Chapter 38. She tasted that flavor that made her…

Xie Tang finished tidying up the room and came over to let Chu Song go and rest.

Having not slept all night and having driven for two hours, Chu Song was indeed exhausted. After saying goodbye to Yuan Aochun, he went back to his room.

Xie Kun washed the grapes with well water and brought them over.

Xie Tang tasted a few and found them delicious: "Brother Song also likes grapes, let's save some for him."

"What are you leaving! If you like them, eat them all, don't give him a single one!" Xie Kun said irritably, then dragged a rocking chair to the yard to sunbathe.

Xie Tang and Yuan Aochun exchanged a smile.

"He's sulking, don't pay him any mind." Yuan Aochun pulled Xie Tang down to sit and asked softly, "Tell Grandma what kind of person he is?"

Xie Tang recounted in detail all the kindness Chu Song had shown her, and Yuan Aochun listened with a beaming smile. Knowing that her granddaughter liked her and trusting her judgment, she was finally at ease.

She winked at Xie Tang, signaling him to look outside.

Xie Tang turned around and saw that Xie Kun had gotten up at some point and was eavesdropping by the door, looking quite comical.

Caught red-handed, the old man blushed and quickly lay back in his rocking chair, pretending to sunbathe.

Xie Tang moved a chair and sat down next to Xie Kun.

The old man was silent for a moment, then said earnestly, "Don't be like your mother, blinded by love. There are really very few men in this world who are both handsome and rich."

"Mmm," Xie Tang replied obediently.

She's not love-struck; she's perfectly clear-headed and rational.

Even though she likes Chu Song, she understands the necessity of maintaining an appropriate distance and tries her best to restrain her possessiveness.

Xie Kun's face was grim. After a moment, he asked, seemingly casually, "How is your mother?"

Xie Tang took a deep breath and told her everything about Xie Shuang's divorce from Qin Ruhai more than ten years ago, as well as her mother's illness.

She knew that learning the truth at this moment was too cruel for an elderly woman in her seventies.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Aochun quickly walked over from the kitchen, looked at Xie Tang in disbelief, and scolded, "A-Tang! It's one thing for your mother to keep it from us, but how could you... for so many years! You shouldn't have!"

Xie Tang silently endured the blame.

"She's truly my daughter! Stubborn to the bone!" Xie Kun looked at the roses in the corner, shook his head and cursed, "I'm an old man who's about to be buried, and I've never admired anyone in my life except your mother! All that education she received, and it's all gone to waste!"

Xie Tang let him vent.

Even in his seventies, the old man's love for his child never diminished. Upon learning of the grievances and misfortunes his daughter had suffered, he felt only heartache and anger.

"In the end, it's all my fault..." Xie Kun's voice was low and hoarse, full of regret. "Back then, she insisted on marrying Qin Ruhai, and I shouldn't have stopped her, shouldn't have severed ties with her. I should have told her that even if they were divorced, they would still have a family! But she didn't say anything..."

Xie Tang felt guilty, but did not regret her choice at that moment.

She harbored a selfish motive: she wanted to bring the two elderly people to live with her.

Firstly, it was for my mother's sake; I didn't want them to have regrets for the rest of their lives because of an outsider.

Secondly, seeking peace of mind, the two elderly people returned to their old house deep in the mountains after retirement, spending their days tending to the orchard.

The village is sparsely populated, and the elderly live alone, making it difficult to take care of them in case of an emergency.

They were used to living in seclusion, and she knew it would be difficult to persuade them to leave.

The only reason they could leave was by citing their children's needs—perhaps for the sake of their children.

As long as the three elders live together, she can ensure they enjoy their later years in peace.

Xie Tang laid out all his thoughts, leaving the two elders time to consider them.

-----------------

Xie Tang returned to her room.

Chu Song's tall (187cm) body lay on a bed that was 1.8 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. Although it was not as spacious as his home, it was enough for him to sleep soundly.

She sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her gaze lingering on his delicate eyebrows, straight nose, closed eyes, and slightly upturned lips.

She leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead before leaving the room.

She drove to town to buy clothes, shoes, and socks for Chu Song.

When they returned, the two elders had calmed down.

Xie Kun was picking vegetables in the yard, while Yuan Aochun was busy in the kitchen.

She's used to using a wood-fired stove and doesn't like using a gas stove.

Xie Tang helped tend the fire, while Yuan Aochun kept asking about Xie Shuang's health.

Not wanting the elderly woman to worry, Xie Tang only said that she was recovering well.

Chu Song woke up in the afternoon, his fatigue completely gone.

He took a shower and changed into the T-shirt and jeans that Xie Tang had bought for him.

Xie Kun glanced at him and saw that he had changed into neat casual clothes, and immediately felt that he looked much better—the young man was already young, and the suit made him look too mature and lose his vitality.

He politely called out "Grandpa" and then squatted down next to him to help.

Xie Kun snorted lightly, "At least you have some sense."

Yuan Aochun prepared his signature farm-style dishes of four dishes and a soup, but he was a little worried that the boy wouldn't be used to them.

Chu Song was very considerate; he ate until he was stuffed, even though he usually only ate until he was about 70% full.

Yuan Aochun was overjoyed.

After lunch, the two elders took a nap.

Xie Tang took Chu Song to the orchard on the back mountain, which was her childhood paradise.

The orchard is not large, but it has a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

“It’s a pity it’s autumn now,” she said. “If only it were summer, the mountains would be full of loquats, lychees, mangoes and longans, there would be more than you could eat.”

The afternoon mountain breeze, carrying the scent of grass and trees, wafted by, and the sunlight danced between Xie Tang's brows, making her peach blossom eyes sparkle.

Chu Song listened in silence as she recounted her warm childhood after leaving the Qin family, her voice clear and untouched by hardship.

After leaving the Qin family, Xie Shuang would send her here to keep the two elders company every winter and summer vacation.

She loved the endless supply of summer fruits, and when she got tired of eating them, she loved to take them to the street to exchange them for money.

Chu Song recalled her childhood, but the memories of when she was eleven years old surfaced in a fragmented way—

The day Chu Yi was brought back to the Chu family, the old house became a gilded cage.

He was forced to swallow his grievances, and from then on, the label of "elder brother" was forever branded before his name.

The tranquility of the mountains felt like a stolen gift, and he breathed it in greedily.

Xie Tang tiptoed and picked a starfruit, biting into it and exclaiming, "It's sweet!"

She picked another one, wiped it clean, and handed it to him.

Chu Song had no doubts, and the sudden surge of emotion made the corners of her eyes redden.

"Xie Tang!" He pulled her into his arms and held a sour fruit to her lips. "You eat it."

She swallowed the fruit without batting an eye: "It's clearly very sweet."

Seeing her eyelashes tremble slightly as she tried to maintain her composure, Chu Song suddenly chuckled: "You love to eat so much? Then you can finish it."

Xie Tang instantly lost his composure and spat out the fruit: "Brother Song, I was wrong!"

“Not sincere.” He raised an eyebrow as she picked a fresh starfruit and handed it to him.

"You eat it yourself."

Xie Tang took a big bite, without even frowning, and handed it over.

This time he took a cautious bite, and the sweet juice spread across his tongue—it really was sweet.

Taking advantage of his momentary daze, Xie Tang suddenly shoved a starfruit into his mouth: "I wasn't lying to you, was I?"

Chu Song instinctively snatched the fruit, and only after eating it in a few bites did she realize with a start that she had bitten into it.

Xie Tang glanced away, and the mountain breeze suddenly became scorching hot.

Chu Song's Adam's apple was still bobbing up and down unconsciously. The lingering sweetness on his tongue intertwined with the intimacy of sharing the same fruit, creating a web between the two of them.

The scorching mountain wind seemed to freeze, leaving only the sound of our rapidly beating hearts, which was exceptionally clear in the silence of the orchard.

Xie Tang's cheeks, which were turned away, were flushed with a blush like the sunset, which spread all the way to her small earlobes.

Chu Song's gaze lingered on her tightly pursed lips, the glistening moisture from chewing starfruit more alluring than any ripe fruit at that moment.

The slight annoyance of being tricked earlier collided violently with the surging excitement in my heart at this moment, and was ultimately overwhelmed by a more primal and pure desire.

The arms around her waist tightened silently, pulling her completely into his embrace, so close that they could feel the contours and warmth of each other's bodies.

"Ah Tang..." His voice was low and husky, his warm breath brushing against her forehead and temples, finally stopping just inches above her tightly pursed lips.

Xie Tang's heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest; she wanted to retreat, but there was nowhere to retreat.

I wanted to say something to break the deadly silence, but I couldn't utter a sound.

She was forced to lift her eyelashes and meet his deep eyes, which were no longer the calm lake of the day, but a sea brewing a storm, surging with emotions she had never seen before, straightforward and passionate.

A thought flashed through her mind—"We're doomed."

Before the idea could even take shape, Chu Song had already bowed his head.

His kiss carried the sweet scent of starfruit, initially tentatively and gently covering her lips, like a breeze brushing against flower petals.

But once that soft and warm touch was confirmed, it instantly ignited a long-suppressed flame.

The gentle touch quickly transformed into an irresistible plunder, the friction between their lips carrying a scorching heat. He delved deeper, drawing in her breath and compelling her to respond.

Xie Tang's mind went blank. All her rationality and restraint crumbled under the other party's forceful yet gentle invasion.

She responded softly, her arm already wrapped around his neck, her fingertips digging into his slightly damp hair.

She tasted the sweetness of the starfruit in his mouth, tasted his unique scent, and tasted the thrill that made her soul tremble.

The afternoon sun filtered through the sparse branches and leaves, casting dappled light around the two embracing figures. In the orchard, only the soft sounds of their lips entwining and their rapid breathing could be heard.

At this moment, the mountain wind was so hot it was almost scorching, completely melting them into this undisturbed sweetness.

The phone rang abruptly, shattering the sweet tranquility.

Xie Tang pushed her away, his rationality returning in an instant.

Chu Song answered the call, but the signal was intermittent, and Chu Li's voice came through in broken lines.

“…Brother…which…family…gathering…Grandpa…isn’t in a good mood…”

Chu Song remained silent.

"...When are you coming back? Have fun...don't stay too long..." Chu Li probably thought the signal was cut off, so he kept shouting "hello" at the top of his lungs.

Chu Song hung up the phone decisively.

His brother, Chu Li, is thirty-two years old. When he's not working, he's as childish as a fool who loves to provoke him but always ends up losing.

Chu Li looked at the phone that had been hung up, pursed his lips, and lay back in the sun chair like a lord, crossing his legs.

He casually snapped a few photos of his sullen grandfather and mother not far away, then sent them all to Chu Song: "Look at the consequences of your absence!"

Chu Song glanced at the photo that popped up on his phone, then turned it off without any expression.

The mountain wind swept across my palm, leaving me grasping only a handful of emptiness.

At the hillside villa, Wen Qu approached with a fruit platter and sat down in a white wicker chair: "Where did he go?"

"The signal was bad, so I didn't say anything." Chu Li poked at a piece of watermelon, completely unconcerned. "You're a grown man, you know what's good for you."

He looked down and fiddled with the photos he had just taken.

Wen Qu looked at him silently for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Regarding what Grandpa said, could we...?"

Chu Li stopped what he was doing and interrupted her decisively, "No!"

Wen Qu's face darkened: "Why not? We can adopt!"

"No means no!" Chu Li looked up, his sharp gaze locking onto her. "Grandpa's decision cannot be changed."

He saw through the eagerness and calculation hidden in her eyes at a glance.

Wen Qu was annoyed by his gaze: "You didn't even go and tell him, how do you know it won't work!"

Chu Li put down his fruit fork, his eyes filled with warning: "Wen Qu, remember what I said."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice low but clear, "Don't touch things that don't belong to you."

That bottom line of upholding the Chu family was laid bare before her.

Wen Qu pressed her lips together tightly, meeting his uncompromising gaze, and finally wilted, looking away and muttering softly, "...I know. Why are you being so fierce?"