Farming to Cultivate Immortality – CH19

Chapter 19 – Just Hold Hands

It was almost dark when Gu Wenzhu came home, carrying a piece of pork. As he entered, he smiled and said to Xia Yi, “The next village slaughtered a pig, so I bought a few pounds. I’ll make dumplings for you tonight.”

“Great, dumplings!” Xia Yi was delighted and immediately went to wash his hands. The two of them got busy chopping the filling and kneading the dough.

After about half an hour, a steaming bowl of dumplings was placed on the table. The two took turns feeding each other bites, enjoying the meal.

Just as they were happily eating, there was a loud banging on the gate, accompanied by Liu Qing’s anxious shouting, “Xia Yi, Xiao Yi, are you there? Hurry to the field, someone’s trying to destroy your crops!”

Hearing this, Xia Yi dropped his dumpling, his blood rushing to his head, and his heart pounding.

What the hell? Who’s trying to ruin my field?!

He shouted back at Liu Qing while rushing to the gate, with Gu Wenzhu quickly following behind.

At the field, villagers were holding torches, surrounding three shadowy figures who were desperately trying to flee. But they were cornered, with no escape route in sight.

“Block him! Block him! He’s trying to run this way!”

“He’s on the ridge! He’s trying to slip under the trees, block him!”

One of the figures tried to escape over the ridge, but just as he was about to dash through the trees, there was a loud ‘thud’. His vision blurred, and he collapsed, soon pinned down by the approaching villagers.

Uncle Wang stood nearby with a smug expression, holding a copper chamber pot. He sneered, “I knew someone would try to run this way. I was waiting for you.”

The other two figures were still trying to evade capture. Just then, Xia Yi arrived and leaped onto one of the men’s backs, landing a fierce punch to the temple. His face contorted with rage as he cursed, “Damn you! You dare destroy my field? You’re begging to die!”

After delivering the punch, Xia Yi looked over and saw Gu Wenzhu staring at him in shock. Embarrassed, he quickly jumped off the man’s back and clutched his chest, whimpering softly, “Ying…”

Gu Wenzhu stepped forward, grabbed the man by the collar, and slammed him hard onto the ground. He immediately stopped moving.

By this time, the third man had also been subdued and tied up by the villagers.

In the torchlight, the three captives were revealed to be the same three government officers from before.

Uncle Wang sneered as he paced around them, addressing the villagers, “Strange things have been happening in the village lately—clothes being slashed, empty houses set on fire, eggs disappearing from bowls. So I’ve been keeping an eye out for any clues.

“Today, a pig herder showed up in the village. You didn’t see him, but he was wearing a costume. It was so fake! With my years of experience as a village head and my keen eye, I knew something was wrong.

“I went up to him and asked about the pigs—how exactly does the breeding process work? Ha! He couldn’t answer and just kept repeating the same nonsense about selling pigs. I didn’t expose him on the spot, but I knew he was a spy sent by these three scoundrels,” Uncle Wang continued, his sharp gaze sweeping over the captured men as he proudly recounted his detective work.

“I sensed something was off, but I pretended to know nothing and spent the night patrolling the village, secretly observing. And sure enough!” Uncle Wang squinted his eyes slightly, crouching down as he said word by word, “You made your move tonight.”

Xia Yi: …

The three officers: …

The three bruised ex-officers hurriedly tried to defend themselves. “No, we didn’t do those things, and we don’t know any pig herder either. Heaven knows we just had a few too many drinks tonight! After last time, when you sent us to the county office and we took ten beatings and were locked up until now, we just wanted to cause some trouble in your village and ruin the crops in the field…”

Before they could finish, someone stuffed a rag in their mouths. “Don’t listen to their nonsense. Send them to the county office immediately,” someone said, and the villagers worked together to push the three men onto Old Zhang’s cart, hauling them off to the county office overnight.

Watching the cart slowly disappear into the distance, the villagers dispersed and headed home. Xia Yi and Gu Wenzhu also walked along the path back to their house.

The night sky was filled with stars shining above, and the scent of fresh grass drifted in the breeze. In the woods on either side of the path, insects chirped continuously.

Xia Yi listened to Gu Wenzhu’s steady breathing beside him and quietly reached out his hand.

His fair fingers gently hooked onto the edge of Gu Wenzhu’s clothes, then slowly crept up to entwine with Gu Wenzhu’s large hand.

Gu Wenzhu paused, quickly realizing what was happening. He grasped Xia Yi’s hand, and Xia Yi, feeling a surge of joy, eagerly locked their fingers together.

They walked quietly for a while, neither speaking, their hearts racing.

“Aren’t you just holding hands?” 179’s untimely voice interrupted.

“Can’t you stay quiet and not ruin the mood? Do you have no sense of timing, you clueless system?” Xia Yi felt an overwhelming urge to file a complaint.

“I was just trying to be helpful. Don’t lovers usually do more than just hold hands?” 179 replied, feeling wronged.

Oh right! Do more than that! Hehe!

“Turn yourself off for now. I’m about to do what lovers are supposed to do.” Xia Yi mischievously rubbed his hands together in his mind.

“I’ve already put on my headphones and started watching a movie.”

“Ouch!” Xia Yi suddenly let out a cry and began rubbing his eyes.

“What happened?” Gu Wenzhu asked, immediately concerned.

“Some sand got in my eye, I can’t open it…”

“Host, I really think this is such a cliché excuse, and your acting is quite over the top,” 179 chimed in again.

“Aren’t you supposed to be watching a movie?!” Xia Yi was about to lose it.

“It’s still the opening credits! I just glanced over. Okay, okay, the main movie is starting, I won’t say anything more,” 179 quickly backed off, sensing danger.

“Don’t rub it! Let me blow on it.” Gu Wenzhu gently pulled Xia Yi’s hand away from his eye, then stepped closer, cupping the back of Xia Yi’s head with one hand and carefully parting his eyelids with the other.

Gu Wenzhu blew softly into Xia Yi’s eye. “Try blinking. Is it any better?”

Xia Yi blinked a few times, pretending. “It’s still not better.”

“Let me blow again,” Gu Wenzhu said, parting his eyelids once more.

This time, as Gu Wenzhu focused on blowing into his eye, Xia Yi slowly leaned closer, getting nearer and nearer, puckering his lips…

“Host, this looks really creepy. Your eyelids are rolled up, showing only the whites, and your mouth is stretching longer and longer. It feels like fangs are about to pop out,” 179 couldn’t help but comment.

What the hell?!

“Alright, alright, the movie’s starting. I’m really going to focus now. Don’t bother me anymore,” 179 quickly tried to smooth things over.

…Who’s bothering whom here?

Xia Yi pushed away Gu Wenzhu’s hand, which was still holding his eyelids open, and said with a straight face, “It’s fine now, I think it’s better.”

“Are you sure? Try blinking one more time.” Gu Wenzhu still wasn’t reassured.

Seeing that Xia Yi was indeed fine, he finally released Xia Yi’s head and took his hand again, continuing their walk home.

The road was still long, and Xia Yi stole glances at Gu Wenzhu beside him, his mind stirring again. The stars were so beautiful, the mood so perfect. If I don’t do something, I’ll regret it…

Gu Wenzhu sensed Xia Yi’s gaze and turned his head, looking softly at him with a smile. Under the starlight, his handsome features seemed even more defined.

Xia Yi’s heart couldn’t help but flutter. He was too handsome, so tempting… I wish he would kiss me… But wait, why does he have to kiss me? I’m a man too! If I want to kiss, I should just kiss! What’s there to be afraid of?

With that thought, Xia Yi suddenly stopped in his tracks, his burning gaze sliding from Gu Wenzhu’s face down to his clearly defined lips.

Gu Wenzhu stopped as well, a questioning look on his face, his eyes shining like stars.

Damn, I’m falling for this beautiful face!

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, I won’t do anything else. I’m just going to kiss you—just one kiss,” Xia Yi quickly assured him, then threw himself at Gu Wenzhu, wrapping his arms around his neck and messily planting kisses on his lips.

Caught off guard, Gu Wenzhu stumbled back two steps, stepping into the field on the side of the road. He stood there frozen, while Xia Yi frantically kissed his lips and face.

Sensing Gu Wenzhu’s stiffness, Xia Yi reminded himself not to act like a wild beast. He whispered softly between kisses, “Don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility…”

Damn, why do I sound like such a scumbag?

Gu Wenzhu slowly started to respond, his hands wrapping tightly around Xia Yi…

“Who’s there?!” A loud voice boomed from behind them.

Although the person’s face was hard to make out in the dark, the gleaming copper chamber pot in his hand was unmistakable, shining brightly under the stars.

…Uncle Wang, do you ever sleep?

“Run!” Xia Yi grabbed Gu Wenzhu’s hand, and the two of them dashed off, disappearing into the distance.

Uncle Wang slowly approached the spot where Gu Wenzhu and Xia Yi had been standing, inspecting the footprints in the field. He let out a cold laugh.

“There are accomplices”