"Let’s pretend none of this happened today. If you dare say even a word about it, or if I hear any villagers gossiping about me and Tian Tian, I’ll tell them I did your sister." Zhou Zheng’s eyes were as venomous as a snake.
"You son of a bitch!" Chen Ming roared, grabbing Zhou Zheng by the collar, veins bulging on his forehead. "Zhou Zheng, you bastard, how dare you slander my sister? I won’t let you off!"
"You keep quiet, and I will too." Zhou Zheng’s face flushed as his neck was tightly squeezed by his clothes, but he still retained a refined smile. "Everyone knows I used to date Chen Ying. If I say that, no one would doubt me. Let’s see who would marry your sister then. If you’re not going to let me have it easy, I won’t let you either. As long as you keep quiet, I won’t report you for hitting me, nor will I leak anything about your sister."
The stakes were different. If Chen Ming spoke out about what happened today, everyone would focus on Zhou Zheng and Tian Tian’s scandal, placing the blame on him. But if Chen Ming kept quiet, Zhou Zheng would have the upper hand. He believed that with Chen Ming’s simple mind, he would definitely agree to the deal.
"Chen Ming, do you know why Tian Tian wants to be with me and not you? Let’s talk properly. Using violence, that’s what scoundrels do."
Chen Ming glared at Zhou Zheng with hatred for a long time before suddenly throwing him to the ground and striding away.
"All I want is to return to the city. All I want is to return to the city. Hahaha, why does everyone—every single one of them—have to block my way?!" Zhou Zheng collapsed to the ground, rubbing dirt on his face as he pounded the earth with his fists.
Because of you, one step, two steps—like the devil’s way forward.
"Zhou Zheng, I understand your pain." Tian Tian walked over, gently helping him up. Concerned, she asked, "What now?"
"Tiantian, you’re the only one who truly understands me." Zhou Zheng gripped Tian Tian’s hand. "Even if they find out about us, we can’t give up on our goal. We must proceed as planned. But I’m a bit puzzled—how did Chen Ying and Chen Ming end up in the compound like they were deliberately hiding there?"
As she reflected on how chaotic the situation had been earlier, Tian Tian also began to notice something strange. "Yeah, it felt like they were waiting for us on purpose. Could it be?"
"It’s Tian Sangsang!" Zhou Zheng viciously wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes narrowing. "Only Tian Sangsang knows about us."
"Her again!" Tian Tian’s face twisted with fury. "Last time, she stirred up such trouble. The whole village points fingers at our family and refuses to associate with us. Now she’s meddling again."
Zhou Zheng let out a cold laugh. "This time, she’s going big. She stayed quiet for so long just to make us lower our guard, then stabbed us hard. I bet with Chen Ming’s foolhardy personality, he wouldn’t say anything about this. Forget about telling his uncle. Tiantian, we still have a chance. We must leave a good impression on the deputy secretary. Even if we can’t, we have to make Tian Sangsang’s life miserable!"
"What’s your plan?" Tian Tian looked expectantly at Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng’s eyes darkened as he asked, "Can Tian Sangsang sing?"
After using rose essential oil to bathe for a week straight, Tian Sangsang noticed her skin getting lighter—it was like the outermost layer of darkness had been stripped away. If her earlier "darkness level" was 100%, now it was at 95%. That alone was a significant improvement. More importantly, after nearly a month of running to lose weight, combined with conscious and unconscious dietary control, her weight had dropped from 196 pounds to 186 pounds. The results could be called satisfactory. At this pace, in less than half a year she could reach her ideal weight of around 48 kilograms. A little more would be too heavy, a little less too light—just right.
The scent lingering on Tian Sangsang’s body was simply too enticing. Driven by curiosity, Meng Shuyan wanted to try it out as well. So, Tian Sangsang added two drops of rose essential oil into his bath bucket, gently stirring it with warm water. On hot summer nights, the men in the village usually bathed casually in the courtyard. As a little boy, Meng Shuyan was no different, bathing each evening under the open sky. By moonlight, with heaven as the canopy and earth as the bed, the scene revealed a pure though bold innocence—white and clean as could be!
Outside the courtyard, the sound of splashing water mixed with the faint scent of roses tortured Zhao Chun, who grew anxious and restless. As someone who hadn’t bathed in days, hearing others bathing and smelling their fragrance every night left him utterly miserable. Zhao Chun’s handsome face turned red, as though insects were gnawing away at his bones—itchy and utterly agonizing. He wished someone would just dump a bucket of water over him to save him.
When Meng Shuyan strolled into the house wearing pajamas, Zhao Chun’s eyes lit up.
"Little Shuyan, is that a new pajama set? Your uncle’s never seen it before." Zhao Chun picked up Meng Shuyan and plopped him onto the bed, admiring the outfit fondly. It was just a small white T-shirt and shorts, made of airy fabric, and emblazoned with a basketball design in the middle that inexplicably set his blood pumping.
Meng Shuyan blinked his big eyes. "My mom made them for me."
"Oh? Do you know what kind of ball that is?"
Meng Shuyan froze for a second, clearly not expecting such a silly question, then replied earnestly, "It’s a basketball."
"So your mom even sewed the basketball?"
"Yup!" Meng Shuyan nodded his little head and raised a tiny fist. "My mom said I should grow up to be a child under the sunlight. Not stunningly beautiful, but bright and pure."
Zhao Chun nearly fell into a daze. At that moment, Meng Shuyan, with his tiny arms and legs, small frame, fair chubby face, jet-black peach-blossom eyes, arched eyebrows, and short fuzzy hair, was almost impossibly adorable.
"Little Shuyan, tonight, why don’t you and your uncle..." The words slipped out unconsciously.
"Ahem!" Tian Sangsang barged in, carrying a bucket of warm water, cutting him off mid-sentence. This guy was getting bolder by the day—how dare he try to steal her son!
"The water’s ready. Wash up and get to sleep." She spoke indifferently.
Zhao Chun coughed awkwardly, his eyes darting. "Um, Tian Sangsang, what were you and Little Shuyan using to bathe? It smelled so incredibly good, haha. Really fragrant. I could smell roses. Were you taking rose baths or something?"
Seeing his cautious probing, Tian Sangsang rolled her eyes silently and pulled a bottle of rose essential oil from her pocket. "It’s this. I made it myself. If you want to use it, go ahead. Don’t worry, I won’t mock you for lacking manliness."
Damn it. Zhao Chun almost spat blood.
"Mommy, can I stay here with Chun Zisu to bathe later?" Meng Shuyan asked sweetly.
Oh, my son. Must you act so innocent and serious while teasing Chun Zisu ?
Before she could respond, Zhao Chun cut in quickly, "Let Little Shuyan stay here. We’re both men. It’s no big deal."
"No." Tian Sangsang leaned lazily against the wall, casting a sidelong glance at Zhao Chun. Turning to Meng Shuyan, she said, "Son, today Mommy wants to teach you an important lesson. Never look at anyone naked, or you’ll have to take responsibility."
"Mommy," Meng Shuyan pouted and said, "but you watch me bathe too."