Chapter 32: Green Tea
Zhou Wangshu carried the buckets to the well to fetch water.
The well was surrounded by the village women. As they saw Zhou Wangshu, they gave him an odd look, sizing him up.
"This young man is really handsome, built well too, he’s a head taller than my husband. If you don’t mention it, who would believe he’s not even fifteen?"
"I heard he’s half a year younger than the Yao Guang girl! That little Yaoguang really struck gold, spending ten cents for such a handsome young husband."
"Little Wangshu, Auntie doesn’t have the strength, could you help me pull up the water?" Aunt Li said with a smile.
Zhou Wangshu blushed and nodded obediently, "Okay. But I’m not very strong, I might pull it up a bit slowly..."
"That’s okay, take your time."
Zhou Wangshu pulled about half a bucket each time, and as he poured the water into the bucket, some would spill, so he had to pull it up three times to fill it. Watching him pant and struggle, the women began to feel pity for him. Even those who usually liked taking advantage stopped ordering him around, and one by one they helped him pull up the water, with one even asking if they should help carry it back for him. Zhou Wangshu thanked them politely and carried the water home.
"That Yaoguang girl really doesn’t hold back, letting such a handsome little husband fetch water."
"He’s truly well-behaved, and his personality is really good. Aside from being young and unable to protect Yaoguang, everything else is great."
"I think the Yao Guang girl is pretty capable now, she doesn’t need a man to protect her, but rather needs a mild-mannered little husband with her."
Zhou Wangshu passed by the river, spotting a girl in a green gauze dress anxiously looking at the water. When she turned and saw Zhou Wangshu, she walked over with delicate steps and said sweetly, "Brother Zhou, could you help me with something? I’m begging you."
Zhou Wangshu frowned, looking troubled: "I’m only fourteen. You look much older than me, calling me brother doesn’t feel right, does it?"
Jiang Yihuan: "..."
Her expression changed slightly.
Zhou Wangshu shifted aside with the buckets, only to be blocked by Jiang Yihuan again.
He looked at Jiang Yihuan unhappily, puffing with annoyance: "Why are you blocking my path?"
"I... my clothes fell into the water, can you help me fetch them, please?" Jiang Yihuan looked at Zhou Wangshu with pleading eyes.
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes, one after another, like pearls, not even ruining her makeup, truly a pitiful sight like a pear blossom with rain.
Zhou Wangshu glanced at the river, seeing a few pieces of clothing floating on the surface, drifting further with the current.
"I can’t swim, find someone else!"
"But everyone else is busy."
"I’m busy too."
"Brother Wangshu, you’re so kind-hearted, you wouldn’t leave a weak girl to fend for herself, right? I’m begging you, my mom will scold me."
Zhou Wangshu looked at Jiang Yihuan in front of him.
Having spent time with Su Yaoguang, how could he not know Jiang Yihuan?
Not only did he recognize her, but he also knew Su Yaoguang especially disliked this woman.
The timing of her clothes falling was suspicious, and her demeanor was like that of a coy seductress, even cruder than the concubine his father took at fifty.
Zhou Wangshu had seen many gentle and charming women, and to him, a woman like this was like a tiger disguised as a cat, ready to pounce as soon as the owner looked away.
"I have a way to quickly fish your clothes out."
"What way?" Jiang Yihuan looked at him expectantly, "The clothes have floated away, and there’s no long bamboo pole nearby. Cutting one now would take time."
"No need to cut a bamboo pole." Zhou Wangshu set the buckets down and pointed to the riverbank, "Look over there."
Jiang Yihuan looked in the direction he pointed. She was so close to Zhou Wangshu that the scent of powder from her could almost ruin his nose.
"What’s over there? What do you want me to see?"
Zhou Wangshu stretched out his arm and gave her a hard push.
Splash! Jiang Yihuan fell into the water.
"Ah..." Jiang Yihuan flailed in the water, "I can’t swim... help..."
Zhou Wangshu saw a few women coming over and called out in a panic, "Help, someone help, someone’s fallen into the water."
The women hurried over.
"What’s happened here?"
They already saw Jiang Yihuan flailing in the water.
"This lady suddenly fell in, I don’t know what happened. Beautiful aunties, please help her; I’m an outsider and it’s inappropriate for me to stay. Otherwise, if this lady’s reputation is tarnished, not even jumping into the river will clear it. Beautiful aunties, please find someone to save her."
Zhou Wangshu quickly took his buckets and slipped away.
"Quick, get someone, the Jiang girl has fallen in..."
Zhou Wangshu carried his buckets for a while, watching the direction of the riverbank. Several single young men from the village were competing to jump in and save Jiang Yihuan, some even picking up the clothes she dropped in the river.
Jiang Yihuan was still quite popular with the men in the village. Anyone slightly handsome was her ’brother,’ and hearing she’d fallen in the water, of course, someone would save her.
Su Yaoguang was fiddling with eyebrow powder when she saw him return with the water, she said: "Isn’t it too heavy? You still look like you’re having a hard time carrying it."
Zhou Wangshu looked into Su Yaoguang’s eyes. There was concern, not a hint of dissatisfaction. He had never met such a simple and straightforward girl before.
"Why aren’t you speaking?"
"Oh, I can carry the water. The reason I’m late is because someone fell into the river."
"Someone fell into the river? Who was it?" Su Yaoguang asked worriedly, "Are they okay?"
"I think her last name is Jiang, a girl named Huan."
"Oh her, she won’t die. There’s a saying that pests live for a thousand years." Su Yaoguang pouted.
"However, I did cause some trouble." Zhou Wangshu took the water to the kitchen, poured it into the vat, and came back out looking like a little guilty child.
"What happened?" Su Yaoguang asked, "You’re so honest, it couldn’t have been on purpose. Tell me, what trouble did you cause?"
"I passed by while carrying water, she stopped me, saying her clothes fell in the middle of the river, and asked me to help fish them out. I can’t swim and was scared to go in the water, so I wanted to leave quickly. As I was passing by her, she tried to grab me, I dodged, and then heard a splash. I turned around, and she had fallen in."
"You didn’t push her, she didn’t stand firm, it’s not your fault." Su Yaoguang seemed indifferent. "Stay away from her in the future; she sees handsome men and wants to have them. You look so good, she surely won’t let a big fish like you get away."
"She’s scary, but Yaoguang is the best, I’m so glad the one who bought me was you, Yaoguang." Zhou Wangshu looked at Su Yaoguang with grateful eyes.