The moon raced across the sky, and time flew by.
As the sun sank in the west, candlelight glimmered in the farmhouse courtyard.
There was no spare room for Chu Yao, so Shen Tang offered him hers. She could sleep anywhere for one night and figure something out tomorrow. But Chu Yao was thin and older, and it wouldn't do to make him sleep in a side room or the hallway. Chu Yao disagreed, though, and in the end Qi Shan offered to share his room with him.
Shen Tang couldn't have been happier with that decision.
After dinner, which the old woman brought over, Chu Yao went out to the courtyard to cool off, his mind full of worries. He heard the splashing sound of water nearby.
Following the sound, he spotted a hunched figure in the corner. When he went closer, he saw Shen Tang, sleeves rolled up, washing a wooden basin full of green plums.
"Wu Lang, what are you doing?"
Shen Tang looked up and saw Chu Yao. She straightened, then made a fist and gently pounded her sore lower back. Bending over for so long had worn her out. "Washing green plums. I'm going to make some Qingkou Plums and brew a few jars of Green Plum Wine. When winter comes and snow covers the city, we can admire the scenery and drink."
Chu Yao lowered his gaze to the green plums floating and sinking in the basin, then sighed. "What a waste of a heavenly gift. Will you regret this, Wu Lang?"
Shen Tang was baffled. "???"
Wait, how was she wasting a heavenly gift???
Chu Yao asked again, "Didn't that Mr. Qi Shan try to stop you?"
Shen Tang said, confused, "Why would Yuan Liang stop me?"
Chu Yao's expression darkened. Beneath his