Chapter 14 – Don’t Come Near Me
The smile on Chen Miaomiao’s face could no longer be maintained. Lu Miao withdrew her gaze and said coldly:
“What you want to do is none of my business. But I’ll make it clear—you’d better not come near me.”
It was both a reminder and a warning.
Whoever Chen Miaomiao wanted to curry favor with or pursue, Lu Miao didn’t care.
But if Chen Miaomiao insisted on sticking close and disgusting her, then Lu Miao wouldn’t be polite about it.
Chen Miaomiao lowered her head, forcing out a stiff smile.
“I… I understand.”
With that, she stumbled across the threshold and temporarily disappeared from Lu Miao’s sight.
Lu Miao rolled her eyes, then hissed as she drew a sharp breath, complaining in a delicate voice:
“Hiss… it hurts, Ren Bingxin, be gentler!”
“Alright, alright, almost done. Bear with it,” Ren Bingxin said softly, easing her movements. “Miaomiao, even though Chen Miaomiao is a little strange, she really did speak up for you just now. I don’t think you should’ve talked to her like that.”
Geng Xiaoyun chimed in:
“Yeah. There wasn’t even a real conflict before. Why do you dislike her so much?”
“Dislike is dislike. Do I need a reason?”
The two of them were both defending Chen Miaomiao, which made Lu Miao unhappy. She pulled her hand back, refusing to let Ren Bingxin lance her blisters.
“I just feel uncomfortable being around her, that’s all. What’s wrong with that? She’s the one who insists on sticking to me!”
“And besides, I only told her not to come near me. I didn’t say anything else, did I?”
That was indeed the truth.
And having gotten to know Lu Miao’s temperament, Geng Xiaoyun understood: when she liked someone, she was generous, giving, and unreserved.
But when she didn’t like someone, her sharp tongue spared no mercy.
Seeing Lu Miao acting spoiled and temperamental again, Geng Xiaoyun hurried to coax her:
“Alright, alright, I didn’t say you were wrong. I just meant your temper’s a little quick. I’m worried others might get a bad impression of you.”
Lu Miao gave a light hum.
Still, Geng Xiaoyun’s words reminded her: in the future, when she ran into people she didn’t like, she could scold them—but she needed to pay attention to appearances. Otherwise, people might think she was the bully.
Once or twice would be fine, but if it happened often, even if she were in the right, the crowd might not stand on her side.
After several days of working half a day and resting half a day in the cornfield, the sunburn on Lu Miao’s face had not improved—it had only gotten worse.
When the peeling was at its worst, not only did it hurt, but even her reflection in the water frightened her.
Lu Miao couldn’t bear it. After less than two days of work, she took two days off.
When things got slightly better, she went to find Chen Guifen again.
Last time, she had at least been a bit reserved when asking. This time, she cried coquettishly right away:
“Auntie!”
It was lunchtime at the He household. He Hongjin, Chen Guifen, and Fu Jingyou were all at the table.
Suddenly, Lu Miao came running in, crying. Startled, Chen Guifen thought something serious had happened. She quickly pulled her to sit down.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying? What happened?”
“Auntie, I’ve been working really hard lately. Look, my hands are almost covered in calluses. My hands are starting to get used to it, but look at my face!”
Lu Miao first held out her hands, then tilted her little face side to side, showing Chen Guifen.
“Auntie, it hurts so much. It hasn’t gotten better at all. Every day it hurts so badly I can’t even sleep!”
Chen Guifen glanced at Lu Miao’s face and was shocked.
“Oh my, the sunburn really is serious. Were you working without a hat or something?”
At the mention of hats, Lu Miao shot a resentful glance at Fu Jingyou, who was eating at the table.
He caught her gaze in his peripheral vision, then quickly turned his face aside to avoid it.
Lu Miao’s teeth itched with frustration. But facing Chen Guifen, she put on an obedient, sensible expression, softly pleading:
“Auntie, next time could you assign me work where there’s no sun?”
“Cough… cough, cough—”
A bit of coarse grain caught in He Hongjin’s throat, and he coughed violently.
Really, what kind of talk was that?
Which villager didn’t work under the blazing sun?
“No sun work”… what did she expect—someone to pluck the sun out of the sky for her?
He Hongjin glared at Chen Guifen, his meaning plain.
Chen Guifen looked troubled. But Lu Miao clung to her arm, shaking it gently, calling “Auntie, Auntie” in a syrupy voice that was impossibly sweet.
Well, wasn’t there a saying—“the crying child gets the candy”?
Chen Guifen sighed.
“I remember there are some fields near the forest. There’s more shade there. Why don’t you try working there tomorrow?”
Lu Miao’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Thank you, Auntie! You’re the best!”
He Hongjin exhaled heavily, scowling as he left the table and went into the kitchen to finish eating.
Lu Miao’s bright eyes and vivid smile seemed to sparkle even more. With her looks, no one could help liking her. Seeing her smile, Chen Guifen smiled too, not even noticing her husband’s departure.
Holding Lu Miao’s soft little hand, Chen Guifen gave it a fond squeeze and asked,
“Coming here at this time, have you eaten lunch yet?”
Lu Miao shook her head honestly.
Chen Guifen laughed.
“There’s still some porridge in the pot. Shall I get you a bowl?”
Lu Miao’s eyes shone.
“Really?”
“Of course! Why not?”
Smiling, Chen Guifen rose and went to serve the porridge.
As she walked away, Lu Miao slipped onto the main seat at the table and sat directly across from Fu Jingyou.
She didn’t speak. She just pouted, glaring at him stubbornly.
Fu Jingyou couldn’t avoid her anymore. He finally looked straight at her—and froze.
The girl’s once flawless skin really was “broken” this time.
Because of her fairness, the sunburn on Lu Miao’s face was glaringly obvious. The skin looked almost scorched—peeling and tinged with purplish bruises, a stark contrast to before.
He hadn’t made her the hat…
For a moment, Fu Jingyou felt a pang of guilt.
Noticing that he was staring at her face, Lu Miao suddenly remembered that her skin hadn’t healed. She must look horribly ugly right now.
Panicked, she raised her hand to cover her face, glaring at him through watery eyes. In a delicate, angry voice, she scolded:
“Liar!”
It was all Fu Jingyou’s fault. He had promised to weave her a hat, yet after all this time, he still hadn’t finished it…
Because of him, she had become so ugly!
Lu Miao had been furious. But thinking of how she had spent the past days hiding away in embarrassment, she suddenly felt wronged. Her tears welled up, and her big, watery eyes truly brimmed with mist.
Was she made of water? How could she cry at the drop of a hat?
Fu Jingyou was dumbstruck. His usually cool, detached face turned helpless.
“I didn’t lie to you. I did make the hat—it’s just not finished yet…”
Not daring to admit otherwise, he hastily promised her:
“Don’t cry. I’ll finish it today, I swear.”
Lu Miao’s long lashes glittered with crystal tears. She looked at him pitifully and whispered,
“Really?”
She was pure and beautiful to begin with. Usually, when she softened her voice to ask for something, it was already hard to refuse. Now, with tears in her eyes and that aggrieved look, it was even more impossible to neglect her.
Fu Jingyou hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly.
(End of Chapter)
