Chapter 11
Lu Yao said, “It’s only been a short time. Do you want to go to the hospital already?”
Yu Le tried to explain, “I thought you might be too late to move the flowers, and if they die—”
“It’s just a pot of flowers,” Lu Yao said, frowning.
“…”
Yu Le had nothing to say.
After Lu Yao finished drying Yu Le’s hair, he noticed Yu Le was still holding the flower pot. With a sigh, Lu Yao took the towel and reached for the pot.
“Let go.”
Yu Le obediently released his grip, and Lu Yao carefully placed the pot on the side, reuniting it with its pot family.
The wind picked up again, and raindrops were blown under the eaves. Lu Yao naturally moved a step to the side, positioning himself in front of Yu Le, “Go back inside, take a shower, and change out of your wet clothes.”
Yu Le hurried downstairs and then back upstairs, feeling a bit dejected. He had come to help, but it seemed like he had only caused trouble.
Before dinner, Aunt Zhang gave him a half-bowl of ginger soup.
“You got caught in the rain this afternoon, right?” Aunt Zhang said.
“Here, Little Lu specifically asked me to make this ginger soup for you. It’s still hot. Drink it so you can sleep well tonight and avoid catching a cold.”
Yu Le didn’t like the taste of ginger much and scrunched up his nose while drinking from the bowl. He wondered why it seemed so exaggerated.
Was he really that fragile?
Soon enough, Lu Yao’s actions proved that in his eyes, Yu Le was indeed that fragile.
At bedtime, just after Yu Le turned off the lights and lay down, he heard footsteps approaching in the hallway.
With only three people currently staying at the inn, and Guan Zheng being on the third floor, it was clear who was outside the door.
The footsteps stopped at his room door, and the door was pushed open gently.
Yu Le felt someone approach his bed. Before he even opened his eyes, a dry palm was placed on his forehead.
…
A sigh came.
Yu Le opened his eyes helplessly. The room was very dark, and all he could make out was Lu Yao’s silhouette; he couldn’t see his expression.
“I really didn’t catch a cold,” Yu Le said.
“I haven’t sneezed even once.”
Lu Yao just made a noncommittal sound, his tone revealing no particular emotion.
Yu Le placed his hands on the blanket and looked up at his outline, “Am I made of clay, that a bit of rain would make me melt?”
This time, there was a faint hint of amusement in Lu Yao’s voice. “Pretty much.”
Yu Le: “…”
After this little bedtime episode, Yu Le had a dream that night.
In his dream, the goddess Nüwa was kneading clay and making him.
She muttered, “The quality of this batch of clay is so poor. It’ll probably melt with a bit of rain. The dolls made from it are likely to be frail and sickly. Maybe I should just recycle them.”
Recycle him?
Yu Le was quite scared and spent the night helping Nüwa make clay dolls, just to avoid being thrown away as trash.
He was woken up in the morning by the sound of someone downstairs opening the door. He sat up and looked out the window, seeing a figure in a white tank top leaving.
The tank top was an old-fashioned one, but the person was not old at all.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a straight back. The muscle lines on his shoulders and back were not exaggerated but visibly contained great explosive strength.
Yu Le glanced at Lu Yao’s arms, then at his own, yawned, and silently lay back down.
Even a guesthouse owner in a deep mountain forest had such a good physique. The world really is competitive these days.
He might as well go back to dreaming about making clay.
Lu Yao had just bought some lean meat from the market and was heading back when he heard a child’s loud voice echoing down the street:
“You’re unreasonable! You’re making a fuss! You’re just a stumbling block on my path to success!”
Lu Yao turned around to see a mother and child arguing passionately outside a rice cake shop, separated by a steaming iron pot and a steamer:
“Zhao Xiaosong, you’re done for! I’m not just a stumbling block; I’m also the one behind all your troubles! Come over here!”
“I’m not coming! The teacher said that anyone who solves problems with violence is foolish. You can’t hit me!”
“Today, I’m foolish, so what! Come over here!”
“I’m not coming! You can’t hit me, at least not with such a big stick!!! Mom, help, help, it’s child abuse!!!!”
Zhao Xiaosong turned to see Lu Yao and, seeing him as a savior, his eyes lit up as he ran towards Lu Yao, shouting, “Boss Lu, help!”
His mother chased after him, holding a stick as thick as her arm, one hand on the stick and the other on her waist.
“Zhao Xiaosong, you must get a beating today. Even Jesus can’t save you!”
Zhao Xiaosong dashed behind Lu Yao, pointing at his mother.
“Boss, quick, persuade your Aunt Zhao, she’s gone crazy!”
“Little Lu, move aside. Don’t interfere with this rascal. He’s too itchy, and if I don’t deal with him now, he’ll really tear the house apart one day!”
Lu Yao looked down at Zhao Xiaosong and asked, “What did you do?”
Zhao Xiaosong raised his right hand. “I swear, I didn’t do anything this time. I just wanted to discuss with my mom about setting up an ice powder stall for the summer vacation. I only said a few words, and now she’s going to beat me!”
Sister Zhao said, “You little brat, it’s a joke to set up a stall. Our doorstep is so small, and if you set up a stall, will I still be able to sell rice cakes?”
Zhao Xiaosong poked his head out and unabashedly said, “Then you can take a break for the summer. I’ll sell ice powder and support you!”
With that attitude, a beating seemed justified.
Sister Zhao’s eyes widened again, ready to get even angrier.
Lu Yao spoke up just in time, “Sister Zhao, you can go about your business. I’ll talk to Xiaosong.”
In everyone’s view, Lu Yao was the epitome of reliability in every way. When he said that, Sister Zhao immediately put the stick aside, gave one last snort, and pointed at Zhao Xiaosong.
“You better behave yourself!”
Zhao Xiaosong watched his angry mother leave, then turned to Lu Yao with admiration and gave him a thumbs up.
“Boss, you’re awesome!”
Lu Yao turned around, crossing his arms and looking down at Zhao Xiaosong.
“You want to set up an ice powder stall?”
Zhao Xiaosong immediately stood up straight and nodded vigorously.
Lu Yao asked, “No space at your door?”
Zhao Xiaosong’s enthusiasm faded. “Yes.”
Lu Yao said, “Then you can use my place.”
“Huh?” Zhao Xiaosong’s eyes lit up.
“In front of the guesthouse?”
Lu Yao nodded casually. “Mm.”
Zhao Xiaosong immediately rushed up to hug him. “Wow! Boss Lu, you’re such a great person!”
“Don’t get too excited just yet.” Lu Yao placed his palm on Zhao Xiaosong’s forehead. “There are conditions.”
Zhao Xiaosong waved his hand grandly. “No problem, I’ll agree to any conditions!”
After leaving Zhao Xiaosong’s house, Lu Yao passed by the guesthouse but didn’t go inside. Instead, he headed straight next door.
The door was only slightly ajar, and the lights in the living room were off. Lu Yao navigated his way through the hallway and into the backyard, where an elderly man was sitting on a bench, weaving something. The ground around him was covered with neatly cut bamboo strips.
“Uncle Lu,” Lu Yao greeted as he approached.
The old man looked up and smiled upon seeing him. “Little Lu, you’re back?”
“Yes, I’ve been back for a few days.”
Lu Yao squatted down in front of the old man. “Is this a new pattern?”
He was referring to the half-finished bamboo basket the old man was working on.
The old man nodded. “Yes, I was just trying it out.”
Lu Yao praised it for looking nice and then asked, “Do you have any finished small items?”
The old man was taken aback. “So early this year?”
They relied on bamboo weaving to make a living. Although their skills were good, their age and lack of marketing skills made it hard for them to sell their products. So whenever Lu Yao returned, he would take some of their bamboo crafts back to the guesthouse to help sell them.
“There’s still some time before the summer vacation,” Lu Yao smiled. “I just want to buy a few.”
Yu Le got up after a good sleep and was eating breakfast while pondering how to spend the uneventful day ahead. A child, looking no older than ten, skipped in, holding a box over his head to shield himself from the light drizzle.
Yu Le assumed the child was looking for the cook and didn’t pay much attention.
To his surprise, the child hopped right up to him, peered at his face as if confirming something, and then beamed. “Hi hi hi! Pretty brother!”
Yu Le: “??? ”
“My name is Zhao Xiaosong. You can call me Xiaosong,” the child said, sitting down next to him with a bright smile. “Are you gonna eat?”
Yu Le, holding his chopsticks, nodded. “Yes.”
He was a bit confused about what was going on.
Zhao Xiaosong asked, “Are you almost done?”
Yu Le replied, “Almost. Why?”
Zhao Xiaosong shook the box in his hand. “Once you’re done, let’s play checkers together!”
Aunt Zhang came over at just the right moment to clear the dishes. Yu Le didn’t quite understand what was happening until Zhao Xiaosong opened the box, chose some blue marbles, and set them up on a checkers board.
“Do you know me?” Yu Le asked Zhao Xiaosong.
Zhao Xiaosong replied, “No.”
Yu Le asked, “Then why did you come to find me?”
Zhao Xiaosong said, “I was bored and wanted to find someone to play with. I saw you here.”
Is that so?
Yu Le frowned slightly.
It made some sense but not entirely.
“Oh, as long as there’s someone to play with, it’s fine. We’re all just wandering souls!” Zhao Xiaosong urged. “Come on, brother, you go first.”
Yu Le looked at the hexagonal, perforated board and didn’t know where to start. “I don’t know how to play this.”
“You’ve never played checkers before?” Zhao Xiaosong was surprised but quickly waved his hand. “It’s very simple. I’ll teach you!”
When Lu Yao came back, Yu Le, the new checkers player, was stuck at a critical point, unable to move.
Zhao Xiaosong excitedly urged, “Hurry up, brother! If you make this move, I’ll win!”
Hearing this, Yu Le hesitated even more.
How could Zhao Xiaosong win? He couldn’t see it.
While he was carefully considering whether to move right or left, a hand suddenly reached over from the side of his face, moved one of his pieces three spaces, and blocked Zhao Xiaosong’s path to victory.
“Ah!” Zhao Xiaosong wailed, “Boss, how could you!”
Yu Le turned around to see Lu Yao retracting his hand. He placed a small bag casually on the table and went to the fridge with a food bag.
“Picking on a newbie, how could you?”
“No way, we’ve already played three games,” Zhao Xiaosong grumbled. “Not a newbie anymore.”
Seeing the bamboo strips peeking out from the small bag, Zhao Xiaosong exclaimed, “Are these toys made by Grandpa Lu?”
Lu Yao nodded. “Yes.”
He took out a grasshopper about the size of a palm and handed it to Yu Le.
“Look, brother, it’s made from bamboo strips by Grandpa Lu. Isn’t it amazing?”
Yu Le had never really seen bamboo craftworks before.
When Lu Yao looked back, Yu Le was examining the grasshopper closely in his palm, flipping it over and poking its body and antennae with fresh interest.
Lu Yao withdrew his gaze. “If you like it, take it and play with it.”
There was no subject specified, so it wasn’t clear if Lu Yao was speaking to Zhao Xiaosong or to Yu Le. Yu Le, thick-skinned as he was, thought that both he and Zhao Xiaosong could take one.
On the table behind them was Lu Yao’s computer. After Aunt Zhang left, Zhao Xiaosong and Yu Le continued playing checkers in the front while Lu Yao worked in the back.
In the midst of their game, Zhao Xiaosong suddenly announced he had to go back.
“I haven’t fed the little chick I bought, and my mom’s mad at me. She probably won’t help, so I need to go back and come right back. Wait for me, just three minutes!”
The boy dashed off quickly. While waiting, Yu Le took out his phone and planned to browse some news.
However, he didn’t get to read any news but instead was bombarded with a series of messages from someone who seemed overly enthusiastic.
Cheng Xiwu: 【Lele, are you really not able to come back?】
Cheng Xiwu: 【I still hope you can be there in person. It feels like something’s missing without you witnessing this important moment /silly smile】
Cheng Xiwu: 【/picture/picture】
Cheng Xiwu: 【Your sister-in-law is undecided about which outfit to wear for the toasting ceremony. You have good taste, which one do you think is more suitable?】
Cheng Xiwu: 【Lele, why aren’t you replying? Are you very busy with work?】
Yu Le’s good mood from the morning vanished instantly.
He was considering whether to reply to Cheng Xiwu’s messages, and if so, what to say. Should he really help pick the toasting outfit?
To be honest, neither option seemed good; he would suggest choosing another option.
The quiet atmosphere was interrupted by the sound of fingers tapping on the table—tap, tap, tap, tap—showing a hint of irritation.
“It’s best not to get angry on rainy days.”
Yu Le’s thoughts were interrupted, and he turned around inexplicably.
“Why?”
Lu Yao was leaning against the back of his chair, his right hand casually resting on the table, eyes fixed on his computer.
“Because the mountain god will send little ghosts to your bed in the middle of the night to chat with you.”
Yu Le was stunned, and after a while, asked, “…What?”
Lu Yao finally lifted his eyelids.
“Don’t believe it?”
His serious demeanor made Yu Le find it hard to outright say he didn’t believe it. He hesitated for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Why would they send little ghosts to chat with me?”
Lu Yao explained, “Rainy days are when the mountain god rests, and human anger disturbs him.”
Hmm?
Indeed, the deeper you go into the mountains, the more mystical it seems!
Yu Le was shocked, staring at Lu Yao with a look of disbelief, completely forgetting about the messages and toasting outfits.
As the saying goes, it’s better to believe in strange things than to disbelieve them. While he was half convinced and half doubtful and about to ask more, Zhao Xiaosong came back with a small bag.
“Pretty big brother! I brought you freshly made rice cakes, they’re super delicious!”
Yu Le took the rice cakes Zhao Xiaosong handed over and swallowed his questions.
Forget it, he’ll ask later.
“Mr. Lu?”
On the other end of the video call, the assistant tentatively called out.
Lu Yao glanced away, tapped his Bluetooth headset to signal that he heard him.
The assistant noticed the fleeting curve of the boss’s lips and hesitated before asking, “Um, can I continue with my report?”
Did you manage to pacify the child over there?
