Chapter 497 - 170: The ’80s Drama Queen Is Forced to Become a Top Student (Part 5)
Chapter 497: Chapter 170: The ’80s Drama Queen Is Forced to Become a Top Student (Part 5)
They had only intended to satisfy a small craving while it was still light out. But the two of them had been celibate for so long that now that they finally had a chance, they couldn’t hold back at all.
Sheng Leyun was strolling out leisurely when, after only a couple of steps, an old woman grabbed her.
She shoved a handful of salted Maodou into Sheng Leyun’s arms, a kindly smile on her face. Her cloudy eyes, however, held a sharp glint of gossip as she looked at Sheng Leyun. "Little girl, are you the little one from the Little Sheng Family?"
"You’re a real looker, just a bit on the thin side. Here, eat some of Grandma’s Maodou, boiled with star anise, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorns."
"Where are you off to play? I heard your new dad and your mom kicked you out?"
Sheng Leyun accepted the Maodou with a smile. Her eyes crinkled as she thanked the woman, popping one into her mouth. "Oh no, Grandma, you must have misheard."
"I—I just got here, so I’m just walking around to get familiar with the area."
The old woman chuckled and nodded, her mind already processing and filtering the information. ’So how did your new father end up bringing you two here?’
What she really wanted to ask was how two people from opposite ends of the country had managed to get together, let alone get married.
Sheng Leyun chewed the Maodou thoughtfully. It was fragrant and savory, and chewing it released a lingering aftertaste of spices. "Grandma, this Maodou you made is so delicious."
The old woman nodded. "You bet it is. Every year when Maodou are in season, I make a batch every day and deliver them to restaurants to be sold as appetizers. It’s a family recipe, so the flavor is top-notch."
"I just finished a fresh pot. If you like it, Grandma can scoop you up some more to snack on."
Before Sheng Leyun could refuse, the old woman had already turned and ladled out half a basinful. She smiled and said, "Come on, Grandma will walk you back..."
Sheng Leyun’s hand, raised halfway to protest, slowly dropped back to her side. She just smiled and nodded.
The doors in this old apartment building only had a handle and a keyhole on the outside. If someone closed the door behind them, it couldn’t be opened from the outside without a key.
From the inside, however, one could simply turn a knob on the lock to open it.
This was why Xiao Xuezhen felt safe enough to get intimate with his new wife in silence. Their room was right next to the communal washroom, so there was a constant stream of noise: people washing hands, filling buckets, rinsing mops, doing laundry, using the toilet, and so on.
The sounds were so close it was as if someone were standing right beside them, which filled the couple with a strange, unspoken thrill. Clinging to each other, they edged toward the bed and finally tumbled onto it, no longer holding back the little beasts within.
However, Sheng Leyun nonchalantly pushed the door open and calmly peeled a small piece of tape off the lock.
’Tsk, tsk. The door actually did provide a bit of soundproofing.’ Once it was open, the faint whimpers of the couple’s private session drifted out like the buzzing of mosquitoes.
Now, it wasn’t just the old woman; a few other women who had been busy in the washroom also caught the scent of gossip and gathered around.
Upon hearing the familiar noises, a kind-looking auntie smiled, held Sheng Leyun back, and whispered, "Could you be a dear and go turn off the faucet in the washroom for me? It’s a shame to waste water."
Sheng Leyun had no desire to let the couple defile her innocent eyes and pure soul anyway. She smiled, nodded, and headed out, turning right toward the washroom.
Xiao Xuezhen had promised the Lan Family that he would mourn his deceased wife for three years. The mourning period had ended just last month, and this month he had brought Ren Xingchen and her daughter to live with him.
The woman had never known a day of hardship, and her delicate skin was so smooth he couldn’t get enough of it.
Xiao Xuezhen was trembling with excitement. Just as he was about to savor her more deeply, he suddenly realized the air had gone quiet for a moment.
He stiffly turned his head, only to see four women of various ages standing in the bedroom doorway, staring silently and intently at his performance.
He shuddered in fright, and all the excitement instantly drained out of him.
People wore little in the summer, and Ren Xingchen was half-undressed. When she belatedly noticed the audience, she hastily pulled her clothes over herself.
"Aunties, ladies, what do you think you’re doing?" Xiao Xuezhen demanded, his face dark. "This is my home. You can’t just walk in without my permission."
The old woman acted as if she hadn’t seen a thing. Chuckling, she held up the small basket of Maodou. "I saw your little one enjoys these, so I brought some over for you."
"If Yunyun wasn’t Little Sheng’s child, I wouldn’t part with these even if you offered me money."
"They keep well. Just cover them with a breathable cloth, and maybe sprinkle on a bit more salt..."
Another woman chimed in, "Oh, we were in the washroom just now and realized we hadn’t met the new bride yet. We saw your door was open, so we just came on in."
"Honestly, you two. You have a long life ahead of you. Why be in such a rush? And kicking the child out for this? Tsk, tsk. Have you no shame..."
"It’s the middle of the day, in a place with people coming and going. How can you be so unrestrained? You’re not teenagers anymore. Can’t you show a little adult self-control?"
"Goodness, what if you two had gotten excited and started screaming? You would have given us all a fright!"
These were all married women with children, so they didn’t mince words. Besides, everyone in the building knew each other well and wasn’t shy about such topics.
What’s more, even though the building was only two stories high, it was packed with residents of all stripes.
Some of the women were rather... forward. When they got intimate with their husbands late at night, it was as if they wanted the whole building to hear. The adults knew what was going on, but the children didn’t. They would keep asking what was wrong with that auntie. Was she being punished for misbehaving? Was that why the uncle wouldn’t let her sleep and was hitting her?
Their words, one after another, made Xiao Xuezhen and his wife flush crimson with shame, wishing the ground would swallow them whole.
It was the old woman who finally spoke up, chuckling. "What are you all on about? They’re practically newlyweds. This is perfectly normal."
With that, she took the hand of Sheng Leyun, who had just returned from turning off the faucet, and shielded the little girl’s view of the room. "But you two, don’t go kicking your child out anymore."
"The girl just got here and doesn’t know her way around. What if she wanders into an alley, gets lost, and is snatched by a kidnapper?"
"If you really can’t control yourselves, just send the child over to my place..."
Xiao Xuezhen and Ren Xingchen could barely stand. They were both around thirty years old and had never experienced anything so mortifying in their entire lives.
Sheng Leyun then asked innocently, "Grandma, what are you talking about?"
"It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Come on, let’s go play at Grandma’s house..." With that, the old woman led Sheng Leyun away.
Only the young couple remained in the room, overcome with embarrassment and shame.
Ren Xingchen pressed her lips together tightly and whispered, "I don’t know what’s gotten into Yunyun. She’s suddenly turned into a little hedgehog, going out of her way to prickle the two of us."
"She used to be so obedient. If I’d known she would be like this, I never would have brought her. I’m so sorry for bringing this shame on you..."
All his passion gone, Xiao Xuezhen lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and slowly exhaled. "Let’s just wait and see. There’s something... off about that child."
And wasn’t she?
’She’s only nine years old. According to Ren Xingchen, the girl rarely ever left the house. At home, besides ordering her around, who in the family ever had the patience to actually talk to her?’
’You could say that even if Sheng Leyun was born with a sharp mind, the lack of proper nurturing should have made her dull and slow, or at the very least, not this cunning.’
’But from the moment they met at the station until now, she hadn’t been dull at all. On the contrary, she was as clever as a monkey, running circles around them!’
Ren Xingchen nodded repeatedly. "Yes, I think she’s uncanny, too. She’s not like herself at all."
"Brother Xiao, do you think... she might be possessed by some evil spirit?"
"How could someone just become this clever overnight?"
Xiao Xuezhen glanced at her and shook his head. "Don’t you ever say that to anyone else. Even though things are much better these days, we should keep talk of superstitions like that within our own four walls."