Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s Ⅱ

Part 200 In the Dark

In the darkness of the night, their gazes met, entangled in a silent exchange.

Zhou Yue Shen's rough fingers grazed her shoulders, his eyes locked onto her face. Si Nian's eyes shone brightly in the dark, carrying a glint of mischief.

Zhou Yue Shen paused, his hand sliding from her shoulder to gently hold the back of her neck as he leaned down. Pressing his forehead against hers, he murmured a low, reassuring "Okay."

He then bent at the waist, lifting her effortlessly and carrying her in his arms.

Si Nian gasped, tightening her grip around his arms. Moments later, she was gently set down on the soft bed. Zhou Yue Shen leaned down, searching for her lips, and in that instant, Si Nian, who had been the instigator, found herself in a passive role.

The older man was always so assertive in these moments.

Si Nian tilted her head slightly, attempting to evade him.

Zhou Yue Shen paused for a few seconds. "What's wrong?"

Si Nian blinked and replied, "Who gave you permission to kiss me?"

Zhou Yue Shen was taken aback for a moment, then let out a low, rich laugh that resonated from his chest. "Nian Nian."

"You always provoke me."

His fingers gently grasped Si Nian's chin, forcing her to look up. Their noses touched, and Zhou Yue Shen lowered his head to seal her lips with his own.

Si Nian placed her hands on his shoulders, tilting her head back, her fingertips sinking into his muscles. Their lips and tongues entwined, and her loose sleepwear, a new gift from him, slid off effortlessly.

The fabric was light and smooth to the touch. At the moment of contact, Zhou Yue Shen's muscles tensed, and his lower abdomen tightened. It was a clash of firmness and softness.

Zhou Yue Shen pressed her waist as if he wanted to merge her into his body. His reaction was subtly pulsating, and he was pressed very close against Si Nian.

Si Nian felt her face flush, the faint scent of alcohol lingering in the air, which was somewhat intoxicating. She felt a twinge of apprehension. At his age, his reaction was so quick—was that normal?

"Are you not hungry? Do you want to eat something before going to bed?"

As soon as he started moving, it seemed like she wouldn't be able to sleep through the night. Si Nian suddenly regretted teasing him.

Zhou Yue Shen nuzzled her soft earlobe, his voice husky and low. "Yes, I'm hungry. You need to eat well to sleep." As he spoke, his strong, rough fingers gently began to caress her.

Her body went soft, and Zhou Yue Shen's other hand began to move along her delicate curves. Si Nian instinctively arched her back, which made the man's emotions surge and his movements quicken.

The couple hadn't been close for a long time. Zhou Yue Shen often came home late, and by then, Si Nian was already resting. To avoid disturbing her sleep, he refrained from touching her much.

But now, faced with such a beautiful wife after being away, he couldn't hold back. This night, he was determined to conquer his "city" with an intensity far greater than usual.

The rain outside gradually decreased and eventually stopped. However, the temperature inside remained high. Zhou Yue Shen lifted Si Nian and carried her into the bathroom.

Before long, he came downstairs with a bucket of hot water, his upper body bare. The bathroom was spacious, dimly lit by candlelight, with the sound of water splashing. Si Nian was carried with her legs draped over his strong waist, her toes damp. Soon, steam began to seep out from under the bathroom door.

"Director Zhou, are you home?"

Early in the morning, there was a commotion outside. It was reported that the transformer had burned out. Since no one in the village could repair it, Zhou's family's door was being knocked on.

In the past, whenever this happened, they would call Zhou Yue Shen to take a look. Power issues in rural areas were inconvenient, and electricians were hard to come by. It was generally a troublesome matter for their remote location. Repairs could take anywhere from a week to a month.

Before Zhou Yue Shen's return, power outages often lasted a month due to poor equipment, and only when people couldn't endure it any longer would they seek help. After Zhou Yue Shen returned, this time was significantly reduced.

Si Nian was woken by the noise, feeling very groggy. As she opened her eyes, Zhou Yue Shen had already gotten up, his arm around her waist as he looked down at her.

His voice was low, "Did I wake you?"

Si Nian rubbed her eyes and responded slowly, "What happened?"

"Someone is looking for me. You stay here and keep sleeping."

Zhou Yue Shen sat up and put on a vest he had nearby. The floor was a mess; everything had been invisible in the dark last night. Now, Si Nian's nightgown was scattered around, its delicate lace fabric crumpled.

Zhou Yue Shen glanced over briefly, his Adam's apple moving slightly, before picking up the clothes from the floor and carrying them to the bathroom. When he came out, Si Nian had already buried her head in the pillow and gone back to sleep. She was exhausted from staying up late the night before and was rare to still be in bed at this hour.

The weather outside was a bit chilly and overcast. Zhou Yue Shen adjusted the blanket to cover her more snugly before getting up and heading downstairs.

At the door stood several people, including the village head.

Zhou Yue Shen's voice was low, clearly guessing the reason for their visit. "Uncle Huo, is the transformer broken again?"

Village Chief Huo nodded, his wrinkled face showing signs of frustration. "Yes, it's broken again. I don't know what's going on. It's been repaired and patched up several times this year. Could you take a look and see if it can be fixed? Sigh."

Zhou Yue Shen nodded slightly and went out the door with him.

Si Nian slept in until ten o'clock, still being woken up by the loud commotion. She yawned and got up, feeling a pang of soreness in her waist. She winced and, holding her back, hurried downstairs. By now it was broad daylight, but the January cold had already set in. Si Nian put on her coat but still shivered from the cold. She was already starting to miss the prospect of future heating.

At the door was Aunt Zhang, who was holding a shivering Shi Tou with a red, frostbitten face. Both were wrapped in heavy winter coats. The temperature had only been a bit chilly at night before, but after last night, Si Nian could clearly feel the aggressive onset of winter. Even Da Huang, who usually roamed freely outside, had rarely gone back to his doghouse to sleep. Shi Tou's nose was running long streams, looking both pitiful and comical.

"Aunt Zhang? Are you looking for me?" Si Nian asked as she opened the door.

Aunt Zhang nodded. "Yes, that's right. Have you just woken up, Nian? Did I disturb your rest?"

She had seen Zhou Yue Shen leaving early in the morning with Yao Yao. Seeing Si Nian looking like she had just woken up, she wondered if Si Nian was resting because she wasn't feeling well, so Zhou Yue Shen had taken the child with him.

Si Nian's face reddened a bit. "Oh, yes, it's cold, so I slept in a bit."

Aunt Zhang didn't think much of it, as she subconsciously believed Zhou Yue Shen wouldn't be up to much. She just assumed Si Nian was young and preferred to sleep in. After all, how many young people get up early in the winter? Even she found it hard to get up in the morning.

"Alright, I came to tell you something," Aunt Zhang said. "The village chief just notified us that all the household representatives need to go to a meeting. It seems the village transformer has burned out and can't be repaired, so it needs to be replaced. Since Director Zhou isn't home, would you like to go and find out what's going on?"

Si Nian was momentarily stunned, realizing the power outage last night was due to the transformer burning out.