"Take these strawberries and wash them for me," Chai Qianning said matter-of-factly.
Chai Shuqing took a few steps to stand in front of her and said angrily, "Can't you go wash yourself!"
But she still took the strawberries from Chai Qianning and ran to the tap to wash them.
When she finally brought the basket back after dawdling for a while, Chai Qianning discovered that there were less than a quarter of the strawberries left.
Not far away, Sheng Muxi was putting the strawberries she had picked into her basket one by one. As she straightened up, she overheard a conversation between several girls next to her.
"Your boyfriend gave you hickeys."
"I heard that it's bad luck to have strawberries planted on your neck."
Why?
"Haven't you seen the news reports about couples who sucked hickeys on each other's necks, leading to sudden death?"
"If I don't get it on my neck, am I supposed to get it on my face? But I need to wear makeup on my face, and then it'll be gone once I put on makeup and cover it up."
"Who says you can only plant strawberries on the neck! You can plant them in many places. I heard that it's dangerous to plant strawberries on the neck because there are many blood vessels in the neck, which is a matter of life and death."
"Oh, why worry about this? If you want to, there are many places you can explore, for example..."
Several girls giggled and covered their mouths, laughing together. One of them said, "Hey, don't your boyfriends do this?"
"Sorry, I don't actually have a boyfriend right now."
Sheng Muxi ran her fingers over a strawberry in the basket a few times, and in the blink of an eye, she saw Chai Qianning waving at her.
"Teacher Sheng," Chai Qianning called out to her.
When Sheng Muxi went over, she washed the strawberries and took them with her. Just then, the basket in front of Chai Qianning that contained strawberries was empty, so she put the washed strawberries into it.
Chai Qianning picked up a strawberry and ate it. A little strawberry juice spilled out, making her lips look even redder and shinier.
She patted the seat next to her: "Teacher Sheng, please sit down. Aren't you hot after being outside for so long?"
"It's alright." Sheng Muxi sat down next to her. "But it's definitely cooler here."
After finishing a strawberry, Chai Qianning got up, pulled out her bag from behind, took out a wooden cat carving, and handed it to Sheng Muxi: "This is for you."
Sheng Muxi took it and couldn't help but praise, "It's quite cute. Why did you give me this?"
"Didn't you say you like cats? So I made one for you as a souvenir for your stay at our guesthouse."
"You made this yourself?" Sheng Muxi raised her thick eyelashes, her tone slightly surprised. "You can make this?"
"Hmm, I know a little bit."
“You know a lot. I heard from your grandfather that the murals on the walls of my room were all painted by you.”
Chai Qianning scratched her head: "I just scribbled it randomly, I hope you don't find it funny."
“No, it’s very well drawn. If I hadn’t heard from your grandfather that you studied computer science in college, I would have almost thought you studied painting,” Sheng Muxi said.
Chai Qianning opened her mouth slightly and said in a light tone, "Why do I feel like you're asking about me? You even know what I majored in at university."
She raised her eyebrows, looking at the other person with considerable curiosity.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Muxi paused in her hand holding the strawberries: "No, I just thought the murals on the wall of the room I'm staying in now were quite nice, so I casually asked your grandfather. As for what you're studying, you were fixing a computer for someone this morning, and after you left, that person asked your grandfather if you were studying computer science. Your grandfather said yes, and I just happened to be passing by and overheard it."
After saying that, Sheng Muxi put the strawberry in her mouth and chewed. She turned around and saw that Chai Qianning was resting her chin on her hand, still staring at her intently.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sheng Muxi blinked.
Chai Qianning lowered her other wrist and looked at the scenery outside: "Oh, it's nothing."
Whether it was Sheng Muxi's imagination or not, she sensed a subtle hint of disappointment in Chai Qianning's tone.
“Actually, I do know a lot, but I’m not very proficient in any of them. I’ve only scratched the surface of each one.” Chai Qianning suddenly moved closer to her and said, her tone tinged with a faint smile and a hint of playfulness: “Do you like strawberries?”
Sheng Muxi glanced at the strawberries in her hand and nodded: "Yeah, I guess I like them."
“Well, I can do that too…” Chai Qianning paused, then beckoned her with her finger, gesturing for her to come closer.
Sheng Muxi moved closer to her in a daze, and Chai Qianning's breath brushed against her ear, whispering, "I can actually grow strawberries too."
After speaking, Chai Qianning lowered her eyes and smiled faintly.
Sheng Muxi slowly realized the meaning of those words. It wasn't that she wanted to think in that direction, but she had just overheard the conversation between those girls, and now she saw the amused smile on Chai Qianning's face.
Therefore, she felt that what the other person meant by "planting strawberries" was definitely not the literal meaning of planting strawberries, but rather something else entirely, something that couldn't be overthought.
Her face flushed slightly, and she felt as if the strawberries she was eating had somehow changed in taste.
But she pretended not to understand the deeper meaning behind what the other person was saying, and simply said "Oh" and casually added, "Then you're pretty amazing."
"Would you like to learn from me how to grow strawberries?" Chai Qianning said leisurely.
The strawberries in the basket were big and plump. One of them was picked up by Sheng Muxi, but then fell back into the basket.
Sheng Muxi looked at her: "Why should I learn to grow strawberries?"
"Is there anything you need to do?"
"No."
"Since you're just killing time anyway, and you're here for a farm stay, why not experience the fun of growing strawberries after you've finished picking them?"
".."
Ever since Sheng Muxi overheard the girls' conversation, she seems to have become prone to overthinking. For example, the "fun" that Chai Qianning mentioned right now, she always felt was the kind of fun that was inconvenient to say.
It's also possible that I misunderstood what she meant, but I still don't understand why she asked me to learn how to grow strawberries. Was she just bored and wanted to share her experience, or did she really mean what she thought?
Sheng Muxi's words caught in her throat, and she blinked several times in confusion. For the first time, she realized the profoundness of language, so profound that she couldn't even be sure what the other person meant.
However, she really had nothing else to do, so she agreed to learn how to grow strawberries. If it was just the agricultural kind of strawberry cultivation, then she would at least learn a new skill.
Seeing the other person waiting for her answer, Sheng Muxi hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding: "Okay, I'll learn from you, but I just need to get a general understanding. Consider it as expanding my knowledge."
Chai Qianning smiled like a fairy: "When do you want to study? Now or tonight?"
Sheng Muxi almost choked on her breath. Sure enough, what the other party meant by "planting strawberries" wasn't what it seemed!
See, that's how you get exposed.
She glanced around, then said somewhat awkwardly, "There are so many people here..."
Isn't that a bit inappropriate?
“Then tonight,” Chai Qianning said.
Sheng Muxi let out a sound of surprise.
In the distance, Chai Qianning's grandfather called to her, "Girl, come here."
Chai Qianning handed a basket of strawberries from her lap to Sheng Muxi, bent down and said softly, "Teacher Sheng, I have to go over first, I'll teach you again tonight. By the way, if you like strawberries, eat more, we have plenty here."
Then Chai Qianning left.
Sheng Muxi stared at her receding figure, disappearing into the strawberry garden entrance, her eyelashes trembling.
She picked up a strawberry and popped it into her mouth. Her cheeks were filled with strawberry as she chewed it.
This is yet another time you've fallen into a trap the other party set up, isn't it?
Thinking of this, Sheng Muxi picked up another strawberry and took a bite out of it in a fit of resentment.
——
Because Chai Qianning said she would come to her room tonight to teach her how to grow strawberries, she spent the entire afternoon in the strawberry garden absentmindedly.
She ate quite a few strawberries, so much so that she still felt a bit full a few minutes before dinner.
But the menu tonight was very extensive, and the chef's skills were excellent. Several of the dishes were ones she had never tried before, and after taking a bite, she found them to be surprisingly delicious. So she ate quite a bit.
After the meal, she sat in the courtyard to digest her food, her mind replaying Chai Qianning's words from that afternoon. For some reason, she felt a little nervous.
In the center of the guesthouse courtyard is a large vat filled with water almost to its rim. Several small lotus leaves float in it, and a few small fish of different colors swim around. The water ripples gently, reflecting the bright moon in the sky with shallow ripples.
After Shi Manwen finished eating, she sat down on the swing diagonally opposite her, stretched her legs out on the ground, and held onto the ropes with both hands, and started chatting with her.
"The food tonight was pretty good. I'm so full that my stomach hurts a little, but it was really delicious." Shi Manwen stared straight ahead.
Sheng Muxi rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at a certain place. When she heard her speak, she replied, "It's quite delicious. I'm a little full."
“My girlfriend has finished her work and said she wants to come to City A to see me. I’m now torn between having her come here directly and travel around with me, or having me go back to City A ahead of time.”
"If I bring her here, I'll have to take her to see all the sights again. I think we can come back another time, so I can relive the experience... Hey, are you even listening to me?"
Shi Manwen waved her hand in front of her face: "What are you thinking about?"
Sheng Muxi snapped out of her daze: "You can have her come over. There are still several attractions we haven't visited yet, right? You can keep her company and help her relax here."
“That makes sense, but I’m staying in a single room, and at this time, it’s probably impossible to book other guesthouses,” Shi Manwen said.
Sheng Muxi looked up at her, seemingly not understanding her words at all: "What's wrong with a single room? Do you and your girlfriend have to sleep in separate rooms and beds?"
"No, it's just that I feel the bed is too small, which is not conducive to my performance."
".."
Well, I wish she hadn't asked so many questions.
"Then you should hurry back to City A."
Shi Manwen relaxed and slightly stepped off the swing, causing it to sway gently. She asked, "And you? What are you struggling with?"
"You seem to be struggling with something?"
"Yes, he had a very complicated expression."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Muxi touched her eyebrows and eyes.
Actually, she didn't have anything to worry about, but now that Shi Manwen said that, she seemed to be a little conflicted, wondering whether she should tell Shi Manwen about it.
But then she thought, what difference would it make if she told Shi Manwen? Shi Manwen would definitely say, "That's a good thing!" and then give her an encouraging look.
Never mind, I won't say anything more. Human joys and sorrows are not shared, and although she's neither sad nor happy right now, she's just extremely nervous.
I don't know what I'm so nervous about.
After digesting her food, Sheng Muxi returned to her room and took a shower. When she came out, she saw a message from Chai Qianning: "I'll be there after I shower."
She stared at the words for a long time before putting down her phone, folding her clothes, and tidying up the room.
After finishing all that, she sat by the window and let the evening breeze dry her wet hair.