LW chapter 11

 

“Well done, Zhou Yuan.” Matchmaker Hua didn’t bother hiding her annoyance. “Do you really not understand, or are you just pretending?”

She looked around at the blue-brick house and praised it repeatedly. “Look at this place—it’s so grand! If a few more owners lived here, wouldn’t it be even nicer?”

Zhou Yuan looked out of place. “I built this house myself. Why should other people who have nothing to do with me live in it?”

Auntie Hua’s smile froze for a moment, but she was experienced. She quickly adjusted her expression. “Oh, come on, don’t joke around. You’re quite a catch, you know.”

Zhou Yuan acted as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “Auntie, if that’s all, I won’t keep you. I’m about to have dinner.”

She glanced at the bowl of mixed rice and vegetables that Zhou Yuan had set down in the courtyard. Auntie Hua quickly found another angle. “Look at you—no one at home, and you’re making do with this kind of meal. I came to introduce someone to you. Just hear me out first.”

“There’s a family with a blue-brick house at the west end of the village—the Li family. The father is a blacksmith with ancestral skills, and they live very well. Their son is handsome and has such a gentle temperament. I think he’s a perfect match for you. If you agree, I’ll help arrange the proposal tomorrow.”

Zhou Yuan shook his head. “Auntie, I appreciate your kindness, but I don’t plan on getting married.”

Auntie Hua thought he was just being polite. She waved her hand. “Nonsense—you’re exactly the right age to settle down. You have such good prospects; you could have your pick of any man or woman.”

Zhou Yuan’s tone was patient and sincere. “Auntie, if I ever decide to get married, I’ll definitely ask for your help. But right now, it’s really not something I need.”

Auntie Hua talked for a long time, trying every angle she could think of, but Zhou Yuan wouldn’t budge. She came to the door full of confidence but left disappointed.

Chen Qing happened to be going to fetch water in the village. As he passed by Zhou Yuan’s house, he saw Auntie Hua coming out. She smiled at him. “Out to get water?”

Chen Qing nodded quickly and walked off without looking back, as if something were chasing him.

Zhou Yuan watched Chen Qing’s small figure vanish down the path. Because Auntie Hua had come over, he ended up eating later than usual. Usually, he would have gone to get water for them, but now Chen Qing had gone alone.

Frowning, Zhou Yuan got up to fetch water himself when he felt a little better.

It was hot. After eating that messy meal, which he couldn’t tell was rice or vegetables, he lay on the bed, feeling stifled.

Even though the house looked nice from the outside, inside there was only a bed. It didn’t feel like home at all. He thought of Chen Qing’s room that night with its bamboo curtain, cabinet, little vanity, and camphor wood chest. Even though it was small, it felt like a real home.

A man tempered on the battlefield had good hearing. As he lay there, he heard voices outside on the path.

“I said I could carry it by myself.” That was Chen Qing’s voice.

Zhou Yuan rarely heard him speak. He was usually quiet and rarely said much. His accent didn’t sound like Luohe Village at all. In fact, it sounded more like Zhou Yuan’s hometown in the north.

“You just got better. Those buckets are heavy.” It was a voice he hadn’t heard before.

“But we’ll have to make another trip.” Chen Qing’s tone was somewhat helpless. “If I carried them myself, I’d only need to go once.”

“Can’t you just walk with me?” the voice said.

Chen Qing sighed. “Alright.”

Zhou Yuan sat up and looked out the window. Two figures, one tall and the other short, were awkwardly carrying buckets of water back to the neighboring house.

After a moment of thought, Zhou Yuan got out of bed, picked up a bucket he had just made, and carried it to the well.

As he passed by, Chen Qing and another ger were making their way home, each holding a bucket.

Chen Qing glanced at Zhou Yuan and gave the slightest nod.

Zhou Yuan filled his bucket efficiently and walked back, carrying it on his shoulder.

He took long strides and soon caught up with Chen Qing and Li Xin. They were moving slowly and had stopped to rest; the taller one complained that he was tired. They were now sitting at the roadside.

Chen Qing wanted to say something, but since Li Xin had insisted on helping, he felt too embarrassed to protest. Thankfully, he had time to spare, so he didn’t mind resting.

“I’m planning to burn some paper money for Meng Tao at the Ghost Festival,” Li Xin said. “Even though we didn’t know each other, we were from the same village.”

He hadn’t been home when Meng Tao was buried, so he hadn’t been there to keep Chen Qing company.

Chen Qing nodded. “Thank you.”

“Come on, we’re old friends,” Li Xin said casually. “Isn’t the corn harvest coming up soon? I’ll come help you.”

Li Xin’s family didn’t farm their own land. His father was always busy and his mother was in poor health, so they rented out their fields. This left Li Xin with a lot of free time during the busy season.

Chen Qing was a little embarrassed. Li Xin didn’t even have chores of his own yet still wanted to help. He shook his head. “We didn’t plant much this year. No need to trouble yourself.”

Li Xin was about to reply when they heard a noise beside them. Zhou Yuan passed by with a full bucket. He set down his empty one next to theirs and left without saying a word.

“Hey, you—”

Chen Qing quickly tugged at Li Xin’s sleeve, afraid that his loud voice would attract attention.

Li Xin watched as Zhou Yuan walked away, effortlessly carrying a bucket of water in one hand while holding a spare bucket in the other. Then, he turned to stare at Chen Qing. “He carried water for you?”

Chen Qing nodded. “I was sick before, and my back wasn’t good. He helped me.”

Today, when Aunt Sun saw Auntie Hua go to Zhou Yuan’s house, she figured he might be busy, so Chen Qing said he would get the water himself. Besides, he was feeling better anyway. At most, he’d just have to make more trips.

But at the well, he ran into Li Xin, who insisted on helping him. Chen Qing was bad at refusing people, so he ended up carrying water home with Li Xin. He hadn’t expected to run into Zhou Yuan again.

As he watched Zhou Yuan’s back, Chen Qing wondered if he had talked to Auntie Hua. Would he go to Li Xin’s house next to propose?

Li Xin was good-looking and from a respectable family. They’d be a good match.

“What are you thinking about?” Li Xin asked, watching Chen Qing crouch to lift the carrying pole but not move.

Chen Qing picked it up awkwardly. “Nothing. Are you heading home?”

Li Xin nodded. It was getting dark, and he needed to help his mother cook dinner. She was tired from the trip and resting.

He glanced at Chen Qing, then at Zhou Yuan’s distant figure.

There was definitely something strange going on between the two of them. Really strange.

They parted ways at the crossroads. Chen Qing walked alone, carrying the pole over his shoulder, and he met Zhou Yuan again as Zhou Yuan came out of his house.

The houses weren’t far apart, but the narrow path in front of them was another reason Chen Qing hated going out. No matter where he went, people were always too close.

He stood there, not moving forward, waiting for Zhou Yuan to pass so that he wouldn’t have to walk by him. He looked at the bucket Zhou Yuan was carrying and realized the water must have been poured into his own tank.

His fingers unconsciously rubbed the carrying pole. He wanted to thank Zhou Yuan, but when Zhou Yuan got close, he couldn’t find the words.

Zhou Yuan saw Chen Qing standing there, looking conflicted. He walked up to him and said, “Thanks for the fruit today. It was delicious. I’ve never had it before.”

“Oh—it’s just something common,” Chen Qing stammered, his eyes fixed on the ground. His ears slowly turned red. “Mother told me to bring them.”

Zhou Yuan thought to himself. He didn’t say a word of thanks when I helped him.

“Auntie already thanked me,” Zhou Yuan said.

“Oh—I didn’t know.” Chen Qing felt like his hands were going numb. His mother had already thanked him. Zhou Yuan probably thought he was just trying to find something to say, but he really hadn’t meant it like that.

They stood there, neither moving. Finally, Zhou Yuan lowered his gaze and saw that Chen Qing was trembling slightly.

He shifted aside to clear the path. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I was in your way.”

Chen Qing mumbled that it was fine, then bolted past him without looking back. He was afraid that Zhou Yuan would say something else if he lingered a second longer.

Zhou Yuan couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Chen Qing run off.

When Chen Qing got home, he saw that the water tank was already full. Aunt Sun said, “Zhou Yuan just came over and filled it.”

Chen Qing nodded.

“Did you thank him properly?”

Chen Qing answered softly, “Yes, I thanked him.”

Aunt Sun shook her head. “Ah Qing, we’re neighbors. We’ll have to rely on each other in the future. You can’t keep doing this. If something happens later, you have to take charge. Are you going to hide in the house for the rest of your life if I’m gone one day?”

Chen Qing lifted his head in a daze. “Mother, don’t say things like that. I’ll learn to talk to people.”

Aunt Sun stroked his hair. “It’s time for dinner. I made plenty. You can take some over to Zhou Yuan.”

Chen Qing went to the kitchen and saw a pot of food that had already been dished into a basin. Today, they had made soup with pork shank bones. The rich broth contained winter melon, sweet potatoes, and hand-rolled noodles. It was a big, hearty bowl.

Chen Qing looked hesitant. “Should I really take it?”

Aunt Sun asked.
“Didn’t you just promise you’d do things yourself from now on?”

Chen Qing had no choice. He took a small basin and slowly walked to Zhou Yuan’s house. When he arrived, Zhou Yuan was not in the courtyard. Chen Qing wanted to call out, but he couldn’t find his voice.

Zhou Yuan had already seen him standing there, but he decided to wait and see if Chen Qing would speak up.

“Um…”

“Hey…”

The courtyard remained quiet. Chen Qing took a deep breath. His voice came out a little louder, though it still wavered. “Zhou Yuan.”

The way he said “Yuan,” it sounded like the word had twisted around nine times in his chest before finally coming out. Zhou Yuan was even more convinced that Chen Qing wasn’t from Luohe Village. His accent was from farther north than his own.

Zhou Yuan sat up in bed, went to the door, and looked down at Chen Qing. “What is it?”

Chen Qing held out the bowl. “Mother made this. She wanted you to have some.”

Zhou Yuan followed his gaze and saw the blisters on Chen Qing’s fingers. He took the bowl.

Chen Qing let out a breath. Then, he heard Zhou Yuan say, “But I’ve already eaten.”

“Ah? What should I do?” Chen Qing looked flustered.

Seeing that look, Zhou Yuan felt an urge to tease someone that he had long forgotten. “I’ll just eat it tomorrow. I’ll bring the bowl back then.”

Chen Qing nodded like a little chick pecking rice. “Alright, then. I’ll be going now.”

“Wait.”

Chen Qing froze mid-step, not daring to look up. “What is it?”

“In a few days, during the Ghost Festival, I want to burn some incense for Meng Tao.”

Chen Qing blinked. “Alright.”

“That’s all. You can go.”

Chen Qing finally relaxed and hurried home. Meanwhile, Zhou Yuan stood in the courtyard, shook his head, and laughed.

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