Chapter 338: Chapter 316: Just Being There_1
The next morning, during breakfast, Xiao Yeyang saw Daohua and still seemed a bit evasive in his gaze, yet Daohua acted as if nothing had happened.
“Xiao Yeyang, I thought about it last night, carrying Goose Warm Stone in baskets on our backs like we did is a bit slow. The village chief has a cart; let’s borrow it later, which will speed things up and you will have an easier time too,” Daohua said while drinking porridge and sharing her thoughts.
Xiao Yeyang nodded, “I don’t have experience in this area, so if you know about it, then let’s do as you say.”
Daohua smiled and nodded, “Alright.”
Grandmother Yan, Granny Gu, and Gu Jian saw the two discussing and cooperating, and they all shared a similar smile.
Indeed, using a cart for transport was much faster, so Xiao Yeyang pulled from the front while Daohua pushed from behind. After several busy days, they finally managed to move all the Goose Warm Stone needed for paving to the foot of the mountain.
While slapping the dust off his hands, Xiao Yeyang said, “I think that should be about enough; even if we’re short, it couldn’t be by much. We can always transport more later if needed.”
Daohua nodded, “What’s the next step?”
Xiao Yeyang pulled out a piece of paper from his bosom, and Daohua leaned over to see that it was a simple topographical map of Taohua Mountain.
“When did you draw this? Don’t say it, it actually looks quite accurate,” she remarked.
Xiao Yeyang smiled, “I just doodled it in my spare time. There aren’t many peach trees, and I didn’t even add color, so how can it look accurate?”
“Still, I recognized Taohua Mountain at a glance.” Daohua’s gaze moved from the drawing to Xiao Yeyang, and she said with a smile, “Xiao Yeyang, I didn’t expect you to have a talent for drawing.”
Xiao Yeyang laughed, “I can draw landscapes, but what I’m best at is drawing people. How about it, would you be interested in having me draw a portrait of you?”
Daohua’s eyes lit up, “Really?” she said, nodding eagerly, “I’m very interested. If you draw it well, I’ll have the picture framed and hang it in my room to admire every day.”
Xiao Yeyang chuckled and shook his head, “Yan Yiyi, I didn’t expect you to be so vain.”
Ignoring his teasing, Daohua retorted, “What’s wrong with liking to look at myself?”
Xiao Yeyang replied, “Nothing at all, you’re free to do whatever you like.” He then shifted his gaze to the map of Taohua Mountain, “This is the planned route for the road. What do you think?”
Diligently reviewing it, Daohua commented, “It’s pretty good, avoiding the rough patches. Though it’s a bit longer, it doesn’t matter.”
…
During the road repairs, the meals were prepared by Grandmother Yan along with Wang Manman.
Grandmother Yan’s specialty and favorite dish to make was steamed egg custard.
One day at noon, when Daohua and Xiao Yeyang came back for lunch and saw the egg custard on the table, Daohua’s face immediately fell, “Grandma, may I not eat the egg custard?”
She had eaten egg custard since she was a child, and it was only in recent years, after moving in with her parents, that she was able to escape from it. She hadn’t expected to encounter it again during the road repairs.
Grandmother Yan said sternly, “No, you’ve always disliked eggs since you were little. In the past few years, you’ve been with your parents and I haven’t bothered you about it. You’ve only eaten it for a few days, and now you already want to give it up?”
With no choice, Daohua sat down and faced a full bowl of egg custard, looking completely dejected.
“Eat up!” Granny Gu said with a smile as she handed a spoon to Daohua, “Eggs are very nutritious, and I think the egg custard your grandmother makes is extremely delicious.”
Daohua took the spoon with a bitter smile, thinking that even the tastiest food would become tiresome after nearly ten years.
After a few bites, Daohua didn’t want to move her spoon anymore.
Grandmother Yan immediately looked over, “Have you finished already? You’re not allowed to waste food.”
Seeing Daohua’s bitter appearance, Xiao Yeyang quickly finished his own bowl of egg custard and then said to Grandmother Yan with a smile, “Grandma, your egg custard is really delicious. I never have enough of it.”
Old Lady Yan immediately smiled with her eyes all crinkled up, “Then I’ll make a bit more for you next time.”
Xiao Yeyang said, “No need for such trouble, Daohua can’t eat that much anyway, I’ll just help her eat a bit each time.”
Daohua’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly, “That’s a good idea.”
Old Lady Yan glared at her granddaughter, “Even so, you must finish your meal today, no wasting.”
Daohua pouted, suddenly, a slender hand appeared in her field of vision, taking away the egg custard in front of her. She looked up to see it was Xiao Yeyang.
Xiao Yeyang smiled at Old Lady Yan, “Old Lady, if Daohua won’t eat it, I will, so it won’t be wasted.”
Then he ate the egg custard under the watchful eyes of the other few people at the dining table.
After he finished, Daohua spoke timidly, “Xiao Yeyang, I had already eaten from that egg custard.”
Xiao Yeyang’s face stiffened, then he forced a casual smile, “You helped me with the road construction, and I’m helping you eat something, what’s wrong with that? Besides, do we really need to be that clear-cut with each other?”
Afterward, he helped himself to the other dishes.
“Hmm, the tofu made today is really tasty.”
“And the cucumber, it’s particularly crispy.”
“The green beans aren’t bad either.”
Seeing him eat with such gusto, the three elderly people at the table exchanged glances and silently began to eat.
“Old Lady, you cook chicken legs so flavorful, remember how you were clamoring to eat them a few days ago?”
Xiao Yeyang served Daohua a chicken leg, and only when she was busy nibbling on it and not looking at him did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Today was reckless!
For a moment lost in emotion, he ate the egg custard Daohua had tasted, and did so in front of others, which was indeed a bit impulsive.
Xiao Yeyang stole a glance at Daohua, and seeing that her face had no change of color, he continued to eat.
…
After busying themselves for the better part of a month, the road up Taohua Mountain was almost finished, now only the last stretch remained.
“Didn’t I tell you? You don’t have to carry the Goose Warm Stone, I can handle it myself.”
Seeing Daohua again bringing him Goose Warm Stones from the foot of the mountain, Xiao Yeyang quickly put down his work and went up to take the basket off her back.
Daohua took out a handkerchief and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, “I want to help as much as I can.”
Xiao Yeyang set down the basket, took Daohua’s hand, led her to a nearby stone, then pressed her down to sit and put his hands on her shoulders, saying earnestly, “Yan Yiyi, I’ll say it once more, just sitting by my side is the biggest help you could give me.”
“Rough work like this isn’t for a young lady to do, you got that?”
Xiao Yeyang’s seriousness stunned Daohua for a moment, especially since they were quite close, and seeing her own reflection clearly in his clear, bright eyes, a surge of inexplicable emotion suddenly bolted into her heart.
Before she could grasp that emotion, Xiao Yeyang, seeing no response from her, shook her shoulders, bringing her back to her senses.
“Ah, what did you say?”
Viewing Daohua’s bewildered look, Xiao Yeyang helplessly covered his head, “Yan Yiyi, your company by my side is the biggest help to me, did you hear clearly? Should I repeat that?”
Daohua quickly shook her head, “No need, you continue, I’ll just sit still.”