"Look how hot the kids are, I’ll wash my hands and pour them so cool boiled water from the pot. Old man, you carry the basket without feeling tired, but the kids have their arms full. You, old man, have never been compassionate in your life..."
The old lady muttered as she washed her hands, while the old man, seeing their red cheeks, smilingly moved a stool over: "Kids, take a seat and rest a bit, it’s all my fault for walking too fast and making you suffer."
Luo Ye took the stool, smiling: "Grandpa Yuan, this just shows how strong you are, and we, on the other hand, still need to exercise more."
The old man tapped out the ash from his smoking pipe, his eyes crinkling with smiles: "This child, always so sweet-talking, really comforts one’s heart."
"Grandpa Yuan, I’m telling the truth..." Luo Ye glanced at the smoking pipe: "However, I’d suggest you cut down on smoking. Look at this smoking pipe, it’s coated with a thick layer of nicotine, all that toxin you’re inhaling!"
Old Man Yuan, who was filling his pipe, abruptly stopped: "Girl, don’t scare . I always hear on the radio and TV that drug use is a cri leading to arrest."
"That’s right, if the police find out, they’d definitely arrest you. Then who would take care of Grandma Yuan?" Luo Ye said with a strong laugh, feigning seriousness to scare him.
Yan Han kept mum with a twitching mouth.
Luo Ye, noticing his reaction, reminded: "Yan Han, aren’t you going to wash your face? And maybe wash your handkerchief too, it’s almost the color of the bottom of a pot?"
"Don’t worry, I’ll wash it clean before returning it to you, or else I’ll buy you a new one." Despite his sharp tongue, Yan Han obediently followed the instructions.
"Sir, are you really telling the truth?" Old Man Yuan looked anxiously at Luo Ye, promptly tapping out the freshly filled tobacco.
"For real!" Luo Ye nodded earnestly, feeling helpless inside. In rural areas, the elderly often use these smoking pipes all their life without cleaning them, letting nicotine build up inside.
It’s wrong to lie, but since Old Man Yuan misunderstood, using this well-intentioned fib might be more effective than explanations and persuasion.
"There you go, when you get older, nobody cares much, leaving the ladle in the sink and forgetting about it, took half a day to find it. Alas, when you’re old, you just can’t rember things..." The old lady ca out with a bowl of water, muttering endlessly: "Girl, this water is lukewarm, perfect for drinking."
"Thank you, Grandma Yuan." After Luo Ye took the bowl, the old lady went back inside to fetch water for Yan Han.
The water, mildly sweet, slid down bringing a cool refreshnt and heartwarming comfort. "This water tastes good," Luo Ye couldn’t help but praise.
"This is well water, our well in the village has the sweetest water, everyone cos to fetch it." Old Man Yuan said proudly, seemingly having forgotten his annoyance about not being able to smoke.
The old lady ca out with another bowl of water, overhearing their conversation, her eyes squinting with laughter: "Girl, I chilled a whole jar of water, get more after you’ve finished." anwhile, she approached Yan Han, "Child, stop washing, drink first, Grandma will help you wash later."
Yan Han turned around, spotting the old lady’s dark thumb subrged in water, swiftly withdrew his hand before he spoke. Before he could speak, Luo Ye swiftly grabbed the bowl from the old lady’s hand: "Grandma, I’m too thirsty, let drink first, he can drink after washing his handkerchief." While speaking, she gave Yan Han a fierce glare when the old lady wasn’t looking.
"This child..." The old lady’s face wrinkled, blooming like a beautiful flower, "Girl, pass the empty bowl, I’ll get you more."
Luo Ye quickly shook her head: "Grandma, even if I’m still thirsty, two bowls are enough..." nodding at Yan Han, "As for him, let him get his own after washing his handkerchief, don’t be polite with us, it makes us uncomfortable."
"That’s fine, serve yourself, then. I’ll go get a bowl for the old man." The old lady did not insist and turned to enter the house.
Under Yan Han’s gaze, Luo Ye drank the bowl of water thoroughly, cleaned the bowl, and handed it to Yan Han, speaking in a low voice: "Get your own while Grandma cos out, otherwise you might just die of thirst."
"Thanks." Yan Han expressed his gratitude and obediently went to get water to drink, his throat already dry like burning. No matter how poor, one could indeed die of thirst.
Luo Ye’s actions sowhat impressed him: during corn harvesting, she worked as hard as him, and she must have noticed the old lady’s finger dipping into the bowl but still managed to drink it— even though the hand was washed, thinking about it... Yan Han quickly stopped himself, otherwise, he might not drink today’s water.
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