Chapter Forty: Excessively Intimate

Her smile, however, was not directed at him but at the others.

Xie Changzhi pressed his lips together, turned away, and walked to the back to continue hoeing the field.

"Everyone can head back soon. The progress is good; thank you all for your hard work for these past two days."

She handed out copper coins to each person one by one. After giving out the last one, she looked up and saw that sturdy back working with such vigor, and she couldn't help but let a smile touch her eyes.

She walked over with light steps. Just as she raised her hand, Xie Changzhi turned over a large clump of soil, which rolled right onto her embroidered shoes.

The smile on Cheng Yuan’s face froze.

Xie Changzhi was about to swing his hoe again when he felt a tug from behind.

Before he could even frown, the girl’s exasperated voice rang out behind him, "Xie Changzhi!"

"Did you do that on purpose?" Cheng Yuan stepped around to face him, the polite smile she had just shown the others vanished, and she gritted her teeth.

Before Xie Changzhi could speak, he let out a hiss. He looked down to see Cheng Yuan stepping on his foot, grinding her heel into it with force.

Her feet were so dainty that he could hold two of them in one hand; even with her effort, it didn't really hurt much.

Xie Changzhi let out a muffled groan and hurriedly begged for mercy.

"Sister Yuan, I didn't mean to. I didn't see you."

"Hmph! I don't believe you. I’m such a big person, you must have done it on purpose. You’ve been cold to me—you were like this at home, leaving without saying a word, and you didn't even greet me when you saw me here."

"Xie Changzhi, are you tired of our life together?"

Cheng Yuan was stunned by her own words as they slipped out. She stood with her mouth slightly agape, unable to believe that the person throwing such a spoiled, temperamental tantrum was actually herself.

Xie Changzhi, watching her, suddenly began to smile. Without waiting for her to "question" him further, he obediently lowered his head, knelt on one knee, and used his hand to brush the dirt off her embroidered shoe.

"Sister Yuan, it is all my fault. I overthought things. Please, do not be angry."

He looked up at her, his eyes like a clear, limpid spring, filled with complete reliance.

Cheng Yuan felt her heart thumping wildly. She took half a step back and turned her head away.

"Who’s angry? Hurry up and tidy up. Everyone else has left, and we should be going back too."

However, the hem of her skirt was tugged.

"Sister Yuan, they all received their wages... may I also have a reward?"

As she met his gaze, in a daze, Cheng Yuan was reminded of the Border Collie her neighbors had owned in her previous life.

Whenever it wanted something to eat, it wouldn't bark or make a fuss; it would just crouch before you, tongue lolling out, staring at you unblinkingly.

Its fluffy fur would stir in the breeze, and its half-flopped ears looked soft and inviting.

Cheng Yuan actually reached out to touch him, but his cheek was rough—nothing like the softness of a puppy.

"Sister Yuan..."

Xie Changzhi’s surprised voice pulled Cheng Yuan back to reality. His cheeks puffed out slightly, as if asking why she was taking advantage of him.

Cheng Yuan pulled her hand back in a panic and gave a light cough. "If you want wages, I’ll give them to you when we get back."

"What would I want with wages? We are family. I want a reward." Xie Changzhi stood up slowly, his tall frame making him seem incredibly imposing.

He was the type to look lean in clothes but carry muscle beneath them, and for some reason, Cheng Yuan thought of that night.

A reward? They were both adults; Cheng Yuan didn't dare to dwell on it.

She swore she had absolutely never coveted Xie Changzhi, but how could a piece of meat left in front of a dog remain unbitten forever?

*Pah!* She wasn't a dog!

"How am I supposed to know what you want? Think about it and tell me later. And you—behave yourself!"

The woman’s cheeks were flushed crimson, and even the harsh words she threw out were laced with a sweet fragrance. Xie Changzhi watched her retreating back with greedy eyes.

His fairy sister—the fairy sister he had prayed for over ten years.

***

Because the majority had agreed, the evening meal was changed to chestnut cake. Cheng Yuan had put on a large pot of chestnuts to boil before she left, and they were perfectly cooked by the time they returned.

Except for Xie Tingyun, Cheng Yuan had roped everyone else into peeling chestnuts, including Jiang He, who had been staying indoors.

Fortunately, once the courtyard gate was closed, no one knew she was there.

"As for your mother, I told her you were in the county town. However, according to reports from Mo Bai and the others, the only time your mother went to town these past two days was to deliver tuition money and clothes to your brother."

Cheng Yuan peeled a shell and tossed it into the winnowing basket beside her.

Jiang He was small, sitting on a stool, not even half the size of Xie Changzhi.

She bit her lip, saying nothing, just peeling chestnuts incessantly.

The clothes she wore were the same ones from the start of autumn, covered in patches. Yet, even in such drab, dusty attire, it was hard to hide the fact that she was a natural beauty.

Cheng Yuan’s heart sank. It was no wonder her aunt was always clamoring that once Cousin Yun passed the imperial examinations and became an official, she would marry He’er off to a wealthy young master to be the lady of the house.

Jiang He had beauty, and that was her misfortune—at least given their current family circumstances.

One could only imagine her fate once the Jiang family fell.

But Jiang He was innocent. In the past, when her aunt and uncle came to "sweep the autumn wind" and take advantage of them, she had even tried to stop them.

She was only four years younger than Cheng Yuan, and they had been close sisters in their youth.

They had braided each other’s hair, shared a single hard-won piece of candy, and she had even shared stolen bird eggs with her...

Keeping Jiang He here was a selfish act on her part; she hadn't consulted anyone. But no one in the household asked, as if having one more person was as simple as adding another pair of chopsticks.

A sense of warmth filled her heart.

"Sister Yuan, thank you..."

Jiang He’s voice was like the humming of a mosquito. If it hadn't been quiet, Cheng Yuan would never have heard it.

She froze for a moment, then smiled.

Jiang He’s cautious gaze stole glances at the group of people around her, filled with both timidity and envy.

She had been terrified when she was first taken, but that fear had gradually turned into worry—her chores at home weren't finished, and she would surely be scolded by her grandmother with a stool the moment she returned. But as time passed, she realized that when she couldn't go back, a wave of relief had unexpectedly washed over her.

And today, she understood what Sister Yuan had told her: even if her mother loved her, it was only a love for her good looks, which could fetch a high price.

When her family learned she had been kidnapped, they hadn't even looked for her; they had simply abandoned her out of fear of Sister Yuan.

She should have cried, for her family didn't want her anymore.

But she also felt she should smile. If she could stay here with Sister Yuan, perhaps it would be the only stroke of fortune in her otherwise mundane life.

Everyone worked together quickly, though there were those like Xie Yanzhi who played while they peeled, scattering chestnut shells everywhere. Cheng Yuan had just kicked him and told him to clean it up when, turning around, she saw Jiang He already holding a broom, sweeping everything into the trash basket.

"Isn't that what servants are for?" Xie Yanzhi’s eyes darted around, and he said with a grin, "Little He’er, you must work hard. After all, food and lodging cost silver. If you don't do a good job, we'll send you back. I heard Master Wang is furious about losing a concubine."

Jiang He’s thin shoulders trembled, and Cheng Yuan glared at him.

"Xie Changzhi, keep your brother in check."

"Hey! Since when do I need him to keep me in check?!"

Cheng Yuan couldn't be bothered with this chattering sparrow. She took the broom from Jiang He’s hands, and just as she was formulating what to say, Jiang He spoke first:

"Sister Yuan, I will work hard. When I grow up and earn some silver, I will pay you back."