Лучшая актриса - Глава 98
Five years later, on the ninth day of the second lunar month, it was Lian Junchu's nineteenth birthday. Lian Junqiu arrived at Nan Yandang the next afternoon. From a distance, she could see Lian Junchu sitting alone under the eaves in the quiet courtyard, barefoot, fiddling with something.
"Jun Chu." She called out from afar, and Lian Jun Chu stood up. He was already taller than her, and the skinny boy from years ago had now grown into a handsome young man.
As she approached, she looked curiously at the ground and saw nothing but a few leaves.
"What were you doing just now?" Lian Junqiu asked casually.
Lian Junchu smiled shyly, pursing her lips, and kicked at the leaves with her foot. "Nothing much to do, so I'm just looking at these leaves to see if there's anything different about them."
Lian Junqiu's smile faltered slightly, a pang of sadness welling up inside her, but she didn't want to show it in front of him. She led him into the house, took out a dark blue short jacket from her bundle, held it up against him, and said, "It should be about the right size. Try it on."
"I have clothes," he said softly, looking at the bamboo box by the bedside.
"I gave it to you, and you still don't want it?" Lian Junqiu said sternly, forcing him to smile helplessly. Lian Junqiu reached out and began to unbutton his shirt. Lian Junchu hesitated for a moment, then turned around and said, "Big sister, I can do it myself."
Lian Junqiu lowered her eyes, placed the new clothes on the bed, and said, "Are you shy? I used to bathe you when you were little!"
"You said it yourself, that was when we were kids..." Lian Junchu sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed, kicked off his shoes, turned to the side, and lifted his leg to forcefully pull open the belt around his waist. Lian Junqiu stood silently to the side, watching his every move. Although such actions were commonplace for him, they always seemed very strenuous to others.
Seeing that Jun Chu had taken off his outer garment, she handed him the new clothes. He silently lowered his head to put them on. To avoid some trouble, the belt around his waist had been sewn onto the clothes by Lian Junqiu, but even so, it still took him quite a while to tie it. When Lian Junqiu saw him biting one end with his teeth and stretching his leg to reach for the other end, she felt a pang of sympathy.
"Jun Chu..." she couldn't help but speak. Lian Jun Chu was just managing to hold the other end of the ribbon in place when she heard her speak. She was so distracted that the ribbon fell down again.
He didn't show any expression, but Lian Junqiu couldn't stand it anymore. She quickly stepped forward, grabbed his belt, and tied it for him in a few moments.
"See how convenient this is? Why don't you want me to help you?" Lian Junqiu pulled at the hem of his clothes, straightening them as she frowned.
Lian Junchu's expression, which had been quite natural while he was getting dressed, became somewhat downcast. He let Lian Junqiu fiddle with his clothes without saying another word.
The next morning, as soon as Lian Junqiu got up, she saw Lian Junchu carrying a bamboo basket and preparing to go out.
"Are you going into the mountains again?" she asked, chasing after him to the door.
He turned around and said, "No, I'm going down the mountain to buy some rice and grain."
Lian Junqiu regretted not bringing some food into the mountains, so she was left alone to guard the courtyard for half a day. It was almost noon when Lian Junqiu returned with a full basket of rice.
As she unloaded the bamboo basket from his shoulders, she gently touched them. "Does it hurt?"
He smiled slightly, pursed his lips, and shook his head. Lian Junqiu could clearly feel a light sweat on his neck, but since he wouldn't say anything, she could only pretend not to notice.
"Big sister, I'll go cook for you." He said, heading towards the kitchen.
Lian Junqiu pulled him back and said seriously, "I'm here to keep you company, how can I let you do chores?" After saying that, she pressed him down into a chair and took a bamboo basket to prepare lunch for him.
That noon, Lian Junqiu made noodles for him. She cleaned the stove while watching him eat.
"Big sister, come and eat too." Lian Junchu took a few bites and looked up to say.
"Sigh." Lian Junqiu wiped her hands clean, served herself some rice, sat down opposite him, but didn't eat, just looked at him.
He awkwardly put down his chopsticks and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Junchu, you're nineteen now." Lian Junqiu looked at his face, her words tinged with a touch of emotion.
He lowered his head as if he had no particular feeling and took a small sip of soup.
"My younger brother will be a full-fledged adult next year." She smiled wistfully and continued, "Many people your age are already engaged or even married."
Lian Junchu's instep tensed slightly. Without even raising his head, he said in a low voice, "That's someone else. What does it have to do with me?"
Lian Junqiu was silent for a moment, then said, "Junchu, do you plan to stay in these deep mountains for the rest of your life?"
He fell silent for a long time before finally looking up and saying, "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
Lian Junqiu looked at him, knowing that no amount of words could stir any emotion in him, so she didn't continue the conversation. The meal was eaten in silence; she was preoccupied with her own thoughts, and he seemed unwilling to think about the future.
After lunch, Lian Junqiu cleaned up the kitchen for him and swept the house inside and out. Lian Junchu was forced to sit in the yard, just so she could see him while she worked, but he seemed very lonely.
He wanted to help several times, but Lian Junqiu stopped him, saying, "Just sit still, I'm here."
When Lian Junqiu finished everything, he found that Lian Junqiu was already sitting on the stone steps under the eaves, having taken off his straw sandals, preparing to chop firewood.
"The floor is so dirty, get up!" She reached out to pull him up again, but he shook his shoulders and said, "It's okay, I wiped it with a cloth. Aren't we going to need firewood for cooking tonight?"
Lian Junqiu paused for a moment, then squatted down and said, "I won't be here tonight."
Lian Junchu looked up at her, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
"Things are not peaceful in the martial world lately, and my father told me to go back as soon as possible." She put her hand on his shoulder, and Lian Junchu lowered his head, using his feet to stir the firewood idly.
Lian Junqiu looked up at the gloomy sky and said, "It looks like it's going to rain soon, I have to go. Get some rest tonight, don't keep going out to gather herbs, just tell me if you need money."
Lian Junchu nodded, got up and went inside to pack her things, while he stood under the eaves watching her busy figure.
As Lian Junqiu left, dusk was approaching, and the sky grew increasingly gloomy. As she stepped out of the courtyard, she turned back to look at Lian Junchu. He stood quietly on the hillside, wearing the dark blue short jacket she had sewn herself. If one disregarded his physique, his appearance was undoubtedly flawless.
As Lian Junqiu waved goodbye to him, she thought to herself: But since he has lost his hands, perhaps no other girl will ever fall in love with him in this lifetime?
The path down the mountain was very rugged. Just as she was about to leave the valley, she saw someone heading into the mountains on the opposite path. Judging from their figure and clothing, they were young women. Lian Junqiu was in a hurry to get on her way, so she didn't take a closer look and left in a hurry.
Meanwhile, Lian Junchu was carrying a bamboo basket and heading into the deep mountains. His eldest sister always left him money and valuables, but he always relied solely on gathering herbs to make a living.
The path into the mountains was a bit slippery, the mountains were shrouded in mist, the clouds were low and heavy, and all around was quiet except for the gurgling of a mountain spring in the distance. Looking up, the sky was gray-blue, with occasional drizzles of rain. He had considered turning back, but the thought of going back and sitting alone under the eaves in a daze again made him head towards the valley.
A fine drizzle fell in the mountains, but he was used to this unpredictable weather and continued collecting herbs as usual. As darkness fell, the already deserted valley seemed even more secluded. He slung his bamboo basket full of herbs over his shoulder and retraced his steps. The path was slightly muddy, and a slight misstep could send him sliding down the slope, but he walked steadily. Ten years of herb-gathering had made him intimately familiar with every plant and tree, and with the terrain. Once he reached the bottom of this last slope, he would reach the peach grove leading to his courtyard. A mountain breeze blew, scattering raindrops from the branches onto his face. He turned his head, raising his arm to wipe the rain, but inadvertently caught a glimpse of a corner of clothing peeking out from the slope below.
A light purple skirt and jacket; there, it seems someone has fallen...