boyutpedia Chapter 9 Gift?
Chapter 9 Gift?
Is it a woman? Xia Jin'an immediately retreated to a corner where the woman wouldn't notice.
Zhongtian glanced at Xia Jin'an, walked out, and closed the door, blocking the woman's view outside.
Standing outside was a beggar. Even though she had washed her face, her tattered clothes, barely covering her body, and her thin body that looked like she was about to collapse all revealed her identity as a poor and pitiful person.
"Master, here is the wine you requested."
She stood there somewhat anxiously, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet. She was a beggar disliked by everyone, and no one would care about her. Only this person trusted her, did not mind her filth, and was willing to let her deliver expensive wine to her home.
Nakata checked it over, his gaze sweeping lightly across the other person's face. "Thank you! Here are the agreed two coins, and one more coin to thank you for delivering it on time."
"What's your name?"
“...My name is Jin Xia.”
Jin Xia awkwardly placed the coin in her hand, but at that moment her stomach rumbled inappropriately; she had been hungry for too long, and her face instantly turned red.
"Master, I'll be on my way right away."
"No, it's fate that we met. There's still some food inside. Have some before you go."
She wanted to refuse, but she was so hungry: "...Okay."
Xia Jin'an, carrying the curtain, put down the food and left quietly.
Seeing Jin Xia wolfing down her food, Zhong Tian thought for a moment and said, "Girl, I have a business opportunity..."
...
Jin Xia felt even more uneasy than when she left. Her heart seemed to be floating on the clouds, unable to settle down. Her master had given her a task and some money, and she didn't know if she could complete the task assigned to her by her master.
Xia Jin'an stood there quietly, his thoughts filled not only with the gift Zhong Tian had entrusted to him, but also with the touch of red in Zhong Tian's hand. She hadn't even known when she was injured?
After Jin Xia left, Xia Jin'an waved to Xia Jin'an, who walked over and her gaze was fixed on Xia Jin'an's hand.
"your hands…"
"...It's alright..."
Zhongtian brought Jinxia, took out some of the wine, closed his eyes, and ruthlessly poured it on his hands, which burned.
"Jin'an, if you get injured on your hand or body, you must go to a doctor or disinfect it with strong liquor, otherwise you will get tetanus, which can be fatal if it gets serious."
Tetanus? What is that? Xia Jin'an had never heard of it, but he knew she was concerned about him.
After disinfecting his hands, Zhongtian took out a small amount of wine and set it aside. Then, he carefully put the cap back on and placed it in Xia Jin'an's hand. "Jin'an, you can keep this wine!"
The gift is here! His surprised expression was clearly barely concealed.
"Haha, just kidding. I used to be an alcoholic, but I get drunk as soon as I touch alcohol. You keep this wine, but don't let me know where you put it!"
Xia Jin'an hesitated for a moment: "If you want to drink, then drink. I will take good care of you." Then, remembering what Zhong Tian said about her being violent and acting crazy when she drank, she added with some fear: "...It's better not to drink. Drinking is bad for your health."
"This is the gift!" Nakata took out a piece of sky-blue fabric.
"This is for you. It's not good for you to always wear my clothes. I originally wanted to buy ready-made clothes, but... something happened, so I could only buy fabric. I heard that you all know how to tailor and embroider, so I made you a dress that you like."
Xia Jin'an touched the fabric and felt its delicate texture, guessing that it must be quite expensive.
He was immediately filled with shame and embarrassment. He had been wearing women's clothes all day, which was truly shameless. Nakata himself lived in such a dilapidated house, yet he was willing to give him fabric to make clothes.
Xia Jin'an's eyes were brimming with tears, which made Zhong Tian feel a little embarrassed. "As a way of repaying you, could you make me a wallet? It doesn't have to be big, just something to wear around my waist."
In ancient times, there was no mobile payment, and all money had to be carried with you, which was quite inconvenient for Nakata, who was used to mobile payment.
"it is good…"
...
Having bought everything, Zhongtian soaked the knife in alcohol for a few minutes, then picked it up and, sharpening it, headed to the pigpen. The three piglets raised their front hooves, ready to attack.
Nakata didn't care at all. He grabbed one of the piglets by the leg, secured it, and with a few swift strokes of his knife, the once lively wild boars lay there listlessly.
Xia Jin'an finished arranging the fabric and then saw this scene, which puzzled him.
"Master, this..."
"Hehe, this way the pigs will be free from worldly desires and will only sleep all day, fatten up, and the meat will be tender and delicious. They can be sold after 12 months."
Xia Jin'an reminded him, "Pork has a foul smell, and wealthy families consider it a lowly commodity, so it doesn't fetch a good price at all."
"My pig is different..."
As for where things were different, Xia Jin'an didn't know, but he simply trusted Zhong Tian.
...
Xia Jin'an cooked plain porridge again that night, mainly because supplies were scarce on the mountain and there were no other ingredients. Zhong Tian was thinking that next time he went down the mountain, he would at least buy some pork, beef, and mutton, so that he would have some meat. Otherwise, he would feel weak all day.
It gets dark early in the mountains. After dinner, it got gloomy. Zhongtian, who hadn't slept well since yesterday, felt dizzy and lightheaded.
Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind!
There is only one room, and only one bed in the room. There are two of them, a woman and a man.
Men and women should not touch each other!
Zhongtian was torn. Should she take care of herself and let herself rest, sleeping in the bed herself, or, in a matriarchal society, uphold ladylike manners and give the bed to Xia Jin'an?
Finally, she made a decision! She would sleep in the bed! She was exhausted, and she would be very sad to sleep on the floor. She was working hard to support her family, but she couldn't even get a good night's sleep.
Fortunately, it's summer now, and we can lay out blankets on the floor to pass the night.
Feeling a little guilty, Zhongtian placed the bedding on the floor: "Jin'an...you sleep on the floor."
He thought Xia Jin'an would look incredulous and accuse him of being a heartless and cruel woman who didn't know how to cherish women.
To everyone's surprise, Xia Jin'an accepted it calmly, without even considering raising any objections.
Xia Jin'an had no objections! The bed was meant for its owner, and he was very clear about his own identity.
His innocence was ruined by others, and he was forced to follow Nakata without any clear reason, having willingly degraded himself for survival. How could he possibly be worthy of sharing a bed with his master? It was already a great favor that his master was merciful enough not to throw him out.
Feeling guilty, Zhongtian lay on the bed. Looking at Zhongtian sleeping on the floor, he felt rather embarrassed and explained, "I will go down the mountain tomorrow and ask a carpenter to make a reclining chair. You can rest there."
As for why a recliner? Because the room is too small to fit two beds.
Xia Jin'an turned to look at Zhong Tian, her eyes brimming with gratitude, "Yes, thank you, master!" This expression of thanks made Zhong Tian feel guilty.
The night in the mountains was extremely quiet, with no human voices, only the chirping of insects. Zhongtian originally wanted to chat with Xia Jin'an for a few words, but his eyelids kept drooping, and he fell asleep.
Xia Jin lay quietly on the ground, not feeling comfortable. Although he wasn't living a life of luxury in the Xia family, he was still well-off. His skin should have turned red by now.
He listened carefully to Zhongtian's breathing, which had changed from heavy to long and even, indicating that he must have fallen asleep.
Although Xia Jin'an was extremely exhausted, he found it difficult to sleep. This was the first time he had been so close to a woman. Would he continue to follow Zhong Tian in this ambiguous way? His thoughts were like a tangled mess, tangled and chaotic.
However, his thoughts became clearer and clearer. Men depend on women for survival. No matter how despicable Zhongtian was, he still wanted to climb into her bed, enter her heart, and be a respectable and virtuous husband.
He sat up, hugged himself tightly, leaned against the window, and let his thoughts drift further and further away with the moonlight.
At night, Zhongtian was parched and wanted to get up for a drink of water. As soon as he opened his eyes, Xia Jinzai woke up and said, "Master, do you need some water? I'll get it for you."