Chapter 91 Misunderstanding: "Call me Aheng."
After finishing the noodles, Lin Cheng moved a few bamboo stools to the persimmon tree in the corner of the courtyard. "Young Master Xu, please sit down."
A night breeze carrying the dampness of grass and trees blew in, dispelling some of the burnt smell from inside and outside the house. The persimmons hanging heavily on the branches, greenish-yellow, looked like little lanterns in the moonlight.
The early autumn night was a bit chilly. Lin Cheng rubbed his hands together, looked at Lin Song leaning against Lin Yao's chest, and said softly, "A few days ago, Zhao Niangzi said she was going to make a new pair of shoes for Song'er. I'm afraid it will be delayed for a while now."
Xu Zhiheng leaned against the tree trunk and replied, "Let her take her time once things are settled in town. There's no rush." He paused, looked at Lin Cheng and Lin Yao, and suddenly smiled, "We've known each other for a while now, so calling me Young Master Xu always feels a bit distant. If you don't mind, just call me Aheng."
Lin Cheng paused for a moment, then laughed heartily: "Then I'll take the liberty of calling you Aheng."
Lin Yao also felt that calling him "Young Master Xu" was indeed too formal, so she nodded and softly replied, "Aheng."
Upon hearing this form of address, Xu Zhiheng's smile deepened.
Lin Yao didn't speak again, looking down at Lin Song in her arms. The child must have been exhausted, his eyelids were drooping. She gently patted his back and hummed a nursery rhyme she had heard as a child. The tune was simple, but it softened the atmosphere around them.
The remaining two chatted idly for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Lin Song yawned widely and leaned against Lin Yao's arm, half asleep. "Sleepy?" Lin Cheng reached out and picked him up. "I'll take him back to sleep first. Song'er must have been frightened today; he can only sleep peacefully when he's close to someone."
Lin Cheng carried Lin Song into the house, leaving only Lin Yao and Xu Zhiheng in the courtyard.
The wind rustled through the persimmon leaves, creating a more peaceful atmosphere than before.
Lin Yao rubbed her aching temples. After a night of fright, she was exhausted. She yawned and said, "I need to get some sleep too, otherwise the shop won't be able to open tomorrow."
She stood up and looked at Xu Zhiheng: "What about you? Are you going back to your own home?"
Xu Zhiheng shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the dark courtyard wall next door: "I can't go back." He said softly, "I shouldn't have been in town tonight. I'm afraid someone is watching me right now."
Lin Yao was taken aback: "Staring?"
“Yes,” Xu Zhiheng explained, “There are people hiding in the neighboring yard, and they’re after me. I can only go back after they leave.”
Lin Yao then understood why he wanted to avoid the area. She looked at the injury on his arm, then at the dark sky, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Why don't you go inside to rest? You're injured, it's not a good idea for you to stay in the yard all the time."
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiheng looked up abruptly. The moonlight fell directly on his face, revealing his utter astonishment. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice became somewhat unnatural: "This...this isn't appropriate, is it?"
Lin Yao was baffled by his reaction: "What's inappropriate?"
“You are an unmarried woman…” Xu Zhiheng’s voice lowered, tinged with an inexplicable embarrassment, “If I were to enter your room, it would be bad for your reputation.” His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, and his ears suddenly felt hot.
Lin Yao was taken aback at first, then realized he had misunderstood. She glared at him, both angry and amused, and asked, "Xu Zhiheng, what on earth are you thinking?"
She pointed in the direction Lin Cheng had just gone in, "I meant for you to rest in your brother's room. His room is spacious enough to fit two people. I'll carry Song'er to my room. It's just a place to lie down, why make such a fuss?"
Xu Zhiheng then realized he had made a huge misunderstanding, and his face burned as if it were on fire, from his cheeks all the way to his ears. Fortunately, it wasn't fully light yet, and the thick darkness of the night concealed his burning face; otherwise, he would probably be so embarrassed that he would want to crawl into the ground.
He quickly coughed twice to cover up his embarrassment, his voice trembling slightly: "I was overthinking it. Thank you for your understanding, Miss Lin. We'll do as you say."
Lin Yao ignored him and turned to walk into the house.
Xu Zhiheng watched her walk into the house, touched his burning cheeks, and felt both embarrassed and somewhat disappointed.
Upon entering the house, Lin Cheng had already laid out two straw mats in his room. Lin Yao took the sleeping Lin Song from Lin Cheng's arms and gently carried him back to her room.
Lin Cheng handed him a pillow: "I'm sorry to trouble you, but you'll have to make do for one night."
~
Lin Yao was awakened by the noise from the courtyard.
When she opened her eyes, it was already bright daylight, and sunlight streamed through the window onto the edge of the bed. Lin Song was still fast asleep, his little face flushed, probably because he had been frightened the night before. He wasn't sleeping soundly, and his brows were slightly furrowed.
Lin Cheng's voice came from the courtyard, tinged with surprise and joy: "Brother Dazhuang? Brother Yougong? What brings you here?"
Liu Dazhuang's voice was loud and clear, "We heard that there were bandits in town, so we rushed over here at dawn! Are you all alright?"
Lin Yao felt a warmth in her heart, quickly got up, gently tucked Lin Song's blanket in, and hurried to the courtyard gate.
There was a donkey cart parked in the yard, and Liu Dazhuang and Lin Yougong were standing there, their faces full of anxiety and concern.
"We're fine, thank you for worrying." Lin Cheng closed the door. "Come in and sit down."
Upon seeing Lin Yao, Lin Yougong quickly stepped forward. "Were you scared? Last night, we heard from the people who escaped that the town was in chaos. Brother Dazhuang and I wanted to come over right away, but the uncles stopped us, saying it would be safer to leave at dawn."
"I'm fine." Lin Yao looked at the bloodshot eyes of him and knew he must have been worried all night. "Thank you and Brother Dazhuang for making this trip." She subconsciously glanced around the yard but didn't see Xu Zhiheng. He really was someone who came and went without a trace.
Lin Cheng, seemingly noticing Lin Yao's confusion, explained in a low voice, "Aheng left before dawn, saying he had something to do and asked me to tell you."
Liu Dazhuang followed them into the courtyard. Recalling the scene on the road, he couldn't help but gasp: "Goodness, those bandits are really ruthless! Along the way, several shops were burned down to their frames, and there were many scattered items on the road. It was terrifying to see. Fortunately, you are all safe and sound here."
Lin Yougong handed the cloth bag to Lin Yao and then unloaded a ceramic jar from the car: "These are pancakes that the aunties made at dawn, and a jar of pickled vegetables. Have something to eat first. My mother also said that if you don't feel comfortable staying in town, you can go back to the village. We have someone to clean your yard every day."
"Thank you, Brother Yougong, and please thank the aunties for me too." Lin Yao took the cloth bag, her fingertips touching the still warm earthenware pot, feeling a warm glow in her heart. "We still have some things to take care of here, we'll go back to see everyone once things settle down a bit."
Lin Yougong frowned slightly: "Although the town is safe for now, who knows if something like this will happen again? If the bandits come again, your house won't be able to withstand the damage."
Liu Dazhuang nodded in agreement: "Yes, the commotion last night was terrifying to think about. Although the village is a bit remote, it's surrounded by mountains, so it's easy to hide if anything happens."
Holding the warm earthenware pot, Lin Yao suddenly had an idea. She said seriously, "Brother Yougong, Brother Dazhuang, I have an idea. Why don't we take advantage of our free time these next few days to go to the nearby mountains and find a suitable place? If we can find a secluded and easily defensible spot, we can simply build a shelter."
"A shelter?" Lin Yougong was taken aback for a moment, then realized, "You mean, if something else happens, we'll hide in the mountains?"
“Hmm.” Lin Yao nodded. “The houses in town are mostly clustered together. If bandits come, there’s nowhere to run. Even a powerful dragon can’t suppress a local snake. We are familiar with the mountain roads. There are many trees and dense forests in the mountains. We can find a place with a water source and a good lookout, and prepare some dry food and water in advance. Even if we encounter danger, we will have more options to survive.”
Lin Cheng pondered for a moment and thought the idea was feasible: "Ayao is right. When I went to the back mountain to chop firewood last year, I think I saw a mountain hollow that was sheltered from the wind and secluded, with a stream next to it. Maybe it would be suitable."
Liu Dazhuang slapped his thigh: "That's a great idea! I know the surrounding mountains very well. I know exactly which spots are high and which roads are easy to walk on! If we really need to build a shelter, I'll lead the way!"
Lin Yougong perked up: "Then I'll go back to the village and talk to my uncles and elders to find more manpower. There are plenty of strong men in the village who can do heavy work like chopping firewood and transporting materials. Once it's set up, it'll be a place for emergencies."
Seeing their agreement, Lin Yao felt much more at ease: "No need to make it too complicated. Just find a good place, build a few simple shelters to protect us from the wind and rain, and clear out a few hidden escape routes."
After seeing Liu Dazhuang and Lin Yougong off, the three Lin siblings went about their usual business.
After last night's chaos, many shops were still closed, and the streets were nearly deserted. As Lin Yao walked toward her shop, she occasionally saw a few soldiers patrolling, their expressions solemn.
As she approached the restaurant, she saw Ah Zhu peeking out through the crack in the door, only half his head showing, his eyes darting around, looking left and right with a wary expression.
"A-Zhu." Lin Yao stepped forward and called out loudly.
Ah Zhu was startled and instinctively pulled his head back. Only after recognizing Lin Yao did he breathe a sigh of relief: "Shopkeeper, are you alright?"
Lin Yao couldn't help but smile at his frightened appearance: "No need to look anymore, the bandits have all been caught, and the government officials are patrolling the streets. It's safe now."
Ah Zhu finally relaxed completely, opened the door fully, and patted his chest: "That scared me to death. Last night, with all that noise, I was guarding the shop, my heart was in my throat, afraid that someone would break in."
Lin Yao walked into the restaurant and saw Afu running up from behind.
"Shopkeeper, you've arrived." Seeing that Lin Yao was safe and sound, Afu's face lit up with joy. He asked, "Are you still open today? I see many shops on the street are closed. I'm afraid there aren't many customers."
As Lin Yao walked inside, she said, "Open up. It's precisely at times like these that everyone needs a hot meal. Clean up the stove, prepare all the necessary ingredients, and just do it as usual. After all, the warmth of home cooking is what truly comforts people."
Afu nodded vigorously: "Okay, sure!"
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Author's Note: Hidden in the shadows, the whole room exudes a strong sense of unrequited love. Who is it? [Question mark] So hard to guess! [doge]
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