Ji Yuchen had never been to a market before. In his perception, he might have never been to such a place before, so everything felt both novel and unfamiliar.
He first stopped at a paper stall to watch an elderly person doing paper cutting. He was recommended to buy a stack to cut at home for fun, with tutorials in the book. However, Ji Yuchen’s hand was still in a cast, so he couldn’t play with it, and he declined with little interest.
Later, he was drawn to a book stall. Xu Chuang told him to pick whatever he wanted, as the books here were cheap, just a few bucks each. Ji Yuchen chose a collection of essays to pass the time when he was bored. Xu Chuang paid the owner and asked if there was anything else he wanted.
Ji Yuchen felt like a young master from a wealthy family, going out with a bodyguard who not only paid for him but also made sure he was happy.
They bought quite a few things at the market: pastries made of red bean paste, sugar figures blown from maltose, and freshly fried twists. They didn’t buy much in terms of quantity because Xu Chuang didn’t like snacks, and there was no fridge at home, so it was hard to store things.
Ji Yuchen wanted some small trinkets that weren’t very practical. Xu Chuang bought him two long-sleeved shirts for sun protection and two meters of cotton fabric, saying he’d make pajamas for him to sleep comfortably in.
When they returned, they were still carrying large bags, but instead of the morning’s bag of vegetables, they had miscellaneous daily necessities and some fruits and vegetables not available in Qiantang Village. Among them were cherries that Ji Yuchen couldn’t resist, costing eight bucks for a small bag, equivalent to ten pounds of persimmons. But since Ji Yuchen liked them, Xu Chuang bought them for him.
By the time they returned from the market, it was past mealtime. Ji Yuchen wasn’t hungry and just wanted to sleep when he got home. He had woken up too early in the morning, and while Xu Chuang was changing clothes, he fell asleep on the pillow. When he woke up, it was still bright outside.
He found himself wearing his usual sleepwear, with his face and hands clean, not a speck of dust. It seemed Xu Chuang had wiped his face while he was asleep, like a model boyfriend.
Of course, the term “boyfriend” was something Ji Yuchen only muttered in his heart. He didn’t know how Xu Chuang would react if he heard it, whether he’d be scared to death. After all, Xu Chuang was a young man dreaming of a future with a wife and kids by the warm stove. Ji Yuchen decided not to scare him and to take things one step at a time.
He slipped on his slippers and walked to the yard, where he saw Xu Chuang sawing wood. The chair by the grinding table was almost finished, just missing a seat board.
Feeling a bit hungry, Ji Yuchen took the snacks they bought in the morning and started eating, squatting by the grinding table to wake himself up.
Xu Chuang worked quickly, assembling the chair in no time and sanding the rough edges. He said he’d get a bucket of paint tomorrow, and once painted, it would be ready to use.
Ji Yuchen thought it was ready to use now, so he pulled the chair over and sat down. It was stable and just the right height.
While eating the red bean cake, he asked, “Are we still going to pick jasmine? Do we have enough time?”
Xu Chuang looked at the sky and thought they should be back from picking jasmine on the mountain just as it got dark. He saw Ji Yuchen put down the box of red bean cakes and dust off his hands, ready to go.
They took bamboo baskets up the mountain and met villagers coming down, who asked where they were going.
Xu Chuang replied, “Just taking a stroll up there!”
The villagers said, “Going up the mountain at this hour? Come down early; it’s not safe at night…”
Funiu Mountain was a wild mountain, not yet officially developed, with occasional wild animals. Ji Yuchen remembered Xu Chuang mentioning wild boars on the mountain and felt a bit apprehensive. Xu Chuang turned to ask what was wrong, and Ji Yuchen thought about it, deciding he wasn’t afraid with Xu Chuang around.
There was only one path up the mountain, passing through the village entrance and looping in a U-shape into the mountain. The last time Ji Yuchen took this path was the day he first met Xu Chuang, not knowing anything and being carried down. In hindsight, he felt lucky. He was afraid of the dark, and if he had spent the night alone on the mountain, who knows what might have happened. Now, with Xu Chuang taking care of everything, Ji Yuchen felt he had turned misfortune into fortune, gaining a great advantage.
Sometimes, Ji Yuchen felt Xu Chuang wasn’t like a regular person. People weren’t usually that good; being wholeheartedly good to another person was a difficult thing, something Ji Yuchen couldn’t do. But Xu Chuang was simple and straightforward, with his emotions and thoughts written on his face. Ji Yuchen liked how Xu Chuang’s eyes only had him in them, like a loyal, protective large dog. If he had to name a breed, it would probably be a German Shepherd.
Lost in thought, Ji Yuchen slowed down, and Xu Chuang stopped to wait, saying, “If you don’t hurry, it’ll be dark soon.”
Ji Yuchen quickened his pace to walk alongside him, following the path to the mountainside. After turning a corner, a vast field of jasmine flowers appeared before them.
He had never been to this place before; it was in a different direction from where he had his accident last time. Ji Yuchen saw the vast green shrubs dotted with white flowers, swaying like a layered sea of flowers in the breeze, with a faint fragrance in the air.
He couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s so beautiful here. Does someone take care of this place?”
Xu Chuang smiled and shook his head, “No one plants these; they’re wild. They bloom every year, and when they do, the whole village can smell them. It’s quite fragrant.”
He walked into the shrubs, looked at the flowers, and with a fluid motion, plucked a complete jasmine bud by lifting it from the calyx with his fingers.
Ji Yuchen imitated him, watching the round bud fall into his palm, looking quite adorable.
They walked further in, and Xu Chuang told him, “Pick the ones that are just starting to bloom; they have a stronger fragrance. You can dry them and use them as medicine.”
Ji Yuchen thought Xu Chuang knew a lot and casually asked, “Does Aunt Wang also make herbal medicine?”
Xu Chuang chuckled, “I heard from my mom when I was little. They used to go up the mountain to gather herbs and make some herbal powders and ointments. Our family was like a half herbal medicine shop.”
Xu Chuang spoke of the past with no emotional fluctuations, his tone calm, so Ji Yuchen didn’t avoid the topic and continued the conversation.
“Did your uncle and aunt run a herbal medicine business before?”
Xu Chuang replied, “Sort of. I heard our ancestors were doctors and ran a medical clinic.”
Such old-fashioned terms were rare these days, and Ji Yuchen found it refreshing, so he asked, “Then why didn’t you go into this line of work? Follow in your father’s footsteps.”
Xu Chuang said, “I was playful as a kid and didn’t learn properly. By the time I wanted to learn, it was too late…”
He lowered his head to pick jasmine, his eyes downcast, making it hard to see his expression. Ji Yuchen felt a bit awkward and changed the subject to something else.
They had brought two bamboo baskets, one for each of them. Ji Yuchen picked slowly, and by the time Xu Chuang had filled a basket, he had just covered the bottom and started to speed up.
He wasn’t with Xu Chuang, following the field ridge deeper in. When he looked up, he found himself surrounded by a vast field of jasmine flowers, with no one else in sight.
The sky in the mountains was already starting to darken, the tree canopy blocking the sunlight, turning the surroundings into a cool blue. Ji Yuchen felt a bit panicked and wanted to call Xu Chuang’s name.
He turned around in a panic, and there was Xu Chuang standing right in front of him, placing something on his head.
Ji Yuchen almost cried, loudly complaining, “Where did you go! You didn’t even say a word! You scared me to death!…”
Xu Chuang blinked in confusion, not understanding why the little guy was so angry. He had been standing nearby the whole time, never more than a few meters away, but Ji Yuchen had his back to him and didn’t see him.
The little fox’s eyes shimmered with tears, and he turned his head to blink hard, trying to hold back the tears. Xu Chuang hurriedly explained, saying he had been nearby the whole time and never went far.
He cupped Jiu’er’s small face, seeing the slightly upturned eyes with a hint of red, the setting sun making his complexion even fairer, like a piece of soft tofu in his hands.
Xu Chuang said, “Jiu’er, don’t cry. It’s all my fault. From now on, if I’m not behind you, I’ll make sure to stand where you can see me, so you’re not alone, okay?”
The man’s expression was serious and sincere. Ji Yuchen sniffed, stubbornly muttering, “Who’s crying…”
He turned his head to wipe his face, temporarily calming his emotions. He remembered that Xu Chuang had put something on his head earlier, so he reached up to touch it.
Ji Yuchen moved cautiously, probing the unknown, afraid of breaking something. Xu Chuang took his hand, saying he’d show him in the mirror.
Of course, there was no mirror on the mountain, so Xu Chuang used the front camera of his phone to show him. The image on the screen wasn’t very clear, with a few cracks on the screen, but Ji Yuchen’s face was beautiful, and the jasmine flower crown on his head, with its green and white contrast, made him look like an angel fallen to earth.
When the shutter clicked, the phone made a “click” sound effect. Ji Yuchen frowned and tried to grab it, complaining, “Why didn’t you say you were taking a picture! I didn’t even pose! Let me see!”
Xu Chuang held the phone above his head, out of Ji Yuchen’s reach, so he turned away in anger, ignoring whatever Xu Chuang said.
He actually thought the flower crown was beautiful, prettier than the bracelet Xiang Chun wore, especially since Xu Chuang made it himself, making it very meaningful. So, he wasn’t really angry. But Xu Chuang didn’t know that, and seeing Ji Yuchen ignoring him, he thought he had done something terribly wrong, so he handed the phone over, promising to delete it if he wasn’t satisfied.
Ji Yuchen looked at the photo. It wasn’t ugly, but his expression was a bit silly. He clicked delete, and seeing Xu Chuang’s disappointed expression, he turned around, tidied his hair, and took a proper photo, then tossed the phone back.
“Keep this one~”
They descended the mountain before dark, passing a pond filled with lotus leaves, with budding flowers standing tall among them. Ji Yuchen curiously asked, “Why is there a lotus pond here?”
Xu Chuang explained, “This is the ‘Qiantang’ of ‘Qiantang Village.’ It used to be several times larger when there was more water, and there were fish in it. But now it’s just this, and not many people come here.”
According to Xu Chuang, Qiantang Village got its name from this pond in front of Funiu Mountain, and there were no sibling names like Houtang Village. Ji Yuchen felt he was gradually getting to know this land, this village, and this person. Xu Chuang always made him want to know more, which was amazing. Ji Yuchen felt like he was really falling for him.
They returned home from the mountain, thinking it wasn’t appropriate to visit at this time, as it seemed like they were going to mooch a meal. Ji Yuchen wasn’t hungry after the afternoon snacks, and Xu Chuang made a bowl of noodles, saying he’d make a late-night snack if Ji Yuchen got hungry later.
Not knowing Aunt Wang’s habits with flowers, they didn’t want to delay, so Ji Yuchen thought it was best to deliver them while fresh.
After dinner, Xu Chuang took the basket, and Ji Yuchen carried the washed glass cabinet to Aunt Wang’s house.
Both elders were home, and they invited them in for a chat. Uncle Wang’s house had a TV, and a drama was playing, set in a historical era. Ji Yuchen watched intently, and after Xu Chuang put down the things, they chatted with the elders for a while before reluctantly leaving the TV.
On the way home, Ji Yuchen asked Xu Chuang, “How much does a TV cost? Is it expensive?”
Xu Chuang estimated a number, and Ji Yuchen calculated that based on the money they made from selling vegetables today, it was indeed expensive and seemed unrealistic.
He kicked small stones as they walked home, and Xu Chuang asked, “Do you like watching TV?”
Ji Yuchen replied flatly, “Not really like, just something to pass the time when I’m bored. It’s better than sitting around doing nothing. When you’re not home, I often have nothing to do and get quite bored…”
He usually spent time with Xu Chuang, and they laughed and talked, making time fly. But when Xu Chuang went to work, he couldn’t take Ji Yuchen with him, and Ji Yuchen didn’t want to go to the pig farm. He wanted to go to the market with Xu Chuang today to see if there was anything fun to pass the time, so he bought a collection of essays to read when bored. But now that he had seen a TV, he thought it was better, more interesting than reading.
He was calculating in his mind how to save money for a TV, as well as a fridge and a fan. Although Xu Chuang’s home wasn’t bare, it was indeed simple, far from the village chief’s house. Ji Yuchen was pondering ways to make money but hadn’t thought of a way yet.
In the following days, Xu Chuang was either working in the fields or at the pig farm, and Ji Yuchen mostly followed him. Xu Chuang was worried about him getting sunburned, so he made him wear long sleeves and a sun hat, which he wasn’t allowed to take off. This made Ji Yuchen sweat every day and unable to sleep at night, and he ended up with a heat rash in the middle of summer.
One day, after taking a bath, Ji Yuchen looked at his back in the mirror. His thin skin was red, dotted like an allergic reaction. Xu Chuang came in from the yard to get clothes for a bath, and Ji Yuchen moved his shoulders uncomfortably. Xu Chuang asked what was wrong, and Ji Yuchen shook his head, pretending nothing was wrong.
He didn’t want to tell Xu Chuang, as it would make him seem troublesome, always getting sunburned or heat rash, not knowing why he had so many issues. But the itch on his back wouldn’t stop, and Ji Yuchen lay in bed feeling a bit of pain, squirming around.
He slept between Xu Chuang and the wall by the window, not much space, so Xu Chuang could feel it. Xu Chuang sat up, turned on the light, and asked what was going on.
Ji Yuchen mumbled, “My back is a bit itchy, seems like I have a heat rash…”
Xu Chuang pulled him over to lie on his lap, Ji Yuchen facing the ground, feeling his back’s clothes being lifted. Xu Chuang said, “Let me see…”
[Author’s Note]
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