Xi Jia leaned against Mo Yushen's chest, her hand tracing his chest, moving down a little after a few seconds, and then down further down.
Mo Yushen met her gaze, and Xi Jia smiled, "Husband."
"Um."
Xi Jia grabbed his belt, "Don't get the wrong idea."
Mo Yushen: "..."
The driver dropped them off at the hotel entrance and told them that there is a lot of rain in the mountains in the summer, so it would be best to bring rain gear with them if they went out.
Mo Yushen thanked the driver. There were stalls selling umbrellas and raincoats everywhere on the food street. He bought an umbrella and a raincoat for Xi Jia.
Starting in the afternoon, a torrential downpour began, accompanied by rumbling thunder.
Mo Yushen and Xi Jia stayed in the room and didn't go out. Half a box was consumed in one afternoon.
Xi Jia hugged Mo Yushen's neck and said, "Let's not buy anymore, let's have a baby."
Mo Yushen didn't know if she would have fertility problems and didn't dare take her for a checkup. She had stopped taking medication for almost half a year, so she should be able to have a child, if she could conceive.
He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
This time, they used nothing.
Xi Jia was more moved and emotional than ever before.
At five o'clock, the heavy rain gradually stopped.
Xi Jia and Mo Yushen were hungry, so they got up and went to the food street to find something to eat.
Coincidentally, I ran into the old lady's grandson playing with the children in the open space in front of the door.
The young man who gave Mo Yushen chili powder back then is now married and has a child who can already talk.
"Big brother, big sister," the young man called out, used to it, so he didn't bother to change it. "What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you."
Xi Jia felt bad troubling him, "We're not hungry, we'll just wander around."
The young man said, "Don't be so formal with me." He handed his daughter to Xi Jia to hold, "I'll make you cumin lamb chops tonight."
The little girl, with her rosy cheeks, wasn't shy at all. She blinked her eyes and said, "Jiejie." (Older sister)
Xi Jia laughed happily and pointed at Mo Yushen: "What's this person's name?"
The little girl said, "Susu." (Uncle).
Mo Yushen: "...It's my older brother."
Xi Jia pushed him away, "Get out of here, you're over thirty, how can you be so shameless?"
The two played with the baby for quite a while.
After having lamb chops, Mo Yushen escorted Xi Jia back to her grandmother's house. They had been there for almost a week; Xi Jia stayed with her grandmother in the evenings while he handled work at the hotel.
The old woman didn't recognize him, but she remembered Xi Jia. Every day, she would still talk about brewing medicine.
Mo Yushen took Xi Jia's hand and they went for a walk to the old lady's house.
They have walked this road hundreds of times.
Xi Jia: "In the mountains during the summer, there are many insect chirps, but not in the winter."
Mo Yushen: "Yes."
Xi Jia laughed, "You still lied to me."
Mo Yushen held her hand tightly.
At seven o'clock in the summer, it's not dark yet, the air humidity is high, and it's the most comfortable time of day.
The old woman was tending to her small vegetable garden in the yard. Every time, Xi Jia would introduce Mo Yushen to her. The old woman was slow to react, but she would nod, as if she understood who he was.
"Jiajia, I roasted some corn for you. Eat it while it's hot."
Xi Jia replied, "Okay."
The golden corn on the cob, with a few kernels occasionally tinged with brown, is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, its sweet flavor spreading throughout the mouth.
The old-fashioned wall clock in the room chimed the hourly time with a gentle, resonant sound that brought a sense of peace.
Grandma: "It's seven o'clock, I have to cook. Your grandpa, come back soon."
The corn kernels in Xi Jia's mouth tasted astringent.
The old woman leaned on a cane, her back was more bent than it had been three years ago, and she walked with a shaky gait.
Mo Yushen couldn't help but want to help the old lady, but each time, Xi Jia pulled him back, saying, "Grandma thinks she's still young and wants to cook for Grandpa."
Uncle Liang instructed that Grandma should be allowed to do whatever she wanted, since she was still in good health and should be allowed to do as much work as she could to keep her healthy.
The old woman walked to the kitchen door, then turned around and said, "Jiajia, if you want to read, go to your grandpa's bookcase. He has all kinds of books there."
Xi Jia: "Okay, I'll go check it right away."
The old woman slowly turned around, taking each step carefully.
It started raining again, a light drizzle.
A moment later, the rain poured down in a continuous stream.
Mo Yushen brought out a deck chair and let Xi Jia look at the lake view from the corridor.
He half-squatted down beside her. "You just ate lamb chops. Eating just one ear of corn will make you feel full. I'll wrap up the rest and put it in your room so you can eat it if you get hungry tonight."
Xi Jia: "I'll eat them one by one, I won't get full." She peeled one and put it in Mo Yushen's mouth. Mo Yushen chewed it carefully, "You're so stingy, give me two more."
Xi Jia really gave them two pills, not one more.
Mo Yushen patted her head and reminded her, "You're not allowed to stay up late revising the script tonight."
Xi Jia is revising "Falling in Love with the Stars in the Deep Sea". A few days ago, Zhou Mingqian took the initiative to contact her and asked her what her ideal price was for the script. She said the more money the better.
“Jiajia, you stay home, I’ll go pick up your grandpa. He left in a hurry at noon without his raincoat and rain boots, I’ll bring them to him, otherwise how will he get home?”
Xi Jia: "Grandma, we'll go with you. It'll be perfect for a romantic stroll in the rain."
Grandma: "Romantic? You're soaked and feel uncomfortable. You should stay home."
How could Xi Jia let her go out alone? She put down the corn and said, "Grandma, you don't know, do you? We young people like to be romantic in the rain."
Mo Yushen helped the old lady put on her raincoat, and then buttoned it up.
Xi Jia brought a low stool and asked the old woman to sit down, saying, "You need to wear rain boots; your shoes aren't waterproof."
"I'll do it." Mo Yushen took the rain boots.
The old woman was embarrassed and said, "No need, I can wear it." She insisted on wearing it herself, so Xi Jia didn't insist on helping her.
It was past seven o'clock, and the sky was getting dark. The rain was heavier than before.
Xi Jia didn't know where the old woman was going to pick someone up, so for safety's sake, she discussed it with Mo Yushen and took the old woman for a few more walks around the path outside the house and courtyard.
Before leaving, Xi Jia sent a message to Uncle Liang: "Grandma is going to pick Grandpa up from get off work. Mo Yushen and I will take Grandma for a few walks around the door. When it gets dark, please call home and tell him that Grandpa is away on a business trip and won't be back tonight."
Soon, Secretary Liang replied: 【Thank you for your hard work with Yu Shen.】
Xi Jia: [It's not hard work, it's what I should do.] She put her phone in her pocket, put on her raincoat, and went out with the old lady.
Mo Yushen held the umbrella and supported the old woman's other arm.
She turned her head to look at Mo Yushen, and he was looking at her too. She smiled slightly.
Xi Jia looked away and chatted with the old woman: "Where does Grandpa work?"
Grandma: "He was a middle school teacher, he taught Chinese from the first to the third year of middle school. When there weren't enough teachers, he also taught elementary school. Your grandpa was very learned. He even published books. I'm not good enough for him, I'm illiterate, I can't read a single word."
Speaking of her grandfather, her face lit up with a long-lost smile. "Your grandfather even taught me to write my name. He taught me every day, but I forgot every day. I was afraid of bothering him, so I said I didn't want to learn anymore. But he was very good-natured and said that if I wrote it a few more times, I would remember it."
After a few seconds, the old woman seemed to be talking to herself: "When I go home, I'll have to practice some more. The more I practice, the more I'll remember it."
Xi Jia said in a hoarse voice, "Yes. Grandma, I'll practice with you."
As darkness fell and the rain poured down, Mo Yushen and Xi Jia patiently walked back and forth with the old woman on the path in front of her door. They were keeping her company as she waited for someone who would never return.
The old woman muttered, "It's getting dark, we have to hurry, otherwise your grandpa will be anxious. He still has to correct my homework and teach me to write my name when he gets back."
Xi Jia didn't know how to respond; her eyes were filled with tears.
She used to be just like the old lady is now, doing repetitive, meaningless things every day, but Mo Yushen did it for years without ever finding her annoying.
Just like Grandma said, he teaches me every day, but I forget every day.
And now, just like she used to be, even if she forgets the whole world, she still wants to remember you with all her might.
I desperately try to remember how good you were, how much you loved me.
I desperately try to remember your silent companionship and your unspoken confession.
I desperately try to remember all those ordinary little moments we shared.