Chapter 15
Chen Jingbai took the water bottle from He He's hand, but didn't drink it right away. He had just finished working and couldn't drink water immediately. He wiped the sweat that was about to drip down his face and said, "Thank you for helping me open the water bottle."
He He: "We're all friends here. This is just a small thing I should do. Don't be so polite."
Chen Jingbai nodded and didn't say anything more. He found a field ridge to sit down, rested for a while, squinted and tilted his head back to drink water. Some water droplets didn't fall into his mouth, but dripped from the spout onto his well-defined chin, and then slid down his neck.
He He just stared at him, completely bewildered.
After Chen Jingbai finished drinking the water and put the kettle down, he noticed that He He was staring at him, her eyes unmoving as if she were in a daze.
Chen Jingbai kept his head tilted back and asked her, "What's wrong?"
He He's eyes flickered, and she snapped back to reality because of Chen Jingbai's words, "You drink water with such flair, just like a wolf."
He He wasn't embarrassed about being caught peeking; instead, she seized the opportunity to praise Chen Jingbai.
Chen Jingbai still had some cold boiled water in his mouth that he hadn't fully swallowed, and when he suddenly heard He He's nonsensical words, he almost choked.
Chen Jingbai composed himself for a moment and asked, "Have you ever seen a wolf? Why do you think we look like one?"
He He boasted shamelessly, "I've never seen a wolf, but I've read books that describe what wolves are like, and they give you a feeling of being a wolf."
Chen Jingbai: "Wolves are ferocious. Are you saying I'm ferocious?"
He He hadn't thought of it that way at all. When Chen Jingbai said that, she was stunned and quickly explained, "No, it's just that I feel you have a wild, powerful beauty about you. I don't mean you're fierce. Don't get the wrong idea!"
Chen Jingbai tilted his head slightly, his tongue tracing across his sharp canine teeth, half-rolling his tongue against his upper jaw, and then rolling it around in his mouth: "Is that so?"
He He nodded emphatically, "Of course."
After saying that, he felt that he wasn't sincere enough, so he raised three fingers above his head and said, "I swear it's true, I didn't mean to say you were cruel."
"I didn't say you didn't believe me." Chen Jingbai raised an eyebrow, in a good mood. "Let's go, they should be done by now."
Chen Jingbai stood up, his long legs striding across the ridge, and He He followed in his footsteps, the two walking side by side.
The educated youth arrived one after another. He He waved to Zheng Xinxin, and the two of them played around, completely forgetting about Chen Jingbai standing next to them.
He He and Zheng Xinxin walked, lagging far behind the others. Although they hadn't seen each other for only a morning, it seemed like they had endless things to talk about.
During this time, Chen Jingbai noticed that He He was missing from the side. He glanced back and saw that she was chatting happily with Zheng Xinxin. He felt a strange sense of unease.
For several days in a row, the rice harvest of the Qianjin Brigade was completed, and the new round of rice seedlings was almost planted in the paddy fields.
Every day, He He would seize any opportunity to shower Chen Jingbai with compliments. During this time, she asked Chen Jingbai once if he agreed, but he kept his mouth shut and remained unmoved.
He He was completely at a loss, and seeing Cheng Su Lin and Chen Jing Yi being so sweet together made her even more heartbroken.
The two siblings are so different. Chen Jingbai is too difficult to deal with. She needs to find a strategist.
Without hesitation, He He acted quickly. That very evening, after finishing planting the rice seedlings and having dinner, she secretly invited Cheng Sulin to the back of the house, the same place where she and Chen Jingbai had whispered to each other that day.
Cheng Surin looked at He He in confusion, "Auntie, why did you call me out? Is there something you need me to do? Do you want to rest tomorrow and ask me to help you plant rice seedlings?"
Ever since He He enlightened him, after he confessed his feelings and started dating Chen Jingyi, Cheng Sulin has been calling He He "little aunt" in private, and no longer has the resentment he used to have.
He He said irritably, "What? Is this how you see me? Is all I want from you except to do chores?"
Cheng Surin quickly explained, "That's not what I meant, Aunt. Tell me what you need me for, and I'll do everything in my power to handle it for you."
He He was appeased by Cheng Surin's words and smiled, "That's more like it."
He He leaned closer, lowered her voice, put her palm to her lips, and said mysteriously, "I wanted to ask, how did you make Chen Jingyi fall in love with you?"
Cheng Surin realized she was in for a surprise and immediately perked up. "Auntie, why are you asking this? Do you have someone you like? Who is it? I didn't notice."
He He slapped Cheng Surin on the shoulder, "Keep your voice down, are you trying to kill me by being so loud?"
"I'll keep my voice down, okay?" Cheng Surin reached out and rubbed his shoulder. His aunt's grip was as strong as ever, and his shoulder was definitely red. He didn't know if being liked by his aunt was a good thing or a bad thing for him.
He He was still not satisfied. "I told you to keep your voice down. I almost couldn't hear you."
"Okay, okay, it's my fault." Cheng Surin thought for a moment about how he had made Chen Jingyi fall in love with him.
"I think the first reason is definitely because I have a good face."
He He scoffed, "Who doesn't have that? Can you get to the point?"
Cheng Surin: "Then tell me who you like first."
This is a big deal! The family spoils my aunt so much. If she gets firsthand information, she'll definitely ask my grandfather and father for a hefty reward. It must be incredibly valuable.
He He placed a cleaver under her neck, threatening, "Will you talk or not!"
Cheng Surin compromised and said, "Fine, I won't ask anymore! I think you have to show him your sincerity. You have to genuinely do things for him. If you want him to like you, but he doesn't like you, you have to take some concrete actions."
Upon hearing this, He He became unhappy, "How could he not like me? He just..."
Cheng Surin: "Okay, I know I was wrong. He just doesn't like you yet, not to the point of wanting to be together."
He He glared at him: "You! Can't you speak properly?"
Cheng Surin dared not tease her anymore. "I'm serious, you have to take real action. Whatever he lacks or needs, you should immediately offer it to him. For example, Jing Yi was short of money several times, so I lent her my money. If you give him the warmth he needs most, I don't believe he will be unmoved."
He He squinted, suspiciously asking, "Where did you get so much money to lend to Chen Jingyi? You give me money every month, and you still have extra money to give to Chen Jingyi? Does your cousin give you that much money?"
When you do the math, even though she's receiving money from her maternal grandparents and two separate allowances from He Zhongguo, she doesn't seem as wealthy as Cheng Surin.
No way! Starting next month, she's going to write to He Zhongguo and ask for more living expenses. She wants a five-yuan increase, otherwise all the money will be spent by that annoying He Shuying.
He He stopped worrying about the money. After thinking about it, she felt that Cheng Sulin's words made some sense, but she didn't know what Chen Jingbai needed or how to get to him.
He He pouted angrily, then hesitated, "How am I supposed to know what he needs?"
"Observe more closely." Cheng Surin leaned closer and said with a smile, "Auntie, why don't you tell me who you like, and I'll help you observe them too."
He He refused, saying, "No, alright, if you don't have any other ideas, let's call it a day."
Cheng Surin: "Ah, Aunt, you're just going to use me and then dump me like that?"
He He nudged Cheng Sulin; they were too close.
"Otherwise what?"
Cheng Surin: "Alright, alright, let's go back."
A while after the two left, a figure hidden behind a tree on the nearby mountain slowly emerged and walked along the path, passing the spot where the two had just stood.
He held the herbs in his hand, then, as if thinking of something, slowly relaxed that hand, while his other hand remained clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hand gradually bulging.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com