Chapter 30
The first day of the tenth lunar month is an auspicious day for marriage.
Meng Qiniang had already told every family in the village to come and join in the fun, including Grandma Sun and Chen Qing, but the two of them were very considerate and decided not to go on such a wonderful day.
Hearing the lively music and festivities in the village, Aunt Sun pulled Chen Qing, who was engrossed in sewing inside the house, out of the house: "Since we have nothing else to do today, let's go pray to the Buddha."
Huaiyuan Temple is located in the suburbs not far from the town. It is built against the mountain and has beautiful scenery. It is usually crowded with worshippers. Today is also the first day of the lunar month, the temple fair. Chen Qing has only been there once since he came here. Since the timing is right this year, it would be good to take Chen Qing to visit.
When they left, no one was home at Zhou Yuan's house. Aunt Sun glanced at him, and Chen Qingcai said, "Meng Qi is getting married today, and he has to go help out."
It takes about an hour to walk from Luohe Village to Huaiyuan Temple. Huaiyuan Temple is on a mountain, and you have to climb a mountain path to get there. Because this is a place with a lot of people coming and going in the town, the hillside is very flat, and vendors are allowed to set up stalls to sell things on both sides of the mountain.
It was already quite late when they arrived, and the stalls on both sides were already set up. Chen Qing and Aunt Sun didn't browse around carefully at first, but went straight to Huaiyuan Temple on the mountain.
At the end of the flat uphill road is a mountain path. It only takes half an hour to walk along the path to reach Huaiyuan Temple, which is hidden by the mountain scenery.
Chen Qing helped Grandma Sun, and the two bought incense at the temple entrance. Guided by a young novice monk, they prayed to the Bodhisattva.
After Chen Qing accompanied her to pray, Grandma Sun wanted to listen to the abbot's sermon, but Chen Qing wasn't interested, so he wandered around the temple instead.
Huaiyuan Temple is very large. I heard that many relatives of high-ranking officials and nobles in the prefectural city would come here to stay for a while. Therefore, there are many side rooms behind Huaiyuan Temple for pilgrims to stay in.
Chen Qing walked around the entire Huaiyuan Temple, taking secluded paths. In the bamboo groves, he occasionally saw monks meditating or unmarried young men and women whispering to each other.
Chen Qing had no intention of disturbing anyone. After enjoying the scenery, he walked quickly to the next beautiful spot.
Chen Qing looked at the crowd gathered in the distance. He didn't like joining in the fun, but when he heard that the stall was selling blessed amulets, he stopped in his tracks.
Then Chen Qing gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, joining the crowd to compete with several girls and their husbands for the few remaining lucky charms.
This was the first time Chen Qing had ever snatched something from a crowd like this. In the past, even if he really wanted to buy it, seeing so many people around would only make him sigh that the item was not meant for him and give up.
After he squeezed through the crowd with his things, he looked at the small triangular talisman lying in his palm, felt a little embarrassed, and then put it in his pocket.
Chen Qing held the amulet in his arms as if he had a rabbit in his chest; his heart was pounding. He tried pressing it, but found it was no use.
Fortunately, the abbot's sermon ended quickly, and he met up with Granny Sun. The two spent a few coins to have a vegetarian meal before leisurely descending the mountain.
The weather wasn't too hot at the moment, and the temperature was quite pleasant. Only now did they have the leisure to stroll around. Most of the stalls were selling handkerchiefs and ornaments, since most of those who came to burn incense were husbands and wives.
Chen Qing was not very interested, and his gaze finally settled on a moon-white hair ribbon.
Grandma Sun also came over and, following his gaze, saw the hair ribbon. It was moon white, embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, and it was very beautiful.
"If you like it, then buy it." After asking the price, Aunt Sun was about to pay. It was rare for Chen Qing to show that he liked something, so buying it wouldn't be a problem.
Upon hearing the vendor say that this hairband cost ten coins, Chen Qing immediately put down his hand: "Mother, I don't want it, I just wanted to look."
Grandma Sun disagreed. In the past, they saved money so that Meng Tao could have a better life when he came back, but now that it was just the two of them, there was no need to be so frugal.
As the two were arguing, a pair of large hands reached over them, handed them money, took the hairband from the vendor, and then presented it to Chen Qing: "Here you go."
Grandma Sun immediately noticed Chen Qing's eyes light up; he was pleasantly surprised: "How did you know we were here?"
“Ask the children in the village,” Zhou Yuan answered his question before greeting Grandma Sun.
It was quite far from Luohe Village, and no one knew them. So, Grandma Sun said, "You two go for a walk. I'm going to rest. I'm getting old, and climbing up the mountain is tiring."
Zhou Yuan readily agreed: "Auntie, I'll park the oxcart up ahead, you can rest there."
Grandma Sun nodded, waved to them, and walked on.
Chen Qing and Zhou Yuan were left standing in the bustling market. When Zhou Yuan saw that he was not moving, he took the opportunity to take his hand.
Chen Qing almost jumped up, but Zhou Yuan held his hand tightly and he couldn't break free. All his senses were focused on his hand, and he felt as if his palms were sweating.
So Zhou Yuan used a bit of force to pull him forward.
After walking for a while, Chen Qing seemed less nervous. Zhou Yuan then inserted his fingers between Chen Qing's fingers, but Chen Qing's hands were too small, so it seemed as if Zhou Yuan's hands completely enveloped his hands.
"Is it lively today?" Chen Qing asked.
Zhou Yuan nodded, somewhat absentmindedly, as if he could still feel the calluses and bruises on Chen Qing's palm: "It's very lively."
"How did you end up here?" Chen Qing was clearly no longer in the mood to stroll around. His heart was pounding, and when someone's gaze fell on them, he instinctively wanted to hide.
She tried to pull her hand back, but Zhou Yuan held it tightly.
“Nobody here knows us, don’t be afraid,” Zhou Yuan said.
Chen Qing could only obediently let him lead her, and even her breathing slowed down considerably.
"Is there anything you like?" Zhou Yuan asked him.
Chen Qing shook his head: "I didn't want anything in the first place."
Zhou Yuan didn't say anything, but led him around for a stroll. Every time they approached a stall, the vendors would talk to them very enthusiastically.
“This is a fine jade hairpin. Why don’t you buy one for your husband?” Zhou Yuan’s gaze fell on a hairpin, which, like the hairband he had just bought, was engraved with cloud patterns.
"How much?" Perhaps it was the vendor's words, "Your husband," that made him overjoyed, or perhaps it was because Chen Qing really suited this hairpin.
"It's not expensive, it's only one or two taels of silver."
Zhou Yuan immediately tried to give him the money, but Chen Qing quickly grabbed his other hand and said, "I don't want it."
"It's so beautiful." Zhou Yuan was a rough and unrefined man, but he felt that only this kind of jade color could be worthy of him.
Chen Qing quickly pulled him away: "I really don't want this. You just bought me a headband, that's enough."
"But how much is a hairband worth?" Zhou Yuan asked, puzzled. He was a rough man, but he could still tell what was good. "That hairpin is pretty."
“I’d rather you make one for me than that,” Chen Qing said, trying to save him the expense.
"Alright then, I'll make one for you." He was already conceiving the design of the hairpin in his mind.
They explored almost the entire market, and in the end, Zhou Yuan insisted on buying him a candied hawthorn. Chen Qing couldn't refuse, and while eating the sugar on it, he said, "It's the season for hawthorns to ripen right now. If you want to eat them, you might as well go pick them on the mountain. Why spend money on this?"
Zhou Yuan recalled what Aunt Sun had once said about Chen Qing, saying that he was a real spoilsport, and now he understood it even more deeply. But even so, Chen Qing still looked very cute.
Zhou Yuan looked at him and reached out his hand. Chen Qing was eating a candied hawthorn, but when he saw Zhou Yuan looking at him, he glanced at the candied hawthorn in his hand, hesitated, and handed it to Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan took it and took a bite of the fruit that Chen Qing hadn't finished eating.
Chen Qing's heart was pounding. He had just bitten into that fruit, and it still had his saliva on it. Zhou Yuan had just eaten it like that...
Zhou Yuan handed the candied hawthorn back to him. Seeing his face turn red, he wanted to tease him: "What? You're disgusted that I ate it? I didn't even complain that you ate it."
Chen Qing just wanted to bury his head in the ground; he didn't want to talk to Zhou Yuan anymore.
It was getting late. After they finished their stroll, they found Granny Sun. Zhou Yuan then drove the carriage, while Chen Qing and Granny Sun sat in the back, slowly making their way back to the village.
Grandma Sun looked at Chen Qing and gently patted his shoulder. Chen Qing looked back at her.
"You can sit in the front."
Chen Qing said "oh" and slowly moved to sit down next to Zhou Yuan.
Grandma Sun sat in the back, looking at the two figures, one tall and one short, sighed, and wiped her eyes.
“If you’re sleepy, you can lean on my shoulder and sleep,” Zhou Yuan said. “I’ll wake you up when we’re almost in the village.”
He remembered that the last time he gave them a ride back, Chen Qing had fallen asleep leaning on Grandma Sun's shoulder in the same way.
Chen Qing shook his head: "I'm not sleepy."
Zhou Yuan didn't force him. No one spoke on the way. The not-too-intense sunlight fell on them, creating a rare moment of tranquility and peace.
Chen Qing couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep leaning on Zhou Yuan's shoulder.
After seeing that Chen Qing had fallen asleep, Aunt Sun said to Zhou Yuan, "Have you checked the time?"
“I don’t know much about this. I was hoping to do it as soon as possible.” Zhou Yuan’s voice softened. “However, the mourning period is not yet a year. I want to make a decision first and then talk about it after the mourning period is over.”
Grandma Sun shook her head: "Then we'll have to wait until next April, that's too long."
If too much time passes, things are bound to change, and she didn't want anything else to happen to Chen Qing's life.
“Auntie, we must not neglect the proper etiquette,” Zhou Yuan said. “I admire Meng Tao. He sacrificed his life for the country. If I don’t even give him the proper final respect, I will not be at peace with myself.”
Grandma Sun sobbed, "You're a good child too."
Zhou Yuan smiled and said, "From now on, I can call you Mother. He already considers you his own mother. From now on, you will also be my mother, and Meng Tao will be my brother."
"What kind of mother am I?" Grandma Sun said, tears welling in her eyes, but a smile played on her lips. "Just live your lives well."
“Well then, actually, Taozi’s mourning period should have ended long ago. He’s been gone for many years. If you’re going to keep vigil, then keep vigil for him until the New Year. I believe he won’t blame you.”
“Auntie, there’s less than a year left. I can wait,” Zhou Yuan advised. “I don’t want people to gossip about you.”
Grandma Sun had no choice but to nod: "That's fine too, as long as we have enough time to prepare."
When they were almost at their Luohe Village, Zhou Yuan woke Chen Qing up. Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes. Because he had just woken up, his eyes were still a little watery, and he looked at people with a misty gaze.
He met Zhou Yuan's gaze, and then Zhou Yuan changed his sitting position, causing Chen Qing's head to leave his shoulder.
Once back in the village, we need to keep our distance.
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