Chapter 5: I Like Sunflowers Song Qingshu was taken aback by his question,…

Song Qingshu was taken aback by his question, with his big, clear eyes wide open, “Brother, do you find me annoying?”

Almost instantly, the sour taste that he had swallowed while eating came back up again, making his nose ache.

“No, it’s not.”

He Feng didn’t know why he thought so, and was a little anxious for a moment.

“The village chief said that the educated youth were very happy to know they could go home.”

“Life in the city is definitely more comfortable than in the countryside. I’m afraid you like the city more. If you want to go back more, I still have some money to give you as travel expenses.”

He said it frankly and sincerely, and how could Song Qingshu not understand what he meant? He pouted his lips to hold back tears, but he still felt very aggrieved, “Brother, have you forgotten?”

“I don’t have a home anymore.”

“My parents died, and my stepmother wants to sell me.”

“Grandma is gone too.”

When he mentioned his grandmother, he still couldn’t hold back, and tears instantly burst out of his eyes, rolling down his cheeks, pausing at his chin and falling down again.

It just happened to fall on the back of He Feng's outstretched hand. The hot water droplets hit the back of his hand, making He Feng feel sad.

He didn't want to see anyone crying, and regretted bringing up this topic again. What's the point of saying all this?

The young man's face was not one to hide things. If he really wanted to leave, he could see it himself first. Bringing it up now would only make people misunderstand and feel sad. It's better not to mention it.

When Song Qingshu cried, only drops of tears and the sound of soft gasps were shed. He

was very obedient. He was not disgusting at all, but only made people feel distressed.

He Feng tried to coax him to stop crying, but it was no use. Instead, he made him cry even harder.

He Feng had no choice but to pull him into his arms and patted his back gently, "It's okay, don't think too much. I'm not chasing you away."

"I don't have parents or a home either. From now on, we will live together. We are a family."

The height and body shape of the two were very different, and holding each other like this could fit the whole person in his arms.

Song Qingshu sobbed softly, raised his head from his broad chest, his hand still clutching the hem of He Feng's clothes.

The aggrieved young man blinked his red eyes and asked with sobs: "Really?"

How could He Feng refuse? He was like a kitten that had just been picked up and brought home, needing repeated confirmation to gain a sense of security.

He wiped away the tears with his rough fingers, "Well, let's not wait until night, I'll take you to pack your things later."

The face of the sobbing young man was clearly still wet with water, and he smiled through his tears and nodded in agreement.

He Feng went out to get a wet towel to wipe the man's face, and a bottle of white face wipe, which is called "xiangxiang" in the local area.

It sounds like it is for delicate people. He Feng is a rough man who has only used clam oil before and has seen many women put fragrance on their children's faces.

His hands were too rough to help him apply the cream himself, so he opened them and placed them in his palms. "Scoop out some and put it on your face."

"You'll be going out after crying, so

put some on to prevent it from getting chapped." Song Qingshu realized it was for facial use and didn't hesitate. He scooped out a little with his fingertips and dotted it on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, then spread it evenly with both hands.

This was what his grandmother would do when she applied cream to his face as a child, applying it to little Song Qingshu bit by bit.

Then, with a kind smile, she praised him, "Our little boy, you're so handsome."

Later, when his grandmother passed away, he was sent to an orphanage, and no one helped him apply cream anymore.

The rich scent of milk spread across his face, and the shiny layer quickly faded. Aside from his red eyes and pink nose, no one could tell he'd been crying.

But that was also the most obvious thing.

He Feng let him bask in the sun in the yard, and he took out all the bedding and straw mats from the cabinet in the east room to bask in the sun, along with new pillowcases and quilts.

Last night's quilt was probably a little thin, so he dug out a thicker one. He'd been too hot himself, so it would be perfect for Song Qingshu after the sun was out.

Sunlight streamed into the yard, and the wind blew the fruits hanging from the nearby persimmon and pomegranate trees, sending them swaying.

Xiao Hei wagged his tail at Song Qingshu, then purred and lay down at his feet, waiting for him to stroke his fur. He squinted his eyes in comfort and snored softly.

Song Qingshu's white hands stroked Xiao Hei's shiny black fur, the light shining on it making the white seem even whiter, the black even blacker.

He Feng turned and picked up a bamboo pole. He first patted the blanket, sending a puff of dust into the air. He then used the pole to support the loose, low ropes of the blanket.

He turned and saw a man and a dog basking in the sun in the yard, having a great time.

It was a beautiful sunny day today. He'd take someone to pack up now. He'd come back later to wash the clothes and hang them up to dry. They'd be dry by evening.

"Son, let's go."

He called out beside the bicycle.

Song Qingshu looked up, his eyes slightly squinted by the sun, and said in a light voice, "Okay."

He stood up, and Xiao Hei, who was originally drowsy at his feet, also stood up and walked around the two of them as if afraid of being abandoned.

The sun was still gentle after nine o'clock, which helped people digest their food. He Feng did not ride the bicycle, but pushed it instead, walking slowly with them.

When He Lishu saw him, he smiled and greeted him from a distance. His son hid behind him in fear when he saw He Feng, just like last night.

When he saw the two people coming, he patted his son's head, "Erqing, call me little master."

Erqing shrank and shouted, "Little master."

He Lishu asked him to speak louder, so the little boy had to shout "Little master" again.

Song Qingshu looked at the little boy's timid appearance, and a face appeared in his mind, but he suppressed it again.

"Call me this..."

"Call me brother." Song Qingshu said with a smile. He didn't want to be called an older person at such a young age.

He Feng was a relative newcomer in the village, so he couldn't just call someone "Grandpa." At his age, calling him "brother" was fine.

He Lishu glanced at He Feng's expression, and when he saw he didn't say anything, he replied to Song Qingshu, "That won't work. There's a generation gap."

He thought for a moment, "Let's just call him uncle."

Erqing wasn't shy, his curious gaze fixed on Song Qingshu, "Uncle."

"I've seen you before, by the big river in the south."

"Huh? Really?"

the child nodded. "Mom said we should be honest and not lie."

Song Qingshu responded flatteringly, "Oh, then. Erqing, wait here for uncle later. I'll give you some candy as a reward for your honesty."

Erqing's eyes lit up instantly. Their family wasn't well off, and outside of festivals, they couldn't afford brown sugar, let alone candy.

But he was still a little hesitant, and looked towards his father, but He Lishu was chatting with He Feng about things in the fields and didn't look at them.

"Don't look at your father. This is a secret between us," Song Qingshu whispered.

"This is Erqing's reward for being an honest and polite child."

Song Qingshu is the best at coaxing children. After he finished speaking in a gentle tone, Erqing nodded shyly. His round face turned red with embarrassment because of the praise, making him look like a red apple.

He Feng had been paying attention to Song Qingshu's movements. Seeing that he was about to stand up, he unconsciously took half a step forward.

Song Qingshu's body was weak. He felt dizzy after squatting for a while and then standing up. He took half a step back and was embraced by the man.

"What's the matter?" He Lishu was a little confused. The country man worked every day and had a strong body. He had never seen such a posture before and thought he was sick.

This will be fine after a short breath. Song Qingshu stood up from He Feng's arms, pulled away and waved his hand, a smile on his face, "A little hypoglycemia, it's okay."

He Feng frowned, feeling a little empty in his arms after being freed. He turned to talk to Song Qingshu, "Then let's go."

On the road, some people came back from the fields, and some carried hoes to go to the fields

. This was a plain with no mountains, only big rivers and small streams. Children who loved the cool air loved to stroll by the river, and then they would be dragged home by their ears on tiptoe by their parents. When

those people saw He Feng, they nodded and smiled, or asked, "Have you eaten?" or "Where are you going?"

Although these were just brief greetings left by people passing by, they were also a kind of local custom that Song Qingshu had not experienced for a long time.

At the intersection, someone gave He Feng a cigarette. He pinned one on his ear and held another in his hand. He refused to take the cigarette, saying that he was going to the brigade. No one talked anymore.

Only after they had walked away did someone look at their backs and ask in surprise, "Is that young educated youth really our young master's child bride?"

The people around him shook their heads, "Who knows? His father must have had some abilities when he was young, but he didn't covet anything from the country and never claimed any title."

The man who was prodding the wooden shovel touched his chin and narrowed his eyes, "Maybe, it was decided by his comrades during the war."

The people next to him clapped their hands in response, "Yeah, you're right."

Song Qingshu walked beside He Feng and saw the local cigarette stuck in the man's ear. He knew that smokers all had some addiction to smoking, "Brother, do you want to smoke?" "

If you want to smoke, I can push the cart for a while."

He Feng glanced at him sideways. The young man tilted his fair face, his lips still light pink and a little pale, "No, I'm not addicted."

Besides, with Song Qingshu's small body, he might not be able to bear the smell of cigarettes. He turned around and coughed uncomfortably, looking at him with tears in his eyes, which made people feel distressed.

"I accept cigarettes because I don't want to embarrass them. One or two is enough. I don't feel like smoking right now."

Unsure why he suddenly explained this to himself, Song Qingshu kicked the grass growing along the curb at his feet. "Oh, is that so?"

"Brother, what did you do?"

"The military."

"Isn't that tiring?" Song Qingshu's eyes were filled with awe. He had only seen soldiers on TV.

Each of them was tall and graceful, marching in unison, chanting one, two, three, four.

It was that kind of handsome, upright, healthy, and strong body.

It was exactly the kind of body Song Qingshu loved and desired the most.

"It's not too tiring or hard. It's about the same as working in the fields."

"Actually, I used to be a student and volunteered at the orphanage, but because I'm not in good health, I can only chat with the children, play with them, and help distribute things."

He almost said "Director Dad" wrong, and he was stuck.

"What?" He Feng was listening attentively. It turned out that life in the city was really different from that in the countryside.

Song Qingshu touched his head, recalling his experience in the original world, his eyebrows curved.

"It's okay, I once watered the sunflowers planted by the director to death, and was almost beaten out by the children in the welfare home who were waiting to eat melon seeds."

He Feng was amused by his exaggerated tone. His voice was not loud, but he was still caught by the young man.

Song Qingshu immediately turned his head and explained seriously, "Later, I bought a whole bag of sunflower seeds to apologize."

It cost him thirty yuan!

"But the children ate too much and got inflamed, so the director never let me buy melon seeds again." His tone dropped a few points, and he muttered, "The director himself doesn't grow sunflowers anymore."

"Like sunflowers?" He Feng asked suddenly.

Song Qingshu didn't expect him to be so perceptive. He opened his mouth, blinked and nodded.

"I think sunflowers look positive and sunny. Not only are they beautiful, but you can eat melon seeds."

"Well, I'll plant two for you in the yard in spring."