Chapter 7: Was the room too stuffy, or was the woman too fragrant?
Zhao Xiaohua's eyes darted around, her face full of embarrassment and guilt. She stammered for a long time, unsure of how to begin.
Some people heard Jiang Wanqiu's question and their eyes showed a hint of schadenfreude, as if they were watching a good show.
It's understandable that the Zhao family wouldn't dare to speak up.
Which young, unmarried woman would be willing to become someone's stepmother right after arriving in the world?
"Of course we want it, why wouldn't we?" Jiang Wanqiu spoke up again, meeting everyone's gaze. "Which of you heard the Zhao family say they didn't want the child? It's perfectly normal for a child to stay at his uncle's house for a night, just visiting. How come it's become so terrible in the mouths of some of you?"
Zhao Ping'an was stunned, staring blankly at the beautiful woman protecting him.
Zhao Wenchang was also very surprised. He never expected that Jiang Wanqiu would stand up and defend the child without asking why.
Dazhuang's mother persisted: "He can't hit people! He should apologize to my Dazhuang!"
Jiang Wanqiu sneered and retorted directly.
"Apologize?"
Why should he apologize?
She lowered her head and looked at the chubby guy who was still faking tears. "Wang Dazhuang, you were wrong to start by swearing. You should come over here and apologize to your brother Ping An!"
Among the crowd, a lazy, single villager stared intently at Jiang Wanqiu's exposed, snow-white neck and slender wrists.
This young woman from the city...
That's awesome! That's fucking awesome!
Wang Dazhuang's mother wasn't having any of it and stood with her hands on her hips, ready to throw a tantrum.
"You city bumpkin, what do you know! Saying a few words to him won't hurt him! He really hit my Dazhuang, so he should apologize!"
"Pah!" Wang Dazhuang wiped his snot and glared fiercely at Zhao Ping'an. "I'm not apologizing to him! He's just an unwanted bastard! Why should I apologize when I didn't say anything wrong!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Ping'an suddenly broke free from Zhao Wenchang's hand and was about to rush up to hit someone again. After Zhao Wenchang pulled him back steadily, he still pointed at Wang Dazhuang's nose, spitting out each word with resentment.
"Wang Dazhuang, you just wait! Don't let me see you again. Every time I see you, I'll beat you up!"
Despite his small stature, he exudes a fierce energy that no one can stop.
Wang Dazhuang shuddered in fright and shrank back behind his mother.
In the end, the matter still ended badly.
The villagers who had come to watch the spectacle savored the moment and gradually dispersed.
The farce ended badly in the end.
Back at the Zhao family home, once the courtyard gate was closed, Zhao Ping'an was punished by Zhao Wenchang to stand facing the wall, standing straight in the main room, and was not allowed to eat.
Father-in-law Zhao sighed and gave Zhao Xiaohua a wink.
Zhao Xiaohua understood and awkwardly tugged at Jiang Wanqiu's arm.
"Late Autumn, you...you come inside with us for a moment."
After entering the elderly couple's house, Zhao's father-in-law closed the door, and Zhao Xiaohua nervously rubbed her hands, not knowing how to speak for a long time.
It was Zhao's father-in-law who spoke up, his voice filled with remorse.
“Wanqiu, this matter… is something our family has wronged you with. Ping’an… he is not Wenchang’s biological son.”
Jiang Wanqiu had already guessed what was going on, but she remained calm and gestured for the other party to continue.
Zhao Xiaohua quickly chimed in, "He is the orphaned son of one of Wenchang's comrades. That comrade died protecting Wenchang. His mother was also a soldier. Knowing that her husband had sacrificed his life, she was determined to avenge him. She rushed into the enemy's sentry post... and never came back. Wenchang felt indebted to her, so he took in this only son of his."
"To save face for the child, we've been telling everyone it's ours. We were thinking of explaining things to you gradually once you've gotten to know Wenchang better..."
After the elderly couple finished speaking, they carefully watched Jiang Wanqiu's expression, afraid that if she became unhappy, the marriage would fall through.
What young lady would willingly become a stepmother the moment she marries into a family? Or even raise someone else's son?
Looking at their nervous and guilty expressions, Jiang Wanqiu felt a sense of calm.
She nodded: "I see, Uncle, Aunt, I understand."
In her past life, the child she was destined to have was also adopted.
Perhaps because there had been precedents, she didn't have any reservations about it.
Seeing how understanding she was, Zhao's parents-in-law were both moved and indebted. They made up their minds to treat this daughter-in-law like their own daughter from now on.
As night deepened, Zhao Ping'an was dragged to his parents-in-law's room to sleep.
Jiang Wanqiu couldn't sleep last night because of the cold, so the next day Zhao Wenchang took some time to cover the bedroom window tightly with plastic sheeting to prevent the wind from blowing in.
This plastic sheet was originally meant to be used for warmth in winter.
Now that the room was completely sealed off, Jiang Wanqiu broke out in a light sweat as soon as she moved.
No, I need to take a shower.
As soon as Zhao Wenchang entered the room, he saw the woman squatting down and rummaging through the luggage she had brought.
Her slender, fair neck hung down, small and delicate, making her look even more like a cat rummaging through something.
Jiang Wanqiu found some new clothes to change into, and when she turned around, she bumped into the man who had been standing behind her at some point.
She gasped softly, losing her balance and swaying backward.
"Be careful." Zhao Wenchang reached out and supported the woman's slender waist.
The scalding heat emanated from my waist and palms, and the heat strangely spread outwards from that small point of contact, thread by thread, to the surrounding flesh.
"Hmm."
Jiang Wanqiu let out a soft moan, her body trembling slightly involuntarily, before she smiled somewhat awkwardly: "You pinched my ticklish spot."
"Ahem, sorry." Zhao Wenchang shrugged and withdrew his hand.
At that moment, that emotionless voice in my mind rang out again.
[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully used the "Newbie Gift Pack" item. The target character's favorability has slightly increased. System upgrade!]
[Congratulations, host, on receiving the Newcomer Gift Pack: a 'Shy and Hesitant' silk slip dress, a 'First Stir' sex toy, and a 'Seductive Fragrance' jasmine-scented shower gel.]
"There's no hot water in the house, I'll boil some for you, just wait a moment." Zhao Wenchang heard that the woman wanted to take a bath, so he turned around and went out to boil water for her.
After the water was boiled, she took the bottle of shower gel and went to the makeshift shed in the yard.
There were no bathing facilities in the countryside, so Jiang Wanqiu decided to make do with this.
When she returned, she carried a fresh and alluring jasmine scent.
But Zhao Wenchang couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
The fragrance, like tiny, tangible hands, kept seeping into his nose, making him feel hot all over and his mouth dry.
He rolled over, then rolled over again, feeling incredibly agitated.
I don't know if it was because the room was too stuffy, or because the woman smelled too good.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Wanqiu was woken up by the urge to urinate. Still half asleep, she got off the bed to go to the toilet.
As soon as I entered the main room, I heard rustling sounds coming from the kitchen.
It's so dark... Has a thief broken in?!
Her heart leaped into her throat, her legs went weak, and she scrambled back into the house, her voice trembling as she tried to push the person on the floor.
"Zhao Wenchang! Zhao Wenchang, wake up! There seems to be a burglar in the house!"
Zhao Wenchang opened his eyes with a "whoosh" and sat up with a jerk.
He pulled the trembling woman behind him and whispered, "Don't be afraid, stay here."
As he spoke, he grabbed the hoe by the door, crouched down, and crept out.
Jiang Wanqiu dared not stay alone, so she followed him, trembling.
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