DLGSW 08

Chapter 8

On the table in the room were several large bags stacked together.

Wen Yue opened them with curiosity. A flash of soft goose-yellow caught her eye. She paused for a moment, then pulled it out—only to find it was a goose-yellow V-neck short-sleeved long dress. A beige belt cinched the waist. Even from a modern perspective, it was a rather nice piece.

The other bags contained a pair of flared jeans, a loose white shirt, a denim jacket, a dark red polka-dot loose blouse, and a black A-line long skirt.

Clothes like these would later be called “retro style”—and they were actually quite trendy.

The rest included soap, shampoo, cold cream, and some groceries—pork, tofu, and other basics.

It looked like… most of it was bought for her?

Wen Yue felt a faint warmth in her chest. Compared to his sharp tongue and stubborn attitude, Zhou Yao really wasn’t a bad person.

Her eyes flickered as she picked up the soap and shampoo and walked toward the kitchen.

Zhou Yao had already finished his noodles and was bending over to rinse the pot. As he moved, his shirt rode up slightly, revealing a lean, tanned waist. In his hand was a bamboo pot brush; the veins on the back of his hand stood out sharply with each motion.

“These were all bought for me?” Wen Yue’s eyes shone brighter than the lightbulb overhead.

Zhou Yao glanced up lazily. “If not you, then who?”

It wasn’t like he’d bought them for himself.

Wen Yue’s eyes curved into crescent moons. “Thank you! I love them! Your taste is really good—they’re all so nice. They must’ve cost a lot, right?”

“Not much.” His tone was casual. Soap, shampoo, and cold cream together only cost a little over ten yuan.

As for the clothes… practically free, rounded off.

“The water’s boiling. Go take a shower.”

“Okay.” She nodded and went back to get her change of clothes.

“You’re not wearing the new ones?” Zhou Yao raised a brow, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

“I’ll wash them first before wearing them tomorrow,” Wen Yue explained.

“That works.”

Wen Yue hugged her clothes and was about to head into the small partitioned bathroom when she suddenly remembered something. She stopped and turned back.

“Zhou Yao, are you free tomorrow?”

“Hm?” His tone dropped. “What is it?”

“I have a small favor to ask.” She blinked at him, her round almond eyes looking harmless and sincere. “My grandmother said before she passed that her land would be left to me. I also have some of my own land, but right now they’re all in my uncle’s hands. Could you go with me to the Wen family tomorrow?”

Zhou Yao let out an “oh,” immediately understanding.

“So you’re scared.”

Wen Yue puffed her cheeks slightly. “My aunt… she’s a bit fierce.”

“Fine.” He agreed without much hesitation, a faint, almost teasing smile appearing. “I’ll go and back you up.”

“Thank you.” Satisfied, Wen Yue’s eyes curved again, her voice turning sweet. “With you there, I feel really safe.”

With that large build of his—even if he didn’t fight, just standing there would be enough.

Zhou Yao looked at her expressionlessly. “Speak properly. Don’t make that weird sound.”

Wen Yue: “……”

Tch. A wooden block with no sense of romance.

She shot him a slightly proud glare, humming under her breath as she went into the small washroom with her clothes. With soap now available, bathing took longer than before. Even though she was still worried about spiders, rats, or other creepy crawlies, staying clean mattered more.

After bathing, she cheerfully said goodnight to Zhou Yao and went back to her room.

—

The next morning.

Wen Yue woke again to the crowing of roosters. She sat up lazily in bed for a while, shaking off the last traces of sleep, before getting dressed and stepping outside.

The sky was still dim with dawn light. She stretched at the doorway, yawning with her lips slightly parted—only to meet eyes with Zhou Yao, who was brushing his teeth outside the kitchen.

He looked half-asleep. His double eyelids had folded into a single crease, his usually sharp eyes heavy-lidded and unfriendly. He looked especially fierce in the morning, so much so that Wen Yue instinctively swallowed her yawn.

After a moment of consideration, she decided not to provoke the obvious morning-grumpy Zhou Yao and slipped quietly into the kitchen to brush her teeth.

When Zhou Yao finished, he looked a bit more awake, though still lazy. He scooped water into a basin, splashed it over his face with both hands, and didn’t bother wiping it off. Droplets ran down his jaw and dripped onto his shirt.

His thick brows and lashes were wet, and the water softened his sharp features slightly—making him look unexpectedly gentler.

“Want breakfast?” he asked through a yawn.

Wen Yue rinsed her toothbrush. “Do you want to eat?”

“I’m too lazy. Just grab two walnut pastries. We’ll settle it quickly and come back.”

She gave an “OK” gesture. “I’ll wash my face.”

After getting ready, the two of them left the Zhou household one after the other.

Only after Zhou Yao left did the other households dare to make a sound again.

Knife marks were still visible on Zhou Jianghai and Lin Fang’s door—deep enough to split the wood. If left unrepaired, winter wind would leak straight through.

The couple looked exhausted, dark circles under their eyes. They had argued late into the night and could barely get up this morning.

“Second Brother, Sister-in-law, you two alright?” Zhou Qingshan glanced at the scratches on Zhou Jianghai’s face, feigning concern. “Zhou Yao’s really going too far these days. No matter what, you’re still elders—how can he even use a knife against you?”

He deliberately ignored what Lin Fang had done.

Zhou Jianghai said nothing, only his eyes filled with suppressed hatred.

Zhou Qingshan patted his shoulder sympathetically and sighed. “Ah… who knows when these days will end.”

Then he left.

Zhou Jianghai clenched his fists, drank down the last of his thin rice porridge in one gulp, and silently went out to the fields with his tools.

—

By then, Wen Yue and Zhou Yao had already arrived at the Wen family courtyard.

Sharp, piercing shouting echoed from inside the yard. Li Lihong was already cursing loudly early in the morning, though no one knew exactly at whom.

The sound made Wen Yue instinctively flinch. Her heart tightened painfully in her chest.

It wasn’t just fear—it was residual emotion left in the body of the original Wen Yue. It was clear she had been truly terrified of this aunt.

Wen Yue swallowed nervously and looked at the tall man beside her.

Good. She had brought reinforcements.

Steeling herself, she stepped forward and knocked on the door.

“Who is it!”

The door swung open. A middle-aged woman stood there with sharply raised brows and a pair of slanted, fierce eyes. The moment her gaze locked onto Wen Yue, her hostility deepened.

“What are you doing back here?” she snapped immediately. “You little wretch, once a girl’s married out, she’s like spilled water—don’t think the Wen family will back you up!”

She clearly thought Wen Yue had come to ask for help after hearing rumors of Zhou Yao beating her.

From her position, she couldn’t see Zhou Yao standing to the side.

Wen Yue took a small step back from the flying spit. “I’m here to take my things. My grandmother said before she passed that her land would be left to me. I also have my own—altogether two mu of fields and one mu of land.”

“What did you say? Land?” Li Lihong’s eyes narrowed sharply. “You’ve got no damn land. Get lost! Don’t come here embarrassing yourself!”

Even though she had braced herself, Wen Yue was still stunned by the sheer ferocity. But with Zhou Yao beside her, she gathered courage and raised her voice slightly.

“If you don’t give it back, I’ll go to the village head. He knows about this!”

“Ha! You little thing really think you can act up now?” Li Lihong spat. “Married out and grown wings, huh? You’ve been eating and drinking our family’s for years and I never even asked you for money—now you dare come asking for land? I’ll beat that rotten mouth of yours!”

She grabbed a broom from under the eaves and rushed forward.

The broom came down hard.

Wen Yue didn’t expect her to actually strike and instinctively shut her eyes—

But the pain never came.

She cautiously opened one eye.

What she saw was Zhou Yao’s broad back.

He had caught the broom mid-swing, his brows furrowed, eyes sharp like a beast’s.

“If you want to talk, talk,” he said coldly. “Try touching her again and see what happens.”

“Zhou Yao?” Li Lihong froze.

Her momentum weakened instantly at the sight of his tall, imposing figure.

Her eyes darted between the two of them before she suddenly sneered.

“Oh, I get it. So you’re the one who told her to come, huh? Let me tell you—the land belongs to our family. She’s got nothing to do with it!”

She glared at Zhou Yao with clear hostility.

So that was it. She thought Wen Yue was too timid to come on her own.

Wen Yue widened her eyes. “You’re shameless! That was left to me by Grandma, and the village head already knows about it!”

Li Lihong ignored her completely. “It’s our Wen family land! Get lost! Both of you!”

She tried to pull the broom back, but it wouldn’t budge no matter how hard she tugged.

Zhou Yao had it locked in place effortlessly.

People like Li Lihong and Lin Fang were cut from the same cloth—shameless, loud, and unreasonable. Ordinary people really couldn’t deal with them.

But Zhou Yao could.

With a single jerk, he sent her stumbling backward.

Then he kicked the door open and pulled Wen Yue inside.

“Hey—what are you doing?!” Li Lihong shouted in shock.

Inside the main hall, Wen Yue’s uncle Wen Guoqiang was eating breakfast.

A pot of thick sweet potato porridge sat on the table, along with boiled eggs, side dishes, and a small plate of pork cracklings. In a rural household, this was already quite a rich meal.

He looked up in surprise when he saw them at the door, then smiled kindly.

“Xiao Yao, you two came together? Haven’t eaten yet? Sit down and eat a bit.”

Before Wen Yue could refuse, Zhou Yao had already pulled out a chair and sat down without ceremony.

He grabbed a clean bowl and chopsticks and began helping himself to the pork cracklings.

“Sure. We haven’t eaten yet anyway.”

He glanced at Wen Yue. “What are you standing there for? Uncle told you to sit and eat.”

“…Oh.”

Still confused, Wen Yue sat down.

The moment she did, Zhou Yao placed a full bowl of porridge in front of her.

His own bowl was even bigger, and the pot was already nearly empty in seconds.

Wen Guoqiang remained calm. “Enough? Want another egg?”

“Sure.” Zhou Yao didn’t hesitate, eating casually as he said, “Uncle, my wife has three mu of land in your hands. Shouldn’t you be returning it to us now?”