Chapter 33 : Lust

Although the hospital had electricity, the light bulbs in each ward were not very bright. The yellowish light cast on the two tall figures made the room seem even more cramped.

Chu Qi cast a discreet glance at the person not far away. He knew his friend’s temperament well, if he didn’t speak first today the atmosphere could be tense for the entire night. Moreover, he had some things he wanted to say.

After hesitating for two seconds, Chu Qi tentatively spoke up, “It’s a good thing you’re alright. Otherwise, if Aunt Qu found out, she might cause a scene with Uncle Fan, and it wouldn’t be impossible for her to rush over from Beijing overnight.”

Fan Yanxing leaned casually against the head of the bed. His eyelids lifted slightly, as if to remind him that he had a formidable mother at home. Even though he liked Liang Qingqing, he might never be able to marry her if he couldn’t overcome this obstacle. It might be better to give up early and make way for others.

He just forgot that, in the Fan family, even parents needed to weigh their words carefully if they wanted to assert control over him.

“You think too much.”

At these words, Chu Qi was momentarily taken aback. After a while, he pursed his lips and let out a grunt of displeasure. With only the two of them left in the room, he finally took off his military hat, which he had worn all day, to let it air out. His very short hair gave him a somewhat dashing appearance.

After a moment, Chu Qi plopped down onto the chair beside the hospital bed and said in a rather self-deprecating manner, . “I have feelings for Qingqing. I like her.”

Fan Yanxing was surprised that Chu Qi confessed so directly. His eyebrows twitched, as he had expected Chu Qi to talk around the subject before getting to the point.

“Ha.”

Fan Yanxing chuckled derisively. His tone was not loud but made Chu Qi blush deeply. Declaring one’s affection so openly upon first meeting wasn’t particularly impressive. Fan Yanxing didn’t deny it but couldn’t help defending himself a bit “Which man wouldn’t like her after seeing her?”

With such beauty, it was hard to find anyone in the entire Beijing circle who could match her.

“You like her too, don’t you? I don’t believe you’re so chivalrous that you only admire her inner qualities.” Chu Qi, wanting to drag someone else into the fray, spoke with a bit of sharpness. Fan Yanxing’s subtle sarcasm suggested that Chu Qi was shallow, but he knew himself that he wasn’t much more noble.

Hearing this, Fan Yanxing’s expression momentarily paused. It was true that he was attracted to her, but it was also true that deeper feelings had developed over time. As for what he liked about her, Fan Yanxing himself couldn’t really say. All he knew was that he liked every part of her, including her slightly temperamental side.

He was accustomed to having things go smoothly, never willing to make compromises for himself. The fact that he was willing to lower himself to make a young girl happy was a clear sign of his commitment.

“So you want to compete with me?”

After a pause, Fan Yanxing slowly spoke, his long fingers entwining with a strand of her hair that had fallen onto him earlier.

Chu Qi swallowed hard. Fan Yanxing was a year older than him and was always composed and reliable, rarely facing any challenges he couldn’t overcome. His imposing presence, built up over the years, was genuine. Even as an adult, Chu Qi still felt a bit intimidated by him. But now, faced with the prospect of lifelong happiness, Chu Qi didn’t want to give in easily.

So he avoided the topic and spoke about a principle “As the saying goes, it’s all about one’s own abilities. The choice isn’t up to either of us.”

Hearing this, Fan Yanxing suddenly recalled the scene earlier in the day when she had nestled in his arms, asking him to prove himself. He couldn’t help but smile. Indeed, Chu Qi was right, the choice had never been in their hands.

Seeing Fan Yanxing smile, Chu Qi felt a chill run down his spine. He abruptly stood up and said, “I’ll go freshen up too. Let’s keep it clear—may the best person win. Don’t blame me if I end up ahead.”

He made a grand exit, but in consideration of Liang Qingqing’s reputation, Fan Yanxing did not tell Chu Qi about what happened between them. He just thought about it in his heart. He remembered that Chu’s grandmother had always been thinking about her grandson and wanted to transfer him back to the vicinity of Beijing.

He didn’t mind fulfilling the old woman’s wish.

—  

The next morning, Chu Qi left the hospital. Before departing, he repeatedly mentioned to Liang Qingqing that he would visit them in Daping Village during his next holiday and would bring her some sweet egg cakes.

Liang Qingqing, feeling the strong presence of Fan Yanxing’s gaze behind her, found herself in a difficult position. She was just hoping that Chu Qi would leave quickly and stop inadvertently causing her trouble.

Fortunately, due to his strict sense of time in the military, Chu Qi didn’t delay any further and left on schedule.

Once he was gone, Liang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. She admitted that she had been swayed when she first saw Chu Qi, but upon reflection, she realized she had almost made a serious mistake.

The book didn’t mention Chu Qi’s future, so she was unsure about his development. Compared to him, choosing Fan Yanxing seemed more reliable and additionally, Fan Yanxing’s appearance was more to her liking.

Thinking of this, Liang Qingqing stole a glance at Fan Yanxing. His handsome face was still charming and he looked more refreshed than yesterday, exuding a relaxed and easygoing vibe.

Noticing her gaze, Fan Yanxing’s lips curled up slightly.

“Now that he’s gone, it’s finally quiet. What do you think, Qingqing?”

How should she answer that? Liang Qingqing’s mouth twitched. She felt that Fan Yanxing was always trying to put her in a difficult position. Moreover, Chu Qi had only just left was he not worried that Chu Qi might come back and overhear, feeling hurt?

It was rather ungrateful for someone to come all the way to see him and not get a warm reception.

If Fan Yanxing knew what Liang Qingqing was thinking, he would likely just smirk. Why should he show Chu Qi any courtesy if he was trying to woo her away from him?

“What did Second Brother want to tell me this morning?”

Without hesitation, she diverted the topic to Liang Junqiang.

Fan Yanxing glanced at Liang Qingqing’s fair profile and then looked back at Liang Junqiang, choosing to remain silent.

Liang Junqiang didn’t pay much attention to what Fan Yanxing said, nor did he focus on Liang Qingqing’s question. His attention was entirely on the term “Qingqing.” Since yesterday, he had noticed this term of endearment. However, with Chu Qi constantly interrupting and keeping the atmosphere lively, he hadn’t had the chance to ponder it deeply until now.

When did Yanxing become so close to my little sister? Typically, “Qingqing” is used by family members or close friends of the family. Yanxing is the first outsider to call her that, and it sounds so natural and ordinary when she responds, as if it was always meant to be that way.

“Second Brother?” Seeing that Fan Yanxing was still watching her with a half-smile, Liang Qingqing lightly coughed to prompt Liang Junqiang to come back to his senses.

Hearing his name, Liang Junqiang pushed aside his doubts and scratched his head, speaking somewhat awkwardly, “What did you just say, little sister?”

“I asked what you wanted to tell me this morning.”

Liang Qingqing’s question reminded Liang Junqiang of the matter at hand. He furrowed his brows and said, “We suddenly came to the city, and it’s been two days since we’ve been away from home. I’m worried that our family might be concerned about us.”

In the urgent situation at the time, who would have thought of asking someone to go back and inform them?

“Father and Elder Brother were at the scene they surely know we came to the city with Comrade Fan. Even if they didn’t know, they would have inquired about us if we didn’t return tonight. Otherwise, they would have come looking for us by now,” Liang Qingqing had already considered this and wasn’t worried at all.

Liang Junqiang knew this reasoning too, but he still couldn’t put his mind at ease.

“Aunt Zhang from the front ward and her son were planning to return to the village to get some money, right? Should we ask them to bring a message?” Liang Qingqing had learned about this when she met some fellow villagers who had been caught in the landslide while getting hot water that morning.

Expenses in the city were quite high and even with frugality, the money they had on hand would soon run out. If not for Fan Yanxing’s friends helping out, they would have to return to the village themselves.

Given the rain, making the trip back and forth would be quite troublesome. Moreover, even though the rain had eased since last night, there was no telling if another disaster might occur, so there was still some risk involved.

“I’ll go find them right now.” Liang Junqiang turned to leave, but Liang Qingqing quickly stopped him, taking a peach from the table and placing it in his hand. “Give this to Aunt Zhang.”

Even though they were fellow villagers, it was customary to bring something when asking for a favor. She still understood these social niceties. Since she didn’t have anything else to offer at the moment, she might as well use the peach as a token of goodwill.

Seeing this, Liang Junqiang instinctively frowned and looked at Fan Yanxing, feeling that the light peach in his hand now seemed as heavy as a thousand pounds.

“Has little sister lost her mind? This isn’t even ours, and the owner hasn’t said anything, so how can we just take it? Let alone use it to ask Aunt Zhang for a favor!”

Just as he was about to say something, “the owner” seemed to ignore him and smiled at Liang Qingqing, saying, “These have all been washed. Would you like one?”

“I’m not really in the mood for one this morning; I’ll have it later,” Liang Qingqing said, raising an eyebrow. She wasn’t at all embarrassed about using Fan Yanxing’s things to ask for a favor and instead walked over to sit in a chair by the bed, right under his nose.

“Alright, eat them whenever you want. They’re all yours,” Fan Yanxing said, looking at Liang Qingqing with a smile in his eyes. After speaking, he seemed to notice Liang Junqiang still standing at the door and asked, “Brother Junqiang, weren’t you going to find someone?”

“Yes, I’ll go now.” Liang Junqiang’s face showed a hint of complexity but seeing that Fan Yanxing hadn’t said much and had made that statement, he could only awkwardly scratch his nose and turn to leave.

Their openness made him seem petty and overly cautious by comparison.

He still felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint it.

—

In Daping Village, things were in chaos lately. With various pressing matters, the gloomy weather only added to the oppressive atmosphere.

After finishing the meal, Ma Xiuzhi was listlessly scooping water from the water tank to wash the dishes, her eyes frequently darting to the door, showing that she was a bit out of sorts.

“Mom, let me do it,” Wang Xiaomei, who had just finished wiping the table, sighed and quickly took the water scoop from Ma Xiuzhi’s hands.

Ma Xiuzhi didn’t refuse, her brows furrowed as she muttered, “I wonder how Junqiang and the others are doing.”

After they had finished talking and returned to their rooms that night, they couldn’t find Liang Qingqing anywhere. They searched both the front and back courtyards but to no avail, and panic set in.

Later, they heard that the Zhou family’s granddaughter was missing and that they were searching the entire village. Their worry intensified and they even started to suspect that the village’s troublemakers might have taken Liang Qingqing amidst the chaos.

Fortunately, when they went out with umbrellas to search, they happened to meet Aunt Zhou, who mentioned seeing Liang Qingqing’s figure near the east side of the village. Following her lead, they eventually found out that Liang Qingqing and Liang Junqiang had already gone to the commune and from there, they had moved on to the country seat.

They had missed them completely.

“Old Mao only lent them a small amount of money, I don’t know if it’s enough,” Ma Xiuzhi, still with wet hands, rubbed her forehead. Her eyes were dark with fatigue, clearly showing she hadn’t slept well recently.

Wang Xiaomei, realizing her mother was still worried about their little sister, tried to comfort her, “You know how Second Brother is. If they run out of money, they’ll definitely come back for more.”

Ma Xiuzhi’s expression softened upon hearing this, evidently having thought of that as well.

They wanted to go to the city to check, but the village’s tractor had been borrowed to transport the injured. Some roads were buried again last night and had yet to be cleared. The men of the village were helping out, and the women were afraid to take the mountain roads to the county, leaving them helplessly anxious.

“Fortunately, Comrade Fan’s life was spared. Otherwise…” Wang Xiaomei sighed, but the rest of her words caught in her throat. She recalled Liang Qingqing’s reaction upon hearing the bad news and couldn’t shake the unease. She had been thinking about it for days, growing more worried with each thought but since it was just speculation without evidence, she hadn’t shared it with anyone, not even with Liang Shuqiang.

Ma Xiuzhi, preoccupied with her own worries, didn’t notice Wang Xiaomei’s discomfort. She responded with lingering fear, “He’s a good child. After surviving such a disaster, he will surely have good fortune. Once he’s in the country hospital, he will definitely come back safely.”

Wang Xiaomei nodded in agreement.

“Once we can get into the city, we should go and see.”

“Okay.”

As the two women were talking, a shout suddenly came from the gate “Is anyone home?”

The two women exchanged glances, wondering who could be arriving at this hour. Before they could go out to check, Huang Shumin, who was washing clothes in the hallway, called out first, “Who are you looking for?”

Huang Shumin had recently married into the family and didn’t know everyone in the village yet, so Ma Xiuzhi hurried out of the kitchen. Upon seeing the visitor, she was surprised and said, “What are you doing here?”

Aunt Zhang didn’t beat around the bush and directly stated her purpose “Junqiang asked me to bring you a message…”

Upon hearing the news, Ma Xiuzhi sighed with relief. She noticed that Aunt Zhang’s trousers were covered in mud and her forehead was dripping with sweat, looking quite exhausted. Ma Xiuzhi was astonished that Aunt Zhang had the courage to walk back to the village from the county city alone, and was impressed she had brought news about Liang Junqiang.

Ma Xiuzhi quickly thanked her and invited her inside for some water.

“No need, my son is still waiting outside. We need to hurry back home to pack and get to the city before dark.” Aunt Zhang’s husband was old and severely injured, and she couldn’t leave him alone in the hospital for too long.

Hearing this, Ma Xiuzhi instinctively glanced towards the gate and saw a tall, thin figure outside. Realizing there was a companion, she gritted her teeth and asked, “Could you help me bring some things to Junqiang? It’s not much, just two sets of clothes.”

She knew this request was somewhat forward since their families weren’t very close, and they had already done her a great favor by delivering the message. Asking them to bring more items seemed a bit presumptuous.

Ma Xiuzhi felt slightly embarrassed, but she couldn’t help but feel uneasy if she didn’t send something to Liang Junqiang.

To her surprise, Aunt Zhang readily agreed, “Then hurry and get everything ready. We’ll come by to pick it up later.”

Aunt Zhang thought of the juicy peaches and swallowed. She figured that bringing two sets of clothes was no big deal.

Without waiting for Ma Xiuzhi to respond, Aunt Zhang hurriedly left.

“Mom? Is there news about Junqiang?” As soon as Aunt Zhang left, Huang Shumin approached. She had been listening from a distance and despite the rain, immediately caught on to her husband’s name.

“Yes, quickly help Junqiang pack two sets of clothes. Xiaomei, you go to Qingqing’s room and pack two sets of her clothes.”

Seeing the urgency, they didn’t ask any more questions and went to work immediately.

After giving her instructions, Ma Xiuzhi turned and went back inside. From a hidden place, she took out some money. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to give all of them.