The next moment, Lin Aiyun felt the mattress beside her dip slightly, and then a warm body curled around her. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, letting her rest comfortably against him.
“Xiao Cheng…”
“I like you.”
The blunt words cut off whatever she was about to say. She hadn’t expected him to say it so directly—with no warning at all. But coming from him, it somehow felt perfectly natural.
“I know you like me too. So calling you sister-in-law isn’t wrong.” That answered her earlier question, but…
“Like you? How can you be so sure? What if I don’t?” Lin Aiyun, caught off guard by his directness, grew flustered.
Xiao Cheng let out a soft laugh, a hint of mischief in it. He suddenly buried his face in the crook of her neck, his posture indulgent and accommodating. His breath brushed against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. His voice was slightly hoarse: “Lin Aiyun, we’re already sleeping together—and you still say you don’t like me?”
“You were the one who climbed into bed. I didn’t ask you to.” He wasn’t even calling her “Teacher Lin” anymore—just her name.
“Right. I was the one who insisted on kissing you, insisted on sleeping with you.” Xiao Cheng’s lips curved into a faint smile as he gazed at her steadily. “All those things were for you. I was going to fill your room with them secretly—but then things went wrong.”
“Next time we go, you can pick out more yourself.”
He spoke almost directly against her ear, the ticklish sensation making her unconsciously tilt her head away. But the moment she shifted, he followed, giving her no room to think.
“But you said they weren’t for me.” Lin Aiyun remembered clearly. Before they’d left, Xiao Cheng had said some pretty harsh things back at the villa—enough to make her want to jump out of her skin.
“That was just me being stubborn.” Xiao Cheng was surprisingly honest now. To make her happy, he didn’t hesitate to put himself down: “It’s my first time liking someone—I’m bound to do stupid things. Don’t take those childish words to heart.”
The words “first time” pleased her, and she secretly smiled.
“Then who did you think I was buying them for? Some other woman?” Xiao Cheng’s hold on her tightened, pulling her closer, as if trying to meld her into himself—like a child tasting candy for the first time, unwilling to let go once it was in his mouth.
“Were you jealous then? Like how I didn’t like you being too close to that journalist?” They’d already said enough today; a few more words wouldn’t hurt. So she asked whatever came to mind.
After a long pause, a quiet, reluctant response came: “Mm.”
Xiao Cheng paused, then tilted his head and laughed softly: “Don’t worry. There’s no messy history with other people on my side.”
Then, unable to help himself, he added: “Now that you’re with me, you can only be with me. That journalist, Zhou Jin—they all need to step aside. And don’t smile at them so happily anymore.”
“We’re not even officially together yet, and you’re already controlling me?” Lin Aiyun pouted, unimpressed.
Xiao Cheng gritted his teeth and laughed in exasperation: “Not together? I think your mouth is even stiffer than mine. Are you asking for trouble?”
She turned her head to dodge his kiss, but the moment she struggled, she heard a soft grunt and froze. Thinking she’d hurt his wound, she quickly turned back to check—and got caught.
“Xiao Cheng, you liar.”
“Say a few more—I like hearing it.”
“…”
Scoundrel. Rogue.
—
A bright, fresh morning. Small clouds rolled like white waves across the pale blue sky. Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, filling the room with a crisp, sweet air.
The temperature difference between day and night was stark. Lin Aiyun woke up cold, tugged the blanket tighter, and rolled over in bed. It took her a while to fully come to.
Looking out at the beautiful weather, she remembered everything from the night before and couldn’t help but smile. Then she recalled the resentful look on Xiao Cheng’s face when she’d kicked him out, and she burst out laughing.
They’d only just gotten together—had to take it slow. Rushing things wouldn’t help their relationship, especially for a young man like Xiao Cheng. Dry wood and fire—too easy for things to get out of hand.
Besides, they were still young, unmarried, and their feelings weren’t entirely stable yet. If something happened, it wouldn’t be good for either of their reputations.
So restraint was the best choice.
After changing, Lin Aiyun braided her hair into a side plait. She stepped out and saw that the door next door was still shut. Not knowing if he’d already left or was still sleeping, she didn’t disturb him. Instead, she followed her memory from the day before and headed to the kitchen.
When she arrived, Guan Ju was alone inside and had thoughtfully prepared toiletries for her. Facilities were limited, so everything was simple—willow twigs for brushing, clear water for rinsing, and a hot towel for washing her face. After the routine, she felt refreshed and clean, the last traces of drowsiness gone.
“Where’s Qiuqiu?” Looking around and not seeing the little girl, Lin Aiyun asked curiously.
At the mention of her daughter, Guan Ju smiled warmly: “She went up the mountain with her grandmother to pick dragon-head vegetables.”
Dragon-head vegetables, also known as fiddlehead ferns, were just starting to sprout during this season. Growing wild without human intervention, they carried the essence of the mountains and were a green delicacy gifted by nature—fragrant, fresh, and tender. That made them especially popular.
But as the weather warmed, these ferns grew quickly. If not harvested in time, they’d age within days and become inedible. So the villagers usually seized the moment to go up the mountain and pick them—either to eat fresh or to pickle, which would extend their shelf life and make a tasty side dish for the table later on.
“I see.” Lin Aiyun nodded. Seeing Guan Ju scooping water to wash her hands, she moved to help roll up her sleeves. Guan Ju instinctively stepped aside.
“Sorry—I just wanted to help you roll up your sleeves so they don’t get wet.” Lin Aiyun, thinking she’d overstepped, scratched her forehead and explained awkwardly.
Guan Ju smiled and held out her arm: “Then thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Lin Aiyun smiled back and rolled up Guan Ju’s sleeves to the elbow, folding them twice to keep them from slipping down.
Though they each had their own tasks, they kept chatting to pass the time. Guan Ju was ten years older than Lin Aiyun, gentle in nature, and occasionally cracked jokes to lighten the mood. Spending time with her was a genuine pleasure.
Through their conversation, Lin Aiyun learned why Xiao Cheng and his people were here.
Guan Ju said that a few months ago, a group of outsiders had suddenly arrived in the village, claiming they wanted to do business. They’d leased a large plot of land in the mountains to build a pig farm. They’d only just started buying piglets—it would be a long while before they saw any returns.
But the factory owner was a good man. Even before making any money, he’d poured a lot of his own funds into the village—paying to build houses, buy grain, repair roads, and hiring villagers to work at the factory for wages…
“These past few years, the harvests have been bad. Several floods washed away the crops. If it weren’t for Boss Xiao, a lot of people in our village would have starved long ago.” Guan Ju scooped the cooked vegetables out of the pot and spoke to Lin Aiyun.
Hearing this, Lin Aiyun felt deeply moved. Her eyes warmed, and for a moment she didn’t know what to say. Her emotions churned like a calm lake disturbed by a thrown stone, rippling outward.
Her lips curved upward in pride for Xiao Cheng’s kindness.
“He’s a good man.”
Guan Ju nodded in agreement and glanced at the sky. “It’s mealtime. Is Boss Xiao going to join you for breakfast?”
“I’ll go call him.” Lin Aiyun stood up from the low stool.
But as soon as she stepped out of the kitchen, she saw Xiao Cheng and Zhou Jin walking toward her along the path. Her gaze was drawn to the former, a soft light blooming in her eyes.
Xiao Cheng seemed to sense her presence. He looked up and locked eyes with her. A smile tugged at his lips as his gaze lingered on her. His thin lips parted: “What are you just standing there for? Come here.”
Beside him, Zhou Jin was startled by the sudden softness in Xiao Cheng’s tone. The hair on his back stood up. He turned in disbelief—and when he saw the unmistakable smile on Xiao Cheng’s face, he drew in a sharp breath.
What on earth had happened during the time he hadn’t been by his side?
“I was about to call you to eat. You come over—why should I go to you?” Lin Aiyun didn’t move, waiting by the kitchen door.
Zhou Jin was baffled. He stood frozen like a block of wood, shocked. Since when did Miss Lin talk to Brother Cheng like that? Wasn’t she afraid he’d lose his temper?
Then his gaze shifted—and he felt as if struck by lightning. His mouth fell open as he watched Xiao Cheng walk over to Lin Aiyun with good grace and reach out to ruffle her hair. The gesture was practiced, natural.
!!!
Dongzi’s “sister-in-law” from yesterday echoed in his mind. But when did this happen? Right under his nose—and he hadn’t even known?
“Zhou Jin.”
“Yes.”
Zhou Jin pulled himself together. He watched Xiao Cheng place his hand on Lin Aiyun’s shoulder and half-escort her into the kitchen. He took a deep breath and followed.
“Eat more—you’re like a little cat.” Xiao Cheng picked up his chopsticks and kept piling meat and vegetables onto Lin Aiyun’s bowl like he was feeding a pig.
“I can’t eat that much.” Lin Aiyun barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, forcing a smile.
“Leave what you can’t finish.”
“Mr. Xiao, wasting food is shameful.”
Xiao Cheng raised an eyebrow and corrected her: “Call me by my name. Xiao. Cheng. Are those two words hard to say? You said them easily enough last night.”
Ahem—Lin Aiyun nearly choked on her own saliva. She instinctively glanced at the other two in the room, relieved to see them absorbed in their own tasks, as if they hadn’t heard. She let out a breath.
But she didn’t know that Zhou Jin had his head practically buried in his chest. Was this something he was supposed to hear? Would Brother Cheng have to silence him later?
Guan Ju, on the other hand, had her eyes wide open. As far as she knew, Boss Xiao wasn’t married. For them to be like this before marriage… it wouldn’t do Miss Lin’s reputation any good.
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