The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

Jiang Zhiyang's classes are simple and dry, but the children are very energetic, and their loud reading voices burst forth with a vitality far exceeding their own.

Qingjun was still sitting on the mound under the peach tree. The sunlight fell on her brow, like a warm hand covering her face, warm and reassuring, as if tomorrow would be the same.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the languid moment, letting the bubbles of her thoughts dissipate in the azure sky with the sunlight, and gradually, she seemed to fall asleep.

I don't know how much time passed, but the sound of reading around me had disappeared, and the noise was also hazy and distant. The bright warmth in front of me was gone, as if a shadow had fallen.

"Are you asleep?" A soft, clear voice whispered in my ear; it was Jiang Zhiyang's voice.

She quickly opened her eyes, only to see the hand that had cast the shadow slowly move away, and the sunlight poured down again, revealing Jiang Zhiyang's somewhat dazed expression.

The sun was warm, and Jiang Zhiyang's face turned slightly red from the heat. "You're awake."

His voice was gentle and calm, and the playful tone he had deliberately concealed disappeared.

"Mmm." Qingjun's voice was still a little sleepy, her thoughts were still a bit empty, like a soft and glutinous dumpling.

Beside her was another dumpling, quietly nestled against her. What did it taste like? Probably mugwort. The outer skin of the glutinous rice ball wrapped around a bitter filling. One bite, and sorrow flowed from her eyes.

"You must be exhausted these days." Jiang Zhiyang perked up a bit, but not much; he still looked somewhat tired.

"fine."

It was lunchtime, and the children were eating noisily inside the house, but the two of them didn't have the energy to get up and join in, only exchanging a few words.

"Is it steamed buns for lunch again today?" Qingjun's voice was lazy and casual, without a trace of disgust or annoyance. She still remembered Ali's instructions.

"Yes."

"According to Ali, it was to save some money to buy clothes for the children for the New Year."

"Yes."

"lie."

Jiang Zhiyang's eyes trembled slightly, his surprised gaze swept over Qingjun, and then he hurriedly looked away.

How did you know?

"I can tell just by looking into your eyes." After spending a few days together, Qingjun found Jiang Zhiyang to be quite easy to understand. His emotions were written all over his eyes; he could be happy, shy, or tired.

He turned his head away, letting his gaze fall on the room, as if afraid that Qingjun would see through his thoughts.

"Actually, Lok Sin Tong doesn't have much money left in its accounts. If we calculate it more precisely, after this winter, there will probably be nothing left."

After he finished speaking, Qingjun fell silent, as if this truth was something he had expected.

They remained silent for a while. Qingjun looked up to follow Jiang Zhiyang's eyes, those bright eyes, at this moment, were empty, blank, and unreadable.

She turned her head and followed Jiang Zhiyang's gaze. There, Mr. Jiang seemed to have heard a child's joke and was laughing so hard he coughed. Jiang Shuo gently patted his father's back to help him catch his breath. Aunt Dong was also laughing heartily and shakily handed her husband a glass of water.

The family is harmonious and happy.

The shadow cast by the house acted as a barrier, keeping the young man in the yard out.

Could it be that the sight of the scenery triggered memories of his parents?

Before Qingjun could speak, Jiang Zhiyang quickly noticed the overly intense gaze and covered himself again under the frivolous membrane.

"Come on! I'll take you to eat wontons!" He stood up, raised an eyebrow at Qingjun, and the curve of his lips was like a sliced ​​melon.

Qingjun's heart skipped a beat. Well, she had to admit that the young man in front of her was indeed exceptionally handsome.

Today, in the stable outside the courtyard, there are two donkeys, an old donkey and a young donkey. Qingjun had never seen the larger one before.

It nestled in the pile of rice straw, its head drooping on the lowest wooden railing, blinking slowly, looking very tired.

Qingjun patted its head, and it didn't dodge, but just smacked its lips meaninglessly.

The donkey didn't have much time left, so Qingjun took two of the tenderest radishes from Jiang Zhiyang's cloth bag and placed them near the old donkey's mouth, hoping that it would still have the strength to eat when it was hungry.

Jiang Zhiyang noticed Qingjun's every move. "She's so kind," Jiang Zhiyang thought. "She would treat anyone, even a donkey she's never met before, with gentleness."

So, was her kindness towards him also out of goodwill? Jiang Zhiyang hoped he was different from the donkey.

"The old one is called Ma Tang, and the young one is called Cang Er. They are both names for weeds. Old Jiang gave them these names because he said they couldn't be found when the underworld officials came to claim lives."

Ma Tang, Cang Er, Qing Jun found it amusing and silently recited it in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhiyang had already set up the donkey cart. Compared to the horse ox, the little donkey antler looked much more lively. Before even setting off, it was already hopping around as if it was ready to go.

Just as Qingjun was helping Jiang Zhiyang into the carriage, hurried footsteps and shouts came from behind.

It was Ah Lang, followed by Jiang Shuo. Ah Lang was very excited and hopped onto the donkey cart with great strides. Jiang Shuo was young and strong, and his speed was no less than Ah Lang's. He caught up in a few steps.

"Zhiyang, Qingjun, you haven't had lunch yet. Take some money and go eat out."

Jiang Shuo handed over a few copper coins, but Jiang Zhiyang, as if in a huff, didn't even turn his head, instead raising one leg and swinging his cloth shoes.

A few copper coins ended up in Qingjun's palm. In addition, Jiang Shuo secretly slipped a small cloth bag to him.

This small bag is made of fine silks and satins, with rich patterns and colors, like a bridal bouquet for a young woman to choose a husband on a high platform. However, its stitches are fine and it is very well cut, like a flower bud about to bloom, which is very cute.

"I went to work at a tailor shop the other day, and the owner gave me some scraps of fabric." Jiang Shuo lowered his voice, but it sounded even more deliberate.

Why are you speaking so softly? Jiang Zhiyang leaned halfway over, his ears perked up.

"I had my mother sew this. Do you like it?" Jiang Shuo leaned forward and slung the cloth bag over Qing Jun's shoulder.

Yes, yes, you're the only one with a mother.

"Hmm." Qingjun lowered her head and sniffed lightly. There was a faint medicinal fragrance, just as pleasant as the scent on Jiang Shuo.

"There are some snacks inside, so you can have a bite if you get hungry."

Yes, yes, you're the kind of person who knows how to fawn over others.

"Let's go!" Before Jiang Shuo could finish speaking, Jiang Zhiyang slapped Cang Er hard on the buttocks. The little donkey brayed loudly, its four hooves flailing wildly, and it hurriedly set off.

"Be careful and come home early!" Jiang Shuo shouted, but Jiang Zhiyang didn't even turn his head, as if he hadn't heard him. Qingjun had no choice but to use all her strength to reply.

"Okay!" She had never spoken so loudly before, and now she was coughing badly, with a stinging pain in her throat.

Jiang Zhiyang didn't react, but he tugged the donkey rope in his hand again, and the poor donkey darted away a long distance in a few quick leaps.

Are you angry?

"no."

"Lying." Although we can't see his expression now, Ah Liu always looks like this when he's angry, so he must be angry.

"Jiang Zhiyang," Qingjun called softly, but the person in front did not respond.

"Jiang Zhiyang." The second tone was gentle, so let's pretend he didn't hear it just now.

"Jiang Zhiyang! Are you even ignoring me now?"

Sensing the growing anger behind him, Jiang Zhiyang hurriedly turned around and said in a cowardly voice, "What!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, he was filled with sweetness. It was something from the cloth bag, candied fruit that Jiang Shuo had prepared for Qingjun. Jiang Zhiyang reacted for a second, then turned his head and spat it out. A plum fruit, mixed with sand, lay in the grass.

"You're angry because Jiang Shuo gave me a gift but didn't give it to you."

"no."

"What were you eavesdropping on? Your ears were perked up like a cat's."

"No! No means no!" Jiang Zhiyang was getting impatient and annoyed, ignoring his reddened eyes and trying to cover up his grievances.

Sometimes, like now, Qingjun doesn't quite understand Jiang Zhiyang's thoughts, but she knows that compared to Jiang Shuo, Jiang Zhiyang is more sensitive, more petty, and more complex...