Living like a widow? My rough neighbor is coaxing me to have a baby every night.

Chapter 143 Keeping a Mistress in a Golden House, Making Those Bachelors Lustful

Although the asphalt roads in the county town were also softened by the sun, they were still as smooth as the dusty dirt roads in Xiahe Village, like another world.

The black bicycle, a 28-inch model, traveled through the alleys behind the machinery factory, its bell ringing softly.

Li Xianglian sat in the back seat. Although it wasn't yet the hottest period of summer, the sun was already scorching hot.

"Brother Shan, shall we go straight to the new house?" Li Xianglian looked at the unfamiliar red brick walls on both sides, feeling both apprehensive and expectant.

"Go to the motorcade first."

Qin Rushan pedaled rapidly, his shirt soaked with sweat and clinging to his back, revealing the strong lines of his spine. "Give those bastards a heads-up, so they won't bump into you when you're out on the street because they don't recognize you."

The car turned and entered that familiar red brick courtyard.

It was during a break from the morning's work trips, and two large Jiefang trucks were parked in the yard. Several men wearing vests stained with engine oil were gathered under the shade of a tree, smoking cigarettes and chatting.

"Hey, Lao Liu, I heard you went to the provincial capital yesterday and snatched two packs of good cigarettes from a state-run restaurant?" a bald man shouted.

"Follow my ass! I earned it through my own abilities..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of bicycle brakes rang out at the gate of the courtyard.

Several people turned around and immediately put out their cigarettes, standing up as if they had springs in their hands.

"Brother Qin!"

"Hey! Brother Qin's back!"

These guys are like bullies who can do whatever they want outside, but when they see Qin Rushan, they all become as docile as mice seeing a cat.

Qin Rushan braced himself on one leg as the car came to a stop. He didn't speak immediately, but instead turned and naturally reached out to help Li Xianglian in the back seat: "Slow down, don't let your skirt get caught."

Today, Li Xianglian was wearing the red polyester shirt that Zhao Cuifen had torn and then mended. Although a flower was embroidered on the patch to cover it up, the bright color made her face look like a peach blossom.

She jumped out of the car somewhat shyly and stood beside Qin Rushan, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands.

The air in the courtyard fell silent for three seconds.

The men's eyes widened in disbelief.

They had heard that Brother Qin had married a woman from the village, and they figured she was just a strong, capable woman.

Who would have thought she would be such a stunningly beautiful woman?

Her waist was so thin, it looked like you could snap it in half with one hand; her skin was so white, like a saleswoman selling face cream at a supply and marketing cooperative in the city.

"Are your eyes popping out of their sockets? Never seen a woman before?"

Qin Rushan snorted coldly, stretched out his long arm, and directly put his arm around Li Xianglian's shoulder, clearly asserting his ownership. "Call me sister-in-law!"

That shout brought everyone back to their senses.

"Hello, sister-in-law!"

"Your sister-in-law is so beautiful! Brother Qin, you're keeping her as a secret treasure!"

"No wonder Brother Qin was in such a hurry to move; I would have hidden his wife away too!"

The commotion instantly erupted.

These bachelors, who often made lewd jokes, all toned down their expressions in front of Li Xianglian, their eyes filled with envy and respect.

A woman who can tame Qin Rushan, this fierce tiger, deserves our utmost respect.

Li Xianglian blushed to the roots of her neck from the praise, but her heart was warm.

Back in the Zhao family, who ever gave her this kind of respect?

She bowed slightly and said in a gentle voice, "Hello brothers, please come to my house for dinner often in the future."

"Did you hear that? Your wife spoke up!" Bald Sixth Brother, being the quickest to react, immediately seized the opportunity. "Brother Qin, you can't avoid this wedding banquet! We gave our gift money, but we didn't even get a bite to eat. That's not fair, is it?"

"Exactly! We have to make up for it! And it has to be good wine and good food!"

Qin Rushan didn't hesitate either. He pulled out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket and handed one to everyone: "What's the rush? We just moved in these past few days, and the house still needs to be set up. In a couple of days, after the housewarming party, we'll set up two tables in the new courtyard. There'll be plenty of wine and meat. If anyone lies under the table, don't blame me for throwing them out."

"Alright! That's what I was waiting for Brother Qin to say!"

Amid cheers, Qin Rushan glanced around the courtyard, his brow furrowing slightly: "Where's Yuecheng? Where did that kid go?"

Xu Yuecheng was his right-hand man; normally he should be in the office doing accounts right now.

The bald guy, Lao Liu, chuckled, tucked his cigarette behind his ear, leaned closer, and whispered, "Brother Xu? He drove his Jeep to Huaicheng early this morning. He said a big boss there needed to deliver an urgent document, but actually... hehe, you all know."

"You went to Huaicheng?" Qin Rushan raised an eyebrow.

He remembered that Xu Yuecheng used to hate driving the Huaicheng route the most, saying that the road was bad and difficult to travel. This time, he actually went there on his own initiative.

"Didn't your sister-in-law go along too?"

Old Six winked and said, "That Sister-in-law Xiao Lan. This morning, that big oaf Gao Jun was sent to Shanghai by Brother Xu with just a train ticket, so Brother Xu could legitimately drive his beauty out. Brother Qin, you weren't there, but Brother Xu's methods are ruthless!"

Good lad, has he set his sights on Xiao Lan, the widow who works in logistics?!

"Alright, stop gossiping." Qin Rushan patted Lao Liu on the shoulder. "I've been busy moving these past few days. You guys keep an eye on things in the team, especially those long-haul shipments. Don't let me down."

"Don't worry, Brother Qin, with us here, not even a fly will be able to get into the cargo box!"

……

After saying goodbye to the group of enthusiastic, rough men, Qin Rushan rode his bicycle and led Li Xianglian into an alley behind the machinery factory.

This area is one of the most prominent in the county.

In front was a large state-owned factory, and behind it was a residential compound for employees' families. But these detached houses with their own courtyards were even rarer.

It was the private property of capitalists in earlier years, but was later confiscated and returned to the state, eventually ending up in Qin Rushan's hands.

The car stopped in front of a red-painted iron gate.

Qin Rushan took out the brass key, turned the lock with a "click," and pushed open the heavy door.

"We're here, honey. This is our home from now on."

Li Xianglian stepped across the threshold, her eyes instantly lighting up.

This courtyard is smaller than the one in Xiahe Village, but it's much more tidy.

The ground was paved with neat blue bricks, unlike the muddy ground in the village. A pomegranate tree stood in the corner, its bright red flowers in full bloom, and a set of stone table and chairs sat beneath it.

The three main rooms all had red brick and tile roofs, and the windows were fitted with sparkling glass, making them far more impressive than the paper-covered windows in the village.

"This...this is too good..." Li Xianglian murmured to herself, feeling light as a feather, as if she were dreaming.