Chapter 6 – Is There Anything More Painful Than This? Yes, Giving Birth
Xia Yi sat up, panicked. “179, quickly scan Brother Zhu! I’m worried about him in this hailstorm.”
[Host, don’t worry. Gu Wenzhu is fine.]
“Gu Wenzhu has reached the field.”
[He’s covering the seedlings with the bamboo mats.]
[His hands are bruised from the hail.]
[His hat got blown off, but he’s picked it up and put it back on.]
[He slipped on the hail and fell.]
Listening to 179’s live updates, Xia Yi’s heart raced with anxiety.
[He’s finished covering the seedlings and is heading back home.]
[He’s about to enter the courtyard] 179 continued to report.
Xia Yi let out a long sigh of relief, finally feeling at ease.
Gu Wenzhu entered the courtyard, removed his hat and raincoat under the veranda, shook off the rain, stomped his feet, and walked inside. As soon as he entered, his eyes fell on Xia Yi, who was sitting by the bamboo bed, watching him intently.
Xia Yi’s eyes were still a little red as he softly called out, “Brother Zhu, come here for a moment.”
Gu Wenzhu, unsure of what he was up to, walked over as requested.
“Let me see your hand,” Xia Yi said.
Gu Wenzhu extended his hand, feeling a bit puzzled.
His palm was wide and rough, covered with a layer of calluses.
Xia Yi sniffled, his voice muffled, “Show me the back of your hand.”
Though confused, Gu Wenzhu flipped his hand over as asked.
Xia Yi extended a delicate, pale finger, gently brushing over the bruise on Gu Wenzhu’s hand, and quietly asked, “Does it hurt?”
Gu Wenzhu was taken aback. The half of his body that Xia Yi touched felt electrified, tingly and numb. He quickly pulled his hand back as if it had been shocked and turned to walk outside. At the doorway, he paused, not looking back, and said, “It doesn’t hurt,” before stepping over the threshold.
As he stepped outside, he stumbled slightly, nearly tripping over the door sill.
“179, Brother Zhu doesn’t even seem steady on his feet after being hit.”
Seeing him like this made Xia Yi feel a bit worried.
After a while, Gu Wenzhu returned, carrying a bottle of medicinal oil. He walked to the bamboo bed, sat on a small stool in front of Xia Yi, and said, “Take off your shoes and socks, and put your foot on the edge of the bed.”
It was clear he intended to massage Xia Yi’s injured ankle.
Xia Yi had twisted his ankle before while studying and had been treated by an elderly doctor downstairs; he knew how painful it could be. Seeing Gu Wenzhu about to handle his foot made him anxious and uneasy.
“Brother Zhu, let’s not do this. If we leave it alone, it’ll heal on its own after a while,” Xia Yi pleaded, but Gu Wenzhu remained unfazed. Without looking at him or responding, he simply opened the medicine bottle, keeping his eyes downcast.
He seemed completely unyielding.
Realizing he couldn’t delay any longer, Xia Yi reluctantly took off his shoes and socks and slowly placed his foot on Gu Wenzhu’s thigh.
Gu Wenzhu paused for a moment as he poured the medicinal oil into his palm, then continued pouring without missing a beat.
Xia Yi’s foot was pale and tender, with round toes and nails resembling tiny pink shells. He gently pushed up his pant leg to reveal his ankle, which was now swollen and bruised, contrasting sharply against his fair calf, making it look particularly tragic.
Gu Wenzhu gently placed his oiled hand on the bruise.
Xia Yi flinched at the touch, furrowing his brow, his prominent birthmark standing out vividly. His eyelashes drooped, fluttering like a fan, while his small white teeth bit into his pink lips.
Gu Wenzhu began to apply some pressure along the ankle.
Noticing Xia Yi’s face, which was pale with fear, a pang of sympathy arose in Gu Wenzhu’s heart. After all, Xia Yi was just a lonely young man, and even if he sometimes acted recklessly, he was only seeking a sense of security.
“Ah!” A piercing scream shattered the air, and Xia Yi’s face contorted in agony, his features twisting as his mouth gaped wide.
Gu Wenzhu could see the little tongue inside his throat trembling with each cry.
“Pain! Pain! Pain! Ah—pain!”
“Damn hail—what the hell—” Xia Yi was in tears, snot running down his face, not forgetting to shout loudly.
“Ah—I’m dying—stop, stop!”
Gu Wenzhu: …
Amidst the roof-raising screams and curses, the massage finally ended. Gu Wenzhu, with a dark expression, quickly put away the medicine bottle and left, clearly wanting to spend no more time in that room.
Xia Yi lay exhausted on the bamboo bed, drenched in sweat, with tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.
“179, is there anything more painful than this?”
[Yes, host, if you were to give birth.]
The rain stopped, the wind calmed, and the hail finally ceased. The sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the entire village in a vibrant glow. The surrounding green mountains looked even more lush and vibrant after the rain.
Gu Wenzhu set up a wooden ladder against the eaves, preparing to repair the roof tiles. The hail had shattered the roofs of every house in the village, leaving them riddled with holes. If not repaired, they would have to sleep under the moonlight that night.
Gu Wenzhu climbed up and down the ladder repeatedly, tossing broken tiles from the roof into the courtyard while carrying new tiles stacked in the corner back up.
The sun blazed down, and the hail on the ground had melted into puddles, evaporating in the heat. Gu Wenzhu’s sweat flowed freely; since he had a young man in the house, he wasn’t shirtless, and his wet clothes clung to his body, revealing a perfect muscular outline.
Xia Yi found a bamboo stick under the bed and, leaning on it, hobbled into the courtyard. Seeing Gu Wenzhu working hard, he felt he could no longer remain idle.
The host was busy laboring, and as a freeloader, how could he justify lying on the bed?
So, while Gu Wenzhu was on the roof, Xia Yi set up a stool next to the ladder, ready with iced tea and a towel.
When Gu Wenzhu came down, Xia Yi hurriedly handed him the iced tea, saying, “Drink up, don’t overheat!”
Gu Wenzhu took a sip, and Xia Yi fanned him with a palm leaf, asking, “Is this pace okay?”
After finishing the tea, Gu Wenzhu handed the cup back and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel, saying worriedly, “Be careful on the roof, don’t slip!”
Gu Wenzhu smiled at him, “It’s fine. I’m being careful. You shouldn’t just sit here; it’s hot. Go rest on the bed and take care of your ankle.”
“I’m fine. I’ll go make you another pot of tea.”
As Xia Yi turned to head to the kitchen, he suddenly felt something was off about the atmosphere.
“179, this scene and our conversation seem a bit strange.”
[Host, I don’t think it’s strange at all. You should focus on farming and not get lost in random thoughts.] the system replied.
Since twisting his ankle, Xia Yi had seldom checked on his potato seedlings. The path to the field was too difficult to navigate, and he was afraid of hurting himself again. Thankfully, 179 scanned the fields every day, like having a surveillance camera installed.
[Gu Wenzhu is fertilizing.]
[Gu Wenzhu is catching pests.]
[The seedlings are growing better and better.]
After being cooped up at home for several days, Xia Yi felt restless. His daily hope was to sit on a small stool at the courtyard door, waiting for Gu Wenzhu to return from the fields to cook for him.
Noticing Xia Yi’s gloomy mood over the past few days, Gu Wenzhu decided not to work in the fields that day and took him out for some fresh air.
After lunch, Gu Wenzhu took out a fish basket and asked Xia Yi knowingly, “I’m going to catch fish; do you want to come along?” Xia Yi’s face lit up with a smile, and he leaned on his stick, ready to head outside.
Gu Wenzhu pulled him back, opened the courtyard door, and looked around nervously. Suddenly, he withdrew his head and closed the door. After a moment of waiting for footsteps to pass by and fade away, he opened the door again to peek outside.
Xia Yi: …
After a while, seeing no one around, Gu Wenzhu quickly returned, turning to squat down in front of Xia Yi. “Get on.”
Without hesitation, Xia Yi dropped his stick and climbed onto Gu Wenzhu’s back.
With Xia Yi on his back and a fish basket in one hand, Gu Wenzhu walked briskly out of the village.
Once out of the village, there was only one path: a hillside on the left and a small river on the right. After walking along the mountain path for a short distance, they heard laughter and chatter; that was the spot where the village women loved to wash clothes.
Hearing the laughter, Gu Wenzhu hesitated and slowed down, stopping in place.
“Brother Zhu, aren’t we going?” Xia Yi asked.
Gu Wenzhu stood uncertainly for a moment, just about to step forward when Aunt Li’s loud voice rang out, “I told you, Wang the carpenter definitely slept with his widow sister-in-law. Think about it, two men living under the same roof every day…”
The nearby women erupted into laughter. “You really have sharp eyes.”
Gu Wenzhu: …….
Xia Yi asked again, “Brother Zhu, are we still going?” He was genuinely afraid Gu Wenzhu might decide against it and take him back to that courtyard.
Gu Wenzhu replied, “Let’s go.”
After glancing around, he declared decisively, “Let’s climb the mountain!”
Xia Yi: …
The mountain path was rugged, and as Gu Wenzhu carried Xia Yi higher and further, the sound of the river faded away, leaving only the rustling of the wind through the trees and the chirping of birds.
Xia Yi couldn’t help but remind him, “Brother Zhu, we’re supposed to catch fish.”
Gu Wenzhu panted, dripping with sweat, “I… I know. We’re just… going around; there’s only one way down ahead.”
The mountain forest was serene and empty. Gu Wenzhu, carrying Xia Yi, stepped on the thick layer of fallen leaves, which crunched underfoot.
“Brother Zhu, how much farther?”
“Almost there…”
Finally, they started descending the mountain, and it took over an hour to reach the riverside.
Seeing Gu Wenzhu drenched in sweat, Xia Yi couldn’t help but suggest, “Brother Zhu, you should wash up; there’s a spot behind that rock.”
Noticing Gu Wenzhu hesitating, Xia Yi added, “Don’t worry, I won’t come over.”
Gu Wenzhu: …
After washing up, Gu Wenzhu emerged from behind the rock, shirtless and holding his clothes. He awkwardly approached Xia Yi, picked up the fish basket, and headed upstream to catch fish.
Xia Yi watched him walk further and further along the river until his sturdy figure became a blur.
“…179, Brother Zhu still doesn’t trust me.”
