Chapter 32: Thirty-Second Day as a Salted Fish
Qin Jiaojiao sat on the chair for a short while before heading upstairs to open her suitcase and hang her clothes in the closet. Her vibrant, colorful outfits pressed tightly against Zhou Shaoli’s dark-toned wardrobe, creating a surprisingly harmonious sight.
Pulling out a pair of comfortable silk pajamas, Qin Jiaojiao entered the bathroom to take a warm shower. The weather in Nancheng Ancient Town was sweltering, so every piece of clothing and dress she had packed was light and breezy.
Stepping out of the bathroom feeling a bit warm from the shower, she grabbed the mini portable fan she had brought along and went downstairs, settling back into her original spot to catch the breeze.
Qin Jiaojiao had already completely forgotten the miserable stomach ache from two days prior, musing to herself that having a popsicle or an ice cream right about now would be absolute bliss.
Under the purple-flowered tree, Zhou Shaoli finished his phone call and walked over to sit beside her.
Nighttime in the rural town was far more tranquil than in the bustling city. A gentle evening breeze blew past, accompanied by periodic rustles of crickets chirping from the dark corners of the courtyard—a soothing, unhurried backdrop that added a touch of countryside charm.
Unpolluted by city lights, the night sky overhead was blanketed with countless stars, twinkling brilliantly with dazzling radiance in a breathtaking display.
Qin Jiaojiao quietly admired the night scene without saying a word, and Zhou Shaoli beside her remained silent as well, both enjoying this rare moment of serenity.
No wonder so many entertainment celebrities and non-famous locals were so eager to film lifestyle variety shows. Shows like this really were pretty fun, allowing people to experience a completely different lifestyle.
If they hadn’t joined the variety show, the endlessly busy Zhou Shaoli and the homebody salted fish like her would never be sitting peacefully on a long bench under the porch of a rural wooden house, quietly feeling the passage of time.
Zhou Shaoli had the patience to sit in silence, but Qin Jiaojiao didn’t. With someone sitting right next to her, she always felt the urge to strike up a conversation.
“Who were you talking to on the phone just now?”
Zhou Shaoli turned his head to look at her. “An overseas partner,” he explained concisely. “His capital chain ran into an issue that might impact our joint project, so he called me for help.”
“Did you help him?” Qin Jiaojiao asked, a little curious.
Zhou Shaoli replied calmly, “I gave him one chance.”
“That’s pretty nice of you.” Qin Jiaojiao looked at him. “A lot of capitalists only care about results and couldn’t care less whether their partners live or die.”
Zhou Shaoli’s eyes flickered slightly. As a corporate leader whose priority had to be the group’s best interests, he was obligated to put those interests above all else. However, the other man had begged him humbly, saying that without assistance, he would go bankrupt and end up stranded on the streets with his pregnant, newlywed wife.
So, he made an exception and granted the man one chance.
Leaning lazily against the bench, Qin Jiaojiao gazed at the sky and asked, “Have you ever thought about life after retirement?”
In a place like this, enveloped by the rustic atmosphere of the countryside, it was easy to fall into a slower rhythm and crave a peaceful life.
Zhou Shaoli froze slightly at her words. Under his leadership, the Zhuxing Group had grown increasingly magnificent, its commercial footprint expanding constantly. The word “retirement” was entirely foreign to him.
The Old Master’s health had failed, forcing his father into power to handle the group’s affairs. Then, after his father lost money on several projects, the shareholders rallied behind him to replace his father as the patriarch of the Zhuxing Group.
Once standing at the pinnacle of power, one couldn’t simply step down at will—unless, like the Old Master, he selected an heir capable enough to take over the group.
Retirement…
Zhou Shaoli gazed intently at Qin Jiaojiao. If he and she were to have a precious child, and he handed the group over to the child once they grew up, he could probably retire then.
Qin Jiaojiao hadn’t expected that a passing sentiment about retirement would lead Zhou Shaoli to think about the birth of a child. Seeing him fail to answer, she continued self-indulgently, “When I retire, I want to spend my days with my friends surrounded by handsome guys… cough, living an ordinary life with tens of billions of yuan.”
Zhou Shaoli remarked deadpan, “You’re living your retirement life right now.”
Qin Jiaojiao burst out laughing. “Oh yeah, true!”
She was practically a retired young girl already, spending her days surfing the web, playing games, eating, drinking, and throwing parties with her besties or traveling abroad whenever she felt like it.
Fixing her gaze on the purple-flowered tree in the yard, Qin Jiaojiao mused, “If we could put a swing on that tree, it’d be so much fun—ahh!“
She suddenly let out a low cry, slapping her arm hard. “Mosquitoes!”
The weather in Nancheng Ancient Town was sweltering, the vegetation lush, and mosquitoes swarmed the area. Dressed in a camisole top and shorts, Qin Jiaojiao exposed fair, supple skin that acted as a magnet for mosquitoes, taking a nasty bite the moment she stayed still.
She missed swatting the mosquito dead and scratched her shoulder and lower leg a few times, leaving several itchy, painful red bumps on her skin.
“Let’s go back inside quick, the mosquitoes here are way too vicious.”
Zhou Shaoli stood up. “Let’s go.”
Stepping inside the wooden house and shutting the screen door, Qin Jiaojiao scratched her arm while complaining under her breath, “The mosquitoes here are lethal! The bite hurts so much.”
Dressed in a formal suit jacket and trousers, Zhou Shaoli hadn’t been bitten at all. Meanwhile, Qin Jiaojiao beside him had turned into a walking feast, unknowingly getting bitten in multiple spots that swelled into itchy, painful red bumps.
“Did you bring any anti-itch cream?”
Qin Jiaojiao raised her eyes to look at him piteously. “I don’t know, I’ll go upstairs and check.”
Zhou Shaoli followed behind her up to the bedroom. Qin Jiaojiao rummaged through her suitcase, sighing heavily. “I forgot to tell Xiaoli to pack anti-itch cream.”
In the past, everywhere Qin Jiaojiao and Zhou Shaoli went consisted of high-end luxury hotels or CBD commercial districts where getting bitten by mosquitoes was practically impossible, so neither of them had thought to prepare insect repellent supplies.
“It’s so itchy, this is so annoying.” Qin Jiaojiao clawed at her arm, her delicate brows knit tightly together.
Seeing her repeatedly scratching her arm to the point where her delicate skin was on the verge of breaking, Zhou Shaoli grabbed her wrist. “Rinse it with water first.”
He led her into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and helped her rinse the bites.
Rinsing with cold water only temporarily eased the itchy sting. Qin Jiaojiao felt thoroughly exasperated, thinking to herself that she would definitely have to drive to town tomorrow to buy mosquito repellent and anti-itch cream.
Zhou Shaoli spoke in a calm, steady tone, “Stay here at home. I’ll go ask Teacher Jin’s house to see if they have any anti-itch cream.”
Qin Jiaojiao nodded. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Zhou Shaoli hurriedly headed downstairs and left the Yueli Courtyard, walking briskly over to the Feizhu Cottage before knocking on the door.
Soon, someone came to open the door, appearing a bit surprised to see Zhou Shaoli standing there.
“President Zhou.” Chen Feihong swung the door wide open. “Please come in.”
Zhou Shaoli stated his purpose: “My wife got bitten by mosquitoes. Do you happen to have any mosquito repellent or anti-itch cream I could borrow?”
Chen Feihong ushered him inside. “I’ll go ask Mingzhu.”
Jin Mingzhu searched her suitcase and pulled out a bottle of anti-itch cream. “I brought two bottles, go ahead and use this one.”
“Thank you,” Zhou Shaoli offered a polite word of gratitude.
Jin Mingzhu smiled gently. “It’s no trouble at all. Hurry back and apply it on her.”
Zhou Shaoli bade them goodbye and rushed back home. Chen Feihong wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist, remarking, “Who would’ve thought this wealthy couple would be so deeply in love? It reminds me of back when I was pursuing you—I’d get worried sick over even a tiny paper cut on your finger.”
Jin Mingzhu patted his arm with a smile. “Everyone’s like that when they’re young, getting all frantic the moment their partner feels even slightly unwell.”
By the time Zhou Shaoli hurried back to the bedroom in the Yueli Courtyard, Qin Jiaojiao was sitting on the bed with a troubled expression, wrapped up in her duvet like a silkworm cocoon and dripping with sweat.
He picked up the remote control, turned on the air conditioner, and set it to a comfortable temperature.
“I borrowed some anti-itch cream from Teacher Jin.”
Qin Jiaojiao threw off the duvet. “Give it to me.”
Zhou Shaoli unscrewed the cap and handed it over.
Sitting on the bed, Qin Jiaojiao applied the anti-itch cream to every single red bump. The cool, pleasant scent of the cream dispelled quite a bit of her irritation, effectively soothing the itch.
However, the bites on the back of her shoulders were difficult to reach.
“Could you help me apply it on my back?”
Zhou Shaoli’s voice remained calm and composed. “Sure.”
Sitting cross-legged on the bed with her back facing him, Qin Jiaojiao bowed her head and swept her hair forward over her chest, pointing a finger at a few spots. “Can you see them?”
“Yes.” Holding the anti-itch cream, Zhou Shaoli’s gaze settled on Qin Jiaojiao’s slender shoulders, where several red mosquito bites marred her fair, flawless skin.
Holding the ointment, he gently rubbed it in. As the refreshing sensation bloomed across her skin, a comfortable expression appeared on Qin Jiaojiao’s face.
“All done,” Zhou Shaoli said, his voice tinged with a hint of raspiness.
Qin Jiaojiao turned around. “Good thing Teacher Jin brought anti-itch cream, or I would’ve been driven crazy all night.”
Zhou Shaoli placed the cream on the nightstand and asked, “Feeling better?”
“Mhm.” A smile bloomed on Qin Jiaojiao’s face. “It doesn’t itch anymore.”
“That’s good.” Zhou Shaoli opened the wardrobe, grabbed his pajamas, and went into the bathroom to shower.
Qin Jiaojiao waited for the cream to dry before slipping under the covers and pulling up a light blanket. After Zhou Shaoli finished his shower and got into bed, the two maintained the same routine they had back at the courtyard villa—scrolling on their phones for a bit before turning off the lights to sleep.
Just as Qin Jiaojiao drifted off to sleep, she felt a bite on the arm resting over the blanket. She snapped her eyes open. “There’s a mosquito in the room!”
Zhou Shaoli turned on the light. “Where?”
Qin Jiaojiao held up her arm to show him helplessly as a fresh red bump welled up. “I’m doomed, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
The mosquito must have slipped inside through the doorway while they were coming in and out earlier.
Zhou Shaoli said, “Just lie down, I’ll find the mosquito.”
Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that their very first night trying to sleep in Nancheng Ancient Town would present them with the most vexing challenge of their lives: a single annoying mosquito.
Qin Jiaojiao endured her frustration and closed her eyes while Zhou Shaoli turned on a dim nightlight, sat propped up against the headboard, and scanned the area around her.
After keeping guard for about ten minutes, he finally brought swift justice to the mosquito that had been harassing Qin Jiaojiao.
Halfway back to sleep, Qin Jiaojiao murmured in a soft, delicate voice, “So itchy…” Her hand reached out to scratch the bite.
Fearing she would break her skin, Zhou Shaoli held her hand to stop her, speaking in a low voice, “I’ll scratch it for you.”
With somewhat unpracticed movements, he used his fingers to gently scratch her skin. Qin Jiaojiao was easily placated; she unconsciously leaned closer to him, gradually drifting back into sweet dreams.
Zhou Shaoli kept watch for a while longer, making sure no more mosquitoes were biting her before finally closing his eyes to sleep.
The next morning.
Qin Jiaojiao woke up early in the morning. Seeing no sign of Zhou Shaoli beside her, she let out a yawn, got out of bed to wash up, and went downstairs.
To her surprise, she caught sight of the man wearing a dark dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up, revealing strong, muscular forearms. Holding a spatula, he was frying eggs with remarkably practiced skill.
“You’re making breakfast?” Qin Jiaojiao’s eyes sparkled.
Zhou Shaoli held the pan. “Making sandwiches. I haven’t made them very often, so they might not taste great.”
She suddenly remembered Zhou Shaoli mentioning before that he could make sandwiches. The production team had deliberately provided toast, eggs, ham, and lettuce so the young couple wouldn’t end up with nothing to eat.
“I’m sure your sandwiches taste great.” Even if the taste was mediocre, President Zhou was personally cooking—she wasn’t about to be picky when free food was served up.
With a smile on her face, Qin Jiaojiao opened the fridge, pulled out a carton of milk, and poured two glasses.
Before long, Zhou Shaoli finished making the sandwiches, sliced them in half, placed them onto two separate plates, and brought them over to the dining table. “Give it a try.”
Qin Jiaojiao washed her hands, picked up a sandwich, and took a bite. Surprised, she found the taste genuinely delicious. She offered a beaming compliment, “It’s delicious!”
Seeing that she truly enjoyed it, a subtle curve touched the corners of Zhou Shaoli’s lips. “Good.”
Once the two finished breakfast, they received a message from the production crew. Today was the guest couples’ first full day in the countryside of Nancheng Ancient Town, and they were free to explore the scenic views of the village, learn about the local terrain and customs, and deepen their marital bond.
Having learned all about the salted fish nature of Qin Jiaojiao and Zhou Shaoli—the Yueli CP—from the previous two segments, the director explicitly instructed that all guest couples had to go out and explore; staying cooped up inside the wooden house was strictly forbidden.
Resigned, Qin Jiaojiao went up to change, putting on a fresh, light-styled camisole dress and a straw hat to block the ultraviolet rays. Before heading out, she made a point to apply sunscreen and swapped her footwear for casual slide sandals.
Qin Jiaojiao checked her outfit in the floor-length mirror and couldn’t resist striking a few poses. Perfect—completely suited for the mountain fields.
Zhou Shaoli wore a set of casual, light-colored clothes with a pair of fresh, luxury brand sneakers on his feet, looking as strikingly handsome as ever.
The two closed the courtyard door, intending to take a casual stroll around the area and return to the wooden house to rest as soon as they completed the task. Just as they stepped out of the yard, they bumped into Jin Mingzhu and Chen Feihong, who were similarly dressed in casual outfits.
“Where are you two off to?” Jin Mingzhu greeted them with a smile.
Qin Jiaojiao replied, “We’re just taking a walk around the neighborhood. What about you, Teacher Jin?”
Jin Mingzhu asked with a gentle laugh, “Old Chen and I are planning to drive to the town’s cultural park scenic spot. Do you want to join us?”
“No thanks, Teacher Jin, you two go ahead and have fun.” Qin Jiaojiao hurriedly declined. They were out on a couple’s date; she and Zhou Shaoli weren’t about to act as third wheels.
Driving to town took an hour, meaning a two-hour round trip—way too tiring. She just wanted to wander nearby to complete the task.
After exchanging a few casual remarks, the four split into two groups, departing for their respective destinations.
Walking along the country path, Qin Jiaojiao asked Zhou Shaoli, “Where should we go?” They couldn’t literally just walk around the village; the tiny hamlet was so small it could be fully explored in twenty minutes flat.
Zhou Shaoli said, “I’ll ask a local if there are any fun places nearby.”
The two strolled all the way to the village entrance, where Zhou Shaoli approached a local villager running a street stall to ask if there were any interesting spots in the area.
The local villagers were all left-behind middle-aged and elderly residents who spoke strictly in their regional dialect. This proved to be a real challenge for Zhou Shaoli; while he was fluent in several foreign languages, he truly couldn’t understand a single word of this niche domestic rural dialect.
Watching the man look completely bewildered, Qin Jiaojiao found the scene inexplicably amusing. In the end, seeing that he couldn’t understand her, the local auntie simply pointed him in a direction.
Zhou Shaoli thanked her politely, turned back to Qin Jiaojiao, and said, “Let’s go.”
Following the direction pointed out by the auntie, the two arrived beside a small stream. Clear water flowed gently, revealing fish swimming past under a blue sky with white clouds and vast green paddy fields—a thoroughly picturesque landscape.
Qin Jiaojiao really wanted to take a few photos to post on her WeChat Moments, so she handed her phone to Zhou Shaoli. “Help me take a few pictures.”
Zhou Shaoli took the phone to snap photos of her. At first, she felt a bit stiff facing the lens, but she gradually loosened up, striking several exaggerated poses.
“Are you done?” Qin Jiaojiao asked.
Zhou Shaoli nodded. “Got them.”
Qin Jiaojiao ran over to his side and took her phone. Staring at the photos on the screen, her brows knit slightly. The photos weren’t bad, per se, but they weren’t great either. The framing, proportions, and angles were excellent, but they failed to capture the vibe she was going for.
Noticing her silence, Zhou Shaoli lowered his head to ask, “Not good?”
“They’re alright…” Qin Jiaojiao hesitated for a second before adding, “Just a tiny bit different from what I had in mind.”
Zhou Shaoli rarely took photos for anyone. In the past, helping someone take a photo meant a single casual snap. When taking photos of Qin Jiaojiao just now, he had already tried his absolute best to make her look beautiful—though in his eyes, she was cute and gorgeous no matter what she looked like.
“I’ll retake them for you.”
Seeing him offer so proactively, Qin Jiaojiao forgave his lack of photography skills and stood beside him, saying, “I’ll teach you.”
Zhou Shaoli lowered his eyes, ducking his head down to listen to her.
“From this angle, you need to…” Qin Jiaojiao looked up at him.
Their eyes met. Looking into the man’s focused gaze, her voice dropped a notch. “…Did you get it?”
“Mm.” Zhou Shaoli said calmly, “I understand now.”
Qin Jiaojiao handed him the phone. “Then take a few more for me.”
Sure enough, a man who accepted coaching improved at lightning speed. She was thoroughly satisfied with the next batch of photos; a quick edit and a filter would make them look stunning.
The country path was narrow, and Qin Jiaojiao accidentally misstepped, plunging right into the damp mud of a rice paddy. Behind her, Zhou Shaoli acted with quick reflexes, grabbing her just in time to keep her from tumbling into the field and turning into a mud monster.
“That scared me to death.” Qin Jiaojiao yanked her foot out with all her strength. Her shoe and foot were completely caked in wet mud, making her feel terribly uncomfortable. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have run over here just to capture the beautiful, natural greenery.
Zhou Shaoli supported her and asked, “Are you alright?”
“My foot is covered in wet mud, it’s hard to walk.” Qin Jiaojiao’s face was full of gloom. “Let’s head back the way we came. Support me over to the stream so I can wash up.”
The ridge between the fields was very narrow, preventing two people from walking side-by-side. Zhou Shaoli held her slender arm and said, “I’ll carry you over.”
“Ah, no need…” Qin Jiaojiao suddenly felt herself weightless as the man bent down and scooped her up in a princess carry. Fearing she might fall, her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.
Zhou Shaoli lifted her up smoothly and walked back, leaving the cameraman no choice but to carefully step backward while filming the scene.
Leaning against Zhou Shaoli’s sturdy chest, Qin Jiaojiao listened to his calm, powerful heartbeat and smelled the faint, cool scent of ebony agarwood radiating from him, a delicate blush creeping onto her face.
Zhou Shaoli carried her to the stream, covering the few hundred meters effortlessly before settling her down to sit on a rock by the stream with her feet submerged in the water.
Qin Jiaojiao lowered her head and used her hands to splash water over her feet. Splashing her toes in the icy water felt immensely refreshing.
Zhou Shaoli stood beside her, watching her every move.
Once the mud splatters were washed clean to reveal her fair feet, she stepped back into her sandals and prepared to walk, only to lose her balance and tumble right into Zhou Shaoli’s arms in quite a clumsy manner.
Zhou Shaoli caught her firmly around the waist, asking, “Did you twist your ankle?”
The midday sun shone down, casting light over the two of them. Whether from the scorching heat or something else, Qin Jiaojiao’s face turned bright red.
“No, I just lost my footing for a second.” She definitely hadn’t done it on purpose! Hurriedly standing upright, she explained, “My shoes are a bit slippery, let’s head back.”
Zhou Shaoli held her arm and said, “Careful not to trip, I’ll help you up.”
Qin Jiaojiao didn’t refuse his kindness. His palm was warm and powerful, easily guiding her safely back onto the bank.
As they walked along the road, Qin Jiaojiao hadn’t taken more than a few steps before her flip-flops snapped. She stared dumbfounded at the ruined sandal. No way—I’m literally wearing these new flip-flops for the first time today!
They were still a kilometer away from the village, a trek that would take at least half an hour on foot.
The weather was sweltering and the ground was scorching hot; she couldn’t possibly walk back barefoot and turn into some barefoot monk, could she?
As Qin Jiaojiao stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do, Zhou Shaoli felt the person beside him fall a few steps behind. Turning around, he saw her standing still and walked back over to her.
Following her line of sight, Zhou Shaoli spotted the broken flip-flop on the ground and offered, “I’ll carry you back on my back.”
“Home is pretty far from here,” she whispered.
Zhou Shaoli’s voice was gentle. “I can walk faster with you on my back.”
Though he said that, she genuinely felt a bit embarrassed to trouble him. If she hadn’t gone over to the field to take photos, she wouldn’t have ruined her shoe, and he wouldn’t have to carry her home under the blazing sun.
Zhou Shaoli turned around and half-squatted in front of her. Qin Jiaojiao had no choice but to slip off her remaining sandal, hold both in one hand, and lean over onto his back. Zhou Shaoli stood up and began walking back with her piggybacked.
The man’s back was broad and gave off an immense sense of security. With one hand holding her shoes and the other resting on his shoulder, Qin Jiaojiao felt the warm midday breeze blow past, making her chest feel slightly restless.
Qin Jiaojiao tilted her head to peek over. The sun was blazing high in the sky, and fine beads of sweat were brimming on Zhou Shaoli’s forehead, yet he said nothing, carrying her home silently with steady steps.
She took off her straw hat and used it to fan him.
Zhou Shaoli paused slightly, turning his head back to glance at her. “No need to fan me, keep your hat on.”
“You’re sweating.” Qin Jiaojiao didn’t stop fanning, her voice crisp and clear. “I’m fanning you so you don’t get heatstroke.”
“It’s fine, I’m not hot.”
Qin Jiaojiao leaned closer against his back and murmured, “I want to fan you.”
Hearing those words, Zhou Shaoli’s heart thumped heavily out of control, the corners of his lips curving slightly upward.
Recalling Zhou Shaoli’s meticulous care last night, combined with today’s princess carry and piggyback, Qin Jiaojiao couldn’t help overthinking things a little. Afraid the cameras might pick it up, she lowered her voice right next to his ear. “Why are you so good to me?”
“You’re my wife,” Zhou Shaoli replied in a calm voice. “It’s only right that I do these things.”
Qin Jiaojiao offered a quiet, trailing oh.
On the way back to the wooden house with her on his back, Zhou Shaoli bumped into Shen Xiaoshan and Meng Zi’ang.
“Miss Qin, what happened to you?” Shen Xiaoshan asked, linking her arm through Meng Zi’ang’s.
Supporting herself on Zhou Shaoli’s shoulder with one hand, Qin Jiaojiao proudly waved the sandals in her hand, her voice dripping with sweet affection. “My shoe broke, so my hubby had to carry me home on his back~”
Zhou Shaoli could never quite adapt in time to Qin Jiaojiao’s sudden shifts into battle mode. However, his face remained completely expressionless, making it impossible to read his emotions.
Leaning against Meng Zi’ang, Shen Xiaoshan remarked, “President Zhou is so good to his wife, it really makes one envious.”
Qin Jiaojiao raised her chin slightly, her tone laced with subtle irony. “What, is your husband not good to you?”
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