292 Farm Work

Shen Xi slowly opened her eyes as the early morning light filtered into her warm little room. Before she could get up, she heard a voice she had not heard in a long time.

“Morning, Xixi!” Guan Lei appeared at Shen Xi’s bedside with a big smile.

Dazed, Shen Xi wondered whether she imagined things. Hadn’t Guan Lei returned to the dormitory? How was he here now?

Shen Xi patted Guan Lei’s face. It was smooth and soft, radiating a scorching heat.

The sudden temperature change sobered Shen Xi, and she quickly retracted her hand. However, Guan Lei stopped her, catching her hand before it could retreat. “Do you like how my face feels? You can touch it as much as you’d like, you know? I don’t mind,” he said, a cheeky smile on his lips.

Guan Lei’s words made him sound like a libertine man. Shen Xi yanked free and pushed Guan Lei away.

“Who would want to touch you? I only did so because I thought I was dreaming. I was checking to make sure you were real,” Shen Xi explained abashed.

Guan Lei sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on Shen Xi as his face lit up. “I’d be happy to occupy your dreams, too; it means I’m constantly in your heart!”

Shen Xi wanted to cover her face and hide under her blanket. How was Guan Lei getting so good at sweet-talking? It had reached a point she did not know how to respond!

“Xixi, are you and your friend awake? Breakfast is ready. Wash up and come and eat,” Lu Shan said softly as she knocked on the door.

Shen Xi grabbed the life raft that was her mother’s call to breakfast and said, “W-we’re awake! We’ll be out soon.”

“Get out,” she hissed at Guan Lei, “I’m going to change, and you should too.”

Guan Lei nodded as if it were a matter of fact. “I’ll wait for you outside. Don’t take too long; I don’t feel safe without you by my side.”

Shen Xi rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”

Once Guan Lei stepped out, Shen Xi put a hand over her thumping heart.

Guan Lei was already seated at the table, munching on some food, when Shen Xi exited her room. “This is delicious! Did Auntie make this? You’re a really good cook.”

Lu Shan was so happy she thought her heart would fly away. “Oh? You have good taste, young man. Come, come, eat your fill,” she responded.

Shen Xi took her seat and hesitantly picked up a pancake. As she expected, the pancake was unbearably salty.

Shen Xi turned to her father and mumbled a question, “Dad, does it taste good?”

Shen Yan looked physically ill. He did not like Guan Lei at all. Not only was he tall, handsome, and young, but he also managed to make his wife happy as soon as the sun rose.

It was not Guan Lei’s first time under their roof, but he had been polite and distant back then. It was a far cry from the glowing charisma he was showing now. He was so good at pleasing women that Shen Yan, Lu Shan’s husband, felt like he was the pale moon to Guan Lei’s glowing sun.

The moment Guan Lei sat at the table, his wife’s attention was focused solely on him. She spoke to Guan Lei as if he were the center of her universe, completely sidelining him, her husband! Shen Yan eyed the duo with a belly full of complaints, and it was growing harder to prevent dissatisfaction from showing in his body language.

Shen Xi could feel her father’s resentment and rubbed her nose in embarrassment. She did not know why Guan Lei had become like this and felt helpless.

After the meal, Shen Yan pulled Lu Shan along and said they would do farm work in the fields.

Lu Shan looked at her husband in confusion. Shen Yan never allowed her to tend the fields.

Shen Xi saw the jealousy in her father’s eyes, interjecting, “Maybe Dad wants to spend more time with you, Mom.”

“Oh, alright. Let’s go together.” Lu Shan went to grab the farming implements Shen Yan used. Shen Yan quickly accepted the tools upon his wife’s return.

“Let me help.” Guan Lei snatched the farming tools from Shen Yan’s hands, politely offering his services.

A cold fire erupted in Shen Yan’s eyes. On the other hand, Shen Xi only shook her head and sighed.

With no other choice, Shen Xi accompanied Guan Lei and her parents to harvest the sweet potatoes they had growing in their field.

Shen Yan set up a tent for Lu Shan and prepared a bowl of fruits and floral teas. “Babe, you should rest here while I collect the sweet potatoes. I’ll join you once I’m done.”

“No way,” Lu Shan rolled up her sleeves. “I’ll gather them with you.”

Shen Yan pressed Lu Shan down on her seat, saying, “How could I let you do that? Be good and listen to me. Sit here and wait for me to return.”

Seeing as her husband was beyond reason, Lu Shan did as he instructed, waiting for him to finish harvesting the sweet potatoes from within the confines of her tent.

Guan Lei observed the interaction with interest. So this was how Shen Xi’s parents got along. It seemed there was much he could learn from them.

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