Chapter 41041 Body Fragrance
When they returned to the Li siblings' stall, there were only a few chilies left.
Xue Yi suggested softly, "Xiaochun, come with me to the market to buy something?"
Li Chun nodded readily: "Okay, sister."
She greeted Yu Zeyuan, naturally took Li Chun's hand and walked into the bustling market.
After buying some daily necessities, Xue Yi stopped in front of a lingerie stall. The stall owner was a kind, slightly plump woman in her forties. She greeted her warmly, "Miss, would you like some lingerie?"
"Madam, please get two sets of clothes suitable for her age."
Xue Yi noticed early on that Li Chun often bent her body unconsciously, trying to hide her developing breasts and buttocks.
She was thin and petite. Although she was fifteen years old, she looked only twelve or thirteen years old. This was obviously caused by long-term malnutrition.
Li Chun's dark cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She gently tugged at the corner of Xue Yi's clothes and whispered, "Sister... I don't need this."
Xue Yi turned around and spoke in a serious yet gentle tone, "Xiaochun, you'll be sixteen soon. Physical development is a very natural thing. Don't feel ashamed or embarrassed. Every girl grows up this way. Consider these two sets of underwear as a gift from your sister to help you grow up."
These subtle details are often easily overlooked in left-behind families, especially when there are only elderly grandparents. If there is no one to guide them carefully, the ignorant children will only become more inferior and sensitive.
Li Chun raised her head, her eyes slightly warm, her eyes full of gratitude: "Thank you, sister!"
Xue Yi gently rubbed her yellow hair, and bought a few pairs of underwear for Li Qiang and the two children of Grandma Yang.
At this time, the remaining peppers on Yu Zeyuan and Li Qiang's stalls were also sold out.
After spending the whole morning together, Yu Zeyuan discovered that Li Qiang was not only quick in math but also nimble in his reactions. He couldn't help but ask, "You're obviously very smart, so why don't you want to study?"
Li Qiang paused and asked, "What's so good about studying?"
"Studying can help you earn more money in the future, get out of the mountains, and even have the opportunity to live with your parents."
Li Qiang asked, "Can my studying help them come back?"
Yu Zeyuan tried to explain it in a way he could understand: "If you can gain a foothold in the city, you'll be able to bring your parents over and give them a better life."
Li Qiang shook his head, his eyes stubborn: "Then I still don't want to study."
Yu Zeyuan was a little puzzled: "Why?"
Li Qiang looked at him seriously and said, "If I leave, only my grandparents and sister will be left at home. I want my parents to come back and reunite with our family."
Yu Zeyuan was stunned. He had never thought of this before. He continued to persuade her, "But if you don't study, you will most likely go out to work like your parents did. Your children may also follow your path. Only by studying can you truly change your destiny and escape the mountains."
Li Qiang frowned impatiently. "Why does everyone want me to study hard and leave the mountains? Why not stay here? Here I have Grandpa, Grandma, Sister, Uncle Wang and Aunt Zhang. They are all kind to me. I like it here and want to stay here. I also hope that the villagers will stop leaving so that we can all be together."
Children's wishes are sometimes so simple and direct.
After hearing this, Yu Zeyuan fell into a long silence.
"Sister, you're back!" Li Qiang suddenly stood up excitedly and waved towards the distance.
Xue Yi and Li Chun were carrying several bags full of things.
Yu Zeyuan gathered his thoughts and quickly stepped forward to take the things from their hands.
*
August is the season when peanuts and peppers ripen, and the villagers take advantage of the sunny weather to harvest them.
Liu Maosheng and his colleagues also followed the villagers to the fields early in the morning.
It was already noon when Xue Yi and Yu Zeyuan arrived at the field. "Everyone, take a break. Let's have lunch and then continue working!"
Chen Xin was the first to run over happily: "Sister Yiyi, you're back so soon!"
Xue Yi explained with a smile: "There are many people at the market today, so things are selling fast."
Chen Xin pouted, secretly glanced at Yu Zeyuan, and whispered: "Sister Yiyi, next time you do something like this, please call me..."
Xue Yi smiled meaningfully: "Who is still snoring at four in the morning?"
Chen Xin suddenly felt embarrassed: "Oh, I'm so tired!"
While chatting, they returned to Wang Fa's yard.
Before entering the door, I could smell the tempting aroma. I saw the dining table filled with all kinds of sumptuous dishes, including chicken, duck, fish and meat.
"Wow! So many delicious foods!"
"Most of these vegetables were bought from the market by Xue Yi and Yu Zeyuan. They also helped to prepare them..."
Chen Xin immediately gave them a thumbs-up: "You guys are awesome too!!"
Xue Yi smiled modestly: "Everyone has worked hard, let's eat!"
This lunch was extremely satisfying. After a short rest, everyone returned to their afternoon farm work with renewed energy.
Wang Fa patiently instructed Xue Yi and Yu Zeyuan on how to dig peanuts: "First, use a hoe to gently loosen the soil at the roots. Then, hold the stalks and pull up the peanuts underneath. Finally, bundle them together like this for easier transport."
………
The afternoon sun became increasingly scorching, making it almost impossible to open one's eyes. It didn't take long before sweat soaked one's clothes.
Xue Yi got up at four in the morning and climbed the mountain twice. He was gradually exhausted and sat on the edge of the field.
Her eyes fell on Yu Zeyuan who was not far away.
Although they got up at the same time, he seemed to have endless energy and continued to work hard.
Chen Xin also came over and sat next to her. She found Xue Yi staring at Yu Zeyuan in a trance, so she lowered her voice and smiled, "Sister Yiyi, do you also think that boys look particularly handsome when they are working seriously?"
Xue Yi retracted his gaze, took a sip of water, and changed the subject: "Have you finished collecting everything over there?"
Chen Xin replied with a smile: "Almost there!"
After a short rest, they were busy until the evening, and the day's picking finally came to an end. Looking at the peanuts piled up like a hill, this was only a small part of it.
At this time of year every year, the villagers have to spend more than half a month working under the scorching sun from sunrise to sunset, which is much harder than they imagined.
After dinner, I simply washed up.
Chen Xin was so tired that she almost collapsed. As soon as she touched the kang, she yelled, "Sister Yiyi, I can't do it anymore. I'm going to sleep first..."
Xue Yi had just washed her hair and was wiping it with a towel: "Well, you go to sleep first. I'll sleep after my hair is dry."
She tiptoed out of the yard and came to an open space. Just as she was about to enjoy the night view, the hazy moonlight illuminated a slender figure not far away, who seemed to be staring at the night sky in a daze.
"Yu Zeyuan?"
Xue Yi called out softly, tentatively.
The figure moved, turned his head, and responded softly, "Yeah."
He seemed to be a little off after coming back from the market, and he always looked worried.
Xue Yi walked over quickly, naturally took his wrist, and said mysteriously: "I'll take you to a good place."
I have been so busy these past two days that I have barely had time to truly experience the night in the mountain village.
She led him across the silent fields to a small hillside.
"This is a place I discovered by chance today. It's perfect for viewing the night view at night."
As Xue Yi spoke, he sat on the grass, closed his eyes, and felt the tranquility around him. The cool evening breeze brushed across his cheeks, mixed with the fresh scent of soil and grass.
Yu Zeyuan imitated her, supporting himself with his hands on the grass and looking up to feel the comfortable coolness.
Xue Yi suddenly opened her eyes and asked softly, "Are you unhappy about something?
The conversation he had with Li Qiang during the day flashed through Yu Zeyuan’s mind.
He was silent for a moment, then asked, "Are there many left-behind families like the Li siblings in the countryside?"
"Yeah, a lot."
Yu Zeyuan opened his eyes, starlight reflected in them, and a hint of confusion flashed across his eyes: "For them, the only way out is to study?"
Xue Yi raised her head, looked at the starry sky, and sighed softly: "Studying is indeed the best way out at the moment, but the final choice is still in their hands. What's wrong?"
Yu Zeyuan turned his head to meet her gaze, and said seriously, "What if some children don't want to leave the mountains, but simply want their parents to be by their side and reunite with their family?"
"You're talking about Li Qiang, right?"
Xue Yi pondered for a moment and continued, "Actually, there are many children who share his view. Many adults nowadays tend to impose their own expectations on their children, believing that only hard work and study can change their destiny. This has almost become a stereotype, ignoring the children's true inner desires."
Yu Zeyuan nodded in agreement: "Is there any solution?"
Xue Yi smiled, moonlight flowing in her eyes: "Actually, the method is very simple."
"What is it?"
She slowly put away her smile, her expression a seriousness and determination I had never seen before: "When the countryside is no longer a place to escape from, but a hometown worth protecting, those who have left will naturally return."
Yu Zeyuan frowned slightly and carefully analyzed the meaning of this sentence.
Suddenly, a familiar smell of toilet water wafted through the air.
Xue Yi was holding a small bottle and gently spraying it around. The moonlight softly sprinkled on her fair face, casting a hazy halo on it.
Yu Zeyuan was a little dazed for a moment.
She seemed to notice his gaze and turned her head.
Under the night sky, Yu Zeyuan lost his sharpness during the day and gained a touch of mystery, like a nobleman wandering in the countryside. Especially his pair of peach blossom eyes, which were always misty, were particularly captivating at this moment.
Xue Yi suppressed the throbbing in his heart, looked away and asked, "Why do you suddenly think of asking these questions?"
Yu Zeyuan lowered his eyelashes, his expression becoming lonely, as if recalling some unhappy memory. He whispered, "At first, I didn't understand why Li Qiang didn't want to study. Until he said that he couldn't bear to leave his grandparents and sister, and the villagers in the village... When he said these words, his eyes sparkled."
"For a moment, I suddenly felt that I might be richer than him materially, but he might be richer than me spiritually. From childhood to adulthood, I have never experienced the warmth between family members..."
"Yu Zeyuan."
A very soft call came to my ears.
He was still immersed in sentimental memories when he heard someone calling his name and subconsciously raised his head.
The next second, a cool, soft touch landed on my lips without warning.
What greeted me was the fresh fragrance of her hair and the soothing body odor.
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The author has something to say: I haven't recovered from my cold yet, and my head is a little heavy. I don't know how the writing is going. I will revise it tomorrow morning [kiss]
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