The Idyllic Scenery is Infinitely Good

However, what Lin Cheng did not know was that Lin Mai was also being lectured by his grandmother…

“Mai Zi ah, tell Ama honestly, do you have any relationship with that Lin Cheng?” Li Fang sat in the courtyard and asked Lin Mai, who was standing by the side with a sullen face.

Lin Mai scratched his hair and said weakly, “Ama, there’s really nothing between me and Cheng Zi Ge. Don’t guess blindly, okay?”

“Nothing? You’re telling me there is nothing?” Li Fang obviously didn’t believe him and slapped the table twice, glared at Lin Mai and said, “But you go listen to the rumours in the village, how it’s being spread around? If it wasn’t for Aunt Xiu Niang asking me this morning, I wouldn’t have known there was such a thing!”

After saying that, Li Fang couldn’t help but cough a few times. Lin Mai hurriedly helped his grandma by patting her back and said, “Ama, please calm down! There’s really nothing between me and Cheng Zi Ge. You too, do not listen to the villager’s nonsense! There is no such a thing.”

Li Fang patted Lin Mai’s hand on her shoulder, Li Fang sighed and said softly, “Mai Zi, of course Ama believe you when I am the one who sees you growing up but so many people in the village are talking about this. You tell me, how can Ama not be suspicious?”

“They can say whatever they like bei, since they’ve said as much as they like anyway!” Lin Mai said indifferently. Anyway, he knew it himself there was no such a thing, would he still be afraid of what others would say…? 

“You silly kid!” Li Fang was so angry that he pinched Lin Mai’s waist and did not spare him. 

Lin Mai rubbed the sore spot where he was pinched and asked Li Fang with a bit of ‘act like a spoiled child’ tone, “Ama, say it then say it, why are you pinching me?”

“It really hurts huh?” Li Fang wanted to look at his waist but Lin Mai laughed and avoided her, therefore he knew that the boy was bluffing again. Li Fang immediately showed a straight face and said, “Ama is telling you something serious yet you’re still (joking) fooling around with Ama!”

“I’m not fooling around, I’m not fooling around anymore” Lin Mai was busy calming the furious Li Fang and said, “Ama, I am not joking with you, there is really nothing between me and Cheng Zi Ge. However, the more I explain to the villagers, the more they wouldn’t believe me, so I might as well just let them talk. Anyway if Cheng Zi Ge and I don’t care at all, maybe they’ll stop talking after a couple of days.”

“Mai Zi, who told you this way of thinking? Sit down quickly and Ama will tell you.” Li Fang pulled Lin Mai to sit opposite her and said in a deep voice, “Mai Zi ah, Ama told you the thing about rumour, sometimes you have to care about it. The more you ignore it, the more people will think that you have already silently approved of what they say, instead of making them think they’re wrong, you know?”

Lin Mai pouted his mouth and said, “But Ama, what can I do with their mouths? I can’t just take a needle and thread to sew and shut their mouths right?!”

“Mai Zi ah, you don’t loathe Ama if I nag you! I don’t care if people talk about me when I’m old, but how can you let people talk about your affair with another man when you’re still so young and not yet married? It’s not good if your (future) husband finds out about it later.” Li Fang said in a serious tone, she only had this one little grandson. She usually had never said such serious and harsh words to him but this time other people were saying such things, how could she not feel distressed about it?

“Ama…” Lin Mai took Li Fang’s hand and rubbed it on his face and laughed, “I know that you’re just feeling sorry for me, but Ama, these things are really not me who has the final say, it’s up to them whether they believe me or not. Anyway as long as you believe in me then it will be okay for me. Others can say whatever they want, I can’t control them.”

Li Fang stroked Lin Mai’s head and really didn’t know what to say anymore. Li Fang was afraid that if she said anything it would hurt the child’s heart, but what could they do in this kind of situation…

Lin Mai saw Li Fang did not make a sound in there, seemed to think about something so he also did not bother his grandma, he just lowered his head and played with his fingers, however… in the end was why the villagers would talk about something like this? Lin Mai narrowed his eyes, yet he really could not think of who he had offended.

“Mai Zi? Mai Zi? Open up.” Lin Cheng called out loudly from outside, completely unaware of what was going on inside.

As soon as Li Fang heard Lin Cheng’s voice, she instantly came back to her senses. Seeing Lin Mai looking at her with eyes wide open (impatiently), Li Fang felt weak as she nodded her head to indicate that Lin Mai could go and open the door. Looking at Lin Mai’s back as he ran away, Li Fang sighed, how did this look like it was nothing between them?

Lin Cheng looked at Lin Mai who opened the door for him and smiled, “What took you so long to open the door? What are you busy with?”

“Nothing, I was just talking to my Ama. Come on in!” Lin Mai sidled up to let Lin Cheng in and walked slowly behind him, wondering if Lin Cheng knew what was going on in the village…

“Li Ama, are you feeling better?” As soon as Lin Cheng entered, he saw Li Fang sitting and asked him with a smile.

“Much better, I haven’t thanked you for helping us to pay for the medicine that day.” Li Fang also knew that he could not blame Lin Cheng for this so he did not treat him with a cold face, Li Fang patted the stool and said, “Cheng Zi ah, come here and sit down! It’s rare for you to come over, so come and have a chat with Li Ama.”

“Ay…” Lin Cheng immediately went over to sit next to her, smiling as he said, “Don’t worry, Li Ama! I’ll talk to you about whatever you want, as long as you’re happy.”

“Good, good, good,He he!” Li Fang laughed happily and took Lin Cheng’s hand and asked, “Cheng Zi Ah, if I remember correctly you are almost eighteen years old, right?”

“Li Ama has a good memory, I’ll be eighteen when I’ve had my birthday.” Lin Cheng said cheerfully.

“Not so young anymore, you’re a big boy.” Li Fang patted Lin Cheng’s hand a little hesitant to say, “Cheng Zi, Li Ama wants to ask you something? Do you have a girl or a ger you like?”

Lin Cheng froze for a moment, subconsciously glanced back at Lin Mai, scratched his hair and said, “Why are you asking me about this, Li Ama?”

Li Fang took a quick look at Lin Cheng and said, “Nothing, I just thought that with such a good condition you should have found a good wife a long time ago, it’s always good to have someone who knows whether you are cold or hot1[love you tenderly (esp. one’s spouse. ].”

“This…” Lin Cheng also did not expect Ama Li to say this to himself and for a moment he could not think of how to reply to her. 

Li Fang also did not give time for him to think more and said, “Cheng Zi ah, you should have also heard the things that the villagers have said, right?”

Lin Cheng nodded in a daze and after a moment he was busy explaining, “No, Li Ama, please listen to me…”

Li Fang waved her hand as a gesture to interrupt Lin Cheng’s words and said softly, “As for me, I didn’t think much of it and I also believe that both of you are innocent. The old saying about ‘the testimony of three men creates a tiger in the market2[三人成虎three men talking makes a tiger (idiom); repeated rumor becomes a fact]‘ is always true. Maybe at first, some people don’t believe what they say but if more people talk about it then even if there is nothing, others will think there is something. I’m not saying that I blame either one of you. Because I’ve watched both of you grow up. But Cheng Zi ah, if you don’t have that intention in mind, then don’t hurt my family Mai Zi ah.”

“Ama, you…” Lin Mai blushed a little at Li Fang’s comment. Everything was fine just now, why did she turn it like this? He quickly said to Lin Cheng, “Cheng Zi Ge, don’t listen to Ama’s nonsense! It’s not true at all, anyway they say a lot of nonsense. Don’t think too much about it!”

Lin Cheng clasped his hands together and thought for a while before he said to Li Fang,”Li Ama, I think you may have misunderstood…”

Lin Mai forgot all about the blushing after hearing his words. In his heart, only a faint sarcasm remained as he said to Li Fang, “Ama, listen! Just now, when I told you, you did not believe, now you should believe me right?”

Li Fang probably already guessed that Lin Cheng would say this, so Li Fang didn’t react too much and just said indifferently, “Well, fine, I’ve got a general idea about this. If that’s the case, Cheng Zi, listen to Li Ama and don’t get involved with Mai Zi too much in the future! After all, it’s good for you and for Mai Zi too, so don’t let those long-tongue people (gossipy person; gossip-monger) in the village talk about it.”

“That’s right ah, Cheng Zi Ge…” Lin Mai smiled at Lin Cheng and said, “Both of us should be together less often, lest we be talked nonsense (make irresponsible remarks; gossip) about by those people again. If this continues I’m afraid I won’t even be able to find a husband in the future.”

Lin Cheng looked at Lin Mai who was smiling happily and said softly, “But what if I really have feelings for you?”

Lin Mai was stunned for a moment and said, “It’s not funny at all, Cheng Zi Ge! Your jokes are getting worse and worse, I think soon Da Shan Ge will be able to tell better jokes than you.”

“Li Ama!” Lin Cheng didn’t bother to discuss with Lin Mai whether it was a joke or not so he turned his head directly to Li Fang and said, “Li Ama, would you believe me if I said that I really like Mai Zi?”

Li Fang looked at the dumbfounded Lin Mai then said to Lin Cheng, “If you are sincere, don’t let my family Mai Zi down but if you are insincere, don’t hurt Mai Zi either. Do you understand?”

Lin Cheng nodded his head and patted Lin Mai who was still dazed. He left the words, ‘I’ll come back for you tomorrow!’ and ran away quickly, leaving Lin Mai alone still in daze there…

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The author has something to say:  

I kept feeling a little weird about this chapter.