Chapter 13

Chen Jingbai gave the three men on the ground one last cold glance, then quickly disappeared into the woods. Almost instantly, his figure vanished into the night. Even if Zhou Dahe and the other two wanted to get up and look for him, they wouldn't know who had beaten him.

Chen Jingbai quietly made his way back to the educated youth settlement via the forest path. He scooped some water from the bucket, washed the mud off his shoes, and then went into the makeshift shower room in the shed to take another cold shower.

The cold water slid down his broad, thin back muscles. Chen Jingbai rinsed himself a few times and wiped the water droplets that splashed on his face.

In the sweltering summer, the male educated youths slept shirtless. Chen Jingbai thought that no one would be around in the middle of the night, so he put on his pants but didn't put on his shirt before pushing open the bathroom door and going out.

The hazy moonlight shone on him, a towel draped over his shoulder, and glistening water droplets from his still-wet body clung to the young man's lean chest, the faint lines of his muscles rising and falling with his breath.

He He pushed open the dormitory door and saw this scene. Her eyes widened and she even held her breath.

She had been woken up by the urge to use the restroom, still half asleep and with her legs wobbling, but she immediately woke up when she saw Chen Jingbai come out of the shower room shirtless.

Who would have thought that Chen Jingbai, after taking a shower, would take another one in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

I'd never seen Chen Jingbai shirtless before. Who would have thought that beneath his slender exterior, his muscles were so beautifully defined when he took off his clothes?

The two looked at each other, both feeling somewhat awkward.

He He broke the silence, "Chen Jingbai?"

Chen Jingbai's gaze swept over He He's simply draped coat. "Hmm, are you going out to use the restroom?"

He He avoided eye contact, nodded, and said, "Yes."

She drank too much water today, which made her need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. This is the first time she has been woken up by the urge to urinate in the middle of the night since her flashlight broke.

I originally wanted to hold it in, but I'm really in a hurry.

The outhouse wasn't far away, but it was still a bit scary in the middle of the night. He He saw that they were all sleeping soundly and was too embarrassed to ask someone to accompany her, so she had to bravely go out by herself. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Chen Jingbai, who was shirtless.

Chen Jingbai pursed his lips: "Wait for me a moment, I also need to go to the toilet."

He suddenly regretted not taking his shirt when he returned to his room. Now he needed to hurry back to his room to put on his shirt and then accompany He He to the outhouse, as it wasn't safe at night.

He He: "Okay, I'll wait for you."

Chen Jingbai was quick and came out in no time. "Let's go."

The outhouses in the countryside are dry toilets, and you can smell a strong odor even before you get close. He He pinched her nose and breathed softly.

She approached on tiptoe, waved to Chen Jingbai, and went into the women's restroom.

Chen Jingbai stood outside the door, backing away a bit. The smell was so strong that he wouldn't feel comfortable standing closer.

He He came out quickly and saw Chen Jingbai standing straight not far away. She jogged over and asked, "You finished so quickly?"

Chen Jingbai's eyes were calm and still. "Yes."

He He knew that Chen Jingbai was a man of few words, which she usually disliked. But now, with Chen Jingbai by her side, she no longer felt terrified even going to the toilet, and she accepted Chen Jingbai's attitude well.

"Chen Jingbai, can you be nicer to me? I feel like you're not nice to me at all." He He said this in a very loud voice, which even echoed in the quiet night.

Chen Jingbai was taken aback by He He's nonsensical remark and didn't know how to respond. He treated everyone equally and had never treated He He badly.

Compared to others, he was already quite tolerant of He He.

He didn't know any ordinary friends, and he and He He weren't even friends. If they hadn't both been sent to the countryside as educated youth in Qianjin Brigade and lived under the same roof, seeing each other every day, even though they were both from the provincial capital, they probably would never have met in their lives.

"What role do I play in being good to you? As a friend, I believe I've done the best I can for a friend." Chen Jingbai lowered his eyes and turned to look at He He.

He He: "But I don't want to be your friend."

Chen Jingbai raised an eyebrow, "Don't want to be friends? Then what are we?"

At this point, He He became a little hesitant, "Anyway, I just don't want to be just your friend."

She wants to be the female lead in Chen Jingbai's male-centric novel!!!

She wanted to be Chen Jingbai's girlfriend, but how could she possibly say it out loud?

Chen Jingbai tilted his head slightly, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Is that so?"

Chen Jingbai wasn't stupid. He He's words were already quite straightforward, and he understood what she wanted to say, but he wanted her to say it herself.

Seeing that Chen Jingbai did not answer according to her expectations, He He was a little unhappy. She pouted, stood in front of Chen Jingbai, stopped in her tracks, and forced Chen Jingbai to stop as well.

She looked up at Chen Jingbai and said, "I don't want to be your friend, I want to be your boyfriend. Please treat me well."

Chen Jingbai lowered his head slightly, leaned forward, and chuckled, "Sure, but I don't seem to see that you like me. What made you like me?"

He He took a step back, looking somewhat flustered.

Her heart was pounding from Chen Jingbai's words; she was incredibly nervous. Had he seen through something? But that shouldn't be the case, since Chen Jingbai didn't know about the existence of the Book of the World.

"I...I just like you. You're beautiful. I liked you the moment I saw you!" He He tried to calm herself down.

Chen Jingbai straightened up, his smile fading. "So superficial. But I don't like superficial people. What am I going to do?"

Ever since He He came to the woodshed the day before yesterday at noon, she has been acting very strangely. Today, he casually tested her, and sure enough, her expression changed instantly.

What exactly made He He, who had been so mean to him, become so obedient?

Chen Jingbai stared intently at He He, his eyes unblinking.

He He glared at Chen Jingbai, not to be outdone.

Superficial? Chen Jingbai actually called her superficial.

He He's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she pouted, "You have a pretty face, it's your good fortune that I've taken a liking to you. I just like good-looking people, how can you call me shallow?"

Chen Jingbai's face turned cold for a moment, but he quickly put on a smile again, which was more like He He.

"Yes, I'm so lucky. I'm so fortunate that I have a good-looking face that you like."

"So, does that mean you agree to be my boyfriend?" He He was happy again.

Chen Jingbai shook his head. "You've misunderstood. I'll consider it again once I see your sincerity."

He He has a good understanding. "So you mean you're willing to accept me, but not yet? Once I find other qualities in you that I like, you'll agree to be my girlfriend?"

She knew it! How could Chen Jingbai not like her? The reason he didn't agree now was just because he felt she wasn't sincere enough. Once Chen Jingbai saw her sincerity, winning him over would be just around the corner.

She knew that no one could refuse her.

Chen Jingbai was taken aback. Who taught her how to win a man's heart by discovering other good qualities in him and proving that she wasn't superficial?

Chen Jingbai looked at He He carefully and concluded that she was serious.

He He felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, and turned her bright almond-shaped eyes away. "Why are you looking at me like that? Just say yes or no. Do you have to think about it for so long?"

Chen Jingbai looked into He He's round eyes, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved slightly: "Okay."

Upon receiving a positive answer, He He jumped up and down, "Really? Really?"

Seeing He He looking over, Chen Jingbai suppressed his lip and said, "Really, it depends on your behavior. I'm not your boyfriend yet, so don't get so excited or you'll attract other people's attention."

He He turned back to Chen Jingbai's side, "Okay, okay!!! I'll speak very quietly, but you won't hear me if I speak very quietly."

"I can hear now." Chen Jingbai lowered his eyes, wishing his hearing were still good.

He He: "Okay, let's go back quickly. It's so dark, and the moon seems to be covered up."

Chen Jingbai nodded and said softly, "Mm."

The two rushed back to the educated youth settlement and separated under the eaves. He He sneakily pushed open the door of the girls' dormitory, took off her coat, and quietly climbed into bed.

Zheng Xinxin vaguely sensed the movement, forced her eyes open, and saw He He. She pulled back the thin blanket for her, "Hehe? Why are you up?"

He He said cheerfully, "I went to the restroom."

Zheng Xinxin: "Huh? Why didn't you call me? You're too bold."

He He lay down and snuggled close to Zheng Xinxin. "I ran into Chen Jingbai when he went to the toilet, and I went with him."

Zheng Xinxin was relieved: "Oh, that's good. Go to sleep now, I'll go back to sleep too."

He He was about to say something when she heard Zheng Xinxin's steady breathing.

She sighed, closed her eyes, but her mind was filled with images of Chen Jingbai and her dating.

He He reached out and patted her forehead.

Stop thinking about it! Chen Jingbai isn't that yet! Go to sleep, or you'll be in big trouble tomorrow!

He He calmed down, clutching the corner of the blanket to her chest, her breathing gradually becoming calm.

The next morning, as soon as the alarm rang, He He didn't linger in bed as she had planned the night before; she quickly got dressed.

As the rice harvest neared its end, the educated youth ate breakfast and went together to the tool shed to retrieve the rice harvesting tools.

When He He and his group arrived, there was already a group of people queuing up to receive sickles, chatting and laughing while they waited.

The sound was very loud, and everyone around could hear it clearly, including the educated youth who arrived later.

"Hey, have you heard? Zhou Changlin's son got beaten up last night. I don't know what happened, but he didn't come home until late at night. He was yelling and banging on the door. My wife couldn't stand the noise and went out to check. Oh my, it was Zhou Dahe. He was covered in soot, and when I got closer, I could tell he'd been drinking. The smell was really strong. I don't know where he'd been fooling around again. His family must be angry. They didn't even leave the door open for him. Zhou Changlin finally opened it after banging on it for ages."

“I live right next door to you, how come I didn’t know? After that good-for-nothing Zhou Dahe moved in, his house was so noisy, it was practically a complete mess. Tell me, what kind of son fights with his father? Zhou Changlin is really unlucky to have such a good-for-nothing son.”

"Where did Zhou Dahe go? Is it something else...?"

The women exchanged smiles, their unspoken words conveyed in their silent gazes.

Another aunt said, "Don't even mention Zhou Dahe. Didn't you see that when Zhang's second son came to collect farm tools this morning, he was covered in bruises? Zhang's second son also plays with Zhou Dahe. Do you think they offended someone?"

A note from the author:

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