9 Tell your true feelings
◎She knows it! She knows it!◎
The next day, the rice seeds that had been soaked in water and germinated were stuffed into cloth bags and left to stand.
Three days later, the yellowish rice seeds were the size of rice grains. If you grabbed a handful, you would find that each one had a white and tender "tail", and no one was left behind.
Tian Nongxi stood up and stuffed the dry straw he had just picked up aside into the earthen stove kang, then walked out of the kitchen carrying the cloth bag.
Lin Luan, who had been waiting outside the house, handed her the backpack and the two walked out of the yard together.
Qi Hengan still looked energetic, wearing a gray hemp cloth suit that he had found from somewhere, and his trouser legs were a little too short.
When Tian Nongxi saw him standing at the door, he felt a headache and turned around to slip away, almost bumping into Lin Luan behind him.
She turned her head away awkwardly, and Qi Hengan trotted over, his tone filled with uncontrollable excitement. "Second Sister, you said I didn't have the tools the day before yesterday, and you said my clothes were too expensive yesterday. Today, I've changed them all."
As Qi Hengan spoke, he opened his arms and walked around Tian Nongxi for half a circle. He stopped reluctantly when she held him.
"You..." Tian Nongxi racked his brains.
"By the way, I also have this." Qi Hengan interrupted, took a few quick steps to his door, and handed the leaning rake to Tian Nongxi.
Tian Nongxi was so frightened that he took a few steps back, hesitantly saying, "No, this..."
Qi Hengan spoke again, his words pouring out like beans. "Don't worry, I've been getting up at cockcrow every day these past few days to carry heavy loads, and running around the village after dinner. I've also seen the improvement in my health that you mentioned when you rejected me the other day."
After Qi Hengan finished speaking, he stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Tian Nongxi with a sharp gaze.
Tian Nongxi finally found a chance to speak and hurriedly said, "Okay, but..." The man's eyes suddenly dimmed. Tian Nongxi changed the subject and stammered, "But, but, we don't need a rake today."
She pushed the rake, which was barely inches from her shoulder, away and took a deep breath before continuing, "Everything has been raked, so there's no need for the rake."
She didn't lie. Three days ago, she had turned over all the land like an old ox that didn't know the hardship.
"That's good. What do you need? I can get it all." Qi Hengan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hmm...barrel, I need to water it today."
The land given by Li Kangbo was too far from home, so she picked and chose and planted potatoes there.
Potatoes require less water before the seedling stage and their own moisture is sufficient, so she hasn't checked on them in the past few days.
Calculating the time, today is the seedling emergence period.
The wasteland was not dry, but she didn't want to gamble with the food, so she planned to water it a little today to ensure that the soil was moist enough for the potatoes to bloom.
She had been trying every possible means to avoid Qi Hengan these past few days. One reason was that she didn't know how to face the person her original self had liked, and the other was that the upright and self-respecting gentleman in her memory always stared at her with his black eyes since they met again, making her feel uncomfortable, like a Chinese pastoral dog that had become a spirit.
Tian Nongxi curled his lips at Qi Hengan and suggested, "I'm worried I won't have time to water the plants. Could you please ask Brother Hengan to do it for me?"
Fearing rejection, she pulled out the map she had drawn a few days ago from her pocket and handed it to Qi Hengan. "Here's the map. Although I drew it a little simply, Brother Hengan is so perceptive, I'm sure it won't be difficult for you."
Although Tian Nongxi was evasive and flattering, she was not wrong. Qi Hengan was very sensitive and insightful, and he understood the deeper meaning of her words from what he heard - it was simply that his plan had failed, and he could not live in the same place with Er Niang's sister.
How can you fall in love with each other if you don’t live in the same place?
How can you commit to spending your life together if you don’t have feelings for each other?
How can you grow old together without making a lifelong commitment to each other?
Qi Hengan remembered his mother's reluctance. His eyes flashed, and a sudden surge of courage emerged. He pointed at the silent Lin Luan and said, "I wonder if Master Lin would be willing to make a trip?"
He has always been clear-eyed and intelligent, and the first time he pretended not to know something, his palms were already covered with a thin layer of sweat.
The two of them looked at Lin Luan together.
He seemed to have just emerged from his memories, his nose bridge shadowed by his raven eyelashes, and his voice was particularly cold: "What's wrong?"
Qi Hengan repeated it.
Lin Luan lowered his eyes to glance at Tian Nongxi, and when he spoke again, his clear voice was still there, and he replied calmly, "No problem."
-
The three of them separated at the entrance of Tian's courtyard. Lin Luan volunteered to continue on his journey, and Qi Hengan naturally went to the fields in the north of the village with Tian Nongxi as he wished.
The two of them walked on the path one after the other.
Qi Hengan, who was leaning to the right, was thinking hard. When he tried to take the basket from the woman beside him for the third time but was accidentally hit in the face by the cane, he covered his face and spoke for himself: "Second sister."
Tian Nongxi looked back in confusion.
Qi Hengan talked a lot.
Unfortunately, rapid and loud firecrackers suddenly ignited in the sky.
It was neither long nor short, starting just when Qi Hengan was about to speak and ending just when he closed his mouth.
Tian Nongxi asked: "Can you say it again?"
She really didn't hear clearly.
Her eyes were as bright as water, and she finally looked at him.
Qi Hengan was content and smiled as he changed the subject, "These fireworks are quite popular in the capital. They've just spread to the towns and villages. I hope my sister isn't frightened?"
The firecrackers were fired from the south. Tian Nongxi glanced in the direction they came from and shook his head slightly.
Qi Hengan struck while the iron was hot, "Let me help you carry it."
Tian Nongxi turned his back in a daze, and the backpack rolled across his face like a wheel.
…
Qi Hengan covered his face and looked at the sky - there were no fireworks at all!
Fortunately, Tian Nongxi finally came out of his thoughts.
She exclaimed, moved forward, and gently brushed Qi Hengan's face with her cold thumb, feeling the raised red marks.
Tian Nongxi asked in surprise: "Did you just fall down?"
"No, don't worry, sister Erniang."
Tian Nongxi looked at the lush wild flowers and grasses by the roadside, wondering how delicate a face could be hurt by them.
When the woman in front of me came closer, there was a pleasant fragrance, as fresh as spring grass after rain.
The cold touch remained on my face, and the heat just now was like a dream when I was sleepy.
Qi Hengan smiled with his eyes curved and said softly, "I'm fine."
The tone is as gentle as water.
Tian Nongxi took two steps back, putting some distance between them, and then he said, "Why don't you go back first? I can handle it alone."
I was busy turning the wasteland into paddy fields in the past few days. I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I lay down every night. Today I just need to add some water and sow some seeds.
"No." Qi Hengan realized his excitement and paused before continuing, "I've been sitting in the study for a long time, and the teacher scolded me for only being able to talk about war on paper and not knowing the suffering of the world. This time I returned to Tianjia Village to work in the fields and alleviate the people's worries. Sister Erniang, I won't hold you back."
Tian Nongxi hesitated. She was wary of Qi Hengan like a monster. Was she being too prejudiced?
Even for the sake of the hot water bottle, you shouldn't treat me like this.
Tian Nongxi looked at Qi Heng'an's disappointed look after he didn't get a response, and nodded slightly.
The two walked side by side across the stream.
Speechless.
Tian Nongxi was still thinking about the sound of firecrackers, so he didn't feel that the atmosphere was wrong.
Qi Hengan, with a faint blush on his cheeks, spoke cautiously, "Sister has been in a trance today. Did you encounter any problems?"
Tian Nongxi said vaguely: "Nothing."
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.
Tian Nongxi glanced at Qi Hengan who had stopped talking, and secretly spat at himself for being so tactless.
It’s nothing else. In life, what I hate most is to see a handsome man fail.
She spoke again, her voice soft and melodious like an oriole. "It's nothing. It's just that my land is too far from the river. I have to carry water bucket by bucket to grow rice. I always feel that this is too hard. There must be a better way."
The best thing would be to divert water for irrigation, but this dynasty didn’t even have rubber, let alone rubber hoses!
As a modern person, her way of thinking has long been spoiled by the Industrial Revolution.
Qi Hengan pondered for a moment and said, "I really don't understand this. The streets of the capital city are often drained with pipes. Whenever there is a heavy rain, the accumulated water will be discharged from the city through underground pipes."
Tian Nongxi's frown finally relaxed, and a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.
"bamboo!"
"Sister, do you mean using bamboo as a pipe?" Qi Hengan understood. "It's just that the river isn't very close to your farmland. If you have any difficulties, please tell me."
Tian Nongxi put back the silver that Qi Hengan had taken out, shook his head and said, "I have a solution."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two of them had already reached the farmland.
Tian Nongxi tightened her hair bun, bent down to roll up her trouser legs, took off her shoes, and waded into the paddy field with the cloth bag in hand.
A sound as weak as the buzzing of a mosquito was heard, and she subconsciously looked towards the source of the sound.
Qi Hengan's eyes wandered, his ears were slightly red, and his voice was weak: "I...what should I do?"
"Sprinkle water." Tian Nongxi didn't care whether he saw it or not. He pointed to the farmland next door and continued to sow seeds along the edge of the field.
The small field was the only advantage, and she finished the work in about half an incense stick of time.
She scooped two spoonfuls of water from the scoop to rinse her feet, put on her shoes carefully, and then walked to the other side of the ridge.
Qi Hengan was carefully and clumsily taking water from the bucket. When he bent down, the gap between his body and the field was filled with vegetable seedlings.
Tian Nongxi sighed softly and saw Tian Erniang's satisfied smile through the water droplets.
"I finally understand what the Master said." Qi Heng'an loosened his sleeves and said half-jokingly, "Second Mother is better than me. If I finish planting this field, I will have to rest at home for half a week."
Tian Nongxi smiled and said, "Second Mother is indeed amazing."
Qi Hengan just thought she was bragging and smiled with pursed lips.
The girl who used to be self-deprecating was now looking at him with a straight face and boasting, and her eyes curved into crescents.
After a moment, he sighed again.
Is his return too late?
Qi Hengan stared at the girl in front of him who was carrying a backpack and two buckets of water, and vaguely saw that winter.
In the snow, the little girl with an unhealthy red cheeks stubbornly refused the invitation;
There was a light knock on the wooden door, and he was forced to pull himself away from his sea of books and open the door for her. He went from being irritated to being happy, and then to being anxious.
At that time, his mother, who was able to move freely, hid aside and laughed secretly, refusing to show up. She just secretly gave him two or three pieces of candy.
His mother never let him eat candy, but he knew the taste of candy very well because his mother would accidentally throw away a piece every time.
…
"Let's go home." Tian Nongxi was thinking about the water pipe in his mind. Halfway through his walk, he remembered to turn around and greet the person behind him, but he didn't expect that he had already caught up with him.
She smiled and was about to turn back, but was stopped by Qi Hengan.
Tian Nongxi was stunned for a moment as she looked at Qi Hengan, whose Adam's apple rolled and who dared not look her in the eye. Suddenly, an idea came to her and she pulled Qi Hengan and ran all the way.
The two of them had different thoughts and tacitly kept silent.
One person thought that he should be shut up.
One person thought, she really likes me too.
Finally, he rushed back to the Tian family. The door was slightly ajar, and Tian Nongxi pushed it open without thinking.
In the courtyard, Lin Luan's eyes swept across Tian Nongxi pulling Qi Hengan's sleeve, and fell on the two people's faces with sparkling eyes.
Tian Nongxi was in high spirits when he saw the third person. He quickly let go of Qi Hengan and asked Lin Luan, "So soon?"
Lin Luan responded and turned to go into the house.
"Ah--" Tian Nongxi was horrified and didn't care about anything else. He stepped forward and grabbed Lin Luan's sleeve in the same way.
There was a secret letter from the palace in Lin Luan’s sleeve.
He paused, leaned against the door, lowered his eyes and looked at Tian Nongxi, asking with his eyes.
"I, I want to discuss something with you." Tian Nongxi looked at Lin Luan sideways and said pretentiously.
However, she had only been a social slave and had never been a street bully, so she only had half the tone.
Lin Luan calmly retracted his sleeves, narrowed his eyes and glanced at Qi Hengan, who was standing motionless on the side, and said, "It seems that the two of you have something to say. If it's not urgent, put it aside for now."
After saying that, he stepped over the threshold without waiting for the two to speak.
Looking at Lin Luan's leaving back, Tian Nongxi turned back embarrassedly, hoping that Qi Hengan would give up his idea after seeing some clues.
"Second Mother's sister." Qi Heng'an's eyes were filled with tears and his tone was extremely firm.
He is mature beyond his years, and only reveals a hint of childishness when he is with the person in front of him.
This uncontrollable childishness made him say: "Do you know why I came back now?"
Without waiting for the person in front of him to react, he poured out his heart, "My mother was seriously ill, and my grandfather was worried. Two years ago, he forcibly took my mother and me home. I don't blame my grandfather, I understand him." Qi Heng'an's eyes were sincere. "I was afraid you would blame me, blame my mother."
Tian Nongxi hesitated for a while, but when he thought of the sachet embroidered with "peace", he shook his head.
She doesn't blame you.
only……
Qi Hengan was so impulsive that he couldn't hold back his voice, startling the birds in the trees. "I like you, I want to marry you!"
She knew it! She knew it!
Tian Nongxi looked at the bright eyes of the person in front of her and didn't dare to breathe, for fear that she would be covered with a red veil and sent to the bridal chamber in the next second.
It was not until Qi Hengan's eyes gradually dimmed that she sorted out her thoughts and spoke thoughtfully.
"I liked you before, and I may like you in the future, but I don't like you now."
Qi Hengan understood what she meant, and was in a trance for a moment. He supported himself against the wall with his hands and nodded reluctantly.
"I came back too late and made you wait in vain. You don't have to give me any leeway. I left without saying goodbye anyway." Qi Hengan closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, a smile appeared in his eyes. "Just treat what happened today as a joke. Please don't disown me as your brother."
Tian Nongxi was puzzled: "That's not what I meant."
Dark clouds covered the sky which had just been blue, and a shadow appeared beside the bed.
"Second Mother, do you have someone in your heart?" Qi Heng'an glanced at the corner of clothes blocked by the paper window, and the sadness in his heart was washed away by worry.
He took two steps forward, leaned close to Tian Nongxi's ear, covered his mouth with his palm, and whispered, "Mr. Lin is definitely not an ordinary person. Second Mother, if you like him, your road will be difficult."
Tian Nongxi thanked him for his kindness, but still couldn't help saying, "I don't like him, really."
Qi Hengan nodded mysteriously, thinking that he was giving some face to the shy girl of 28.
“…”
Tian Nongxi took a deep breath and almost bit his teeth when he saw Qi Hengan who was immersed in his own world.
If his smile hadn't been so forced, he would have been tortured by her today.
Tian Nongxi looked up at the sky helplessly.
"Why didn't you come back a few days earlier?"
"It's my fault. I wanted to rush back to celebrate your birthday, but I was entangled with mundane matters." Qi Hengan felt very upset, thinking that he had missed the time and was overtaken by Lin Luan.
"Birthday celebration?"
"Isn't Second Mother's birthday always on the Spring Equinox?" Qi Heng'an was surprised. "It seems she's been really busy this year. Did she eat the longevity noodles?"
…
Spring Equinox, Tian Nongxi remembers that day.
It was an ordinary sunny day until Tian Er Niang fell into a coma and never woke up again.
Replacing him was the newly arrived Tian Nongxi.
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