The cicadas kept chirping, making the listeners feel agitated.
The sun was blazing. Zong Yuan had spent the entire morning cutting wheat on a small plot of land. It was nearly eleven o’clock now, the hottest part of the day.
He walked to the shady spot of an old tree by the roadside to rest, carelessly placing his sickle and straw hat aside. Sweat soaked his undershirt and his muscular physique was striking.
Chen Hongmei hurriedly approached with a basket of food, deftly filling Zong Yuan’s cup with water. “Son, how much longer until you’re done?”
Zong Yuan glanced at the scattered fields and calculated the time. “Tomorrow afternoon, I suppose.”
A smile appeared on Chen Hongmei’s face, revealing wrinkles that had been carved by the wind and frost. “That’s good. Even though we only have one man in our family, we’re still better than others. Ah Yuan, eat quickly; your sister specially cooked for you.”
The air in the countryside smelled of fresh grass with blue skies and white clouds and the trees swaying gently.
Zong Yuan ate while listening to Chen Hongmei’s endless chatter, lost in thought.
It was as if just a moment ago, Fu Xin had been lying on him, acting spoiled, shamelessly clinging to him, and occasionally elongating his voice to call out “husband”.
Taking advantage of Zong Yuan’s meal time, Chen Hongmei skillfully bundled the cut wheat into sheaves, each weighing around forty to fifty pounds, and managed to carry two bundles back on her shoulder.
Zong Yuan looked at the sun. “Mom, you should head back; little sister is waiting for you.”
“Ah,” Chen Hongmei said, “it’s too hot right now. You should rest a bit; I’ll come back later. No need to rush.”
This area was mountainous, with uneven terrain and irregularly shaped fields, scattered all over. There were no harvesters and transportation was inconvenient; everything relied on manual labor.
Zong Yuan had a buzz cut and a determined look in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of low-quality cigarettes.
The tobacco was strong and rough. He flicked off some ash, rubbed his brow, pushed Fu Xin’s figure out of his mind, and gazed into the distance. “The countryside is pretty good; this body’s memories are reliable and everything is easy to handle.”
0046 said, “I’m just afraid you won’t adapt.”
He didn’t expect to do so well.
A young man pulling a suitcase approached, stumbling through the muddy road. With strikingly sharp features and a handsome appearance, he was currently frowning in annoyance. He rubbed the soles of his leather boots against a stone by the roadside. “Damn it, this fucking place.”
The stone was too blunt to clean his shoes properly. Jiang Shengyan cursed again. The sun blazed down, making his mouth dry. He licked his cracked lips and noticed someone lying under the tree in the distance.
This place was five hundred miles from the nearest convenience store and thirst was making him irritable. He dragged his suitcase over and asked the local rustic, “Hey, where can I buy some water around here?”
Zong Yuan was resting with his eyes closed. “Nowhere.”
“Damn it,” Jiang Shengyan’s temples throbbed. “What a shitty place.”
Zong Yuan pulled his straw hat over his face, not wanting to engage with this person.
Jiang Shengyan felt his temper rising. His eyes glanced at the cup next to the rustic and swallowed hard. Damn, he wanted a drink, but it looked way too filthy.
He looked around this area; perhaps it was the heat or the rough mountain paths, but he hadn’t seen a single person.
Dragging his suitcase closer, he asked, “You must know where there’s a place to eat and rest, right?”
Zong Yuan’s lazy voice drifted from beneath the straw hat. “You must know what politeness means, right?”
“Damn,” Jiang Shengyan’s face turned ashen. He couldn’t even muster a curse as he succumbed to his thirst. “Please tell me.”
Zong Yuan smirked, replying leisurely, “There’s none.”
This place was called Pear Village, the kind of place that wouldn’t even show up on a map. They weren’t even at the village entrance and finding a place to eat or rest was going to be a challenge.
“You’re messing with me,” Jiang Shengyan said.
After those few words, he couldn’t even swallow his saliva. He could taste the blood in his throat. Frustrated, he stood up and paced around, kicking the old tree.
The leaves shook and he glanced at the person lying beneath the tree, motionless, as if they were asleep.
After some hesitation, he quietly approached, reaching out his guilty hand towards the water cup. Just a little more, a bit more, and finally, he grasped it.
Feeling like a thief, he dashed behind the big tree. Jiang Shengyan took another glance at Zong Yuan to ensure he was still asleep and impatiently opened the cup lid, muttering to himself.
“What’s wrong with me drinking a bit of your water? I haven’t even complained about you yet. No way, I have to wash the cup rim first.”
He poured a little water out to clean the rim, then eagerly pressed his lips against the cup and gulped down more than half of it.
“Refreshing.”
Zong Yuan, with his eyes closed, was drifting into sleep when 0046 suddenly shouted, startling him into sitting up. “Damn.”
Jiang Shengyan had just put down his water cup, his hand still extended. The guilt in his heart twisted into anger. “Why are you still cursing? I just took a sip of your water. You’re acting like a little brat.”
Zong Yuan’s straw hat slipped down his nose as he turned to look at this irritable man. His sharp brows furrowed into deep valleys. “Who cursed at you? If you have nothing to say, just roll away; you’re blocking my sunlight.”
To be honest, the rustic man looked extremely handsome, embodying a traditional, robust masculinity full of aggressive hormones.
But no matter how handsome he was, insulting Jiang Shengyan was a dead end. Jiang Shengyan was momentarily speechless, his face alternating between green and red. “Have the guts to say that again.”
Poor Jiang Shengyan’s cursing skills were lacking; no one had ever spoken to him like that. He thought he was really impressive with his foul language but he only knew a few standard phrases.
Zong Yuan said nothing.
He didn’t even look at Jiang Shengyan and lay back down, too lazy to put on his straw hat. He asked 0046, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Shengyan kicked a small stone on the ground in frustration, shooting a glare at the rustic man who had ruined his mood. He pulled his suitcase and hurried toward the road. Damn it, a gentleman’s revenge is never late.
0046, feeling cold inside, watched the exchange between Zong Yuan and Jiang Shengyan. “That person is the mission target.”
“Oh,” Zong Yuan replied casually. “What’s so special about him that needs saving?”
Jiang Shengyan was a young, successful CEO, handsome and wealthy. However, his temper had been getting worse over the years, fed up with everything at the company. He had simply packed his things and returned to the old village where his grandfather had lived, seeking peace.
Sadly, he was murdered in that old village and his body was discovered by unrelated people at the foot of the mountain. By then, it had been half eaten by ants and worms. It was hard to even recognize him, let alone find the killer.
In the end, it was hastily ruled as an accidental fall.
A big boss who was well-liked by everyone left this world in such a regrettable manner.
After listening to this, Zong Yuan said, “So my task is to find the murderer.”
0046 nodded and then shook his head. “The most important thing is to ensure his safety.”
“Okay,” Zong Yuan replied.
0046 frowned. “Why did he have to clash with you right after arriving?”
Zong Yuan thought of Fu Xin. He stood up and wiped his face. “I was in a bad mood; he was annoying.”
He reached for the cup, reassuring 0046, “Anyway, ensuring his safety doesn’t mean I have to build a good relationship with him; just keep an eye on him.”
0046 thought for a moment. “Right.”
Jiang Shengyan quickly crossed the fields, and by chance, turned around to see that rustic man drinking water from the cup.
He hadn’t walked a few steps when he could clearly see the curve of the rustic man’s throat as he gulped down the water.
Damn it.
He turned his head sharply, almost tripping over himself, his expression twisted. “Shit, I just drank his water and forgot to clean the rim.”
