Chapter 6 (Tantrum)
Pei Wu's room was a bit larger than Jiang Ru's room. It was neatly furnished, with a desk facing the window and a bed against the wall. Next to the original bed, there was a straw bed with a square clod of earth on it.
The farm tools were hidden behind the door, but Jiang Ru's attention was not on them at all. She frowned slightly and said, "You don't sleep on these tonight, do you?"
Pei Wu stood in front of her, ignoring what she said, and moved a little closer to Jiang Ru's line of sight. He was tall, taller than the door of the mud house, but because he was thin, he couldn't block her completely no matter what.
He blocked the door this way, and Jiang Ru looked to the other side. They kept blocking and chasing each other until, after a long time, Pei Wu finally realized that he had made a foolish mistake and reached out to close the door.
The instant he reached out, Jiang Ru ducked down and slipped under his hand.
She strode in and out of the room with an air of nonchalance, as if she were strolling through her own bedroom. She even pointed at Pei Wu's straw mat and said, "Even though it's summer, you don't have to sleep on the floor. It's bad for your health if the cold gets into your body."
Pei Wu pursed his lips, color spreading across his pale face. He said angrily, "Get out."
“Okay.” Jiang Ru shrugged, turned around, grabbed the farm tools behind the door, and held them up for Pei Wu to see.
This troublesome cousin gave Pei Wu a real headache, but he resigned himself to following her, grabbing two steamed buns as he went out with Jiang Ru.
If you can't beat them, join them. He couldn't dissuade Jiang Ru, so he had no choice but to stick close to her.
Noticing that the person behind her was silently following, Jiang Ru secretly smiled. She knew that, given Pei Wu's personality, he wouldn't tolerate her going alone; he would definitely come along.
Since yesterday's experience, Jiang Ru has become familiar with the place and no longer needs Pei Wu to lead the way. She doesn't stop Pei Wu from following her.
The chill of early morning had not completely dissipated, and the cool breeze was still a bit cold on the skin. Pei Wu knew he couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he stubbornly followed her without saying a word.
He had tried it a couple of years ago, but whether it was a matter of technique or something else, no matter what he planted, the quality of the produce was always much worse than what others had grown. So he thought that Jiang Ru wouldn't give up until she hit a brick wall, and that he would eventually realize that he was doing it for her own good.
The sun gradually rose, and I was bathed in its warm rays. A gentle breeze was blowing, and everything was beautiful, except for the reluctant boy behind me.
Jiang Ru turned around, suppressing a laugh: "Why are you throwing a tantrum? You're my cousin, shouldn't you set an example? Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?"
Her cousin glanced at her indifferently with his phoenix eyes, then turned his head away angrily.
It was quite rare to see Pei Wu angry for the first time. It was rather interesting. Jiang Ru stared at Pei Wu's tense jaw with great interest. His face was still youthful, full of collagen.
Perhaps because he was thin, his cheeks had sharp, angular features, and tilting his head like this gave him a slightly rugged look.
Having successfully made the person even angrier, Jiang Ru suppressed a laugh, stifled the upturned corners of her mouth, and turned to continue walking.
Previously, he didn't have a deep impression of Pei Wu, the powerful minister, and only thought that he was a treacherous official who only cared about power. Now, looking at him again, he gradually came to life in Jiang Ru's eyes and was still a boy who could throw a tantrum.
Jiang Ru couldn't help but wonder why such a rule-abiding, old-fashioned boy would later become a crazy regent.
Curious, she couldn't help but steal glances at Pei Wu, her gaze bold and unrestrained. Pei Wu, unable to bear it any longer, glared at her with icy coldness, his tone anything but friendly: "What are you looking at me for?"
Jiang Ru looked up at the sky: "When have I ever looked at you?"
Pei Wu was furious and refused to speak again.
They walked in silence, one after the other, up the hillside. Jiang Ru picked up a hoe and began to dig up all the wild grass growing in the ground.
She had only dug a few strokes when the sunlight beside her was suddenly blocked, and a hand passed in front of her and grabbed the hoe in her hand.
Pei Wu tightened his jaw and awkwardly said, "I'll do it."
Even though he strongly disagreed with Jiang Ru's approach and tried to stop her several times, he eventually compromised when they arrived at the destination.
Jiang Ru immediately smiled: "You don't disapprove of me doing these things, do you?"
Pei Wu frowned and admitted frankly, "I don't agree."
Jiang Ru waited for him to continue, but Pei Wu did not speak. He tried to take the hoe from Jiang Ru's hand, but Jiang Ru did not let go.
Pei Wu paused, looking at Jiang Ru with a puzzled expression.
Jiang Ru said, "You've always said you can't grow them well, so watch me demonstrate first, and then you can learn from me."
Only then did Pei Wu withdraw his hand.
He followed Jiang Ru, watching her weed and till the land, and learned the basics before taking over the hoe from her.
The two worked together and turned over most of the land by morning. Fortunately, Pei Wu was prepared and brought two steamed buns. Jiang Ru spread a layer of grass on the ground, sat down, and began to eat the hard steamed buns.
There is a mountain spring in the mountains, a tiny puddle, with water trickling down from the mountainside. The grass on both sides encloses this little world, its roots washed clean and its color lush and green.
Jiang Ru lifted the grass covering her mouth, scooped up a handful of water and drank it. The mountain spring water was sweet and refreshing, and two drops of water touched the corners of her lips, making her rosy lips even brighter.
The cool water seeped into her stomach, and Jiang Ru let out a long sigh, urging the still dazed Pei Wu, "You drink too."
Pei Wu stared at the pool of water, hesitated for a moment, then bent down, scooped up a handful of water, and drank it.
At noon, when the sun was at its most scorching, the two of them huddled by the mountain spring. There were few places to find shade, so they could only hide on the edge of the field to barely keep cool.
Sweat dampened the hair on her forehead. Jiang Ru fanned herself with a leaf and casually asked Pei Wu, "Are you going to teach the children this afternoon?"
Pei Wu hummed in agreement, then added, "No rush. Let me help you till this land first. When they get there and find I'm not here, they'll go home on their own."
"Then you broke your promise?" Jiang Ru raised an eyebrow.
After he finished speaking, Pei Wu's expression stiffened, and he clearly began to struggle with the question.
In his eyes, an agreement is an agreement, and it must be kept. He agreed to be there every afternoon, no matter what, not even for a single day less.
But on the other side was Jiang Ru. He couldn't just leave his cousin here to work and go back first.
"We'll have to find a workaround," Pei Wu said. "Come back with me first, and we'll come back early tomorrow morning."
This plot of land is less than an acre, and there isn't much left to plow. In fact, it could be finished in another afternoon. Jiang Ru wanted to finish it in one go, so she said, "You go back first, I'll come back later."
Pei Wu fell silent, quietly watching Jiang Ru. He had repeatedly run into obstacles with Jiang Ru today, and he was determined not to be persuaded to give up by her in just a few words.
After a brief standoff, Jiang Ru gave in: "Okay, let's go home first."
As soon as she said that, she saw Pei Wu's lips curve slightly. Pei Wu didn't usually smile, so even though it was a faint smile, Jiang Ru quickly noticed it.
Okay, that will make things worse.
Jiang Ru had no choice but to stand up and follow Pei Wu home.
Limited by their age, their physical strength is not as good as when they were adults. After working for half a morning, they were actually quite tired.
Suddenly relaxing, my back, which had been bent over all morning, ached terribly, and after walking for a long time on the mountain path, the soles of my feet also started to hurt.
Jiang Ru followed Pei Wu like a walking corpse. In fact, if she hadn't had no other choice, she really wouldn't want to farm.
In the 21st century, farming is still tiring even with the help of machines, let alone in ancient times when tools were not so advanced.
Perhaps it was all destined from the moment she chose her major. She tried to find some humor in the situation, thinking that at least she had learned something useful, so she wouldn't be completely helpless if she were transported to ancient times.
Back at the Pei family home, they ran into some children on the way. Upon seeing them, Zhang Xingjun sidled up to Jiang Ru and struck up a conversation: "Jiang Ru, did you go to the fields with Brother Pei?"
Jiang Ru shook her head at him: "No."
Zhang Xingjun asked in confusion, "Then why are you holding hoes...?"
Jiang Ru said, "You should call me sister, not by my name."
In Zhang Xingjun's eyes, Jiang Ru was only a little older than him, and their status was the same. Moreover, they were partners, so how could he call her "sister"?
Upon hearing this, he scoffed without even thinking, "You're still trying to act high and mighty with me, I..."
Just as he was about to say something sarcastic to Jiang Ru, Pei Wu, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned around. His cold eyes glanced at Zhang Xingjun, who immediately stood at attention and obediently called out to Jiang Ru, "Sister."
Jiang Ru was coaxed into smiling broadly and replied, "Hey, good little brother."
As she spoke, she patted Zhang Xingjun's head.
When one of them spoke up, the other children followed suit, calling her "sister" one after another. Jiang Ru beamed with joy, thoroughly enjoying being the older sister.
She jumped forward a few times until she was level with Pei Wu. Pei Wu was much taller than her. She looked up at Pei Wu's profile. Pei Wu's profile was extremely handsome, with regular features and a high nose bridge. Noticing Jiang Ru's gaze, he calmly lowered his head and met Jiang Ru's eyes.
Those eyes were completely still, so dark they seemed to draw you in. Jiang Ru stared, stunned. After a moment's hesitation, she called out tentatively, "Cousin."
Pei Wu paused for a moment, then looked away: "You're too unconventional."
As Jiang Ru uttered these words, whether praise or criticism, a smile remained on her face. Suddenly, she thought of her past life, when many people said she was taciturn and aloof.
She hadn't laughed like that in a very, very long time.
Perhaps because she was hiding in the shell of a fifteen-year-old, surrounded by people her own age, it didn't feel out of place for her to be a little unconventional.
Noticing that her smile froze, Pei Wu thought he had said something wrong, so he quickly added, "I didn't mean to say you were bad. Whether you're lively or calm, it's all good."
Jiang Ru tilted her head at him and returned the compliment, saying, "Cousin, you're very good too, steady and reliable."
She praised him sincerely, and Pei Wu lowered his eyelashes, but turned his head away, quickened his pace, and took a few steps with his hands and feet moving in unison. He reached the front door first and opened the courtyard gate.
Judging from his flushed neck, it was clear that he was shy and couldn't resist praise.
He still had to teach classes in the afternoon. When he got home, before he could even rest, Pei Wu started teaching the children.
He stood in the sun, while the children huddled under the pear tree. After more than an hour, Pei Wu said, "Let's go back first and come again tomorrow."
The children, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, said goodbye to Pei Wu and skipped and hopped out of the courtyard.
Jiang Ru was also tired. After working in the fields all morning, all she wanted to do was rest, which greatly reduced her efficiency in listening to the lectures in the afternoon. She barely listened to anything.
Fortunately, she and Pei Wu were under the same roof, so if she missed something, she could ask Pei Wu about it.
Jiang Ru leaned lazily against the pear tree, not wanting to get up. Her gaze followed Pei Wu, and remembering that he had been standing in the sun, she waved to him: "Come and rest for a while."
Pei Wu nodded and was walking towards him when suddenly everything went black. Then, his body swayed, and in his panic, he reached out to grab the table, but his hand slipped and he lost his grip.
Jiang Ru was startled, and hurriedly stood up to support Pei Wu's swaying body.
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