Chapter 11: Why Can’t I Sleep?

When He Miao pushed open the gate and entered the yard, she shouted cheerfully, “Ah Xun, I’m back!” Her voice was filled with a joyful smile.

The man had already lit the oil lamp and was waiting for her in the courtyard. His heart was full of longing after a whole day apart, and seeing her smile made him feel like the whole world brightened, even though it was already dark outside.

He quickly went over to take the heavy bundle from her hands and asked, “What did you buy?”

“Look, I bought rice, medicine, and some fabric,” she said, then suddenly smacked her head. “I forgot the red dates! I had so many things with me, I didn’t realize I left them with Ju Fang. I’ll pick them up tomorrow.”

“Are you tired? Don’t worry, rest now. I’ll sort everything out,” he said, feeling a little heartache as he saw her still busy organizing things after a long day.

“It’s fine! I rode the donkey cart both ways, and Ju Fang helped me carry things. I’m not tired,” she replied.

They both tidied up the things she brought back, putting the fabric in the drawers and the food in the small pantry.

He Miao sat down on the bed and gently told Ah Xun, “Stay still, let me check the scar on your head.” She reached over and gently brushed aside his hair.

As she leaned closer, her body was almost against his. Ah Xun’s gaze fell on her delicate neck, and he could even smell the light, fresh fragrance of the girl.

His heart raced, and his hand clenched the bedspread at his side. His throat tightened.

“It’s already scabbed over. The doctor said once it’s scabbed, you can start applying the medicine,” He Miao said, opening the medicine jar. She carefully dipped her finger into the ointment and gently applied it to his head.

Her movements were so gentle, each touch made him feel a tingling sensation inside, almost as if it was an itch in his heart.

“It’s all done now. I hope it helps! You need to apply it twice a day, after you wake up and before going to bed!” He Miao said.

“Ah Xun,” he called out to her, his mind recalling their conversation earlier that day. Unable to hold back, he finally asked, “Today, two people came looking for you.”

“Yes, it was Qin Da Niang. I met them on my way back and chatted for a bit. If not for that, I would have come back earlier,” she explained.

A wave of unease washed over him, though he knew that in a village this small, if not today, the matchmaker would surely talk to He Miao about marriage sooner or later. He felt a sense of discomfort.

“What did they talk about?” he asked, his voice a little heavy.

“Nothing much… just some casual chat…” For some reason, He Miao didn’t tell Ah Xun everything, even though she had already rejected the matchmaker, Li.

“…” Ah Xun grew a little melancholy, sensing that she wasn’t being completely honest with him.

“I bought red beans today, I’m going to cook porridge. You should rest early. Tomorrow, I’ll steam some bean buns for you,” He Miao said, trying to cheer him up.

The next morning, as expected, He Miao woke up early and started steaming bean buns. The dough was soft and fluffy, and the bean paste was fragrant and sweet.

The night before, Ah Xun had been lying in bed, thinking about everything. He realized he needed to spend more time with He Miao and develop a stronger bond. She was such a lovely girl, and he couldn’t afford to let anyone else win her heart.

He thought about taking a walk with her and asking about her childhood to get to know her better.

After breakfast, Ah Xun was about to speak up when he saw He Miao hurry into the house with a mysterious bundle in her arms. “Ah Xun, I need to go to Ju Fang’s house. You rest here, your wound hasn’t healed yet, so you should lie down and not move too much, okay?”

“Where are you going, Miao’er?” Ah Xun asked, feeling uneasy for some unknown reason.

He Miao had planned to learn how to make shoes from Ju Fang, but she wasn’t sure how well she could do it. If the shoes turned out badly, she decided she wouldn’t show them to Ah Xun just yet. She smiled playfully and said, “I can’t tell you right now, but I’ll surprise you when I’m done!”

Ah Xun’s mind raced. Yesterday, he overheard a conversation between Qin Da Niang and Li, the matchmaker, about Ju Fang and Da Hu’s marriage. He knew that Li was also the one arranging marriages for the villagers.

Today, He Miao was secretly going to Ju Fang’s house, and her secretive behavior made him worry that she might be going on a blind date.

She was gone for almost three hours.

Ah Xun didn’t know how he spent that time, feeling restless and unsure of what to do. He wanted to go and check, maybe even stop her, but he wasn’t familiar with Ju Fang’s house, and he didn’t know the village people well. Besides, what right did he have to interfere? Wouldn’t it harm He Miao’s reputation if he showed up uninvited?

He could only stay in the house, waiting anxiously.

Time passed slowly, and when He Miao finally returned, she was holding a basket in one hand and a bundle of dates in the other. “Ah Xun, I brought some food back from Ju Fang’s house to change things up,” she said brightly.

Seeing the dates in her hands reminded Ah Xun of the matchmaker’s words about Zhou Da Wu, the man from Jujia Village. His heart sank. It seemed that she really had gone on a blind date, and now she looked so happy about it.

He Miao, noticing his mood, smiled cheerfully and tried to comfort him. “Are you bored? Don’t be upset, I’ll be with you once I finish here. Let’s eat first!”

“You didn’t eat there?” Ah Xun asked, thinking she had probably shared a meal with her date.

“Yes, but I wanted to come back and eat with you,” she answered.

Her thoughtfulness warmed Ah Xun’s heart, but then she added, “Hurry up and eat. After we’re done, I need to go back.”

“You’re going again?” His heart sank. How many more things did they have to talk about?

He Miao’s eyes were bright, and she smiled with such joy that her dimples deepened. “Yes, I just need to finish one more thing. I’ll surprise you tomorrow!”

She seemed so excited about her shoes. This afternoon, she planned to finish the other one and then give them to Ah Xun as a gift.

But Ah Xun couldn’t help feeling disappointed. What He Miao was giving him didn’t feel like a surprise; it felt more like a shock.

After dinner, He Miao went back to Ju Fang’s house. 

She didn’t return until late in the afternoon, locking herself in her room with a small oil lamp. Ah Xun went out a few times, knowing she had been in there for a while. When he saw the light finally go out, he lay in bed but couldn’t sleep, no matter how hard he tried.