Chapter Fifty-Four: Don't Leave Tonight
Song Xingzhi still had a gentle smile on his face, and he was carrying a small bag of fruit candies in his hand.
"Sister Chunxue, are you busy?" Song Xingzhi asked gently. "I heard from Zeng that you want to buy a used bicycle?"
Zhang Chunxue was somewhat surprised, not expecting that Song Xingzhi already knew about this.
It seems that Zeng told him after he went back.
Zhang Chunxue was surprised that Song Xingzhi came to talk to her about this so soon.
"Yes, I'm thinking about it, but I haven't found the right one yet."
“I don’t ride my Phoenix brand bike very often. If you don’t mind, you can take it,” Song Xingzhi said. “Anyway, I don’t use it much. If you need to use it, you can borrow someone else’s.”
He tentatively asked again, "Can you ride a bicycle? Do you want me to teach you?"
Zhang Chunxue quickly refused: "No need, Xingzhi. I don't want a bicycle, and it's not for riding... no..."
She paused for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: "Actually, I wanted to... I wanted to do some small business. I wanted to get a tricycle so it would be easier to go to the county to sell my goods."
She briefly explained her plan to start a braised pork offal business to Song Xingzhi.
As Song Xingzhi listened, his brows gradually furrowed, a complex look flashing in his eyes: "Sister Chunxue, why... do you have to work so hard?"
His voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible heartache.
He hesitated, the thought swirling in his mind: If you were willing to marry me, why would you have to suffer like this?
But the words stuck in his throat.
He was afraid of being too forward with her, and he was also afraid of being rejected.
Zhang Chunxue, however, seemed oblivious to his odd behavior, her eyes shining brightly with a defiant spirit.
"When it comes to life, everyone needs to have something to strive for, right?"
She laughed heartily: "There's still a long road ahead, I have to rely on myself to make this life prosperous! I can't always depend on others."
Song Xingzhi sighed softly.
His liking for Zhang Chunxue was not without reason.
Her indomitable spirit, her determination to make a good life, and the occasional, hidden tenderness she revealed all deeply attracted him.
“I’ll keep an eye out for the tricycle for you,” Song Xingzhi said gently. “If there’s a suitable one, I’ll let you know as soon as possible.”
Zhang Chunxue's face showed a rare hint of embarrassment, "Then...that's really too much trouble for you, Xingzhi."
The smile in Song Xingzhi's eyes deepened, as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Sister Chunxue, you're being too polite. I'm happy to help you, it's no trouble at all."
A warm current flowed silently through Zhang Chunxue's heart.
She looked at Song Xingzhi and suddenly, as if possessed, said, "Xingzhi, how about... you don't leave tonight and just have a simple meal at my place?"
Song Xingzhi was clearly taken aback.
He instinctively wanted to decline, after all, villagers are gossipy, and as a grown man, eating at Sister Chunxue's house might damage her reputation.
"This...isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
Zhang Chunxue seemed to see through his thoughts, and curled her lips into a smirk.
"What's wrong with that? You help me out every other day, and I can't even treat you to a meal?"
"Besides, you can't expect me to owe you a favor and then not even give me a chance to repay it, can you?"
Before Song Xingzhi could say anything more, Zhang Chunxue interrupted, "Besides, you need to get used to it beforehand."
Song Xingzhi was stunned again, his mind still a little blank.
"Adapt...adapt to what?"
A sly glint flashed in Zhang Chunxue's eyes, but her face remained serious: "Getting used to living with my family."
She was thinking to herself that she would have to find a way to get rid of these three troublesome sons sooner or later, but she couldn't tell anyone about this idea right now.
At first, Song Xingzhi didn't quite grasp the meaning.
But then, as if he had been hit on the head, a huge surge of joy welled up from the bottom of his heart!
How to get along with her family?
What... what does this mean?
He suddenly looked up at Zhang Chunxue, his voice trembling slightly: "Okay! Sister Chunxue, I... I'll stay for dinner!"
He coughed lightly, concealing his inner turmoil: "Then I'll go back to the brigade headquarters first, hand over what I'm doing, and come over in a bit."
Zhang Chunxue smiled, but deliberately put on a stern face: "It's a deal, don't go back on your word and stand me up!"
Song Xingzhi's heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by a feather, a pleasant, warm sensation.
"Sister Chunxue, when have I ever gone back on my promise to you? Absolutely not!"
Song Xingzhi walked away with light steps, his back view exuding a sense of joy.
As Zhang Chunxue watched his retreating figure, the smile on her face became more genuine.
It was a rare occasion for her to treat someone to a meal, and it was Song Xingzhi, so she decided to show off her skills.
Just then, Zhong Chengren, that good-for-nothing, brought back a piece of meat. She thought she would go to the tofu shop at the west end of the village to buy a piece of soft tofu.
As soon as I reached the village entrance, I heard a sharp argument.
She frowned and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Zhong Xiaoxiao holding Zhong Hongqing's hand, arguing heatedly with a woman from the village.
The woman spat as she spoke, her voice sharp and sarcastic: "That old hag Zhang Chunxue, who's lost her husband, is not interested in Secretary Song, who is young, promising, and not blind."
Zhong Xiaoxiao's face turned red with anger, and she shouted, "My mom isn't an old hag! You're not allowed to talk nonsense!"
The woman scoffed and glanced at her sideways: "You little brat, you're so stupid! You're even taking your mother's side?"
"Have you forgotten how your mother used to beat and scold you every few days?"
"They really have forgotten the pain once the wound has healed!"
Zhong Xiaoxiao refused, stiffening her neck and turning her face bright red.
"That must be because I was immature before, that's why my mom treated me like that!"
Her voice was still trembling slightly, but her tone was incredibly firm.
The woman chuckled, her face full of disdain.
"What do you know, you little brat?"
"Your mom is only giving you a nice look because she thinks you're good at studying and might be able to marry into a wealthy family in the future!"
"Otherwise, with her money-grubbing nature, would she really treat you well?"
Zhong Xiaoxiao's eyes reddened with anger: "You're talking nonsense! My mom isn't that kind of person! She's being nice to me now, and that's all she cares about!"
Just then, a cold voice came from behind.
"Xiaoxiao, what's the point of arguing with someone who has such a long tongue and a rotten mouth?"
Zhang Chunxue had somehow appeared behind them, her face calm and expressionless, but her eyes were sharp as knives.
The woman's harsh expression froze instantly, revealing a hint of embarrassment and guilt. She subconsciously shrank back.
Zhong Xiaoxiao was also startled, her face turned pale, and she looked at Zhang Chunxue helplessly, afraid that she would blame her for meddling.
"Mom..." she called out timidly.
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