Chapter 46: The Reed Marsh Beloved by Lovers

Seeing Jiang Fan wolfing down his food, Wang Wenyu, as he wished, took a tissue from her satchel and gently wiped the rice noodles from the corner of his mouth, speaking softly, “Eat slowly, there’s no one fighting you for it.”

Earlier, when she cleaned the grains of rice, Wang Wenyu moved swiftly; although Jiang Fan felt a surge of joy, it hadn’t left much of an impression. Now, however, he paid close attention to her every movement on purpose. The two sat at a small square table provided by the vendor. As soon as Wang Wenyu finished wiping him clean, Jiang Fan puckered his lips mischievously into a kiss shape and teased, “Why don’t you have anything on your lips? Then I could wipe them for you!”

Wang Wenyu remembered his bold thoughts but timid actions and, with an encouraging smile, coaxed, “You’re so thick-skinned. If you want something, just say it—can’t a man be more straightforward?”

“I want to, but I don’t dare to act—otherwise, I’d be branded a scoundrel!”

Stubborn men are naturally drawn to conquest. Hao Meng was the one who made the first move, yet Jiang Fan still held back. Wang Wenyu’s casual, natural manner, laced with a shy charm, gave him great encouragement, emboldening his words.

Wang Wenyu suppressed a laugh and asked, “So what kind of action do you want to take? Are you really bold enough to take advantage of me right here?”

Watching her deliberately provoke him, Jiang Fan took advantage of her sitting on a low plastic stool, with her trench coat nearly touching the ground, and, pretending to be attentive, he helped her gather the coat’s edge onto her lap, his hand lingering on her thigh.

Wang Wenyu noticed one of his hands resting on her leg, the other—injured—still looped around his neck, with half a plate of noodles left in front of him. She wondered what excuse this thick-skinned man would use, and how long his hand would stay there.

She didn’t object, so Jiang Fan boldly stroked her thigh a few times, shamelessly declaring, “So soft, so comfortable.”

Seeing Jiang Fan truly daring to touch her in public, Wang Wenyu’s face flushed crimson, but she didn’t scold him directly. Instead, she puckered her lips toward his noodle plate and, in a playful tone, chided, “You can’t behave even while eating. Do you want me to feed you?”

“Yes, and if you feed me with your mouth, all the better.”

Jiang Fan shamelessly opened his mouth, waiting for Wang Wenyu to feed him.

Catching his mischievous look, Wang Wenyu used her own chopsticks and stuffed a mouthful of noodles into his mouth, blushing, “Are you satisfied now?”

Pampered by Wang Wenyu, Jiang Fan pressed his advantage, shifting his seat to her right side, removing the injured hand from his neck and placing it on her thigh, saying, “Now I’m satisfied—can eat by myself, and my hand has somewhere to rest.”

Wang Wenyu quipped, “Doesn’t your hand hurt now?”

“Your thigh is the best medicine—when it’s here, it doesn’t hurt at all!”

“Scoundrel, eat quickly—don’t forget you have work later!”

Seeing Wang Wenyu willingly let his hand rest on her thigh, Jiang Fan moved his stool even closer, transferring his wounded hand from her leg to her waist, embracing her gleefully. “I’m on medical leave these days—the factory gave me time off. Heaven is on my side; I can cherish moments like these.”

In such a crowded place, Wang Wenyu, despite her willingness, was still a bit self-conscious. Hearing Jiang Fan say he wasn’t working, she brightened, “Then hurry up and eat. Afterwards, let’s go watch a movie.”

Jiang Fan feigned a lecture, “You need to be thrifty. A movie ticket costs a yuan—that’s enough for farmers to grow several pounds of vegetables. After we eat, I’ll take you somewhere quiet—the couples from the factory love to go there when they’re not working overtime.”

Hearing Jiang Fan mention a place favored by couples, Wang Wenyu glanced at his smug expression without answering, her cheeks blooming with color.

After the meal, Wang Wenyu took the initiative, linking her arm through Jiang Fan’s. He led her to a pond near Baisha Fifth Village.

Beside the pond stood a swathe of reeds taller than a person, and several ancient trees reaching skyward. Though the daylight had not fully faded, the rustling of the reeds was already punctuated by the subdued, joyful sounds of couples.

The industrial zone of Baisha Second Village was more than a kilometer from this pond. Women are always suspicious; Wang Wenyu twisted Jiang Fan’s arm and interrogated, “You’ve only been here a few days—how do you know this place? Have you brought other girls here?”

Seeing her cheeks flushed, Jiang Fan affectionately tapped her nose, “We haven’t even gotten started and you’re jealous already? Actually, it was girls who brought me here before—but not one, a pair.”

He pointed to a nearby food stall and explained how Ah Zhen had been promoted, and Ah Ping had treated them to celebrate.

“Hmph,” Wang Wenyu kept her grip on his arm, pressing, “So what are we? Am I not entitled to be jealous? Explain yourself.”

“Of course you are.” Jiang Fan slipped free of her grip and put his arm around her shoulders. “You’re my little girl, isn’t that enough? Be jealous as much as you like, but don’t be so rough, alright?”

In Beijing, men call their girlfriends “little girl.” Hearing Jiang Fan admit it aloud, Wang Wenyu was secretly delighted but still unsatisfied. She pouted, acting spoiled, “No, when I’m upset I want to vent at you—and you have to let me.”

The two slipped into the reeds, finding a relatively flat spot. Wang Wenyu made Jiang Fan sit first, then perched herself on his lap.

Jiang Fan, with his uninjured right hand, naturally wrapped her waist, his voice tinged with regret. “If I’d known we’d come to this, I wouldn’t have run out of the bathroom that day—I wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

His tone was regretful, but his hand was anything but idle.

Wang Wenyu stopped his hand from burrowing under her clothes, nestled her head into his chest, and said, “Don’t flatter yourself. If it weren’t for Teacher Yan and Uncle Li speaking so highly of you, I wouldn’t have bothered with a rascal like you. I certainly wouldn’t have taken the initiative to end up in your arms—perhaps it’s fate.”

Jiang Fan planted a noisy kiss on her lips, shamelessly pleading, “It’s really hard to hold back. Let me tuck my hand in, just for a bit, please?”

Wang Wenyu wiped her kissed lips with the back of her hand, glanced around—the dense reeds shielded them from the crowds, leaving only faint rustles and voices.

She rolled her eyes at Jiang Fan and teased, “Scoundrel, always taking advantage. Just for a moment, alright?” With that, she unbuttoned the lowest two buttons of her blouse, making it easier for him.

Still struggling with one hand, Jiang Fan eagerly pushed his hand up under her blouse, relishing the sensation. He couldn’t help but quip, “Perfect size, as if made just for me.”

It was her first time willingly getting intimate with a man, and in the wild, no less. Wang Wenyu was both excited and nervous, her breath coming in quick gasps. “Scoundrel, get your fill quickly and take it out—if someone sees us, I’d be mortified.”

Night after night, Jiang Fan had dreamed of being close to Wang Wenyu. Now, with the dream not yet fully realized, he wasn’t about to let it end so soon.

Not only did he refuse to let go, but he teased, “I’m a scoundrel, and so are you. Don’t forget—in the bathroom, you nearly took my parts apart. I was in pain for ages—if I had money, I’d have gone to see a doctor, check if anything was damaged. Don’t just remember me taking advantage; conveniently forget you’re a little rascal yourself.”