Zhao Muyan carried a shoulder pole, delivering water to each group.
When he reached the second group’s area, he happened to see Jiang Nian nearly lose her footing, only for Lu Zhiheng to reach out and steady her.
Jiang Nian leaned lightly against his arm, smiling gently.
Zhao Muyan paused mid-step.
Then he set down the pole and called out, “Water break!”
Jiang Nian looked up, saw him, and waved with a smile. “Thanks, Brother Muyan.”
Zhao Muyan gave a quiet “Mm” and handed her the water.
She passed it along to Lu Zhiheng. “President Lu, water.”
He accepted it. “Thank you.”
Zhao Muyan watched the exchange in silence.
Then he lifted the pole again and continued on to the next group.
Zhou Yichen’s voice could be heard from far away.
He was practically losing his mind.
“Sister Liu! Why won’t this seedling go in!”
Liu Yinuo was laughing so hard she could barely stand. “Use more force!”
Zhou Yichen pushed harder, and the seedling snapped in half.
Liu Yinuo: “…”
He stared at the broken half in his hand, on the verge of tears.
She sighed. “Watch me. Like this—”
She demonstrated once.
Zhou Yichen copied her movements and finally managed to plant one.
“I did it! It’s in!”
Liu Yinuo pressed a hand to her forehead. “It’s just one seedling. Is it really that exciting?”
“Of course it is! This is the first seedling of my life!”
After finishing a row, Su Qinghe straightened up and stretched.
Almost unconsciously, she glanced toward the second group.
Lu Zhiheng and Jiang Nian were standing quite close.
Jiang Nian seemed to be saying something, smiling gently, while Lu Zhiheng kept his head lowered, occasionally nodding.
Then, as if sensing something, Lu Zhiheng looked in Su Qinghe’s direction.
Their gazes met briefly.
Su Qinghe looked away and returned to planting.
From beside her, Shen Ci asked, “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” Shen Ci followed her earlier line of sight, his expression thoughtful.
He smiled faintly but said nothing.
By noon, the sun was high in the sky.
Zhou Yichen came over carrying a shoulder pole again, this time delivering food.
“Lunch time! I’ve brought food for everyone!”
They climbed out of the field and rinsed the mud off their legs by the water’s edge.
After washing up, Su Qinghe sat on the ridge and accepted a steamed bun from Zhou Yichen.
Shen Ci sat down beside her.
Not far away, Lu Zhiheng and Jiang Nian sat on another ridge.
Jiang Nian smiled as she handed him a bottle of water, and he accepted it.
Su Qinghe lowered her head and took a bite of her bun.
Shen Ci suddenly asked, “Did you and Lu Zhiheng know each other before?”
She paused. “We… know each other, but not very well.”
He nodded. “I see.”
He did not ask further.
Su Qinghe continued eating, but she noticed her gaze drifting in that direction again and again.
The afternoon was spent continuing the planting.
Su Qinghe and Shen Ci grew more and more in sync.
They even started competing to see who could plant faster.
“I’ll definitely beat you,” Shen Ci said.
“Not necessarily.”
Both of them bent down and worked quickly, neither speaking.
When Liu Yinuo passed by and saw them, she laughed. “What are you two doing? Competing?”
“Yes. Loser does the dishes tomorrow,” Su Qinghe replied without looking up.
“Alright, I’ll be the judge,” Liu Yinuo said with a grin.
In the end, Shen Ci won by just a little.
Su Qinghe protested, “You cheated!”
“I did not.”
“You must have planted an extra row when I wasn’t looking!”
“You’re just slow and blaming me for it.”
While they were bickering, Lu Zhiheng happened to come over to get some water.
He glanced at Su Qinghe, then at Shen Ci.
Shen Ci was smiling as he said something to her, and she laughed in response.
They looked… quite at ease with each other.
Lu Zhiheng withdrew his gaze, picked up the water, and left.
By the time the sun began to set, all the groups had finished their tasks.
Master Chen came to inspect and nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad, not bad. All of you did well.”
Zhou Yichen collapsed onto the ridge, exhausted. “I never want to see rice seedlings again…”
Liu Yinuo nudged him with her foot. “Get up. Let’s go back and wash up.”
“Let me lie here a little longer…”
Shen Ci and Su Qinghe watched him, both laughing helplessly.
The setting sun dyed the entire paddy field in shades of gold and red.
Su Qinghe and Shen Ci sat side by side on the ridge, watching the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. A cool breeze carried the scent of soil and grass, mixed with the faint, distinctive smell of the water fields.
Su Qinghe sat quietly, gazing at the sunset.
Shen Ci sat beside her and handed her a bottle of water.
She took it and drank. “I’m exhausted.”
“You’ve got good stamina,” he said with a smile.
“Of course. I didn’t say I’m ‘good at work’ for nothing.”
They exchanged a smile.
Su Qinghe turned her head and looked into the distance.
Lu Zhiheng stood on another ridge, backlit by the sunset, his expression unreadable.
Jiang Nian walked up behind him, smiling as she said something. He nodded, and the two of them headed back together.
Su Qinghe looked away.
At that moment, her gaze caught something in another direction.
A lone figure stood by the edge of the field, far from the others.
It was Zhao Muyan.
He still held the bamboo basket he used for delivering water, standing motionless as if rooted to the spot.
His gaze was fixed on the distance—on the direction where Jiang Nian and Lu Zhiheng had just disappeared.
Su Qinghe paused. She thought back to what had happened throughout the day.
Zhao Muyan had been in charge of logistics, carrying water and food to each group again and again. Every time he reached the second group, he lingered a little longer.
Every time Jiang Nian smiled at Lu Zhiheng, his expression dimmed slightly.
He had been watching her.
All along. But Jiang Nian had never once looked back.
Su Qinghe recalled Zhao Muyan’s role in the original novel—a background character who liked Jiang Nian but had no real storyline. His feelings were nothing more than a faint outline in the background, unnoticed and unacknowledged.
And now, that lonely figure before her was that same background presence.
A trace of discomfort stirred in her chest.
She stood up.
Shen Ci looked up at her. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back.”
She walked toward Zhao Muyan.
He stood there, watching as Jiang Nian and Lu Zhiheng’s figures disappeared around the bend in the village road.
He knew he should not feel this way.
They were just temporary partners, nothing more than having cooked together once. Her smiles were simply politeness. It was only natural for her to be paired with someone else.
But his chest still felt tight.
He remembered how Jiang Nian had stood beside Lu Zhiheng while he delivered water, smiling so gently.
She had never smiled at him like that.
Then again, what was he, really?
Just a small-time actor who had only recently gained a bit of attention, who could cook a few dishes and not much else.
And Lu Zhiheng?
The heir of Beijing’s elite circle, the one in control of the Lu family hotels, handsome, wealthy, powerful.
Anyone would know who to choose.
Zhao Muyan let out a bitter laugh and lowered his head.
It felt as though he had never truly been seen.
Not once. Just then, footsteps approached from behind.
“Why are you standing here? We’re done for the day. Let’s head back.”
A familiar voice. Zhao Muyan turned around.
Su Qinghe stood a couple of steps behind him, holding a bottle of water, a smile on her face.
The setting sun cast a warm glow around her silhouette.
“Here,” she said, handing him the water. “You’ve been busy all day. I bet you didn’t even get a chance to drink any.”
He froze for a moment, then took it. “Thanks.”
She stood beside him and glanced in the direction he had been looking.
The road was empty now. She did not ask what he had been watching.
She simply said, “Let’s go! It’s getting dark.”
Zhao Muyan held the bottle and looked at her.
She was smiling, her eyes slightly curved, her expression sincere.
He knew she was trying to comfort him.
And somehow, the heaviness in his chest eased.
“Alright,” he said.
Shen Ci, Liu Yinuo, and Zhou Yichen were already walking toward them.
Once they regrouped, they all headed back toward the courtyard together.