After the Death of the Eldest Sister-in-law, She Remarried

Yun Qinghuan turned back to Bai Naihan, “You go up first, and then I’ll lift the wheelchair onto the cart.”

 

She intended to assist him, but he sidestepped, “No need, I can get up by myself.”

 

Old Li probably knew him and directly said, “Young lad from the Bai family, I’ll move the cart closer.”

 

He considerately drove the ox cart closer to Bai Naihan, close enough for him to reach the driver’s seat with a stretch.

 

Bai Naihan braced his arms against the cart, and with a powerful push, he effortlessly got on. Yun Qinghuan almost didn’t catch it, as it happened so quickly.

 

After a moment of silence, watching Bai Naihan’s agile movements, finding a comfortable spot to sit, he even had a newspaper ready to use as a cushion, indicating he had come prepared.

 

Yun Qinghuan lifted the little one onto the cart. An’an rarely attended the market, and sitting on such an ox cart was a rare experience for him.

 

After all, oxen were precious in the commune, serving as robust laborers. People were generally reluctant to use oxen as carts.

 

This particular ox was raised by Old Li, and there was a special bond between them. Even after the ox was confiscated, others couldn’t manage to raise it; it would throw tantrums and even fell ill. In the end, the commune had to find Old Li specifically to take care of this ox.

 

Sometimes, when the ox wasn’t working in the fields, Old Li would use it to pull the cart, earning money that he would split, contributing half to the commune.

 

This was indeed a good opportunity, but not everyone could do it.

 

After An’an got on the ox cart, he excitedly touched and explored everything around him. In no time, his originally clean hands became dirty. If it weren’t for Old Li watching, Yun Qinghuan really wanted to scold An’an for dirtying his hands, playing with dried cow dung without caring about the stench.

 

Helplessly looking at her son, she turned around to lift the wheelchair onto the cart and then planned to sit down.

 

Old Li came down to help her lift, instantly making it feel much easier. She thanked him, “Thank you, Grandpa Li.”

 

Old Li laughed and waved his hand, “No problem.”

 

Bai Naihan, who was on top, continued helping because the wheelchair was quite bulky. Lifting it took quite an effort, and the back of the wheelchair obstructed the view. Bai Naihan didn’t notice, but she felt a cool and gentle hand covering hers directly.

 

For a moment, both of them were stunned. Yun Qinghuan looked up at Bai Naihan, who probably didn’t realize he had touched her hand. His ears were tinged with red, and he quickly withdrew his hand, apologizing in a hushed tone, “I’m sorry.”

 

His voice was so soft that Yun Qinghuan might not have heard it if her ears weren’t sharp.

 

Encountering such innocence was quite rare for her in the entertainment industry. During acting, intimate scenes with male actors were inevitable. So, when Bai Naihan accidentally touched her hand, it felt like touching an inanimate object; she didn’t think much of it. However, seeing his ears turn red and his attempt to act composed made her feel a tingling sensation in the spot where their hands had met.

 

Unable to contain her amusement, she smiled, “It’s okay.”

 

Her voice was melodious, akin to singing.

 

With the wheelchair placed on the ox cart, there wasn’t much space left. Bai Naihan shifted to the side, leaving a spot for Yun Qinghuan. The little one patted the vacant space, excitedly saying, “Mom, sit here!”

 

Bai Jin’an and Bai Naihan didn’t find anything unusual about leaving a space between them.

 

Yun Qinghuan glanced around and saw that the passengers on the cart were not particularly concerned about cleanliness, so she decided to sit down casually. Unfortunately, her sharp eyes noticed the dried cow dung on the wooden boards. She hesitated for a moment.

 

The issue wasn’t just the cow dung visible; since the cart was made of wood, there was dung in the gaps between the wooden boards.

 

Seemingly aware of her concern, Bai Naihan reached into his pocket and pulled out two newspapers. He placed one on the ground and the other on the wooden backrest, then gestured to her, “You can sit now.”

 

Bai Jin’an, who had been looking around with great interest, managed to get himself dirty somehow. Initially, he looked clean, but now he was covered in dust, and even his nose seemed to have caught some dirt.

 

Seeing his uncle using newspapers to sit, Bai Jin’an quickly spoke up, “Uncle, An’an needs newspapers too.”

 

Yun Qinghuan had already sat down, instinctively reaching to hold the wheelchair to prevent it from moving around once the ox cart started moving.

 

Bai Naihan was also assisting with the wheelchair.

 

Both of them looked at the little one, who was now quite dirty. Yun Qinghuan hadn’t spoken yet when Bai Naihan said, “Given your current state, I don’t think you need a newspaper.”

 

Some cow dung had already stained the child’s clothes.

 

An’an protested, “Why?”

 

Bai Naihan didn’t elaborate and simply pulled out a newspaper from his pocket, handing it to him, “Here, for you.”

 

As he handed the newspaper to An’an, the ox cart started moving, causing Bai Naihan to inevitably brush against Yun Qinghuan, especially when Old Li shouted, “Hold on tight!”

 

Then, with a gentle flick of the whip, the ox began to run swiftly, causing the entire cart to sway even more. Yun Qinghuan couldn’t stabilize herself and swayed into Bai Naihan’s arms.

 

It was the season between spring and summer, still quite warm. Both of them wore thin long-sleeved shirts, and in this close contact, they could even feel each other’s body warmth.

 

Bai Naihan stiffened for a moment, quickly handing the newspaper to An’an and then sitting up straight.

 

Yun Qinghuan could feel the powerful muscles he had exerted just a moment ago. Unfortunately, this man was a bit too innocent, or perhaps reserved. He quickly composed himself.

 

She also steadied herself, feeling a hint of regret inside but maintaining a calm exterior, as if nothing had happened.

 

Perhaps due to the incident on the road, Yun Qinghuan and Bai Naihan were unusually quiet throughout the journey, not speaking much. Bai Jin’an, on the other hand, kept chattering excitedly, receiving responses that kept him thrilled.

 

Though a bit annoying, it didn’t make the atmosphere awkward.

 

Several people sitting around, both men and women, occasionally glanced at the three of them. Even though the man seemed to have a leg disability, he had a handsome and refined appearance, more charming than those comrades in the village. As for Yun Qinghuan, she was well-known in the village for her beauty.

 

Compared to Xia Yuhua from the neighboring village, praised as the “village flower,” she probably couldn’t hold a candle to Yun Qinghuan.

 

Yun Qinghuan’s beauty was truly dazzling.

 

As for An’an, sitting beside them, although a bit thin and with slightly dirty clothes, he was still adorable. Compared to the other dirty and skinny kids, he looked like a cute little Buddha.

 

However, Yun Qinghuan rarely went out, and although these young people recognized her, they were not familiar enough to strike up a conversation, so they just observed her without deliberately engaging in conversation.

∞

Translator Note

---

Next release

– Dec. 27

[Advance Chapters]

If you like/appreciate my work, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi.

🌸

∞