During the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Wu family, they alternated celebrating it between the paternal grandfather’s house and the maternal grandparent’s side every year. This year, it happened to be the time to celebrate it at maternal grandfather’s house.
Wu Chun went directly from school to his grandfather’s place, agreeing with his parents to meet there. However, as soon as he arrived, he went to the village chief’s house first.
His parents probably had already reached his grandfather’s place by now.
In order not to arouse their suspicion, Wu Chun couldn’t stay here for too long tonight. As time became more urgent, he felt more flustered, thinking that he should cherish the time and do many things with Xu Shi Yao. But now, he found himself at a loss, not knowing what to do next.
It was Xu Shi Yao who spoke first.
“My Wu Chun has changed.”
The tone from the other person was both gentle and pleased, which left Wu Chun stunned.
“Where did it change?” Wu Chun asked cautiously, his gaze fixed on Xu Shi Yao. Xu Shi Yao was also staring at him, and in a moment, Xu Shi Yao’s hand gently caressed Wu Chun’s cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness.
“Is it that I got darker?” Wu Chun reached out to cover the other side of his face, feeling a bit embarrassed. He even wondered if Xu Shi Yao’s records included his skin tone. If that were the case, after anticipating this moment for so long, seeing a “darker-skinned” Wu Chun might indeed be surprising.
“It’s just that I went through nearly half a month of military training, and during that time, the sun seemed to have a grudge against me,” Wu Chun explained in a soft voice, stealing glances at Xu Shi Yao.
“That doesn’t matter,” Xu Shi Yao said lightly. He hooked his finger under Wu Chun’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze, carefully examining Wu Chun’s eyes.
Wu Chun was caught off guard by Xu Shi Yao’s sudden action, and his heart was beating unusually fast at this moment. His hands, hanging on both sides of his pants, slowly clenched into fists.
“You’ve matured,” Xu Shi Yao observed for a while before saying slowly. Then, he let out a gentle sigh and continued, his tone filled with tenderness, “You must have been tired during this period, working so hard, my Wu Chun.”
Wu Chun didn’t expect Xu Shi Yao to say that.
If he didn’t carefully think about this period of time, Wu Chun didn’t feel particularly tired. But now, after Xu Shi Yao’s remark, when he recalled that time, Wu Chun realized how tightly he had compressed his time.
Almost except for sleeping time, Wu Chun’s brain was in a state of high-speed operation. Sometimes, even in his dreams, he dreamed of this place, envisioning it becoming incredibly prosperous thirty years later.
During that time, Wu Chun felt fulfilled. Perhaps he didn’t allow himself to say it was hard, and gradually, even he forgot the difficulties and hardships he had faced.
“It’s alright.” Wu Chun nestled in Xu Shi Yao’s arms and whispered, “Sweetness comes after bitterness, and I don’t feel tired.”
Xu Shi Yao hugged Wu Chun’s waist and, as usual, brought him to the branch of a pine tree.
“What were you busy with during the day?” Xu Shi Yao asked. Not seeing Wu Chun on the agreed day made him slightly anxious, and he kept pondering the possibilities of what Wu Chun might be doing.
He really wanted to see Wu Chun, and so the wait of this day felt like a century.
“Oh, I went to see the village chief,” Wu Chun swung his feet and said casually, “I asked him some questions and then strolled around the village.”
He even did more than an hour of farm work.
“Do you have any gains?” Xu Shi Yao asked with a smile.
“I gained quite a lot,” Wu Chun said as he took out his notebook and handed it to Xu Shi Yao, flipping to a specific page and pointing it out to him, “I realized that my knowledge about this village is still too limited. I don’t even know the most basic terrain structure, so how can I talk about other possibilities?”
Xu Shi Yao stared at the incomplete map of Shili Village on the paper, furrowing his brow slightly. Suddenly, he closed the notebook with a swift motion, startling Wu Chun.
“What’s wrong?” Wu Chun asked.
Xu Shi Yao waved his hand lightly, and a piece of tree bark appeared in front of them. Wu Chun looked at the bark and saw a clear and complete topographic map on it.
It wasn’t just that the drawing was incredibly accurate, but it also detailed every type of terrain in Shili Village.
“When did you draw this?” Wu Chun asked in astonishment.
Although Wu Chun didn’t have a deep understanding of the village at the moment, he recognized every location marked on the map, corresponding exactly to the places he had come to know.
Under what circumstances and how much time did Xu Shi Yao go through to create such a complete and clear map?
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Wu Chun looked at Xu Shi Yao in astonishment. He saw Xu Shi Yao’s gaze flicker for a moment, and then he uncertainly said, “I think I spent several days drawing it.”
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“Qts vlv sbe vgjk atlr abqbugjqtlm wjq? Glv sbe wjxf jcs cbafr?” Qe Jtec jrxfv.
We Vtl Tjb gfwjlcfv rlifca. Lf rajgfv ja atf qlfmf bo yjgx obg j ktlif yfobgf gjlrlcu tlr tjcv jcv kjnlcu la. Ccbatfg qlfmf bo yjgx jqqfjgfv lc ogbca bo atfw.
Wu Chun immediately looked at it, and there was only a simple sentence written on the bark – “Help Wu Chun outline a map of the village, he needs it (recorded when there are still twenty days before meeting Wu Chun).”
When there are still twenty days before meeting himself…
As Wu Chun looked at this sentence, he felt an indescribable emotion. For Xu Shi Yao, he remembered the passing of days, but had no knowledge of specific dates.
So, Wu Chun became the unit of measurement for Xu Shi Yao’s days.
Every record Xu Shi Yao made was also a calculation of how much time was left until their next meeting.
“Can you leave here for an extended period in the evening?”
“No, I can only leave for half an hour. If I stay away for too long, I will be automatically called back.”
Listening to Xu Shi Yao’s words and looking at the map in front of him, Wu Chun carefully thought about what he might have said to the pine cone more than twenty days ago. However, no matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn’t recall if he had mentioned anything related to this.
In the days when they couldn’t meet, Wu Chun would say tens of millions of words to the pine cone every day. Perhaps while reading relevant content, he would unintentionally utter a sentence, and Xu Shi Yao would quickly remember it.
People say Xu Shi Yao has no memory, but he always manages to remember the most important sentences spoken inadvertently by Wu Chun.
Moreover, for Xu Shi Yao, the time he can leave this mountain every night is limited. He can only remember a small area in one night. This map in front of them, who knows how many days and nights it took him, and how much effort was spent to complete it.
All of this started from Wu Chun’s unintentional word – “need.”
This journey that seems to be fought by Wu Chun alone, also incorporates Xu Shi Yao’s efforts behind the scenes.
There might be some things he doesn’t understand when spoken, but as long as Wu Chun says it and he can do it, he will do it, even if Wu Chun can do it relatively easier than him.
“You’ve worked hard, my Xu Shi Yao.”
Wu Chun imitated the way Xu Shi Yao had spoken earlier and said, and Xu Shi Yao gazed at him with soft eyes. Suddenly, Xu Shi Yao leaned forward, and in a short while, Wu Chun felt a cool sensation on his forehead.
Then, he heard Xu Shi Yao’s gentle voice saying, “I told you, I’ll accompany you.”
…
Wu Chun and Xu Shi Yao looked at the map in front of them.
“Mark this location.” Wu Chun pointed to a certain position.
With a light sway of his hand, Xu Shi Yao drew a red line to mark that spot.
“This area is close to the reservoir, and there’s abundant water resources here every year, especially during summer when it’s prone to waterlogging. It’s suitable for planting crops that can be harvested outside of the rainy season.”
As Wu Chun spoke, he jotted down the information in his notebook. Based on the map, he determined several other locations and planned to visit them tomorrow. Only by understanding the condition of the land in each area could they better plan what crops to plant.
There was still a lot for Wu Chun to do, but he couldn’t rush it all at once.
The map that Xu Shi Yao provided played a significant role for him. At least now, when he closed his eyes, he could visualize the basic topography of the village in his mind.
“Xu Shi Yao, this map of yours is incredibly helpful!”
Wu Chun felt delighted, and he wanted to grab Xu Shi Yao’s hand, but he noticed that Xu Shi Yao seemed uninterested.
“What’s wrong, Xu Shi Yao?” Wu Chun asked softly.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” Xu Shi Yao cautiously probed, and after pondering for a moment, he added to himself, “I seem to be able to help very little.”
Xu Shi Yao was feeling guilty. He watched Wu Chun busying himself with all these tasks, and it seemed to take a toll on him, making him look somewhat thinner. Yet, Xu Shi Yao could only stand by and watch, feeling powerless to assist in any meaningful way.
“You’ve already done so much.” Wu Chun held Xu Shi Yao’s hand, interlocking their fingers, and leaned on his shoulder.
The moon tonight was very bright.
Wu Chun pointed to the moon in the sky and said to Xu Shi Yao, “Look at the moon, isn’t it bright?”
Xu Shi Yao softly responded, “Mm.”
“Do you know what festival it is for humans tomorrow?” Wu Chun asked again.
“I don’t know.”
“Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunion.”
Wu Chun said, turning his head to look at Xu Shi Yao.
Xu Shi Yao’s eyelashes flickered, his gaze seeming to understand yet also not comprehend.
“When I first got to know you, I had the same thought as you. I always felt that only you were giving, and I couldn’t help with anything. It was as if this human world owed you, and in the end, you had to compensate for it.”
Wu Chun could still remember that period when he would immerse himself in guilt for being unable to help in any practical way.
So during that time, even if he couldn’t come up with any practical solutions, he would stay by Xu Shi Yao’s side.
At least he could still drive away loneliness.
“Xu Shi Yao, perhaps destiny brought us together to allow me to make up for the debt of reunion owed in this human world.”
So from now on, on every day of reunion, there will always be that familiar figure by Xu Shi Yao’s side.
Wu Chun leaned on Xu Shi Yao’s shoulder once again and said slowly, “As lovers, if you really want to do something for me, then I hope you can stay by my side. As a member of humanity, I want to say that on those days when you are not understood, it must have been tough. From now on, it’s up to us…”
At Wu Chun’s words, Xu Shi Yao was taken aback. His Adam’s apple moved as he tried to say something but didn’t know where to start.
In the past, he always felt that as long as he could reduce Wu Chun’s burden, it wouldn’t matter if he bore more himself.
However, as time went on and Wu Chun became more and more outstanding, Xu Shi Yao realized that the reality was far from what he had imagined.
He could help Wu Chun bear some things, but he couldn’t bear everything. Some things, he didn’t even have the qualification to touch, let alone provide assistance.
In a poverty-stricken village that has been struggling for years, upon closer examination, many difficulties beyond imagination can be discovered. Often, the hardest part is paving the way.
And Xu Shi Yao’s understanding of all this comes entirely from Wu Chun. From the first time they met, when Wu Chun had an innocent smile, unafraid of the world, to now, slowly showing signs of weariness, Xu Shi Yao has heard a series of plans and dreams that Wu Chun has for the future. The fairy tales that were once easily spoken now bear the traces of reality.
So Xu Shi Yao began to pay attention to the habits and characteristics of the people here. He had a separate piece of tree bark dedicated to recording these details.
The people living in front of him were no longer fleeting shadows, forgotten day by day.
At night, when the people down the mountain had already gone to sleep, and there was still some time before sunrise, Xu Shi Yao would float above the village.
He recorded Wu Chun’s dream of red-brick houses and his aspiration for every child to have access to education.
Xu Shi Yao began to compare the different people in the village.
He didn’t understand poverty and wealth, but he remembered what Wu Chun had said. Taking those words as his guide, he compared and contrasted the various people in the village.
Who among them was moving closer to Wu Chun’s vision?
Who still had a long way to go and needed significant efforts?
Xu Shi Yao didn’t personally know these people, so he could only try to match the observations he made about them with their respective addresses.
Currently, Xu Shi Yao was engrossed in this task. It was the only thing he could do at the moment, and every night before midnight, he had to remember to write down the clues.
Reminding himself not to forget the current task he was working on and the original intention behind doing these things.
“I understand, Wu Chun.”
Xu Shi Yao embraced Wu Chun in his arms. The moonlight tonight was exceptionally bright, even a bit dazzling for Xu Shi Yao.
“Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival…”
Xu Shi Yao recalled what Wu Chun had said earlier, as if he remembered something, and suddenly reminded him, “Tomorrow, you should be with your family.”
Wu Chun was puzzled, “Why?”
Everyone would be with their families for the reunion, but Xu Shi Yao couldn’t be close to his own family. He would be lonely.
“I will come,” Wu Chun insisted.
After saying that, he heard Xu Shi Yao chuckle lightly.
“Be obedient. When it’s time to be with your family, cherish that time with them. As I said before, we have a future that no one else can see.”
Wu Chun pursed his lips.
Indeed, it had been a month since he last saw his family.
And the time he could spend with them was limited.
At this moment, Wu Chun wished he could split himself into two halves.
“Wu Chun, be obedient. We have plenty of time.”
In the end, Wu Chun nodded. He looked up at the moon in the night sky, which wasn’t completely full, and suddenly had an idea.
“Xu Shi Yao, even though tomorrow is the day of the full moon and family reunions, can we make a wish tonight that the heavenly deities will hear?”
Wu Chun asked excitedly.
“What wish do you want to make?” Xu Shi Yao looked at Wu Chun tenderly, reaching out to gently stroke the back of his head, and couldn’t help but lightly kiss him on the forehead.
“I hope that in the future, everything I want to accomplish can be achieved, and that this village will become better and better! I wish that everyone living in this world can be happy! That’s my big wish!”
“What about your small wish?”
Wu Chun turned his head to look at Xu Shi Yao, then suddenly gave him a slight smile. Swiftly, he planted a kiss on Xu Shi Yao’s cheek and triumphantly said, “I want to wait until we have time in the future and build a house next to this pine tree. Beside the house, there will be our little vegetable garden. Whenever night falls, you and I will sit on this pine tree, watch the sunset, wait for the sunrise, and we won’t have to hurry back home. Because at that time, my home will be right here. It’s just…”
Wu Chun suddenly stopped talking.
Xu Shi Yao’s lips moved, and after a while, he suppressed his emotions and asked, “Just what?”
Wu Chun smiled contentedly, seemingly carefree, and teased, “Just that by then, I’ll be old, with white hair and wrinkles on my face, while you’ll still have that youthful appearance. You better not dislike me then.”
Xu Shi Yao didn’t reply immediately. After a moment, he leaned close to Wu Chun’s ear and softly whispered, “The moon just whispered to me, saying that our wishes will come true.”
A soybean :
Because the timeline of the entire story is long, the next chapter will directly jump to Wu Chun’s graduation from university!!!
They’re so sweet together ❤️
My sweet lovelies!! I got sad when I realized that Wu Chun would grow old while Xu Shiyao will remain a ghost 😭😭