Chapter 35 - Closer (2)

Chapter 35 – Closer (2)

Translator: Lunarise

Editor: Lunarise

Proofreader: Livyuna

They had made a contract of a one-year-marriage since he had moved in with her. Shen Fei had lived a different lifestyle, an extravagant one. But he could adapt. He never complained about the cozy lifestyle, or the food he was given. He was enormously grateful for Zhao Xi, for doing what she did for him, even when she didn’t need to. He tried to be as cooperative as he could. He listened to her, went along with what she wanted to do and tried to not burden her unnecessarily. He disliked being outside, but he would always oblige when she wanted it. It was the least he could do for her.

Zhao Xi made it up to the closest branch, which was sturdy enough to hold the weight of two. She needed both her hands on the trunk to support the weight.

“Could you try to pick the fruits?” she asked, concerned.

Shen Fei stretched out his hand and got hold of the nearest branch above his head. There were some fruits on it, but they were scattered, so he couldn’t get all of them, unless he broke the entire branch. He tried, but his hands didn’t have the strength that it used to. It was too much exertion.

Zhao Xi looked on as he tried, thinking perhaps it was difficult for him and maybe she should just let it go. She, of course, couldn’t help but admire his hands though. They seemed to be carved from white jade, looking almost pearlescent. He knew she was looking and felt embarrassed. He didn’t want to disappoint her, so he tried one last time, with all his remaining energy to break it. Thankfully, the branch wasn’t very long, so he managed to do it.

“Thank you!” said Zhao Xi, and he was glad to make her happy.

“Can we go back down now?” he asked, hoping she would say yes. But, alas, Zhao Xi was unrelenting.

She wanted to pick more fruits, so she climbed higher. Shen Fei watched helplessly as she picked fruits and let it fall to the ground to collect there.

Zhao Xi, meanwhile, was enjoying the moment as much as she could. She liked that Shen Fei was pressed so close to her, and that his hands were wrapped around her. She liked his face resting on her shoulders. She didn’t want this to end. So, she climbed higher, and picked more fruits, until she deemed the pile of fruits on the ground enough to last them for a few days. Seeing this, Shen Fei hoped that they would return to the ground, but soon realized that his expectation was unfounded. She climbed higher and higher until she reached the crown of the tree.

“Look! Isn’t it splendid?” she asked, parting the short branches at the front.

Shen Fei looked, then, at the vast expanse of nature before him. He could see the endless mountains and forests. He could see the streams sparkling in the morning, blushing sun. The green stretch of vegetation under the measureless, azure sky took his breath away. He could see Zhao Xi’s cottage and the surrounding crops, just a speck in the vastness. He could even see the small secluded space near her cottage where she had planted her precious medicinal herbs. In the middle of this infinite, cosmic presence, he felt stranded by a small thread of life. He felt comforted and amazed in the warmth of the arising sun.

“Why are you so silent? Are you okay?” asked Zhao Xi, trying to look back at him.

“I am just…this is beautiful,” he said, unable to accurately articulate what he was feeling.

Zhao Xi smiled to herself. She had coerced him and woven a net and practically hauled him up against his will. She had felt guilty and uncertain for doing that, but she wanted to show him this view to make him have a little hope. She couldn’t bear to have him look despairing all the time. And it had worked! All she wanted was just a word of assurance, just an indication that he hadn’t given up on life.

After a moment on the trees, Zhao Xi began to make her way down to the ground. She was very cautious in doing so because she didn’t want to slip and fall. Shen Fei would suffer more than her for the fall.

After finding her feet on the ground, she began to untie the ropes. The knots were so tight that she found it difficult to untie them.

He stilled her hand, “Let me do it. Sit down somewhere.”

So, she sat, and the ropes were a bit less taut. He was trying to untie them as best as he could. Since his hands weren’t fully up to their potential, the process was painstakingly slow. It was too much effort for him. She stood up.

“Just let it be. We will fix it when we get home. I will just carry you,” she said.

“Wait! I can get it to open…,” he objected, but Zhao Xi was already bending down to pick the fruits and he was flung forward. He complained all the way, but she refused to listen. She knew that it was so petty of her to be annoyed like this, but she couldn’t help feeling that he was putting so much effort in untying the ropes to get away from her.

He could do nothing but grumble and hold onto her. The mud had gotten all over his hands as well. He was very strict about cleanliness. She took him to a river and wiped his hands for him, but he didn’t seem so forthcoming anymore.

She knew that she had offended him, carrying him like this. When she finally reached home, she cut away the ropes and heated the water to give him a bath. She knew that he liked his bath more than anything else.

He seemed to relax and brighten up, but it didn’t last long. His face grew cloudy again as he realized that Zhao Xi had shaved him.