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Capítulo 10

Yue Ruzheng had no choice but to sit on the stool and watch him push the wooden basin to the bamboo pole. He stood on his left foot, grabbed a corner of the clothes with his right foot, raised it halfway up, shook it, and then gave it a strong flick to hang the clothes on the bamboo pole. He then raised his right foot again and quickly straightened the clothes that were stuck together to dry. His left leg remained firmly planted, and his body did not sway. Even with his right leg raised so high, he remained calm and composed, as if he were already used to it.

Under the warm sunlight, Yue Ruzheng's light purple short jacket was hung out to dry, and a mountain breeze gently dripped water droplets onto it.

He stood in front of the brightly colored clothes, lost in thought for a moment. Turning around, he saw Yue Ruzheng struggling to wash the dishes. He quickly stepped forward and said, "Didn't I tell you to sit down and rest? Do you want your wounds to reopen?"

Yue Ruzheng brushed her loose hair aside with the back of her hand and said, "I didn't use any force, it's okay."

He kicked the stool she was sitting on, somewhat angrily, and said, "Do you think it's dirty because I wash the dishes with my feet?"

"No! Why would you think that?" She stared at him with wide eyes.

He pursed his lips, his feet still in the water. Yue Ruzheng saw a half-wet rag hanging on the well curb, so she reached out and grabbed it. She grabbed his ankle, ignoring his protests, and dried him off. Then she lowered his rolled-up trouser legs, kicked over his straw sandals that he had taken off to the side, and said, "Put these on."

Tang Yanchu stood still. Yue Ruzheng, somewhat annoyed, grabbed his foot to help him put on his shoes, but he struggled and took a step back, saying, "I don't need your help."

"I didn't mean to help you," Yue Ruzheng said petulantly. "I'm eating and living in your house, do you think I have bad intentions if I wash the dishes myself?" After saying that, she ignored him and washed the dishes herself.

Tang Yanchu looked down at his feet, slowly put on his straw sandals, and squatted down beside her to watch her wash the dishes. Yue Ruzheng's movements were a little rough; with a flick of her wrist, a few water droplets splashed onto his face. She looked at him somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't angry; he simply turned his face to the side and wiped the water droplets from his shoulder. Yue Ruzheng only felt relieved when she saw him look up and gave him a slight smile.

For the next few days, Yue Ruzheng would wait until Tang Yanchu finished eating before taking the bamboo basket to him. She knew he didn't want others to see him eating. Although Tang Yanchu was very poor and didn't have any fancy food for her, he went out every day to dig for shepherd's purse and mushrooms. When she sat by the window, she could see him carefully washing vegetables by the well, his expression so focused that he was almost cautious.

She had seen him draw water before. The well had a windlass; one could turn the rope by cranking the wooden handle to lift the bucket. But he could only stand barefoot on the handle. The bucket, full of water, was heavy. He would straighten his instep, curl his toes, and press hard on the handle to slowly turn it. When the bucket reached the well's edge, he would press the handle firmly with his foot, bend to the side, bite the rope with his teeth, and exert a burst of strength to lift the full bucket to the stone rim of the well. Several times, she thought the bucket was going to tip over and was so frightened that she wanted to rush out to help him, but thankfully he would quickly knee it to stop the spill, though sometimes a lot of water would spill out, soaking his thin clothes.

She was amazed that he could actually bite that bucket of water. When he bent down to bite, his legs and body were at an odd angle. Yue Ruzheng could hardly bear to watch. She wondered how much suffering he must have endured to learn to live like this.

However, Tang Yanchu remained calm and reserved throughout, with only her dark eyes, which seemed to be painted with thick ink, occasionally showing a flicker of emotion and a glimmer of light.

Days passed, and Yue Ruzheng was gradually able to walk around the courtyard. Tang Yanchu still spoke very little to her. On sunny days, she would bring a small stool and sit in the courtyard. Tang Yanchu slowly adapted to the sudden presence of this person in his life; he would sit beside her and use his feet to wash clothes, chop firewood, and prepare vegetables…

Yue Ruzheng asked him if he had been living alone here for the past ten years. He took her to a grove of trees not far behind the courtyard, where there was a grave. The tombstone was inscribed with only the four characters "Tomb of the Late Teacher". The setting sun was like blood, and the grass on the grave was just beginning to grow, swaying in the wind along with the ancient trees around it.

Yue Ruzheng asked him blankly, "Is this your master's grave? Why doesn't it have a name?"

Tang Yanchu looked down at the tombstone and said, "He didn't want his name engraved."

"How long has he been dead?" Yue Ruzheng asked in surprise.

"More than five years. I've lived here by myself since I was fourteen." He squatted down and sat in front of the grave, took off his straw sandals, and used his feet to pull out the weeds on the grave. Some of the weeds had thorns, and traces of blood seeped from between his toes.

"Xiao Tang. Let me do it!" She pressed down on his knees, slowly sat down beside him, and started pulling weeds for him.

"It's okay, I'm used to it," Tang Yanchu said softly.

Yue Ruzheng looked down and saw that there were indeed many scars on his feet. She suddenly wanted to ask him what happened to his hands, but when she looked up and met his deep eyes, she immediately swallowed the question.

She thought for a moment, then asked, "What skills did you learn from this master?"

Tang Yanchu replied somewhat shyly, "Gathering herbs? What other skills do I have?"

Yue Ruzheng blinked and said, "No, he also taught you to write, didn't he? And that pear tree, he planted that too, right?"

Tang Yanchu smiled faintly, a very faint smile curving her lips.

"So for the past five years, you've lived alone in the deep mountains every day. Weren't you afraid?" she asked casually as she pulled weeds.

He shook his head and said, "No, you'll get used to it."

Yue Ruzheng laughed, her big eyes seemingly sparkling: "Little Tang, why do you keep using the word 'habit' in every other sentence?"

Tang Yanchu looked at her smiling face, seemingly a little taken aback, then returned to his calm demeanor and said, "We rely on habits to survive. Sometimes, you have to force yourself to adapt..." He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Yue Ruzheng awkwardly changed the subject, saying, "Uh, Xiao Tang, do you feel uncomfortable with me here?"

He crossed his legs and said, "At first it would have been, but now it seems like one more person won't make a difference."

Yue Ruzheng smiled, pursing her lips, but he looked up at her and asked, "And you?"

"Me?" She didn't quite understand his question.

"You've probably never met someone like me before... without hands. Are you scared?" he asked with some difficulty.

Yue Ruzheng was startled. She looked at his face, which he had deliberately turned to the side. His eyelashes were drooping and his eyebrows were also slightly downturned.

She thought for a moment, then said softly, "I'm not lying to you, I was a little surprised at first." She paused, then added, "But now I think you're no different from anyone else, just a little shy and introverted."

Tang Yanchu's eyelashes fluttered, and his tightly pursed lips relaxed slightly. Yue Ruzheng reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, saying earnestly, "Really. You are the kindest and purest person I have ever met."

Tang Yanchu looked up at her bright, sparkling eyes; his pupils were as black as ink.

"Go back, I've made you some food." He swayed and stood up.

While making dinner, Yue Ruzheng sat in the kitchen, and this time he didn't shoo her away. She quietly watched him wash his feet in the basin of water by the kitchen door, then use his teeth to pick up bowls, chopsticks, pots, and ladles, and sat on the floor to start a fire. When cooking, he sat on a chair in front of the stove, his legs raised, moving nimbly. Even at his busiest, he maintained his usual quietness and composure.

After everything was ready, he told Yue Ruzheng to take the food out to eat.

"And what about you?" Yue Ruzheng turned her head to the side and asked him deliberately.

His face flushed slightly. Before he could speak, Yue Ruzheng stood by the stove, picked up her bowl and chopsticks, and started eating.

"Why are you eating standing up?" he frowned. "Your injury isn't fully healed yet!"

Yue Ruzheng said with a grin, "Then come inside with me for dinner."

A hint of melancholy crossed Tang Yanchu's brows, but Yue Ruzheng had already pulled on his sleeve, carrying a bowl of food as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Have a seat, Xiao Tang." She gestured to the chair behind him as if she were a hostess inviting a guest.

Tang Yanchu sat down somewhat awkwardly. Yue Ruzheng, with a slight limp, brought over the food from the kitchen, picked up her chopsticks, and said, "Eat, Xiao Tang."