Chapter 38 ☆ Listen to you (Part 1)

The style of the bed was very old, and the edge of the bed was shimmering with a layer of dark and oily light, and you could feel the texture of the annual rings when you touched it. Cheng Yaoyao’s heart trembled as she touched it carefully with her fingertips. She knew it was the best golden nanmu ^[1]a type of precious wood. but it was dark in color due to its age, making it look like an ordinary piece of wood. She wondered how many years it had taken to reach its current quality.

Cheng Yaoyao’s father once bought a small piece of it at an auction, which cost him half a million yuan. She wondered how much such a large bed would be worth in the future.

Cheng Yaoyao’s heart was pounding. She thought that those who had confiscated the house didn’t know the true value of the bed; otherwise, they would have moved it away long ago.

“Sister, do you think this bed is ugly? It was originally where my brother slept.” Xie Fei looked at Cheng Yaoyao with some concern.

Cheng Yaoyao came back to her senses: “No, this bed looks pretty sturdy. You said this bed originally belonged to your brother? This room wouldn’t also be…”

“Yeah.” Xie Fei admitted, “This was originally my brother’s room. It’s the most spacious room with the best light. Don’t worry, my brother cleaned it up all night yesterday and made it very clean. Look, the spider webs on the roof have been wiped clean.”

The image of Xie San working late into the night to clean the room appeared before Cheng Yaoyao, and she burst out laughing.

Xie Fei looked at her with blushing cheeks: “Sister, you look so beautiful when you smile.”

“Your little mouth is so sweet.” Cheng Yaoyao chuckled, reached out, and pinched Xie Fei’s little face, and added in her heart: I wish your brother’s mouth was half as sweet as yours.

Xie San’s hands are really skillful. The mat woven with white reeds is soft and fine and feels cool to the touch.

Xie Fei explained: “My brother said that the bamboo mat is too hard and he is afraid that it will cut you. This white reed grass is soft and comfortable, and you won’t sweat when you sleep in the summer.”

Cheng Yaoyao had a small quilt with a pink background and white flowers, which she spread on the bed board and then put a mat on top of it. The small pink quilt and small bamboo were placed on the bed, which was very inconsistent with the simple and masculine big bed, yet there was a strange harmony between them.

Cheng Yaoyao’s small rattan box was placed on the ground nearby. Xie Fei nervously added, “We don’t have enough furniture at home. My brother said that when he’s done with his work, he’ll find some wood to make two boxes and a wardrobe for you.”

As Xie Fei spoke, she twisted her fingers together tightly. Cheng Yaoyao noticed that she made such a habitual little movement when she felt inferior, and her heart softened: “It doesn’t matter. This room is already very good; I like it very much.”

Cheng Yaoyao looked around and saw a small ceramic jar on the table with a bunch of pink crabapple flowers in it filled with clean water.

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes lit up, and she deliberately praised: “This flower is so beautiful. Did your brother arrange it?”

Xie Fei’s face suddenly lit up, and her cheeks flushed with excitement: “It’s me. There is a large patch of crabapple flowers in front of our house, and I am the one who waters them.”

“You are so thoughtful. The flowers are arranged very uniquely, and the colors are beautiful.” Cheng Yaoyao praised Xie Fei, “I heard that you can also sew clothes. Are you good at sewing?”

Xie Fei looked up in surprise: “How did you know?”

“…” Cheng Yaoyao thought to herself that it was bad; she had let it slip. This was written in the original book, but it hadn’t happened yet.

Fortunately, Xie Fei found an excuse for her: “Did my brother tell you? The coat my brother is wearing today was also made by me. But Grandma said that I didn’t make it well, and the stitches were not fine enough.”

Cheng Yaoyao secretly clicked her tongue. This little white lotus ^[2]a phrase describing a pure and innocent person. was too innocent and cute.

Xie Fei helped Cheng Yaoyao take out the luggage she brought and put it in the room one by one.

Kettle, teacup, lunch box, tableware, toothbrush, soap… There were two enamel washbasins ^[3]which are basins made from enamel-coated metal.—one for face and one for feet. There were also several towels: one for face, one for hands, one for bath, and one for feet, hanging on a rack. Soap and perfume must be separated.

Fortunately, Xie San made a special shelf for her; otherwise, there would be no place to put all these miscellaneous items.

Xie Fei was astonished. Such a good enamel washbasin was sold for 2.5 yuan each in the supply and marketing cooperative ^[4]a type of government-run store in China during the planned economy period., and it was impossible to buy it without a ticket. The ones they used at home were all wooden basins made by her brother.

It was not until Cheng Yaoyao opened the small wicker box and took out the clothes and shoes to organize them that Xie Fei was truly shocked.

Cheng Yaoyao alone had three pairs of small leather shoes, not to mention the dazzling array of clothes. Xie Fei used to envy the little daughters of the village party secretary and Lin Dafu, who all wore fashionable Dacron ^[5]a type of synthetic fabric. clothes in the city. Lin Dafu’s little daughter even had a dress!

But compared to Cheng Yaoyao’s clothes, those were just a pile of rags.

The finest materials are radiant, light and soft to the touch, and bright in the sun as if they were cut from the sky. The collars, hems, and edges of the clothes always have endless patterns and ingenuity, with complicated lace, pearl or crystal buttons, or a circle of very fashionable machine piping.

Xie Fei, a country girl who had never been out of the house, seemed to have a door open in front of her, beckoning to her.

Cheng Yaoyao knew that Xie Fei in the original book was very talented and passionate about making and designing clothes, so she didn’t disturb her and let her stare at the clothes.

After Cheng Yaoyao had packed up her things, she turned around and saw Xie Fei spread all the beautiful clothes across the bed. She didn’t dare to touch them but just held up her chin and looked at them in fascination.

Cheng Yaoyao said with a smile: “Do you want to try them on?”

“What?” Xie Fei woke up as if from a dream and looked at Cheng Yaoyao blankly.

Cheng Yaoyao said: “If you like them, you can try them on.”

“Me? Me?!” Xie Fei’s cheeks flushed with excitement, and she stuttered, “No, no, these clothes are so beautiful, they must be very expensive. I will ruin them!”

Cheng Yaoyao picked up a sky blue dress and tried it on Xie Fei, then said generously, “What are you afraid of? If you like it, I can give it to you.”

Xie Fei held her breath, her deer-like eyes sparkling. At this moment, Cheng Yaoyao was simply glowing in her eyes. Such a beautiful dress, Cheng Yaoyao actually wanted to give it to her!

Xie Fei was excited for a long time but still firmly refused. She just said carefully: “Sister, can you lend me this skirt? I want to draw a pattern and make it myself.”

The little girl held the skirt in her arms and couldn’t let it go but still refused Cheng Yaoyao’s gift and instead asked to copy the pattern and make it herself. At this moment, Cheng Yaoyao suddenly admired Grandma Xie. How did she teach Xie San and Xie Fei so well?

Grandma Xie was sitting in the west room at this time. It was also very simple, with only a bed, an old-fashioned cabinet, and a box against the wall. The box served as a table and had a basket of needlework on it.

Grandma Xie sat cross-legged on the bed and said to Xie San, “Kneel down!”

Xie San bent his knees and knelt straight on the blue brick floor. His knees collided with the blue bricks and made a dull sound, which made Grandma Xie’s eyebrows jump.

Grandma Xie felt distressed and angry and slapped the edge of the bed fiercely: “You don’t have to be so stubborn! There is still time to talk to the leader and send this educated youth Cheng away!”

“Impossible.” Xie San did not hesitate, raised his narrow eyes, and looked at Grandma Xie.

Grandma Xie saw in his eyes the stubbornness of not turning back until he hits the wall. This grandson is already 20 years old. He has grown from a soft baby in her arms to a man of integrity now, and he is about to follow his father’s old path.

Grandma Xie was overwhelmed with sorrow and suddenly felt helpless about her fate. She sighed and said to Xie San in her most disdainful tone of seniority: “Are you trying to piss off your grandma to death?”

“Grandma.” Xie San said hurriedly, “You clearly promised last night…”

“Yes, I promised you yesterday!” Grandma Xie said angrily, “But you didn’t tell me she would look like this!”

Grandma Xie never left her house, but she had heard of Cheng Yaoyao’s great name. What kind of beauty could come from such a poor and remote place? Speaking of beauty, Grandma Xie herself was a famous beauty in the town, and Xie San’s mother was even more beautiful than anyone else in Lin’an. Xie San’s father, a modern man who had studied abroad, fell in love with the girl at first sight, even though she had a brother who smoked opium and spent most of his family property to bring her home in a grand ceremony.

But today, when Cheng Yaoyao walked in, Grandma Xie realized what stunning beauty meant.

Such a beauty should only be pampered in a gentle and wealthy place, but in today’s Xie family, she would be the source of trouble.

Xie San raised his head, his tone unquestionable: “She can’t go anywhere else.”

Grandma Xie said angrily: “You… How can our family support her if she looks like this?”

Xie San straightened his back: “I can make money, I can support her!”

“You!” Grandma Xie stood up in shock and anger, picked up the feather duster beside her, and slapped Xie San in the face with a merciless blow.

Xie San turned his head away when he was hit, his lips pursed into a line, and he turned back stubbornly.

Grandma Xie trembled, “Brother Zhao, don’t have that idea… Although our family is poor, at least we are safe! Grandma is old; as long as I can see you and Xiao Fei grow up safely, I don’t want anything else!”

Xie San’s eyes were filled with pain and guilt: “Grandma, I have never asked you for anything since I was a child. I only want her.”

“She is a troublemaker, she is a troublemaker!” Grandma Xie murmured and said to Xie San sternly, “Just kneel here! When you figure it out, you can stand up!”

Xie San straightened his back and knelt on the cold, hard ground, with no expression on his face.

I don’t know how long it took, there was a creaking sound from the door. Xie Fei whispered, “Brother, Grandma is cooking. You get up first.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Xie San didn’t even reply. He paused and added, “Don’t let her know.”

“Are you still hiding it from me?” The delicate voice was filled with anger. Xie San turned around, only to see that Cheng Yaoyao had already walked into the room.

Xie Fei had disappeared long ago.

Xie San looked a little helpless and embarrassed that she had seen him at this moment: “Get out!”

“Get up!” Cheng Yaoyao pulled him angrily, “The ground is so cold and hard. Doesn’t your knee hurt?”

Xie San was such a heavy guy that Cheng Yaoyao couldn’t pull him up. She was so angry that she kicked him lightly with her toes: “You didn’t listen to me!”

Cheng Yaoyao turned around and was about to go out to argue with Grandma Xie, but her hand was held back.

Xie San held her hand and whispered, “I’ll be obedient.”

Xie San raised his hands and gently hugged her, burying his face gently in her soft and slender waist: “Yaoyao, you stay here with peace of mind; I will protect you.”

“…” Cheng Yaoyao’s anger evaporated in an instant, just like a drop of water under the sun. She gently placed her hand on Xie San’s head. Xie San’s hair was thick and black, and the stubble on the back of his neck felt a little prickly. She whispered as if she was touching a tamed big dog, “Anyway, your grandma is cooking, so she won’t see you sneaking up.”

“Grandma is mad at me; this makes me feel better.” Maybe in Grandma’s room, Xie San let go of Cheng Yaoyao with both hands and said, “You can go out.”

Cheng Yaoyao really lost her temper and half-knelt down: “If you don’t get up, I won’t get up either.”

Xie San pulled her into his arms and asked Cheng Yaoyao to kneel on his thighs: “Be obedient; I’m used to kneeling since I was a child.”

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes widened instantly: “Is your grandma punishing you?”

Xie San shook his head: “No. When I was very young, I was always naughty, and my father would punish me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall.”

When talking about his childhood, a hint of tenderness appeared on Xie San’s lips.

Cheng Yaoyao changed to a comfortable position and sat in Xie San’s arms. She listened with some longing and smiled at Xie San’s stern face: “Look at how sullen you are now, but you were so naughty when you were a child?”