Chapter 13 Scar
When they returned to the yard, it was already past dinner time. Mother-in-law had left some food for the two of them. Li Zimai was not full, so he dragged Cheng Che to the store and bought two buckets of instant noodles.
Cheng Che was indeed tired after a day of running around, but Li Zimai was in high spirits and wanted to look at the moon. Cheng Che would never go crazy with him. Li Zimai always did what he wanted and did whatever he wanted without caring about anyone's opinion. He lived a very comfortable life.
"Cheche, I've boiled some water, go take a shower."
Cheng Che was about to take off his clothes, but Li Zimai stared at him intently. After half of his waist was exposed, Cheng Che reacted and put his dirty clothes back on, even letting down his trouser legs.
Li Zimai was the first to speak, his tone anxious, "Why don't you take it off?"
"Are you a pervert?"
"They're all men. Let me see what's wrong. Do you want to look at me too?"
Cheng Che scolded, "Don't be so naughty."
Li Zimai stopped what he was doing, approached Cheng Che, and again proposed a bath together, "Do you want to take a bath together?"
Cheng Che pushed him away and warned him angrily, "Stay away from me!"
Li Zi finally got over her urge to talk and burst into laughter.
Cheng Che carried some water to the dog kennel to take a shower. The kennel was too dark, and only a candle lit up a little light. His feet were covered in mud, and a bucket of water couldn't wash them clean. Cheng Che was about to go to the kitchen to get another bucket of water when Li Zimai's voice came in from outside the door, "Cheche, do you want more water?"
"Need not."
These two words were spoken so quickly that Li Zimai heard them as "want".
The dog shed had no door, only a tattered curtain. Li Zimai, who came uninvited, looked Cheng Che over thoroughly.
Cheng Che quickly snatched the bucket from Li Zimai's hand, hid in a dark place, and expelled him, "I'll be done soon, you get out first."
Li Zimai came back to his senses and put on a smile again, "Okay, Brother Che has something to tell you."
Before leaving, Li Zimai said again: "Brother Che has a really nice butt."
Cheng Che couldn't sleep that night. When he finally fell asleep, his dream was all about "what a nice butt." When he opened his eyes the next day, Li Zimai leaned over to him and asked innocently, "What did you dream about last night? You kept calling my name."
He was telling me to get out, but Li Zimai didn't say the second half of the sentence.
"It's not because of what I saw you last night..."
"Just shut up!"
Over the next few days, Li Zimai's mood was changeable. Sometimes he would suddenly quit talking and go to the river to catch fish, and he insisted that Cheng Che watch him catch them. Sometimes he would run around with measuring tools in great excitement, and would still be drawing at three or four in the morning.
Cheng Che didn't quite understand his unconventional thinking, but he had to admit that the serious Li Shen was indeed very charismatic.
On the last night, the teacher organized a gathering at the village chief's house. The village chief took out homemade wine to entertain the guests. The girls didn't dare to drink, but the boys were straightforward and had a great time drinking with the teacher and the uncles in the village. After being away from the city, the classmates and teachers in the department seemed to become closer.
Jiang Xiaoqing caught Cheng Che boiling water in the kitchen and followed him out. She mustered up the courage to speak, "...Let me help you."
Cheng Che said, "No need, go back and eat."
The kettles in the village are not electrical appliances, they use coal. Girls can't do it, and Cheng Che doesn't want to burn others.
Jiang Xiaoqing took a half step back, not blocking him, and tried to find a topic to talk about. "Have you ever lived in the countryside? It seems like you know everything. You're amazing."
Cheng Che said "hmm".
"...Can I buy you a meal when we get back to school?"
Jiang Xiaoqing finally asked the question that she had been holding back for a long time, and she waited anxiously for the answer.
Cheng Che said, "No need."
Jiang Xiaoqing was not discouraged and said softly: "I don't mean anything else, I just want to thank you for teaching me a lot these days. I'm not very good at speaking and I don't have many friends in the class..."
Cheng Che looked up at her and said, "Lin Lin is popular. If you hang out with her, you'll make friends."
The eyes that looked at me were as clear as a stream, without any edge of pride, and as clear as his name. After the coldness in his eyes disappeared, only a hint of loneliness and calmness remained, but they were brighter than tempered flint.
Jiang Xiaoqing almost blurted out: "Cheng Che...I like you!"
She suddenly lowered her head, her eyes reddening uncontrollably. She shouldn't be so anxious, she should start by being friends. Cheng Che was a slow-to-warm-up person, and being too anxious would only scare him away.
The hissing sound of the kettle seemed to be urging something to cook, and mixed with the chaotic laughter outside the door, it seemed to be burning the air in the room dry, which was very unpleasant.
Intense regret and shame tormented her nerves. Before Cheng Che could answer, Jiang Xiaoqing frantically explained, "... You, don't take it to heart. I... I'm leaving first!"
Li Zimai watched the whole thing and only showed up once the girl had left. He tutted, "Brother Che is so heartless! Look how scared he made the girl."
Cheng Che carefully poured water into the thermos, then extinguished the coals in the stove one by one before asking, "Are you free?"
"I came to boil some water for you. I just heard the girl confessing her love to you when I got to the door. I was just guarding the door for you."
Li Zimai even took credit, "Someone just came, and I was the one who called them away."
Cheng Che patted the dust off his hands and said coldly, "Just pretend you didn't hear it. It's not good if it gets out."
Li Zimai was unhappy, "You are quite considerate."
Cheng Che didn't want to continue this topic with him, but Li Zimai insisted and asked, "Brother Che, don't you want to consider it? I think she is good and sensible."
Cheng Che glanced at him and said, "Your criterion for finding a partner is whether the other person is sensible or not."
Li Zimai didn't answer directly, but continued to ask: "What kind do you like?"
Cheng Che frowned and said, "What's it to you?"
"Let's talk. Last time on the subway, I saw you staring at a girl. Wasn't that girl the same type as Jiang Xiaoqing? Don't you like that type?"
Cheng Che glanced at him sideways, "Why are you so gossipy?"
Li Zimai could interpret the second half of his unfinished sentence: Like a woman, "I'm just concerned about you, what's the relationship between us?"
Cheng Che repeated again: "I don't fall in love."
Li Zimai paused for a second and deliberately asked, "Could it be that Brother Che has been hurt in love? So seriously?"
"Yeah, you're right."
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