Chapter 280 - 213: A Fire as Bright as Day

Chapter 280: Chapter 213: A Fire as Bright as Day

Upon arriving at the old educated youth station—now the house belonging to the four of them—they all said their goodbyes and headed to their own rooms. Zhao Wenwu’s excitement was plain to see. He used to hate nightfall, finding it boring since he couldn’t go out and play. But now, he loved it. When it got dark, he could go home and have fun with Jin Xiuying, and that was the best kind of fun.

Zhao Wendong and Lin Zhiyin unlatched the outer bolt and entered their home. Except for important places like the brigade headquarters and the canteen warehouse, no one in Dragon King Pond locked their doors. The general mood was still quite good, but the main reason was that every family was poor, with nothing worth stealing. Zhao Wendong bolted the door from the inside and set the sticky bean buns down near the entrance, keeping them away from the stove pit and heated *kang* bed so they wouldn’t thaw. Lin Zhiyin, meanwhile, expertly lit the kerosene lamp.

When the educated youths had been taken away, Farm Director Qian had only allowed them to take their personal clothes, leaving everything else behind. This meant all the kerosene in the house—enough for several people—had been a windfall for Zhao Wendong and his group. The brigade committee had even given the youths extra to make it easier for them to read, so lighting a lamp for a while each evening to brighten up the house was a luxury they could now afford.

Zhao Wendong took off his officer-style woolen overcoat. Lin Zhiyin casually took it and carefully patted the dust off—it had gotten dirty during the fight earlier. Then she folded it neatly and placed it in a nearby cabinet, putting away his hat and gloves as well. This was not an outfit for everyday wear. He was saving it for the New Year and their wedding. Tomorrow, he would wear his old clothes to go up the mountain.

Zhao Wendong reached out and touched the *kang* bed, finding it still quite warm. There were even embers glowing in the stove pit. Previously, Song Xiaoyu had always been the one to heat the *kang*, but now Lin Zhiyin and Jin Xiuying would come home and do it themselves.

"Honey, should we heat the *kang* up some more?"

"No, it’s nice and warm. Let’s not."

The moment she said that, she saw Zhao Wendong flash a mischievous grin and sprawl out on the *kang*.

"Honey, maybe we *should* heat it some more. I have a feeling it’s going to be a late night. I saw how happy our moms were today when they were playing with Yadan. Don’t you think we should pick up the pace? Put in some overtime, rush the order, and give them a baby of our own to play with? We can’t let them spend all their time doting on my big brother’s kid—let’s give them one of ours to fuss over!"

Lin Zhiyin bit her lip, a soft chuckle escaping as she watched him. She shot him a flirtatious glance, a look that was as challenging as it was seductive.

"Then go light the fire. You think I’m afraid of you? If you want a baby, let’s make a baby. I just wonder if you’re up to the task."

"What?! How dare you say I can’t handle it!"

Zhao Wendong shot to his feet. That was a challenge no man could ignore. Fuming, he hopped off the *kang*, stuffed the stove pit full of firewood as if preparing to pull an all-nighter, and then lunged right at Lin Zhiyin, who dodged with a delighted shriek.

She dodged for a moment but was ultimately caught and pinned to the *kang* by Zhao Wendong. Padded jackets and pants were tossed aside as they stripped and dove under the covers. Zhao Wendong suddenly leaned in, a wicked grin on his face, and whispered something in Lin Zhiyin’s ear.

Lin Zhiyin’s face instantly flushed. Her long legs kicked out at him twice as she cursed him softly through gritted teeth.

"Drop dead, Zhao Wendong! You filthy pervert! I’m going to kick you to death!"

Zhao Wendong grabbed her foot, caressing it twice with a lecherous chuckle, which made Lin Zhiyin yelp. As they continued to touch, the atmosphere grew thick with anticipation. Back in those days, winter nights fell early in the Northeast. In some areas, the sun set by three in the afternoon; here, it was already getting dark by four. It was often said the high birth rates of the era were because there was genuinely nothing else to do after nightfall.

Strange sounds kept drifting over from the next room, and Zhao Wendong prepared to make his own contribution to the next generation.

Lin Zhiyin closed her eyes in anticipation. After a long moment with no further action from him, she couldn’t help but open them and look up at Zhao Wendong. She found him listening intently to something outside, a peculiar expression on his face. His utter concentration immediately gave her the wrong idea.

"Zhao Wendong, you pervert! What are you listening to?"

As she spoke, she hit him, a flash of jealousy in her eyes. ’Is Jin Xiuying’s voice really so captivating that he’s completely mesmerized?’ The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she hit him twice more.

"Honey, hold on."

Zhao Wendong didn’t realize what she was thinking. He grabbed her small fists, then got up and started pulling on his clothes. The reason was that he’d just heard the fleeting thought of an animal.

’Food.’

The word "food" was a sensitive one for him, and it immediately grabbed his attention. He listened for a while longer but heard nothing more. However, the nature of that mental voice was exactly like the one he’d heard from the Silver Gulls when they found the school of Hai Pangtou—it seemed to come from the sky.

Zhao Wendong had to take this seriously. There weren’t even mice around their house; the only animal thoughts he ever heard were from seagulls. They could fool around any night, but an opportunity to catch fish was a rare gift. A Silver Gull mentioning food this late was extremely abnormal. Of course, he might have misheard it, but Zhao Wendong thought it best to go check, just to be safe. Seeing him dress so quickly, Lin Zhiyin assumed he was sulking because of her.

"What’s wrong, Wendong?"

"Where are you going so late? Or... Or what if I lie on my stomach? Would that be okay?"

"Hahaha! Deal! On your stomach later, you promised," Zhao Wendong said. "Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’m just going to check on something. I have a feeling something isn’t right outside."

Zhao Wendong hadn’t expected this little bonus—he’d somehow managed to unlock one of Lin Zhiyin’s advanced techniques. Grinning with satisfaction, he finished getting dressed. Just before he left, he gave her a quick grope and, with another lecherous laugh, grabbed the flashlight and bolted out the door just before her fist could connect.