UGB Chapter 34 Well Girl
Chapter 34 Well Girl
Song Quyou put down his brush, stretched, and looked at the stacks of written yellow talismans neatly piled on the corner of the table. He felt a sense of satisfaction that he couldn't quite describe.
The moonlight outside the window was like water, illuminating the old well in the backyard with a faint glow.
The girl timidly leaned over the edge of the well, only her bright and beautiful eyes showing, gazing intently at Song Quyou by the window.
Song Quyou also noticed her. At first, he thought she was a vengeful ghost transformed from the soul of someone who drowned in the well. But now it seemed that she had a clear and pure aura and no fierceness in her body. He figured she was a spirit from the bottom of the well. So he didn't bother with her. After all, it was better for humans and spirits to live in their own worlds. Less disturbance, less interaction, and more respect and politeness.
Song Quyou closed the window and lay down on the bed. This was a rare good night's sleep for him on his journey.
I slept very soundly, without even having a dream.
I was woken up by birdsong this morning. The birds in Qiantang are more talkative than elsewhere, chirping and chattering as if they have endless whispers to share.
Gentle morning light streamed in through the cracks in the window, drawing golden lines on the floor. Song Quyou, who had just opened his eyes, slumped on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the golden lines on the floor.
If it weren't for the aroma of food from next door, making his stomach rumble unbearably, Song Quyou would have just wanted to stay in bed all day.
Pushing open the door, the blue brick ground in the courtyard was swept clean, and the grass clippings that he had shattered with his sword energy yesterday were nowhere to be seen. The weeds in the cracks of the stone steps had also been pulled out and neatly stacked in the corner.
Walking into the backyard, I saw that all the abandoned fields had been turned over, and the dark, wet soil looked as if it had just been watered.
Song Quyou walked around the yard, and when he passed the kitchen, he noticed that there was still smoke inside, and a chubby-faced girl in a red dress was sneaking a bite.
"Skylark, why are you out here? Didn't you say you were going to cultivate in the Emerald Pine Cave Heaven?"
Yun Que, holding the bowl, turned her head and said, "Eat quickly, eat quickly. This girl is not only beautiful, but her cooking is also superb."
Song Quyou went inside and saw Yun Que sitting on a small stool by the stove, with three or four bowls and plates in front of her. Her cheeks were bulging from eating, and she didn't look like a fairy bird at all. Instead, she looked like a sparrow that had stolen grain.
There was another person standing next to the stove.
It was the girl from the well last night.
She had changed into dry clothes, a moon-white shirt with a light blue outer garment draped over it. Her hair was casually tied back with a blue rope, a few stray strands falling beside her temples, making her neck appear even whiter. She was tiptoeing to reach the bamboo basket on the wall, revealing a slender wrist adorned with a silver bracelet that swayed gently with her movements.
Hearing footsteps, the girl turned around and met Song Quyou's gaze.
The moment their eyes met, the girl seemed to be frozen in place, her tiptoes still raised and her hands still hanging in mid-air. Her face flushed red at a visible speed, burning from the base of her neck all the way to the tips of her ears, and finally even her forehead turned pink.
For some reason, Song Quyou felt that this girl was more beautiful than any other woman he had ever seen.
She hurriedly withdrew her hand, her fingertips tapping the edge of the bamboo basket, but she seemed not to feel any pain. She quickly picked up a steaming porcelain bowl from the stove and handed it to Song Quyou.
Looking at the perfectly thick white porridge in front of him, with the rice grains blooming open, Song Quyou smiled and accepted it, saying, "Thank you, young lady."
As he took the bowl of porridge, the steam from the white porridge enveloped Song Quyou's face, carrying a faint aroma of rice.
A sip of this warms both the body and the heart during the cold winter.
The girl looked at Song Quyou, then picked up a plate of exquisite pickled vegetables from the stove and handed it to him. Song Quyou picked up some without hesitation, ate it, and found it salty, fresh, crisp, and tender.
The girl watched Song Quyou eat with relish, and couldn't help but purse her lips and smile happily, her eyes crinkling with heart-stirring tears.
After eating most of his meal, Song Quyou suddenly remembered something and looked at the girl who was staring blankly at him, saying:
"My name is Song Quyou, and I do not yet know your name, young lady."
The girl stood there, and when she saw Song Quyou looking over, she twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, unsure of where to look.
At this moment, Yun Que repeated, "He said his name is Song Quyou and he wants to know your name."
The girl, who had only just come to her senses, had lost the courage she had when she handed out the porridge. Now, all that remained was a flushed face and white steam rising from her head. She opened her mouth, but it felt like her throat was stuffed with cotton, and she could only manage a few trembling sounds after a long while.
Finally, he ran out in a panic and fled to the backyard.
The lark swallowed a mouthful of porridge and mumbled, "It ran away."
Song Quyou looked at Yun Que and said, "What's wrong with this girl? She looks at me strangely, and she can't speak."
Yun Que licked the bamboo chopsticks in her hand, glanced at Song Quyou, and said, "Before you came, Miss Jing and I were having a great chat, but as soon as you arrived, she stopped talking."
Song Quyou narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and based on his memories of experiences that felt like living on a dog's back, concluded that the girl must have been shy because she hadn't seen a stranger for many years.
……
She ran incredibly fast, her skirt fluttering beneath her light blue coat like a startled kingfisher, disappearing in the blink of an eye into the corner of the house and leaping into the ancient well.
Once in the water, the girl kept touching her burning cheeks; the scalding temperature made her panic.
She huddled at the bottom of the water, her long, dark hair spread out like seaweed, her clothes fluttering gently in the water. The scene from just now replayed in her mind again and again.
Her pale pink lips kept murmuring the name "Song Quyou." After she finished, she hurriedly covered her mouth and looked at the well, as if afraid that someone would hear her.
The water rippled, and she curled up into a ball, burying her face in her knees, only her two bright red ears showing.
The little thumb-sized figures in the corner look at the well emitting thick white steam. The older ones smile knowingly, while the younger ones ask silly questions.
……
The next morning, Song Quyou got up earlier than the day before. When he opened the door, he saw an old fox carrying a load of vegetables in the courtyard.
The old fox wasn't afraid of people. When he saw Song Quyou, he waved his hand, smiled kindly, and carried his load out of the courtyard.
Song Quyou frowned and gave it a deep look. This fox was larger than the average fox, with glossy white fur and a bushy tail that dragged behind it as it walked, but it carried an air of resentment.
Bamboo baskets hung from both ends of the carrying pole, filled with freshly picked greens and radishes, the leaves still covered in frost.
Miss Jing walked out of the kitchen with a spatula, waved to the departing old fox, and said, "Uncle, take care."
Her voice was gentle, like spring rain falling on the water's surface, rippling outwards in concentric circles, softening one's heart.
The old fox turned around, bowed slightly to the girl in the well, and waved his hand.
"So the girl can talk?"
Song Quyou knew, of course, that the girl was eloquent, but seeing that she was easily embarrassed, he couldn't help but want to tease her.
When Miss Jing heard the sound, she froze, her face flushed red, and she almost dropped the spatula in her hand. She hurriedly turned around and rushed into the kitchen.
Song Quyou followed her into the kitchen and saw her standing in front of the stove with her back to him, busy with something. The tips of her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.
Song Quyou sat on a bench and added some firewood to the stove.
"Miss Jing," Song Quyou called out.
The girl didn't respond, but she quickened her pace as she flipped the food with the spatula.
Seeing that the girl was easily teased, Song Quyou stopped talking and silently began to assist her.
Suddenly, a rainbow-colored light flew from the main room to the kitchen, transforming into the familiar appearance of a young girl.
"You all got up quite early."
The lark hopped excitedly to the stove, stood on tiptoe, and peered into the pot. "What delicious food are we making today?"
Miss Jing's ears were still red, but her hands had already steadied. She ladled out a bowl of porridge and handed it to Yun Que, then ladled out another bowl, hesitated for a moment, and turned to hand it to Song Qu You.
"Thank you, young lady."
After quietly finishing his breakfast, Song Quyou noticed that the girl in the well seemed particularly uncomfortable in his presence.
Kind-hearted Song Quyou decided not to linger any longer and left the space to Yun Que and Miss Jing.
After finishing breakfast, I hurriedly headed out to the market to buy some yellow paper and cinnabar to draw more talismans for future use.
"Miss Jing, you don't need to cook lunch for me. I'm going out for a bit. Also, there's thirty taels of silver on the table in the main room. Feel free to take it if you need to buy groceries or other necessities."
Inside the kitchen, Miss Jing clutched the hem of her dress tightly with both hands, wanting to speak, but unable to utter a word.
Song Quyou, carrying his sword and wearing a bamboo hat, waved his hand and left the mansion, disappearing at the end of the bluestone path.