After The Coquettish Fake Master Was Driven Away - Chapter 30

Yan Yi’s hand was injured, his body streaked with red and purple bruises, and he was in a pitiful state—but he didn’t seem to care. As soon as he returned to the fields, he resumed harvesting without pause.

Xie Nong suggested he go home to treat his wounds, but he refused, claiming that the injury on his left hand didn’t matter and that he still had strength left.

It was as if he treated the field like an enemy: his thin lips pressed tightly, his movements wide and forceful, venting anger. Within moments, the rows of wheat bent beneath the wind, even more thoroughly cut than before he was injured, startling Xie Nong.

He glanced at Xie Junning, sitting quietly in the field with a straw hat.

The boy’s hair hung loose, and he held his face in his hands, looking dazed, absent-minded, and with lips even redder than before.

After going to the riverside and returning, why did everyone seem so off?

Unable to figure it out, Xie Nong wiped the sweat dripping into his eyes. The heat intensified, and seeing Xie Junning start fanning himself, he worried the boy wouldn’t withstand the sun. He called out loudly, telling him to go home and rest.

Just in time, Xie Junning also wanted to leave.

Even with a straw hat, he was wilted from the increasingly scorching sun. He stopped being stubborn and carried his soft pad back home.

A few moments later, Yan Yi had regained his composure.

“Xie Shu, I’ll go back and make something for A-Ning to eat first. I’ll come help you this afternoon.”

Xie Nong glanced around. “There’s not much left, I can manage alone. There’s still the leftover dumpling soup from this morning. You just prepare it and make some fresh vegetables for Junning. You know where to put things.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, and Xiao Yan, remember to treat your wounds when you go back—”

But the man had already dashed off toward the distant white figure, moving swiftly and urgently, like chasing a streak of cloud across the sky.

…

Xie Junning dragged his legs slowly back home.

After a while, his ankle felt less uncomfortable. Sitting down, he noticed some redness and swelling. It didn’t hurt to leave it alone, but pressing it caused pain.

Carefully moving it to ensure no sprain, he exhaled.

Finally getting Xie Nong’s agreement, he couldn’t afford to come back injured again—it would make him feel guilty.

He was also trying to adapt, to prove he wasn’t fragile porcelain. He wanted to be useful.

“Handsome brother!”

“You’re going home?”

A child’s voice interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, Xie Junning saw the children from earlier, now running through the fields, laughing and greeting him eagerly.

Their calls drew curious glances from the adults still working in the field.

Being greeted was fine, but having a group of elders watching…

It felt like being publicly punished!

Xie Junning’s face flushed red. He quickly waved, said a brief goodbye, and quickened his pace.

A few steps later, his hands suddenly felt empty—the items had been taken.

No need to look back to know who it was. He murmured, “It’s not heavy. You’re injured; why aren’t you resting?”

Yan Yi stepped forward, keeping just enough distance to shield him from the sun. “It’s fine. A-Ning bandaged it well; it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Xie Junning eyed him suspiciously but didn’t ask further. “Oh.”

“Legs okay? Should I carry you?”

“No, I can walk myself.”

As they walked away, the fields buzzed with chatter.

“Son, who did you just call? Haven’t seen him before.”

Li Hu rolled his eyes. “Handsome brother!”

“Ah, isn’t that Xie Nong’s real son, the one raised by a wealthy family?”

“So that’s him… why is he back?”

“Guess the family didn’t want him anymore.”

“If he were a girl, that’d be perfect. My father-in-law’s third son is of age now. Once the palace is done, he can marry.”

“Ha, you old fool, dreaming again…”

…

Back home, Xie Junning immediately peeled off his dirty outer shirt and collapsed onto the bed.

“Phew!”

His bones felt soft; he slipped off his shoes and nestled in, taking a deep breath.

The bed was the most comfortable.

Placing the wooden basin and towel by the bedside, Yan Yi said, “You wipe yourself first. I’ll prepare lunch.”

“Um…”

The boy mumbled from under the covers in a low, muffled voice.

His back was slender, and lying prone, his shoulder blades protruded clearly. The tunic outlined his slim waist, and his calves swayed along the bed edge. Even the firm curves beneath shifted slightly with the movement, soft as snow.

“Want me to help?”

Yan Yi’s gaze softened slightly. “No need. Rest well. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

“Oh.”

Well, he hadn’t really expected help anyway.

Xie Junning pressed his lips together. Hearing the door close, he spoke a bit louder: “Just make something simple. I don’t need fancy meals every day.”

Not sure if Yan Yi heard him.

After a while, he pulled a small notebook from under his pillow, the same place where his jade pendant was kept. Carefully flipping through, he found a page filled with four-character phrases.

“Guo zhen li nai, cai zhong jie jiang, hai xian he dan, lin qian yu xiang…”

At this time, Xie Zhu’s handwriting was in its formal period: neat and precise, showing careful attention.

Reading through, Xie Junning could understand the meaning, but teaching it directly would still be complicated.

“Looks like starting with the Thousand Character Classic isn’t going to work.”

After some thought, he put it down, slowly turning around to face outside the bed, letting his neck and shoulders relax naturally.

Teaching had to start from the basics.

Xie Junning recalled how he had learned to read before, memories of being held by Lin Jinhua, learning one character at a time.

“People at birth are inherently good. Their nature is similar, …”

He followed along in a soft, childish voice, “People at birth are inherently good…”

By candlelight, the gentle face of his mother, her hand brushing his forehead, warm enough to bring tears.

“Mom.”

The word slipped out unconsciously—a name he might never call again.

I miss you so much.

Tears glistened at the corners of his closed eyes.

Dizzy from keeping his head down for so long, he sniffed and slowly lifted his eyelids. Beneath the bed were several wooden boxes.

His eyes lit up.

“Cough, cough.”

Xie Junning quickly covered his mouth, opening the window for ventilation.

Three boxes were under the bed. The largest, once opened, emitted a strong musty smell. Once the odor dissipated, it revealed a box full of straw paper.

The papers were uneven; some barely half an inch long, all filled with writing. Yellowed and covered in mold spots, many characters had blurred.

He carefully touched the top layer; it was soft and sticky, lacking elasticity, crumbling with the slightest pressure.

He didn’t dare touch more.

Closing the box, the smell slowly faded. He moved to the second box.

It contained books, better preserved. Flipping through, he saw handwritten copies, some damaged or missing pages, some with ink stains or erased marks—discarded works from a bookstore.

The third box was the smallest, holding Xie Zhu’s writing tools: a concave river stone, a few broken ink sticks, finely sharpened bamboo and wooden brushes bound with dried animal hair, and slightly damp straw papers.

Xie Junning gained a new respect for Xie Zhu’s efforts.

In such a resource-poor village, he could read extensively and shine. Meanwhile, Xie Junning had once had access to countless books yet rarely entered a library.

“Amazing.”

But he no longer felt inferior over their differences.

Everyone has their own ambitions, he understood. Xie Zhu wanted to leave the village on his own; even if Xie Junning wasn’t some noble heir, he could achieve that too.

Perhaps one day, Xie Zhu would ride a magnificent horse, chest adorned with flowers, walking proudly along the capital’s avenues.

He had once sought pleasure, but starting to aspire now wasn’t too late. The future held many possibilities; why confine himself to the past?

Xie Junning carefully returned the items to the boxes.

These were Xie Zhu’s belongings; handling them casually was already disrespectful. He’d wait for Xie Nong’s return before asking.

After a short incense burning, Yan Yi had prepared two dishes and a soup.

Stir-fried deer with pickles, sautéed cabbage, fish ball soup, and baked wheat pancakes.

Yan Yi’s skills surpassed Xie Nong’s. Thin slices of deer were golden, savory, and rich. The cabbage was crisp, tender, and fresh green. Fish balls floated in milky broth, plump and bouncy. The pancakes smelled of wheat.

Having worked hard that morning, Xie Junning was famished. Despite some fruit and berries, he devoured one and a half pancakes, almost too full to sit upright.

He rested his face in his hands, watching Yan Yi finish tidying up. Only his own pancake, bitten along the edges, remained.

Seeing Yan Yi glance at him, Xie Junning instinctively shrugged. “I’ll save this for later, won’t waste it.”

“….”

Yan Yi was momentarily speechless. “If you really can’t finish it, I’ll help.”

“No need.”

Relieved he wasn’t going to get spanked, Xie Junning added, “If you’re still hungry, there’s leftover dumpling soup from the morning. You can heat it, I’ve already eaten this…”

Before he could finish, Yan Yi interrupted, “I don’t mind.”

The words stuck in Xie Junning’s throat. His long lashes fluttered; he wanted to say more. Yan Yi reminded him again: “Can’t waste it.”

Well, Xie Junning thought, he couldn’t eat much anyway, and Yan Yi had lost bl00d in the morning—he needed more food.

He pushed the bowl over: “Then you eat.”

Debao also loved finishing his leftovers, always licking the bowl clean.

Xie Junning’s lips curved slightly, then quickly flattened.

He thought Yan Yi would finish the half-pancake quickly, but surprisingly, he ate slowly, carefully tearing, chewing, and swallowing, as if savoring a delicacy.

When the rest of the food was gone, he would occasionally glance at Xie Junning, his gaze lingering on those vibrant, crystal-like lips.

Xie Junning felt uneasy, moving his elbow slightly outward to block Yan Yi’s view.

His stomach full, body warm, drowsiness crept in. His eyelids drooped, and his head suddenly fell onto Yan Yi’s hand.

“Mm.”

A brief awakening, he covered his forehead and yawned, seeing Yan Yi still holding the remaining piece. He complained, “You’re so slow, I’m tired of waiting.”

Soft, childish voice.

“I…”

Xie Junning didn’t catch what Yan Yi said. When he opened his eyes again, it was already mid-afternoon.

The shared room was clean. Even the dirty outer shirt he had worn was washed and drying in the yard.

He had planned to help with washing dishes after Yan Yi finished, but he’d overslept.

Annoyed, he tapped his head and dragged his sore legs to find Yan Yi.

The wooden door next door was ajar. Pushing it gently, he entered smoothly.

The room facing the courtyard had a narrow gap in the door; windows were tightly covered. From Xie Junning’s position, the interior was dark, like a beast with a gaping mouth, waiting for a curious prey to come in.

“Yan Yi, are you home?”

No response.

“Not here? Why leave the door open? What if someone sneaks in?”

He muttered while slowly approaching.

The moment his hand touched the door, the old wood creaked painfully. Warm sunlight streamed in, like a snake slipping through the room.

Inside, the man’s brows were slightly furrowed, eyes closed, his high nose casting a sharp shadow in the light. Sitting on the edge of the bed in just an undershirt, his breathing was soft and steady.

Was he asleep or practicing?

Xie Junning held his breath.

Sleeping while sitting—so unusual. If he was training, he must be really skilled. Martial arts secrets, perhaps?

Xie Junning watched quietly. Seeing no movement, he decided to leave and try a similar pose himself, like meditation, focusing on cultivating energy in the dantian as the manuals suggested.

Then he remembered: washing dishes could get his wound wet, and laundry too. If Yan Yi hadn’t treated his injury, it could worsen!

Curiosity battled worry, and Xie Junning whispered softly, “Yan Yi, are you asleep?”

Still no movement.

He concluded Yan Yi was asleep and decided to return later.

To avoid waking him, he slowly, cautiously began to pull the door back.

As darkness reclaimed the room, a sudden force pulled him inward. Caught completely off guard, Xie Junning tumbled forward.

“Ah—”

A pair of strong arms caught him.