LW chapter 23

 

Chen Qing was sitting in a recliner at home. The chair was slightly warped from yesterday’s fight, but since Chen Qing is light, it hadn’t broken completely.

The moment he heard Zhou Yuan speak, he flinched and shifted slightly—just enough to make the recliner finally give in and collapse into pieces. He fell straight to the floor.

Zhou Yuan stepped forward to help, but Chen Qing stopped him. His voice was soft.

“Don’t come over.”

Zhou Yuan stood still.

Chen Qing sat there with his head down. Zhou Yuan’s tall figure loomed over him, casting a shadow that blocked all the sunlight in front of him. “I don’t understand,” Chen Qing murmured.

Zhou Yuan was patient. “What don’t you understand?”

Chen Qing didn’t know how to say it. A thousand thoughts boiled down into one sentence: “Why me?”

“Why does there have to be a ‘why’ for everything?” Zhou Yuan didn’t answer the question but asked another.

Chen Qing kept his head down, thinking over what to say. Then he said quietly,

“Do you pity me and my mother? Honestly, our life hasn’t been that hard. We’ve been living like this for five years.”

Zhou Yuan didn’t respond for a while, so Chen Qing slowly looked up. To his surprise, Zhou Yuan was already staring at him. When their eyes met, Zhou Yuan smiled.

Chen Qing’s ears turned red. He quickly lowered his head again, fidgeting nervously with the tie at his waistband.

Zhou Yuan said, “I’m doing what I want to do. I want to help you. Why should that mean I have to blame myself for anything?”

“But you obviously like Li Xin…” Chen Qing’s voice was so quiet that Zhou Yuan could barely hear him.

Luckily, everything around them was still and silent.

“Where did you get that idea?” Zhou Yuan’s tone wasn’t that of someone having a casual conversation. It was more like a judge questioning a suspect.

Chen Qing felt that sitting like this made him appear small and pitiful. So, he braced himself with one hand and stood on one leg. Although he was still much shorter than Zhou Yuan, he no longer looked like a prisoner or a servant.

With some confidence regained, he muttered, “Well…it happens a lot.”

He didn’t want to go into detail; otherwise, it would sound like he was criticizing a close friend. Still, he had thought about it more than once.

“It was all because of you,” said Zhou Yuan, stepping closer.

It felt like an enemy was approaching. Chen Qing instinctively took a step back with his uninjured leg. Zhou Yuan worried Chen Qing might fall, so he didn’t take another step.

“Stay right there! Don’t come any closer!” Chen Qing clung to a wooden pillar in his home, too afraid to look Zhou Yuan in the eye. His fingers kept tapping against the post.

Zhou Yuan stood in place and said gently, “Please give me a chance. I don’t think I’m any worse than anyone else.”

Chen Qing’s whole face turned red. He thought he had been ridiculously bold. He kept his head down and remained silent, but his flushed ears gave away his emotions.

Zhou Yuan was very satisfied with this reaction. Thinking he’d made a big step forward today, he decided not to push any further. After all, Chen Qing already knew, and there was still plenty of time.

“Get some rest. If you keep standing like that, your leg won’t heal.” Zhou Yuan walked over to the broken recliner, picked up some tools from the courtyard, and began hammering away. Once he was done, he set the tools aside, reached over, and grabbed Chen Qing, setting him down in the chair like a little chick. Then, he walked toward the courtyard gate.

Before leaving, he called out, “Think it over!”

Chen Qing’s face turned an even deeper red. “Keep it down! Someone might hear you!”

Zhou Yuan strode out the gate and waved.

The courtyard fell quiet again. Chen Qing felt as if his whole face had been scratched by a cat; it burned. Even his injured ankle itched. Suddenly, he felt like there was something to look forward to, though he had no idea what it was.

Aunt Sun came in with a smile. She glanced at the filled water tank and asked, “Zhou Yuan came by, didn’t he?”

Chen Qing nodded vaguely at the mention of his name.

Aunt Sun didn’t notice his strange expression. She simply said, “I just talked to Matchmaker Hua. She said she’ll help find someone suitable for you.”

Chen Qing looked up. “Mom, did you go see Aunt Hua? Why are you in such a hurry?”

“It’s about time, isn’t it? If there’s someone suitable, we can settle it early. That way, you’ll have someone to depend on in the future.”

Chen Qing remembered Zhou Yuan’s words from earlier and shook his head. “Mom, I don’t want to…”

“Don’t say nonsense.” Aunt Sun came over and glanced at his leg.
“Good thing I went to see the village chief earlier and got the divorce letter written up. You’re not my son-in-law anymore—you’re my youngest son now.”

Chen Qing blushed, and when he heard her words, his eyes turned red.

When he first came to Luohe Village from his hometown, he used to wonder why his life had turned out so miserably. On the way here, he had even considered ending it all like his father had.

But he didn’t have the courage. Just the sight of rushing water made him back away. He returned to the transport team and was mocked by the supervisors.

Until he came to Luohe Village and was bought home by Aunt Sun, he had a mother who was very different from his little father, a friend like Li Xin who was very different from him, and ……

Chen Qing shook his head, forcing himself not to think about what he shouldn’t. He held Aunt Sun’s hand. “Thank you, Mom.”

Aunt Sun patted his hair. “Why are you being so polite to your own mother?”

His chest tightened. He didn’t dare tell her what Zhou Yuan had just said. He stammered, “But in my situation…”

Aunt Sun disliked his self-deprecating tone. “What’s wrong with you? You’re good-looking, hardworking, and well-mannered.”

Chen Qing blinked, stunned. Hearing her praise him like that made his heart flutter with joy.

Who doesn’t like being complimented? Maybe…maybe he really did have some good points.

“Ah Qing?” Aunt Sun narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you thinking about? Your face is all red.”

Chen Qing quickly shook his head and changed the subject. “When are we paying taxes again?”

“We don’t have to go ourselves this year, remember? The folks at the government office said yesterday that the village chief and the yamen officers will collect them door-to-door. There’s no need to line up early anymore.”

Chen Qing didn’t remember anything from yesterday. The only thing that stuck in his mind was Zhou Yuan’s rough fingers touching his cheek when he was at his most helpless.

“That’s good.” He brushed the thought aside. Then, he started getting nervous again when he recalled what happened yesterday.

“Mom, do you think the Sun family will come knocking?”

“If they come, they come. What’s there to be afraid of?” Aunt Sun patted his hand and went off to cook.

Chen Qing couldn’t calm down all day. He kept thinking about what Zhou Yuan had said that morning. Just thinking about it made his scalp go numb. The Sun family left him feeling uneasy, too.

Thinking he was still scared, Aunt Sun told him to go to bed early.

That night, Chen Qing tossed and turned. He didn’t fall asleep until after midnight, but then the person weighing on his mind charged straight into his dreams.

They were in the same courtyard, having the same conversation, but this time Zhou Yuan was much closer.

“I know you’ve been staring at me.”

Chen Qing froze up as always. In the dream, he couldn’t speak; he just hesitated.

“You’ve been watching me since the day we met.” In the dream, Zhou Yuan was completely unreasonable, ignoring Chen Qing’s protests as he spoke words that made Chen Qing’s ears burn. “You thought I didn’t notice?”

“I—I wasn’t—”

Zhou Yuan suddenly moved in closer. Chen Qing couldn’t dodge in time and ended up trapped in his arms. He couldn’t fight back—dreams didn’t work like that.

“Don’t move.”

Chen Qing didn’t dare move. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He didn’t know when day turned to night, but the darkness made Zhou Yuan’s voice sound deeper.

Chen Qing didn’t know why he started crying. Zhou Yuan wiped his tears away with his rough, calloused hands. This time, he spoke.

“Why are you crying?”

Chen Qing just shook his head.

No one said anything more. He only felt Zhou Yuan leaning in closer and closer.

Chen Qing jolted awake from the dream. The room was silent, filled only with the sound of his pounding heart.

He couldn’t fall back asleep.

After a while, when his heart finally calmed down, he scooted to the center of the bed and cracked the window open. Leaning on his arm by the window, he stared out. In the dim morning light, he saw the recliner in the courtyard.

The wind rustled softly. After a while, Chen Qing slowly closed his eyes.

That morning, Chen Qing was awakened by the sound of Aunt Sun and Zhou Yuan talking outside.

The day after tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival. They were originally supposed to buy supplies at the big market that day, but because of Chen Qing’s injury, they hadn’t been able to buy anything yet. So, Aunt Sun decided to go into town to get what they needed.

However, with Chen Qing’s leg still hurting, she didn’t dare leave him alone at home. She asked Zhou Yuan if he could take them to town. With Zhou Yuan’s oxcart, they could bring Chen Qing along.

“Sure. I was planning to go to town anyway,” Zhou Yuan agreed immediately. He glanced toward the courtyard and spotted a head of messy hair peeking out from behind the window.

So I wasn’t the only one tossing and turning last night?

Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes and met Zhou Yuan’s gaze. Like a startled cat, he yanked his numb arm back, shut the window, and leaned away. However, he moved too quickly, lost his balance, and fell backward onto the bed—bang!—hitting his head against the wooden bedframe.

He stayed there, covering his face with the blanket.

So embarrassing…

Aunt Sun and Zhou Yuan heard the thump from the room. Zhou Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.

After making arrangements with Zhou Yuan, Aunt Sun hurried into the room. “Ah Qing, did you fall off the bed?”

Zhou Yuan burst out laughing even louder. Buried under the covers, Chen Qing was so mad that he pounded the bed in frustration.

Annoying in dreams, even more annoying in real life!

Aunt Sun had gotten up early to prepare for the trip. Knowing that Chen Qing liked corn cakes, she made a few extra.

Chen Qing sat on the bed and combed his hair. Since arriving here, he had usually let his hair hang loose, only tying it up when working in the fields. In Luohe Village, people didn’t really care whether a gers tied his hair up or not. Li Xin, on the other hand, kept his hair neatly tied every day.

But today, on a whim, Chen Qing tied his hair up. Aunt Sun called from outside, saying it was getting late, and told him to come out quickly.

He replied that he was ready. When Aunt Sun opened the door, she paused when she saw him. She smiled and helped tidy up a few loose strands. “What made you think of tying your hair today?”

Chen Qing lowered his head. “It’s kind of hot.”

He had hand-stitched the headband using scraps from old fabric. He embroidered a simple pattern on it and turned it into a headband.

“It’d be so nice if there were a wooden hairpin with a little bell on it,” said Aunt Sun. “It would jingle when you walked.”

Chen Qing squinted and smiled. “I’ll carve one this winter. Maybe Uncle Li can help me make a bell for it.”

Since there was no farming work in Luohe during the winter, Chen Qing usually passed the time doing delicate tasks, such as embroidering handkerchiefs and carving accessories.

“You’re good with both a needle and a carving knife,” Aunt Sun praised.

She reached out to help him down, but he refused. He hopped down himself.

The smile on his face faded slightly, and he muttered, “But I’ve been married for so long. How could I still wear something like that?”

Aunt Sun didn’t agree. “You’re still just a child.”

The road from Zhou Yuan’s house to theirs was too narrow for an ox cart, so they had to walk to the main path first. Zhou Yuan was already waiting at their gate.

His eyes landed on Chen Qing, who looked different today. He raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and took Chen Qing from Aunt Sun. “Auntie, let me do it.”

Aunt Sun already treated Zhou Yuan like family, so it didn’t strike her as odd for him to help with Chen Qing.

Chen Qing had long since resigned himself to it. He grabbed Zhou Yuan’s shoulder and tried to steady his breathing.

“Are you that scared of me?” Zhou Yuan asked, tilting his head slightly. His voice was laced with hidden meaning.

Before Chen Qing could respond, they reached the oxcart. Zhou Yuan bent down, carefully placed Chen Qing on the cart, and then went to help Aunt Sun with her backpack.

The villagers were beginning to stir. Zhou Yuan drove the cart, and Aunt Sun and Chen Qing sat on the side.

Aunt Sun pulled some corn cakes out of the bag. “Ah Qing, give two pieces to Zhou Yuan.”

Chen Qing took them with a stiff face and handed them over.

Zhou Yuan held the reins with one hand and reached out with the other. As he took a cake, his fingertip brushed the inside of Chen Qing’s palm. Chen Qing immediately pulled his hand back but, feeling like he had overreacted, glared at Zhou Yuan instead.

Zhou Yuan knew Chen Qing’s temperament. If he pushed too far, Chen Qing would retreat right back into his shell. Getting a glare was already a win.

After finishing the corn cake, Zhou Yuan pulled himself together and focused on driving the cart.

When they arrived in town, Zhou Yuan didn’t leave his side. Aunt Sun supported Chen Qing on one side, and Zhou Yuan walked on the other, offering a helping hand when Aunt Sun couldn’t manage on her own.

After arriving in town, Zhou Yuan stayed with them. Aunt Sun supported Chen Qing, and Zhou Yuan walked on his other side, offering a helping hand whenever Aunt Sun needed it.

They had come to town today to buy a few things for the Mid-Autumn Festival. After all, it was a festival—they needed some meat.

Aunt Sun bought a pound of plum blossom pork and a few pounds of bones from the butcher.

Zhou Yuan helped her carry the basket. Seeing the pile of bones, he asked curiously, “Auntie, why did you get bones with no meat on them?” He thought maybe they were poor, unable to afford even a pound of fatty pork.

Chen Qing didn’t respond, but Aunt Sun explained, “Ah Qing’s leg is injured, so I’m making bone soup to help him recover.”

Zhou Yuan asked, “Wouldn’t pig’s feet be better?” That made Chen Qing shoot him a glare.

Zhou Yuan also bought a few pounds of plum blossom pork. Chen Qing glanced at him. He said, “I might trouble you, Auntie. Two days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I want to invite some guys from the village who came back with me for a meal. I can’t cook, so I’ll need your help.”

“No problem at all.” Aunt Sun readily agreed. Cooking a meal was nothing.

“Is no one in your family coming?” she asked.

“No, I used to have a grandmother, but she didn’t wait for me to come back. I’m all alone now.” As Zhou Yuan spoke, he gently pulled Chen Qing aside so that he wouldn’t get bumped by someone passing by.

“Sigh, you kids have all had it rough,” Aunt Sun muttered. Then she suddenly said, “Zhou Yuan, why don’t you just make me your godmother? That way, we’d all be family.”

Zhou Yuan paused for a moment before replying, “I really do want to become family with you. I think there’ll be a chance later. No need to rush.”

Chen Qing’s heart skipped a beat, afraid that Zhou Yuan would blurt something out in front of his mom.

But Aunt Sun just smiled. She was only joking. If Zhou Yuan had made her his godmother, there would have been endless gossip in the village. Things were fine the way they were.

After buying meat, Aunt Sun wanted to buy fabric to make two winter outfits for Chen Qing. Zhou Yuan said he needed clothes too—he had only brought summer clothes and didn’t know what winters were like in Luohe Village.

At the fabric shop, Chen Qing sat while Aunt Sun picked out fabric. Chen Qing browsed through the handkerchiefs.

“Ah Qing, do you like this one?” Aunt Sun held up a dark green cloth.

Chen Qing thought about it and nodded.

“Isn’t that a little too dark?” Zhou Yuan commented from the side.

Aunt Sun looked at what Chen Qing was wearing: indigo. Since he’d arrived, it seemed like he’d only worn dark colors, such as indigo and dark green. Although Chen Qing looked about seventeen or eighteen, he always dressed older than his age.

Chen Qing frowned. “Mom, let’s just go with this. It hides dirt better.”

Aunt Sun glanced around and spotted a moon-white fabric. She thought it would look great on him.

Chen Qing saw it, too, and immediately shook his head. “It’s too bright. It doesn’t suit me.”

Zhou Yuan piped up: “It’s not like you’ll be wearing new clothes to work in the fields. Shouldn’t new clothes be for relaxing?”

Chen Qing glared at him again.

Aunt Sun thought about it. Chen Qing had lived there for a long time, yet he had never worn bright colors. He probably didn’t dare ask for them, either. He saw how much she paid and felt uneasy. The other cloth only cost four or five hundred coins, but the moon-white one was eight hundred—almost twice as much.

“Mom, I shouldn’t wear anything bright yet,” said Chen Qing, his voice lowering.

He was still mourning Meng Tao and didn’t think it was appropriate.

“You can’t wear red or green, but moon-white is fine. It’s light but not flashy,” Aunt Sun replied.

Chen Qing wanted to argue, but Aunt Sun wouldn’t listen.

She said she was going to buy seasonings and flour for mooncakes, then left Chen Qing in the shop.

While Chen Qing was still staring at the fabric, Zhou Yuan bought two pieces of cloth—one black and one indigo—after she left. By the time Chen Qing noticed, Zhou Yuan had already paid and placed the cloth next to him.

“What are you buying fabric for?” Chen Qing asked.

“To make clothes.”

“Why not just buy ready-made ones?” Chen Qing frowned at the two pieces. “You don’t know how to make clothes.”

He remembered Zhou Yuan holding an embroidery needle once and found the image oddly amusing.

“I’ve got my own way,” Zhou Yuan replied mysteriously.

Chen Qing was about to say more when Aunt Sun returned.

“Zhou Yuan, why don’t you just buy finished clothes?” she asked in surprise.

“Can’t you make clothes, Auntie?” Zhou Yuan’s eyes never left Chen Qing.

“I’m getting old, and my eyesight isn’t good. Ah Qing is the best at making clothes,” said Aunt Sun.

Zhou Yuan stared directly at Chen Qing. “Can you help me make them?”

Chen Qing shook his head. “That wouldn’t be appropriate…” He silently cursed Zhou Yuan—was this guy for real?

Zhou Yuan didn’t argue. On the way back, he chatted with Aunt Sun about fall planting. Luohe Village grew winter wheat that ripened in May. Aunt Sun’s family used to have six mu of land. After Meng Tao was drafted, she sold two mu, so now they had three good mu and one unused mu.

Usually, she and Chen Qing needed five or six days to plant everything. But with Chen Qing injured this year, who knew what would happen?

“I’ve got five mu, too, but I don’t know how to farm,” said Zhou Yuan, scratching his head. “Should we hire someone?”

“There’s no one to hire now. Everyone’s busy with their own fields,” Aunt Sun said, shaking her head.

Zhou Yuan thought for a bit. “Then I’ll help you, and you can teach me. Two people working is faster than one, right?”

Aunt Sun nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”

Chen Qing tugged on her sleeve. “Mom, I can work. My leg is already much better.”

“The doctor said you shouldn’t strain yourself for at least a month,” Aunt Sun reminded him. “Let Zhou Yuan help me.”

Chen Qing became anxious. It was the busy farming season, but he couldn’t help.

Aunt Sun looked at the two bolts of cloth. “Ah Qing, if you don’t want to sit around doing nothing, why don’t you help Zhou Yuan make the clothes?”

Chen Qing looked up at her and noticed that Zhou Yuan was also watching him.

“But isn’t that improper?”

“What’s improper? I’ll pay you.” Zhou Yuan said it so seriously that Chen Qing felt embarrassed. He was so honest that it was infuriating.

Seeing Chen Qing flustered, Aunt Sun smoothed things over. “No need for payment. He’s helping us in the fields, and you’ll help him with the clothes. Fair trade, right?”

Chen Qing nodded quickly. “It’s fine even without pay…”

When they got home, Aunt Sun washed the bones and planned to make bone broth. At night, she would use the broth to cook hand-rolled noodles and add a few leafy greens—a rare and delicious meal.

Zhou Yuan dropped them off, left his cloth behind, and went home. Chen Qing frowned. As the saying goes, you can’t make clothes without taking measurements. He would have to ask his mother to take them tomorrow. There was no way he could take Zhou Yuan’s measurements himself.

No way.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Aunt Sun had Chen Qing make mooncakes in the courtyard. The day before, they had bought rock sugar and glutinous rice flour, fried peanuts, crushed them into crumbs, and chopped the rock sugar. Then, they mixed the crushed peanuts with the glutinous rice flour to make the filling.

Then, they mixed wheat flour, water, and a bit of lard to make the dough. They left it to rise for about three-quarters of an hour. After that, they took the dough out, pinched it into small portions, flattened them, and wrapped them around the filling. Once wrapped, the mooncakes looked like steamed buns without any decorative patterns. Aunt Sun found an old mold in the kitchen—a simple flower-shaped one.

Chen Qing pressed the mold into each mooncake while wrapping it. Aunt Sun also found the small stove used for baking mooncakes. Mooncakes were supposed to be baked. When Chen Qing first came to live there, he helped Aunt Sun make mooncakes, but they steamed them instead of baking them, so they ended up with a batch of soft, sugary steamed cakes. It wasn’t until later that Chen Qing realized mooncakes were supposed to be baked. This time, he made his first real attempt at proper mooncakes.

Aunt Sun fired up the charcoal in the small oven. Chen Qing sat beside her, watching the flames and calculating how many mooncakes to make this year.

In previous years, they made five for their household, five for Li Xin’s family, five for the village chief’s family, and two for Aunt Liu’s family.

This year, they needed to make some for Zhou Yuan, too. After all, Zhou Yuan had been such a huge help lately that Chen Qing couldn’t remember when he started hauling their household water.

When he made the last batch, Chen Qing added a little extra filling to the cakes.

By late afternoon, he had finished baking all the mooncakes. He set aside those meant for others and waited for Aunt Sun to finish her tasks, planning to deliver them together.

After Aunt Sun left to deliver the mooncakes, Chen Qing hopped into the kitchen to start dinner.

The best way to cook roast pork was to sear it skin-side down in a hot pot to burn off any remaining hairs. Then, the pork was washed thoroughly and tossed back into the pot to be boiled. Once cooked, the pork was cut into thumb-sized chunks and stir-fried on high heat to render the fat. The excess oil was stored for later use. Next, the meat was seasoned with spices and aromatics, and last night’s bone broth was added. The mixture was simmered over low heat and then finished over high heat to maximize the flavor.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of the simmering meat. Each piece in the pot was coated with thick sauce. Chen Qing’s stomach growled twice.

Tonight’s dinner consisted of a large bowl of braised pork, eggplant, and potatoes stewed in lard until soft; a plate of pickles; and a pot of red rice mixed with regular rice, which they didn’t usually steam on regular days.

The sun was setting, and the moon seemed eager to peek out from the horizon.

After delivering the mooncakes, Aunt Sun returned to find that Chen Qing had already prepared dinner. She scolded him lightly: “Your leg’s still hurt, and you just won’t stay still.”

They moved the table out into the courtyard. They placed three dishes, a soup, and a few mooncakes on the table. It was simple, but it felt like home.

As Aunt Sun was about to close the courtyard gate, she saw Zhou Yuan nearby. He was holding a mooncake in his mouth—the one they had just given him—as he led his cow back into the shed.

On a night meant for reunions, she and Chen Qing were still technically mother and adopted son. But Zhou Yuan was even more pitiful, spending it alone with a cow.

“Ah Qing, I’ll go ask Zhou Yuan to join us for dinner,” said Aunt Sun, feeling sorry for him.

Chen Qing lowered his head and didn’t object.

Aunt Sun went to call him, and before long, Zhou Yuan appeared with a bottle of wine. Chen Qing glanced at the food on the table. He had made more than usual that day, so there should be enough.

They sat under the moonlight in the courtyard. There was no need to light a lamp. The moon shone down, bright as day.

“Auntie, thank you so much. Otherwise, I’d be eating alone tonight,” said Zhou Yuan, glancing at Chen Qing as he poured himself a glass of wine.

Chen Qing looked down, feeling a little uneasy. He pushed the braised pork in front of him toward Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan raised his wine glass, hiding his grin with his hand.

Chen Qing didn’t talk much. Most of the time, Zhou Yuan and Aunt Sun did the talking. What surprised Chen Qing, though, was that Zhou Yuan didn’t bring up Meng Tao or the military camp anymore. Aunt Sun didn’t ask about it either. Instead, they talked about village gossip. Zhou Yuan actually remembered all the names and stories that Aunt Sun mentioned, which Chen Qing hadn’t expected.

“Zhou Yuan, when I visited Aunt Hua last time, she said you were thinking about getting married?” Aunt Sun asked as she shared a small cup of wine with him.

Zhou Yuan glanced at Chen Qing, then nodded at Aunt Sun. “That’s the idea. I just don’t know if the other person would agree.”

Aunt Sun clapped her hands. “You have such good qualities—who would turn you down? If they do, they’re blind.”

Zhou Yuan laughed and turned to Chen Qing. “Isn’t that right, Auntie?”

Chen Qing lowered his head, remaining silent. Inwardly, he cursed Zhou Yuan: Shameless!

Dinner stretched on until the moon hung high in the sky. Aunt Sun had had just enough to drink. As she looked at the full moon, she felt a pang of longing for Meng Tao and her late husband. She could cry in front of Chen Qing, but she held herself back around Zhou Yuan. She wiped her face and told Chen Qing that she had drunk too much and would rest in her room. Chen Qing momentarily forgot about his injury and tried to stand to help her, but as soon as he put his foot down, he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. Zhou Yuan swiftly caught him with a firm hand on his waist. Thankfully, he didn’t fall and knock over the plates that were still on the table.

After making sure Chen Qing was okay, Aunt Sun returned to her room.

In the courtyard, Zhou Yuan and Chen Qing looked at each other.

Chen Qing cleared his throat, trying to sound useful and composed. “It’s getting late.”

Zhou Yuan stood up. “Then I’ll head back.”

Chen Qing let out a quiet sigh of relief. But before he could fully exhale, Zhou Yuan sat back down and looked at the leftovers. “Let me clean up.”

Chen Qing quickly shook his head. “I’ll do it myself. Just go!”

Zhou Yuan ignored him. Taking advantage of Chen Qing’s limited mobility, Zhou Yuan quickly cleaned the table. When washing the dishes, he used half a bucket of water, which made Chen Qing grit his teeth in frustration—what a waste!

Noticing Chen Qing’s glare, Zhou Yuan glanced at the nearly empty water vat. He felt like he might have messed up, but he still asked, “Want me to go get you two buckets of water now?”

Chen Qing turned his head and refused to look at him.

Moonlight poured onto the courtyard. Chen Qing was starting to feel sleepy, but Zhou Yuan was still there. He was worried the guy might say something shameless again, so he stayed alert.

“Alright,” Zhou Yuan finally said, standing up. “I’ll really go now.”

Chen Qing didn’t relax until he heard Zhou Yuan’s footsteps exit the courtyard. He let out a long breath. But then, Zhou Yuan’s voice called out from behind the wall.

“Oh, by the way, those mooncakes you made—they were amazing! The first time I’ve ever had anything that tasty.”

Chen Qing gripped the doorframe. Some tiny splinters pricked his palm. They didn’t hurt, just made his hand itch slightly. He thought of Zhou Yuan’s past. From what he’d heard, Zhou Yuan grew up with his grandmother, joined the military at twelve or thirteen, and spent his youth in war and killing. Places like that didn’t have mooncakes.

“There are still some left at home. Mom and I aren’t into sweets. I’ll give them to you.” Chen Qing turned to go back inside and get them.

But Zhou Yuan suddenly walked up and said,

“So, have you thought it over? If you have, I’ll ask Aunt Hua to propose marriage.”

Chen Qing:!!!

“Shut up!” he hissed, flustered and furious. I knew it! I shouldn’t have been so nice earlier! He lowered his voice and glared. “What if my mom hears you?”

Zhou Yuan raised an eyebrow. “But Auntie has to know, right? She’s the one who has to sit in the hall during the wedding.”

Chen Qing: Ahhh! Are you crazy?!

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