32 Tiannongxi
"I'm not Tian Erniang."
It was noon when I came out of the county government office. I don't know when the sky changed. The clouds almost fell to the ground, and it was gloomy and damp.
Even the wind was hot, and the air was filled with an indescribable heat, so stuffy that it was difficult to breathe.
The storm was about to come, Tian Nongxi said goodbye to Jing Wenshu at the door and hurriedly prepared to leave.
Jing Wenshu called her over, handed her an umbrella, stared at her and smiled, "Don't get wet in the rain."
"Thank you very much. I'll return it to you next time we meet." Tian Nongxi took it without hesitation, thought for a moment, and then asked, "When will my second uncle be released?"
"If he is innocent, we will give him justice." Jing Wenshu smiled like a fox, "After all, the surname Wen is the most famous person in the world."
After saying this, he quietly waited for Tian Nongxi's response, looking at her with a deep and unfathomable gaze.
Tian Nongxi was handing the medicine bag to Tian Yaozu. Upon hearing this, she took a moment out of her busy schedule to smile twice at the familiar man in front of her, said thank you very much, and walked away.
A faint chuckle was drowned in the sound of the wind.
Tian Nongxi walked so fast that Tian Yaozu, holding the medicine bag, couldn't keep up even at a jog. He was left two or three meters behind Tian Nongxi, calling out from time to time: "Sister, sister!"
After walking forward for a few dozen meters, Tian Nongxi realized where the ghostly whispering that was following him came from.
She turned around and could only see a small black dot moving closer in the distance.
Tian Nongxi waited patiently there for a while, but couldn't stand it anymore, so he walked back to Heidian and pulled him by the collar and walked forward.
"Hurry up, it's going to rain soon."
"But, but don't we have an umbrella?" Tian Yaozu panted.
Tian Nongxi glanced at the sky and said firmly, "It's going to rain heavily, so we better walk faster."
She originally wanted to go to the door of the house where Tian Nong Le hid his mistress. Tian Nong Le was obviously panicked when he was taken away. How come he became so arrogant after being imprisoned?
Such a huge change in just a few hours, could it be that he is really innocent?
The fishy smell of soil hit him in the face, but Tian Nongxi sniffed it to his heart's content.
She grew up in the southern coastal area. From childhood to adulthood, there were always such showers when summer was approaching. Before the rain, the sky was dark as the end of the world. The wind could blow down the clotheslines in every household. The hot and humid air made it difficult to distinguish between sweat and water. When it rained, the wind and rain continued to blow violently, and it was so heavy that it seemed like a water-splashing festival was being held in the sky. But it came and went quickly. After watching a movie in bed, the world would have been washed clean.
They are clearly different worlds, but they have the same weather.
As she squinted her eyes and looked at the dark clouds rushing towards her, Tian Nongxi thought that the land under her feet was no different from the path she had taken to the experimental field countless times.
This world is no different from hers.
People still can't walk out of the rain.
Suddenly, heavy rain came pouring down, and the swaying flowers on the path were blown all over the place.
Tian Nongxi hurriedly opened his paper umbrella, and Tian Yaozu subconsciously huddled inside it. The road was surrounded by farmland, offering no shelter from the rain. The two of them were pelted head-on by the rain, but they had no choice but to forge ahead.
Fortunately, this place was not far from the Tian family. Just before his face was paralyzed by the wind, Tian Nongxi finally saw the gate of the Tian family.
After entering the courtyard, Huang was waiting in the main house. When she saw the two of them come back, she stood up straight.
Half of Tian Nongxi's body was soaked by the rain. He didn't notice it while he was on the road, but when he stopped to rest, he felt a chill in his body and couldn't help sneezing.
Huang, who was wiping Tian Yaozu's hair with a dry cloth, heard the noise and looked up and said, "There's hot tea on the table."
Tian Nongxi responded, sat down at the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one breath.
After drinking the hot tea, my body gradually felt warm, and the occasional abdominal pain was cured.
Tian Nongxi breathed a sigh of relief and finally recovered.
She picked up the umbrella and went back to her room. As she opened and closed her umbrella, a disheveled man appeared in front of her.
Qi Hengan ignored the splashing rain, stared into Tian Nongxi's eyes and called out "Second Mother".
He must have been listening to the noise over here, which is why he came here so soon after Tian Nongxi returned.
It was unclear whether it was the rain or the sweat that had already soaked the hair on his forehead, but Qi Hengan didn't care. He said urgently, "I have something to tell you."
Seeing his anxious expression, Tian Nongxi suppressed her inner doubts and softly replied "OK", then took him to the kitchen.
As soon as he entered the door, Qi Hengan's voice poured out like pouring beans.
"I know everything," Qi Hengan said. "Second Mother, your uncle committed a serious crime. Although our dynasty doesn't have a system of collective responsibility, how can such gossip not affect you?"
Feeling the sincere concern, Tian Nongxi smiled and said, "It's okay. The matter of Second Uncle has not been concluded yet. Besides, he is him and I am me."
"How, how could it be? Putting aside other things, just…" Qi Hengan was dazzled by the smile, and his speech speed was slower than before. He continued with a stutter, "Just the matter of marriage has a huge impact on you…"
The more he spoke, the lower his head he buried, and his voice became softer and softer. Tian Nongxi could only vaguely hear the word "marriage".
She smiled and asked, "Marriage? What's wrong with marriage?"
"Second Sister." Qi Hengan seized the last bit of his courage, took a deep breath, and spoke tremblingly, "Let's get married."
? !
Tian Nongxi was stunned, his throat was dry, and he uttered a questioning particle with difficulty as if he had lost his voice.
There was a drizzle outside the window, as if some birds were hitting a tree. A loud "clang" overwhelmed the heavy rain, and all the birds and animals scattered in an instant.
Amid the sound of flapping wings, the two remained silent as if confronting each other.
Qi Hengan was the first to give in, and he lowered his head and smiled self-deprecatingly, revealing a slender and fragile neck.
He was just about to speak to interrupt the silence when the girl in front of him, who was standing as still as a Buddha statue, suddenly looked up.
She said firmly, as if she had made up her mind: "No."
"I'm sorry." Tian Nongxi's body trembled uncontrollably. "I... I..." She couldn't give any good reasons, and she didn't dare to say that she was not Tian Er Niang. She stammered and couldn't speak.
This became guilt in Qi Hengan's eyes.
Because of the guilt caused by not pleasing him.
"I'm sorry, I was rude." He lowered his eyes to hide his loneliness and forced a smile. "In that case, I hope you can find a good man."
After saying this, because the girl in front of him was so soft-hearted, the heartache in his heart actually overwhelmed the sadness of being rejected.
Qi Hengan couldn't control his thoughts and simply gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Lin is a decent person, but he is like the moon in the water and the flower in the mirror, making it difficult to understand. Second Mother, you have never seen the outside world. This kind of person is definitely not an ordinary person. I am afraid that loving him will make you sad."
After he finished speaking, he realized that his words seemed like an attempt to make up for being rejected and secretly slandering others. His face turned pale and he didn't dare to look at Tian Nongxi.
"No, no, no." Tian Nongxi realized he had misunderstood something and was startled. He almost jumped up and waved his hands. "It's not what you think."
Her eyes were wide open, her thoughts were in a mess, and a surge of blood rushed to her head. Her cheeks turned red and her whole body was hot.
Qi Hengan smiled bitterly, took a few steps forward, reached out and gently patted Tian Nongxi's head, silently comforting him.
The touching was just a touch and that was the most outrageous thing he could do.
Tian Nongxi was still chattering.
"No, no."
"You're overthinking it."
"I don't like him. I really don't like him."
Without getting a response, Tian Nongxi looked at Qi Hengan for help while speaking, hoping to get affirmation from his eyes.
Qi Hengan: "Yeah, okay." The little girl was shy.
Tian Nongxi: “…”
She turned her head to look at the rain, trying to calm herself down.
"I'm sorry, Brother Heng'an." Tian Nongxi took a deep breath and explained weakly, "I don't want to get married for the time being."
Qi Hengan smiled with relief, "Feelings cannot be forced. I was too offensive and impatient. Second Mother, you have become more and more decisive and capable." His tone seemed to say that this was good, but his eyes clearly revealed a hint of nostalgia.
"I'm sorry." Tian Nongxi apologized again.
"You don't have to apologize." Qi Hengan saw the little girl who always kept her head down, and the cold rain on her head turned into soft snowflakes. He resisted the urge to hug her and took out a contract from his arms.
Just like seven years ago, it was stuffed into the hands of a girl who didn't know what she was thinking.
Tian Nongxi looked up in a daze, his dark pupils bright as stars.
"Open it and take a look." Qi Hengan's eyes curved.
Tian Nongxi unfolded the folded paper, and his eyes changed from apologetic to shocked.
She looked up at Qi Hengan, opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
Qi Hengan understood her confusion and soothed her, "My grandfather is old and doesn't have the energy to manage the clinics and pharmacies. He wrote to ask Mother and me to come back soon. The house will be empty once we leave. Mother said a house without people will be lifeless, so she asked me to give you the deed. If you don't need it, just keep it."
"But you studied for so many years, didn't you want to be an official?"
"My mother is in poor health, and I'm worried about her handling all this alone. I'm the only one left in this generation, so I have to take on the responsibility no matter what." Qi Hengan said calmly, "Don't worry about me. I'm about to reach adulthood, and I can no longer do whatever I want."
Tian Nongxi's throat seemed to be blocked, and after a while he asked, "Aren't you coming back?"
"Yes. It's just a long journey. I have to wait until my mother recovers." He lowered his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking. After a while, he continued, "A doctor can't treat himself. Even my grandfather can only relieve my mother's illness with strong medicine. I have searched all over the world for famous doctors but can't find a cure."
Any comfort seemed particularly pale at this moment. Tian Nongxi took a long while to find his voice, "Madam Qi is a lucky person, and she will be fine."
She patted Qi Hengan's shoulder and tried to make her tone cheerful. "Besides, you are so amazing, you will definitely be better than me. You will definitely be able to cure Madam Qi when the time comes!"
"Yeah." Qi Heng'an nodded seriously, and then said, "Father is buried here. She will definitely take care of herself and set foot on this land again." He said this to Tian Nongxi, and also to himself.
"Um!"
"We'll set off tonight, and I don't know when we'll meet again." Qi Hengan looked up, trying to capture the image of the person in front of him.
"I'll take you there." Tian Nongxi said, handing the deed back. "I can't accept this."
Qi Hengan pushed it back, "Mother is right. A house that no one lives in will eventually die. Instead of leaving it alone, it's better to make full use of it. Second Mother, just think of it as your dowry."
Tian Nongxi took two steps back, his fingertips barely brushing across the paper before leaving. "Give me the key, and I'll come and clean it often."
Qi Hengan sighed: "Second Mother, just take it. Just think of it as keeping it for my mother. When she gets better and comes back, you can give it to her in person, okay?"
Tian Nongxi pursed her lips and finally nodded.
The rain stopped, and looking out the window, the world looked brand new.
The mountains in the distance were lush and green, and Qi Hengan's back disappeared in the rustling wind.
Tian Nongxi looked down at the deed, stroking the texture of the paper with his fingertips until smoke rose.
Tian Yaozu pushed the door open and asked her to cook.
He was puzzled as to why his sister, who had always been submissive, would ignore his words, so he walked up and hit Tian Nongxi hard on the back.
After shrinking back a bit at the cold gaze, Tian Yaozu remembered his status and became more confident, "Sister, grandma asked you to cook."
Tian Nongxi turned around and walked out the door.
Qi Hengan was packing his luggage when there was a knock on the door.
He opened the door and let Tian Nongxi in with some surprise.
Tian Nongxi shook his head, gripping the door frame tightly with one hand, and said to Qi Hengan, "I have something to say."
"You may find what I'm about to say strange, but I'm not crazy, and I'm not lying to you."
Qi Hengan was stunned, but nodded and said gently, "Go ahead."
"I'm not Tian Erniang."
"What?" Qi Hengan smiled bitterly, "Second Mother, you don't have to..."
"I'm not Tian Erniang."
Qi Hengan frowned and looked at the girl in front of him seriously, hoping that she would suddenly smile and tell him that she was just teasing him.
But she still looked at him straight, with the same stubborn look as before.
It wasn't until Huang found her way out that Qi Hengan finally got a moment to breathe. He hurriedly tried to leave, "Don't think too much, second... don't think too much."
Tian Nongxi didn't respond, but just said, "I'm sorry."
After returning to the Tian family, Tian Nongxi kept shaking.
She caught a cold in the rain and started sneezing repeatedly.
His lower abdomen suddenly started to hurt again, and he squatted by the stove with a pale face.
Even though she was not feeling well, she still had to cook. Tian Nongxi sprinkled five spoons of salt on the dishes, kept the hot water for herself, and watched the other two people at the table looking for water everywhere.
The firelight illuminated her profile, and amid the gurgling sound of boiling water, Tian Nongxi sighed: I don’t know where she got the courage to tell her biggest secret.
But it doesn't matter.
Although she was scared, she did not regret it.
Compared with the possible risks of telling others, the convenience brought by taking over the other's position made her feel more guilty.
The moon had just risen, and a carriage was already waiting at the door of the Qi family's house.
Tian Nongxi saw through the crack in the door that all the boxes were loaded into the car, and finally opened the door to see them off.
Qi Mi touched her head and told her to go back quickly so as not to catch a cold. Qi Heng'an looked calm and still refused to accept the deed.
The three of them pushed and shoved for a long time until the driver urged them on.
After getting on the carriage, Qi Mi glanced at Qi Hengan who seemed to be lost in thought. The wooden hairpin in his hair appeared and disappeared with the movement of the carriage, and his thoughts seemed to drift away.
She rarely spoke much, so she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Qi Hengan paused and said it as a joke, "Second Niang's sister was afraid that I would be sad, so she lied to me that she was not Second Niang."
Qi Mi looked at the girl whose figure outside the car was getting smaller and smaller, and did not respond.
【Author’s words】
The male protagonist will be back in the next chapter and start to advance the relationship line (///▽///)
To explain: The heroine was stunned and didn't immediately refuse because she desperately wanted to return to her original world. Coupled with the system's regression, she felt a return was imminent. Therefore, she didn't want to change too much of her original self's relationships, especially with people like Qi Heng'an, whom her original self valued so much. (Qi Heng'an had always loved her original self, Tian Er Niang.) Also, I feel like the pacing of this story is a bit off, and I'll do my best to improve it later! When I first started writing this, I felt like I'd made significant progress, but now I can't really see that anymore. But it's okay, I'll just keep writing, even though I don't like things that require effort. I'm a girl who only loves to do things I've been given a lot of talent for. Before writing on Jinjiang, I inexplicably felt I had a talent for writing (even though I'd never finished a full novel). Later, when the mood struck, I applied for a contract, and it flowed through incredibly smoothly. I was so overwhelmed, but I didn't expect... (gritting my teeth). It's okay! Now that I'm on this pirate ship, I'm going to be the captain! I'm going to be the woman of the Pirate King (mistakenly). I will try to finish this book before summer vacation, so I can revise it and write the sequel during the summer vacation (imagination is always beautiful)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
