Chapter 11 Digging Ditches in the Orchard

Yan Moshan subconsciously hid the cornstalks behind his back and braced himself to meet her. "Auntie, have you come to the field to have a look?"

Liu Shuying smiled slightly, revealing two small dimples. "I'm here to pick some corns. Wensen wants to eat boiled corns." Wensen was Second Fool's real name. Everyone called him Second Fool because he spoke and acted without thinking, often making himself a laughingstock.

"I saw Wensen catching eels this morning. Is he still eating boiled corns?" Yan Moshan smiled mischievously.

Liu Shuying also smiled and did not respond. When she reached her own cornfield and saw some traces, she turned to look at Yan Moshan and pointed her finger, "Moshan, have you been harming my cornfield again?"

Yan Moshan's face reddened slightly, but he wasn't too worried because he believed Liu Shuying to be educated. Liu Shuying liked to put her hair up neatly into a bun, tucking it neatly behind her head. Her face was pretty, especially when she laughed and her dimples showed—Yan Moshan felt very comfortable and energetic whenever he saw her.

"Auntie, I only dug up one stalk, just a small one."

Yan Moshan entered his house, lay down comfortably on the bamboo mat, and lazily stretched. He then picked up the "Super Quality Fortune Teller" from beside his bed and began reading. He had bought this book at a street stall in the town market and had asked the stall owner if they had "Love Seeking Record." The owner glanced at him sideways and said no, but that they had something even better. So Yan Moshan really did buy it, sneaking back with it. Upon opening it, he cursed, "This darned con artist, the book's full of ellipses, it's a scam!" But after reading a few pages, he couldn't put it down; the descriptions made his blood surge.

It was from that moment on that Yan Moshan really started to notice women. Occasionally he would think, someday wouldn't it be nice to have fun with a woman like the book described? To see if it was really that enjoyable. He had flipped through that book dozens of times, the pages were now soft; he kept scheming when to go to the town market and buy another to read.

Suddenly, Big Old Hei, the dog, barked ferociously. Yan Moshan knew for sure that it must be a stranger arriving and hurriedly got up to see. It turned out to be Second Fool, "Moshan, Moshan!" he shouted breathlessly from a distance.

"What are you shouting for? I can hear you!" Yan Moshan leaned against the bamboo fence door, looking at Second Fool running towards him, sweating profusely.

"If I don't shout, you won't come out. Your Big Old Hei is really fierce towards me." Second Fool wiped his sweat, his face red from the heat.

"Bring your A'hua to let Big Old Hei have some fun with her, I guarantee he won't be fierce to you," Yan Moshan said with a mischievous grin.

"Then, next time I'll bring A'hua." Second Fool laughed foolishly. "Didn't you say this morning that I could come and eat some fruit whenever I wanted? Well, here I am!"

"Oh, you want fruit, huh? There's plenty left, all over the orchard, help yourself. Oh, and there's watermelon, super sweet too." Yan Moshan was a bit fed up with these fruits; seeing Second Fool still so interested, he didn't hesitate at all.

"Great, then I'm off!" Second Fool turned and ran towards the orchard. For all his simplicity, Second Fool had quite some strength. Yan Moshan had an idea and called out to him, "Second Fool, do you want to come and eat fruit every day?"

"Sure do!" said Second Fool, delighted.

"Alright." Yan Moshan pointed to a shovel on the ground. "You come with me to dig a drainage ditch in the field. You can eat fruit while you dig. I'll let you come and eat every day."

Second Fool immediately agreed, eager to come and eat every day.

Yan Moshan took Second Fool into the orchard, gave him two big red apples to eat, and then set him to work digging the ditch, while he himself found a shady spot under a tree to lie down and leisurely swung his crossed legs.

In less than two hours, a deep and straight ditch was dug, and Second Fool was sweaty and exhausted. Worried he might go back and tell Liu Shuying, Yan Moshan picked a fragrant cantaloupe from the field and handed it to Second Fool, saying, "Second Fool, you can't tell anyone about this, including your mom; if they tell my uncle, he will surely scold me for letting you come here, and then you won't get to eat any more fruit!"

"Won't tell. Why would I?" Second Fool crunched into the cantaloupe, very satisfied.

"Are you coming back this afternoon then? There's another drainage ditch to dig, and loads of fruit lying around waiting for you!" Yan Moshan said with a triumphant smile.

"Of course, I'm coming. If there's good food, why wouldn't I? That would be silly!" Second Fool rolled his eyes, and Yan Moshan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Alright, alright, it's settled then. You can go back now."

Second Fool patted his belly, contentedly walked away. Yan Moshan tidied up the house, locked the door, and also headed towards the village, where the village secretary's banquet was waiting for him.