LW chapter 20

After sending Li Xin off, Aunt Sun came to check on Chen Qing. As she examined him, she said, “The rain came down so hard. Luckily, Zhou Yuan came to help me harvest the corn. I couldn’t have done it alone.”

Still, Aunt Sun didn’t say much to Chen Qing. She quickly urged him to bathe and talk with Zhou Yuan.

Glancing at the pile of mushrooms in the backpack, she turned to Zhou Yuan and said, “Why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow? Last time, you picked mushrooms, but they were all poisonous. The ones Qing picked are delicious—perfect for cooking.”

“I might not have time tomorrow. I need to go to town,” Zhou Yuan replied. “Auntie, save me some if you think of me.”

Aunt Sun treated him like her own and asked worriedly, “What are you doing in town?”

“There’s something I want to try, so I’m going to take a look,” Zhou Yuan said. “I really don’t know much about farming.”

“Hey, if you don’t know, you can learn. Are you just going to leave all those hectares of land empty?” Aunt Sun sounded a little worried. “Renting it out isn’t cost-effective.

“If you don’t rent it out, you can farm it like usual. But you’ll probably need help from your workers.”

Aunt Sun patted Zhou Yuan on the back. “Don’t act like you’re bothering someone.”

Zhou Yuan suddenly remembered something and said goodbye to Aunt Sun. Just as she was walking him out, Chen Qing came hobbling out of his room, his clothes messy and his hair disheveled. Aunt Sun hurriedly helped him back inside.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yuan turned around and pressed a medicine bottle into her hand.

It was late, so she didn’t keep him. She took the bottle and went to apply the medicine to Chen Qing.

Chen Qing saw the bottle under the dim light. It looked exactly like the bottle Li Xin had used on him last time. “Mom, where did this come from?”

“Zhou Yuan just gave it to me,” said Aunt Sun as she sat down on the bed. She rubbed the medicine between her palms to warm it up before gently applying it to Chen Qing’s swollen ankle.

Chen Qing stared at the bottle, frowning. Was the medicine Li Xin used on me before also from Zhou Yuan? But Li Xin said he didn’t like Zhou Yuan. Could it be… Was Zhou Yuan’s love one-sided? Was he trying to win over Li Xin through his best friend?

The more Chen Qing thought about it, the more that seemed like the only explanation. Realizing this, the small stirrings in Chen Qing’s heart quietly faded away.

Aunt Sun had warm rice waiting for him in the pot.

He ate a few quick bites, then fell asleep. The next morning, he woke up and was relieved to find that he hadn’t caught a cold, but his ankle was still swollen. Aunt Sun massaged it again before letting him go outside.

While left idle at home, Chen Qing found the embroidery basket by his bedside. He hadn’t touched it in a long time. After selling the last batch of handkerchiefs, he hadn’t done any more embroidery. Mostly because the shopkeeper’s requests were too complicated. If he couldn’t embroider scenery, flowers, or birds, how was he supposed to stitch love stories?

He stared at the plain white handkerchief in his hands, unsure what to do. His mind wandered back to Li Xin. He thought Li Xin didn’t like Zhou Yuan, but Zhou Yuan clearly had deep feelings for him. Should he help Zhou Yuan? But Li Xin was his best friend, so he felt conflicted.

From July 15 to now, two months had passed. In just a few days, it would be the Mid-Autumn Festival. After that, it would be time to pay taxes. Once that was done, they would begin preparing for the new rice-planting season.

Every year on August 12, the town held a big market. It sold everything and was always packed. Almost every household went—some to buy things for the festival, some to buy treats for their kids, and some just to enjoy the lively atmosphere.

In past years, Chen Qing would go with Aunt Sun. But this year, with his ankle injured, he had to go alone. She was worried about leaving him home alone, afraid that something might happen to him. But Chen Qing reassured her with a smile. “Nothing’s going to happen. I’ll just stay home and behave.”

Just then, Aunt Liu called to her from the gate, so Aunt Sun had to go with her.

After she left, Chen Qing hopped out of his room, sat in the courtyard, picked up his needle and thread, and resumed embroidering.

It seemed like the entire village had gone out. Everything around Chen Qing felt eerily quiet. His heart beat faster, and he pricked his finger while stitching.

Feeling uneasy, he leaned against the wall and hobbled out of the courtyard. From a distance, he could see Zhou Yuan’s house. The cow that had been tied up was gone, too—probably taken to town for the festivities.

He went back to his yard and looked down at his ankle. The swelling had gone down. It didn’t seem too bad anymore, just a little sore when he walked. He figured it would fully heal after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The August sun still carried a bit of heat. Chen Qing sat under the eaves and dozed off.

Just as he was about to fall into a deep sleep, he heard loud footsteps approaching his gate, followed by a harsh bang as the door was kicked open.

Chen Qing’s eyes flew open. Sun Kang, the man who had visited on July 15, was leading the way. Several others followed behind, likely his family members.

Recalling their last unpleasant encounter, Chen Qing became instantly alert. “What are you doing here?”

“I told you, people like you, bought and paid for, have no manners,” Sun Kang sneered. “Don’t you know how to call me Uncle?”

Sun Kang was accompanied by two of his brothers, his son Sun Wei, his husband, and Sun Daniu, the son of Sun Kang’s second brother.

Chen Qing stood and took a step back. “My mother’s not home.”

“We’re not here for her.” Sun Kang glanced at Chen Qing’s panicked face, then looked at the five strong men with him, men who were used to laboring in the fields. This matter must be settled today, he thought.

He turned to Sun Lao Er and said, “Go inside and find the contract. The rest of you, grab him.”

“Got it.”

The five men charged toward Chen Qing. Seeing that the situation was turning bad, Chen Qing ignored his injured foot and ran into his room. He braced himself against the thin wooden door.

Meanwhile, Sun Lao Er entered Aunt Sun’s room, turned over her bed, and eventually found two documents buried under the straw. Illiterate, he stuffed them into his arms.

With those papers, it would be easier to sell Chen Qing off.

Sun Kang’s voice came from outside. “You were bought by my sister. Now that my nephew’s dead, you still dare to live in her house?”

“I’m still mourning Meng Tao—I’m his husband!” Chen Qing’s voice shook. “Mom would never sell me again.”

“She was tricked by you. You’re just after the pension money that Meng Tao left her, aren’t you?” Sun Kang kicked the door. “Don’t worry. The place we found for you is much better than this mountain village. You’ll be treated like a noblewoman there.”

Chen Qing didn’t believe him. He pressed himself tightly against the door. “This is my home! Get out!”

“A bought husband telling us to get out?” the Third Sun Brother shouted. “Move aside!”

The three men slammed against the door together. The thin wooden panel couldn’t hold their weight and burst open. Chen Qing, who had been leaning on it, was thrown to the floor. He tried to run, but Sun Wei stomped on his injured ankle.

Pain shot through Chen Qing like lightning, soaking his forehead with cold sweat. Sun Kang’s husband tied Chen Qing up with a rope from his waist. Then, he grabbed a cloth and gagged him.

“Hurry! If someone comes, we’re in trouble!”

Sun Lao Er wasn’t ready to leave yet. He rummaged through Aunt Sun’s room, looking for her hidden money.

“If we find the cash, we’ll take it. Everyone will just assume the husband ran off with it. No one will suspect us.” After tearing apart Aunt Sun’s room, he went to Chen Qing’s.

He found nothing there, just a few copper coins.

It had already taken too long. Sun Kang shouted, “Let’s go! If someone shows up, we’re screwed!” He was still worried about the tall guy next door. If he came back, their plan for today would fall apart.

So they dragged Chen Qing out of his house. They moved quickly, as if they had never been there.

Chen Qing kept struggling. As he watched his home fade into the distance, he was overwhelmed by sadness. Since settling down here, he’d never thought of leaving.

How can I save myself? Chen Qing thought in despair.

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