Chapter 25: Sudden Sadness

The moment the photo was sent, Ruan Ming’s hand accidentally pressed the power button. The screen went dark, and the reflective glass surface showed her own flushed red face.

Ruan Ming was momentarily stunned.

She slowly moved her eyes. Objects in the kitchen entered her view one by one—pots, pans, bowls, water vat, stove, and the scattered fairy peaches on the table.

Outside, the yellow earth stretched to the sky, and endless rows of cacti covered the entire territory.

The tingling, fuzzy feeling that had pervaded her heart moments ago abruptly vanished. She stood by the table for a while before recovering. She replied: I need to busy myself for a bit.

Ye Fengwan seemed to also sense her sudden shift in mood, and deleted the words she’d typed into the chat box—”Want to guess where I am right now?”—one by one. She re-typed: Okay. Busy yourself.

Ruan Ming put down her wristband and carried water to the backyard to water the vegetables.

When she first arrived at the New Land in mid-February, it was now almost the end of April. The chayote plants she’d planted had already grown as high as her waist, diligently climbing the trellis.

She had just set the bucket down when her wristband vibrated again. This time it was a call from Ah Yuan.

“Sister Ming, my mom isn’t feeling well. Tomorrow I want to take her to the Safe Zone Hospital for a checkup. Could I trouble you to look after Little Yu for a day…?”

“She’s very well-behaved—”

Ruan Ming could hear the urgency in his voice. She softened her tone and replied: “I can. Do you need me to come pick her up?”

Ah Yuan quickly said: “No need. I’ll pass by your place tomorrow morning on the way to taking my mom to the hospital. Could you meet her at the intersection then?”

“Okay. Remind me before you leave the house,” Ruan Ming agreed.

After hanging up, she looked at the slightly yellowing chayote seedling in front of her. After a moment’s thought, she turned and went to the kitchen. She took the water bottle she’d brought down from the mountain today—the one filled with pollution-free water—and carefully poured it from the top of the seedling down to its roots.

Since eating the organic honey, she had faintly felt some changes in her body. It was like the large water jar holding her energy had grown larger; no matter how much water she scooped out, it felt inexhaustible. Before, she could carry four or five hundred jin. Now, she felt she could manage more than double that.

Organic food was greatly beneficial to the body, perhaps even stimulating abilities. Based on the changes in her body, she guessed her Esper ability level had likely increased.

The next morning, after receiving Ah Yuan’s call, Ruan Ming went to wait at the intersection early.

Not long after, a small vehicle approached. Sitting in the passenger seat was that ever-optimistic young man, waving at her from afar.

When the car stopped in front of her, he jumped out and called, “Sister Ming.”

Then he opened the backseat door and lifted Little Yu out.

Inside the car, seated by the left window, was a thin woman with a pale face.

She leaned out with effort and said to Ruan Ming, “Little Ruan, I’m troubling you.”

Ruan Ming quickly replied: “It’s no trouble, Auntie. Little Yu is very well-behaved.”

Ah Yuan handed her a bundle from the car: “This is Little Yu’s lunch, and some for you.”

How could Ruan Ming possibly accept? She chided him gently: “If you do this, I’ll be upset. Take it with you for the road.”

Ah Yuan wanted to argue, but the driver impatiently urged from inside: “Aren’t we leaving yet? Someone’s waiting up ahead.”

Ah Yuan had no choice but to get back in the back seat with the bundle.

Perhaps because her mother was ill, Little Yu’s mood wasn’t very high either. She quietly followed Ruan Ming back to the courtyard. Only when Little Calico dashed out from somewhere, rubbing against her feet and meowing, did a small smile appear on her face.

Ruan Ming had originally planned to go up the mountain again today to carry more water but couldn’t with Little Yu there.

So she took her tools and went to the field near the house to pull weeds. The two little ones followed right at her heels until she shooed them to sit in the shade under a tree.

For lunch, she cooked dry rice. The rice was from what Ye Fengwan had sent last time. Ruan Ming had been reluctant to eat much of it, but rice couldn’t be stored for too long, or it’d get weevils. With Little Yu here today, it was the perfect time to share.

The cured meat also hadn’t been touched. She cut a small half-jin piece and placed it on top to steam along with the rice.

Not many vegetables were available, so she picked some edible tender leaves at the mountain’s base. After blanching and mixing with a little soy sauce, they were barely palatable.

When the rice was done, she cut the cured meat into small dices and put them in a bowl.

Then she scooped a bowl of fragrant rice, drizzled it with honey and sesame seeds, and made honey rice balls—a special main course just for Little Yu.

Little Calico’s cat food also got a special treat today. Ruan Ming purposely mixed in some honey for it too.

Two humans and one cat ate with gusto.

Thinking that most of this food was sent by Ye Fengwan, her mood fluctuated. She couldn’t resist checking her wristband. Sure enough, there was an unread message: Busy with what today?

Sent at 9 AM.

Ruan Ming replied: Was weeding in the morning.

A reply came a while later: Had lunch?

Ruan Ming: Yes.

Ye Fengwan replied: Good girl.

Seeing these two words, Ruan Ming was suddenly overcome by a wave of sadness. She didn’t continue replying.

4 PM.

Ah Yuan called, saying he couldn’t make it back tonight and could he trouble Ruan Ming to look after Little Yu for another night.

Ruan Ming didn’t find it troublesome. Little Yu was quiet, and she quite liked her. Vast as the territory was, she was the only person there; inevitably, it was a bit lonely. Yet she detested crowds. Little Yu was just perfect.

She had the call on speaker, so Little Yu heard it too. Her black, bright eyes looked at Ruan Ming, her small brows furrowing.

Ruan Ming rubbed her little head and said: “It’s okay. Tonight you’ll sleep with Sister Ruan. We’ll let Little Calico sleep right by our bed, alright?”

Only after hearing that Little Calico would be there did Little Yu bite her lip and smile, revealing a pair of tiny dimples.