CH extra 1.2

When his heartstrings get tugged on, Yang Mo would reach out to pat his head – Yang Mo really like to do so and Han Shi Yu also seemed to have made a habit out of it.

When Yang Mo reached out his hand, Han Shi Yu would raise his head a little and obediently go nearer on his own before Yang Mo even touched him.

Just like a Shiba Inu that rest its chin on its master’s hand.

Han Shi Yu habitually let Yang Mo pat his head as he “debated” with that unbeatable rooster.

Yang Mo grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him back, laughing out loud, “Are you that childish.”

Han Shi Yu replied truthfully, “I am.”

Old Yang came over, rolled up his loose sleeves and took out two eggs from his pocket, passing them to Han Shi Yu. He took them and they still felt warm.

Old Yang pointed at the chicken coop with his chin and said, “These just got laid. Take it back and eat them with noodles.”

Han Shi Yu raised an eyebrow and waved the rooster goodbye with the two eggs in his hand.

The proud chicken seemed to have never been “humiliated” by this kind of provocation, so it flapped its wings in anger, bending its neck to the sky and let out a loud cry.

After that cry, summer woke up.

Even as noon arrived, Yang Han was still sleepy and yawning.

She was wearing a sun hat that was two times bigger than her head. Afraid that it would fall off when she walked, Yang Han held it down by its brim as she walked on the stone edge by the roadside as if it was a single-log bridge.

Old Yang managed to find a white dress with some flowers on it, which fitted her just right. Big Pup and Pup the Second were around her, sometimes pouncing on the fluttering hem of her dress.

There weren’t many people on this country road, only a few bicycles would occasionally drive by.

Liu Zuo Ye was following behind her, picking a small wildflower along the way. It had yellow pistils and white petals. She tucked it into Yang Han’s hat while they chatted.

Yang Han didn’t notice it, so Liu Zuo Ye continued to tuck in more flowers as they walked on.

By the time they reached the vegetable garden, her hat was already full of summer flowers.

Yang Han still didn’t notice it.

She spotted Han Shi Yu and Yang Mo from afar with their trousers pulled up, resting in the shade of the big tree, sitting on top of the stone wall. She couldn’t tell what they were talking about though.

She held down the brim of her hat and ran over. A few flowers fell off while she did that as Liu Zuo Ye picked them up and tucked them back for her.

“Dad!”

Yang Han found it amusing, so she put her slippers aside and sat down side-by-side with them with her bare feet, lightly swinging her legs back and forth.

“Finally awake?” Han Shi Yu said.

Old Yang brought over a few slices of watermelon that was chilled in the well, passing them to Han Lang and the others.

Liu Zuo Ye politely said, “Thank you, auntie.”

The hat was in her way, so Yang Han took it off and gently put it on her grandmother’s head. Han Lang thanked her with a smile. Only then did Yang Han saw the flowers stuck all over the hat.

Knowing this must be Liu Zuo Ye’s handiwork and realizing the fact that she actually wore it all the way to the vegetable garden, she turned towards her and puffed up her cheeks, “What are you doing!”

Liu Zuo Ye raised her eyebrow, took a small bite of the watermelon slice and said, “It looked good on you.”

The time felt as long as the cicadas’ cries. They sat on the stone wall as they listened to Old Yang’s nagging as a pastime.

Yang Han said she felt sleepy again, so Old Yang rode the rickshaw and said, “Get on.”

The old tricycle creaked a few times, as if it had regained life, like a stubborn old man. It carried Yang Han and Liu Zuo Ye who climbed on and Han Lang, who got on as well with the help of Old Yang who pulled her upwards.

Old Yang carried a tricycle filled with girls which seemed to have made the corners of his mouth curve upwards a little sweeter than usual. He “left” his two sons behind, and only after he had gone quite a distance before saying, “Go back on your own, both of you—”

Yang Mo: “.”

Han Shi Yu: “.”

After the tricycle had went far away, Yang Mo split the rest of the watermelon with Han Shi Yu.

There was a small stream adjacent to the vegetable farm, where the two of them could clearly see where they were sitting at.

A man and woman were talking and giggling away by the stream, picking a few reed shoots to chew in their mouths as they held hands and paced around.

Han Shi Yu suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotions. He gently grabbed Yang Mo’s head and held it down on his shoulder.

“……” Yang Mo said, “What are you doing….”

Han Shi Yu closed his eyes and slightly tilted his head. His cheek brushed against Yang Mo’s hair that carried a refreshing scent. As if he was drunk in the cicada cries, he said, “If I had come here earlier, then Ji Xun might likely not have existed.”

Yang Mo: “?”

“I’d indulge in pleasure and forget about my duties.” Han Shi Yu said, “I would have wanted to stay here for the rest of my life.”

Yang Mo smiled, “How capable of you then.”

There was no work here, no hot searches, no conspiracies or public opinion. So there was no need to put on a façade or be overly polite. The Han Shi Yu who could call upon the storm or hail on television was just an ordinary person.

Openly showing their emotions and feelings under the sun like this; another day would pass by quickly. Rolling in the mud and stones, watching the budding plants that God had planted, living with the abundance of food and cloth, sitting side by side with your lover like this; a lifetime would easily pass by.

Han Shi Yu proposed, “Let’s spend our life in retirement here.”

He sure liked thinking about growing old.

Yang Mo stood up and straightened his back before saying, “You haven’t retired yet, president.”

Han Shi Yu wanted to tilt Yang Mo’s head over again, but unexpected had it turned against himself as he ended up “snuggling” on Yang Mo’s shoulder instead.

Han Shi Yu laughed, accepting the position he was currently in and shifted to a more comfortable way of leaning on Yang Mo’s shoulder as he looked up to the sky.

Yang Mo took a cattail and gentle fanned him.

Han Shi Yu: “Mo.”

Yang Mo: “Hm?”

Han Shi Yu: “There’s a cicada on the tree, I just saw it.”

Yang Mo: “Oh.”

He said, “Didn’t think you’d recognize a cicada.”

In Yang Mo’s memory, Han Shi Yu who couldn’t distinguish between leeks and wheat, was a lazy young master who hardly moved a finger.

He replied, “…I’ve at least seen them on books.”

Yang Mo said, “They can be eaten.”

Han Shi Yu: “!”

He tilted his head and looked at Yang Mo backwards, “How?”

Yang Mo: “Dad knows how to fry them with oil.”

Yang Mo recalled the sticky cicadas he bought by the snack store when he was younger. His memories flowed out like the floodgates had been opened. He didn’t know if they were still selling it now, but he suddenly really wanted to share his childhood happiness with Han Shi Yu.

“Let’s go to the snack store.” Yang Mo told him like he was talking to a child, lightly patting him with the cattail, “I’m going to buy you something fun.”

Han Shi Yu blinked and said with surprise, “Ah?”

On the way back, Han Shi Yu swung their hands together with each step he took as he mumbled on and on about the things that would be happening in the future.

Yang Mo would listen quietly but attentively on the side, occasionally replying with a few ’en’. He would look at his side profile sometimes too, suddenly looking forward to night time where his eyes would be look like a lake overflowing with a sky of stars.

They have already passed their most youthful age, but they can now hold each other’s hand as they walk down this little path without any worries.

The summer days are long, but they will continue walking slowly.