Chapter 5

Zhang Xiangyang, who had rushed home, leaned against the courtyard door and gasped for breath.

When he ran out of the alley, he saw a dark figure standing outside. He originally wanted to stop and see who it was, but then he remembered that he had just met a female educated youth. He was worried that the other party would bite him, so he immediately made a decision and ran back.

He patted his chest and secretly rejoiced. If the other party insisted on framing him for meeting a female educated youth in the middle of the night, then he would not be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

When he was filming, he had also received a film from this era. In this era, reputation was very important. Every word and action had to be paid attention.

He paused for a while before he realized that his wife was not there.

He stood up and walked to the small room. He saw that his eldest daughter was sleeping on the bed. Her small belly rose and fell with her breathing. It was very rhythmic, and she occasionally smacked her lips a few times.

He helped her cover her exposed belly.

He turned back to look at his youngest daughter. She was much more well-behaved. Her small body was lying on her side with her small mouth pouted. Her eyes were closed, and her eyelashes were thick and long. Her eyebrows were relaxed, and her hair was black and shiny, tightly sticking to her skin.

He sat on the stool beside the bed and supported his chin with his hand. He looked at his two daughters sleeping soundly on his left and right. They were really cute.

He stretched out his fingers and touched his youngest daughter's small face. It was really smooth and tender.

Such a beautiful child was actually his daughter. It was really amazing.

He was happy for a while. He was worried that he would wake up the two children, so he quietly stood up. When he turned his head, he saw that his wife was standing by the door looking at him with a complicated expression.

Zhang Xiangyang was a little embarrassed. He made a hand gesture. He Fangzhi withdrew the expression in her eyes and turned to leave.

When he closed the door and walked to his room, he found that his wife was sitting by the kang bed. He did not know what she was thinking.

"Where did you go just now?" Zhang Xiangyang coughed softly.

In the darkness, He Fangzhi could not see his expression. She only said softly, "I went to pee."

Zhang Xiangyang made an 'oh' sound. He picked up the matchbox on the bedside table and poured out a match. He skillfully struck it. After lighting the oil lamp, he also sat by the kang bed.

Although this girl was very beautiful and was the wife of this body, they didn't know her at all.

Sitting on the kang bed like this, it was very awkward.

Zhang Xiangyang coughed lightly and said, "I'll get some water to wash my feet first."

With that, he turned around and walked out of the room. He Fangzhi looked at his back and then at the matchbox on the bedside table. She frowned. Thinking back to the scene in Wang Family Alley, she gritted her teeth.

At the last minute, he actually went back on his word. What kind of madness was this?

Did she have to tolerate him for another month?

Just the thought of it was unbearable.

While she was in a daze, she suddenly saw him come in with a basin of water to wash her feet.

An oil lamp was lit in the room, and one could vaguely see the steam rising in spirals.

He actually used hot water in the middle of summer?

What kind of madness was he suffering from?

She looked at him suspiciously. Zhang Xiangyang put the enamel basin on the ground, then sat on the kang bed and began to roll up his trousers. When his feet were immersed in the hot water, he moaned comfortably. He Fangzhi was unbearably disgusted.

She clenched her fists and covered the coldness in her eyes. She thought to herself, Previously, she wanted to get rid of this adulterous couple in one fell swoop. Now, it seemed that it was impossible. She had to divide them and conquer them.

"Hey, have you washed your feet?"

Just as He Fangzhi was in a daze, Zhang Xiangyang pushed her. His movement wasn't big, but his tone was very familiar to her.

He Fangzhi shrunk her neck timidly and shook her head softly. "Not yet."

Zhang Xiangyang felt a little uncomfortable. Although he had acted many bad guys in the past, slapping and kicking people, those were all fake.

This was the first time he had acted so impolitely. Especially when he saw her trembling in fear, he felt even more guilty. He rubbed his nose, put on his straw sandals, and carried the enamel basin out.

He Fangzhi behind him narrowed her eyes. Should she ask Zhao Zhiyi to buy a bottle of loose alcohol to get him drunk? Then she could strip him naked and throw him directly at the entrance of the commune. She heard that this was considered acting like a hooligan.

She was just thinking about how to save money to buy alcohol when Zhang Xiangyang came in. He was still carrying the enamel basin in his hands. Inside the basin was half filled with steaming hot water.

"Hurry up and wash your feet!" Zhang Xiangyang put the water by her feet and urged her angrily.

He Fangzhi looked as if she had seen a ghost. "What do you mean?"

How could he bring her water to wash her feet?

Previously, when she was beaten to the point of lying on the kang bed, he didn't take care of her. Instead, he was often away from home. When he came home occasionally, he would still be dead drunk.

There must be a reason for his abnormal behavior. He might be harboring some evil thoughts in his heart.

She rolled her eyes and quickly thought of an excuse for him, but it made her feel unbearably disgusted.

This was because in the past month, they hadn't slept together at all.

After all, she was beaten to the point of lying on the kang bed for more than half a month before she could get out of bed.

After returning to normal, the team was busy with the summer harvest. It was her first time getting out of bed. She was so busy that her face was covered in dirt. Naturally, they didn't have any sex.

Don't be fooled by his lecherous appearance. In fact, he had only taken advantage of those female educated youths. He had never used a real knife or a real gun.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have waited until tonight to catch him in the act.

Therefore, he should be holding back his anger now.

Zhang Xiangyang squatted down to help her take off her shoes, but she dodged. He forcefully grabbed her ankles, took off her shoes, and pressed her feet into the hot water. Then he began to explain his abnormal behavior. "My mother said to let me live a good life with you."

He Fangzhi's tears almost fell. It wasn't because she was moved, but because she was angry. He actually dared to touch her feet. How dare he?

She was a dignified young miss of a scholarly family, but her feet were actually touched by a lecher. How preposterous!

She wanted to pull her feet back, but his strength was too great. She was held tightly.

"Don't worry, I will definitely be good to you in the future." Zhang Xiangyang fiercely added, "As long as you obediently follow me.

I will definitely let you live a good life. "

He Fangzhi felt that the place where he touched her was like a poisonous snake slithering past. It was greasy and cold.

Obediently follow him?

He wanted to obtain beauty.

He had harmed a person's life.

If it was enough to just apologize after killing someone, then what was the use of constables and the law?

As for letting her live a good life, she didn't take it to heart at all. In the past month, he had said it at least seventeen or eighteen times.

Not only was it not new, it was also true nonsense.

She allowed him to help her wash her feet. Her little face was forcefully flushed by her. She tilted her face and said in a small voice, "It's not convenient for me today."

Zhang Xiangyang was stunned for a moment and quickly glanced at her.

Under the hazy oil lamp, everything seemed to be blurred, but the only thing that made him feel clear was her almost perfect side profile.

Her bright and white forehead, thick and curly eyelashes, small and delicate nose, small cherry-shaped mouth, delicate chin, and a small white neck. Looking down, it was a chest that even loose clothes couldn't cover … Zhang Xiangyang's heart trembled, and he subtly moved his gaze away.

He dug out a pair of straw sandals from under the bed and put them on her feet. He snorted and said unhappily, "I'm not that impatient." After saying that, he picked up the water to wash her feet and turned to leave.

He Fangzhi was slightly stunned. Looking at the straw sandals on her feet, her brows knitted together again.

Hearing footsteps outside the door, she didn't have time to think about it. She turned over and lay down on the kang bed, covered herself with the bedsheets, and closed her eyes.

After Zhang Xiangyang closed the door, he saw that his wife had fallen asleep with her back facing him. He blew out the oil lamp and groped around in the dark to get on the kang bed.

When he laid down, he realized that his side was ridiculously spacious. He took a closer look and saw that his wife was almost pressed up against the wall. He didn't say anything.

He crossed his arms behind his head and began to think about his next step.

He had already asked Xiaohu before. It was 1975, and the college entrance exams would resume in two years. He wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. After all, the students from 1977 all became pillars of the country.

In his previous life, he drifted in Beijing for many years. He was clearly a student majoring in acting at a proper university and wasn't ugly, but in the end, he was never able to get a role with even a little bit of screen time.

Other than lacking a bit of luck, he also lacked connections.

In his previous life, because he often had to work to pay for his tuition, he didn't have a good relationship with his classmates and teachers. As a result, no one helped him after graduation.

So in this life, he had to get into a university. Other than studying hard, he also had to make some friends.

However, although he had a good idea, reality didn't allow it.

After all, he was now the pillar of the family and needed to earn money to support the family.

However, it was difficult to support himself with the little money he earned from working, let alone support the family.

So his first step now should be to figure out how to earn money.

The next morning, Zhang Xiangyang vaguely heard the sound of???? beside him.

Rustling sounds.

He rubbed his face and saw his skinny wife carefully stepping over him and reaching for the edge of the kang bed.

He looked out the window. It was pitch black. Why was she up so early?

He Fangzhi heard movement behind him and thought that she had woken him up. She was worried that he would yell later, so she hurriedly said, "Hongxin seems to be awake. I'll go take a look."

Zhang Xiangyang nodded and got off the kang bed with her.

He Fangzhi was a little curious, but she didn't care about him.

Ever since yesterday, he had been acting weird.

Could it be that he really had to listen to his mother and live a good life with her?

Ha, how could he be so filial?

Let's see how long he could pretend for.

When they arrived next door, Hongxin was wiping her tears and sobbing softly. Hong Ye, who was on the other bed, seemed to have been disturbed by her and was rolling around.

He Fangzhi picked her up and gently patted her back. He asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Hongxin's face was full of tears. She pointed at her tongue and said pitifully, "It hurts!"

Zhang Xiangyang lit the oil lamp with a match. Under the light, they saw that Hongxin's tongue had been bitten and was bleeding a lot.

He Fangzhi was heartbroken and amused. She pinched her nose and asked, "Are you hungry again?"

Hongxin leaned her head against her chest, her face flushed red with embarrassment.

When she turned around and saw Zhang Xiangyang smiling at her, she shivered and buried her head in her mother's arms. After a while, she sneaked her head out again.