Chapter 50: The Resolution

Shen Zhuo glanced at the two pounds of meat Ye Xin had brought home and asked how she planned to cook it. “Are we having it for dinner tonight?”

Ye Xin’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Absolutely! It’s been ages since I had fresh meat! Let’s fry up half a pound with some celery!”

After a moment, she looked at the meat with a hint of regret. “I didn’t manage to grab the best pork belly; this is just hind leg meat.”

Shen Zhuo reassured her, “It doesn’t matter; it’ll taste just as good when it’s stir-fried.”

Ye Xin nodded, trusting him completely. “Just make sure you fry it up nicely.”

And just like that, the pressure was on Shen Zhuo: “…”

Fortunately, after six months of cooking every day, his skills had improved dramatically. He poured all his culinary expertise into making a plate of stir-fried pork and celery that was a feast for the senses—the rich aroma wafted through the air, tempting anyone within a two-mile radius.

However, with every household in the village sharing meat tonight, the entire place was filled with the delicious scent of cooking pork.

During dinner, as Ye Xin savored every bite, she couldn’t help but shower Shen Zhuo with compliments. “You’ve gotten so good at cooking! It’s incredible! You could run your own restaurant and be a top chef!”

Her praises flowed effortlessly, and Shen Zhuo couldn’t help but smile wider with each word.

When she finally pushed her bowl aside, ready to clean up, he snapped back to reality and called out to her, “Wait, just sit for a moment longer.”

Ye Xin plopped back down, curious. “What’s up?”

Truthfully, Shen Zhuo didn’t have anything specific in mind; he just wanted to chat. If she went to take a bath and retreat to her room, he wouldn’t get another chance to speak with her before the day ended.

Seeing her eyes wide with interest, he recalled their earlier conversation about herbal medicine. “Remember when you learned some herbal knowledge from me? You already have a foundation. If only you’d signed up for the training, we could have gone together. We wouldn’t have to be apart every day!”

Ye Xin was taken aback. “But I’m a youth worker; I probably can’t.”

Shen Zhuo shook his head, “That’s not true! There are youth workers in the class. I only just found out today!”

He furrowed his brow, regretting that he hadn’t thought to ask earlier. “I realized that some students in the class don’t have any background in this at all. You’d be better off than they are!”

Ye Xin considered his words but ultimately shook her head. “But that’s not possible. There are only four spots available from the Fengshui production team, and we’ve already filled one. It wouldn’t be right to have a second one from our village; besides, if we both go, it might upset others.”

Shen Zhuo’s brows knitted tighter.

Ye Xin could tell he hadn’t thought about that angle, so she continued to explain, “When the spots were announced, I was surprised that only you from Liangshuitang was selected. The Li family dominates here—the village leader, the team leader, the accountant—they’re all from the Li family! How could none of them be in the training? That didn’t make sense. Then I heard you mention a Li Guangyao from the neighboring village, and I understood. It wasn’t that there were no LIs; it’s just that they were arranged there to keep the slots separate from yours here.”

She sighed, “The village leader and the team leader are both quite thorough; they wouldn’t let anything slip through the cracks. So even if I signed up, I wouldn’t be able to go anyway.”

Hearing her analysis, Shen Zhuo couldn’t help but agree; she was right on all counts.

A wave of realization washed over him, making him feel a bit foolish. He often found it hard to see things as clearly as she did and failed to consider all the details. He was simply lacking in the understanding of social dynamics.

As he processed this, a hint of disappointment lingered in his heart. He couldn’t help but think about how wonderful it would be if she could attend the training with him. They would be just like Xiao Tianbao and Lin Xiu Wan, spending every day together. But that was different; those two were mismatched—one was head over heels, while the other was indifferent. He and Ye Xin had something special; they could ride the same bicycle together, and that was definitely better!

This morning, he had taken her out, and they attended class together, shared lunch, and later rode back together. She’d sit behind him on the bike, her arms wrapped around his waist. The cold wouldn’t bother them as long as she was close, and when darkness fell, she would hold the flashlight, lighting up their way. It was a perfect day.

If only they didn’t have to be apart… How wonderful would that be?

Seeing the disappointment on Shen Zhuo’s face, Ye Xin tried to comfort him. “Don’t overthink it. If we both went, who would take care of things at home? What about the money? The meat distribution? No one would be there to collect it.”

Shen Zhuo nodded, realizing she was right; someone had to stay behind. Still, discussing these responsibilities made him feel even guiltier. “I’m sorry for leaving you to handle everything while I’m away.”

Ye Xin smiled reassuringly. “It’s not really a hardship. December is typically a slow month, and there’s not much work to do in the fields. Honestly, I’ve been a bit lazy, just taking it easy at home. Plus, the New Year is just around the corner, and the training will wrap up soon anyway.”

Looking at her bright smile and listening to her gentle words, especially the last sentence, Shen Zhuo felt his mood lift a little. She was right; it wouldn’t be long before they could be together again.

Unable to help himself, he reached out and held her hand, nodding earnestly. “Yeah, then we won’t have to be apart every day.”

Ye Xin let him hold her hand for a moment before pulling it away, standing up. “Alright, finish your meal and wash the dishes. Don’t take too long! The bathwater will get cold.”

As she turned to grab the basin, she couldn’t help but wonder. How could someone so cold and aloof become so clingy?

Meanwhile, Xiao Tianbao was feeling the repercussions of the fist he took yesterday. He returned home, lifted his shirt, and saw the unmistakable bruise. Gritting his teeth, he applied some ointment, but the dull ache persisted through the morning.

Today, he found himself unusually distracted, no longer obsessively watching Lin Xiu Wan, but rather contemplating something deeply while occasionally casting dark glances at Shen Zhuo. Fellow students occasionally caught sight of his fierce expression and hurriedly turned away.

Xiao Tianbao was mulling over what Shen Zhuo had said yesterday, particularly about the bicycle incident. Yes, it was indeed him who let the air out of Shen Zhuo’s tires. He couldn’t stand the sight of that pretty boy, especially knowing that Lin Xiu Wan seemed so infatuated with him. It infuriated him to see her attention on someone so delicate.

Previously, he had secretly deflated the tires because Lin Xiu Wan would often glance at Shen Zhuo, blushing—yet she had never blushed around him, despite his persistent pursuit!

From the moment he first spotted Shen Zhuo in the bike shed, he took note of that bicycle. Then he learned that Shen Zhuo was an orphan with no family, which he thought would make Lin Xiu Wan lose interest. But to his dismay, she seemed to look at Shen Zhuo even more frequently, often sighing and expressing her sympathy:

“Shen Zhuo is so pitiful!”

“Is it because of his family situation that he’s so thin?”

“I wonder if he’s struggling without anyone to take care of him…”

Each mention of Shen Zhuo ignited a fire within Xiao Tianbao, and in a fit of rage, he punctured Shen Zhuo’s bike tire. Afterward, he thought maliciously, “If he’s so miserable, why ride a bicycle? He might as well walk home in the dark like everyone else!”

Then Shen Zhuo had the audacity to flaunt his engagement in class, which only added fuel to Xiao Tianbao’s frustration. Lin Xiu Wan’s face fell at the news, and she shamelessly approached Shen Zhuo to inquire more.

Xiao Tianbao was equally furious. Why hadn’t Shen Zhuo mentioned his engagement earlier? If he had known, Lin Xiu Wan might have moved on, and Xiao Tianbao wouldn’t have had to resort to such petty actions against him.

Now, he was in a moral quandary. Shen Zhuo clearly had no interest in Lin Xiu Wan, and once she learned that his fiancée was also a youth worker, she had given up entirely. All of Xiao Tianbao’s efforts had been for nothing, and to make matters worse, he had been discovered and even punched for his trouble.

And then there was that damned ultimatum… He had been given two days to pay for the damages.

Paying two yuan? When has Xiao Tianbao ever been threatened like this?! And for that tiny little puncture? A few dimes would suffice for a patch, so why two yuan?!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His irritation bubbled over, causing him to breathe heavily, which only aggravated the bruise on his abdomen, sending a jolt of pain through him. His expression darkened even further!

Adding fuel to the fire, Xiao Tianbao overheard whispers around him, and to his dismay, they were discussing him and Shen Zhuo. Ever since their outing yesterday, speculation had run rampant. Shen Zhuo had returned looking calm and composed, while Xiao Tianbao had stormed back with a foul expression. Everyone could see that in terms of physique and personality, Shen Zhuo didn’t seem a match for him, leading to the obvious conclusion: Shen Zhuo must have caught Xiao Tianbao doing something wrong. That’s why he looked so miserable, having been put in his place.

But what could that “wrong” be?

Quickly, their thoughts turned to the incident with Shen Zhuo’s bicycle tire, paired with the knowledge that Xiao Tianbao liked Lin Xiu Wan, while she seemed smitten with Shen Zhuo. The dots connected in their minds—Xiao Tianbao had been so envious of Shen Zhuo that he must have sabotaged his bike! His personality certainly lent itself to such petty actions.

Thus, they concluded that Shen Zhuo must have confronted him about this very issue!

It’s said that the eyes of the public are sharp; they had figured out the truth of the matter. And the more Xiao Tianbao heard their conjectures, the worse his mood became. The brash, arrogant young man suddenly felt an urge to escape the scene entirely.

When Lin Xiu Wan caught wind of the gossip, she frowned and said to him seriously, “If you really did something wrong, just apologize and pay him back. Otherwise, it could escalate, and it’ll be our team that suffers the embarrassment. Trust me, being called out is no joke!”

Xiao Tianbao was left speechless.

His heart ached, and he could only bottle it up inside. He finally understood the meaning of “self-inflicted suffering.” At that moment, he felt a twinge of regret creeping in.

After class ended, everyone started packing up and leaving the room. Xiao Tianbao thought he might be imagining things, but he felt like Shen Zhuo had shot him a cold glance as he turned away, almost as if reminding him that only one day remained.

Xiao Tianbao felt a lump in his throat.

When he returned home with a somber face, even his mother and sister didn’t dare to speak.

That night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His discomfort grew until, in the early hours of the morning, he finally made a bitter decision: he would pay up! He’d chalk it up to his own foolishness and accept the loss.

So, before dawn, he got up early and headed out, uncharacteristically leaving without waiting for Lin Xiu Wan. He stuffed two yuan into his pocket and pedaled straight toward town.

Arriving at the classroom, he found it empty, just as he had expected at this hour.

He contemplated simply slapping the two yuan down on the table but quickly dismissed the idea. It would be too obvious, and anyone seeing it would immediately know it was a bribe for an apology. Plus, it would make him look weak and overly compliant. No, he decided, he wouldn’t put it on the table!

Instead, he folded the two yuan and slipped it under Shen Zhuo’s chair, using the leg of the seat to keep it hidden.

Finally, he felt a weight lift from his chest, letting out a sigh of relief. As he contemplated taking his seat, he turned and walked back out. He didn’t usually arrive so early; he needed to avoid raising any suspicions!

Shen Zhuo, meanwhile, had dropped off his bike at Dr. Xu’s and walked leisurely to the classroom. Most of the other students had already gathered. Huang Zhihao stood up to let him in and casually remarked, “You’ve really timed your arrival well these days, not at all like when you first started, showing up so early to study.”

Shen Zhuo replied, “The New Year is approaching, and there’s a lot to handle at home.”

Huang Zhihao, recalling Shen Zhuo’s family situation, nodded in understanding.

After Shen Zhuo settled into his seat, he felt something odd beneath him. He shifted slightly and, sure enough, the leg of the chair was pressing against something. He reached down, picked it up, and opened his palm to reveal two yuan.

A light bulb went off in his head.

Without looking back, he tucked the money away and focused on his studies.

During the lunch break, he dashed outside, heading to Dr. Xu’s to retrieve his bike and dropped it off at the repair shop. He instructed the mechanic to replace both tires with new ones. The New Year was just around the corner—tomorrow was the 26th—and he wanted to be ready to ride with Ye Xin!

While waiting, he ate his lunch, unfazed by the messy workshop around him. Once the tires were swapped, he finished his meal, paid the bill, and wheeled his bike back to Dr. Xu’s, ready for the afternoon classes.

After school, he wasted no time. He hopped on his bike and headed home. Having used this bicycle for seven or eight years, the old tires were worn down. With the new tires, riding felt effortless!

Elated by this upgrade, he pedaled faster than usual. When he got home, it was still light outside, and he found Ye Xin just starting a fire.

Noticing the smile on his face, she asked, “What’s got you so cheerful?”

Shen Zhuo shrugged, “Nothing special—just that the bad news has disappeared.”

Ye Xin’s eyes sparkled with understanding. “So you found out who was behind it all?”

He nodded eagerly. “Yep, caught them red-handed!”

Unable to contain his excitement, he pulled her over to show her the new tires. “I even made them pay for it! The new tires make riding so much easier. I’ll take you to town tomorrow.”

Ye Xin nodded, satisfied, and didn’t pry into how he had resolved things. After all, what mattered was that it was settled before the New Year, with no loose ends left.

“That’s impressive,” she praised, genuine admiration in her voice.

Shen Zhuo couldn’t help but smile wider, feeling a mix of pride and humility. “You’re the clever one here! You see through everything. If only I could be as sharp as you.”

Ye Xin withdrew her hand and rolled her eyes playfully. “Enough with the flattery. Get to cooking! I’ve been cleaning the house all day and don’t feel like moving.”

“Rest easy; I’ll handle dinner!” Shen Zhuo said, determination shining in his eyes.