Chapter 35

Ye Qingshui went to take a look at the Snowflake Cream and Pehchaolin.

At the skincare counter, there were only a few simple skincare products under the glass cover. The packaging was all very basic, and the empty space on the counter was plastered with posters of actresses. At that moment, Ye Qingshui finally felt a real sense of the time period.

The actresses had voluminous hair, round faces, and sultry eyes, radiating a kind of stunning, natural beauty. Even the crude image quality couldn’t hide their lovely charm.

The grainy film texture, the childish simplicity of the packaging, the scarcity of the products — it all felt unmistakably like the 1970s. Ye Qingshui pulled out two yuan and easily bought the items Xie Tingyu wanted, and even spent two cents on some fruit candy.

The moment the candy went into her mouth, a strong saccharin flavor bloomed — intensifying that vintage feeling.

The shop assistant rarely encountered such a generous customer. She had thought she’d have to persuade her for a long time! Although the two skincare products weren’t expensive, they didn’t sell well in the county. Selling even one in a day was considered good. And this customer — her clothing stood out starkly from the rest of the people in the department store.

The shop assistant raised her eyelids and noticed a very handsome man quietly watching this female customer. His appearance and attire were even more polished than city folks. Suddenly, everything clicked. She couldn’t help frowning.

The shop assistant seized the chance and said, “Little sister, don’t just know how to dote on a man. Look at yourself — all scruffy — while you’ve got him looking all proper and neat.”

Ye Qingshui let out a small laugh.

“It’s not what you think.”

She wanted to say they weren’t together, but then thought — why explain to someone irrelevant?

Xie Tingyu heard the comment and couldn’t help rubbing his nose. Holding the fabric and the clothes, his heart felt a little warm.

Ye Qingshui came over and took the things from his hands. “Do you want to go sit with Zhang Yuanchao or come with me to see Teacher Zhou?”

Xie Tingyu hesitated for a moment but still said, “I’ll go with you.”

He then asked Ye Qingshui, “You were staring for quite a while just now — did you want everything?”

Xie Tingyu asked this very naturally. In his eyes, buying them all wasn’t a big deal. He thought of his sister’s dresser, full of cosmetics, then thought of Ye Qingshui’s room — just a mirror and a single comb. They were about the same age, yet the contrast was so stark.

Ye Qingshui was stunned, not expecting him to ask that.

She explained, “I was looking at the posters of the actresses — they were really pretty. Got a little mesmerized.” She paused, then sighed, “City folks sure know how to dress up.”

Xie Tingyu struggled inwardly for a bit, then softly said, “You look good too.”

You look better.

Xie Tingyu was a reserved man, thin-skinned — even saying that much was enough to kill him with embarrassment. He hadn’t said it directly, but his face was already flushed, his heart racing, palms sweaty. His back hurt, his legs ached, and his head throbbed — but his heart felt light.

Ye Qingshui blinked, thinking he was surprisingly polite.

She said to him, “Thank you.”

Xie Tingyu’s pale face reddened slightly. He coughed once and said lightly, “Later, get off the bike faster. I’m tired, want to go home and sleep.”

Ye Qingshui arrived at the Zhou residence, and Zhou Ke had just returned from selling buns.

In his hands was a glutinous rice chicken made by Ye Qingshui — square-shaped, the lotus leaf layers unfolded neatly, with the fragrance of rice mixed with the lotus leaf’s freshness. The chestnuts were sweet and soft, the chicken fragrant and glistening with oil. A bite offered complex flavors — rich with savory sauce, the rice having absorbed all the steam, soft and aromatic.

Ye Qingshui patted Zhou Ke’s head and said, “That water-finding device Teacher Zhou helped me make earned a bonus. We’re splitting it half and half. Ke’er, keep it safe and give it to Grandpa when he gets back.”

Zhou Ke knew about the water-finder project. Lately, the city’s water supply had become more stable — barely any shortages. He’d enjoyed several comfortable baths. Later, some reporters even came asking if his grandpa’s name was Zhou Cunren.

But Grandpa chased them all away.

Zhou Ke didn’t take the money from Ye Qingshui. After eating his fill, he said contentedly, “Sis, Grandpa definitely won’t accept it.”

“If I take it, he’ll scold me for sure.”

Ye Qingshui said, “This is different. It’s the country showing respect to intellectuals. Your grandpa made that with his brains — it’s a big deal. It solved the water problem and helped farmers with their autumn planting. He deserves this money.”

“Just take it for now, buy Grandpa something nutritious. He works so hard even at his age. Don’t you feel bad watching that? He’s the only grandpa you’ve got.”

Zhou Ke went quiet after hearing this. With a hoarse voice, he said, “No, no. You take it back.”

Ye Qingshui shoved the money into their cabinet and ran downstairs, disappearing from sight.

Zhou Ke held that thick stack of big-denomination bills and stared at it for a long, long time before finally bursting into tears and wiping his eyes.

…

Ye Qingshui ran downstairs and pedaled the bike with renewed energy.

She was hoping Xie Tingyu would play another tune on his harmonica, so she could listen again. But on the way back, Xie Tingyu didn’t play any more music.

She had nothing to say to him, and Xie Tingyu didn’t start a conversation either.

The one-hour ride back was so quiet it felt surreal.

As they were nearing home, Ye Qingshui jumped off the bike and saw two young people standing at her door, as if waiting for someone.

As she got closer, she realized one of them was He Fang, and the other was a male educated youth whose name she couldn’t quite recall.

He Fang’s eyes lit up when she finally saw them arrive — but then she saw the two of them walking closely together, one in front and one behind, looking rather intimate.

A flicker of envy, jealousy, and a swirl of complicated emotions flashed through her eyes—so thick they couldn’t be dissolved.

The sunlight slightly bathed his face, accentuating his deep-set features, handsome brows, and tall, youthful figure full of vitality.

How much she liked this man! He possessed exceptional knowledge, a gentle and virtuous character, and even his ideals were so noble. He had always dreamed of wearing green fatigues and shedding blood for his country. For him, she had given up her job in the city and followed him to the countryside. Yet in the end, he married a rural woman who was inferior in every way.

Just as He Fang was about to speak—

Xie Tingyu stepped down from the bicycle seat and, with a cool and distant air, put his arm around Ye Qingshui. “Wait a moment,” he said.

Ye Qingshui was stiff all over as he pulled her into his arms, helpless like a thin, frail chick, unable to break free.

His clothes carried a faint, fresh scent of soap pods, mixed with the sweat on his forehead—a clean, sharp scent unique to a young man. She could feel the strong thumping of his heartbeat, his warm body heat seeping through his thin shirt and passing into her.

Ye Qingshui was tense from head to toe, her cheeks flushed red from his body’s warmth. Her heart was filled with confusion—what on earth was this man doing? He pulled her firmly into the house.

Bang —he slammed the old wooden door shut, and it creaked in protest under the strain.

Ye Qingshui was just about to start scolding him: “What are you doing?”

But when she looked up, she was stunned. At this moment, Xie Tingyu was drenched in sweat, his face visibly paler than usual, his lips lacking their usual color. He was panting heavily, his body trembling slightly.

It hit her like a bucket of cold water—suddenly she understood. Why he hadn’t played his harmonica on the way back. Why he rushed her downstairs at the Zhou house. Why he insisted on buying skincare products after they finished shopping for clothes. She felt deceived. It was a terrible feeling—one that made her angry.

“Why did you lie to me? Is it good to ruin your body like this?”

If this had been the Ye Qingshui from her previous life, the cautious and observant one, she would’ve already noticed the clues in his behavior. He had endured all the way through the journey, and she hadn’t noticed—not even a little. She was filled with guilt.

Ye Qingshui touched his slightly cold fingertips. “Painkillers—wait, I’ll go get them.”

Xie Tingyu frowned, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He looked at her, his voice still trying to sound calm: “You… um… there’s blood on your back.”

His face showed a trace of embarrassment. He coughed and repeated, “Your back.”

Ye Qingshui reached behind to feel—wet. Realizing something, she ran to the toilet and took off her pants to check. When she saw the reddish-brown stain, her head spun. Her first period had come!

No wonder she had felt odd and achy while riding the bicycle.

Her face turned crimson.

With her cheeks burning, she put her pants back on, ran back to the room, grabbed the menstrual pad and clean pants she had prepared earlier, and changed.

Then, feeling apologetic, she said to He Fang, “Can you wait a bit? Xie Tingyu can’t talk to you right now.”

He Fang had stood there, dumbfounded, watching the two of them cuddle and enter the house. Now she saw them… spending time together inside in broad daylight.

She waited a long time, then finally knocked politely. “Are you two available?”

Inside the house, Ye Qingshui didn’t dare look directly at Xie Tingyu anymore—not even a glance. But seeing him so weak and pitiful, she forced herself to fetch him water and give him medicine.

Grumbling, she said, “Why did you insist on going to town today? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until you recovered?”

Xie Tingyu took a sip of hot water and replied mildly, “How was I to know the mountain roads would be so bumpy?”

Ye Qingshui touched his drenched back and felt a strange, tangled mix of emotions. Part of her was calm and rational, but another part was tight and uncomfortable.

“You didn’t say anything even though it hurt?”

Xie Tingyu swallowed the painkillers and muttered vaguely, “What’s the point? Would saying it make the roads smoother? Besides, I wanted to go.”

The window behind Ye Qingshui cast light into the room. Xie Tingyu couldn’t see her expression clearly, but her eyes were fixed on him—misty and shimmering with moisture.

His voice turned hoarse. Being looked at like that softened his heart.

He reached out to touch the braid that fell to her waist and said gently, almost inaudibly, “Shuiya, can you sew me a set of clothes from that fabric?”

Just then, He Fang’s voice interrupted from outside the door.

“Are you two available?”

Ye Qingshui was already feeling irritated. She pursed her lips, furrowed her brows, and said nothing.

Xie Tingyu replied, “A bit busy. What is it?”

He Fang stood outside, and hearing that light, raspy voice stabbed her heart like a knife. Her face tensed as she fought back her emotions and clenched her fists tightly.

“Can I come in?”

Xie Tingyu paused. “It’s not convenient. Just say what you need.”

The male educated youth who had come with He Fang scratched his nose and tugged her sleeve. His face flushed as he said awkwardly, “This… this is really improper…”

He glanced toward the room with a look of both curiosity and disapproval. “Don’t… disturb them.”

He Fang raised her voice. “Dongmei asked you to write home. You haven’t written in a long time—Uncle and Auntie are worried.”

Inside, Xie Tingyu responded indifferently, “Got it.”

Then he turned his gaze back to Ye Qingshui.

Ye Qingshui wanted to throw the fabric in his face to snap him out of it. “No,” she said.

The cloth was clearly meant for women’s clothing. Asking her to buy skincare products for his sister wasn’t enough—now he wanted her to sew clothes too? What wishful thinking!

This was exploitation!

Even in his injured state, he still had the nerve to boss her around!

Ye Qingshui’s face flushed red with anger. “I’m not feeling well. I’m in no mood to do it.”

Author’s note:

Male educated youth: Ew, shameless PDA in broad daylight. So improper!

Ping Shengjun: Old lech! Touching her braid too!

Brother Yu, unable to explain: What… did I do?

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