Xie Jinning’s tears, which he had managed to hold back, began to flow again. He took a step back, avoiding Xie Nong’s outstretched hand. Even without looking up, he could feel the gazes focused on him—warm, compassionate, and cautious. Yet, it made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.
He slightly turned his body, shifted his toes, and repeated, “Really, it’s nothing.”
“That’s good to hear.” Xie Nong breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had made a mistake. He scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Xiao Yan, Uncle Xie misunderstood you just now. I apologize.”
“It’s fine, you were just worried.” Feeling it was a bit inappropriate to stay any longer, Yan Yi spoke up, “Uncle Xie, I’ll head back next door to deal with the game.”
Xie Jinning wanted to ask him to stay but found it hard to speak. He twisted his fingers, silently pleading with his watery eyes, but Yan Yi, eager to leave, didn’t catch his signal.
“Alright, I bought a lot of things today. Later, your Uncle Xie will cook personally. Remember to come over.”
“Okay.”
Once Yan Yi left, only the father and son were left in the courtyard. Silence hung between them like a boulder. The autumn wind rustled the leaves, and a few fell, swirling to the ground.
The person in front of him wore simple clothes, yet it couldn’t hide his noble aura. Xie Nong looked at his dark hair, long eyelashes, and delicate, slightly red nose, feeling more and more pleased.
He wanted to say a few more words to ease the awkward atmosphere between them, but seeing the tightly pressed lips and the unwillingness to communicate, Xie Nong couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
His lips moved, opening and closing a few times, before he finally said, “It’s getting windy, child. You should go back to your room to avoid catching a cold.”
“Okay.”
Their first meeting ended just like that, hastily.
Xie Jinning fled back to his room, closed the door, and took a deep breath, feeling the pounding in his chest. The thumping brought back the pain at the tip of his nose.
His vision blurred again. Xie Jinning wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes, leaned against the door, and spaced out, his mind blank.
After a moment, hearing movement outside, he peeked through the window, cautiously looking out.
He saw the middle-aged man rubbing his shoulder, limping to the courtyard gate. He squatted down, picking up the scattered items on the ground and putting them into a basket. There were many, piled high.
He grabbed the strap, trying to lift it onto his shoulder, but it was too heavy. After several attempts, he couldn’t stand up.
Suddenly, the man’s leg gave way, and he sat down on the ground, grimacing in pain as he supported his back.
Xie Jinning felt a lump in his throat. He clenched his fists, biting his lower lip in a conflicted expression, and finally pushed open the door, walking to Xie Nong’s side.
He said, “Let me help you.”
“Eh… eh! Okay.” Xie Nong seemed not to notice the politeness and distance in his tone, smiling with surprise.
He got up from the ground, brushed off the dust, and wiped his hands on the clean part of his clothes before handing the long, cloth-wrapped item from the basket to Xie Jinning.
“Just take this. It’s light.”
Xie Jinning took it with both hands, holding it with room to spare. He said, “I can still…”
“No need, I’ll handle the rest.” The man suddenly seemed to find strength, lifting the basket onto his back with ease. “These are heavy, you can’t carry them.”
He forced a smile, but the veins on his forehead and neck twitched uncontrollably.
Xie Jinning didn’t insist further and asked, “Where should I put this?”
“It’s all clean cloth. Just put it in your room for now,” Xie Nong said. “You didn’t bring any clothes. In a few days, I’ll have someone make you some clothes with these, so you’ll have something to wear when it gets colder.”
Xie Jinning was taken aback.
But he had decided to leave once he healed.
He didn’t say anything, placing the cloth in the bedroom, then stood by the door watching Xie Nong busy himself.
Five pounds of old rice, ten pounds of new rice, five pounds of flour, eight ounces of oil, a three-pound-two-ounce piece of pork, and a few fish in a wooden basin, along with the various colored cotton cloths in Xie Jinning’s arms, were what Xie Nong earned from his work.
Now that he was here, he didn’t want to ask why, fearing it would make Xie Jinning sad. He didn’t want Jinning to suffer with him anymore.
Xie Nong wanted to give him the best he could, planning to do more work, save some money, and slowly repair this broken house…
His steps became lighter as he put away the things he bought. In the middle of it, he didn’t forget to quickly step forward, taking out a cloth bag from his pocket and handing it to Xie Jinning, “I bought some candy, have some.”
Seeing that Jinning didn’t move, his brain, overwhelmed with joy, calmed down a bit, remembering that the child in front of him grew up in the Capital City and had tasted all kinds of delicacies. He might not appreciate these rural treats.
His expression dimmed slightly, and just as he was about to take it back, the cloth bag was accepted.
“Thank you.”
The cloth bag was still warm, slightly damp on the surface, probably from sweat. His fingertips curled uncomfortably. Meeting Xie Nong’s expectant gaze, Jinning resisted the urge to put it down and slowly opened it.
The bag was tightly wrapped, with three layers. Inside were a few pieces of beige, long-shaped candies.
Perhaps carefully protected in his pocket along the way, most were intact, but two had broken in the middle, turning into small candy crumbs.
“Still broke,” Xie Nong said with an embarrassed smile. “Next time, I’ll be more careful so you can have whole ones.”
“…Mm.”
Pinching a piece and putting it in his mouth, at first, it wasn’t sweet but had a unique crispy aroma. Chewing it, the sesame flavor burst on his tongue, filling his mouth with sweetness.
It couldn’t compare to the various flavors and styles of candy balls he had at the Xie Family, but it had its own charm.
Jinning’s eyes brightened slightly.
He ate earnestly, savoring it on his tongue. After swallowing, he lifted his eyelashes and smiled at Xie Nong, “It’s fragrant and delicious, thank you.”
“That’s good, that’s good.”
Xie Nong’s heart settled back in place. Looking at Jinning’s eyes, so much like his late wife A Fang’s, his eyes welled up. He said with a trembling voice, “Good child, are you hungry? I’ll make you some food.”
“Mm.”
…
As the sky darkened, by the time Xie Nong finished cooking dinner, night had fallen, and the bright moon hung high.
The bedroom door was knocked on, and Yan Yi said, “Dinner’s ready.”
“Okay.”
Jinning moved his gaze from the booklet and pushed the door open.
The night sky was dotted with stars, and the silver-white light poured down, coating everything with a faint glow.
Standing in front of the table, Yan Yi blocked Jinning’s view, so he couldn’t see what dishes were there. But the rich aroma, carried by the cool autumn breeze, filled his nostrils, making his mouth water.
After Yan Yi set the bowls and chopsticks, he familiarly brought out a wooden stool from the kitchen. Seeing Jinning still standing, he went out the courtyard door, fetched a cushion from next door, and placed it on the stool.
“Sit down.”
Not knowing what was inside, it was very soft, with a gap in the middle, just right to avoid the injured area. Jinning said, “Thank you.”
“No need.”
The table was filled with a variety of dishes, both meat and vegetables, more than the Xie Family in Hetian Village had even during New Year, yet it couldn’t capture Jinning’s attention.
His fingers, hanging by his sleeves, intertwined again. The crescent moon left marks on the tender lotus tips. Jinning lowered his eyes, the moonlight drawing a hook-like upward curve at the corner of his eyes.
Xie Nong hadn’t arrived yet, and no one moved their chopsticks. The conversation from earlier quickly ended.
The intimacy from the recent close contact vanished, and the two seemed to return to the initial distance between strangers, polite yet distant.
Jinning had things on his mind, feeling low, and so did Yan Yi.
The fleeting memories that stirred his emotions frequently went awry after meeting the young man, making him think he had a heart condition.
That night, he declined the doctor’s offer to apply medicine to his cheek, instead asking about his body’s abnormalities, only to be told his pulse was like a rushing river, strong and healthy.
Just too much yang energy.
In other words, he had been holding back too long and needed to vent.
The doctor’s meaningful gaze flashed in his mind, only to be dispersed by the strands of black hair in his peripheral vision.
The young man sat quietly, his tied-up black hair swaying in the wind like tender willow branches.
The moonlight turned into a thin frost, highlighting his delicate features, giving off a cold jade-like chill. The faint pink on his nose diluted this inexplicable atmosphere.
His long eyelashes drooped, hiding his clear apricot eyes, making it hard to see his thoughts. But his water-red lips, slightly pursed, then relaxed, and pursed again.
Was he nervous?
Unknowingly, Yan Yi’s gaze, like a moth to a flame, was drawn in again.
The overly direct gaze was hard to ignore. Jinning turned his head, meeting a pair of deep eyes.
Recalling the bowl of medicine at noon, between bitterness and comfort, he chose to cherish his life. Jinning whispered, “That medicine, do I need to drink it at night too?”
“Yes.” Yan Yi nodded. “After dinner, I’ll bring the medicine packet. We have it at home, and Uncle Xie can brew it.”
“Don’t—”
“The last dish is here!”
Xie Nong came with the stewed fish, and Jinning had to stop talking. Taking advantage of Xie Nong turning back to get something, he quickly said, “I’ll come find you next door later.”
Yan Yi’s eyes flickered.
Placing the stewed fish in front of Jinning, Xie Nong brought out a wine jar and ceramic bowls before sitting down.
“I’m happy today. The dishes are good, let’s have some wine to celebrate.”
He poured two large bowls, then half a cup in a small teacup, pushing it to Jinning, only to be stopped by Yan Yi.
“He’s taking medicine, can’t drink alcohol.”
“Medicine?”
Xie Nong was stunned, the smile on his face instantly fading, his voice rising a few octaves, “What medicine? Child, are you sick? Where are you uncomfortable? Is it serious? Come, I’ll take you to see a doctor.”
Saying this, he was about to get up, nearly knocking over the bowls and chopsticks. Jinning quickly stopped the anxious Xie Nong.
He had just told Yan Yi not to let anyone know he was sick, not expecting Yan Yi to be so oblivious.
Jinning said, “It’s not serious, just a little cold. Brother Yan took me to get medicine, and I’m much better after taking it.”
He raised his chin, winking at Yan Yi, “Right?”
Brother Yan, it was the first time he called him that.
Yan Yi’s Adam’s apple moved, not noticing the eye daggers Jinning shot at him afterward, he lowly “mm”ed.
“Still, no, let’s move the table inside to eat. You already have a cold, if you catch another…”
“Alright.”
Xie Nong’s gaze was too heavy, Jinning couldn’t bear it, so he had to escape first.
“I’m hungry, I want to eat first.”
*
Earlier in the room, Jinning flipped through the booklet written by Xie Zhu, but couldn’t focus on a single sentence.
He really didn’t know how to face this man.
It wasn’t that he looked down on him, but he was destined to leave here. If he gave him too much hope, his departure would be an even heavier blow.
Xie Zhu was already gone, his wife had long passed away, and Yan Yi was just a neighbor, who would eventually start his own family and might move away from the village at any time.
And this man who cared for him, his biological father, would become…
A lonely old man.