Zhou Chong stopped in his tracks.
As everyone knows, some things are done on impulse, but it’s hard to summon that impulse a second time.
Shan Qingshan: “I haven’t learned this English word before. Based on the pronunciation, it should be g, a, y? What does it mean?”
Zhou Chong felt like he had shot himself in the foot.
“It means virgin.”
Shan Qingshan pulled a small notebook out of his pocket to write it down.
Zhou Chong was horrified and quickly covered it with his hand.
“Let’s… not write this one down, shall we?”
[Virgin? Do you even hear what you’re saying?]
[You had the guts to say it, but do you have the guts to let go now?]
[The Ministry of Education is adding this word to the exam syllabus overnight]
[Don’t be a coward, let him write it! Let him write it! I can’t wait to see the day little Qingshan learns the real meaning!]
[I want to see that too! Someone go tell him!]
[Such a studious baby, carrying a vocabulary notebook everywhere! Must be a top student, right? But you really shouldn’t write this one down, hahaha]
…
Zhou Chong and Shan Qingshan walked to the front door of the house.
An elderly woman with silver hair stood there, leaning against the doorframe.
“Little treasure, did you go on TV?”
Shan Qingshan hurried forward to support his grandmother. “Grandma, why are you out of bed?”
“Who’s that young man behind you?”
Zhou Chong stepped forward. “Hello, Grandma. I’m Zhou Chong, arranged by the production team to stay at your home.”
“Staying at our place? That’s putting you out.”
“Not at all. I think it’s great here. No need to set up a separate bed for me—I can squeeze in with little Qingshan.”
Grandma keenly caught the words “little Qingshan.”
She smiled. “It’s good to have friends. I’ve been a burden to you—you don’t even have a single friend here.”
“Don’t say that, Grandma. Let me help you back to rest.”
Grandma shuffled inside, trembling. “It’s cold out. Put on an extra layer or two.”
“I know.”
Shan Qingshan helped Grandma into her room and got her settled in bed before bringing Zhou Chong inside.
The house was shabby, but everything was in order—clean and tidy.
There were even flowers in Grandma’s room, unknown varieties, placed in a vase, blooming in that rundown little house like they had struggled to grow from cracks in stone—full of vitality.
Grandma looked unwell, her body frail.
Everything in the household was managed by little Qingshan.
Zhou Chong guessed that in his past life, Qingshan had signed with an entertainment company, and in this life, he had agreed to the show recording—all for Grandma’s health.
Zhou Chong had never seen Grandma before.
She must have passed away before he ever met Qingshan.
Zhou Chong looked at Shan Qingshan.
He was bent over, speaking softly to Grandma, his features gentle.
Such a thin little frame, holding up this entire household.
He wanted to pack little Qingshan into the car right now, take Grandma along, and head to the big city for a better life! No more suffering here!
But little Qingshan didn’t know him well yet—he definitely wouldn’t accept that.
Bringing it up the moment he walked in would be too presumptuous.
Wait a little longer.
Now that he was here, he wouldn’t let little Qingshan suffer anymore.
It wasn’t until Zhou Chong entered Shan Qingshan’s room that he understood what “put on an extra layer or two” meant.
On the bed were just two quilts, with an old military coat piled on top.
They didn’t have enough blankets.
Zhou Chong felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to cry again.
His heart ached.
Shan Qingshan was completely oblivious. “You’ll sleep with me tonight. Did you bring a pillow? I don’t have an extra one.”
“I brought one.”
Zhou Chong was afraid Shan Qingshan would see his reddened eyes, so he quickly ran out, dragged the luggage off the cart, wiped his eyes with his arm in a swift motion, crouched down to unzip the duffel bag, and pulled out two quilts and three pillows.
Zhou Chong: “It’s not that I’m disgusted by this place.”” It’s that I want to give you something better.
Zhou Chong lied, “I’m prone to allergies.”
Shan Qingshan: “Did you bring bedsheets?”
“No.”
“Since you brought quilts, we’ll sleep separately tonight.”
Zhou Chong immediately said, “No!”
Shan Qingshan looked at him.
Zhou Chong: “…”
In his past life, he’d been chased into the next room by Qingshan Xiaobao, and it had become a conditioned reflex.
Zhou Chong explained, “This one’s down-filled. If you layer a cotton quilt on top, it’ll be extra warm. I’ll give one to Grandma, and we can share the remaining one.”
Mentioning Grandma was the way to get Shan Qingshan on board.
He nodded.
When Grandma received the new quilt, she thanked Zhou Chong again and again.
Zhou Chong felt a mix of emotions.
Shan Qingshan asked what he wanted to eat, and Zhou Chong said noodles.
Shan Qingshan cooked him a bowl of noodles with two eggs.
It was a rustic earthen stove with a big wok, and Zhou Chong couldn’t help out, so he could only contribute flattery from the sidelines.
The moment the noodles were set on the table, Zhou Chong couldn’t help his eyes welling up, tears threatening to fall.
Afraid of being seen, he quickly buried his head in the noodles.
Shan Qingshan was a bit startled. “No one’s going to snatch it from you.”
“I’m hungry.” Zhou Chong paused, his voice slightly trembling. “Yours just tastes better.”
Shan Qingshan didn’t notice the tremor in his voice, only thinking Zhou Chong was a starving ghost reincarnated.
“Enough to eat?”
“Enough.”
Shan Qingshan: “Don’t call me Qingshan Xiaobao anymore.”
He had no idea where that nickname came from.
“Why?”
“We’re not that familiar.”
Zhou Chong looked up and smiled at him. “Then I can call you that tomorrow, right?”
Tomorrow we’ll be familiar.
“Whatever you want.”
After finishing the noodles, Zhou Chong took the initiative to wash the dishes. It took him quite a while to get them clean.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Shan Qingshan chopping vegetables at an old stove outside.
Sleeves rolled up, his fair, slender wrist exposed to the cold wind, with a scraped scab already forming on it.
Zhou Chong walked over. “Let me help.”
“You don’t know how.”
Zhou Chong: “I can learn. What’s this for?”
“Feeding the pigs.”
“Pigs? The New Year pig? I saw online that a lot of places have the custom of slaughtering a pig for the New Year.”
Shan Qingshan was so small-framed, his wrists so thin, and he had farm work at home and pigs to feed.
So hard.
Shan Qingshan paused slightly in his chopping, didn’t answer, and handed Zhou Chong another knife. The two of them chopped vegetables around the earthen stove. With an extra person, it went much faster.
After chopping, Zhou Chong took the initiative to carry the vegetable bucket.
Shan Qingshan stopped him. “You can’t lift it.”
“I lift weights every day. This little bit of vegetables…”
Zhou Chong gave it a try.
The bucket trembled slightly, as if in deference.
Zhou Chong questioned his existence.
No way. Let him try again.
This time he lifted it, but only managed two steps.
Shan Qingshan pushed him aside and carried it away with one easy heave.
Zhou Chong stood there, a mess of emotions, wanting to cry again. He steadied himself and muttered a low curse at himself. “Useless!”
Then he quickly caught up to help feed the pigs.
The man who’d been so talkative just moments ago was now silent.
After feeding the pigs, Shan Qingshan walked off with the empty bucket.
Zhou Chong’s lips moved, as if to say something, but in the end he swallowed the words and jogged a few steps to catch up, taking the empty bucket from Shan Qingshan.
“I can’t carry it when it’s too full, but I can make two trips.”
Shan Qingshan turned his head to look at him, then after a moment, withdrew his gaze and gave a very soft “mm” in acknowledgment.
After feeding the pigs, Shan Qingshan went to heat up water, wash his face, and soak his feet.
Zhou Chong helped on the side.
Once everything was tidied up, Shan Qingshan stood by the bed and asked him.
“Do you want to sleep on the inside or the outside?”
The electric light was dim and yellow, and textbooks were still spread out on the table.
Zhou Chong’s heartache spilled out from his reddened eyes.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He quietly added in his heart, “Wife.”
Shan Qingshan: Of all the moments I’ve walked through alone, this is the first time someone other than Grandma has said to me, “You’ve worked hard.”