FIMA Ch111: Listen to Me

The familiar sound of the end-of-day bell rang.

In a meeting room at the agricultural repair factory, everyone started to chat and relax while packing up their things.

“I suddenly know what it feels like to have an epiphany, it’s this feeling right now,” Ling Zhi said exaggeratedly.

The person next to him didn’t feel awkward and agreed:

“Yeah, it feels like I finally understand everything that I couldn’t figure out before.”

“This kind of technical work can indeed be extended by analogy!”

“I feel like I can identify mechanical problems more quickly in the future, and then correspondingly repair them accurately and swiftly.”

Fang Jie sighed, “This morning, I just heard from the section chief that Comrade Siyuan’s new engine design has passed preliminary approval at the city’s machinery factory after several rounds of meetings and reports. The next step is the normal review and preparation work for the startup. In a while, he will leave the agricultural repair factory to go to the city.”

Everyone’s eyes flashed with both envy and reluctance but no jealousy.

In these days of contact, they deeply understood Gu Siyuan’s skills, knowing they couldn’t match him no matter how hard they tried, so unnecessary feelings were pointless.

“Hey, in that case, who will save a useless person like me?” Ling Zhi cried out with a wry face.

“Haha…”

Everyone was amused by his playful tone and laughed.

As the topic’s central figure, Gu Siyuan, adhered to his principle of not staying even a second after work, leaving the agricultural repair factory swiftly.

It was about two kilometers from the agricultural repair factory to his current dormitory, which Gu Siyuan could cover in just over ten minutes with his pace.

It was already August, and the sun was scorching with cicadas chirping loudly.

In the broad dormitory courtyard, many elderly folks were sitting in the shade chatting, while nearby, a group of children seemed unaffected by the heat, playing and chasing each other.

“Xiao Gu, off work?”

Seeing the figure entering from the gate, everyone greeted him with a smile.

Gu Siyuan politely nodded, “Yes.”

He and Xie Yiyang had moved into the county’s agricultural repair factory dormitory for over a month now.

Gu Siyuan had always been adaptable, and Xie Yiyang loved the bustling city life, so they were living even more comfortably than in the countryside.

Since the first day they moved, scaring off Xie’s family by pretending to borrow money, they hadn’t been disturbed again.

Occasionally, when they accidentally ran into each other on the street, Xie Yiyang would immediately put on a pitiful expression, as if about to ask for money, causing Xie’s family to avoid them like the plague.

Afterwards, Xie Yiyang always laughed so hard at their reaction.

Other times, Gu Siyuan continued his routine of going to and from work, while Xie Yiyang studied at home, making for a warm and sweet life.

During this period, the Public Security Bureau also informed Gu Siyuan about the handling of Gu Lili and Feng Keng.

The two had been involved in two cases, one of hooliganism and one of theft, but neither resulted in serious consequences.

Although the law was strict, in this case, they couldn’t be executed directly. Instead, they were sent to a labor camp for reform through labor according to the usual practice.

Both Gu Siyuan and Xie Yiyang couldn’t help but laugh at this.

A labor camp is a place for those who committed major offenses, and the hard labor there is indescribable.

Gu Lili had been pampered by his parents all his life, never working in the fields or at home;

And Feng Keng, coming from a wealthy background, had only done light work like driving a tractor even as a sent-down youth in Yunxi Village.

Now, sending these two pampered and accustomed people to a labor camp for reform was almost as bad as death for them.

…

Thinking about it, Gu Siyuan had already gone upstairs. When he opened the living room door, Xie Yiyang, who was sitting at the desk, looked up sharply and called out, “Husband, you’re off work already? I was so absorbed in my study…”

He then decisively put down his pen and ran towards Gu Siyuan.

“Isn’t it hot?” Gu Siyuan coldly mocked while honestly reaching out to hug him.

Xie Yiyang snuggled into his arms and murmured, “Not hot, my heart is as cool as water now.”

Gu Siyuan led him to the sofa, sat down, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Yiyang pouted and said reluctantly, “Humph, I found that high school knowledge is a bit difficult. There are several math problems in the notebook you picked up a few days ago that I don’t understand. I was just looking at them, which made me forget to go downstairs to meet you…”

“Is it very difficult?” Gu Siyuan raised his eyebrows, slightly puzzled.

Aren’t those just normal problems? He had casually written a few regular examples based on his memory of the knowledge points.

Just apply the formulas.

Xie Yiyang squinted his beautiful eyes at him, “Gu Siyuan, what do you mean?”

Gu Siyuan sensibly shook his head, “Nothing, Teacher Xie is so smart, you should be able to understand after a while. After reading, you can teach me. If even Teacher Xie finds it difficult, it will be even harder for me to understand later.”

“Humph…” Xie Yiyang bared his neat white teeth at him, “That’s more like it.”

Silly!

Gu Siyuan’s lips held a faint smile as he glanced at him.

Caught by this look, Xie Yiyang couldn’t help but blush slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Tsk…

Speaking of which, his husband’s intelligence is really remarkable.

Every night, even though he says he’s teaching him, no matter what the problem is, his husband can understand it immediately after looking at the corresponding formula, sometimes even unintentionally enlightening him.

Xie Yiyang had been staying in the county for over a month, becoming even better-looking than when he was in the countryside, with fair skin, red lips, and white teeth. At this moment, a light pink hue adorned his cheeks, making him look like a strawberry mochi.

Probably because he hadn’t had water since coming back, Gu Siyuan felt quite thirsty.

He was always someone who acted on impulse, so he gently used his hand to pull the whole person into his arms, leaning over to lightly kiss that rosy face, then slowly moving down to the bright red lips.

“Teacher Xie, you taste really good.” His always deep and magnetic voice was slightly muffled, yet even more dangerous and alluring.

“Mmm…” Xie Yiyang softly hummed.

So annoying.

Every time at moments like this, he intentionally called him “teacher.”

His white toes curled playfully on the sofa, while his slender arms tightened around the neck of the person in front of him.

No one knew how long it was before their lips parted.

Xie Yiyang leaned against Gu Siyuan, his mouth slightly open, breathing lightly.

Gu Siyuan raised his hand to touch his sweaty forehead and said calmly, “Teacher Xie, you still haven’t learned how to breathe after all this time?”

Xie Yiyang glared at him with his face up, “Don’t call me teacher anymore.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, “Okay, Mr. Xie, Master Xie.”

“…” Xie Yiyang.

Will his husband ever learn to give in?

Gu Siyuan looked at his wife’s pouting face, feeling amused inside. He reached out to pinch his soft cheek and said, “Do the problems later, discuss the titles later, let’s go make dinner first!”

“Okay!”

Xie Yiyang’s eyes sparkled, immediately diverted, and he got up, pulling Gu Siyuan along as he ran to the corridor. As they walked, he bragged, “When I went to the supply and marketing cooperative this morning, although the fatty meat was all taken, I managed to grab a pair of pig trotters.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, casually saying, “Pig trotters? Then let’s braise them. It might take a while.”

Xie Yiyang’s eyes shone brighter, and he swallowed his saliva, “Mm-hmm, that’s fine. Braised is best, it’s the most flavorful.”

The coal stove fire that Xie Yiyang lit in the morning hadn’t been extinguished, and it was keeping a pot of water warm.

Gu Siyuan took the kettle away and placed the pig trotters on the coal fire to singe and clean off the hair.

Xie Yiyang, like a curious baby, took the two blackened pig trotters from Gu Siyuan and soaked them in water, excitedly scraping off the black soot with a knife.

After he finished scraping the pig skin, Gu Siyuan chopped the trotters into small pieces, then put them in a pot to blanch, turning to prepare the spices for braising.

Xie Yiyang squatted in front of the stove, staring intently, and as the blood scum floated to the top, he immediately skimmed it off and cleaned the trotters.

At this time, sugar was too precious, and ordinary families didn’t have the habit of caramelizing sugar.

Gu Siyuan put a bit of oil in the pot and directly added the pig trotters to stir-fry. When the skin turned slightly yellow and crispy, he added ginger, star anise, and bay leaves, then poured in some yellow wine and soy sauce.

With that, the fragrance completely wafted out.

Xie Yiyang handed over a ladle of water and then, like a little dog, squatted by the stove sniffing.

Gu Siyuan poured the water into the pot, added some salt, and stirred with a spatula.

Xie Yiyang looked up at him, “Husband, it smells so good.”

Gu Siyuan placed a lid on the pot, then turned around and picked up the shameless guy, casually asking, “What smells good?”

“…” Xie Yiyang.

Is there something wrong with his husband’s question?

Xie Yiyang’s eyes rolled as he leaned in close to Gu Siyuan and sniffed deeply, then looked up and smiled triumphantly, “Hehe, Gu Siyuan, you smell like pig trotters right now. So, you and the pig trotters smell the same, both are my precious…”

“…” Gu Siyuan.

Tsk, this little guy is quick to react.

He picked him up and carried him to the bathroom, saying, “Let’s let the pig trotters simmer for now. I need to teach the pig trotters’ father a lesson first.”

Xie Yiyang was slightly confused, “Who’s his father? The big pig trotter? The old pig trotter?”

Gu Siyuan said calmly, “Of course, a certain stupid, reckless live pig.”

“…” Xie Yiyang.

It definitely wasn’t about him, he was so smart after all.

When the bathroom door opened again, Xie Yiyang was already limp like a puddle of water.

Not from exhaustion, but from embarrassment.

His husband was really ruthless.

Just taking a bath together, and he managed to come up with so many tricks.

He glared at him fiercely, “Gu Siyuan, you can’t treat your teacher like this anymore, it’s disrespectful, understand?”

Gu Siyuan sneered, “Oh, teacher? Didn’t Teacher Xie say not to call you teacher anymore?”

“…” Xie Yiyang was not embarrassed and cleared his throat, righteously saying, “It depends on the situation. Anyway, in the future, Gu Siyuan, you can’t bully me like this.”

Gu Siyuan didn’t bother with this troublemaker, putting him on the sofa, and went out to serve the rice and the soft, glutinous pig trotters.

Xie Yiyang immediately sat up straight, suddenly full of energy.

The pig trotters were braised to perfection, melting in the mouth but not falling apart. The unique flavor of the meat sauce instantly blossomed on the taste buds.

Xie Yiyang devoured them happily, his mouth full of oil, “Husband, your cooking is amazing, I love you so much!”

“Tsk…” Gu Siyuan was disdainful.

This reaction is too real.

…

After dinner.

By then, the sun had completely set, and the scorching heat in the air gradually dissipated.

The night sky was dotted with bright stars, and the workers’ compound was near the Qingshui River, bringing a cool breeze with a hint of moisture.

Having eaten too much for dinner, Xie Yiyang washed the dishes and persuaded Gu Siyuan to go for a walk by the river to digest.

They walked downstairs, and many people in the courtyard were chatting. Upon seeing them, they greeted warmly, “Xiao Xie, Xiao Gu, out for a walk?”

“Yes, hello, Grandma Zhou…”

“Ah, Grandpa Wang, still playing chess…”

Xie Yiyang’s social prowess was in full swing, and he didn’t stop talking the whole way.

It wasn’t until they reached the bank of the Qingshui River, where there were more strangers, that he quieted down a bit.

The Qingshui River wound through the mountains, with clear water and a narrow, beautiful shape. 

On the side near the county, there were large patches of riverbank grass, with various trees like willows and poplars planted intermittently. 

It was a good place for families to take evening walks and also a favorite spot for couples to meet.

Gu Siyuan and Xie Yiyang walked hand in hand, aimlessly wandering around the river. The stars twinkled in the sky, the river breeze was gentle, and the occasional sounds of playful laughter could be heard in the distance, making one feel completely at peace.

Seeing a few children squatting by the reeds, intently watching frogs, Xie Yiyang said with a smile, “When I was a kid, I often played by this river.”

Gu Siyuan glanced at the slender, soft fingers in his palm and asked indifferently, “Did you dig for worms and catch frogs too?”

“Hehe… only once. Frogs are so cute, and I’m so kind, how could I catch them casually?” Xie Yiyang replied with righteous indignation.

Gu Siyuan looked at him and said half-heartedly, “Teacher Xie is a role model, very kind and loving.”

Xie Yiyang glared at him.

Then, recalling something, he angrily said, “The only time I caught a frog, there was a reason. When I was little, a few boys in the courtyard were particularly naughty. They dragged me to play with them, and when I refused, they caught frogs and threw them at me to scare me.”

Gu Siyuan squinted his eyes and asked in a low voice, “So, you caught one and threw it back?”

Xie Yiyang nodded, then shook his head, laughing, “One wasn’t enough. I caught frogs all night, about twenty or so. The next morning, I went to school early and stuffed them all into his desk before he arrived. When he opened it, a bunch of frogs jumped at him… it was hilarious! Haha…”

Gu Siyuan watched him laugh so freely and adorably, nodding in agreement, “Well done, revenge is justified.”

Xie Yiyang looked at him, then hugged his arm and started to act coyly, “Husband, you’re so good.”

Gu Siyuan was used to these occasional sweet attacks from his little troublemaker, his tone indifferent, “What’s the matter now?”

Xie Yiyang was also used to his husband’s cold demeanor. He hummed and explained, “Husband, you always support me and never make me reflect on myself. Hmph, but back when I was at the Xie family, even if it wasn’t my fault, my adoptive parents would say, ‘Why do those boys only bother you? It must be because of something you did…'”

Upon hearing this, Gu Siyuan was stunned for a moment.

Then, his heart softened slightly. He pinched his cheek gently and said indifferently, “You don’t need to pay attention to such remarks. There are countless reasons for harm, and victims don’t need to be flawless.”

“Mm, I know.” Xie Yiyang replied heavily, his moist eyes fixed on him.

Seeing his obedient appearance, Gu Siyuan narrowed his eyes and decided to say a few more words, his tone firm.

“If you’ve already judged right and wrong in your heart, then just listen to yourself; if not, then just listen to me.”

Xie Yiyang hugged his arm, resting his head on his shoulder, easily feeling the slight vibration and relaxation of his chest muscles as he spoke.

Especially when he said the last sentence, his voice was even deeper, magnetic, and filled with an indescribable decisiveness and sexiness of a mature man.

In an instant, Xie Yiyang felt like he was floating in the air.

Then, he clearly heard his own voice responding, “Okay!”

With their minds connected, they felt even more relaxed and comfortable, holding hands as they walked along the river for a while longer.

At a certain bend, the embankment extended into the river, with a few willow trees planted on both sides, offering a beautiful view. Xie Yiyang eagerly pulled Gu Siyuan over.

There were already a few figures standing under the trees, all couples, probably also out for a walk or a romantic rendezvous.

Gu Siyuan squinted at the river.

The stars in the sky were reflected in the water, creating a shimmering effect on the river surface in the night, quite beautiful.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out nearby.

Gu Siyuan turned to look. Just a few steps away, a group of people had gathered, seemingly involved in some conflict.

The fingers in his palm twitched slightly.

Gu Siyuan looked at the person beside him, “What’s going on?”

Xie Yiyang puffed up his cheeks and tilted his chin towards the scene, whispering, “I think I saw a pervert. Let’s go help as witnesses.”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan nodded.

If his little wife wanted to play sheriff, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

As they approached, they saw two groups arguing, with the center of the dispute being a girl in a plaid dress and a young man in a white short-sleeved shirt and dark green straight-leg pants.

“Pervert, how dare you touch me…”

“Miss, is there some misunderstanding?”

“Misunderstanding what? Stop pretending!”

“Miss, calm down, don’t be too sensitive, you’re wronging an innocent person…”

Earlier, from a distance, Xie Yiyang had only seen their general movements.

Now, up close, seeing the young man’s face, Xie Yiyang’s expression suddenly turned particularly strange, a mix of a smile and anger.

Although Gu Siyuan hadn’t seen this person before, noticing Xie Jinyu standing nearby gave him a hint, “Is that your former fiancé?”

Xie Yiyang nodded, sneering, “A leopard can’t change its spots. Chen Zexin has always been like this since childhood. Even though he’s about to marry Xie Jinyu, he hasn’t changed his ways.”

As they were speaking, the scene at the incident grew increasingly intense.

“You must apologize to me. Which unit are you from? I’m going to report your actions to your unit!” The girl was clearly fiery and very angry.

“Miss, you really misunderstood. I just walked past behind you. Look at how many willow branches are hanging down here. Could they have touched you? Besides, my fiancé is right next to me. How could I do such a thing?” Chen Zexin, who looked quite refined and well-dressed, spoke up.

Hearing this, many people around them nodded in agreement.

The girl, however, still glared at him, “Do you think I’m a fool? I’ve been standing by the river for a while and haven’t been touched by any willow branches. I can tell the difference between willow branches and human hands. Are willow branches warm? Do they have the strength to pinch people?”

Her words, however, inexplicably caused a few men in the crowd to snicker softly.

Chen Zexin squinted his eyes and raised his voice, “Miss, listen to what you’re saying. We just brushed past each other for a moment, and you’re talking about warmth, strength, pinching, and squeezing. Do you really feel such detailed sensations? Maybe you’re just too sensitive or overthinking things?”

Standing next to him, Xie Jinyu also reacted, immediately shouting at the girl, “Exactly, do you really think you’re so stunningly beautiful? With a face like that, you think my fiancé would touch you? Is he that desperate? Maybe you’re just desperate for a man!”

The malice in their words was unmistakable.

Following this, the crowd began to laugh more openly, with various whispers spreading.

The young girl’s face turned crimson, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She stubbornly lifted her chin, gritting her teeth, “You’re talking nonsense. You’ll get your comeuppance. I’m going to report this to the police…”

Chen Zexin smiled indifferently, “Go ahead, go ahead. I’d love for you to have evidence to clear my name.”

Xie Jinyu nodded, “Yeah, don’t think you can falsely accuse people!”

The girl’s expression changed.

She indeed had no evidence.

But she turned to the onlookers, asking softly, “Did anyone see what happened just now?”

The crowd immediately took a few steps back.

Some of them indeed hadn’t seen anything.

But some knew who Chen Zexin was, the son of a county Revolutionary Committee member. Who would dare offend such a person?

Even the police had to consider the Revolutionary Committee’s influence, let alone ordinary people.

Although molestation was a serious crime, in the end, it was just a touch. Even if Chen Zexin was taken to the police station, he wouldn’t be executed—at most, he’d be scolded for a few days.

But afterward, they might have to deal with the harassment from the Revolutionary Committee’s inspectors.

“We didn’t see anything.”

“It must be a mistake; it’s so dark here…”

“Ah, young girl, you don’t understand these things…”

Hearing these chaotic voices, the girl’s face turned pale, almost transparent under the moonlight.

She looked at the river, feeling her heart sink.

At this moment, a clear voice rang out, “I saw it.”

The girl looked up sharply.

Xie Yiyang met her gaze, feeling the weight of hope and expectation in her eyes almost overwhelming him.

But of course, he wouldn’t back down.

He tightened his grip on the hand beside him and took a few steps forward, his voice clear, “I saw it. I saw this gentleman deliberately pinch your buttocks as he walked past you.”

The girl widened her eyes, her breath catching, “You…”

Xie Yiyang nodded, “If necessary, I’m willing to accompany you to the police station. It’s everyone’s responsibility to fight against molesters.”

The girl nodded vigorously, almost crying, “Thank you! Thank you!”

Just now, Xie Jinyu and Chen Zexin had been stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Now, seeing Xie Yiyang’s face, they were filled with rage.

Xie Jinyu pointed at him angrily, “Xie Yiyang, even if you have a grudge against me, you can’t deliberately frame us!”

Chen Zexin squinted, “Yiyang, are you upset because I’m with Jinyu?”

“…” Xie Yiyang.

What a pair of self-absorbed idiots.

He couldn’t be bothered with them.

But Chen Zexin wouldn’t let it go, “Yiyang, you’re the only one saying you saw it, and you have a grudge against us. Do you think your testimony will be accepted by the police?”

Xie Jinyu immediately smiled, “Yes, you can’t frame us.”

Xie Yiyang frowned, gritting his teeth.

The girl’s expression faltered. What to do?

Gu Siyuan glanced at the group and said calmly, “Don’t worry, just report it. Even if Xie Yiyang’s testimony is the only one, the police will start an investigation once it’s reported.”

“There are many people here. How many saw it? How many stayed silent? Once the police start questioning, will these people dare to remain silent under the law? Will they dare to lie in front of the police, risking severe punishment?”