Liu Piao and Zhang Ermu embraced for a long time as they were reluctant to part. When he was bitten by mosquitoes, Zhang Ermu finally let her go and said, "It’s late, go inside. I will come to find you again tomorrow."
Liu Piao looked around and saw no one, so she stood on tiptoes and kissed his lips gently. After that, she turned around and ran towards the house.
Zhang Ermu smiled and touched his lips as he watched until Liu Piao disappeared into the house before climbing onto his cart and heading home. His heart is full of hope for their future.
When he reached home, the house was shrouded in darkness, with only a small oil lamp illuminating the living room.
After parking the cart inside the shed, he carried the items he had bought into the house and saw his mother dozing off while leaning on her chair. Seeing her, Zhang Ermu’s eyes softened.
He placed the items on the table and lightly patted his mother’s arm while whispering, "Mother, you should sleep in the room. You will catch a cold if you sleep here."
Feeling the pat, Mother Zhang opened her eyes and looked at her son in a daze. After a moment, she regained her senses and said, "Ermu, you are back."
Zhang Ermu nodded and said, "Mother, you should go to sleep."
Mother Zhang rubbed her eyes before asking, "Have you eaten?"
"I haven’t, but I will make something to eat," Zhang Ermu replied.
Standing up, Mother Zhang said, "You go take a bath. Mother will make egg noodles for you."
Knowing that his mother had been waiting for him, Zhang Ermu didn’t refuse and said, "Mother, I will put these things in my room. You can check them tomorrow."
Glancing at the fabric and cotton, Mother Zhang nodded. "Good."
After his mother went to the kitchen, Zhang Ermu carried the fabric and cotton into his small room and lit the small oil lamp. Then, he went to the well to take a shower. The well water was cold, but it felt refreshing as it splashed onto his hot skin.
Every time he recalled being kissed by Liu Piao, he felt hot and restless. Shaking his head, he poured a bucket of water over himself to cool down.
With water dripping from his hair, he glanced at his lower body and muttered, "Zhang Ermu, stop thinking about that."
He continued splashing cold water on himself for ten minutes before finally calming down. After changing into fresh clothes, he went to the kitchen, where his mother had finished cooking.
Seeing her son, Mother Zhang pointed to the low stool and said, "Ermu, sit down and eat."
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