Chapter Forty-Five: Misunderstanding

Liu Jingye’s mind was filled with scenes of peach blossoms in full bloom as he dazedly returned downstairs. At that moment, Shi Tou and the others were watching TV—an underwear commercial, no less. Liu Jingye felt even dizzier; every model on the screen had become Lin Shengnan in his eyes.

“Hurry up, hurry up, the local news is about to start,” urged Hu Ming, calm and composed as ever, like a seasoned strategist.

Unwillingly, Er Niu switched the channel. A beautiful anchorwoman appeared on the screen, and all their eyes lit up.

Somewhat lecherous, Da Niu exclaimed excitedly, “Chen Yuxin! I finally see your beautiful face again! Come, let your brother give you a kiss!”

Saying this, he puckered his lips, about to plant one on the TV. Liu Jingye hurriedly pulled him back, saying, “The TV’s electrified!”

Da Niu stopped, somewhat dejected, but there was no denying that this anchorwoman was indeed stunning—not just for the TV station, but as an icon of the entire city.

“Chen Yuxin is truly remarkable,” Da Niu went on, clearly knowing her story. “She used to work at the Celestial Empire Television Station and even had the potential to become a leading figure there. But in the end, she gave it up and chose to return to her hometown’s station, where she’s always been on the front lines as a reporter. She even works as a producer, creating grassroots programs like ‘Legal Affairs and Livelihood’ and ‘People’s Focus’—shows dedicated to solving tough issues for ordinary people. She’s deeply loved by the city’s residents and is considered the city’s goddess.”

Liu Jingye smiled faintly, gazing at the beautiful, intelligent, and capable face on the screen, admiring her in his heart. He had worked with frontline reporters before, especially war correspondents—risking life and limb for the honor of their profession.

Those who reported on the struggles of ordinary people, who dared to challenge social injustices and stood up to speak for the people, were all the more admirable.

“Dear viewers, we have just received breaking news,” the lovely anchor announced crisply. “The city’s police have launched a sudden ‘Thunderstrike’ anti-drug operation. In just half a day, hundreds of drug dealers and users have been arrested, dozens of entertainment venues suspected of involvement have been shut down, and several kilos of illicit substances seized. According to police officials, this operation will last for three months and will continue to intensify. There will also be ongoing anti-drug education to raise awareness and strive to eliminate the harm of drugs at its root...

“In other news from the police, this evening there was a shootout in the old industrial district of West City. Several suspected drug traffickers, fleeing from the police, opened fire during the pursuit. All were heroically taken down by our brave officers. Now, let’s hear from our correspondent at the scene, who interviewed the officers responsible…”

The camera cut to the dilapidated factory. Police tape cordoned off the area, and the bodies of the suspects were being carried out. Then, Yuan Xiaoying’s beautiful yet slightly nervous face appeared on screen.

The group was instantly dumbfounded, turning to stare at Liu Jingye. They recognized her—Yuan Xiaoying was Liu Jingye’s bride from just a few days ago.

Liu Jingye could only force a wry smile as Yuan Xiaoying, visibly tense, spoke to the camera: “Actually, I wasn’t alone in taking down these criminals. There was a brave citizen who stepped up and helped me greatly. Once the situation was under control, he quietly left. I’d like to take this opportunity to say to that courageous citizen: when you do a good deed, you should leave your name so more people can learn from you and get involved. Especially in this case—a hero saving a beauty! The lady just might offer herself in gratitude…”

“Oh… This silly girl is truly something, daring to say anything on air,” Liu Jingye muttered, speechless, nearly singeing his eyebrows with his lighter.

Perhaps because Yuan Xiaoying had been too candid, the interview ended quickly.

“That’s enough, switch the channel,” Er Niu urged. Da Niu changed to another local station, and to Liu Jingye’s surprise, it was still Chen Yuxin.

This time, Chen Yuxin was dressed in casual homewear, wearing an apron with a cute cartoon pattern. She looked less formal and more approachable, smiling warmly at the camera. “Welcome to ‘Happiness on the Tip of the Tongue.’ I’m your host, Chen Yuxin. Today, we’re introducing a local specialty—steamed pork with rice flour. Its characteristics are a rich, mellow flavor, melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, and it’s never greasy…”

Da Niu’s cheeks flushed with excitement. “My favorite part is when she says ‘melt-in-the-mouth.’ She says that about every dish—it’s practically her catchphrase.”

Liu Jingye, cigarette dangling from his lips, remarked, “That just means her mouth must have some extraordinary corrosive properties. I really worry for her boyfriend!”

Indeed, Chen Yuxin was extraordinary, almost monopolizing every TV program in the city while also handling frontline reporting—a true jack of all trades.

Outside, the rain was coming down harder. Suddenly, Liu Jingye remembered that in his hurry to climb over the wall earlier, he’d tossed his freshly dried clothes onto the ground.

“Sigh, I’ve let Wei Xiaorou down,” he murmured guiltily as he retrieved his now-soaked clothes. “A man will always hurt the woman who cares for him, all for the sake of another.”

He headed for the bathroom to wash the clothes again, but after being rained on and then dropped on the ground, they were now covered in mud. Luckily, he’d recently bought a special deal on high-efficiency laundry detergent.

He soaked the clothes in water. Thanks to the alcohol he’d drunk earlier, the moment his hands touched the water, he felt the urge to relieve himself.

Since he was already in the bathroom, he decided to take care of that business while absentmindedly pouring the milky white, viscous detergent onto his hand and preparing to rub it into the clothes.

At that moment, the bathroom door suddenly swung open. Lin Shengnan appeared in the doorway, utterly stunned by the scene before her.

His pants undone, his privates exposed, and his hands dripping with thick detergent...

“Ah!” Lin Shengnan screamed, spitting out two words with force: “Pervert!”

She slammed the door shut and stormed off. Liu Jingye looked down at himself and managed a wry smile. “Did she misunderstand something? I’d better fix the broken lock on the bathroom soon.”

“But wait… what exactly did she misunderstand?” Liu Jingye suddenly felt anxious.

Lin Shengnan sprinted back to her room in one breath, burying herself under the covers and whispering, “I can’t believe how filthy he is. After spying on me changing, he couldn’t wait to ‘help himself’ in the bathroom. If he’s not satisfied and tries to sneak into my room tonight, what will I do? He’s so strong, none of us can stop him, and this place is so isolated…”

The more she thought, the more panicked and frightened she became.

Suddenly her cheeks flushed as an idea struck her. She wriggled about under the covers, then got out of bed, wearing a long skirt and clutching a pair of pink panties in her hand.

Blushing fiercely, she bit her lip and thought, “Since I can’t protect myself, and I can’t count on his conscience, I’ll have to let him be satisfied to some extent.”

Such was the wisdom of the big sister.

She went downstairs and nearly walked straight into Liu Jingye, her face red, head down. Without a word, she shoved the pair of panties into his hand and whispered, “Here, take this. Use your imagination and settle it yourself. Just don’t come looking for me!”

With that, Lin Shengnan turned and fled, slamming her door behind her.

Liu Jingye stared at the still-warm little panties in his hand, utterly dumbfounded. “‘Use your imagination, settle it yourself’—what on earth does she think happened?”

He held the tiny garment before his eyes and gave a helpless smile. “This thing is so small—does it even cover anything? Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable?”

Still chuckling wryly, he returned to the bathroom. Being a decent man, he washed Lin Shengnan’s panties as well and hung them up to dry.

The next morning, Lin Shengnan caught him still in bed, her face ablaze and her eyes full of murderous intent as she jabbed a finger at his nose. “What’s the meaning of this? Do you think I’m dirty? I think you’re the filthy one!”

Clutching the covers, Liu Jingye looked both startled and embarrassed. The big sister was truly formidable, coming straight for him like this.

“Did you misunderstand something?” he asked awkwardly.

Lin Shengnan put her hands on her hips and scolded, “Why don’t you tell me exactly what you did?”

Scratching his head, Liu Jingye tried to recall every encounter with her the night before: “I mistook the humidifier’s mist for smoke, relieved myself in the bathroom, washed my clothes, poured laundry detergent onto my hands…”

At the mention of detergent, they both froze, then understanding dawned. Lin Shengnan was mortified, but Liu Jingye smoothed things over: “Don’t let the sale price fool you—this detergent works wonders. Powerful stain removal, gentle on the hands, and a lasting fragrance. If you don’t believe me, smell your panties. I did, and they’re really fragrant—not a trace of the original stain left…”

“Shut up!” Lin Shengnan’s face was as red as fire. She snatched up his covers and clamped them over his head, as if she wished she could suffocate him, then stormed out.

“Maybe I explained a bit too much,” Liu Jingye muttered, getting up. The sky outside was just beginning to brighten, which explained his grogginess.

As usual, he went out to the front yard and carefully practiced a set of military exercises. When he returned, the table was already set with a spread of hot, fragrant dishes: fried eggs, rice porridge, and side dishes.

“Wow, what a feast! You guys eat well around here,” Liu Jingye said, unable to hide his envy.

Clearly, all this was Lin Shengnan’s handiwork. As she served the food, she said with a sarcastic lilt, “You should thank the ingredients in your fridge. If there were more, the meal would be even better!”

“What? All this is mine—” Liu Jingye blurted, but seeing Lin Shengnan glare at him, he wisely shut his mouth and sat down to eat.

Lin Shengnan didn’t object to him joining them. Beside him, Hu Ming turned on the TV to catch the city’s morning news, while Da Niu and Er Niu eagerly awaited the sight of their favorite anchor.

The main topic remained last night’s “Thunderstrike” anti-drug operation. In just one night, hundreds of drug offenders had been apprehended, and dozens of related entertainment venues and dens had been shut down. Given the operation’s success, the provincial police headquarters had just issued an order for a province-wide, unified deployment—expanding the campaign into a comprehensive crackdown on vice, gambling, and drugs.