The Fantastic Little Farmer

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Visiting Xiuqin’s House

Aunt Jiu’s husband was named Jiujin. The father and son both worked in the mines, saving up money to build a new house and find a wife for the son. Tragically, they ended up dying together in a mining accident. Xiuxun didn’t remarry. Bearing the stigma of a ”husband-killer,” she continued living with Aunt Jiu. The village neighbors usually looked after them, helping out whenever heavy lifting or technical skills were needed.

Aunt Jiu was also good at maintaining relations. For instance, whenever they grew more vegetables than they could eat or made treats like zongzi and rice cakes, she would always share some with everyone. Because Zhang Yun’s family lived nearby, they helped out quite often and had shared their fair share of those meals.

Because of what had happened yesterday, Zhang Yun couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward following Aunt Jiu back to Xiuqin’s House. Fortunately, it was lunchtime and everyone was busy, so no one paid him any attention. Muttering on about the ”Why-Fi” she didn’t understand, Aunt Jiu led Zhang Yun into the living room.

Zhang Yun had hoped Xiuxun wouldn’t be home, or would be busy cooking in the kitchen, sparing him the awkwardness. After all, Wi-Fi issues were usually resolved just by rebooting the router. But Xiuxun was right there in the living room!

”Sister-in-law Xiuqin,” Zhang Yun greeted her with a smile, trying his best to act natural.

”Zhang Yun...”

Watching Xiuxun speak, Zhang Yun couldn’t help but recall the sensation of her lips on his arm. A sudden tingling sensation returned to his arm, and a jolt of electricity seemed to run through his entire body.

”Zhang Yun,” Aunt Jiu said as she walked in. Her demeanor had changed, losing its previous natural ease and becoming serious.

Zhang Yun groaned inwardly. ”Does Aunt Jiu think there’s no smoke without fire? Does she suspect we’re actually fooling around, and tricked me here to confront Xiuxun?”

”About the router...”

”There’s nothing wrong with the Wi-Fi. My mother went out of her way to invite you over,” Xiuxun said earnestly.

Zhang Yun forced himself to maintain a fake smile. He couldn’t just blow up at them like he did with Li Dajiang. How was he supposed to explain himself later? He had absolutely zero experience in this sort of thing!

”Thank you so much. You’ve been wronged because of us!” Aunt Jiu grasped his hand, expressing her gratitude with a look of deep shame.

”Uh...” Zhang Yun quickly glanced at Xiuxun.

Even though they had entered the living room and were separated by the courtyard, rural houses weren’t very well soundproofed and the main doors were never closed. Afraid that someone outside might overhear, Aunt Jiu lowered her voice. ”Xiuxun has told me everything...”

”Thank you for saving me. When those thugs came causing trouble yesterday, I couldn’t stand up to identify him and help clear your name...” Xiuxun said, bowing slightly. Having added him on WeChat last night, she was now thanking him in person.

So they were just thanking him. Zhang Yun immediately relaxed. ”Ahem! It was nothing. Anyone would have stepped up in that situation.”

”The two of us are helpless. Xiuxun speaking out wouldn’t clear anything up; it would only invite more gossip,” Aunt Jiu smiled bitterly. ”They came looking for us again today. We heard that thug’s uncle is the boss of the cement factory! We truly...”

Seeing her eyes well up with tears, Zhang Yun quickly reassured her, ”I’ve already sent Li Dajiang packing. I bet they won’t dare come looking for trouble again. Please, put your minds at ease!”

”Xiuxun!” Aunt Jiu called out, and the two of them hurried into the kitchen.

No sooner had Zhang Yun taken a seat than they returned. Xiuxun carried out a large bowl of chicken soup, while Aunt Jiu brought a bowl of sweet fermented rice with eggs.

”We don’t have much to repay you with, and it didn’t seem appropriate to invite you over for a formal meal. This is just a small token of our appreciation...”

Zhang Yun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”Aunt Jiu, how could I possibly eat all of this?”

Xiuxun giggled. ”Just eat until you’re full. You don’t have to finish it all.”

Aunt Jiu placed the sweet fermented rice with eggs in front of Zhang Yun and ladled him a bowl of chicken soup. ”Don’t be polite. Just eat as much as you can.”

”Alright, alright, I’ll serve myself.” Zhang Yun didn’t stand on ceremony. He knew that accepting their gratitude was the only way to ease their guilt.

”I should have stewed this and brought it over to you, but that would have attracted too much attention. That’s why I made up that excuse about the ’Why-Fi.’ Please apologize to Brother Fu on my behalf when you get back.”

Zhang Yun began eating and drinking in large gulps, avoiding any further polite conversation. He wanted to finish quickly and head home so he wouldn’t have to endure any more gratitude.

”We two women have such bitter fates. If our men were still around, it wouldn’t have come to this...

”Xiuxun is such a kind-hearted girl. She’s young and pretty, and she could have easily remarried into a good family, but she stayed just to take care of me.

”My fate is too cursed! I really wish I could just die already so I wouldn’t hold Xiuxun back.”

Aunt Jiu continued to ramble on beside him, moving herself to tears, while Xiuxun tried to comfort her, her own eyes turning red.

Listening to all this gave Zhang Yun a headache. He quickly unleashed his inner foodie, finishing off the large bowl of sweet fermented rice with eggs and downing two bowls of chicken soup.

”That was delicious! I really can’t eat another bite.”

Perhaps reminded of her son, Aunt Jiu looked at Zhang Yun with maternal affection. ”If you like it, I’ll make it for you again some other day!”

”Thank you, Aunt Jiu. You guys go ahead and eat. I need to head back now, or my dad will end up cooking too much food.” Zhang Yun stood up to take his leave.

”Wait a moment.” Remembering something, Aunt Jiu hurried back into the kitchen.

Taking advantage of being alone with him, Xiuxun suddenly grabbed Zhang Yun’s hand!

Zhang Yun’s eyes widened as he thought, ”W-What is she doing? Can we head into the mountain hollows for this?”

Holding his hand, Xiuxun gently stroked his arm with her other hand. ”Huh? Where’s your wound? Did I... remember incorrectly?”

She was a bit confused. Had she been so nervous yesterday that she mixed up left and right? She pulled up Zhang Yun’s other arm, but couldn’t find a wound there either.

Zhang Yun hadn’t intentionally let her touch him; it was just that the softness of the girl’s palm sent a tingling, electric jolt through him, delaying his reaction by a beat.

”It was here. It’s already healed.”

Xiuxun didn’t believe him, but as she looked where he was pointing, she saw that the scar had faded into a faint white mark.

”That’s so weird... It was clearly bleeding yesterday!”

Zhang Yun chuckled. ”I told you I have thick skin.”

Xiuxun had only been concerned about his wound. Seeing that he was fine, she hurriedly let go of his hand. ”And here I was going to give you some Band-Aids...” She pulled a few bandages from her pocket, though they were no longer needed.

”Thank you, little Sister-in-law Xiuqin.”

Xiuxun raised her hand as if to smack him and shot him a quiet glare. ”If you’re going to call me sister-in-law, then call me sister-in-law. What’s with the ’little’?”

”Not little, not little at all. It actually seems quite big...” Zhang Yun’s gaze drifted toward a certain angle as the words slipped out. He hurriedly let out a dry cough to change the subject. ”Thank you for the red packet! Hah, I meant the red packet was quite big...”

Xiuxun heard his words clearly and noticed where he was looking. She had been about to put on a stern face and scold him, but upon hearing his thanks for the red packet, she remembered him saying it was the ”first time receiving a red packet from a girl,” and she blushed once more.

”Take this back and let Brother Fu have a taste,” Aunt Jiu said as she returned, having found a black plastic bag and filled it with chicken legs and wings.

At the sound of her voice, Xiuxun had already stepped back, putting some distance between herself and Zhang Yun.

Zhang Yun immediately let out a cover-up laugh. ”Aunt Jiu, I’ve eaten my fill and now I’m taking food to go! How can I possibly accept this?”

”It’s only right. In the future, I hope you’ll look after Xiuxun in every way you can.”

”No problem.” As Zhang Yun agreed, he couldn’t help but steal a glance at Xiuxun. Hearing those words now felt a little strange...

Since his excuse was fixing the ”Why-Fi,” it wasn’t convenient to stay too long. Aunt Jiu didn’t stand on ceremony; she shoved the bag into Zhang Yun’s hands and walked him to the door.

Xiuxun followed closely behind. Taking advantage of Aunt Jiu walking ahead, she swiftly slipped something into Zhang Yun’s hand!

She stopped at the door of the living room without coming out, while Aunt Jiu escorted him all the way to the courtyard gate.

Once the item was in his hand, Zhang Yun couldn’t even put it in his pocket, let alone look at it. He could only grip it tightly. It couldn’t be a Band-Aid, since those were no longer needed. Judging by the feel, it seemed like... a slip of paper?

What was written on it? They had already added each other on WeChat, so why was she handing him a physical note?