Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Kiss

“That’s enough, He Lang. Why are you dragging this out? She’s your sister, and she’s pregnant. A simple scolding is sufficient. Besides, your father and I have already discussed it. Once the Educated Youth dorm is repaired next year, we’ll have Gu Zhiqing move back there. We can’t just kick her out now. What would the villagers think of our family?”

He Lang’s face was grim. “Since we’re laying it all out on the table, I can’t control what you do. But anyone with ill intentions had better stay far away from us. I don’t care if she leaves next year or not. Xue Yue and I are planning to move out.”

“He Lang, what nonsense are you talking about? Why would you suddenly move out? Where would you live?” Mrs. He asked, a little panicked.

Mr. He, however, was calm. “Have you decided?”

He Lang nodded.

“Alright. After the New Year, I’ll go to the village head and apply for a homestead plot for you.”

’The house was only so big. More people meant more liveliness, but also more conflict. Third Brother’s family didn’t usually pick fights, but they weren’t to be trifled with. It was better for them to move out. Besides, Mr. He had already guessed what his third son was thinking.’

After He Lang left, Mrs. He quickly asked Mr. He, “He’s not really planning to move out over such a small thing, is he?”

“No. He has wanted to move out for a while. Look at our house. Even though the family property has been divided, each branch only has one room. If they have a child, there won’t even be a place for them to live. Look at our eldest and second sons’ families—their kids are so old, but they still share a single kang with their parents.”

Hearing this, Mrs. He sighed. “You’re right. Our eldest and second sons’ children are getting older, too. The house definitely won’t be big enough. I don’t know what we’ll do then.”

After a long silence, He Yun said softly, “Mom, maybe I should go apologize to my sister-in-law?”

Mrs. He snorted. “So now you’re scared? I told you to go before, and you wouldn’t. What’s the point of going now? I think you should just hurry back to your own home. It’s already the twelfth lunar month, and the Liu family hasn’t even come to get you. Liu Jian Country might as well be dead. His wife and unborn child have been at his mother-in-law’s house for a month, and he hasn’t even come to visit. Look at him—this is the man you were dead set on marrying.”

He Yun answered weakly, “Mom, Jian Country is busy. He has to work.”

Mrs. He rolled her eyes at her.

“The next time your second brother comes back, I’ll have him send a message to Liu Jian Country to come pick you up.”

When He Yun returned to the room, it wasn’t yet dark. Dinner hadn’t been served, but she saw that Gu Yuwei was already asleep, her back turned away.

He Yun thought she was sick. “Xiao Gu, what’s wrong? We haven’t had dinner yet. How are you already asleep?”

“I don’t want to eat. Don’t bother me,” Gu Yuwei said without turning her head.

He Yun was taken aback for a moment, then she remembered what her third brother had said. ’He must have yelled at her; that’s why she’s unhappy.’

He Yun didn’t dare say another word.

Xue Yue had been sitting on the kang reading, and she didn’t stop until He Lang placed the kerosene lamp in front of her.

She glanced outside; the sky had already grown dark.

“That’s enough for tonight. You can read more tomorrow,” He Lang said.

Xue Yue stretched. “It’s so late. Why didn’t you call me to make dinner?”

He Lang replied in a leisurely tone, “Sigh, I didn’t dare. Didn’t you notice I was walking on tiptoes? I was afraid of disturbing your reading.”

Xue Yue looked at He Lang’s roguish expression and let out a laugh.

Her smiling face, illuminated by the lamplight, was bright and captivating. He Lang’s throat bobbed. He didn’t know if it was the night that gave him courage or her smile that had bewitched him.

He Lang gently lifted Xue Yue’s chin, his eyes meeting hers, which were a little flustered and shy.

He slowly lowered his head, his lips lightly brushing against hers. A mere taste wasn’t enough, and soon he was lost in their softness.

Xue Yue, at first startled, slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around He Lang’s waist.

After what felt like an eternity, just as Xue Yue felt her lips go numb, He Lang finally released her. He rested his forehead against her shoulder, slowly calming his emotions.

Once He Lang had calmed down, he looked up at Xue Yue. Seeing her flushed face and slightly swollen lips, his eyelids trembled as he suppressed the desire in his eyes.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Xue Yue asked softly.

He Lang let out a stifled laugh and gently tugged Xue Yue’s ear.

“Ah, that hurts.”

“Alright, let’s make dinner,” He Lang said, patting Xue Yue’s cheek.

’This guy… he’s suddenly different. So handsy.’

Xue Yue surely didn’t know that once a man starts down a certain path, it’s like opening Pandora’s box—there’s no end to it.

「A few days later.」

He Ze returned home. The last time he’d come back was before the big blizzard. This time, he discovered there was an extra person in the house besides He Yun.

Mrs. He explained the reason, and only then did He Ze learn that she was an educated youth.

It was normal for He Ze not to know Gu Yuwei. She had only arrived last year, by which time He Ze was already working in town and rarely came back.

Gu Yuwei, on the other hand, had heard that the accountant’s family had a son who was a worker in town, but she had never seen him.

All three He brothers were good-looking. He Ze and He Nan looked alike. Since He Ze didn’t get much sun, he was paler than He Nan and He Lang, making him look like a scholar.

Gu Yuwei stared at him for a few moments, then called out, “Second Brother He.” He Ze nodded in acknowledgment.

Mrs. He pulled He Ze aside to ask about his work at the factory, so Gu Yuwei went back to her room.

“Second Brother, how many days can you stay this time? You haven’t been back in so long.”

“Mom, I’m staying for three days. The reason I haven’t been back is that the factory had a rush order to ship out, so I had no time. I get to stay a couple of extra days this visit.”

Mrs. He nodded. “That’s good. Spend some more time with your children. It’s already the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year is almost here.”

“I know, Mom.”

As he spoke, He Ze took a packet of peach crisps from his bag and handed it to Mrs. He. “Mom, I bought these for you and Dad.”

Mrs. He waved her hand, refusing. “Take them back for the children to eat. They haven’t seen you in a long time, either.”

He Ze said with a smile, “Mom, there’s more. Please, take it.”

Only then did Mrs. He accept it.

Gao Cuiyun knew He Ze had returned and gone into the main room. She was so anxious she couldn’t stand still, pacing back and forth in their own room.

When she saw He Ze come in, she happily took two steps forward. “Husband, did you get paid again?”

He Ze’s good mood felt as if cold water had been thrown on it, instantly turning icy.

“Is money the only thing you care about?”

Gao Cuiyun wasn’t one to miss a cue. She quickly put on a fawning smile. “Oh, I was just asking casually. You haven’t been back in so long; the kids and I all missed you. When the snow blocked the doors a while back, I was worried sick about you. If Mom hadn’t forbidden it, I would have run to town to find you.”

Hearing this, He Ze’s expression softened. He then asked, “So, nothing happened at home?”

Gao Cuiyun pouted. “Nothing. Third Brother dug a tunnel out, and then he got the rest of us out too. It’s just that the stove in the courtyard can’t be used, so we have to take turns in the kitchen. But Third Brother’s family has an iron stove in their room, so they just cook in there. They’re living so comfortably, not like us. When it gets too cold, we just huddle under the covers, not even daring to go outside.”

He Ze frowned. “Third Brother bought an iron stove? Where did he get the money?”

Gao Cuiyun nodded. “Exactly! His wife said it was from the leftover 500-yuan betrothal gift, but who knows? Maybe your parents secretly gave him the money. The old couple has always favored him, you know that. Tsk tsk, and they even had a whole tractor-load of honeycomb briquettes delivered specially for them. How much must that have cost?”

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