He was far too thin!
Chu Mo’s fingers curled slightly. The skin around his eyes grew hot, and a flush crept over it. His vision blurred again.
Was that Chu Yuechuan?
When the man turned, Chu Mo rubbed his eyes and confirmed it. It was Chu Yuechuan!
Chu Yuechuan, before his leg had been injured!
Compared to the gentle, taciturn man from Chu Mo’s past life, who’d carried a deep, brooding air, this Chu Yuechuan was young and unpolished. His ragged clothes couldn’t hide his sharpness or vitality.
His hair was a little long, and stubble covered his face. His narrow, single-lidded eyes lowered to Chu Mo, making him look fierce and unapproachable, like a cocklebur bristling with spikes.
Chu Mo had never seen Chu Yuechuan like this.
He wanted to smile, but the skin around his eyes was so hot he felt like crying.
“Hand it over! Who taught you to take things from strangers?” Chu Yuechuan glanced at Chu Mo, then smacked Chu Yueqing on the back of the head.
Chu Yueqing staggered, looking thoroughly unwilling. But cowed by his big brother’s authority, he still handed Chu Yuechuan the candy he hadn’t even had time to warm in his hands. The one in his mouth, though, he bit down on with all his might and swallowed.
“What a little glutton.” Chu Yuechuan scowled and smacked the back of Chu Yueqing’s head again.
Chu Mo’s eyes went wide. Chu Yuechuan, who had never so much as raised a finger against him and had always been gentle and patient, was treating his second older brother like this? No, treating Chu Yueqing like this?
Before Chu Mo could react, Chu Yuechuan held out the few candies he’d taken, along with a crumpled ten-cent note.
“Here. I’ll pay you a dime for the one he ate.”
Chu Mo came back to himself and waved his hand to say he didn’t want the money. The candy was for them.
Chu Yuechuan’s brows knitted together. His eyes were cold. Without giving Chu Mo a choice, he thrust the money and candy toward him and let go, forcing Chu Mo to catch them.
Chu Mo started to reach for his notebook, but Chu Yuechuan was already grabbing Chu Yueqing and turning to leave.
In a panic, Chu Mo shoved the things into his pocket and tried to follow. His legs gave out, and he pitched forward.
Off balance and already exhausted, with his legs weak and aching, Chu Mo could only grab Chu Yuechuan to steady himself.
Someone had suddenly wrapped their arms around him. Even through his padded clothes, Chu Yuechuan could feel how soft and boneless the person seemed.
Chu Yuechuan was about to push him away, but then he saw the white mask covering most of the stranger’s face. A pair of beautiful eyes, like pools filled to the brim with spring water, gazed at him. They were red-rimmed and full of hurt.
At the same time, a fresh, pleasant scent drifted into Chu Yuechuan’s nose.
Chu Yuechuan paused. He’d been about to shove Chu Mo away, but instead he caught hold of the back of Chu Mo’s collar and moved him aside.
Compared with Chu Mo’s weight and strength, Chu Yuechuan’s grip was too strong. It tightened around Chu Mo’s neck, making him uncomfortable, and forced him away.
Chu Mo looked at Chu Yuechuan with a wounded expression. He realized that this wasn’t the Chu Yuechuan from his past life, who had treasured him like the apple of his eye.
To Chu Yuechuan now, he was just a stranger.
Chu Yuechuan was about to leave again when Chu Mo caught hold of the hem of his shirt.
Chu Yuechuan scowled and reached down to tug his shirt free.
The fabric tore, and Chu Mo had no choice but to let go.
This cloth was so flimsy.
As Chu Mo reached for his notebook, Zhong Maosong came over with the ox cart.
“Chuanzi, this kid’s a new educated youth. He says he’s some distant relative of yours, and he’s got the Chu surname too. He’s supposed to stay at your place. The educated youth quarters are full anyway, so take him home with you.” Zhong Maosong looked from Chu Mo to Chu Yuechuan.
Zhong Maosong believed Chu Mo when he said they were relatives. Chu Mo looked like a good, well-behaved kid, and his eyes were so clear. Besides, they had the same surname. Chu Mo knew Chu Yuechuan’s full name, and hadn’t he recognized him the moment he saw him?
Still, why did Chu Mo look so wounded, like a young wife who’d been let down by Chu Yuechuan?
Chu Yuechuan glanced at Chu Mo, his expression faltering.
“What distant relative? My family doesn’t have…” Chu Yuechuan began, then remembered something and stopped. He looked at Chu Mo.
Chu Mo gazed up at Chu Yuechuan with beautiful, watery eyes that seemed to speak. He nodded again and again, agreeing with Zhong Maosong.
Chu Yuechuan took it to mean something else entirely.
Chu Mo quickly wrote a line.
“Brother, my name is Chu Mo. You can call me Momo. From now on, I’ll call you my brother, and you’ll be my brother. I brought my own grain ration and bedding. I won’t be a burden. I have nowhere else to go. Please, I’m begging you, let me stay.”
When he’d finished, Chu Mo tugged at Chu Yuechuan’s arm to get him to look at what he’d written.
Chu Yuechuan’s sleeves were rolled above his elbows. When Chu Mo tugged at him, he felt Chu Mo’s cool, soft fingers brush his skin. Chu Yuechuan jerked away as if shocked, then looked down at the words.
The silent words, together with Chu Mo’s pitiful, pleading expression, made Chu Yuechuan’s face change. He seemed a little uncomfortable and turned his gaze away.
“Chuanzi, this kid can’t hear well and can’t speak either. Poor thing. And he’s your relative, so take him in and look after him. Anyway, you’re here, so take the ox cart back. Bring it to my place later.” Zhong Maosong handed Chu Yuechuan the reins as he spoke.
Chu Yuechuan was forced to take them. His whole body went stiff, as if someone had pressed a pressure point.
“You go home with Chuanzi, kid. If anything comes up, come find me.” Zhong Maosong gave Chu Mo a few more instructions before leaving.
Chu Mo walked over to Chu Yuechuan. He’d deliberately written the word “Brother” extra large, filling the whole page, and held it up for Chu Yuechuan to see.
Chu Yuechuan looked at the huge “Brother” on the page, then at Chu Mo’s smiling eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched awkwardly.
“Brother, let’s go home!” Chu Mo flipped to the next page for Chu Yuechuan to read, then reached out to tug him along.
Chu Yuechuan dodged his hand. When Chu Mo’s eyes stopped smiling and widened at him, Chu Yuechuan grew uncomfortable again. He pointed toward the ox cart.
“Get on. We’re going!” he said sternly.
Chu Mo nodded quickly and climbed onto the cart. He really couldn’t walk any farther. Chu Yuechuan’s home was probably still two li away.
Chu Yueqing nimbly scrambled up onto the cart too.
By now, Chu Yueqing felt a strange fondness for Chu Mo and stared at him with wide eyes.
Chu Mo had the prettiest eyes Chu Yueqing had ever seen.
Chu Mo glanced at Chu Yuechuan, who was leading the ox, then carefully unwrapped a candy and slipped it into Chu Yueqing’s mouth. Yueqing’s eyes darted about. He glanced at Chu Yuechuan’s back and covered his mouth, afraid he’d be caught.
The two of them were like a pair of thieves.
Chu Mo smiled, feeling happy. He glanced at Chu Yuechuan, then continued picking cockleburs out of Chu Yueqing’s hair.
Chu Yuechuan, meanwhile, was too distracted to notice what was happening behind him.
He remembered a letter his grandfather had received not long ago. In it, his grandfather’s old war comrade had said that his family had fallen on hard times and that he wanted to send his only granddaughter to the Chu family, to become Chu Yuechuan’s wife. That way, she could escape the persecution, and her class background could be tied to the Chu family’s.
Because the man’s identity was sensitive and his family background was problematic, he said he would find a way to send his granddaughter to stay with the Chu family as a distant relative. Once she arrived, they could register their marriage. He’d also said she was sheltered and had just been through a terrible ordeal. Since the girl’s elders couldn’t come themselves, he asked the Chu family to be patient with her.
Back when Chu Yuechuan’s grandfather and his old war comrade had been close, they’d talked about arranging a childhood betrothal. But both of them had sons, so they’d agreed that their grandchildren could marry instead.
Later, the other family prospered and moved to a big city, while Chu Yuechuan’s grandfather returned from the army in poor health and his family declined. The matter was never brought up again, and the two families were rarely in touch.
Chu Yuechuan hadn’t expected that, now that the other family had fallen on hard times and their granddaughter had no one to rely on, they would get in touch and want to marry her off to him.
Chu Yuechuan’s grandfather was delighted. For the past few days, he’d been urging Chu Yuechuan to get the house ready to welcome his “grandson’s wife.”
His grandfather wasn’t in good health, and Chu Yuechuan couldn’t explain it to him clearly. He gave a vague answer and hastily tidied up a room to humor him.
Chu Yuechuan had assumed the other family might just be saying it. Their granddaughter had grown up spoiled in a big city, in such a good family. However down on their luck they were, they wouldn’t come all the way to a poor, remote place like this.
He hadn’t expected her to actually show up!
The person sitting behind him on the ox cart had a pair of lovely, delicate eyes. Their body was soft and pliant, and they smelled good. The skin showing was as smooth and fine as a peeled egg.
Taohuagou was short on water. Most people here were rough, and might go ten days or half a month without bathing. Usually, they didn’t smell great.
Only a sheltered girl from a big city could be like that.
She’d said she was some distant relative of the Chu family. She’d tried to ingratiate herself with Chu Yueqing at first sight, then thrown herself into Chu Yuechuan’s arms when she saw him. When he pushed her away, she’d looked so wronged, as if she’d been abandoned.
Everything matched the betrothed he’d never met.
The letter hadn’t mentioned that she was deaf and mute. He didn’t know whether it was because of some upheaval in her family or something else. She did seem pitiable now, and perhaps that was one reason she was willing to marry him.
Chu Yuechuan had a headache.
Whatever her condition, Chu Yuechuan refused to accept an arranged marriage.
If she had nowhere else to turn, he could help look after her.
There was no need to get married.
When they got back, he’d have to make that clear to her.