Time seemed to stretch endlessly as his energy waned. Xie Jinning’s feet, layered with several layers of padding, began to throb with a dull ache. His heart raced, and his breath became labored, forcing him to pant with parted lips.
He was used to a lazy lifestyle, always opting for a carriage ride over walking, and he was out of shape, probably not even as fit as a three-year-old child from the village.
Looking up, he noticed the distance between him and the two others had widened significantly, leaving him feeling a bit defeated.
“Why aren’t we there yet?” he complained, but he was unwilling to give up halfway. He kept his head down and continued walking, carefully avoiding the clumps of dirt and ruts underfoot. Suddenly, a shadow appeared on the ground.
“Tired?”
Xie Jinning nearly bumped into someone, stopping abruptly. His body swayed, and he saw a familiar large hand reach out and then retract. It was Yan Yi, who had stopped at some point.
At this moment, Xie Jinning found everything about him annoying. “What do you want? I said I can walk, I don’t need you to carry me.”
“The road ahead is rougher. You might not be able to handle it. How about I take you back to rest first?”
This was even more insulting than offering to carry him. The heat of the day ignited Xie Jinning’s temper.
“No,” he glared at Yan Yi, “You look down on me, don’t you?”
He was getting riled up again.
Yan Yi reached out to adjust Xie Jinning’s crooked straw hat, shielding his porcelain-white chin from the sun.
“The road ahead is uneven, and your injury hasn’t fully healed. I’m worried that if you keep walking… it might hurt.”
There was a subtle pause in his words.
Xie Jinning knew Yan Yi was concerned about him, but understanding it made his face flush red, half from the heat and half from embarrassment.
It would have been better if Yan Yi hadn’t mentioned it. As soon as he did, it was like a trigger was pulled, and a fine pain spread from behind, drumming loudly in his mind, even louder than his heartbeat.
He was the one who insisted on coming, and he was the one who said he didn’t need to be carried. If he suddenly changed his mind, it would make him seem fickle.
He needed to leave a good impression on his father!
Xie Jinning’s eyes reddened with frustration, and he gritted his teeth, “I’m not in pain!”
He forced himself to stay calm, “You know I’m only walking slowly because I’m injured. If I were healed, I might walk even faster than you!”
Yan Yi couldn’t help but chuckle, “Hmm.”
“What are you laughing at!” Xie Jinning lightly kicked his shin, “I’m serious!”
“Whatever the young master says, I believe.”
Xie Jinning’s small head and face were almost swallowed by the hat that fit perfectly on Yan Yi’s head, leaving only the smooth line of his chin visible.
Even though his features were obscured, one could imagine the bright, watery almond eyes beneath.
The cheeks puffed up under the brim of the hat, the full, rosy lips flashing by, the arms akimbo with a glimpse of porcelain-white wrist bone peeking from the sleeve, and the chest rising and falling with each breath.
And… the small cinnabar mole hidden beneath his clothes.
Everything about him was vibrant and lively.
Xie Jinning tugged at his clothes, “Don’t call me young master, it sounds weird.”
Back at the Xie family, the servants and outsiders called him that, but now in this small village, it felt out of place.
“Jinning doesn’t work, young master doesn’t work either.”
“Just call me Xie…”
“Using your full name is too formal, and Uncle Xie would be happy to see us close, so that’s probably not appropriate either.”
Yan Yi slowly listed all the possibilities, effectively silencing Xie Jinning. He asked, “Then what should I call you?”
“Ning Ning?”
The man’s tone was more normal than before, but his voice was naturally deep, and when he slowed down the ending, calling out such an intimate name, it was like waves crashing against the shore.
Xie Jinning rubbed his inexplicably hot ears, “No way!”
“Ning Ning,” Yan Yi repeated, “It’s so cute and close, why not?”
Xie Jinning’s lips moved, unsure how to respond, and finally just said, “I said no means no.”
“Then…”
The voice lingered on his tongue, Yan Yi lowered his gaze, his eyes seemingly piercing through the brim of the hat, “How about I call you A-Ning?”
“Whatever you want.”
With faint pink crescents left by his fingertips, Xie Jinning quickly glanced at him and then lowered his head, “Stop dawdling, let’s go.”
In the end, they didn’t get far—
No other reason, Xie Jinning got a stitch.
He had just eaten not long ago and taken medicine. Walking slowly was fine, but then he sped up to prove himself to Yan Yi, and his body couldn’t take it.
The sharp pain in his lower abdomen made it hard for Xie Jinning to move, but in the distance, the wheat waves swayed in the wind, shining golden in the sunlight, looking so beautiful that he didn’t want to turn back.
Not knowing what to do, he could only look at Yan Yi with wide eyes, “What should I do?”
A few moments later, he was pulled into an embrace, with a large honey-colored hand gently massaging his side.
Yan Yi’s hands were large and well-defined, with veins standing out. When fully spread, they almost covered Xie Jinning’s slender waist, cinched by his belt.
The warmth from the palm seeped through the fabric, reminding Xie Jinning of the time he woke from a nightmare, held tightly in Yan Yi’s arms.
It was a warmth unlike familial love, something he had never felt before.
The sharp pain eased under this warmth, even causing a slight shiver. Xie Jinning stared at the man’s chiseled jawline, his thoughts wandering.
It seemed Yan Yi was always warm. He used to think of him as a hard piece of wood, but now he seemed more like a piece of charcoal.
He had read in miscellaneous books that some wood turns into charcoal after burning. What kind of wood was it…
“Feeling better?”
The response was a hum from his nose, like a young beast lying in a warm nest, utterly comfortable.
Yan Yi’s hand paused, and he bent slightly, peering under the brim of the hat to meet those watery eyes.
Not sure what he was thinking, his gaze was unfocused, the resting ink butterfly startled, fluttering a few times before the scattered mist slowly condensed into a clear amber.
His heart skipped a beat.
“I’m fine now.”
His waist still held, Xie Jinning leaned back to create some distance, warm breath still brushing against the man’s face.
Up close, his features were even more striking, his deep eyes like a spear piercing through clouds, pinning the prey before him. In a blink, they returned to calm, as if the previous moment was just an illusion.
Before Xie Jinning could get riled up, Yan Yi released him and stepped back, “Does it still hurt?”
The emotions dissipated before they could build up. He felt it out and shook his head, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “Thank you.”
Big piece of wood, no, big piece of charcoal.
Even more insulting.
Xie Jinning couldn’t hold back, his eyes curved into crescent moons, lips curling into a sly smile.
“Then let’s go, Uncle Xie is waiting for us up ahead.”
…
There were already many people in the fields, each busy with their own tasks, sweating profusely.
On a sunny day, the waves of grain and golden wheat danced lightly in the breeze, yet there was a sense of solitude.
In the season of harvest, the faces of those cutting wheat showed no joy of a bountiful harvest, but rather worry, occasionally sighing as they looked down.
Caught up in their own troubles, they paid no mind to the newcomers. The three of them walked silently to their own field.
The Xie family had thirty acres of land, which sounded like a lot and looked vast.
The wheat waves shimmered under the sunlight, like a fine piece of brocade. Xie Jinning couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s so beautiful.”
He had only seen such scenes in books and paintings, and no matter how vividly they were described, they couldn’t compare to the strong feeling of seeing it with his own eyes.
He said, “With so much wheat, there must be a good harvest, right? That’s great.”
Xie Jinning had never farmed and didn’t know the intricacies. Last year, there was a severe drought, the fields cracked, and even the riverbeds nearly dried up. Many wheat plants died, and despite a year of effort, they hadn’t recovered much. From a distance, the waves of grain seemed full, but up close, they were much sparser than before.
The wheat grains looked promising, but when picked, they were just small, shriveled kernels. Once harvested and threshed, they might not even yield fifteen bushels.
After deducting the land tax, there would be very little left.
Xie Nong sighed inwardly but kept a smile on his face, agreeing, “Yes.”
Yan Yi had already started harvesting. His movements were swift, and the simple sickle in his hand seemed almost magical, leaving a blank space in just a few moments.
Wherever he went, the wheat fell in response, resembling the scene in operas where a hero waves his robe, cutting down enemies with invisible blades. It made Xie Jinning’s eyes light up, and he felt eager to try.
Looking around, the villagers were all working hard, and he was the only one standing in the field, feeling bored and conspicuous.
Moreover, the field was too large. With just the two of them working, it would take a day or two to finish. Since he was now part of this family, he should help out.
Amber eyes darting around, Xie Jinning said, “I’ll go sit and rest over there.”
“Alright, go over there, it’s shaded.”
“Okay.”
Feeling a bit awkward, Xie Jinning licked his lips and, while Xie Nong wasn’t looking, grabbed a spare sickle from the yoke and headed to a corner where he couldn’t be seen.
The sickle was cold and rusty, heavier than he expected. As soon as he picked it up, his wrist couldn’t help but drop, nearly losing his grip. He had to hold it tighter, his knuckles turning white.
Following the way he saw Yan Yi harvesting, Xie Jinning carefully grasped the wheat, bringing the sickle close and slicing a few times, successfully cutting it down.
Looking at the wheat in his palm, a sense of accomplishment welled up, and Xie Jinning’s lips curled up, “It’s quite simple.”
However, he didn’t notice that he was holding the wheat too high, and without controlling his strength, he left long, uneven stubble. From a distance, the area he had cut looked like it had been chewed by a dog.
Satisfied, Xie Jinning tossed it aside and grabbed another bunch to harvest. His movements were clumsy and stiff, but he was focused and immersed, not noticing someone approaching.
“Be careful not to hurt your hand.”
“Hiss.”
As soon as the words were spoken, Xie Jinning’s left hand jerked back, a pained expression flashing across the half of his face exposed under the tilted straw hat.
“Let me see.”
Yan Yi grabbed his wrist, pulling it in front of him, gently prying it open to reveal a red mark on the tender white palm. It wasn’t serious, just a scratch from the leaves.
The fingers, still dusted with tiny wheat particles, curled up like shy flower buds under the sunlight. Xie Jinning pulled away, punching Yan Yi’s arm.
“Who told you to sneak up and scare me? You’re so annoying.”
Blaming Yan Yi for the cut, Yan Yi calmly defended himself, “I called you.”
Heaven knows the panic that surged in his heart when he turned and saw the spot where Xie Jinning had been standing empty.
His dark eyes were tinged with threads of red, a sharp pain stabbing his mind until he found him, the eerie red quietly fading away.
Xie Jinning’s eyes shifted, “Then you must have called too softly.”
He muttered softly, “Anyway, it’s not my fault.”
“A-Ning.”
“Hmm?”
The man took a step towards him, leaning down, closing the distance until their breaths mingled. Xie Jinning could see his reflection in those deep eyes, as if being swallowed by a bottomless pool.
The back of his head tingled.
“You’re not behaving.”