Chapter 77 ☆ Sleeping in Arms (Part 2)

Grandma Xie said angrily, “No one is allowed to go out! Tomorrow is the Ghost Festival, so everyone must stay home, especially Yaoyao and Xiao Fei. Yaoyao, come here too and use the grapefruit leaves ^[1]refers to the leaves of a pomelo fruit, used in traditional practices. to rub yourself, making sure you don’t get any dirt on you!”

Cheng Yaoyao made a bitter face and asked, “Do I have to do it too?”

“Of course,” Grandma Xie said seriously. “When we were young, we didn’t go out at night in July. We had to wash ourselves in a basin of water when we came back from outside to avoid bringing any dirt home.”

Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei both shouted, “Grandma, please stop talking. It’s scary!”

Grandma Xie took some pomelo leaves and gently hit Cheng Yaoyao a few times. “Who told you to go out without listening? Okay, I’ll boil some water with the pomelo leaves, and you can ask Brother Zhao to get you some water for a bath.”

Grandma Xie and Xie Fei were already sleepy. Seeing Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao return safely, they went back to sleep. Xie Zhao hung the goat milk into the well to keep it fresh and went to the kitchen to get water for Cheng Yaoyao.

The bathtub needed seven or eight buckets of water to fill. Xie Zhao carried it back and forth several times before filling it up. His heels were stepped on by Cheng Yaoyao several times. He filled the bathtub silently, put the last bucket of hot water aside, and then suddenly turned around and grabbed Cheng Yaoyao by the little tail.

Cheng Yaoyao screamed softly, “What are you doing?”

Xie Zhao had a blank expression on his face and picked her up. “You’re such a clingy person.”

Cheng Yaoyao snorted, “You are a big liar.”

“Hmm?” Xie Zhao uttered, expressing his confusion.

Cheng Yaoyao looked down at him. “You obviously secretly took tutoring lessons with the teachers in the cowshed, and you even made bets with me and beat me so many times. You’re cheating!”

No wonder Xie Zhao could answer such difficult questions—he must be really good. Cheng Yaoyao had studied hard to prove she wasn’t dumber than Xie Zhao but still lost miserably! Thinking about the bets she lost to Xie Zhao before made Cheng Yaoyao furious.

Xie Zhao said confidently, “You didn’t say I couldn’t ask the teacher for help.”

Cheng Yaoyao said angrily, “You’re quibbling!”

Xie Zhao said, “No.”

Cheng Yaoyao pushed him angrily. “You keep talking back; I don’t want to deal with you anymore!”

“Okay,” Xie Zhao put Cheng Yaoyao down and quickly walked out.

Cheng Yaoyao was stunned. “You…”

As soon as Xie Zhao left, the utility room became exceptionally quiet. The dim light flickered, and the bamboo hat and raincoat hanging on the wall looked like a human figure, as did the shadows on the window…

Xie Zhao closed the door of the utility room, but before he could shut it completely, a slender hand reached out and grabbed him. “Stop!”

The dim light highlighted Xie Zhao’s deep features, and a faint smile flashed in his eyes. “I’m at the door; don’t be afraid.”

Cheng Yaoyao cried and said, “I don’t want to be alone…that’s not what I meant!”

Xie Zhao’s presence suddenly became more intense, making Cheng Yaoyao feel embarrassed, and she hurriedly explained, “The room is too dark; I’m scared.”

Xie Zhao stared at her expressionlessly. “If me stay, you know what will happen. .”

“What are you thinking!” Cheng Yaoyao resisted the urge to roll her eyes and said, “Come in and talk.”

The room was filled with the faint and bitter scent of pomelo leaves and the smell of burning candles. Perhaps because of Xie Zhao, or because a few more candles were lit, the red candlelight was warm. Cheng Yaoyao was soaking in the water comfortably, her hair hanging down like seaweed.

As for Xie Zhao, he had a silk scarf covering his eyes and tied behind his head. Cheng Yaoyao checked carefully several times and could not see anything. At this time, he had his arms folded in front of his chest, leaning against the wall, and an unhappy atmosphere surrounded him.

Cheng Yaoyao lay on the edge of the bucket and chatted with Xie Zhao. “The lamb rubbed my hair with grass.”

Xie Zhao said, “Then just ignore it.”

Cheng Yaoyao said, “But it’s so cute. Can we take it home to raise? I’ll be responsible for cutting grass for it.”

Xie Zhao said, “No.”

Cheng Yaoyao hummed. “I want to have a pet.”

Xie Zhao said, “Don’t you already raise chickens?”

“…” Cheng Yaoyao rolled her eyes and thought of something else. “How about using goat’s milk to make caramel milk tomorrow?”

Cheng Yaoyao’s delicate voice was endless, and the sound of water stirred up many thoughts. The smell of pomelo leaves, candles, and soap mixed together, but Xie Zhao could distinctly identify the faint rose scent.

Xie Zhao was distracted for a moment, sweat forming on his forehead, and his lips tightly pursed.

Cheng Yaoyao talked on, but Xie Zhao didn’t respond. She yelled again angrily, and Xie Zhao came back to his senses, saying, “If you yell again, Grandma will hear you.”

“…Humph.” Cheng Yaoyao said confidently, “I’m just worried you might be bored, so I’m finding something to talk about.”

Xie Zhao’s lips curled up slightly. “It’s not boring; I can think about a lot of things.”

“What are you thinking about?” Cheng Yaoyao realized something was wrong when she asked, as Xie Zhao had already spoken.

“Miss you.”

Cheng Yaoyao held her breath and sank directly to the bottom of the water, spitting out a string of bubbles. Xie Zhao, you rascal! Cheng Yaoyao held her breath for a while, and suddenly a hand reached into the water, grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her out.

The water splashed high, and Cheng Yaoyao emerged from the water, choking and gasping for breath. “Ahem…what are you doing?”

Xie Zhao patted her back and asked hurriedly, “Are you okay?”

Cheng Yaoyao was furious. “When did you take off your scarf?”

Xie Zhao looked a little embarrassed. “I suddenly couldn’t hear your voice. I called you a few times, but you didn’t answer. I thought you…”

Cheng Yaoyao scooped up some water and splashed it on his face. “I didn’t drown! Haven’t you seen other people taking a bath? I can stay submerged for several minutes!”

The anxiety on Xie Zhao’s face had not yet faded, but his eyes suddenly changed, and he stared at her fiercely.

…

“Sister, are you asleep?” Xie Zhao asked softly.

The person in his arms was breathing steadily and hugging his neck gently. Her hair brushed against his cheek, which felt slightly ticklish. Xie Zhao walked slowly around the room, then carefully put her back on the bed and covered her with quilt.

Cheng Yaoyao suddenly left Xie Zhao’s warm embrace. Lying on the cold mat, she groaned, turned over, and hugged the soft quilt. Xie Zhao adjusted a small bamboo pillow behind her neck and gently covered her with the quilt. Cheng Yaoyao rubbed the smooth bamboo pillow, feeling satisfied, and fell asleep again.

Xie Zhao gazed at her defenseless sleeping face. Since the last time he had comforted her like this, Cheng Yaoyao had developed a new habit of needing Xie Zhao to hold her and walk around before she could fall asleep.

Xie Zhao stroked her hair gently, feeling happy to indulge her and bring out more habits that would make it hard for her to leave him.

Many years had passed since the Four Olds Movement began ^[2]refers to a campaign in China to eliminate old customs and practices.. People in the countryside dared not openly express superstitions, but there were still many taboos related to the Zhongyuan Festival.

In the morning, Grandma Xie placed three cups of wine and three rice balls in the room as a sacrifice to the ancestors.

Cheng Yaoyao rubbed her eyes and went to collect eggs. She found that there were two fewer eggs today and shouted, “Xie Zhao, I lost two eggs!”

Xie Zhao, who was chopping wood, stopped and walked over. “Why are they missing?”

“Usually, there are eight eggs, but today there are only six,” Cheng Yaoyao said, showing the eggs in her clothes to Xie Zhao. “Did a weasel eat them?”

Xie Zhao replied, “No, the holes in the corners have been patched up. Did you count wrong?”

“I usually pick up eight every day! A chicken lays two eggs, so why are there two less?” Cheng Yaoyao counted them again, unwilling to give up.

These chickens were fed with spiritual spring water and cicada shells, and they laid two eggs every day, just like the past few days.

Grandma Xie added, “Impossible! Wong Tai Sin ^[3]refers to a deity in Chinese folk religion known for protection. promised me he wouldn’t come again!”

Previously, a weasel had dug a hole and tried to steal chickens but was discovered by Xie Zhao before it could take anything. Grandma had not allowed them to kill the weasel, instead placing two eggs at the door and mumbling, asking Huang Daxian ^[4]refers to another name for Wong Tai Sin. not to steal chickens from her family in the future. Since then, the weasel had not returned.

Cheng Yaoyao wondered if it was because Xie Zhao had sealed the cave.

Grandma Xie ordered the eggs, then picked up a few hens to examine them. Finally, she selected a chicken and said, “This hen doesn’t lay eggs anymore. Since it’s a festival today, why not kill it and make soup?”

Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei agreed enthusiastically. They had four chickens in total, so killing one wouldn’t be a problem.

Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei discussed how to prepare the chicken, and Xie Zhao praised the deliciousness of the braised chicken. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.

Cheng Yaoyao, curious, ran to the door and saw Aunt Yingui from next door rushing out. Cheng Yaoyao asked, “Aunt, what’s going on?”

Aunt Yingui, not even having time to remove her apron, hurriedly followed a group towards the village entrance. “Someone was caught hiding in the woods yesterday, and they’re being tried at the village entrance!”