In order to avoid revealing his wild thoughts, Gou’er quickly spoke to cover up, “I can, I really can. Not just these few crops, I’ve planted many other kinds at home, and I’m already very skilled. You don’t have to worry that I can’t do the work.”
“It’s good that you can…” After all, Qu Qing himself didn’t know how to farm. If neither of them knew, it would be a problem. Now that at least one of them knows how to farm, the farming plan should be able to proceed more smoothly.
Understanding this, he remembered another important question and asked, “Let me test you then. Do you know where our few acres of land are?” In fact, just by looking at the land deed, he only knew that he currently owned three acres of land. While the names of the places were listed, as someone who had just arrived in this world, he had no idea where his three acres were located.
When Gou’er heard that he was going to be tested, he immediately became fully alert and said, “I heard people say that you still have three acres of land. The paddy field is in the river valley, and the remaining two acres of dry land are spread along the mountainside. Those should all be yours. I… didn’t answer wrong, did I?”
Qu Qing nodded but then remembered that he couldn’t be seen, so he vaguely replied, “Hmm, close enough. Since you answered well, let me test you on something else. Tell me the process of rice planting.”
In reality, he was just fishing for information, but the naive Gou’er truly thought he was being tested.
As Gou’er thought, he spoke, “First, you sow the seeds, then cultivate the seedlings. After some time, you transplant the seedlings. Once that’s done, you irrigate, weed, prevent diseases, and control pests. When it’s mature, you can start harvesting.”
Seeing how fluently he answered, Qu Qing confirmed that Gou’er truly understood this. Using the same method, he then learned the planting techniques for potatoes and corn.
Setting aside how practical it might be, on his first day in this world, at the very least, he had learned the most basic theoretical knowledge of farming.
He encountered some confusion during the process, he fully embraced his knack for bluffing, pretending to be a teacher asking questions. He continuously extracted various farming techniques and tips from the innocent big guy next to him.
The two chatted for one or two hours without realizing it, and through this exchange, both of them vaguely felt that their relationship had become a bit closer.
After asking everything he wanted to know, Qu Qing lay flat, staring at the pitch-black thatched roof above, and Gou’er also lay down.
“Gou’er, who gave you and Mao’er your names?” he suddenly, without warning, shifted the conversation to their names.
In the darkness, Gou’er’s eyes flickered for a moment. “It was my father who gave me this name when I was very young. He said a lowly name helps one survive, and that when I grew up, he would give me a better name. But… my father went to war and never came back. Many from the village who went with him also died, so… no one ever brought it up again. I got used to it, and that’s how it stayed. As for Mao’er’s name, I gave it to him. Although it’s not a good name, both Mao’er and I grew up healthy and strong.”
“Really?” Qu Qing sensed a hint of subtle sadness in his tone. “Actually, when I first heard your name, I also thought it sounded a bit strange. If you don’t mind, Mao’er has grown up now, and there’s no need for a lowly name anymore. So, what I mean is, how about I give both of you new names? Since this is a new life, why not leave the past behind and start fresh with new names? So, are you willing to accept the names I give you?”
The names of these two were so difficult to describe that anyone who didn’t know might think Qu Qing was insulting them when he called their names. A few times he tried to speak, but it felt strange. At first, it was hard to bring it up, but now that they had become a bit more familiar, he wanted to change this awkward way of addressing them.
As soon as Gou’er heard this, he immediately sat up straight and exclaimed in delight, “I’m willing, I’m willing! Of course, I’m willing! Can I really have a proper new name?”
Because he was too excited, his voice was a bit loud, and Mao’er next to him let out a discontented grunt. Gou’er hurriedly lay back down and gently coaxed Mao’er to fall asleep again before turning his gaze back to Qu Qing. “Can you really give me and Mao’er a proper new names?”
At first, Qu Qing almost thought he was going to object excitedly, but when he heard Gou’er’s willingness, he immediately started brainstorming name ideas.
“It’s true! I’ve already been thinking about it. Once I come up with some names, I’ll let you hear them and see if you like them. If you don’t like them, I can think of other ones. As long as you’re willing to accept a name change, everything will be easy… Oh, right! What’s your last name? I forgot for a moment.”
“My last name is Hua, and as for Mao’er, he can’t take my last name at home, so he doesn’t have one…”
Qu Qing thought to himself that Mao’er was not the original owner’s child, so he said matter-of-factly, “Mao’er can just take my last name.”
When Qu Qing turned his head to speak to him, he noticed Gou’er’s eyes shining remarkably in the darkness, and his breathing even softened.
“Are… are you serious about what you just said?”
Qu Qing felt that this was just a small matter. He scratched his head, slightly awkward, and interrupted Gou’er, saying, “You don’t have to be so formal. It sounds strange. Let’s just call each other by our names since we’ll be together for a long time. We have a lot to do tomorrow, and it’s late. You should get some sleep.”
Gou’er obediently replied, and in the darkness, he quietly tilted his head to look at Qu Qing’s silhouette. He had a thousand words to say, but in the end, they all remained buried deep in his heart.
In the end, he thought it would be better to prove himself through his actions in the future.
After that, the two of them stopped talking. Drowsiness gradually washed over them, and combined with their fatigue, they fell asleep not long after.
In the middle of the night, Qu Qing suddenly heard a small voice calling for someone, sounding like it was about to cry. Slowly opening his eyes, he became fully awake and realized that it was Mao’er anxiously calling for Gou’er beside him.
“Mao’er, what’s wrong?” Qu Qing sat up straight and gently asked him.
Little Mao’er initially just wanted to get up at night, but no matter how much he called the person beside him, he couldn’t wake him. He became increasingly anxious, fearing that he would wet the bed and upset the adults. From a very young age, he had known that he absolutely must not wet the bed.
When he heard Qu Qing’s voice, he instinctively wanted to hide, but thinking about how anxious he was, along with Qu Qing’s gentle touch on his head during the day and his current lack of anger at being disturbed, he finally mustered the courage to speak. He was already crying from the urgency but couldn’t bring himself to wet the bed: “I… I need to pee.”
Hearing the urgency in his voice, Qu Qing immediately sprang into action as if facing a great enemy. He rolled out of bed, fumbling to slip his feet into his shoes, and quickly picked up Mao’er. With the moonlight coming in through the window, he could at least see something and didn’t feel completely blind.
After solving the little one’s big problem, Qu Qing sighed in relief, thinking how fortunate it was that Mao’er didn’t wet the bed, otherwise, he would have had to wash the blankets for nothing today.
Mao’er nestled in Qu Qing’s arms, wrapping his little hands around him.
Through their interactions during the day and the recent incident, even little Mao’er understood that the adult in this new home not only didn’t dislike him but was actually very kind to him. He couldn’t help but think that being held by his father must feel something like this.
Now four years old, Mao’er had always known that he was a wild child who had been picked up. The person who found him was Gou’er. After he learned to speak, he called Gou’er “dad,” but he was scolded and warned by the family. Later, when he called Gou’er “brother,” he received the same treatment. It was then that he clearly realized that he… was not a part of that family but rather a little abandoned monster.
Little Mao’er thought about these things, suddenly tightening his grip around Qu Qing and leaning his body closely against him. Qu Qing assumed he was scared by the night outside and the occasional howls from beasts coming down from the mountains, so he gently placed one hand on Mao’er’s little head, carefully cradling him in his arms, and softly said, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you. We’ll be back in bed soon. No wolves, tigers, or leopards can get into our house…”
As he spoke, he turned sideways and quickly locked the door tightly. He had never really heard a wolf howl before, which confirmed that there were indeed quite a few wild animals in the area. It seemed that he would have to find a way to solve the bathroom issue in the future, otherwise, getting up at night would feel unsettling.
Carrying little Mao’er back to bed, Qu Qing lifted the quilt and lay down. Mao’er was reluctant to leave Qu Qing’s warm embrace, but to avoid being disliked, he reluctantly released his grip around Qu Qing and quietly reached out to grab the corner of his shirt with one hand while holding onto Gou’er’s palm with the other.
As he felt the lingering chill of winter gradually warming up from the two people beside him on the spring day, Mao’er fell asleep contentedly.
Qu Qing had a dream in which he was troubled by the names for the two of them. He thought to himself that it was the first time he was naming someone, and he couldn’t let the names sound unpleasant.
But what should he call them?
In the dream, he came up with many names but was never satisfied. He searched through various ancient poems and good names until finally, he thought of the perfect ones!
He suddenly opened his eyes wide, but when he woke up, he realized that everything from the dream had completely slipped his mind!?
Qu Qing gazed at the dim light of dawn outside and felt a strange sense of loss. He lay back down, staring at the ceiling, and was troubled as he thought about what good names he had come up with in his dream last night.
After thinking for a long time and still not remembering, he slowly got up and began to get dressed.
Soon, the other two also woke up. Seeing Qu Qing with a solemn expression and furrowed brows early in the morning, both the adult and the child felt a tension in their hearts, becoming cautious in everything they did.
While Qu Qing was outside in the courtyard washing his face, suddenly his expression relaxed, and with a look of joy, he stood up and walked over to the two of them. “I remember!”
The two looked at him with puzzled faces: What did he remember?
“I’ve thought of your names! Zizhou[1]“Hua Zi Zhou” (花子舟) means “flower boat,” symbolizing a journey of growth, beauty, or carrying something precious. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3527584_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3527584_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, that’s a beautiful name, from now on, you’ll be called Hua Zizhou. How about that? As for you,” he looked at Mao’er, “I’ll name you Xin [2]“Xin” (信) in Chinese means “trust,” “faith,” or “credibility.” It emphasizes the importance of honesty, trustworthiness, and keeping one’s word. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3527584_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3527584_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. As the saying goes, ‘A person cannot stand without credibility [3]“A person cannot stand without credibility” means that trustworthiness and integrity are essential for a person’s reputation and success. Without credibility, it is difficult to … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3527584_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3527584_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.’ From now on, you’ll be called Qu Xin. How does that sound?”
The two of them immediately stood frozen in shock.
References[+]