41: Notes from a Paranoid Educated Youth 10

This is going to kill him.

Zhou Linchuan practically tumbled off the kàng, the fabric of his trousers rubbing in an unignorable, strange way.

It was a bit uncomfortable and awkward.

To make matters worse, his hand was still inconvenient at this moment, making it difficult for him to even change his pants himself.

And he couldn't let Wen Ci find out.

He cautiously walked outside.

The moment the door opened, a cold wind slapped him in the face.

Zhou Linchuan gasped, the cold wind stinging the wounds on his shoulders and arms, making his vision go black from the pain.

He quickly closed the door again.

He glanced back at Wen Ci, who was still sleeping soundly, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Now, if he wanted to change his pants, he could only do it in this room, but Wen Ci was there, which made it extremely inconvenient, not to mention his injured hand made his movements slow.

If Wen Ci were to suddenly wake up and see him taking off his pants...

He wouldn't be able to explain himself even with ten mouths.

But he couldn't not change them.

Perhaps now, while she was still asleep, was his last chance.

After much thought, Zhou Linchuan ultimately walked towards the cabinet.

Wen Ci had actually woken up much earlier.

She squinted, watching Zhou Linchuan's flustered and tense back through the slits of her eyelashes.

As the man changed his pants with his back to her, his broad shoulders and narrow waist exuded a powerful physique, and the muscles of his lower back tensed into beautiful lines with his movements.

He really was handsome.

She quietly buried her face in the quilt, which still carried his body heat, her lips curving into a smile she couldn't suppress.

Waking up so early to change his pants, there was only one possibility she could think of.

Truly, he had abundant energy.

It would be better if he spent it all on her.

*

After Wen Ci got up and washed, Zhou Linchuan had already made breakfast. She had just sat down and hadn't eaten much when the wooden door was knocked loudly.

"Sister Wen Ci! Open the door quickly!"

Sister Xinghua's clear voice, mixed with the laughter of several other girls, came through, exceptionally penetrating and infectious.

Zhou Linchuan frowned and put down his chopsticks. Just as he was about to get up, Wen Ci had already scurried to open the door.

"Whoosh!"

Three young female comrades surged in, bringing with them a gust of cold wind and the scent of vanishing cream.

Sister Xinghua affectionately stepped forward and linked arms with Wen Ci, "Sister Wen Ci, our Women's Group is learning to use the sewing machine today, and Aunt Chen specifically asked you to go and learn so you can teach everyone!"

"Me?" Wen Ci pointed at her nose, a bit astonished, "But I don't know how to use it..."

"It's okay, Sister Wen Ci, you're smart! You'll definitely learn it right away," Xiao Hong, a round-faced girl, said, her eyes sparkling with intense admiration. "Yesterday, you were so amazing at cleaning and bandaging Captain Zhou's wound, so sewing definitely won't be difficult for you!"

"That's right, Sister Wen Ci, let's go together. Everyone will follow your lead. You're highly educated, so you must know a lot that we don't. Please teach us more."

The girls chattered and surrounded Wen Ci, and the room instantly became lively.

Wen Ci was instantly flattered, feeling a bit lightheaded. She smiled and nodded repeatedly, "No problem, I will, I'll definitely teach you all."

Zhou Linchuan sat in the shadows of the corner, the chopsticks in his hand creaking.

He seemed to have been completely ignored by Wen Ci.

"Sister Wen Ci, you're so beautiful! I know how to braid hair, how about I braid a pretty one for you later?"

"Really? That would be great!"

Wen Ci was surrounded and led out, the group chatting and laughing, completely forgetting the man behind them.

Zhou Linchuan watched her graceful back gradually disappear, then sighed lightly and got up to clear the dishes. When he got to her unfinished bowl of porridge, he paused and stared at it for a long time.

Finally, he picked it up and drank it all in one gulp.

*

The Women's Director's house was packed with people. Wen Ci learned very quickly, and Aunt Chen particularly admired her intelligence and dexterity.

After Wen Ci had mastered it, she sat at the sewing machine, ready to teach others, and the girls all vied to hand her fabric.

"Sister Wen Ci, teach me first! I want to sew insoles for my boyfriend!"

"I was clearly in line first!"

The room was incredibly lively.

Outside the room, a cool breeze blew. Zhou Linchuan leaned against the old pagoda tree, "repairing farm tools," his gaze passing through the glass window.

Wen Ci was teaching Sister Xinghua how to press seams, her focused and serious demeanor exceptionally captivating.

A section of her fair skin was accidentally exposed at the back of her neck, which was very eye-catching.

Some male educated youths pretended to pass by, smiling and chatting with her through the window.

Wen Ci also smiled in response.

That smiling face was exceptionally radiant.

"Crack!"

The wooden handle of the hoe in Zhou Linchuan's hand split into two. The old men nearby were distressed, "Captain Zhou, oh, what, what should we do? This hoe has been with us for many years. Is it really beyond repair?"

"Captain Zhou, your hand injury hasn't healed yet. You should rest first and not overexert yourself."

Zhou Linchuan then came to his senses, a hint of apology in his eyes, "Sorry, I'll compensate you with a better one."

After speaking, he picked up a piece of wood nearby and began to re-grind it, quickly repairing a stronger and more durable wooden handle.

The group of old men immediately beamed with joy, "It has to be Captain Zhou! He has great strength and excellent craftsmanship!"

Zhou Linchuan's gaze once again focused on the figure by the window. Suddenly thinking of something, he got up and left.

*

In front of the glass counter at the supply and marketing cooperative, Zhou Linchuan stared at the goose-yellow jacket on the shelf, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the cloth coupons in his pocket.

That was his accumulated share for half a year.

"Comrade Zhou, are you here to buy new clothes?" The saleswoman's eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

Few people in this area came to buy new clothes; everyone was reluctant.

Captain Zhou never used to come before, so it was surprising that he thought of buying clothes today?

How rare.

Zhou Linchuan's jaw tensed as he nodded, then suddenly pointed to the blue work uniform next to it, "I'll take this one."

Goose-yellow was too striking.

She would definitely attract attention if she wore it.

He didn't want her to be stared at by everyone.

She was already very eye-catching.

Although he thought this, as the saleswoman packed it, his gaze uncontrollably drifted towards that bright color again.

"Wait." He suddenly changed his mind, his voice a little tight, "...I'll take both."

*

In the main hall of the Women's Director's house, the sewing machine pedal clattered non-stop.

Wen Ci held a girl's hand, guiding her to slowly press a curved line.

"Yes, just like that, don't rush..." Her voice was gentle, her fingertip pointing at the blue fabric, "Lift the presser foot slightly when turning."

The surrounding girls exclaimed, "Sister Wen Ci is so skillful!"

The girl being guided in sewing blushed fiercely.

Lin Hongying stood at the back of the crowd, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Why should a capitalist young lady be the center of attention?

Why did even Zhou Linchuan look at her with new eyes?

She suddenly pushed to the front, faking a smile, "Comrade Wen, this fabric of mine keeps skipping stitches. Can you take a look?"

Wen Ci took the fabric Lin Hongying handed her. It already had several crooked stitches, and the needlework was messy, clearly deliberately damaged.

"The needle is bent." She glanced at the sewing machine, then looked up, meeting Lin Hongying's challenging gaze, "Should I change to a new one first?"

"Oh dear!" Lin Hongying suddenly shrieked, "This is an imported machine! If you break it, you have to pay for it!"

"Are you perhaps not good at this, or else why would the needle be bent?"

The room instantly fell silent.

Everyone could tell that Lin Hongying was looking for trouble.

Sister Xinghua quickly interjected, "Sister Hongying, what are you saying? I think you're the one who doesn't know how to use it, right?"

"Exactly!" Xiao Hong put her hands on her hips, "Last week, you sewed my mom's curtain fabric into a fishing net!"

"And everyone can clearly see Sister Wen Ci's skill, so how can she not know? Even if the needle is bent, it has nothing to do with Sister Wen Ci!"

Lin Hongying's face turned ashen. Just as she was about to retort, Wen Ci had already removed the needle, "It's fine, I'll just fix it."

To everyone's astonishment, she straightened the bent needle in a few swift motions.

"There," she said with a smile, stepping on the pedal, and a straight line of stitches immediately appeared on the fabric, "Since Comrade Lin says I don't know how, why don't you give it a try?"

Lin Hongying froze, her face alternating between green and pale.