Chapter 42: Why, After All? (Part 4)
Inside the room, the hum of the window air conditioner slowly lowered the temperature, yet the passion between the two young people soared rapidly.
Zhang Xiaojia stood in the room, her eyes slightly closed, presenting herself with an air of willing surrender. Hou Weidong’s fingertips trembled slightly as he gently unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a bra adorned with dark red floral patterns. He then slid the shirt off her shoulders.
They had been in love for years. Although they had not yet engaged in full sexual intimacy, their bond was already deep and unreserved. However, their previous intimate moments had always been opportunistic, mostly taking place in the wild. Consequently, every encounter had been marked by a certain restraint.
This was the first time Hou Weidong saw Xiaojia’s body in a safe, private environment. He felt physically and mentally relaxed, not rushing to remove her bra. Instead, he gazed at her bare upper body as if admiring a piece of fine art.
Finally, he slowly unclasped the bra.
Xiaojia opened herself completely to Hou Weidong, holding nothing back. She let the beautiful buds of her breasts face him directly.
Hou Weidong gently touched the tips of her nipples with his fingers. His movements were so tender, as if he were handling a newborn infant, afraid that any rough motion might hurt the delicate, fragile skin.
Xiaojia had not expected Hou Weidong to be so gentle. She took his hand and placed it over her breast, saying, “Weidong, I love you, forever.” She whispered softly, “You take off your clothes, too.”
Hou Weidong stripped off his clothes in a few swift motions. His young body looked healthy, with tight muscles and not a trace of excess fat. From his shoulders to his waist, he formed a handsome inverted triangle, and at the base of that triangle lay a vibrant, energetic member.
It was the first time Xiaojia had seen Hou Weidong completely naked. Her gaze grew hazy and dreamy as her fingers traced across the eight-pack muscles of his abdomen. Her touch sent a shiver through Hou Weidong.
A surge of masculine strength erupted within Hou Weidong. He lifted Xiaojia into his arms and placed her directly onto the bed, then quickly pulled down her skirt. At that moment, the two were finally completely bare before each other.
Lying on top of Xiaojia, Hou Weidong panted, “I don’t have a condom.”
Xiaojia replied, “This is my first time. I can’t use a condom. I’m in my safe period, so don’t worry.”
Guided by Xiaojia, Hou Weidong tried to push forward. “Ah,” Xiaojia cried out, gripping Hou Weidong’s arms tightly.
Although the room was air-conditioned, both of them finished this significant milestone in their lives drenched in sweat, beads of perspiration forming on every pore. After resting for more than ten minutes, they embraced and went to take a shower.
Having experienced this first time, Xiaojia was as gentle as water. She carefully washed him for a while, and then saw Hou Weidong standing there, full of vigor and spirit.
By eight in the evening, they had made love four times in succession. The physical exhaustion was immense, manifesting as a hunger that made their chests press against their backs.
“Weidong, I need to go back. I told my family I was working overtime at the office to get time off. If I don’t return home before nine, there will definitely be trouble.”
Hou Weidong kissed Xiaojia’s flat, soft abdomen and looked up. “Let’s go. We’ll eat something outside, and I’ll take you home. We need to plan for the long term and give our parents some time to adjust.”
He walked Xiaojia down to the base of the building. Several elderly women from the neighborhood committee were still faithfully keeping watch in front of the small grocery store. Their sharp eyes spotted Hou Weidong and Xiaojia holding hands. However, the two, immersed in the sweetness of their love, paid no attention to the neighborhood aunties.
“I’ll wait for you tomorrow,” Hou Weidong said, holding Xiaojia’s hand in the dim light of the shadows, his heart filled with tenderness.
Having not returned home all day on Saturday, Xiaojia worried her parents would scold her. She stood in the darkness, gave Hou Weidong a quick, light kiss, and said, “Wait for me tomorrow.” Xiaojia hurriedly took her leave, leaving Hou Weidong with nowhere to direct his overflowing warmth. However, since this was Xiaojia’s parents’ territory, it was no wonder she was so tense.
“Why must my marriage be constrained by my parents? No wonder Ba Jin wrote Family, Spring, and Autumn. Feudal thinking is truly deadly.”
Even as Hou Weidong and Xiaojia were lost in their love, Chen Qingrong and Zhang Yuanzheng were at home, so angry they could not eat.
There is a common saying in Shazhou City: “Men fear choosing the wrong profession; women fear marrying the wrong man.” For their only daughter, Zhang Xiaojia, Zhang Yuanzheng and Chen Qingrong had placed all their hopes. Having worked in factories their whole lives without significant social connections, they were extremely strict about Xiaojia’s marriage.
When Xiaojia returned home, she immediately saw two faces cold as ice.
Meanwhile, Hou Weidong was immersed in the river of love. After seeing Xiaojia off, he returned to the room and carefully recalled every detail. That night, he slept soundly. When he woke up the next day, it was already ten o’clock.
Xiaojia was thoughtful and had prepared two packs of Kangshifu instant noodles for him.
Hou Weidong got out of bed and sat on the sofa to watch TV for a while. Since it was someone else’s apartment, he felt embarrassed to use the air conditioner all day. He found a pedestal fan, and while the noodles soaked, he fanned himself, watched TV, and waited for Xiaojia’s knock, which sounded like music to his ears.
However, he flipped through countless TV channels, and Xiaojia’s knock never came. Anxious and impatient, he waited until two in the afternoon before Xiaojia finally appeared in the room. Seeing her expression, Hou Weidong knew something was wrong and asked urgently, “What happened?”
“I told them I was working overtime yesterday, so my parents had no choice. This morning, my mom went out to buy groceries. When she came back, she flew into a rage, accusing me of learning to lie and scolding me for being disobedient.”
“How did your mom know we were together? She could only suspect it. If you denied it, she wouldn’t have any proof.”
Xiaojia’s voice trembled with tears. “When we parted yesterday, the aunties from the neighborhood committee saw us. This morning, they told my mom.”
Hou Weidong asked in surprise, “Then how did you get out?”
“I had a huge argument with my dad and mom this morning. I forced my way out of the house.”
Hou Weidong could easily imagine the storm in Xiaojia’s family without needing details. He held Xiaojia tightly and murmured, “Xiaojia, I’m sorry. You’ve suffered enough.”
Yesterday, they had been at the peak of happiness; today, they had fallen into an ice cellar. Xiaojia cried in Hou Weidong’s arms for a while, then slowly calmed down. “I want to move out.”
Hou Weidong inhaled the fragrance of Xiaojia’s hair and hugged her tightly once more. “To ease the tension with your family, it’s best not to move out. After all, we are family. Don’t make the relationship too rigid, or it will be hard to resolve later.”
Xiaojia, tears streaming down her face, said, “Their attitude is very firm. If you come to see me again, they will write a letter to the Organization Department of the Yiyang County Party Committee.”
Hearing this threat, Hou Weidong’s expression changed instantly. He thought for a moment and said, “If they want to write a letter, I can’t stop them. It’s their right. I haven’t stolen, I haven’t robbed, I haven’t visited prostitutes, and I haven’t embezzled. We are in a free love relationship. I’m not afraid of their letter.”
Caught between the two sides, Xiaojia felt like a mouse in a bellows, suffering pressure from both ends. She looked particularly haggard.
Seeing Xiaojia’s state, Hou Weidong felt the urgency in his heart. He blamed himself deeply: “It’s all my fault. Who told me I wasn’t capable? Within three years, I must be transferred to Shazhou.”
Although he had made up his mind, thinking about being isolated on Qinglin Mountain, achieving success and transferring to Shazhou City seemed even harder than Tang Sanzang’s journey to the West for scriptures.
Despite a brief moment of discouragement, Hou Weidong quickly adjusted his mindset and encouraged himself: “No matter how hard things get, as long as I work hard, miracles will happen.”
Xiaojia nestled in his arms and said, “Weidong, why don’t I try to transfer to Yiyang?” Hou Weidong immediately rejected the idea. “Xiaojia, you are an only daughter. Leaving Shazhou would deeply hurt your parents. I don’t want your family to turn against each other because of me. Rest assured, give me three years, and I will carve out a path for us.”
Xiaojia said firmly, “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”
The two made love one more time, then Xiaojia rushed home, and Hou Weidong headed straight for the bus station.
Life on Qinglin Mountain