Zhang Shouyi smiled, feeling smug and triumphant.

"Hongmei, I will give you time, I will give you enough respect, and I will give you freedom."

Zhang Hongmei snorted in resentment. She thought to herself, "Did I just sell myself out?"

He said something he would regret for the rest of his life: "You're not a pedophile, are you? You like little girls? That's a bit disgusting. Actually, I can call you Dad."

Zhang Shouyi was still smiling. This time he wasn't angry. He wasn't afraid. He would let her have her fill of verbal sparring first, but he was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle the consequences.

Zhang Hongmei suddenly shivered, thinking to herself, "Am I scared? What a spineless thing."

With that topic settled, Zhang Shouyi walked over and took Zhang Hongmei's hand. Before she could refuse, he spoke first, "Don't refuse. We're already in a relationship. Can't we even hold hands? Besides, I know my limits. I won't do anything inappropriate."

Zhang Hongmei was extremely unwilling and scratched Zhang Shouyi's palm hard, which made him burst into laughter. Not far away in the corridor, Xiao Li shuddered again. Good heavens, has someone else gone to hell?

Zhang Shouyi was looking at the flowers in the garden with Zhang Hongmei. Gu Chuanming, who had just returned, watched from a distance and shook his head. This good-for-nothing girl, she's letting Zhang Shouyi do as he pleases.

Zhang Hongmei spotted Gu Chuanming first, shook off Zhang Shouyi's hand, and ran towards Gu Chuanming.

"Grandpa, didn't you retire? Why are you still going out?"

"You're criticizing me as soon as you get back? I went to play chess with an old friend. What time did you get home?"

"I got home this morning. I brought you a lot of meat. Is it wild boar or smoked? I also brought sausage and flour."

"That's great! Without you at home, I don't even enjoy eating meat."

"Grandpa, I'll make you braised pork rice on Saturday. We'll use smoked pork; it'll definitely taste especially delicious."

"Sure, I'm waiting."

Zhang Shouyi watched with a smile, but inside he was incredibly jealous. He could accept her laughing and chatting with others before, even if he wasn't happy about it, but he'd never felt this jealous and angry. Seeing Gu Chuanming's provocative gaze, Zhang Shouyi laughed. Gu Chuanming couldn't bear to look at him and looked away. That wicked kid.

At this time, Wang Xinyi and Wang Ying also got up, washed up, and gathered in the living room.

Zhang Hongmei breathed a sigh of relief, finally free from Zhang Shouyi.

In fact, Zhang Hongmei never realized that she treated Zhang Shouyi and Liu Jingze differently.

Upon learning of Liu Jingze's feelings, Zhang Hongmei's first reaction was disgust and aversion. However, she didn't feel the same way about Zhang Shouyi; she simply found it unbelievable. This is the fundamental difference.

Dinner was dumplings. Wang Xinyi and Wang Ying both went to help. Zhang Hongmei and the other two went to her study and she told them in detail what had happened back in Liujiatun.

"My thoughts are similar to Shouyi's. The dinner will be on Friday night at the latest. Since that's the case, let's bring our families and have a big gathering, so that all the committee members and all the leaders in charge can attend. Tell Datou to make it a lively affair."

"Hmm, I'll give it a try. I reckon he'll agree. Sometimes I feel sorry for him; he loves being around people so much but only gets to see a few people each day. It's tough on him."

"Hehe, that's why he still keeps Jiang Zhaoqing around."

Zhang Hongmei didn't understand these things. She sat to the side reading a book and had no interest in these scheming and intrigue matters.

Half an hour later, the three of them finally came out of the study. No one dared to call them unless they came out on their own initiative.

There are three kinds of dumplings for dinner: scallion and pork, chive and pork, and three kinds of seafood.

Zhang Hongmei still preferred the three-delicacy filling. Although the shrimp were dried and peeled, they were still quite delicious after being soaked. She unconsciously ate more as Zhang Shouyi kept piling more onto her plate.

Rubbing her stomach, she gave Zhang Shouyi a reproachful look, unaware that her expression was that of a coquettish young woman.

But everyone at the table could see it. Wang Xinyi sighed inwardly, realizing that the guy had still succeeded, and felt particularly sorry for Zhang Hongmei. How terrifying was Zhang Shouyi, who could scheme against even the dead? At the same time, she was also quite moved, never expecting that Zhang Shouyi could have a girl he liked.

After finishing her meal, Zhang Hongmei strolled around for a while before getting into the car. After all, many seeds need to be properly selected.

"Don't worry, Hongmei. I won't send out these seeds for another two weeks. Don't fret."

"Yes, I know you'll arrange it." Zhang Hongmei had an inexplicable sense of trust in Zhang Shouyi, something that others couldn't do.

The two returned to the same mountain home they had visited before, where Zhang Hongmei had packed some things again. They didn't know what they were, but Zhang Shouyi had told her to pack them, so she did, and these items were kept separately.

"These are all for our children in the future."

"Hmph! You're overthinking it. I haven't even thought it through yet, and you're already thinking so far ahead?"

"Won't there come a day when you won't want a child of your own?"

Zhang Hongmei simply ignored him. What a lunatic! They had only just clarified their ambiguous relationship, and he immediately jumped to the topic of the child. It was truly speechless.

"Hongmei, shall we go back to the compound today?"

"No, I have to go to school tomorrow. Besides, it would be awkward for a man and a woman to be alone together. Please take me home quickly."

Zhang Shouyi sighed. He had no choice but to return to Xinyuan; he couldn't stay overnight, as he had a lot of work to do. He had skipped work this afternoon and would have to make it up tonight.

The next morning, the three of them practiced Tai Chi together, and then it was time to wash up and eat.

Knowing that Zhang Hongmei was clean, they prepared bathwater for her every day.

Zhang Hongmei was quite excited to be back at school after not attending classes for more than twenty days.

As soon as they entered the classroom, everyone looked up at Zhang Hongmei. Liang Yongmin was the first to greet her, "Class monitor, you're back?"

Zhang Hongmei smiled and said, "Yes, I'm back to class. The exams are coming up soon, and it would be too embarrassing if I didn't come back."

After finishing speaking, Wei Huaqiang returned to his seat and took out all his notebooks, handing them to Zhang Hongmei. "Class monitor, these are my notes. I really took them very seriously."

"Thanks, can I take all three subjects home tonight and copy them?"

"Of course you can."

Lu Yue turned around and asked, "Squad leader, did you go home to work? Why are you so tanned?"

"Haha, yes, I got home just in time for the wheat harvest, and then I helped plant corn."

"Squad leader, you can still do farm work?"

"Sure, look, my hands were blistered from harvesting wheat and now they've turned into calluses."

"That's true." Lu Yue touched the calluses on Zhang Hongmei's palm. "But, class monitor, your skin is really too good. It feels like a child's skin."