The Villainous Classmate is My Lucky Star Chapter 253
Translated by Pure
Chapter 253 The Long-Awaited Downpour (2)
Although Mu Yang and Wen Yantong didn't put too much effort, it still only took half a day to harvest all the rice in the field. As they departed, the elderly couple thanked them profusely, and the woman insisted on giving small gifts to Wen Yantong as tokens of gratitude.
These gifts were simple shoes and accessories that the woman had personally crafted.
That night, Chi Jingxi learned that Mu Yang had dragged Wen Yantong off to work in the fields. When he rushed to Wen Yantong's room, he found her soaking her feet.
The mud had gotten into the cracks of her toenails and was not easy to clean. So, Wen Yantong decided to soak her feet first and then pick the mud out bit by bit.
Chi Jingxi walked in and saw Wen Yantong soaking her feet. He was stunned for a moment and then turned back, ready to leave the room.
Wen Yantong hurriedly shouted, "You're already here, why are you leaving?"
Chi Jingxi paused and turned back halfway, appearing hesitant about whether to enter or leave.
Wen Yantong urged him again, "What are you doing?!"
Chi Jingxi then turned around completely, his voice trailing off as he spoke from a distance, "You're washing your feet..."
Wen Yantong said, "Yes, Little Marquis, my toenails are full of mud. I want to pick them out. Can you help me hold a light near me?" She said while wiping her feet.
Chi Jingxi sighed silently, took a small lamp, and approached her. He placed it on the table and removed his coat.
Wen Yantong's feet were small and delicate; her toes were round and pink.
As she reached for a thick needle nearby, Chi Jingxi grabbed and lifted her ankle.
Wen Yantong was surprised; she saw him grab a stool and sit on the edge, placing her feet on his lap. He then took down the lamp from the table and positioned it nearby. Extending his hand toward her, he said, "Pass it to me."
Wen Yantong handed him the thick needle she was holding, and Chi Jingxi delicately pinched her round toes, gently picking the mud from her nails.
"Why did you go with Mu Yang?" Chi Jingxi inquired.
Wen Yantong smiled and replied, "Mu Xingyi insisted on dragging me along. I was afraid that he would cause trouble, so I went with him."
"You don't have to do this kind of work." Chi Jingxi's fingers, slightly chilled from being outside, created a noticeable temperature contrast as he held onto Wen Yantong's feet, which had been soaked in hot water.
"I'm just trying to experience the life of the common people here," Wen Yantong said. "Without the war, the lives of the people in Yibei should be very peaceful. When can we return to Chaoge?"
Chi Jingxi carefully picked the small pieces of mud and replied, "Soon."
Wen Yantong wiggled her toes. "When is 'soon'?"
Chi Jingxi lowered his eyes and focused on her mischievous toes, a smile subtly playing on his lips. He then raised his gaze and assured her, "We can leave Yibei before winter arrives."
Wen Yantong's face lit up with joy. "Really?"
"Of course," Chi Jingxi affirmed, gently holding her ankle and playfully tickling the sole of her foot. "Don't move."
Wen Yantong burst into laughter, pleading, "Don't tickle, don't tickle! I promise not to move anymore."
As the late autumn of the tenth lunar month set in, a chill lingered in the air, signaling the approach of winter.
While everyone hoped to depart before the onset of frosty weather, their enemy grew increasingly active, frequently harassing the patrols around Yibei. The scent of war hung thick in the air, and tension mounted among the people of Yibei City as turmoil seemed imminent.
On the 30th day of the tenth lunar month, thunder rumbled through the sky, cascading down as if the Nine Heavens themselves were unleashing their fury. The entire Yibei region quivered in response to the thunderous roar.
Wen Yantong was in the midst of practicing calligraphy when she was startled, leaving an ink mark on the paper in her surprise. Moments later, thunder rolled once more, and massive raindrops began to pelt the earth.
Opening the window, Wen Yantong felt the wind carry the raindrops onto her face. She knew that the long-awaited heavy rain had finally arrived.
The rain was relentless, far more intense than any previous downpour.
For days on end, the water level of the river near Yibei surged dramatically, breaching its banks and inundating numerous paddy fields.
Within the city, water rose to calf-height, flooding several civilian homes and leaving families displaced.
Chi Jingxi found himself occupied with both flood control efforts and the task of resettling the displaced. Despite the heavy rain, he ventured out tirelessly for several days, attending to the pressing needs of the people.
Fu Zixian was also nowhere to be found in the house, likely due to the unexpected torrent.
Faced with boredom, Mu Yang occasionally braved the rain to search for Wen Yantong. However, the relentless downpour made outdoor activities exceedingly difficult. Even with an umbrella, Mu Yang found himself thoroughly soaked by the time he reached Wen Yantong's door.
Wen Yantong found herself confined to her room. Despite the servants' efforts to waterproof it daily, the roof continued to leak, leaving the room damp throughout the day. To combat the humidity, Wen Yantong often had to light a fire to warm the room.
The relentless downpour resulted in minor flooding in Yibei. Until the rain subsided, everyone was advised to remain indoors, with only the able-bodied soldiers seen tirelessly traversing the streets.
However, Wen Yantong remained unconcerned. She understood that the heavy rain would bring more than just minor floods.
As the north of Yibei City submerged, a significant volume of water also collected atop the vast canyon behind Younger Sister Mountain. This reservoir could potentially serve as a strategic advantage in defeating the enemy.
Now, it was simply a waiting game for the rain to cease.
Meanwhile, Mu Yang, idle at home, constructed a small boat in anticipation of using it on his next attempt to reach Wen Yantong.
Despite its rough construction, Mu Yang's boat turned out to be surprisingly sturdy, a testament to his determination and guidance from others.
As luck would have it, the rain ceased just as the boat was completed.
With the help of the servants, the house's flooding was swiftly mitigated. Though, Mu Yang was one of the few who was unhappy about the rain stopping.
Determined, he grabbed his boat and set out to find Wen Yantong.
As soon as Wen Yantong opened the door, she saw him sitting in a small wooden boat, holding two short oars in his hands, and said seriously, "Let's go, I'll take you on a boat ride."
Wen Yantong quickly closed the door, saying, "Goodbye."
Mu Yang refused to back down and hurriedly climbed out of his boat, knocking on Wen Yantong's window, "Wen Yantong, open the door quickly. I know you're there!"
Wen Yantong shouted to the outside world, "Just give up!"
The concept of ‘giving up’ didn't exist in Mu Yang's dictionary, and the window was banged loudly, and non-stop. The paper window screen, soaked in water for several days, ripped open at Mu Yang’s relentless action. The latter remained unfazed, tore it larger, and poked his face in, asking Wen Yantong, "Whatcha doing?"
Wen Yantong turned around and saw Mu Yang's head stuck in the window. She screamed, "Mu Xingyi! You actually tore my window!"
She grabbed her pillow and hurried over. Upon seeing this, Mu Yang quickly withdrew his head and said plaintively, "Why do you keep ignoring me? We're the only ones left in the house now. If you don't even care about me, what's the point of me being here?"
"You're resorting to playing the victim?" Wen Yantong couldn't believe it. She reached out through the window crack and accurately grabbed Mu Yang's face. "Let's see just how thick-skinned you are."
"Pinch away! Pinch away! As long as you agree to go boating with me, I'll endure any amount of pinching," Mu Yang announced, feigning helplessness.
Wen Yantong sighed, "Yang'er, Sister Tong is exhausted."
After enduring Mu Yang's antics for days, she had visibly lost weight.
Mu Yang's shamelessness knew no bounds; he was willing to play the role of the younger brother and call her ‘Sister Tong’ just to persuade her to go boating.
Wen Yantong couldn't resist his persistence and finally relented to go boating with him.
However, with the water drained from the house, they couldn't venture out. Standing by with a short paddle, Wen Yantong watched as Mu Yang sat happily in the boat. She couldn't help but feel the urge to crack open his head and check if it was filled with mud.
"There's no water here," she reminded him dryly.
"I know," Mu Yang replied, "Come in and give it a try. I've added a special seat just for you."
Reluctantly, Wen Yantong stepped into the boat and settled herself, feeling rather foolish.
"How is it? I crafted this with my own hands," Mu Yang beamed.
"Very impressive, bro." Wen Yantong struggled to find the right words, "I've never rowed in... a dry boat before in my life."
Mu Yang beamed with satisfaction at the compliment, rowing the imaginary water with gusto alongside Wen Yantong.
Wen Yantong truly believed Mu Yang had gone insane from boredom.
