Chapter 56: Overstuffed!

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Zheng Chunmei's heart suddenly quickened.

“Using such fine cloth just to sit on? Uncle Zhao is really extravagant!” she said enviously, then shifted the grinding stone and sat down on the cloth.

“No matter how good the cloth is, it’s meant for people,” Zhao Zheng said as he sat close beside Zheng Chunmei. Being so near, he could clearly see the fine fuzz on her face.

Aside from everything else, this widow Zheng was quite attractive.

Zheng Chunmei froze as she felt a hand resting on her waist. “Uncle, be careful not to get caught.”

It didn’t sound like a warning, more like a signal to speed things up.

“There’s no firewood here, and it’s a small path; no one would take the long way around. I chose this spot on purpose, so don’t worry,” Zhao Zheng whispered into her ear.

Half her body tingled, and she told herself, “It’s alright, Zhao Lao San can’t do it…”

“Uncle, after my husband left, I never got this close to any other man,” Zheng Chunmei said.

“What about the horse hunter?”

“I—I didn’t do anything with him!”

“So you’re not telling the truth?”

“No, really, nothing.” Feeling his rough hand slip through a gap in her clothes, her heart nearly leapt to her throat. “At first, I thought being with him might be a good choice. You know my family situation—Er Dan is still young and useless. It’s just women at home, no men, and we can’t survive a famine like this.”

“But I never let him take advantage of me. You know what happened afterward—his family had their own troubles; he couldn’t even protect himself. How could I have let him touch me?”

“I may be a widow, but I’m no fool. If someone wants to marry me, they have to accept my whole family. Otherwise, I’d rather be alone!”

Zhao Zheng believed her. After all, her husband had died only a few months ago; the baby was barely a month old, and her mother-in-law kept a close watch. There was no opportunity.

Still, he had only asked casually—not expecting the truth.

Zheng Chunmei pressed her hands against Zhao Zheng’s chest. “Uncle, I’m not lying. I know you don’t like my child or my mother-in-law, so I’m not asking for much. I just want you to give me some food when your family is full, alright?”

As she spoke, her mind was filled with images of egg pancakes, crispy rice crusts, and meat broth.

Just last night, she was still savoring that bland ‘chicken soup’!

Hearing this, Zhao Zheng nodded. As long as it didn’t stick to her teeth, he didn’t mind sharing a little food. Even if it slipped through his fingers, it would be enough to fill her. “Make sure you’ve thought it through.”

Zheng Chunmei scoffed inwardly. So serious—what could he possibly do to her?

She was sure Zhao Zheng was incapable, which was why she had come. She nodded decisively. “I’ve thought it through!”

Zhao Zheng wasn’t afraid she might go back on her word. This place was isolated—no village ahead, no shop behind, few people around. Even if Zheng Chunmei screamed herself hoarse, it was useless.

What’s more, would she dare tell the village she was involved with him?

Thinking this, Zhao Zheng stopped pretending. He took another blanket from his bundle and spread it over them.

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Zheng Chunmei collapsed onto the ground, inexplicably flustered. She hadn’t expected Zhao Lao San to be so well prepared.

“Uncle…”

“Don’t call me Uncle. You envy Zhaodi and Xiao’e, right? Here’s your chance—call me Daddy…”

“Ugh, you old rogue!” Zheng Chunmei lightly pounded Zhao Zheng.

Zhao Zheng’s body, suppressed for over forty years, now erupted like a volcano.

From disbelief to shock, Zheng Chunmei thought, “Who says he can’t do it?”

“If he can’t, then what does that make my husband? Half a cripple?”

“Compared to Zhao Lao San, it’s like an adult versus a child!”

Her whole body trembled—heart, liver, spleen, lungs.

Her mind went blank.

She had been foolish to believe the rumors.

Those old women had never been with Zhao Lao San; what did they know?

“They’ve ruined me!” Zheng Chunmei closed her eyes in despair.

Outside the mountain hollow, the cold wind howled.

Inside, it was warm as spring.

Zhao Zheng exhaled contentedly, as if releasing forty years of pent-up frustration.

He was very satisfied.

He gave himself a score of ninety-eight—no worse than a twenty-year-old, and in some ways, far superior, truly gifted.

Zheng Chunmei gradually revived. For some reason, she felt reborn at this moment.

It was as if all the years she’d been a woman were wasted.

Only now did she realize the happiness of being a woman.

Zhao Zheng softened his touch. A widow was a widow—delicate and smooth. This wasn’t even Zheng Chunmei’s peak condition; if she ate well and gained some flesh, she’d be truly formidable.

Thinking it over, he took a lunchbox from his bundle and handed it to Zheng Chunmei. “Eat.”

Zheng Chunmei was already weak, nearly fainting after Zhao Zheng’s scolding, lacking the strength even to sit up.

But seeing the box, she was instantly excited. “Uncle, what is this?”

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“It’s what you wanted.” Zhao Zheng stood up, stretched, and dug a small hole to bury the rubber seeds on the ground. It wasn’t that he liked using these, but better safe than sorry. If Zheng widow got pregnant, that would be real trouble.

A ‘food friend’ who didn’t add responsibility and was sensible—that was a proper ‘food friend.’

Zheng Chunmei took the lunchbox, still a bit warm. Lifting the lid, she found cornmeal rice soaked in meat broth.

There was even a palm-sized egg pancake.

Though not rice, this cornmeal was no husk porridge.

Such a large lunchbox, even if made into porridge, would feed her for six or seven days.

Her eyes reddened, a pang of bitterness welling up. She’d borne children for the Li family, yet couldn’t compare to accompanying Zhao Lao San once. Even if her husband hadn’t died, she hadn’t eaten her fill these past years.

“Uncle Zhao!”

“Eat. This is just the beginning. As long as you obey and serve me well, it won’t just be cornmeal rice—you’ll be stuffed with rice to your heart’s content.”

Zhao Zheng thought, having bought a pack of tobacco from the market, lit it, and took a satisfying drag.

A post-event cigarette was like a godsend.

Having verified his ability, he felt immensely pleased.

Zheng Chunmei nodded repeatedly. “I’ll definitely listen to you from now on.”

She began to devour the food.

She knew she looked a mess eating, but she was just too hungry.

Those who’ve never been hungry can’t understand this feeling.

The cornmeal rice soaked in meat broth was so delicious it brought tears.

The egg pancake absorbed the soup, and she even tasted a small piece of fatty meat.

The savory flavor revived her dried-out body.

Like rain after a long drought, she felt alive again.

Soon, she finished the entire box and burped contentedly.

Zhao Zheng frowned seeing her clutch her stomach. “What’s wrong?”

Embarrassed, Zheng Chunmei replied, “I ate too fast and got a stomach ache!”