Chapter 38 : Crying

Under the sunlight, the leaves glistened with water drops.

Fan Yanxing casually rested his arm on the railing, glancing at the nearby alley. He suddenly smiled faintly, raised his eyebrows with a casual air, and said in a deep, drawn-out tone, “I’m definitely not feeling guilty, but Qingqing, you…”

He paused for two seconds, his narrow eyes holding a hint of meaning. “Must be feeling jealous.”

His tone was light, but the seriousness in his voice made Liang Qingqing almost believe she was actually jealous. Her face flushed red, and her clear eyes carried a hint of blush.

“Your imagination really is vivid.”

Realizing she had managed to get him to reveal that he had indeed been with other girls in alleys, and feeling somewhat at fault, she looked away and stopped speaking.

However, the next second, she suddenly turned her head back to look at Fan Yanxing.

“I’ve never been into an alley with a girl before, but in the future… that depends on whether you agree, Qingqing.” Fan Yanxing’s long fingers tapped the railing, making a crisp sound, each tap seeming to strike at her heart.

In the alley, the couple had already embraced and seemed to be sharing a passionate kiss.

Liang Qingqing’s lips tightened, her cheeks grew hot, and her eyes became flickering. She slowly managed to say, “Hmph, dream on.”

She spoke quickly, as if trying to cover up her true feelings.

—

After the rain, the weather cleared up, and for several days, the skies were clear. Fan Yanxing was discharged from the hospital on one such sunny day.

The three of them had very little luggage—just a few clothes. A single bundle carried by Liang Junqiang and Fan Yanxing, while Liang Qingqing carried a bottle of soda, playing the role of a pretty vase.

With the good weather came rising temperatures, making everything feel sluggish.

They caught a tractor heading back to the village. Liang Qingqing hurriedly got on and found a spot near the inside. They had left in such a rush that they hadn’t even taken an umbrella, so they used their clothes to shield themselves from the sun.

Fan Yanxing unobtrusively pushed Liang Junqiang aside, who had tried to sit next to Liang Qingqing, then sat down himself. He asked with concern, “Do you want me to hold the water?”

Liang Qingqing nodded and handed him the soda bottle. The two moved naturally, not noticing the curious glances from other passengers until someone spoke up.

“Isn’t that Fan Yanxing? He’s out of the hospital?”

The speaker was a man who had previously worked with Fan Yanxing. They had exchanged a few words but were not particularly close. Surprised by the man’s address, Fan Yanxing nodded and replied, “Yes, just discharged today.”

“It’s good you’re out. It was such a scary situation back then. I still get scared thinking about it.” Zhao Sheng smiled and glanced at Liang Qingqing next to him, adding pointedly, “It’s thanks to Liang’s girl taking care of him. Otherwise, it might not have healed so quickly.”

The moment Zhao Sheng spoke, Fan Yanxing’s previously calm expression turned icy. His sharp eyes fixed on Zhao Sheng, and a sarcastic smile curved his lips. “Are you blind? Can’t you see my brother Junqiang?”

His words were blunt and unceremonious, showing no regard for Zhao Sheng’s feelings. Some people have no shame and meddle in others’ business, so he didn’t feel the need to spare him.

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing laughed out loud, leaning against the wall of the tractor with a lazy demeanor but there was a coldness in her eyes.

Liang Junqiang stood up abruptly, his muscular arms flexing with the movement. His tall frame cast a shadow over Zhao Sheng, making Zhao Sheng instinctively step back, regretting having made himself a target.

How could he forget about Liang Junqiang, this imposing figure? Anyone who dared to bully his sister would have to face the consequences!

Seeing Zhao Sheng’s cowardly, Liang Junqiang snorted coldly to himself, With such a weak attitude, how dare he run his mouth?

“What’s up? Are you looking for trouble?”

“No, no, I was just speaking offhand.”

Zhao Sheng swallowed hard, glancing at Liang Junqiang’s large, clenched fist, and gave a wry smile, repeatedly denying any ill intent.

“Mind your own business,” Fan Yanxing said in a low voice laced with an almost imperceptible threat. His eyes narrowed slightly, the coldness in his gaze as piercing as ice.

Despite the heat, Zhao Sheng felt a cold sweat running down his back, his clothes sticking to him—a pressure he hadn’t felt even in the face of Liang Junqiang’s physical threat.

Zhao Sheng nodded quickly, lowering his head in submission. The others, witnessing the entire exchange, dared not speak again. The ride back to the village was quiet, and for some reason, Liang Qingqing, usually prone to motion sickness, seemed to escape it this time.

The tractor bumped along into the village. After getting off, they headed straight for the Liang family home. However, since it was working hours, the house was empty. Liang Junqiang went to the fields to find Ma Xiuzhi for the keys.

Fortunately, rural areas don’t usually lock their courtyard gates, so Liang Qingqing and Fan Yanxing took seats on a wooden bench in the porch and chatted idly.

“It’s even hotter than before the rain,” Liang Qingqing remarked, staring at the yard. The ground, once a muddy mess during the rain, had dried up in the days of sunshine and looked well kept, indicating that Ma Xiuzhi had been cleaning regularly.

Fan Yanxing’s gaze was fixed on her face. Hearing her mention the heat, he offered comfort, “It’ll cool down when October comes.”

To his surprise, Liang Qingqing sighed heavily, her expression saddened as she exclaimed, “So that means we’ll have to wait another two months.”

“Hmm.” He nodded, his mind drifting back to the events on the tractor. He hesitated before speaking, “I’m sorry about the gossip in the village…”

Before he could finish, Liang Qingqing interrupted him, “It’s an emergency situation. It’s not your fault, so why apologize?”

She propped her chin on her hands and looked up at him, casually saying, “It’s just gossip. I’ve dealt with the village gossips before. I’m used to it.”

Seeing her nonchalant demeanor, Fan Yanxing felt an indescribable discomfort creeping into his heart. It was as if an invisible hand was squeezing his throat, making it hard to breathe.

At that moment, there was a noise at the door. Liang Junqiang had returned, followed by Ma Xiuzhi, whom they hadn’t seen for a long time.

“Mom!” Liang Qingqing’s eyes brightened. She jumped up from the chair and ran to Ma Xiuzhi, throwing herself into her embrace and softly whining, “You don’t know how much I missed you.”

These words melted Ma Xiuzhi’s heart instantly. Her eyes welled up with tears. She wanted to embrace her daughter but then remembered she hadn’t washed her hands after working in the fields.

“Oh, I missed you too,” Ma Xiuzhi said, though her hands were still dirty. “But let go quickly, or I’ll dirty you as well.”

“It’s fine if my clothes get dirty. I don’t care I just want to hug you.” Liang Qingqing pouted. Noticing Ma Xiuzhi’s concern, she even placed Ma Xiuzhi’s hand on her waist and said with conviction, “If you can’t stand even your own daughter, what kind of person are you?”

“You’re so sweet-talking. But remember, I’m not going to help you with your laundry later,” Ma Xiuzhi said, though her grip on Liang Qingqing tightened a little.

This was the first time her daughter had been away for so long, it was impossible not to miss her.

The mother and daughter hugged in the yard for a long time before finally letting go. Ma Xiuzhi held Liang Qingqing’s hand, inspecting her from top to bottom, but she couldn’t bring herself to say, “You’ve lost weight.” Instead, she felt that after so many days apart, Liang Qingqing had actually gained some weight and looked even more beautiful and charming than before. Her large, beautiful eyes sparkled, showing no signs of hardship.

Before she could voice her doubts, a voice nearby distracted her.

“Auntie.”

Turning her head, she saw Fan Yanxing standing next to where Liang Qingqing had been sitting. His tall figure almost touched the beam of the porch. Dressed in a military green short-sleeved shirt and long pants, he looked very proper. His originally short hair had grown a bit, making him appear less stern and more refined.

He didn’t look like someone recovering from a serious illness but rather like someone in good spirits, as if he had just received happy news.

If it weren’t for the numerous villagers who had seen him being dug out of the dirt and for the fact that her own children had been taking care of him for so many days, Ma Xiuzhi might have thought he had been to the country for some good news.

After looking at Fan Yanxing’s face twice and then at Liang Qingqing by his side, Ma Xiuzhi couldn’t help but think of the recent disturbing rumors in the village. A hint of unease flashed across her face.

She had previously admired Fan Yanxing’s character and abilities, but now that he had involved her daughter in rumors and damaged his already questionable reputation, she couldn’t help but direct her frustration towards him, even though she knew deep down it wasn’t entirely his fault.

She was unsure how to deal with him now.

With a sigh in her heart, Ma Xiuzhi avoided Fan Yanxing’s gaze and said, “Stop standing around. Go inside and have some cold water.”

She then took out the keys from her pocket and walked a few steps to unlock the kitchen door.

Ma Xiuzhi responded but thought that after so many days of rain, delaying her work, she couldn’t just focus on the present. Furthermore, lunch break was approaching, and they could talk later.

When lunch break finally came, Ma Xiuzhi hurried home. Whether it was due to hearing the news or something else, the rest of the family returned much faster than usual, and soon everyone was gathered.

As soon as she entered the house, she saw Huang Shumin crying while holding Liang Junqiang. Many people were standing around, and Ma Xiuzhi felt a bit embarrassed. It would be one thing if it were just family, especially since the young couple had only recently married and were still in a loving phase, which could be understood by someone who had been through it.

But Fan Yanxing was also standing there!

“Cough, cough.” Ma Xiuzhi cleared her throat, causing Huang Shumin to stiffen up, and then, with a flushed face, quickly released Liang Junqiang, wiping her tears and retreating to the corner.

Meanwhile, Songzi was clinging to Liang Qingqing’s leg, crying hoarsely and refusing to stop, as if something terrible had happened.

“Alright, stop crying.”

Liang Qingqing had little experience with comforting children and could only pat Songzi’s back in a flustered manner. Despite her best efforts, both sweet and stern words proved ineffective. In the past, when she said something, it was always followed, and if she told Songzi to go east, the child would never go west.

It seemed like Songzi was genuinely frightened.

To make matters worse, Songzi’s parents weren’t back yet, and no one else in the house could handle this little troublemaker. It was truly distressing.

“Why is Songzi crying? Come to Grandma.”

Ma Xiuzhi, seeing Songzi clinging to Liang Qingqing, was alarmed. She hurried over, trying to pick Songzi up, but couldn’t manage it. Afraid of hurting him, she didn’t dare to use too much force.

“No, I want my little aunt.”

Songzi cried uncontrollably, his eyes still fixed on Liang Qingqing through his tears. He was afraid that if he closed his eyes, his little aunt would disappear, just like last time when he woke up and couldn’t find her.

“I’m right here, stop crying.”

Liang Qingqing felt helpless, as Songzi’s strong grip made her legs ache.

Suddenly, she remembered that Fan Yanxing had mentioned he had helped take care of children before. She cast a desperate glance in his direction.

Desperate times call for desperate measures! Maybe Fan Yanxing could calm Songzi down? She couldn’t let him cry like this forever, or his eyes would be swollen.