Window words bloom
After some conversation, Qiao Yu learned that the two of them lived in a mountain valley ten miles away. Their village was on a mountaintop and there was no road in between, only a dirt road dug by the villagers themselves. Many young people had left the village to go to the city.
However, she has been deaf since childhood and could not live anywhere else, so she and her husband formed a family and stayed in the village to take care of the elderly. Every week, she would come down the mountain to help with shopping.
When the woman asked about the price of each dish, Qiao Yu helped translate with gestures. Seeing that someone was communicating, the older woman also stepped in to help. Qiao Yu told her about the hardships the couple faced, and the older woman immediately slapped her thigh and offered them a discount.
After a brief "exchange," the couple bought most of the aunt's vegetables.
The couple carried heavy bamboo baskets on their backs and thanked Qiao Yu repeatedly as they left.
As soon as the two left, the auntie quickly found a plastic bag and put all the things Qiao Yu had wanted to buy and the extra items into the bag, saying, "Here you go, girl."
Qiao Yu was flattered: "Thank you, auntie. How much?"
"No need, no need. There aren't many kind people like you these days. I'll give it to you as a gift from your auntie."
The aunt stuffed a plastic bag of vegetables and fruits into Qiao Yu's hands. Qiao Yu felt bad, but seeing the variety, she stuffed the envelope in her hand directly into the aunt's arms, saying, "Thank you, Auntie."
Qiao Yu pulled Qin Xiao and hurried forward.
Qin Xiao: "Is this enough? You've given all the money?"
Qiao Yu looked down and counted the types, "1, 2... 5, 6, that's about it."
Having given all the money, Qin Xiao had no choice but to nod resignedly, "Then let's go back."
Qiao Yu checked the time: "We still have time, let's go for a walk."
Just as he finished speaking, Xiang Nan and He Lingchuan also squeezed out of the crowd.
Ling Chuan also walked to Qiao Yu's side, and the two exchanged a brief glance.
Xiang Nan asked, "Have you finished buying?"
Qin Xiao nodded, "How many kinds did you buy?"
Xiang Nan proudly counted: "There are probably about ten kinds, but that's what happens when we have so much money."
Qin Xiao: "......"
Qin Xiao glanced silently at Qiao Yu beside him, "Are we going to lose?"
Qiao Yu: "...It can't be that bad."
"Beep beep beep beep..." The sharp, piercing sound of a motorcycle horn came from the slope not far away, and the surrounding crowd instantly became restless.
Ling Chuan quickly pulled Qiao Yu to his side to protect her.
Qiao Yu looked up at him and asked, "What happened?"
Ling Chuan's gaze also fell on the crowd not far away. "There must have been an accident. There are so many people here, we'd better stay away."
At this moment, staff members came forward to remind the group to turn back, saying they would send someone to help if anything happened over there.
The four turned around and walked back, and the crowd that had gathered behind them gradually dispersed.
Then I heard people walking up behind me saying, "Oh dear, that motorcycle didn't even slow down, it hit someone."
"Exactly, but he honked the horn, and those two didn't hear it."
"Serves them right, the car is already here and they still don't know how to give way."
"That man must be hard of hearing. Look at his wife kneeling on the ground crying, but she hasn't made a single sound, nor does she seem to know how to ask for help..."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Yu's eyelashes trembled suddenly, and her expression became somewhat dazed. Could it be that the couple who were hit?
Without thinking twice, Qiao Yu turned and ran back, struggling to push through the crowd towards the scene of the accident.
Ling Chuan frowned and chased after them. Qin Xiao was stunned and didn't understand what was happening, so he also chased after them. Ling Chuan also took big steps and stopped Qiao Yu halfway.
"Qiaoqiao, what happened?"
Qiao Yu's face was pale, and her eyes were a little red. "Let's go take a look. The couple that had an accident might be the deaf-mute couple we just helped."
Upon hearing this, Ling Chuan suddenly realized that she would definitely go to help.
Ling Chuan also put one arm around Qiao Yu and pushed through the crowd with the other to walk forward.
When they arrived at the accident site, two baskets of vegetables, fruits, meat, and poultry were scattered all over the ground.
Qiao Yu pressed those around her for an answer: "Where is the injured person?"
A villager pointed to the town hospital not far ahead, "They carried him to the hospital..."
Qiao Yu and the others ran into the hospital. The township hospital was small, consisting of only two buildings, one in front of the other. The corridors, filled with the smell of disinfectant, were quiet, with only a few people occasionally going in and out.
After asking the nurses at the station, Qiao Yu hurriedly headed towards the emergency room.
The emergency room was at the end of a building behind. The wife stood outside the emergency room, and the nurse asked her something. She just kept shaking her head and silently wiping away her tears.
The nurse had no choice but to comfort her and have her sit on the bench.
As Qiao Yu approached, the woman looked up with despair. The moment she saw Qiao Yu, tears welled up in her eyes. She hurriedly stood up and made rapid gestures with her hands, her fingertips blurred by dried blood.
They begged her, they begged them to save her husband.
Qiao Yu comforted her, "[It'll be alright, we'll help you.]"
Xiang Nan was stunned; he hadn't expected Qiao Yu's sign language to be so fluent.
When the nurse came out again, she was stunned to see that the people accompanying the family members were none other than these big stars.
She asked in confusion, "You and the patient?"
Qiao said, "They are deaf and mute, but I know sign language, so I can translate."
The nurse suddenly realized, "No wonder she didn't reply to me just now, that's great."
The nurse handed over an information form. "This requires filling out patient information. The patient has a leg fracture and external injury. The doctor is treating it, and hospitalization is required..."
After the nurse left, Qiao Yu comforted the woman and asked her about the contents of the information form. Ling Chuan also sat down and filled it out one by one.
The production crew, seeing this, were unable to stop it and called the director.
Qin Xiao bought several bottles of mineral water, and Qiao Yu carefully washed the woman's hands. The woman's eyes were filled with tears.
[I'm so scared without you.]
Qiao Yu nodded, understanding her fear.
One's own hardships only make one seem even more insignificant in this difficult society.
An hour later, the woman's husband was wheeled out of the emergency room with his right leg wrapped in thick gauze and a splint.
Tears only streamed down his face the moment he saw his wife. The doctor behind him joked, "You didn't even cry during the surgery, but now you are..."
The man looked up at Qiao Yu, his eyes filled with gratitude, and gestured with his hand.
[Thank you, thank you so much. I was so worried about her, but thankfully you're here with her.]
Qiao Yu: [You're welcome. I'm glad you're alright.]
[Thank you, you are good people, you will be rewarded.]
The doctor only learned that the couple were deaf and mute when a nurse came to report the situation outside during the surgery. The doctor pushed the man closer and said, "Thank you all. He needs to be hospitalized for observation. I had someone call the county to ask for a volunteer to help. He should be here soon. Thank you very much."
Ling Chuan also said, "You're welcome, it's our duty."
After helping the doctor move the person into the ward, the doctor said a few more words of advice before leaving.
Qiao Yu raised her hand and gestured, "[The doctor said the county will arrange volunteers to help you, so don't worry.]"
The couple nodded in relief.
The four of them couldn't stay in the hospital for too long. When it was time to leave, the woman wanted to see Qiao Yu off, and Qiao Yu couldn't stop her, so she had to let her.
Ling Chuan also lagged behind. The man was very grateful for their help and raised his hand to thank them again and again.
Ling Chuan smiled and gestured, "[Get some rest and recover soon.]"
His actions stunned everyone present once again.
Several staff members stared in surprise, leaning closer to Nan Yu, their eyes wide with astonishment. "Teacher Ling, you...you also know sign language?"
The group returned to the small square, and the director told them to rest for a while before asking the staff what had happened at the market and taking the camera to watch it.
The other guests also gained a general understanding of the ins and outs of the matter through Xiang Nan.
Qiao Yu felt a jolt of realization, only then remembering that the staff must have been holding up the camera the whole time.
Could it be that Ling Chuan's sign language was also...?
Then Xiang Nan, who was standing nearby, exclaimed in a megaphone, "I'm shocked! Teacher Ling can even use sign language!"
Qiao Yu and Ling Chuan also: "..."
Qin Xiao glanced at the two of them, smiled with pursed lips, and raised his hand to pat Xiang Nanyu's shoulder heavily.
Xiang Nan asked, "Brother Qin, aren't you surprised?"
Qin Xiao smiled: "It's...okay."
Lin Yi: "Wow, Teacher Ling can actually use sign language?"
Su Su: "Teacher Qiao learned this before when filming a movie, and Teacher Ling knows it too... This..."
Gu Qing chuckled: "Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"
The crowd looked at the two of them with puzzled, inquisitive, and even gossipy eyes, especially since they seemed quite well-matched standing together.
Lin Yi: "You guys..."
Qiao Yu quickly moved aside, smiling dismissively, "It's just a coincidence, isn't it? Teacher Ling is always abroad, maybe she really did study there? Right, Teacher Ling?"
Qiao Yu turned away guiltily, unwilling to face the probing gazes of the crowd, and passed the blame to Ling Chuan.
Ling Chuan glanced at Qiao Yu with a smile and calmly replied, "I learned that when I was in school..."
Upon hearing about going to school, Qiao Yu's pupils dilated, and she looked at Ling Chuan as well.
If we keep talking like this, things will get messed up.
Jiang Wang: "I see."
Gu Qing persisted, "Where did Teacher Ling go to school?"
She checked, and Lingchuan only publicly disclosed information about its universities in the US; the rest was unavailable.
Ling Chuan glanced at her casually, "Is Teacher Gu checking household registration?"
Gu Qing smiled sheepishly, "No, I was just asking."
Lin Yi: "Teacher Ling, are foreign sign languages the same as those in China?"
Everyone was taken aback; no one had expected this question.
Qin Xiao coughed and covered his mouth after hearing this.
Qiao Yu's fingertips were trembling; this question was far too tricky.
Xiang Nan scratched his head, trying to recall, "But I noticed that Teacher Ling's sign language and Teacher Qiao's... are the same, right?"
......
The director called everyone together, praised the individuals for their bravery, and said that the production team would edit this part into the program.
Then the recording started again. In this round of competition, Xiang Nan and Ling Chuan from Group 4 won, while Gu Qingjiang from Group 2 lost. The two were assigned to sort out the vegetables and fruits from this morning.
In the afternoon, the originally azure sky was suddenly swallowed up by leaden gray clouds, and a sultry wind swept across the rice fields.
A deafening clap of thunder ripped through the sky, and large raindrops began to pelt down, splashing tiny droplets in the rice paddies. Then, the rain poured down, instantly enveloping the world in a white curtain of rain.
The director could only tell everyone to go back to their rooms and rest, and continue filming when the rain stopped.
The wrought iron windows rattled with raindrops as the water slid rapidly down the glass.
Qiao Yu stood in front of a small window, her forehead slightly furrowed.
After what happened that morning, everyone started speculating about the relationship between the two, and even the director seemed to have noticed something.
The phone on the bed vibrated, and Qiao Yu went back to the bedside to pick it up. It was Ling Chuanye.
“Qiao Qiao…”
"Ling Chuanye, are they...?"
"...It's alright, neither of us has admitted it, so they can't guess anything."
"But I..."
"Qiaoqiao, don't worry, I'll handle it."
"oh......"
"Qiaoqiao, take a rest for a while. I think the rain will stop soon."
......
After the heavy rain subsided, the last few raindrops fell from the eaves and dripped into the puddles.
The rice paddies, washed clean by the rain, grew even greener. As the setting sun gradually peeked out, its orange glow bathed the entire paddy field, refracting a faint rainbow.
Everyone sat around the small square again, brewing tea around the stove as usual.
Director: "Tonight is the last recording of our 'Back to Nature 2', and I'd like to have a heart-to-heart talk with everyone and continue to have in-depth exchanges. Of course, this is also in response to the general public, as this topic is the most popular topic submitted by fans after the first episode aired."
Everyone was curious, and then the director began: "—First love."
Everyone was completely dumbfounded!
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