Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Cucumber

Lin Shu was feeling guilty, and jolted by these words, she stammered, "Mom, let’s not bother Brother A Ye with this."

She hadn't yet figured out how to tell Zhou Ye about this matter. The feeling of having someone's kindness being taken for granted was unpleasant, so she didn't want others to feel their kindness was wasted either.

He Guixiang, however, misunderstood her meaning. "A Ye is family; don't feel like you're troubling him." She added, "Brother A Ye is big and strong. With him accompanying you, I’d feel better."

Lin Shu managed a weak smile. "Brother A Ye still needs to help build that fishpond for me. Besides, he walks fast, while I walk slowly—I prefer to take it slow. Wouldn’t it be a burden to ask him to constantly accommodate my pace?"

Lin Xiaopu also thought it would be more reliable for her sister to go with Zhou Ye. After a moment’s thought, she quickly switched sides. "I think Mom is right. Our sister is the most beautiful in ten villages—no, the most beautiful within a hundred miles! What if some creep tries to flirt with her at the market? Cousin Yu Shu is too young and not strong enough to protect her. It has to be someone like Brother A Ye. Brother A Ye has a tough look; he doesn’t even need to say anything. Just standing next to our sister would be enough to keep anyone away!"

If not for their reminder, Lin Shu wouldn’t have even considered this.

She was no longer the fighter beauty from the apocalypse, whose fists were strong enough to protect herself. This face of hers was now even softer and smoother than it had been in the apocalypse. Even in a city like the capital, filled with beauties, she would stand out, let alone in this rural countryside.

The villagers always liked to stare at her face, didn’t they? It was because they found her beautiful and wanted to get a better look.

A pretty face always drew extra attention.

That little bit of guilt was instantly overshadowed by the principle of "better safe than sorry."

"Alright, I’ll go and tell him now." Thinking how she’d feel, if someone disregarded her goodwill, she would be angry. In more serious cases, she might even stop caring about that person altogether.

Zhou Ye seemed easygoing, but Lin Shu didn’t know if he would hold a grudge over something like this. She didn’t want to hurt the feelings of someone who had shown her care by making him feel unappreciated, causing him to withdraw his kindness in the future.

She was eager—any goodwill directed her way, she wanted to firmly hold onto.

Based on Lin Shu’s extensive experience, this kind of thing needed to be addressed early. That way, even if Zhou Ye was upset, he could vent sooner, and she could sweet-talk him with a few gentle words. By the next afternoon or evening, his anger would likely have dissipated.

Lin Shu glanced around but didn’t see the cloth she used to wipe sweat. She had no idea where she’d tossed it. Looking down at her sleeves, she found them relatively clean and decided they would do.

After informing the two in the room, Lin Shu trotted out through the courtyard gate.

He Guixiang, noticing that Lin Xiaopu hadn’t moved an inch, found it strange. "Xiao Pu, you always follow your sister around. Why aren’t you going with her today?"

Lin Xiaopu replied straight-faced, "Mom, I haven’t memorized the words Sister taught me today. I’m not as clever as Cousin Yu Shu, but I still need to complete the lessons Sister gave me. I can’t let her down."

He Guixiang was delighted to hear this. "Good, good. Study well. Your sister is right—knowing more words is always useful."

As Lin Shu walked, she pondered how to broach the subject, her mind wandering. When she stepped onto the stone path leading to the vegetable patch, she noticed something different and couldn’t help but look down. What she saw stunned her.

The stone slabs had not only been reinforced but also filled with a thick layer of pebbles between them!

The pebbles were still wet, as if someone had just fished them out of the stream.

She stared at this short pebble path beneath her feet, feeling at a loss for words. Her heart swelled slightly, as if a warm feeling gently flowed through it, lingering at the tip of her heart.

She had always been better at smooth talk than acting—using sweet words to make everyone happy was something she saw no harm in. And if she ever did something good, she would make sure everyone knew, so they would remember her kindness.

She never believed that suffering losses brought blessings, and she disliked losing out.

But encountering someone who quietly looked out for others, doing good deeds without saying a word—it felt like she had been touched deeply.

Lin Shu slowed her pace, taking her time along the stone path.

Before she could get close, Zhou Ye heard movement behind him. He put down what he was doing, took a few large strides to the last stone slab, and blocked her path. "Just stand there on the stone path. Don’t come any closer. If you have something to say, you can tell me from here."

Lin Shu stood on the last stone slab, staring at him for a long moment before suddenly gesturing him closer. "Lean your head closer."

Zhou Ye was already slightly bent over, head lowered, as he spoke to her. Hearing this, he seemed to sense what she intended but hesitated only briefly before leaning his head toward her.

Lin Shu placed one hand on his shoulder and used the clean part of her sleeve to carefully wipe his forehead. "You’re sweating a lot. Your sleeves aren’t as clean as mine, so I’ll use mine to wipe it for you."

Zhou Ye’s nose was instantly filled with a faint, fresh scent. His sun-darkened neck and slightly dusky earlobes slowly flushed red, the color spreading visibly to other areas.

Even the spot where Lin Shu rested her hand on his shoulder radiated an intense heat.

"Brother A Ye, the sun is getting stronger. You’re burning up out here. You should rest in the shade."

After she finished wiping his sweat, Zhou Ye straightened up almost immediately. He mumbled in agreement, "The sun is strong. You should rest inside. Don’t come out unless necessary. I’ll come find you in the house once the fishpond is done."

Lin Shu looked at him, a smile flowing between her brows and eyes—calmer than usual, like a gentle net enveloping the tall, sturdy man before her. His heartbeat quickened, and his breathing grew hurried.

Suddenly, she said out of the blue, "Brother A Ye, thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Zhou Ye was taken aback as she lightly tapped the stone slab beneath her feet. "So sturdy! And with pebbles filled between the slabs, even if I slip, I won’t get muddy. Brother A Ye is not only thoughtful but also very clever. There’s no one in ten villages more capable than you."

The flush spreading across Zhou Ye’s chest deepened abruptly. After a moment of silence, he replied, "If there’s anywhere inconvenient next time, just tell me directly. I can’t always notice everything."

"Okay, sure," Lin Shu said, her smiling eyes curving like little hooks that could draw anyone in. Zhou Ye felt as if something in his chest had been hooked away by her.

"Brother A Ye, there’s something I need to tell you. Please don’t be angry, okay?"

Zhou Ye’s distant thoughts snapped back. "Go ahead. I won’t be angry."

Lin Shu then told him about her plan to go to the town bookstore tomorrow. Sure enough, as soon as she mentioned going to the market, his brows furrowed. But he didn’t interrupt, listening patiently as she explained all her reasons.

"I’m not angry. It’s your decision. The wound is yours, and your feet are yours. If you think it’s fine, then it’s fine," Zhou Ye said.

Though he repeatedly claimed he wasn’t angry and showed no signs of irritation, Lin Shu could still detect a touch of frustration in his words.

So, here she was, ready to coax him.

Originally, given that he had quietly repaired the stone path, she had prepared herself to endure his anger if he were truly upset. But Zhou Ye’s temper was indeed as good as Xiao Pu had said—stable and steady.

"Actually, it still hurts a little. I’ve never been able to handle pain since I was young. Any bleeding wound, even a small cut, makes my eyes sting with tears. If I could just lie in bed and rest, why would I want to go out and suffer? But I already promised. If people think I can’t even walk with just a small cut on my foot, who knows how they’d mock me for being delicate?"

"So, Brother A Ye, will you come with me? If I get too tired, you can pull me along. And when there are fewer people on the road, you can even carry me for a bit. Heehee."

This "heehee" wasn’t the simple, honest laughter of someone like Lin Dashan, nor was it the mischievous giggle of Xiao Pu. It was a sweet laugh tinged with a hint of playful innocence, capable of extinguishing even the fiercest anger in an instant—let alone Zhou Ye’s slight irritation, which stemmed not from anger but from worry that she wasn’t taking care of herself.

The tall, sturdy man soon melted. "Mm," he agreed.

After a moment’s thought, he added, "No need to rise at dawn tomorrow. I’ll come get you when it’s time to go."

"Great! Thank you, Brother A Ye," Lin Shu replied right away.

Although the villagers usually rose early, on market days they had to get up before dawn. Sweetwater Village was far from town; even without carrying anything, the journey took over an hour.

Most villagers brought something to sell at the market—like Third Aunt’s handmade straw sandals, homemade pickles, dried vegetables, or fresh produce carried in baskets. Bringing goods made the trip even longer, often taking two hours.

Not everyone was like Zhou Ye, who walked quickly and had excellent stamina. Even carrying heavy loads, he remained largely unaffected.

Lin Shu hadn’t expected Zhou Ye to be so thoughtful. Knowing she was used to sleeping in a little, he was accommodating even in this.

"Is there anything else?" Zhou Ye asked.

Lin Shu shook her head with a smile. "First, I was afraid you might be angry, so I hurried over to explain about tomorrow’s market trip. Second, I wanted to check if you were working like a fool without taking any breaks. And did you remember to take a sip every now and then from that bamboo tube of mountain spring water I brought you?"

As she spoke, she instinctively glanced at Zhou Ye’s mouth.

Zhou Ye turned his head away, pursing his lips awkwardly. "I’ve rested, and I drank the water you brought."

Lin Shu held out her hand to him. "You told me to stand here and not move, so bring that bamboo tube here and let me see if you’re lying."

Zhou Ye paused for a moment, let out a resigned sigh, then turned to fetch the bamboo tube.

The once-full bamboo tube was now down to the dregs, and even though Zhou Ye had drunk from it, Lin Shu still scolded him, "You finished it and didn’t even go to the kitchen to refill it, you dummy."

"Just wait here, I’ll go refill it and bring it back to you!"

Zhou Ye opened his mouth to stop her, but Lin Shu had already turned and run off.

The newly stabilized stone path and the freshly laid pebbles gave her confidence, and she was practically sprinting. Even if he tried to stop her, it was too late.

Remembering her words about resting more, Zhou Ye didn’t resume working and simply stood there waiting for Lin Shu to return.

But after waiting for a while, there was no sign of Lin Shu returning. Instead, a clear voice drifted from the courtyard.

Earlier, before Lin Shu left, he had already noticed some movement—likely a visitor had arrived at the house. The guest seemed to be trying not to make too much noise, speaking in hushed tones.

Zhou Ye listened for a moment and guessed that Lin Shu had been cornered for a chat by this visitor and couldn’t break away easily.

Lin Shu was indeed being held up.

Aunt Lin, whom she had met while gathering mushrooms in the morning, had come to visit with a basket of vegetables, all because Lin Shu had told her about the bamboo fungus.

In the basket were three freshly picked cucumbers, which Aunt Lin insisted on giving to He Guixiang. He Guixiang was in the middle of refusing when Lin Shu returned, so Aunt Lin instead pushed the cucumbers into her hands.

"Have them! They’re from my own garden—great eaten raw or in salads."

"Aunt Lin, you’re too kind." Lin Shu was already craving those cucumbers, but she still went through the motions of refusing with both her words and her hands.

Lin Zhaodi, after handing over the cucumbers, swung her basket behind her so Lin Shu couldn’t return them. "A-Shu, I made a cold bamboo fungus salad just as you suggested, and the men in my family loved it. Bamboo fungus is common in the bamboo groves, and thanks to your kindness, our family can enjoy a tasty new dish. Compared to that, these three cucumbers are nothing! Take them—if you refuse, you’re being standoffish!"

Lin Shu finally accepted the cucumbers. "To be honest, Aunt Lin, I’ve been craving something crisp and refreshing. I was planning to buy some cucumber seeds at the market tomorrow. You grow cucumbers so well—I’ll come to you for advice later, so please don’t find me bothersome."

Lin Zhaodi replied cheerfully, "No need to buy them at the market! I have seeds saved from previous years. They might not sprout as well as the ones sold at the market, but we have plenty of seeds. Just sow more, and some will surely grow. I just planted a few patches of summer cucumbers not long ago, so it’s not too late for you to plant some now. Cucumbers produce several crops a year—they grow in spring, summer, and autumn. If you have any questions, just come ask me!"

Lin Shu thought to herself: Aunt Lin isn’t exactly a woman of few words—it’s just that during the mushroom gathering this morning, they hadn’t touched on topics that interested her. Now, talking about growing cucumbers, she couldn’t stop talking.

"Sounds good, Auntie! Then I won’t stand on ceremony with you."

Lin Zhaodi added, "It’s too hot now—no need to rush. Come by my place after the sun sets or after you’ve had dinner to get the cucumber seeds."

Lin Shu agreed and saw her off to the courtyard.

Before leaving, Lin Zhaodi also said goodbye to He Guixiang. "Sister-in-law He, I’ll head back now."

He Guixiang quickly replied, "Alright, Sister Lin, take care on the path."

After Lin Zhaodi had left, He Guixiang was still puzzled.

Lin Xiaopu popped out from inside the house, poking her head out to ask, "Mom, is she gone?" Whenever there was any adult small talk, she would hide as far away as possible—not for any particular reason, she just found it awkward.

He Guixiang laughed and scolded, "She’s gone. Why hide? The village aunties don’t bite." Then she muttered, "But Zhao Laosan’s wife usually only stays tight with Wang Yingen’s mother. Ping Er rarely mixes with other families. When she came in just now, I was surprised to see her—I thought I was seeing things."

Lin Xiaopu immediately chimed in, "It’s all because big sis is so lovable that even flowers bloom when they see her! Aunt Lin was charmed by her this morning too!"

Lin Shu pinched her cheek. "Mom, don’t listen to her nonsense. I just thought Aunt Li and Aunt Lin were nice, so I told them about the bamboo fungus. Aunt Lin probably doesn’t like being in someone’s debt, which is why she brought these three cucumbers."

As she spoke, Lin Shu sniffed the three cucumbers in her hand, drinking in their fresh, green scent.

She eagerly announced, "Come on, let’s split these cucumbers! We’ll wash them and eat them raw. One for Dad, one for Xiao Pu and Mom to share, and this last one—"

Lin Shu’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she thought of something. "I’ll bring it to Brother A Ye later and share it with him."