Chapter 39: Shunned Like Serpents and Scorpions

Zhou Yichen looked up at the sound, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

It was Liu Cuilian.

She was carrying a wicker basket covered with a clean blue cloth, beneath which the shapes of various items were vaguely visible. Seeing her like this, Zhou Yichen felt a headache coming on. He secretly lamented his own poor judgment; he shouldn't have been looking for a shortcut yesterday by going to her house to trade for vegetables. Out of all the people in the Xiangyang Brigade, he had to pick a widow living alone. Now, she had come knocking at his door. In these times, a widow’s doorstep was a magnet for gossip. As a young, able-bodied man and an outsider—a sent-down youth—any rumors spreading about him would be far from pleasant.

However, since she was already at his door, he couldn't just drive her away; that would be too heartless. He took a deep breath, plastered a polite smile on his face, and rose to greet her.

"Ah, Sister-in-law Cuilian, please, come in, do come in."

Liu Cuilian walked in with a warm, lively smile, her eyes darting around to size him up. "Yichen, I figured it was about time for you to cook, so I brought you some vegetables."

As she spoke, she thrust the basket forward and lifted the blue cloth. Zhou Yichen glanced inside and saw a head of Chinese cabbage, along with a few potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.

"Sister-in-law, this... how could I possibly accept this!" Zhou Yichen quickly waved his hands. "Old Man Zhang already brought me quite a few radishes and cabbages this morning; it's enough to last me several days. I really can't take these from you."

Liu Cuilian pouted slightly, feigning mock reproach. "Hey! What Old Man Zhang brings is his business; what I bring is mine. You're new to the countryside and don't have many supplies at home; how could that possibly be enough?"

Zhou Yichen looked into her soul-stirring eyes and inwardly sighed at the trouble. Keeping his expression neutral and his polite smile fixed, he said, "You're too kind, Sister-in-law, really, please don't say that."

Liu Cuilian pushed the basket closer to him, a faint, lingering fragrance drifting over with her. "Just take it, Yichen. Why be so formal with me?" Her voice was soft and deliberate, laced with intimacy.

Zhou Yichen sighed to himself, knowing he couldn't refuse the vegetables today. He reached out and took the basket; it was heavy, clearly not light in quantity. "Then... thank you, Sister-in-law." He paused, then added, "Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

This was merely a polite gesture; he was desperate for her to leave as soon as she put the basket down. Liu Cuilian’s eyes brightened, and she was just about to agree, but Zhou Yichen didn't give her the chance. "Wait here for a moment," he said, and without waiting for her consent, he turned and went inside.

Liu Cuilian stood in the courtyard, watching his back, a smug, imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She knew he would accept them.

Inside, Zhou Yichen rummaged through his meager belongings and found some small change. He estimated the value of the vegetables and deliberately added an extra twenty cents. He was determined to pay for them, and pay well, to avoid any further entanglements. It would be best to settle this obligation once and for all.

Clutching the money, he walked back out and shoved it directly into Liu Cuilian's hand. "Sister-in-law, you must take this money for the vegetables. Otherwise, I won't feel right about it." His tone was firm and brooked no refusal.

Liu Cuilian was slightly stunned as she looked at the coins pressed into her palm. It wasn't that she thought the money was too little, nor did she truly care about the pittance for a few vegetables. She hadn't come for the produce in the first place. She didn't really want the money; once she took it, the nature of her gesture changed.

But Zhou Yichen’s business-like, almost distant demeanor made it clear that if she didn't take the money, she might never be invited through his door again. She sighed helplessly to herself, though her face remained bright and warm. "Yichen, you are just too honest!"

She half-reluctantly tucked the money into her pocket, her fingers brushing against his hand—whether by accident or design, it was hard to tell. "It's just some homegrown vegetables; they aren't worth any money."

Zhou Yichen retracted his hand calmly, as if he hadn't noticed the slight touch. His smile remained polite, but his eyes were sharp and clear. "It is only right, only right."

Seeing his impenetrable attitude, Liu Cuilian felt a surge of competitiveness. The more distant he was, the more challenging and intriguing she found him. He wasn't like the other men in the village who looked at her like hungry wolves at a piece of meat—there was no substance to them.

She had always been confident in her looks and figure. Even as a widow, she felt she hadn't lost her charm; she possessed a womanly allure that those green, inexperienced girls lacked. She didn't believe that with her methods, she couldn't win over this Zhou Yichen.

As for Jiang Xiaoman, his childhood sweetheart... Liu Cuilian curled her lip in disdain, not taking the young girl seriously at all. Yes, Jiang Xiaoman was fresh and pretty, with a face as delicate as water, but she was just a child—hardly even grown—what did she know about men? How could she compare to a mature woman who understood the nuances of life and affection?

Men, she reasoned, sometimes said no, but their bodies were honest. As long as she took the initiative and used a few clever tactics, she was certain he would take the bait.

While Liu Cuilian plotted how to conquer Zhou Yichen step by step, she had no idea that he was racking his brain on how to get rid of her as quickly as possible and sever all future ties. He avoided her overt enthusiasm and naked gaze like the plague; he wanted no part of it. It wasn't that he looked down on her status as a widow—in these times, life was hard for everyone, and having lived two lifetimes, Zhou Yichen was far from such narrow-minded prejudice.

It was simply that he wasn't interested. He couldn't muster the slightest bit of attraction for her type of woman. With the perspective of his two lifetimes, combined with his current skills and potential, what kind of woman couldn't he find? Why waste time and energy on a widow with ulterior motives?

To him, the most important thing right now was to improve his medical skills, live well in this strange era, and equip himself to handle whatever storms the future might bring. Grinding his skills was the only true path! As for romance, it would be a nice bonus if it happened, but it didn't matter if it didn't; he would let things take their natural course.

Right now, it was best to send this enthusiastic sister-in-law on her way.

Just as he was wondering what excuse to use to get her to leave, a crisp, slightly boisterous voice rang out from outside: "Yichen! Yichen! Are you home?"

Following that, there was the sound of several young men and women—voices he didn't quite recognize. Hearing this, Zhou Yichen felt a spark of hope, as if a savior had arrived.