gossip
On the third day after the canal was opened to water, a drizzle of spring rain fell from the sky.
When Chen Bozhou, wearing gloves and carrying a hoe, arrived at the newly reclaimed fields, he found Yunwu already busy working in the fields. The drizzle soaked his hair and clothes, but he was oblivious, bending over to check the soil's moisture.
"Why don't you hide from the rain?" Chen Bozhou walked over quickly and subconsciously wanted to use his hands to shield him from the rain.
Yunwu stood up straight, letting the raindrops fall on his face, his tone carrying a rare lightness: "Spring rain is as precious as oil, it's a good time to test the drainage of the canal."
Only then did Chen Bozhou notice that the newly dug canal worked perfectly. Rainwater flowed into the canal, preventing the fields from flooding while still providing ample moisture for the soil. Yunwu had clearly considered every possible situation in its planning; even the drainage outlets were meticulously designed.
"You are such a genius!" Chen Bozhou praised sincerely.
Yunwu shook his head slightly, his ears reddening. He squatted down, peeled back a layer of soil, and revealed the plump seeds underneath. "Look, they're starting to sprout."
Chen Bozhou leaned over and saw, as expected, tender green shoots breaking through the soil, vibrant in the drizzle. The two of them stood head to head observing these new lives, their breath mingling in the rain.
"The soil of this land is good and there is water, so the harvest will definitely be good." Yunwu said softly, with a glint of hope in his eyes.
The rain gradually got heavier, so Chen Bozhou pulled Yunwu to a makeshift thatched shed nearby to take shelter. The shed was small, and the two of them squeezed together, feeling each other's body temperature.
"After we harvest this crop, I'll buy some new clothes for you and grandma." Chen Bozhou suddenly said, looking at Yunwu's clothes that were washed white.
Yun Wu was stunned for a moment and shook his head: "No need to spend money."
"Why is it a waste?" Chen Bozhou said seriously, "This is what we earned from pioneering together, we should share it."
Yunwu lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously grasping the edge of her clothes: "You have done enough for me."
"I'm happy to." Chen Bozhou blurted out.
The hut fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of rain hitting the roof. Yunwu raised her head and looked at Chen Bozhou with a complicated expression. Her lips moved slightly, but in the end, she said nothing.
After the rain stopped, the two began preparing the land for planting. Chen Bozhou, the stronger, was in charge of tilling the soil; Yun Wu, the more attentive, was in charge of sowing. Their collaboration grew increasingly seamless, often understanding each other with a single glance.
During breaks, Yunwu would teach Chen Bozhou how to identify various wild vegetables and medicinal herbs. Chen Bozhou noticed that when talking about these things, Yunwu would become more talkative and her eyes would brighten.
"This is purslane, which clears away heat and dampness; that is shepherd's purse, which stops bleeding and improves eyesight..." Yunwu pointed at each plant and explained in detail.
Chen Bozhou listened attentively, asking questions from time to time. He found that he liked Yunwu's focused explanation more and more, liked the slightly raised corners of his mouth, and liked the gentle touch of his slender fingers when he stroked the leaves.
That evening, when Chen Bozhou was returning home from work, he met his brother Chen Boyuan on the way.
"Dad asked you to go back." Chen Boyuan said seriously, "You have been running to the west end of the village every day these days. Dad is very angry."
Chen Bozhou didn't care: "I haven't done anything bad, what am I afraid of?"
Chen Boyuan sighed: "Bozhou, you are not young anymore, you should understand some things. You don't care about the gossip in the village, but what about the child of the Yun family? He is already in a difficult situation. If you continue like this, won't it make it even more difficult for him?"
These words touched upon Shen Bozhou's heart. He recalled the villagers' pointing and gossiping, and Yunwu's words, "I'm used to it," and a pang of pain pierced his heart.
"Brother, I just want to help him." Chen Bozhou whispered.
"I know you mean well." Chen Boyuan patted his shoulder, "but you have to be methodical in your actions. Your blatant partiality will only harm him."
When he got home, Village Chief Shen was furious and ordered Shen Bozhou not to go looking for Yunwu again. Shen Bozhou stubbornly refused to obey, and the father and son had a big argument.
The next day, Shen Bozhou sneaked out again. When he arrived at the field, Yunwu was already there, squatting on the ground to check on the growth of the seedlings.
"My father came to see me yesterday." Chen Bozhou said hesitantly, "He said... there are some gossips in the village."
Yunwu paused without looking up: "Yeah."
"Have you...heard of it?" Chen Bozhou asked cautiously.
Yunwu was silent for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Then what do you think?" Chen Bozhou's heartbeat inexplicably quickened.
Yunwu stood up and looked at him calmly: "I don't care."
These four simple words made Shen Bozhou's heart surge with warmth. He grinned: "I don't care either!"
However, rumors spread quietly like weeds in spring.
A few days later, Chen Bozhou heard a few gossips in the village, saying that Yunwu had bewitched him with witchcraft, otherwise why would the young master of the village chief follow a poor boy around all day long.
Chen Bozhou was so angry that he wanted to argue on the spot, but was stopped by Chen Boyuan who arrived in time.
"The more you act like this, the more excited they become." Chen Boyuan whispered.
"Are we just going to let them talk nonsense?" Chen Bozhou was indignant.
Chen Boyuan looked at his brother with a complicated expression: "Bozhou, tell me, what do you think about Yunwu?"
Chen Bozhou was stunned. What was he thinking? He only knew that he was happy with Yunwu. He was happy when he saw Yunwu smile, and he got angry when he saw Yunwu being bullied. He had never felt this way towards anyone else.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Shen Boyuan sighed: "Think about it carefully."
That night, Chen Bozhou tossed and turned in bed. He thought of Yunwu's cool features, his occasional smile, the coolness of his fingertips, and the herbal fragrance of his body. As he thought about it, his heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.
When he saw Yunwu the next day, Chen Bozhou was inexplicably afraid to look him in the eye. Yunwu, however, was as calm as ever, as if the rumors had never happened.
"These seedlings aren't growing well." Yunwu pointed at a young seedling. "We need to replant them."
Chen Bozhou leaned over to take a look and accidentally touched Yunwu's hand, which he pulled back suddenly as if burned. Yunwu looked at him in confusion and said nothing.
All day, Chen Bozhou was restless. He secretly observed Yunwu and found that he was particularly beautiful when he was focused on his work. When he spoke, his lips slightly opened and closed like a petal...
Stop! Chen Bozhou shook his head violently, trying to get rid of these strange thoughts.
"What's wrong with you?" Yunwu asked with concern.
"No, nothing!" Chen Bozhou lowered his head and worked hurriedly, his ears burning.
When they parted in the evening, Yun Wu handed Chen Bozhou a small cloth bag: "It's for your peace of mind. You didn't sleep well last night."
Shen Bozhou looked at him in surprise: "How did you know?"
"Dark circles." Yunwu pointed at her eyes, paused, and then said softly, "Don't pay attention to those words."
At this moment, Chen Bozhou suddenly understood his feelings. He didn't care whether Yunwu was a man or a woman, or what others thought of him. He only cared about the person in front of him.
"Yunwu," he mustered up his courage, "I..."
"Go back quickly, it's going to rain." Yunwu interrupted him and pointed to the dark clouds gathering in the sky.
Chen Bozhou swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and looked at Yunwu's back as he turned and left, feeling both lost and relieved.
The rain started to fall again, heavier than last time. Chen Bozhou stood in the rain, letting it soak his body, but it could not extinguish the fire burning in his heart.
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