Back to the Countryside

Chapter 10 :怜惜 / Pity (to take pity on/to feel tenderness toward someone) 

Lin Sheng felt a little sad when he heard his dream talk. When he Ling's father left, he was only six years old, as old as their tiger* son. (Remember that Lin Sheng' son named Xiao Hu which means 'little tiger).

Now is the time of mischievous for Hu Zi, all day long, he is not at home, but ran wildly all over the village with the village's boy . At that time, He Ling should be living very carefully*(小心翼翼: lit mean cautious and solemn) under the nose of his grandmother and uncle who didn't like him very much. 

Wu Yulan didn't think so much. She stared at the hand that intertwined with each other, and her face became more and more strange.

There was a sound of footsteps at the door. Qi Yue gently took out his hand and stood up beside the bed.

At the time, He Ling feel that his hands was empty, a tear fell from the corner of his eyes, it fell on the pillow, and he lose his consciousness. The expression on his face changed into weeping with grief, like an abandoned child, the red plum's mark on the center of his eyebrows in a split second of those moment, splendidly seemed to be bleeding.

 Qi Yue took the hand behind him and held it slowly. He looked down at the person's appearance, and frowned slightly.

After He Zhen entered the room, he felt that the atmosphere in the room was a little bit strange. Before he had time to think about it, Wu Yulan came over to pick up the water basin in his hand, and he didn't think about it anymore .

Why Let He Zhen bring water over? Wu Yulan knew it, but "No (cloth*布巾)towel ah!"

He Zhen never works at home. It's ok for him to bring a basin of water. How can he possibly figure out the purpose of this. 

Qi Yue took out the nearly folded white silk handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to him, said: "Use this ba! "

"This handkerchief is quite expensive, isn't it?" Although Lin Sheng is a rough man, he can tell the difference from good to the bad one. The material of the handkerchief is good, he knew it just by one look. Just like this, give it to be used by other?

Instead, Wu Yulan stuffed the water basin into Lin sheng's arms, took the handkerchief and threw it into the water to soak it. After a simple rubbing and washing, she wrung out the water and sat down beside the bed to wipe the thin sweat on he Ling's face and neck.

Lin Sheng looks at her in surprise. Last time at home, she asked him to persuade Qi Yue. Even if he has money, he can't spend it carelessly. He should keep it in case he need it. How can she be so agreeable this time?!

He Zhen's heart is very reluctant. The things he carries in his body, usually must be used for and by himself, but now it is used on he Ling, which makes him a little unhappy!

Looking at Wu Yulan carefully wipe he Ling's hands, face and neck, then wash the handkerchief, wring it dry and put it on his forehead to reduce the heat, Qi Yue opens the medicine box on the ground, takes out a white porcelain bottle from it and hands it over to him, "sister-in-law will feed him one pill of this medicine."

Wu Yulan took the bottle and poured out a pill in the palm of her hand. The pill was only the size of a soybean and it was brownish yellow in color. She put the pill into he Ling's mouth, gently lifted his chin, looked at his throat, swallowed the medicine, then let go of her hand. 

"Brother Qi (祁兄弟: Qi Xiong di), this pill is good. On weekdays, old man Li always prescribes herbs directly. Once boiled, it's black and a big bowl. It smells bad and tastes bad!" Lin Sheng saw that his pills were quite novel*(新奇: new and odd) . They were only available in the town's hospitals. They were more expensive than herbs. Ordinary people seldom bought them.

"What? So curious, do you want one?" Wu Yulan gouged out his eyes and strike a pose as if she tried to pull out the cork that had just been put back to the bottle.

Lin Sheng was holding a basin and couldn't wave his hand, so he hurriedly took a step back, "No, no, no, I'm not sick, why should I eat this thing, moreover, this medicine is definitely not cheap, I still won't waste it!"

Qi Yue saw that these two husband and wife sort of funny. He thought it was interesting and slowly drew his lips.

"Is this medicine... Really expensive?" He Zhen hesitated to look at the medicine bottle held by Wu Yulan's hand. He didn't want to spend too much money on this disgusting and annoying person. Even if he agreed, his mother would not agree.

As soon as he asked this, the eyes of the three people in the room turned over at him. Wu Yulan turned back after only one look. Lin Sheng didn't speak this time, but his eyes were obviously full of mockery. At this kind of time don't care about people, only care about the price, but it seems like their family' style. 

Qi Yue's medicine is not commonly used for wind cold, and its price is naturally extraordinary* (非同一般) . Of course, he didn't intend to say these, "I've been in the village for a short time. Today, I act as if to pay a visit to the one's home of the villager. This medicine is a gift for meeting*. I don't accept any money."

[*見面禮 jiàn miàn lǐ is a gift given to sb when meeting them for the first time]

He Zhen looked at the pair of black eyes that were staring at her, and always felt that they were full of deep meaning. He seemed to think of remembering something, and hung his head down with red cheeks. Did he mean to visit his parents? Does he have feelings for himself?

Lin Sheng opens his mouth, but he doesn't say anything. Since Qi Yue has told him that he has definitely no intention to adore and love for He Zhen, he should not random guess any more!

Wu Yulan sighed softly, stretched out her hand to straighten the quilt for He Ling and she was a bit convinced in her heart regarding of her own conjecture*. (對於自己心中的猜想又深信幾分. tl notes: believe me, this sentence is really hard to translate) 

"In the past two days, his body may be relatively weak and unable to work. You should take care of it carefully!"

 His physical foundation is too poor, and usually he is always hold his breath hard. Once he gets sick, it will be difficult to heal. 

"OK, I understand!" He Zhen's mouth promised very quickly, but he didn't think much of it in his heart. 

He Ling has been pale for half a month, he was ill ever since he was a child. He seems to will fall down at any time, but he still has to do what he should do. He also didn't see that something really will happened to him, right? 

Looking at the expression on his face, Qi Yue knew that he didn't take his words to heart. He slightly restrain the smile on his lips.

"You have to take good care of yourself, or you won't get well. Don't you want to make people think that brother Qi's medical skills is not good? That's a bad reputation!" Wu Yulan while fiddled He Ling's hair that fell on the neck onto the pillow,muttered softly as if talking to herself. 

He Zhen heard what she said, and consideration began to arise in his heart.He Zhen think that he would marry Qi Yue in the future. How could he let others say that he is not good? Isn't this adding to his own troubles, "Don't worry, I'll let my cousin have good rest these days. I will tell my parents!"

     Qi Yue smiled and nodded, then gave Wu Yulan a calm look. It is said that 'husband and wife complement each other*(夫妻互补)'. This saying indeed is not false. Lin Sheng is honest and straightforward. He often can't turn his mind around. Yet he marry a wife who is really a smart person! 

     Wu Yulan stood up, raised the porcelain bottle in her hand, and looked over inquiringly, Qi Yue raised his hand and motioned her to put it on the window sill, and then said to He Zhen: "When he wakes up, please inform him about the medicine bottle, one pill a day,take it after finish eating."

There are seven pills in this bottle. He Ling was given one pill just now, and the remaining six pills can be taken for another six days. All the herbs used in this medicine are extremely mild and have the effect of replenishing the body. His illness will soon recover. Taking more medicine for a few days is to warm his body.

After he Zhen nodded, they didn't plan to stay any longer. It was too late. Lin Sheng's family still have elder and children at home and Wu Yulan had to go back to cook.

Qi Yue raised the medicine box and looked at the people lying on the bed. Then he turned his head reluctantly and went out of the room with them.

Not long after they left, he Ling opened his eyes, to look everywhere around, a little bit dusky room. His consciousness returned back slowly. He moved his arms and propped up his weak body.

Something fell on his forehead. He reached out and picked it up blankly. It was a white silk handkerchief embroidered with a bunch of orchids in the corner. Very elegant and beautiful! How can this kind of thing, which is not cheap at first sight, appear in oneself?

When he was in a daze while looking at the handkerchief, the shabby door of the room was suddenly pushed open. He Zhen came in with a bowl in his hand. Seeing that he was awake, he put the bowl on the windowsill beside his bed and said impolitely, " The big young master finally woke up?"

He always talk like that, and He Ling didn't care much. He stretched out the quilt and prepared to get out of bed.

    "It's Okay, stay in bed!" He Zhen stretched out his hand and pushed him to stop him from getting out of bed.

    He Ling raised his head and looked at him with his eyes widened slightly. He felt a little unbelievable. The other party even asked him to stay on the bed to rest?

"What are you looking at? Do you think I want to?" He Zhen rolled his eyes disdainfully, and pointed to the porcelain bottle on the windowsill, "The medicine Qi Yue's prescribed, take one a day!"

Qi Yue? He Ling's head is a little confused. What is the matter with that person?

"You don't have to work in the next few days, but you can't leave the purse I asked you to embroider. Embroider it for me as soon as possible!" He Zhen didn't care what he was puzzled about. He only care about the matter that related to himself and took away the silk handkerchief from him.

At the same time, he glared at him. "It's such a waste of Qi Yue's things for you to use!"

Looking at He Zhen who feeling very dissatisfied and angry* (忿忿不平) out of the room, He Ling clutching his head and straightened out his train of thoughts, wait until he was a little more comfortable,then he looked back at the window sill. Instead of touching the bowl of porridge, he took the small bottle and held it in his hand for a while. Then he tightly held it and stuck it on his chest, muttered "he helped me again..."

He Zhen walked briskly in the village, touching the purse in his sleeve. His face full of happy color ,when he met someone, he would also called them aunt, uncle and so on, very sweet talking. 

When someone curiously inquired, he would smile utterly shy, saying that Qi Yue had helped him two days ago. Today, he went over to thank him specially. 

The person who asked,saw his radiant with happines*(滿面春風) and shyness face, what else did he not understand. Some time ago, people who knew about the incident at the entrance of the village couldn't help sighing, these He's family's ger also capable and has really won a golden turtle son-in-law!

He Zhen naturally understand what other people think yet he would not go to explain it. The more they think at the crooked angle, the more favorable it was for him, and the faster he and Qi Yue's affairs could be accomplished.

He Zhen's heart beat faster when he saw the courtyard of the blue brick house from a distance. In the future, the beautiful courtyard and the handsome men in the courtyard are all his own. He will become the most enviable ger in the Gu Shui village !

When he got to the door, he carefully arranged his clothes and hair, and then raised his hand to buckle the door ring. The clothes he chose today are ver suitable for him. It seems that his complexion is extremely rosy and good looking. He will definitely let the other person's heart have a favorable impression. 

Behind the door came the sound of 'neither too fast nor too slow' footsteps, just as Qi Yue this person, generally. He always look calm, indifferent and determine, gentle also polite. He never panicked or rushed when doing something, as if everything could be easily solved.

Do not know such a person like him,if he speak out those love words, isn't he more gentle and disturbing people's mind? Thought of some that he should not think of, He Zhen's face soon dyed red.

The sound of opening the door brought back his thoughts. He looked up and saw Qi Yue standing behind the door, wearing a nattierblue*(淡青色) set of clothing, which reveal even more of his intellectual and elegant. 

Seeing the visitor, Qi Yue raised his eyebrows slightly. He put down his hand that open the door, one slightly nod his head and said, "He Xiao Ge er is here, is there something wrong with your cousin' body again?"

"No, it's not!" He Zhen felt that his entire face was burning when he saw this person. He turned his eyes a little shy, and handed over the purse that had been in his sleeve. "To thank you, I specially I embroidered a purse, and hope that Big brother Qi will not dislike it!"

     Qi Yue lowered his eyes and glanced at the things he handed to him, his eyes flickered, "Did you embroider this?"

"Exactly!" He Zhen nodded gently. His eyes are very sincere, " The thing that I could do is not much.Just embroidering is okay, so I thought of embroidering a purse to give to Big brother Qi! "

"Oh? thats so." The smile on Qi Yue's face suddenly deepened. He stretched out his well-defined hand (which show his distinct joints bone) , He pinch the tether on the purse, gently lifted it up and held it in his hand, and said: "Then I'll take it. Thanks a lot. "

"Its good that Qi Da Ge (big brother Qi) like it!" Seeing him accept the things he sent, he Zhen was surprised and shy in his heart, "I..."

"Then I won't send you off!" Qi Yue interrupted his unfinished words.

He Zhen was surprised, but he looked up and saw a gentle and polite smile. He breathed a sigh of relief, he almost thought that Qi Yue was driving him away, Maybe he had something to do. maybe he was also a little embarrassed? He secretly smiled, feeling that the future will be long and it will be enough today, so he reluctantly said: "Then I will go first, and I will talk to Big brother Qi another day!"

Seeing the person leaving, Qi Yue closed the door, looked down at the purse in his hand, and gently rubbed the word "Ling" embroidered under the green bamboo with his fingers. This word was embroidered with silver silk thread of the same color as the fabric, and it was inconspicuous. 

If he remember correctly, he had seen this in he Ling's room before, and it was placed in the side of the bed. At that time, he only embroidered a "Ling" character, but be can't tell what it was, but the color of the cloth and silk thread is exactly the same as this purse.

" Heh," Qi Yue laught lightly, "I see."