"You..." An Jing still looked at the fresh red on her hand, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "You’re bleeding."
But Xiao Changyi heard her, held An Jing even tighter in one arm, while the other quickly wiped off his blood that had stained her hand.
Once he wiped it off, he soothed again, "I’m alright, Jing Er."
With An Jing’s hand now clean, free of the bright red, An Jing couldn’t see it anymore, but she buried herself into Xiao Changyi’s arms, hugging him tightly, as if embedding Xiao Changyi into her body, or embedding herself completely into his.
Xiao Changyi’s thin lips were pressed into a straight line; if she wasn’t happy, he wouldn’t be happy either.
But now, what worried him more was her.
He was worried about her.
"I’m really fine, Jing Er," Xiao Changyi comforted her for the third time, stroking the head of the person buried in his embrace.
"My lord," An Jing finally spoke up, her voice low, frail, and muffled, "Can we please not farm anymore?"
Xiao Changyi didn’t even have to think before answering, "Alright."
What would they eat if they didn’t farm? A single mu of paddy field couldn’t possibly support the two of them. An Jing knew she was being somewhat childish with her request, but Xiao Changyi still indulged her, spoiled her, which made her feel even more pained for him.
She didn’t want him to plow the field like an animal.
Even though she had previously kept her discomfort hidden inside, now that he was bleeding, and she had seen it, she couldn’t hold back anymore and erupted.
She rubbed her face in Xiao Changyi’s chest as if trying to make her expression appear more natural and then raised her head, smiling, "I was just joking, don’t take it seriously."
Though she said this out loud, in her heart she was secretly swearing: She would definitely buy an ox!
Seeing An Jing forcing a smile, Xiao Changyi felt his heart clench, but he didn’t say anything and simply patted her head and gently rubbed her forehead with his.
An Jing felt her eyes growing hot and was close to shedding tears.
Not wanting Xiao Changyi to notice her change, she turned her face away, grabbed the bowl and chopsticks from the basket, and shoved them back into Xiao Changyi’s hands, feigning toughness, "Hurry up and finish eating, then get back to work."
Xiao Changyi didn’t speak but obediently continued eating the unfinished bamboo shoots in the bowl.
That afternoon, while plowing the field, although An Jing was still behind, supporting the plow, she didn’t once look at Xiao Changyi’s back; she just stared at the ground, not daring to look at Xiao Changyi.
She was afraid, afraid that if she looked, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from crying out to make Xiao Changyi stop, to forbid him from pulling the plow.
That evening, An Jing lay atop Xiao Changyi, silently gazing at the wounds on Xiao Changyi’s shoulder.
Both of Xiao Changyi’s shoulders were rubbed raw, revealing flesh mottled red and white, having bled quite a bit. An Jing just quietly watched, without uttering a word.
Xiao Changyi didn’t urge An Jing to speak but pulled the covers up higher, tucking An Jing in more tightly to prevent her from getting cold in only her undergarments.
The deep night brought heavier dew, much colder than the daytime.
Xiao Changyi watched An Jing’s small face, which was intently studying the injury on his shoulder, and he didn’t know what she was thinking as she stared unblinkingly at the wounds there.
Xiao Changyi silently tightened his hold on An Jing, silently offering her comfort.
Suddenly, An Jing stretched her hand out from under the covers, took the purse from atop their clothes, and then started counting the money inside.
There were only five hundred ten coins.
This was all they possessed, just five hundred ten coins.