Green Tea Top Student Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 22

Shi Wangui and Wen Youren returned to the countryside without anyone seeing them off. Their homeroom teacher had dropped them off at the bus station before heading back to class. Wen Youren had indeed listened to Shi Wangui’s advice and stayed in the hospital a few more days, so at least her wound wouldn’t easily reopen, and she no longer needed extensive dressing changes.

The last bus wasn’t very crowded. Shi Wangui boarded with a large suitcase that reached her waist, packed full of food she had only brought a change of underwear for clothes. Why? Because the suitcase was stuffed with snacks, leaving no room for clothes. She had considered bringing another suitcase, but Wen Youren said she had clothes at her place and told Shi Wangui to wear hers.

After thinking it over, Shi Wangui didn’t refuse. If it really came down to it, she could always make a trip back if it got too cold. In any case, she couldn’t let herself go hungry during this period. Wen Youren definitely wouldn’t be able to cook for a while, and who knew if they could even buy good snacks in the countryside? Delivery was out of the question.

The scenery outside the window began to change, no more skyscrapers, replaced by endless wheat fields. Because of the autumn harvest, many fields were already stripped bare, leaving only stubble.

“Don’t worry,” Wen Youren said, noticing Shi Wangui staring out the window and thinking she was concerned about going hungry. “The villagers are very kind. You won’t starve.”

Wen Youren had grown up here. Nowadays, the village was mostly populated by elderly people or older aunties who had rarely left the area, so they still remembered her.

Shi Wangui turned her head. She wasn’t worried about food, the snacks she’d brought would last her quite a while. Ever since Wen Youren’s self-harm incident, her own funds had become more plentiful, and she had emptied the fridge at home. She wouldn’t have to worry about food for at least half a month.

So what was she worried about? She was worried about how to live happily, and whether Wen Youren might relapse into the same state as last time. If that happened, the ambulance would take longer to arrive, and there was also the question of whether she would notice in time.

“I’m not worried about that.” Shi Wangui muttered under her breath.

Wen Youren smiled. “Okay.”

A little while later, the bus slowly came to a stop at the village entrance. A few other passengers got off, though those sitting at the back like them didn’t really notice. As soon as the bus doors opened, a few puppies could be seen wagging their tails and softly barking. At the village entrance stood two large trees, still lush even in autumn, like two generals guarding a pure land.

“Let me take that,” Shi Wangui said, reaching for Wen Youren’s suitcase. “You should still be careful with your hand these next few days.”

“Hey, isn’t that the Jiang family’s girl? What brings you back?” an auntie in a black vest asked curiously. “Weren’t you studying in the city? Why are you back now? And what happened to your hand? Why is it bandaged?”

Wen Youren smiled slightly. “Auntie Wang, I injured my hand and took some time off, so I thought I’d come back and stay for a while.”

Auntie Wang lived at the end of the village. Every time she returned home, she would chat with everyone along the way. Wen Youren’s house happened to be by the bridge, right on her route home, so she was quite familiar with the family.

Since childhood, Aunt Wang often brought Wen Youren delicious treats, so Wen Youren had always liked her. After his father passed away, Aunt Wang had even asked if he wanted to stay with her for a while, since everyone knew Wen Yiyue was an unstable woman.

“How did you get hurt? I told you to be careful around your mother and take good care of yourself outside,” Aunt Wang first expressed her concern, then noticed Shi Wangui beside him. “Whose girl is this? I haven’t seen her before.”

Wen Youren took Shi Wangui’s hand. “She’s my good friend.”

“Aunt Wang, we should head back now. The house hasn’t been lived in for a while, so I need to air it out before it’s habitable.”

“Oh, you definitely need to air it out. Breathing in too much dust can make you sick. Hurry back, and I’ll bring you some food at noon. With your hand like that, you can’t cook, so don’t even think about making dinner tonight,” Aunt Wang said worriedly, though she was also in a rush to get back and prepare lunch for her husband, who was still working in the fields. “Make sure you wait for me to bring the food.”

Perhaps worried that Wen Youren might not listen, she couldn’t resist adding one last reminder before leaving.

Shi Wangui: “…”

So enthusiastic…

“Looks like you don’t have to worry about lunch,” Wen Youren teased. “Let’s go back and air out the house, or we won’t be able to stay there tonight.”

Shi Wangui: “Okay!” She still felt a bit dazed. So enthusiastic the people, the dog. Well, except for that *little spotted dog baring its teeth.

Don’t bite me, if you bite me, I’ll bite back.

When they reached the door, Wen Youren opened the long-unused iron gate. The scene inside remained unchanged: the persimmon tree laden with fruit, the fragrant osmanthus tree, and the specially built swing, its sides adorned with artificial flowers. The yellowed fallen leaves on the ground added color to the fake blooms.

Wen Youren’s home was a two-story villa in a pale yellowish-white hue. The yard also contained a small storage shed, locked from the outside. The first floor served as the main living area, while the second floor felt somewhat desolate even without going up, it was clear it saw little activity.

“Hey, there are persimmons,” Shi Wangui pointed at the tree. She had never actually eaten soft persimmons before; the ones she usually saw in fruit stores were either the hard variety or the expensive gift-boxed soft ones she couldn’t afford.

“Do you want some? They should be ripe by now.”

“Of course! Just wait, I’ll pick some for us to eat.”

The persimmon tree was tall, and Shi Wangui wasn’t particularly tall herself, but that didn’t stop her. If she couldn’t reach, she’d climb. Thankfully, she had taken martial arts classes as a child, so this kind of task was a piece of cake, she could pick as many as she wanted.

“Be careful, then. I’ll go tidy up the rooms first,” Wen Youren said.

“Wait,” Shi Wangui called out from midway up the tree, holding up a persimmon. “Shouldn’t you bring me a basket?”

“Good point, but don’t pick too many. We won’t finish them, and they’ll spoil easily,” Wen Youren replied.

“Got it, got it.”

Wen Youren went straight to the kitchen and brought a small basket for Shi Wangui. The house wasn’t particularly messy, he returned every month to clean and would stay for a day. However, it had been raining frequently during his last visit, so he had closed all the windows, leaving a slight musty smell inside.

The sun was lovely today. Wen Youren carried the quilt outside to air it, but as soon as she reached the door, she spotted Shi Wangui returning with a full load. If not for her loud voice, Wen Youren, holding the quilt, might not have noticed her.

“Today’s fruit problem is solved!” Shi Wangui announced.

“Are you planning to air the quilt? Let me do it, don’t aggravate your wound.”

“It’s fine, it’s already scabbed over. It won’t bleed unless I pick at it.” Wen Youren shifted aside to let Shi Wangui in. “You can wash a few persimmons and then watch TV. I’ll tutor you tonight.”

Shi Wangui: “…”

“You don’t actually believe that kind of excuse we tell teachers, do you???” Shi Wangui grumbled. “I was already last in class. Even if I go back and take the exams, I’ll still be last. The homeroom teacher won’t even notice.”

Wen Youren stepped out but turned back to say, “When I promise something, I usually follow through. I’ll tutor you for a bit tonight. You don’t want to repeat a grade, do you? What if the teacher holds your consistent last-place performance against you and makes you stay back?”

Shi Wangui hadn’t considered that possibility. Her original plan was to turn eighteen as soon as possible and run far away. Studying wasn’t for her any way of living was fine. If things got really bad, she could always become a martial arts coach.

But if she had to repeat a grade, that would mean another year trapped here, another year with Shi Qin.

No, no, this was just ridiculous.

“Looks like you agree.”

Shi Wangui inwardly cursed.

What did it matter if she tutored her? There was no way she’d actually listen.

In the end, Shi Wangui decided she was just too soft-hearted. Seeing Wen Youren cleaning with her wound not fully healed, she couldn’t bear to stand by. It was also a testament to her own kind nature, so she pitched in to help.

They ended up cleaning the rooms on the second floor. Shi Wangui grew curious: Wen Youren’s house had four rooms. One had probably been her parents’, but now it was empty except for a bare bed and a wardrobe. The other two rooms were also vacant, without even a quilt on the beds. So where did she sleep at night?

Only Wen Youren’s room was fully furnished with a quilt, wardrobe, bookshelf, and TV. The others felt like they were ready to be rented out at any moment, as if they didn’t belong to the home.

“I have a question,” Shi Wangui said, taking off her rubber gloves. “Which room am I sleeping in? At least let me tidy it up first.”

Wen Youren replied calmly, “There aren’t any extra quilts. You’ll sleep with me.”

Shi Wangui: “…”

???

What???

“You’d better be joking.”

“I’m not joking.” Wen Youren smiled. “Or are you scared?”

“What is there for me to be scared of?” She had nothing to fear. If they had to share a bed, so be it. “You’re the one who should be worried. If I end up crushing your arm in my sleep, don’t complain.”

Shi Wangui admitted she was a restless sleeper. If Wen Youren got the short end of the stick, she couldn’t blame her, she wouldn’t take responsibility.

Wen Youren: “Whatever.”

Well, if you say “whatever,” then whatever. It wasn’t like they hadn’t shared a bed before. At the hospital, the space was so cramped that Shi Wangui had to sleep obediently, but at home, all bets were off.

“Xiao You’er, you haven’t started cooking, have you?” Aunt Wang called out, knocking on the door with a basket in hand.

When Wen Youren and Shi Wangui came out together, Aunt Wang was standing in front of the persimmon tree in the yard, holding a woven straw basket covered with a cloth. Even before the cloth was lifted, the aroma wafted out.

“Thank you, Aunt Wang.” Wen Youren took the basket, then brought out a few plates from the kitchen to transfer the food. Afterward, she washed Aunt Wang’s plate clean and returned it along with the basket, adding some of Shi Wangui’s snacks and a few persimmons as extras.

Aunt Wang had a young granddaughter, and children at that age love snacks, she would surely enjoy them. When Aunt Wang saw the snacks, she muttered under her breath, “Why give these treats? It was just a simple meal, it’s not like it’ll make my family poor.”

Shi Wangui quickly chimed in, “Thank you, Aunt Wang, please take them.”

Thinking of her granddaughter, Aunt Wang smiled and accepted.

As soon as Aunt Wang left, Shi Wangui said curiously, “So your childhood nickname is Xiao You? I thought your nickname was Youren.” She had been curious before, as “Youren” felt odd as a name like someone always drifting far from home.

“Because my original name was Jiang You,” Wen Youren replied without changing her expression.

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