fourteenth
1
Without the boat, Wen Xuan had to stay on the shore to accompany Xi 'er. Sometimes, they would read the same book together and argue endlessly about the characters in it. Xi 'er was more of a romantic figure. Wen Xuan, on the other hand, liked more realistic characters. This time, Xi 'er leaned against the window and opened a book to read.
"The moonlight no longer shines through the glass windows. The room was completely dark now. However, the old man still sat in the chair with his hands folded, his eyes staring at the empty room. The darkness around him gradually turned into a dark sea. The black waves kept rolling forward, deeper and further away. The last wave rolled far away. The old man's eyes were almost invisible. There was a white water lily on the surface of the water. It floated alone in the middle of the huge lotus leaves.”。
"What is it? What a joke!" Wen Xuan reached out to wipe the sweat off his face and turned to look at Xi 'er.
Wen Xuan prepared to build a long and flat narrow table in the courtyard to build a canoe. In order to clear a spot in the courtyard. He cut off the roses near the porch. Only rose roots were left on the ground. He planned to build a canoe in a month. At that time, the new rose buds would be exposed. On the porch were piles of cut and polished wooden planks. He pushed the wooden scraper in his hand and scratched the wooden table. The wood shavings slid out and flew into the air. They spun, rolled into a circle, and fell to the ground. Not long after, the ground was covered with wooden flowers. The smell of wood wafted through the air.
"Yinmeng Lake." Xi 'er looked back at the cover and said," I just finished reading it.”
"Why is there such a book?" Wen Xuan took off his hat and fanned his face." How do you feel after reading it?"”
"I found it under the bookcase. It was a pity that the two of them could not be together.”Xi 'er said.
"You only have this thought after looking for so long. It would be better to look at Capital. At least, there was no such passage.”Wen Xuan said.
"It's said to be unreachable and regrettable.”Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan stepped on the wooden plank and went up the porch. He leaned against the window and looked inside. Xi 'er stuffed the book into his hand and turned around to bring him a cup of tea.
"Fortunately, it's not very long. Usually, this kind of writing won't be long." Wen Xuan said.
"The story is quite short." Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan took the cup of tea and poured it into his mouth. He looked outside. His gaze went past the rose bushes and landed on the path by the beach. There, the doctor was carrying a bag and riding his bicycle slowly.
"Sigh, my bones are going to fall apart this time.”the doctor said to the two of them as he leaned the car against the guardrail outside the courtyard. He walked into the rose bush and looked back at the blooming roses from time to time.
Xi 'er turned around and handed him another cup of tea. Wen Xuan took the tea and handed it to the doctor who was still staring at the roses on the porch.
"Your place is really strange. It's so far from the village. Huang Yaoshi has a Peach Blossom Island, but you have a Rose Island.”the doctor said as he finished his tea.
"This is the first time I've heard someone say that." Wen Xuan said.
"Is that so? You don't usually have many people here, right?”the doctor asked.
Wen Xuan nodded and turned to look at Xi 'er. His gaze met Xi 'er's smiling gaze.
The doctor opened his bag and took out a bag of things. He handed it to Wen Xuan and said,""Why do you need these shoes? Even I, who's about to die, feel that these are old-fashioned.”
"This is for someone else." Wen Xuan said.
The doctor glanced at the wooden planks of the footsteps, then looked at the workbench in the courtyard and asked,""What are they doing?"
"Canoe." Wen Xuan said.
"You want to do it yourself? What kind of wood is this?" the doctor asked.
"Xue Song." Wen Xuan said.
"How did you do it?" the doctor said.
"The crew brought it for me." Wen Xuan said.
"You really know how to torment." the doctor said. He looked up at the porch and then into the bamboo shed.
"Let's check Xi 'er first." Wen Xuan said.
The doctor entered the room. He could only help Xi 'er do some simple examinations and suggested that she go to a regular doctor for a detailed examination.
"Do we still have to go to the hospital?" Wen Xuan asked.
"Of course, I didn't even check it. In addition, she still needed to go to the hospital to give birth. It was better to go to the hospital for a check-up first. They will tell you the exact date of delivery. I can only give a rough idea.”the doctor said.
Wen Xuan followed the doctor out the door and stood on the porch. He looked back at Xi 'er who was sitting on the chair and said,""I don't have any experience either. What should I pay attention to?"
"Give her more nutrition." The doctor waved his hand as if he was fanning the heat off his face. "The scenery here is quite good. Facing the sea, the flowers bloom in spring." the doctor said.
"I just want to find a quiet place.”Wen Xuan said.
"You're considering her, right?" the doctor said.
"At that time, it was also good for her.”Wen Xuan said.
The doctor walked a few steps down the porch and his eyes fell on his face. He narrowed his eyes and looked back at Wen Xuan, then at Xi 'er in the room. Facing the two of them, the wrinkles on his face curled up.
"There are some things that I don't know if I should say.”the doctor said.
Wen Xuan took a step forward and placed his hand on the doorpost. He lowered his head and looked at the doctor's bloated and pale face. The pair of presbyopic glasses slid down to the tip of the doctor's nose again, and they shone with a white light. Her narrowed eyes blinked non-stop, unable to resist the pain of the sunlight, and she almost squeezed out tears. The old man was also rubbing his hands. He seemed to be alone and helpless. Perhaps he wanted to reveal something to remind Wen Xuan. Wen Xuan rubbed his eyes and waited.
"The town said that his child was castrated. I don't know who did it.”the doctor said.
Wen Xuan didn't reply. He placed his hands on his waist and shifted his gaze to the messy wooden table.
"What do you think?" the doctor said.
"She confessed to me." Wen Xuan said.
"This is like a child's quarrel. However, they quarreled too fiercely and started fighting.”the doctor said.
"Do you think so?" Wen Xuan said.
"It doesn't matter what I think. The key is to look at you." the doctor said.
"What can I do? Send her to the police station?" Wen Xuan asked.
"That's not it. There are too many differences between you and them. In addition, you are the one who is truly in this vortex. Sometimes, these things made you physically and mentally exhausted. Don't you think so?" the doctor said.
"There's nothing different." Wen Xuan said.
"You don't know. You don't know. From the moment you saved that girl, I saw it clearly. I'm curious what you'll do after she confesses to you. After all, she must know what kind of person you are.”the doctor said.
"I slapped her." Wen Xuan lightly hammered the porch and said," Then, he tried to chase her away.”
"Nothing is morally perfect. This was very obvious in terms of people and the country.”The doctor said," I'm a little surprised to see this place of yours.”
"Why?" Wen Xuan said.
"Take a look here." The doctor looked at the blooming rose bushes and said," Take a look at that girl. 12 years of life was a nightmare. Even if she wanted revenge, it was normal. She must have struggled countless times for this, but in the end, she still couldn't calm down and attacked. As for you, I don't know what you experienced when you were outside. But after you came back, you tried to build a perfect home for yourself here. Just like this place and your demands on girls.”
"This is your interpretation." Wen Xuan said.
"I can't deny it. There must be a part of what I said that was correct, or else you would have interrupted me long ago. Perhaps, it can help you see everything from another perspective. For example, perfection itself represented loneliness. Especially in a place like this, where you were alone and without help in terms of morals.”the doctor said.
"Why are you saying this?" Wen Xuan asked.
"I'm old. However, that was a long time ago. Now, I'm older than old. Do you understand? Now, he couldn't even be described as old. He was already half a step into the coffin. I feel like it's about time. There are some things that I have to hurry up and say. I admire you very much, even respect you. It was not easy for an old man to say such words. After all, I've lived for so many years and have seen many things and met many people.”The doctor licked his dry lips and said," There are some things that you shouldn't be too persistent about. It might drag you to death. I don't want you to walk half a circle and be half-dead tired without getting what you deserve. By that time, you realized that my words were useful, but it was already too late. I hope that you can let yourself go in some ways.”the doctor said.
"Don't talk about this. You're my only friend since I came back. You still have a long way to go?" Wen Xuan said.
"I hope so too. But there are some things that we can't change.”The doctor said," Besides, I'm tired too. The children all migrated to Australia. It's time for me to have no worries.”
"You said so many things just to say goodbye to me?”Wen Xuan asked.
"I have to admit that you are my only friend. As for that girl, I've been watching her since she was twelve. I've watched her grow up. You can be considered one too. Therefore, I saw the matter between the two of you clearly. It can even be said that I saw it more clearly than the two of you.”the doctor said.
"What are you trying to say?" Wen Xuan asked.
"The flowering period of roses is very short. They will wither soon." the doctor said.
"Is that really what you want to say?" Wen Xuan asked.
"I won't ask who this child is. Just like what you insisted on in the past. Other than the fact that this matter was related to the person involved, everything else was bullsh * t. I also know that it's definitely not yours. I dare say you haven't touched her either. However, whether you have thought about her feelings for you is the key.”the doctor said.
"She has always been my child. The child in her stomach will also be mine.”Wen Xuan said.
"I knew you would be like this. But can you seriously think about it? Perhaps, there are some things inside that even you don't understand.”the doctor said.
"Aren't you contradicting yourself? If I can't even understand it myself, how can I?”Wen Xuan said.
The doctor smiled. He understood that some of the words had already been heard by the other party, so he did not say anything else. He pointed at the wooden planks on the porch and said,"How did you figure this out?”
"There are blueprints in the book. If he could get a motor, it would be even more convenient.”Wen Xuan said.
"I almost forgot that your father is a physics professor.”the doctor said.
"Associate Professor. During that period of time, he had suffered a lot because of this title.”Wen Xuan said.
"What about you?" the doctor asked.
"Illiterate. At that time, my mother worked in the canteen and earned a lot of money. She had the final say. I didn't go to school when I was a teenager and went out to sea.”Wen Xuan said.
"No wonder you let Xi 'er go to school." the doctor said.
"I let her go to school because normal social interaction is useful for her growth. I just didn't expect that the effect would be the opposite.”Wen Xuan said.
"You have done what you can. The rest can only be left to nature.”The doctor said," It's getting late. I almost forgot what I said. However, you must have remembered some of them. I can tell from your expression. Fortunately, I did what I should do. If there's anything you don't understand, come find me in town. At the very least, the time had not come yet. After a period of time, that might not be the case.”the doctor said.
"Why don't you stay for dinner? I haven't thanked you properly yet. Also, I haven't given you the money yet.”Wen Xuan said.
"No need. Cut some roses for me. I'm going to visit another patient later.”the doctor said.
Wen Xuan cut a few roses for the doctor and placed them on the basket. He asked,""Are you really not staying for dinner?"
"You better think about what I said.”the doctor said.
"You'd better leave quickly." Wen Xuan said.
The doctor pushed the bicycle over and turned around to say,"Also, when are you going to finish that thing?”
"About a month." Wen Xuan said.
"It'll take a month! It'll be too late then." the doctor said.
"What do you mean?" Wen Xuan asked.
"It's nothing. At that time, you can come to me with this pile of wood. It could be parked at the port in front of the clinic. Let's meet again. I want to see what it looks like.”the doctor said.
"Alright." Wen Xuan said.
The doctor waved at Xi 'er, who was in the room, and got on his bicycle.
"He left just like that?" Xi 'er said," No matter what, we have to keep him for a meal.”
"He's busy." Wen Xuan put on his straw hat, went down the porch, and returned to his work desk. He lifted the wooden block and prepared to make a big frame.
"Aren't you going to rest for a while? You've been standing there for half a day." Xi 'er asked.
"I have to hurry up." Wen Xuan glanced at the end of the path and said. Dust flew up there.
2
Wen Xuan drew the outline of the hull's cross-section on the sandwich board. He raised the blueprint and turned his head to stare at the lines on the wooden board, comparing them. He squatted down, measured the size with a tape measure, and wrote it down on the drawing. The setting sun cast a long shadow on the bamboo canopy. It looked like two people working together at the same time. He stopped and stood on the porch, looking at the wooden frame on the workbench. After a while, he poured a cup of tea and turned to look at the red sunset on the sea. Xi 'er walked over and took the blueprint from the workbench to look at it carefully.
"Do we need to use this big frame to support it?”Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan nodded and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"What should I do next?" Xi 'er asked.
"Make a hard board dragon head and add an inner core. Just like this." Wen Xuan pointed at the blueprint and said.
"It'll take a long time for you to do it all by yourself.”Xi 'er said.
"Just don't cause trouble for me." Wen Xuan said.
Xi 'er smiled and put down the blueprint. She raised her chin towards the courtyard and said,""If I don't cause trouble, there will naturally be others.”
Alan was holding the football and running over excitedly. "Uncle, what are you doing?" he asked the pile of wood.”
"Aren, where's your brother?" Wen Xuan asked.
"He wants to study at home." Aren sat down, took a piece of wood, and looked at it carefully.
The skeleton of the dragon bones had already been erected on the side of the pile of wood.
"Uncle, are you going to build a boat?”Aren asked.
"It's a canoe." Wen Xuan said.
"That's great. When the time comes, I want to play too. How should he do it? Let me help you." Aren said.
Xi 'er turned to look at Wen Xuan and smiled.""Your uncle just happens to be lacking a helper.”
"Let me do it. Let me do it. I promise I'll be very obedient. I'll get it done." Aren ran to Wen Xuan and said.
Wen Xuan looked down at Aren and stroked his head tenderly.
"Then what should I do?" Aren looked at the blueprint and said,"I can come every day." Anyway, all her brother knew was to study. He was about to enter the third year of junior high school, so he only studied every day. He doesn't play with me either. I can come over and help."
"Aren't you supposed to be in junior high school? You should also study hard at home." Wen Xuan said.
"Uncle, I get dizzy when I read. It's better to sneak out and play for a while.”Aren said.
"You snuck out? Then hurry home. Only after completing their homework could they join.”Wen Xuan said," In that case, I can give you a few pieces of wood to play with.”
"That's great." Aren clapped and said.
"Go back now. Otherwise, Lil Gui will come looking for you again.”Wen Xuan said.
"Alright then. I'll come over tomorrow." Alan picked up the football and reluctantly went down the porch. He walked along the small island, kicking the ball as he walked.
"This child is naughty." Wen Xuan said.
"Every time I see him. It was always like this. He really likes Uncle." Xi 'er stretched out her hand and placed it on Wen Xuan's shoulder. She pinched his neck and said," Uncle, he might be very similar to you."”
"This is what Xiao Gui is most worried about.”Wen Xuan said.
3
That night, Xi 'er woke up in the middle of the night. She left the room and saw that the lights in the courtyard were still on. She walked to the window and looked at Wen Xuan, who was sitting in a pile of wood and holding a pair of pliers. The door lamp cast a yellow light, illuminating the entire courtyard. Under the light, the flowers seemed to be soaked in a faint fog. Insects and birds chirped softly. The sea surged in the distance, as if it had retreated to the other side of the world. The sound of the waves was low and deep, as if one could hear it from the mountains.
The Milky Way poured down from above, twinkling with stars.
"Why aren't you resting?" Xi 'er asked.
Wen Xuan looked up at Xi 'er, then turned back to look at the blueprint. He took the wooden strip by his feet and compared it.
"Alright, I'll accompany you." Xi 'er said as she took a blanket. She walked to the porch and sat down. She covered her stomach with the blanket and looked at him.
"You'd better go back and rest." Wen Xuan said.
"You too." Xi 'er said.
"I'll go back after I'm done with this." Wen Xuan said.
"Then I'll wait for you." Xi 'er took the book by her feet and casually flipped through it.
Wen Xuan put down the pliers in his hand and stood up. He wiped his sweat and walked to Xi 'er's side, looking down at her.
"I'm not sleepy anyway. You can continue." Xi 'er said.
"I'm sleepy." Wen Xuan pursed his lips and smiled. He looked back at the pile of wood and said," Let's do it tomorrow."”
The next day, Xi 'er was woken up by the sound of a chainsaw before dawn. She sneaked to the porch and pulled down the electric wire. The voice suddenly stopped. She stood in front of the window, her hands leaning against the window as she smiled at Wen Xuan.
Wen Xuan turned around and smiled when he saw Xi 'er. He walked over and turned on the lights.
"Don't move yet. It will light up soon." Xi 'er said. She walked out of the yard, put on a coat, and walked to the porch.
The surroundings were filled with a faint mist. The roses were fragrant among the flowers, stained with dew. The pitch-black night sky was receding, and a quiet blue color began to spread out. After a night of hard work, the waves finally returned to this gentle, warm sand surface. They gently pounced up and slid down. They were breathing heavily as snowflake-like bubbles appeared.
As the first dewdrop sparkled, the sky lit up. The surroundings were white. The mist dispersed, and the dewdrops sparkled like diamonds in the flowers, reflecting all kinds of colors.
"I always turn off the lights. Especially in the kitchen. Light would enter bit by bit. The surroundings were very quiet. Then, in an instant, the entire world lit up.”Xi 'er said.
"Why didn't I notice?" Wen Xuan said. He walked out of the pile of wood, onto the porch, and into the house.
"At that time, you were still sleeping." Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan brewed a cup of hot tea for Xi 'er and handed it to her before returning to his work desk. He looked down at the internal frame of the canoe and touched the edge of the wooden board.
Xi 'er held the cup of hot tea with both hands, took a sip, and looked at him.
After sunrise, Xi 'er went out of the courtyard and took a walk by the beach. Every day, she would go to the beach twice, one morning and one night. In the beginning, Wen Xuan would accompany him. Later, Wen Xuan was busy with the canoe and did not follow her. Occasionally, he would look up and look for her on the beach. She knew that he would be like this, so she walked around in peace. In the morning, she would see the children in the village riding their bikes to school in the warm morning light. In the evening, they would ride back again. Those shadows would be stretched out by the setting sun and slide across the road. Many children would run to the beach to play. Sometimes, they would shout and run around her before running away.
Aren would come over every day to help with the leftovers. He worked very hard. Wearing Wen Xuan's straw hat, he stayed at the side, polishing the wooden planks and lifting the wooden planks. The straw hat slid down from time to time and covered his face, blocking his vision. He raised his head and shook it. In the end, he simply tore off the straw hat and threw it on the porch. Xi 'er saw this and giggled. She brought them some refreshments.
"Come and eat something." Xi 'er said.
"No, I have to finish it first." Aren said. He lifted a wooden board and placed it beside Wen Xuan's feet, wiping his sweat.
Wen Xuan turned around to look at Aren, amused by this child's seriousness.
"I can do that too. It's just that it's not convenient for me now." Xi 'er said.
"No, you're a girl. How could a girl do this? This is a boy's job." Aren said.
"That's right. Aren is right." Wen Xuan said.
Aren picked up another piece of wood, puffed out his chest and raised his head. He walked to Wen Xuan's side and put it down.
Xi 'er took the straw hat that had been thrown to the ground, cut off the wide brim, and threw it at Aren's feet."Here, try it."
Aren put it on his head, pressed it, and smiled proudly. He lowered his head and continued working. His clothes were already soaked. When he moved the wood, his feet would sometimes sway.
Every time Aren showed signs of fatigue, Wen Xuan would always say,"Alright then. Let's have some tea."
Aren followed Wen Xuan back to the porch and sat down. He raised his teacup and poured tea into his stomach. Xi 'er would always look at him with a smile. Because every time he drank tea, his mouth always seemed to have a hole. Half of the tea in the cup dripped onto his body. Hence, after a few cups, his chest was wet. Then, he imitated Wen Xuan's appearance, took off his straw hat, and fanned his face. He frowned as if he was worried about something. Xi 'er glanced at him, then turned back to look at Wen Xuan. She covered her mouth and laughed. Wen Xuan turned around to look at his nephew and smiled secretly.
"Aren, what's wrong?" Wen Xuan asked.
"If only it could be faster." Aren said.
"Why?" Wen Xuan asked.
"I really want to see Uncle fix it. But I have to go to school. She really didn't want to go to school and wanted to do this with her uncle.”Aren said.
"Please don't do this. If Xiaogui finds out, she'll chop me up.”Wen Xuan said.
"Mom is so fierce?" Aren said.
"It's more than fierce. When her uncle was young, she had bullied him a lot.”Wen Xuan said," The sun is going down again. Go back quickly. He would definitely be scolded if he sweated all over.”
"Alright then. But I want to stay with uncle more. Dad was never home. Her brother had to study. Mother was always nagging. I want to ride a boat with Uncle." Aren said.
"When you grow up, you can do what men do with Uncle, okay? Now, go home obediently." Wen Xuan said.
"Alright then." Aren said. He got to his feet, touched the doorpost, and walked down the porch.
Wen Xuan stood up and looked up at Aren, who was walking away. He couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Sometimes, he doesn't look like you.”Xi 'er said.
"He's actually more like Xiao Gui. It was just that Xiao Gui had been following that bastard Liu Yongnian for a long time and had forgotten her original appearance.”Wen Xuan said.
Wen Xuan went down the porch and stared at the big wooden frame for a while before looking down at the wooden planks. He picked up a long piece of wood and clamped it to the original frame. The wooden strips were stuck to the frame of the boat, from the beginning to the middle of the boat, without any gaps. Wen Xuan used superglue to stick the edge of the wooden strip. Then, he nailed it to the frame. He wanted to add wooden planks to the hull one by one.
Xi 'er dragged the bedsheet out and placed it on the porch. She stood at the side and looked at him.
"What are you doing?" Wen Xuan asked.
"I haven't slept here for a long time. It wasn't very cold these few days, so it was a good opportunity.”Xi 'er said," Look at those stars. They're all out.”
Wen Xuan raised his head and looked at the stars that converged into the Milky Way, flowing slowly in the pitch-black sky. This reminded him of the nights when he taught Xi 'er how to identify constellations. He lowered his head and took a cup of hot tea from Xi 'er.""You don't have to accompany me."
"Anyway, I slept enough during the day. I won't disturb you now." Xi 'er shook the book in her hand and said.
Wen Xuan placed the cup on the table and buried his head in his work. By the time he finished adding wooden planks to the ship, Stars had already turned around. He put down the hammer and looked back at Xi 'er, who was sleeping soundly by the door. He quietly walked back to the porch, tucked Xi 'er in, and sat down. Under the night sky, the courtyard was silent. The frame of the workbench was already surrounded by wooden strips, like wooden pillars. He pulled the blueprint over and looked at it again, paying attention to the markings in the details. After yawning a few times, he squeezed out tears from his eyes. He stood up, intending to cut the wood from the dragon's head, but tripped over a piece of wood by his feet and fell onto the porch.
Xi 'er woke up and narrowed her eyes. She saw Wen Xuan lying on the ground. His eyes were bloodshot. The dark circles under his eyes were heavy. His beard covered his chin.
"If you can't get up, take a rest." Xi 'er said. She reached out to touch his head, raised the blanket, and covered Wen Xuan.
"No, I can't. I have to hurry." Wen Xuan suddenly sat up, his hand holding the doorpost. He looked back at the workbench and yawned. He rubbed his eyes with his hands.
Xi 'er took his hand and hugged him without saying a word.
"Alright, let's rest for a while." Wen Xuan returned to the door, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes. Soon, his breathing became even. A faint snoring sound could be heard.
4
When Wen Xuan woke up, the sun had already climbed past its highest point and started to slide down.
Wen Xuan jumped up and looked at the work desk. The protruding parts on both sides of the hull had been trimmed neatly. The bow of the ship had already been added. The interface had also been flattened. As for the stern, Xi 'er was carrying it.
Seeing this, Wen Xuan hurriedly went down the porch and took the wooden board from Xi 'er's hand, saying,""Hurry up and go back there. This is not your job."
Xi 'er was stunned. She let go of his hand and turned to look at him.
"Go back quickly, Xi 'er." Wen Xuan said.
"After you're done with this, you can rest.”Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan looked at her and saw her stubborn face, so he gave in and said,""Alright then."
Xi 'er raised her head and supported herself against the boat as she watched Wen Xuan hold the wooden plank. He dripped glue between the gaps. Soon, the outline of the canoe was revealed. It was lying on the workbench like a sleeping dragon.
At this moment, dark clouds floated over the sea. Xi 'er knew that it was a sign of rain. She heaved a sigh of relief and snickered. She turned around and returned to the house. She took out a piece of tarpaulin and covered the canoe.
"What are you laughing at?" Wen Xuan asked.
"It's nothing." Xi 'er bent down to carry the tools back to the porch.
Wen Xuan moved some wooden strips and piled them on the porch. He looked up at the dark clouds that were gathering above his head and spat on the ground.
The rain soon began to fall. Fortunately, they had also finished moving their things.
The rain dripped down the eaves and splashed outside the porch. Wen Xuan sat on the porch and reached out to catch some rainwater. He turned his head to look at the canoe wrapped in oilcloth. He retracted his hand, rubbed his tired face, and looked down at the wooden plank by his feet.
"You should eat something." Xi 'er said as she handed him a bowl of porridge.
"When did I become a child? You even need someone to remind you when you eat and sleep?" Wen Xuan asked.
Xi 'er turned her head and looked outside the house." It looks like the rain will last until tomorrow."”
Wen Xuan pulled the wooden board over and looked at the blueprint carefully.
The rain gradually became heavier. The wind blew on the surface of the sea. The wind rustled the roof. The tarpaulin on the boat flew up and down, hitting the boat continuously. Wen Xuan hurriedly ran to the side of the boat and tied the oilcloth tightly. The wind mixed with the rain, pattering against his body.
"I just want to swim in the sea.”Xi 'er said.
"Me too." Wen Xuan said.
"Why don't we go?" Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan glanced at her stomach and did not say anything.
"It's just for a while. It's okay.”Xi 'er said.
"What if we come out of the sea? The water is so cold, it might cause contractions." Wen Xuan said.
"Then bring a pair of scissors." Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan held his hands behind his back and looked at the sea that was emitting fog under the rain.
A dark cloud floated over the sea. The sky was getting darker.
"You can't bite off the umbilical cord with your teeth, right?”Xi 'er said.
"I still shouldn't tell you too much.”Wen Xuan said.
"Why?" Xi 'er asked.
"Because of many things that seem very simple. It's actually very difficult to operate." Wen Xuan said.
"I read about it." Xi 'er said.
"I know." Wen Xuan lowered his head and spat at his feet.
"Do you still want to go down?" Xi 'er said," It's been very hot these few days.”
"When the child comes out and there's a typhoon, I'll go down with you. However, I can't do it now." Wen Xuan said.
"It's too late. I don't want to wait." Xi 'er went down the porch and into the yard.
"Don't be like this. It's bad if you're sick.”Wen Xuan followed and said.
"I'll just swim for a while." Xi 'er said.
Wen Xuan glared at her. The rain splashed on his face and he could barely open his eyes. He wiped off the rainwater and looked at Xi 'er, speechless.
"You can go back and get your wood. I'll be back after swimming for a while." Xi 'er shook off his hand and walked into the sea. She walked into the waves, slowed down, and continued walking forward. Wen Xuan could only follow behind her and swim into the sea.
The sea breeze blew over, almost raising the waves into the air. The huge waves surged, one over the other, jumping up and down. The white foam floated in the air, bursting and splashing water. They were teased by the rolling waves, sometimes pushed to the top of the waves, sometimes thrown down. They swayed left and right with the waves, drifting erratically. Tens of thousands of raindrops hit the restless sea, stirring up flowers.
The waves pushed Wen Xuan into the rolling bubble. He turned over and looked up at Xi 'er, who was surrounded by the water curtain. She was stretching her arms and swimming forward with all her might. Waves surged up one after another and pounced on her. Panting, she shook her head and continued to move forward. She wanted to rush into the vast sea.
The sea breeze raised the waves even higher, almost forming a huge wall of water on the surface of the sea. Xi 'er had already disappeared from Wen Xuan's sight, hiding behind the wet mist. Wen Xuan flipped over and dived into the water. He resisted the huge resistance that came at him and swam out. He jumped out of the water and saw that her long hair had already spread out. The black threads floated in the water. They swelled, floated, and swam. He called her name loudly, and then his face was filled with rainwater. He stretched out his hand, wanting to grab Ying, who was drifting on the waves, but he was flipped over by a wave and fell into the sea. Xi 'er turned around, panting, her face pale. The water above his head gathered on his face and flowed down. Perhaps she was crying. Wen Xuan suddenly thought. In the next second, he fell into the water and saw bubbles emerging from his body. They burst one by one, making popping sounds. Then, he was dragged out of the water and spat out a few mouthfuls of bitter seawater while coughing. Xi 'er smiled at him and dived into the water. She threw Wen Xuan to the back of her mind and continued swimming.
The waves hit their backs and pushed them. They returned to the shore, exhausted, climbed onto the sand, and lay down. They suddenly felt that compared to the rolling waves, the rain that was hitting their bodies was extremely gentle. Xi 'er brushed away the hair stuck to her face and turned to look at Wen Xuan, saying,""I thought I wouldn't be able to come back." She shook her head and tried to splash the water on Wen Xuan's body.
"Again, I'm already soaked. What else do you want?" Wen Xuan pressed down on her head and felt his palm warm.
"I could swim faster without this.”Xi 'er said as she rubbed her stomach.
"You're already swimming very fast." Wen Xuan said.
"Do you want to do it again?" Xi 'er said.
"It's enough. Let's go back." Wen Xuan said.
Xi 'er reached out, grabbed his arm, and stood up.
They returned to the courtyard and saw Aren hiding from the rain on the porch.
"Where did you run off to?" Aren asked,
Xi 'er turned her head, glanced at Wen Xuan, and smiled. She went up the porch and went back into the house.
"We took a walk." Wen Xuan said. He tore off his wet clothes and threw them on the porch. He looked down at the wood at his feet.
"Is the canoe ready?”Aren asked.
"It's still early!" Wen Xuan said.
"But that's what it looks like.”Aren said.
"That's just what it looks like." Wen Xuan said.
"Yesterday, it was just a shell. He would install them all today. I didn't even see it." Aren said.
"When you're a little older, I'll make you another one and give it to you.”Wen Xuan said.
"Really?" Aren asked.
Wen Xuan caressed his head and looked back at the gloomy sky. He spat at his feet.
The drizzle fell, hitting the tender leaves that had just emerged from the roses.
Wen Xuan sneezed and wrapped his arms around himself. He lowered his head and saw Aren fiddling with the wooden sticks."You can go back first. When it was done. I'll support it and take you out to sea."
"Alright then." Aren picked up a few pieces of wood and said,"Can I have these?"”
"Sure. That pile is all yours." Wen Xuan said.
"I only want these few pieces." Aren said as he held the wooden stick in his arms. He turned around and ran into the drizzle.
Wen Xuan stood by the door and looked at the child running in the rain. The child's thin body swayed in the wind as if it would be blown away at any moment.
"Why are you leaving just like that?" Xi 'er came out with tea and asked.
Wen Xuan took the tea, pinched the teacup, and drank it with his head raised.
The canoe in the rain was like a giant beast draped in a curtain, chirping in a low voice.
"This child is still growing up, and there's no one to take care of him.”Wen Xuan said.
"Your body is still breathing. You should go in and change your clothes.”Xi 'er said.
"Is that steam or water vapor?" Wen Xuan said," I don't know what happened! I felt heavy all over, as if I was being held back by something.”
Xi 'er lowered her head and looked at the puddle under his feet. She said,"You brought back a water ghost. You'd better take off your pants before you go in. You can take a shower."
Wen Xuan pursed his lips and brought the teacup to his lips, only to realize that the tea had already been finished. He licked the teacup and put it down.
"I'm going to be a mother. What have I not seen? It doesn't matter if you take off your pants here.”Xi 'er said.
"No, I'm wondering when the rain will stop.”Wen Xuan said.
"Alright then. I'll go back to my room to sleep first. If you've thought it through, go take a shower. Now, even your face is smoking.”Xi 'er pointed at his face and walked away.
Wen Xuan stood on the porch and waited for a while before turning around and entering the house.
5
The sky cleared up on the day he repeatedly polished the inner shell of the canoe. A sea breeze blew over, dispersing the dark clouds and driving him to the horizon. The blue sky was revealed. Everything in the world was stretched out in the dazzling light, and the water vapor faded away. After that, a gentle breeze blew, driving away the moisture. The world was bright and dry. At this moment, even the air became clean and fresh.
Wen Xuan moved the canoe to the boat rack behind the bamboo shed and took out an oil drum and brush. He was going to coat the canoe with epoxy and harden it. Thus, he moved them out of the porch and placed them downwind.
"Don't come over. This smell is very difficult to taste." Wen Xuan lifted the cloth wrapped around his mouth and nose and said.
Xi 'er stood on the porch and turned to look at him.""You're like a beekeeper in the woods.”
Wen Xuan pulled down the cloth between his nose, picked up the brush, and began to smear the boat. The mosquito flew onto his body and buzzed before flying away again. He wiped his sweat and looked up at the canoe, working hard. The knee-high weeds on the ground had been trampled down. Some paint dripped down, forming a transparent hard object in the shape of a water droplet on the hull. Wen Xuan walked to the other side of the boat and repeatedly examined the hull, applying paint to the cracks. After brushing the whole thing, he put away the brush and walked to the side to watch from afar. The canoe seemed to have changed its appearance. It was shiny all over. The originally fragrant smell of wood chips had been covered by the pungent smell of paint.
Then, he moved some wooden sticks to the side of the canoe and put them down. He propped his hands up and stood at the side to look at it carefully. He took out a tape measure and measured it. The moment he let go, the long measuring tape retracted with a swish. After measuring the length of the wood, he was ready to cut off the excess parts. These wooden planks were installed on the outer edge of the hull to increase the hardness of the hull and resist collisions.
Xi 'er carried a basket and placed it at his feet before walking away.
Wen Xuan fixed the wooden strip to the edge of the boat. After tightening it with pliers, he dripped glue on the edge. Before long, he was sweating profusely from the heat. He quickly took off his hat and threw it away. Her soft curly hair was wet and shiny.
After reinforcing one side, he walked to the other side and picked up another piece of wood to stack on the edge of the hull. He gritted his teeth and pressed it tightly against the hull. He pulled out the pliers from his waist and aimed his jaws at the wooden plank and the hull. Then, he clamped it tightly and lowered his hand. Just like that, he kept adding pliers between the hull and the wooden planks, making the wooden planks closer to the hull, and then adding glue. When he was done, he took a step back and looked at the canoe covered in pincers, as if he saw a giant beast growing teeth.
Xi 'er occasionally looked up from the book and saw that his back had already penetrated. His white shirt was plastered to his back, revealing a strange golden totem. Sweat oozed out and filled the room. Xi 'er blinked and looked at his back again, only to find that the thing had flown away in a flash. Everything was as short as an illusion.
Wen Xuan stopped, walked to the side, picked up the teapot, and poured a cup of tea.
Xi 'er looked at him, picked up the trash by her feet, and threw it at him.
"There are pancakes inside." Xi 'er pointed at the basket and said.
At this moment, the cicadas chirped. The surroundings were hot and dry.
Wen Xuan reached out and pulled the straw hat that was upside down at the side. He raised it and fanned it.
Xi 'er stood up, leaned against the doorpost, and glanced at him. Not long after, she turned around and looked at the roses in the garden and went down the porch. The scorching sun was glaring. She felt a little dizzy. She held onto the wooden pillar and slowly walked out. She walked out of the courtyard and looked up at the long beach. The white sand glistened under the scorching sun. The waves hit the sand and slid down again. Not far away, a few fishing boats were floating gently. She bent down to take off her shoes and walked beside the waves. The waves rushed up and slapped her feet, spitting out white foam. At this moment, she felt cool and looked down at the wet sand under the water. The hermit crab crawled over in a hurry and was washed over by the waves again. She smiled and touched her bare neck. Her long hair had already been pushed to the other side. It was probably already red from the sun. She touched the hot spot. The sound of wood being sawed could be heard from behind him. She pursed her lips and smiled. The hermit crab crawled over her instep. So, she crossed her arms and watched the place where it left. The thin horizontal marks left on the sand extended into the distance like ink.
Xi 'er raised her head and saw Wen Gui walking towards her, so she stood up straight. Then, she turned to look at the rose garden and then back again.
Wen Gui held an umbrella and walked in front of her, looking down at her stomach.
The chirping of cicadas sounded, and it was very ear-piercing.
The sound of the waves was not weak either. Xi 'er listened carefully to the noise, trying to find the sound of wood being sawed. Her neck felt hot, as if it had caught a fireball that had fallen from the sky. She reached out and touched that area again before turning to look at the woman in her thirties.
Wen Gui glanced at her and noticed that her cheeks were rosy from the sunlight. Her lips were full and her eyes were bright. Her yellow hair was swept to one side of her shoulder and poured down like a waterfall. Wen Gui blinked and couldn't help but turn her head, thinking that she had seen a wild beast that was completely untamed, or that she couldn't bear to watch out of some kind of jealousy.
"I heard that my brother is now a carpenter.”Wen Gui said.
Xi 'er smiled and narrowed her eyes as she looked back at the courtyard, saying,""He's really been around wood all day.”
"He's like that, a rough man doing rough work.”Wen Gui said.
"He likes it this way." Xi 'er said.
"He's been like a savage since he was young.”Wen Gui said.
"Do you like to run around?" Xi 'er asked.
"That's right. There's no one at mealtime.”Wen Gui said.
Xi 'er lowered her head and looked at the surging waves at her feet. She touched her bulging belly.
"How much longer?" Wen Gui asked.
"I don't know." Xi 'er said.
"It's not like you don't know? Look at what my brother has done!”Wen Gui said.
"It's not his." Xi 'er said.
"I know." Wen Gui said.
Is there a problem?" Xi 'er asked.
"No, I haven't. Whatever I say, my brother will treat it as a joke. There was no way to talk to him seriously.”Wen Gui said.
"That's only a part of him." Xi 'er said.
Wen Gui turned around to look at her, his eyes burning as if they were filled with the scorching sun of summer.
"A very small part." Xi 'er glanced at the parasol on Wen Gui's head and said," You're not suitable to stay here.”
Wen Gui avoided her gaze and turned to look at the turbulent sea.
"When some words reach his ears, they are indeed treated as jokes by him. This time, he won't change. You know him too." Xi 'er said.
Wen Gui continued to stare at the surface of the sea that reflected the dazzling sunlight and did not speak. She was thinking about how well this girl knew her brother. Perhaps, for some reason, she would think deeper than Wen Gui. After a while, she glanced at Xi 'er, who was silent, and turned to leave without saying anything. It looked like she was walking on hot sand, twisting her body unnaturally as she left.
Xi 'er smiled, turned around, went up to the sand, picked up her shoes, and slowly left. Recently, her stomach was getting heavier. It was getting harder for her to walk. Sometimes, she really wanted to give birth to the little guy in her stomach right now. That way, she would be free. She panted heavily and entered the courtyard. She stood there and looked back at Wen Gui's departing figure. At this moment, wet sand was stuck to her feet and wrapped around her ankles. With a heavy stomach, she sat down in front of the porch and patted the back of her foot.
From her back, Xi 'er's waist was still so thin that her stomach could not be seen at all. Wen Xuan looked at her back and was puzzled. He also came to the porch and stood there.
"Are you done?" Xi 'er asked.
"It's almost done." Wen Xuan said," How's my sister? You guys were talking to each other. It seemed quite interesting.”
"We were just chatting." Xi 'er said.
"You guys can chat?" Wen Xuan asked.
"We talked about more things than you can imagine.”Xi 'er said.
"What else can I say? It must be because Aren was shouting at home again.”Wen Xuan said.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]