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墨書 Inktalez
Junxi leaned against Zhou Xuanyu, unable to suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
"Carry me to brush my teeth," she said, taking advantage of his indulgence.
To her surprise, Zhou Xuanyu immediately lifted her onto his back.
Dressed lightly, Junxi lay against him like a pair of small wings folded together.
"Sis, Grandma baked sweet potatoes, your favorite..."
Jun Xuan happened to push the door open just in time to see Zhou Xuanyu carrying Junxi.
"Tsk tsk tsk!" Junxi clicked her tongue. "My sister is really something. She used to do everything herself, and now with Uncle Xuan Yu around, she can't even walk."
"Nonsense!" Junxi laughed and scolded.
Despite Jun Xuan's teasing, Zhou Xuanyu carried her all the way to the bathroom door. His broad back provided her with an indescribable sense of security.
After washing up and enjoying the sweet potatoes baked by Grandma herself, the day finally felt warm and inviting.
Grandma had actually recognized Zhou Xuanyu long ago; she just never imagined that this imposing second son of the Zhou family would one day be with her little Junxi.
The wonders of fate lie in the fact that one can never know what will happen in the next moment.
Yet this mystery left the elderly woman somewhat worried. After all, the age difference was significant.
Could Zhou Xuanyu truly be the right match for Junxi?
"Bang! Bang!"
The door of the courtyard suddenly shook.
"Who is it? Knocking or banging?" Jun Xuan muttered in dissatisfaction.
The old lady stood up, wanting to go open the door, but was pressed down by Junxi.
"Grandma, I'll go."
Saying this, Junxi ran over.
"Is anyone there?" The person outside began to shout impatiently.
"Yes." Junxi pulled the door open.
Standing outside were several men along with A Xiu, who had left in a huff yesterday.
"During the day, you keep the door closed. Who knows what shady business you're up to?" A Xiu said while peering inside. Her gaze quickly landed on Zhou Xuanyu, who was calmly sipping tea in the courtyard.
"Oh, just yesterday you were bragging about having a wealthy boyfriend, and today you've even brought your entourage."
"What’s going on?" The old lady stood up.
This A Xiu was truly outrageous; yesterday's incident had already been infuriating enough, and now she had come to stir trouble again.
"Oh, Madam Wen, don't be so loud. It's nothing serious. County Chief Bai sent someone to inform you that you can no longer stay in this house; you need to pack up and leave."
"What do you mean?"
The old lady was momentarily stunned.
"You probably don't know, do you? The ownership of this land doesn't belong to your corrupt son; it's actually under County Chief Bai," A Xiu said, placing her hand on her waist and glancing around the tidy courtyard. "Who told you to call The Son of the County Magistrate Bai a fool yesterday? County Chief Bai is angry."
"You... what nonsense did you spread at County Chief Bai's place?"
"On my honor, I didn't say anything. I merely repeated what you said yesterday to County Chief Bai," A Xiu replied, signaling to a few men behind her. "Didn't County Chief Bai say to have this old woman move today? I doubt she'll leave so easily; you all should help!"
Upon hearing this, the men rushed inside.
"What are you doing! Who dares touch anything in this house?" Junxi shouted.
"Little girl, don't be so arrogant; it's not up to you now."
"Is it Bai Zigou?" Zhou Xuanyu, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked.
"Oh, you know our County Chief Bai's name!" A Xiu scoffed. "But knowing his name won't help; those who need to leave must leave. Take apart the chair he’s sitting on!"
The men immediately followed her orders and charged toward Zhou Xuanyu.
Zhou Xuanyu stood up and casually grabbed one of the men's collar.
"Still want to fight?" A Xiu said with excitement. She wanted to escalate the situation, hoping that County Chief Bai would completely drive them out of Yilan, relieving her of the anger she had swallowed yesterday.
"I don't want to fight," Zhou Xuanyu calmly prevented the man from swinging his fist. "You have five minutes; go call Bai Zigou."
Zhou Xuanyu spoke as if he had known Bai Zigou from Yilan for a long time. The man was momentarily frozen by Zhou Xuanyu's presence, unsure whether to strike or obediently fetch County Chief Bai.
"Ha! How ridiculous! Do you think you can just call County Chief Bai whenever you want? Who do you think you are?" A Xiu couldn't help but laugh, her expression filled with mockery.
Zhou Xuanyu ignored the woman; for him, such a petty clown wasn't worth a second glance.
He released his grip and glanced at the watch on his wrist.
"I said, only five minutes. If I don't see anyone after five minutes, County Chief Bai won't have that title anymore," Zhou Xuanyu said, settling back into his seat and calmly sipping his tea.
Perhaps having never heard such bold words before, A Xiu began to doubt the background of the man before her, who exuded an extraordinary presence.
"Heh... who are you trying to scare?" Her speech started to falter.
"Auntie, if I tell you to call him, then go call him. I told you my brother-in-law is a very capable person. If you don't go, and County Chief Bai loses his position later, can you afford the consequences?"
Jun Xuan chuckled from the side.
It was then that Junxi realized that throughout this farce, his younger brother had not stood up even once. He had been leaning over the table, studying vocabulary; his demeanor was even more indifferent than Zhou Xuanyu's.
No wonder these two were so compatible.
"Big sister, how about I go invite County Chief Bai over?"
Some of the men among them began to waver at Zhou Xuanyu's words, urging A Xiu to reconsider.
After hesitating for a few seconds, A Xiu finally nodded.
Although she agreed, she still refused to admit defeat verbally: "Inviting County Chief Bai over would be good; we can expose their tricks right in front of them."
One of the men turned to leave.
"Wait." Zhou Xuanyu called him back again.
A Xiu raised her chin proudly: "What's wrong? Are you afraid to call now?"
Zhou Xuanyu looked down at the time on his watch. "There are still three minutes left. To make it easier for you to run, tell him I am Zhou Xuanyu."
"Remember that? Zhou Xuanyu!" Jun Xuan shouted with a mock authority.
Junxi was amused by her brother's antics, but she felt a twinge of worry. She wasn't sure if Zhou Xuanyu truly had the confidence to handle Bai Zigou.
If they were in Qingcheng, she wouldn't doubt Zhou Xuanyu's abilities at all; after all, his connections were there. But this was Yilan, a remote and unfamiliar place for her, and she hardly knew anyone here. How could he possibly know the county chief?
Perhaps sensing her unease, Zhou Xuanyu stood up and walked over to Junxi, patting her on the head before casually wrapping an arm around the old lady's shoulders.
"Don't worry, no one can drive you out of here today."
After just a short wait—barely two minutes—the rotund County Chief Bai came waddling over.
"County Chief Bai, that guy..."
"Shut up!"
A Xiu leaned in to complain but was abruptly silenced by Bai Zigou. The county chief then turned his attention to Zhou Xuanyu.
"Mr. Zhou! Oh, Mr. Zhou! Why didn’t you give me a heads-up about your sudden visit? I would have been able to host you properly!"
Bai Zigou smiled at Zhou Xuanyu with an ingratiating grin. Not only A Xiu but even Junxi felt a bit taken aback.
Zhou Xuanyu had connections with someone like him?
"County Chief Bai, long time no see. I didn't expect your methods to become even simpler and more direct."
"Mr. Zhou, please don't take offense! I truly had no idea that Madam Wen was acquainted with you. If I had known, I wouldn't have dared to come here and cause trouble!"
"You, as the county chief, actually trouble the common people. How can you still have the face to say that!"
Although Zhou Xuanyu was present and she shouldn't have spoken up, Junxi couldn't help herself.
Bai Zigou glanced at Junxi. Although he didn't know the relationship between this woman and Zhou Xuanyu, just from the way their hands were closely linked, he could tell their bond was significant.
"Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely reflect on myself," Bai Zigou said, nodding and bowing.
Seeing Bai Zigou's obsequiousness, A Xiu guessed that Zhou Xuanyu held considerable influence. She quickly stepped forward to explain, "Oh, it’s just a misunderstanding; we were all joking."
"It’s you, woman!" Bai Zigou suddenly turned around and glared fiercely at A Xiu. "You always find ways to stir up trouble when you have nothing better to do!"
A Xiu had stirred up gossip at his house yesterday when he was already in a bad mood, which led to today’s farce.
"County Chief Bai, I feel wronged by what you just said," A Xiu pouted. "It was Madam Wen who said your son is a fool..."
"Shut up!" Bai Zigou interrupted A Xiu again.
This woman really had no sense of occasion when she spoke.
"Madam Wen, I sincerely apologize. I've heard some things about what happened here. It's all these matchmakers causing trouble for the sake of dowries. My foolish son is not worthy of your daughter."
Bai Zigou quickly lowered his own status while smiling at Junxi.
"Yes, yes. My sister deserves someone like my brother-in-law. You all should save your breath," Jun Xuan interjected. He looked at A Xiu and added, "Some people should think about who really needs to leave and hurry up!"
A Xiu was provoked by Jun Xuan's words and immediately exploded with anger.
"You little brat! I've disliked you since yesterday..."
A Xiu pointed at Jun Xuan and began to scold him loudly. She didn't care how ugly Bai Zigou's expression looked; she just wanted to get the upper hand verbally.
"If you can't stand me, then don't look at me. I can't stand you either," Jun Xuan said impatiently, waving his hand to signal A Xiu to leave quickly.
A Xiu was seething with anger, as if she could explode at any moment.
Bai Zigou, fearing the situation would escalate, hurriedly urged the man beside him to push A Xiu out. She stumbled and was shoved out the door.
"What’s so great about it? A fallen young lady expecting to marry into a wealthy family? I see you’re just someone to be played with... once they’re bored..."
"What did you say?" Zhou Xuanyu, who had been unwilling to engage with this woman, couldn't help but interrupt her now. "Say that again."
"I said, sir, you will eventually realize that this girl from the Wen Family is not worthy of you..."
"I will marry her."
Zhou Xuanyu spoke each word deliberately.
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned, including Junxi.
What did Zhou Xuanyu just say? He said he would marry her?
Oh my...
Junxi felt a bit dizzy, her entire being frozen in place, but there was a sweet aftertaste to it.
"You..."
A Xiu wanted to say something more but was dragged away by Bai Zigou.
"Mr. Zhou, I will definitely treat you to a meal another day. For now, I won't disturb you any longer!"
The crowd dispersed, leaving only their family behind.
"Wow!" Jun Xuan exclaimed, a mischievous smile on his face as he picked up his notebook and started to walk back. "I think I should go back to my room to do my homework."
The old lady paused for a moment before quickly turning around. "I'm going to the kitchen to prepare dinner."
"Then I'll also..."
Junxi tried to escape but was caught by Zhou Xuanyu.
"Where are you going?" Zhou Xuanyu looked at her.
"I'm going to tidy up your room."
"No need to clean. Your room is quite spacious."
"I can't stay here..." she murmured softly, then asked quietly, "What you said earlier, was it sincere?"
"Which part?"
The wheel of fortune turns, and pretending has to be done in turns as well.
Junxi shot him a glare.
Zhou Xuanyu feigned innocence and shrugged.
"I really don't know which part?"
"You said you would marry me. That part!" Junxi's eyes suddenly brightened.
She was so eager for his answer because marrying Zhou Xuanyu was her lifelong dream. This dream had sprouted long ago when she first began to dream.
Zhou Xuanyu looked at her with infinite affection and pulled her into his embrace.
"That counts."
After dinner, where Zhou Xuanyu would sleep indeed became a significant issue.
Grandma was a traditional woman and took the matter of unmarried couples sharing a room very seriously.
Jun Xuan joked around, hoping that Zhou Xuanyu would come sleep with him. Naturally, Junxi wouldn’t express her feelings, even though she really wanted to rest her head on his arm.
To ensure everyone could sleep soundly, it was ultimately decided to prepare a separate room for Zhou Xuanyu. His room was directly across from Junxi's.
It felt somewhat absurd for two people who had been together for so long to sleep in separate beds. However, Zhou Xuanyu insisted on respecting the elder's wishes.
Although he had mentioned today that he would marry Junxi, he had not yet done so.
He understood the old lady's thoughts.
After taking a shower, Junxi noticed that the light in Zhou Xuanyu's room was still on, so she ran over to visit him.
His door was unlocked, and as soon as she pushed it open, she found Zhou Xuanyu just finishing his shower. He was wearing a clean sweater and sitting on the bed, checking emails on his computer.
"Why are you still working?" Junxi asked as she walked over and sat down at the edge of his bed.
"There are some urgent matters that can't be delayed."
"Isn't it because you came here and left work behind?" Junxi asked with a hint of guilt.
"No, it's an unexpected situation," he denied.
Once Junxi entered, Zhou Xuanyu set aside his laptop and focused on chatting with her. Junxi sat cross-legged on his bed and soon nestled into his embrace.
"How did you meet Bai Zigou during the day?"
"I ran into him while doing charity work at a place before."
Junxi nodded.
"Look at someone like him, still in a high position without falling from grace..."
Although Junxi hesitated to continue, Zhou Xuanyu understood her meaning. She was probably thinking about her parents again.
"Junxi. You should get some rest," Zhou Xuanyu said, wrapping his arms around her and gently rocking her.
His embrace felt like a cradle for a baby, and as she swayed back and forth, she truly began to feel sleepy.
"I want to sleep here with you," Junxi said, looking up at him.
Zhou Xuanyu leaned down and kissed her lips.
A hint of intimacy began to fill the air as they lost themselves in each other, but it remained limited to kissing.
Zhou Xuanyu was holding back, and Junxi could sense it.
"Should we...?"
"No."
Before Junxi could finish her sentence, Zhou Xuanyu interrupted her.
"I don't want your grandmother to think I have ulterior motives," Zhou Xuanyu said.
In truth, he could feel that the old lady still had some reservations about him. Because of this, he felt it was even more important to show his sincerity in front of her.
If this can't be restrained, then what does it mean?
His rational mind told him that nothing should be rushed.
Zhou Xuanyu had already made up his mind to be with Liu Xia Hui, so Junxi naturally couldn't just rush in.
The two of them shared a brief moment of intimacy before parting ways.
Junxi fell asleep early, but Zhou Xuanyu kept his light on, as he had a lot of work to handle. She knew that the more he made concessions for her, the more it pained her heart.
Zhou Xuanyu truly loved her, right? Although he had never said it out loud...
When Junxi woke up, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
Her grandmother had already risen and was outside in the yard starting a fire to boil water.
Junxi put on her coat and sat beside her grandmother on a small stool.
"Why are you up so early?" the old lady asked while glancing at Jun Xuan and Zhou Xuanyu's rooms, their doors tightly shut, indicating that the people inside were still fast asleep.
"I've had enough sleep."
"I think it's because Xuan Yu is here that you couldn't sleep well," the old lady casually remarked.
"Grandma!" Junxi pouted playfully and gently nudged her grandmother.
The old lady chuckled, and her hands moved faster as she added kindling. The fire in the pot blazed brighter, making Junxi's face flush with warmth.
"I really didn't expect you to be with Zhou Ziyan's uncle."
The old lady's tone was devoid of emotion, which made Junxi feel a bit anxious.
"Grandma, don't you like him?" Junxi asked.
"Silly child, how could I not like someone you like?" The old lady's gaze was fixed on the firelight, appearing warm and comforting.
"Then what do you mean, Grandma?"
"What I mean is, how deep is Xuan Yu's affection for you?"
"Grandma..."
"Have you forgotten that he and Teacher Lin were already at the stage of discussing marriage?"
The old lady turned her head away, finally voicing her thoughts. Perhaps afraid of touching on Junxi's painful memories, she couldn't bring herself to look into Junxi's eyes.
Junxi finally understood; it turned out that Grandma's reservations about Zhou Xuanyu stemmed from Lin Jingming.
It was understandable; one couldn't blame Grandma. After all, Zhou Xuanyu and Lin Jingming were such a memorable couple. Anyone who knew them probably fantasized about their wedding. Even Junxi had once imagined how beautiful it would be.
"Grandma, Teacher Lin and he are in the past now," Junxi said softly.
Zhou Xuanyu had said that Lin Jingming would never be an obstacle between them. Since he said so, she was willing to believe it. Because Junxi knew that Zhou Xuanyu would never lie to her.
"They broke up?"
Junxi shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't asked."
"Why not ask?"
"Teacher Lin is his wound, and I don't want him to hurt anymore."
"Silly child, if you don't let him hurt, you'll have to bear the pain yourself."
"Grandma, he treats me very well." A sweet smile appeared on Junxi's face. "So, I really like our current situation. I don't want their past to disturb our present."
"Alright, alright, as long as you're happy." The old lady patted Junxi's hand.
"Then, Grandma, will you support us?"
"Of course, I will."
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