan Zheng’s eyes were full of Song Ni. The sunlight fell on her, and she looked like a little sprite. Hearing Uncle Xi’s words, the corners of her lips curved upward, filled with pride. "Didn't you used to say people like me couldn't find a wife?" "Look now, not only did I find a wife, but I found a very good one. I'm absolutely delighted."
Hearing Tan Zheng’s words, Uncle Xi glanced at him and snorted. "This girl's taste isn't great." The smile on Tan Zheng’s lips deepened. The entanglements between men were so easily resolved: a meal, a bout of drunkenness, and all unspoken words were conveyed through the liquor. Uncle Xi had once preferred Tan Zheng to Aunt Xi, and compared to Xi Jinjiang, Tan Zheng got along better with Uncle Xi, more like brothers.
Tan Zheng straightened up and walked over, picking up the axe lying nearby and began chopping firewood. He said, "Yes, if her taste were better, she wouldn't have had to come here and suffer." Tan Zheng was a man who dealt with matters one by one. He still remembered Song Ni's hand being pinched by the door yesterday.
Hearing the implied blame in Tan Zheng's words, Uncle Xi puffed out his cheeks and pointed a finger at the firewood. "Can this much chopped wood even burn?" After righteously ordering Tan Zheng around, Uncle Xi looked back at Song Ni. Seeing her swollen hand, his brows furrowed. He extinguished his cigarette and got up to go inside.
Although Song Ni was wearing gloves to help, the water was cold, and it was winter. Song Ni was quite chilled. As soon as she took off her gloves, intending to put her hands in her pockets to warm them, someone stood before her. There was a strong smell of tobacco on him, and Song Ni guessed who it was. She raised her hands, wrinkled her nose, and looked at Uncle Xi. The old man was proud and a bit tsundere. He directly threw the ointment into Song Ni's arms. "Why are you messing around here if you don't know how to do it? If your hand gets rotten, that brat will blame us."
Song Ni blinked and glanced sideways at Tan Zheng, who was chopping wood. He had taken off his jacket and was wearing only a thin sweater, his sleeves rolled up, revealing his lean, handsome arm muscles. He had a cigarette in his mouth, his brows slightly furrowed. How could this man be so handsome even when chopping wood?
Seeing Song Ni so mesmerized by Tan Zheng chopping wood, Uncle Xi's brows knitted. "Truly poor taste, you can even fancy a man like this." Hearing this, Song Ni withdrew her gaze, looked at Uncle Xi, and blinked. "Of course, I fancy him. No one else dotes on him, so I will." Uncle Xi: "..." These two are a couple, each better at mocking than the other. Uncle Xi, angered, snorted again, put his hands behind his back, and walked out. Aunt Xi smiled and spat in the direction of his retreating back. "He's all bark and no bite, Nini. Did your hand get cold? Stop now, apply the medicine and rest."
After applying the medicine, Song Ni curiously asked, "Uncle has such a bad temper, how do you put up with him, Auntie?" "I don't." "But you seem to have a good relationship." "If he puts on a straight face, I pinch him. If he doesn't like to talk, he just has to endure it." "..." Song Ni: Hehehe, they really are a couple. There's a reason they've stayed together for so many years.
After having dinner at the Xi family's, Tan Zheng and Song Ni decided to head back. Although Song Ni didn't say it, Tan Zheng knew that the girl was neat and tidy. She wouldn't be able to stand a day without a proper wash. Even though there was a well-equipped bathroom here, they didn't have any clothes. Given Song Ni's nature, she wouldn't want to wear dirty clothes. Aunt Xi wanted to keep them for a few more days, but Tan Zheng insisted, so they dropped the matter.
Seeing their hesitant expressions, Tan Zheng spoke, "He'll be back tomorrow. Then, you can treat him as usual. There's no need for special treatment. He's learned what he needed to learn in America and can take care of himself now." Hearing this, Aunt Xi's eyes welled up again, and she nodded repeatedly. "Then, Xiao Zheng, will you come again tomorrow?" Tan Zheng curled his lips. "I won't. It's been five years since you've seen each other. You should have a good talk." After speaking, Tan Zheng bowed slightly, nodded, and took Song Ni's hand to leave.
After the car drove out of the village, Song Ni reached out to hold Tan Zheng's right hand. She didn't say a word, but Tan Zheng understood her feelings and squeezed back tightly, interlocking their fingers. "When I have time, I'll talk to you properly." Song Ni didn't understand Tan Zheng's words at first, but all the way, Tan Zheng drove at high speed. A five-hour journey was cut short to four. He didn't return to Linjiang Apartment or Lanting Gongguan, but to Yulong Villa. "Why are we back here?" She didn't have any of her things here.
But the man didn't answer. Once the car entered the garage, Tan Zheng got out, went around to the passenger side, and then leaned in to carry Song Ni out. Song Ni's eyelashes trembled. She seemed to... know what Tan Zheng intended to do. "Wait, wait, wait. You were drunk last night and didn't get enough rest, and you've been on a long flight before..." Tan Zheng let her speak, holding Song Ni as he headed straight for the bedroom. Song Ni swallowed. Just as she was about to say she wanted to take a bath, the man directly carried her into the bathroom, placed her on the sink, and went to fill the bathtub himself. Before Song Ni could react, he began to undress himself. Song Ni's eyes flickered, and for a moment, she didn't know where to look. Tan Zheng ignored her, stepped forward, and began to remove her clothes. Song Ni: ...