Carrying a Hoe to Cultivate

The candlelight was flickering. Gu Wen Zhu frowned with lips tightly pressed, his eyes staring at the sleeve in his hand attentively. He breathed in deeply, picked up a thin needle and poked it through with his breath held. 

“Haa…” Holding his cheek, Xia Yi watched Gu Wen Zhu silently by his side.  

Gu Wen Zhu had sharp features from the side. With the candlelight shining, his prominent nose created a shaded area on his face, making him look even better.  People used to say men were most attractive when they were at work. This surely was true. Xia Yi could not help but enjoy the sight of his man. 

“Scissors.” Gu Wen Zhu only stretched his hand to his right and did not look up. 

Xia Yi swiftly took the scissors from the basket and gave them to him. 

“Thread.” Gu Wen Zhu ordered in short, continuing to sew the sleeves in his hand. 

Xia Yi hurriedly threaded another needle and handed it to Gu Wen Zhu. He used a handkerchief to brush off the sweat on Gu Wen Zhu’s forehead. Gu Wen Zhu slightly tilted his head with his eyes fixed on the needle and the thread in his hand. 

“Last two stitches.” Gu Wen Zhu sounded calm and serious, “The stitching is very successful.” 

Xia Yi: …Why do I feel like we are doing an operation?

After the last stitch had been made, Gu Wen Zhu cut the excessive thread. He gave a long exhalation in relief, “It’s done. Try it on.” He then shook the clothes and gave them to Xia Yi. 

Xia Yi took them and looked. The stitches were close to each other and were consistent. Although Gu Wen Zhu told him that he had never done it before, he did a magnificent job for the first time. 

“Zhu, you are too good. Amazing. I am so impressed.” Xia Yi was very willing to compliment, causing Gu Wen Zhu’s face to blush and heat up. 

Since these clothes were loose, Xia Yi could directly put them on. Xia Yi fastened the straps on his clothes and proudly turned himself around in front of Gu Wen Zhu. 

“Is it good?” Xia Yi could see Gu Wen Zhu’s face lighted up. Still, he asked. 

“It’s good.” Gu Wen Zhu nodded repeatedly. 

Xia Yi turned a couple of rounds, shaking his arms and putting his hands on his waist. He began to notice something weird. There was as if something stuck under his armpits. The shoulder parts were tight. 

Xia Yi took off the clothes and looked closely, finally he found the reason for that, “Zhu, you have stitched the sleeves on in the wrong way. The shoulder part has gone down, the armpit part has gone up.” 

Gu Wen Zhu quickly walked up. They looked at each other after some time of inspection, “We have to undo these and stitch it again.” 

… 

“Scissors.” Gu Wen Zhu reached out his hand sternly, Xia Yi hurried and gave them to him. 

“Thread.” Xia Yi speedily threaded a needle. 

“Last two stitches.” 

This time, the sleeves were stitched in righteously, the armpit and the shoulder parts felt right. Xia Yi swung his arms, satisfied. Gu Wen Zhu also came up, observed and pulled the clothes here and there to ensure the directions were all right. 

Slowly, Xia Yi felt that there was something wrong. Why did he have an odd feeling? 

Gu Wen Zhu held his own chin, frowning and observing. He suddenly came to realizations and said, “The two sleeves are not the same length.” 

“After undoing the stitches, I saw the stitching holes left previously, I followed the trace and stitched the whole section in.” Gu Wen Zhu strongly regretted. 

“What should we do?” Xia Yi, wearing the coat with one short sleeve, looked at Gu Wen Zhu with widened eyes, “Undo the stitches again? I don’t want to undo them anymore. More problems will be created every time we do it. Why don’t we just find ourselves a piece of cloth and add it to the sleeve.” 

“Okay, let’s find a piece of cloth,” Gu Wen Zhu searched inside the basket and found a piece of cloth with the same thickness. He cut it with a snip and started to stitch it on for Xia Yi. 

“Scissors.” 

“Thread.” 

“Last two stitches.” 

Done. At last, there were no problems found when he tried the clothes on this time. They suited him well. There were minor problems left such as the lower hem of the clothes was a little too long, reaching his calf, and the added part of the sleeve was also in another color. However, both of them were not bothered by these. 

Xia Yi’s clothes were done, then they came to Gu Wen Zhu’s. 

Xia Yi held the sleeves that were not yet stitched then put it on the table to compare them, “Ah.” All of a sudden he shouted out, “Zhu, did you cut from this to stitch my sleeve just now?” 

Staring at the shortened sleeve in Xia Yi’s hand, Gu Wen Zhu dwelled on it. 

“Since you cut a part from the hem of my clothes to make your sleeve, they are too long anyway.” Xia Yi suggested. 

That was the least they could do, therefore they cut from Xia Yi’s clothes and stitched them onto Gu Wen Zhu’s sleeve. 

Upon finishing the two sets of clothes, Gu Wen Zhu felt as if he had just farmed three acres of land. It was exhausting. 

The two wore their new clothes, smiling and looking at each other. 

Gu Wen Zhu was wearing blue, looking handsome and tall, a part of his sleeve was in dark purple. On Xia Yi’s side, he was in dark purple with a part of his one sleeve in blue. 

F**k, these are matching outfits. 

The purple can be seen in the blue, the blue can be seen in the purple. The gay can be seen in you, and you can see me as gay. 

The next morning, the couple put their new clothes on. They went to see the old house with half of its walls collapsed after breakfast. After reconstructing the walls, they could also build a storage to store some unused farming utensils. 

They checked around the house. Shortly, a lot of people eating with bowls in their hands gathered around them. 

“Yi, you have new clothes on. You look nice.” 

“Yi, what happened to your clothes? The colors of the sleeves are not the same?” Li Zhu crouched on the side, using the chopsticks to sweep the rice into his mouth, asking. 

The two felt embarrassed to tell the truth, and so they answered ambiguously, “We have damaged them somewhere, so we simply cut them off.” 

People surrounding them nodded in agreement except Mr. Wang, he stared afar thoughtfully and laughed coldly, “You guys believe those were damaged somewhere?” 

Xia Yi and Gu Wen Zhu became nervous. 

“It surely was done by those three thieves. They came back to take revenge and ripped them.” Mr. Wang gritted his teeth, “Don’t let me see them ever again.” 

… 

Xia Yi had never really dated in his past life. He, too, felt uneasy when he saw couples displaying affection publicly. Whenever he saw someone lighting candles to confess to someone, it was awkward! Someone took out a ring to propose? Ptooey! 

“179, I am finally off the market, I need to give Zhu a ring, and I also have to use the candles to form a heart!” Xia Yi thought merrily, “I have to do all those things that lovers do.” 

He then grabbed a booklet from the house and checked the line of ‘wearing couple outfits together’ on the list. 

Having candlelight dinner together! We do that every day, check check. 

Picnic together! Yes, last time he and I went to catch fish and climb the mountain and travel through the streams, check too. 

Look at the sunrise and sunset together! We farm together every day and come back together, check. 

Saving money together! Our money was in that little wooden box, check. 

Cook together! Whenever he cooks, I am by his side, check. 

Have a pet together! Kirin is biting a shoe beside him, check. 

Those ones which require us to watch movies together cannot be done, then only placing candles in a heart shape is left. Xia Yi closed his booklet, thinking deeply. 

Where should he place the candles? He could not place them outside the village because the strong wind at night would blow them out. He could not place them in the village because layers and layers of villagers would surround them. Their yard? No no no, Zhu would be back at night and discover him lighting the candles, he might even want to help him, that would not be a surprise if that happened. 

“You can place them in that old house.” 179 planned for him. 

Right, that can be placed in that old house. In that case, the candlelight will not be blown out by the wind nor surrounded by the crowd, even if he tells a lie and goes out for a while, Zhu will not have a clue. 

“179, after all, you can come up with a great idea, I see you are not a trash system.” Xia Yi was so impressed that he praised System. 

If he decided to do it, he would do it. He immediately went to old Zhang’s house in the village. Old Zhang had a carriage. He went to the city frequently, therefore he figured he should open a store to sell some groceries such as needles and threads. 

Seeing Xia Yi buying all the candles, old Zhang was shocked. 

“Zhu was learning sewing, the candlelight is too dim so we need more candles to avoid his eyes from hurting.” Xia Yi responded cleverly. 

They had eaten dinner. The sky was already all dark. Xia Yi pushed his bowl to the front, with the contents still in his mouth, he spoke in a muffled voice to Gu Wen Zhu, “I am going to Liu Qing’s house, I will be back very soon, don’t go away.” 

At the instant when he was going out from the yard, he turned around and reminded him again, “Don’t go away. Wait for me, I will be back soon.” 

In the old house, Xia Yi lit up the candles one by one cautiously, with great expectations. 

“179, will Zhu be moved when he sees this? I think this is so romantic…” 

“But didn’t you say this is too low when I suggest the ‘ten things you have to do with your lover’ to you?” 

“It will be low if others do it, but it will be romantic if I am the one who does it. You don’t understand the ceremonial aspect of this anyways, I am not talking to you about this.” 

The candles formed a heart slowly with Xia Yi putting them in place, Xia Yi then carefully lighted up every single one of them. The old house had been lightened up by all the candles, the room seemed warmer than usual. 

“Alright, let’s go and fetch Zhu.” It was done, Xia Yi snapped his fingers and went to find Gu Wen Zhu. 

Gu Wen Zhu was refilling Kirin’s bowl. Kirin was eating with big bites and making happy sounds. Xia Yi pushed the door open and went in. 

“You are back. There are a few persimmons on the table from DaZhu. Quickly go and have some.” Gu Wen Zhu put down the bowl in a hurry and walked towards Xia Yi. 

Xia Yi did not speak, he only gazed at Gu Wen Zhu with sparkling eyes and a grin. 

“What happened?” When Gu Wen Zhu saw Xia Yi like this, he softened his voice and smiled. 

“I am taking you to see something. It’s a surprise.” Gu Wen Zhu looked at him gently, making Xia Yi become a little shy. 

“What kind of surprise?” Gu Wen Zhu sounded even softer. It was like silk brushing past his ears. 

“Come, follow me, you will know when you see it.” Xia Yi’s words showed a hint of joy, he went outside right after he finished his sentence. Gu Wen Zhu followed him immediately. 

“Gong gong gong.” As soon as they exited, they heard sounds of the gong being knocked along with Mr. Wang’s desperate high pitch yelling, “Water, water, the house is on fire…”