The Widow Liang Meie

Chen Yongqiang's headlamp lit up, and a beam of light shone on the newcomer's face.

Liang Meie squinted as the bright light stung her eyes, and instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes.

The cloth bag he was carrying wasn't held securely; it tilted, and several muddy sweet potatoes rolled out of the bag.

Chen Yongqiang's gaze swept over the scattered sweet potatoes, and he immediately understood.

In the dead of night, Liang Meie sneaked into this remote plot of land far from the village; her purpose was self-evident.

He said calmly, "Sister-in-law Mei'e, it's so late, why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing here on the ridge of the field?"

Liang Meie hurriedly went to pick up the sweet potatoes: "It's Brother Yongqiang, who do we have here?"

Chen Yongqiang also squatted down to help pick up the sweet potatoes that had fallen on the edge of the field.

"It must be really tough for you to raise two children all by yourself."

Liang Meie naturally understood the meaning behind those words: "Brother Yongqiang, don't laugh at me, but I really had no other choice."

"Everyone has their difficulties," Chen Yongqiang could understand.

He put the last sweet potato into the cloth bag. "Go back quickly, it's getting chilly at night. Just pretend I didn't see what happened tonight."

He turned to the side and used his headlamp to illuminate the blurry path leading back to the village for her.

Liang Meie clutched the re-tied cloth bag, lowered her head, and walked forward a dozen steps, but her pace slowed down more and more.

As if she had made up her mind, she suddenly turned around and came back.

Chen Yongqiang had just squatted down behind the rock again when he saw her return. He asked in surprise, "Why are you back again?"

Liang Meie spoke very frankly: "Brother Yongqiang, you're a good man. I don't have much to thank you for, so let me keep you company. We're out in the middle of nowhere, nobody will know!"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Chen Yongqiang looked at the pretty widow in the village and said, "Sister-in-law Mei'e, you really don't need to make things so difficult for yourself. I said I wouldn't tell anyone, and I'll keep it to myself."

Liang Meie finally couldn't hold back her tears and they rolled down her cheeks: "My dead husband has been gone for almost two years, and everyone in the village thinks that we, a widow and orphan, are easy to bully."

"Brother Yongqiang, not only am I struggling financially, but I also feel empty inside, like I have no one to rely on. Sometimes at night, when I hear my child crying, I feel so..."

Her words were broken and fragmented, filled with unspeakable grievances and the unspeakable loneliness of a young widow.

Seeing her expression, Chen Yongqiang immediately understood: "Sister-in-law Mei'e, you're thinking about men, aren't you?"

Liang Meie nodded directly, the moonlight shining on her slightly flushed face: "He Jun is always concerned about my health, but his slick and greasy appearance disgusts me."

"I like Yongqiang and his brothers; they're reliable and capable."

"I heard you divorced Lin Xiuzhen and are living alone now. How about we live together? Although I have two children, I can handle all the housework and will definitely manage the household perfectly."

Liang Meie was unaware that Lin Xiulian had already moved into Chen Yongqiang's house.

Chen Yongqiang was taken aback by her blunt words: "If Sister-in-law Mei'e wants a man, I can help. But as for living together..."

"Xiuzhen and I just had a fight, she'll come back."

Liang Meie took two more steps closer: "I see. But I still think you're a reliable person."

Seeing Liang Meie's appearance, Chen Yongqiang couldn't help but pull her into his arms: "Speaking of which, when Sister-in-law Meie first married into the village, it caused quite a stir."

"Back then, so many young men in the village couldn't take their eyes off you." Chen Yongqiang, who wasn't married at the time, was one of them.

On one occasion, Chen Yongqiang even eavesdropped on her intimate moments with her husband while lying by the wall.

Chen Yongqiang's teasing reminded Liang Meie of events from many years ago.

At that time, she was a newlywed, which did cause quite a stir in the village.

But Lin Xiuzhen, whom Chen Yongqiang later married, attracted even more attention than her.

"It's an old almanac from so many years ago, why bring it up again?" Liang Meie twisted her body to get closer to Chen Yongqiang.

Chen Yongqiang had also had feelings for Liang Meie before, and tonight was a rare opportunity that he didn't want to miss: "Sister-in-law Meie, let me take good care of you tonight."

"Ugh, I haven't settled the score with you for peeping at me while I was showering before," Liang Meie said to Chen Yongqiang, flirting with him.

Chen Yongqiang tentatively reached out his hand, and seeing that she wasn't truly angry, he boldly responded:

"Back then I was young and naive. Who told my sister-in-law to be so attractive?"

His hand was already on Liang Meie's waist, and he started getting restless: "Tonight, I'll make you apologize properly..."

Liang Meie didn't dodge, but just glared at him reproachfully: "You're so improper, always so clumsy."

Chen Yongqiang's hand slid down her waistline: "Sister-in-law Mei'e, you've been waiting for so many years, I know you've been feeling down!"

The moonlight was like water. Liang Meie looked up at Chen Yongqiang with a dreamy gaze and her lips moved slightly.

Without further hesitation, Chen Yongqiang leaned down and kissed those two soft lips.

Chen Yongqiang wrapped his arms around Liang Meie's slender waist, and at that moment, an indescribable flutter of emotion welled up in his heart.

The woman who had kept him tossing and turning countless nights was now truly limp in his arms.

"Mei'e..." Chen Yongqiang called her name softly.

Liang Meie closed her eyes, the moonlight shining on her flushed face, her eyes filled with a mixture of shyness and anticipation.

Chen Yongqiang seemed afraid of waking up from this beautiful dream he had been cherishing for so many years.

Liang Meie began to respond proactively, her hands unconsciously climbing onto his shoulders.

This action gave Chen Yongqiang great encouragement, and he tightened his arms around her, holding the woman he had been fantasizing about for many years firmly in his embrace.

Chen Yongqiang murmured softly between breaths, "Over the years, watching you wash clothes by the river, it has taken me a lot of effort to look away."

Liang Meie said softly, "You're such a coward, you never dare to look me in the eye."

"Now you're not just watching, you're holding him." At this moment, Chen Yongqiang felt that the longing he had accumulated in his heart over the years had finally come true.

The two lingered by the stones on the edge of the field for nearly an hour, until the chirping of insects had stopped.

Liang Meie turned her back, straightening her clothes: "You damned bastard, why didn't you come to find me sooner?"

Chen Yongqiang bent down and pulled up his pants: "How would I know what you're thinking? If you treat me like a thug, how can I stay in the village?"

She has always had a fiery personality, and Chen Yongqiang was never sure about her before, so he didn't dare to test her.

Liang Meie turned around. "I'll leave the door open for you from now on. Come find me if you miss me!"

She had her own agenda for getting close to Chen Yongqiang tonight, even though it seemed like she was being coerced.

These days, we barely manage to fill our stomachs by digging up sweet potatoes and potatoes in the dark, but the children are at the age when they need to grow.

She reached out and straightened his collar: "You're a skilled hunter, so if you get any extra game in the future..."

Liang Meie stopped speaking at this point, and Chen Yongqiang naturally understood.