Chapter 13 The Scent

Song Zhenyu casually held up the leaf-wrapped parcel in his hand and said, “Ruying is quite capable. Not only did she help feed the chickens, but she also caught quite a few bugs for me to use as bait in the trap.” Zhang Yingyue said with a smile, “Well, you'll have to make an extra trip then.” Song Zhenyu chuckled and said, “That won't be much of a hassle.” Considering how Song Ruying had gathered so many bugs, it would be a disservice to her efforts if he didn't make the trip. His traps were set without bait, initially thinking he'd leave it to fate. However, Song Ruying reminded Song Zhenyu that birds loved these little bugs. Using bait might increase the chances of a successful catch. Song Zhenyu looked toward Song Shuying's arms and noticed that Song Shuying had woken up at some point. She was quietly and obediently listening to their conversation. He said to Song Shuying with a smile, “Shuying, look at me.” Song Shuying turned to Song Zhenyu, but her attention was not on his face. Instead, she was focused on the leaf-wrapped parcel in his hand. She could smell the distinct scent of her urine. How awkward. Could it be that these insects had consumed the dirty water from Ruying's diaper washing? Song Shuying had a strong sense of smell. Once she caught a scent, she would remember it. The smell of a baby's urine wasn't significant, easy to dismiss. Surprisingly, she detected a familiar spiritual energy in the room. Although it was faint, it didn't escape her keen nose. Song Zhenyu noticed Song Shuying seemed interested in the leaf package he held in his hand. With a smile, he said, “Shuying, you want to catch bugs, huh? You can't do that yet. You'll have to wait until you grow up. I'll ask Ruying to guide you. Be a good girl. I'm going out to work now.” After their conversation, it was time for Song Zhenyu to leave. Zhang Yingyue wanted him to rest a bit longer, but Song Zhenyu just laughed. As he was walking out, he said, “I'm going to take a stroll outside. That's also a form of rest. Yingyue, you should rest well too. If you're hungry or thirsty, just call for Ruying.” Zhang Yingyue was left with no choice. She gently looked at Song Shuying and said, “Shuying, you must honor your dad in the future. Your dad is the best man in the entire world.” Song Shuying gazed at the noticeably improved complexion of Zhang Yingyue, and she smiled at her. “Ah, oo ah...” Of course. A man like my dad is such a rare breed. Since he protects me when I'm little, I'll have to take care of him when he's old. Zhang Yingyue's gaze was gentle. Even though Song Shuying was just a baby, who couldn't understand anything, Zhang Yingyue couldn't help but speak to her daughter with sincerity. Every time she looked into her dewy eyes, as black and glossy as ripe grapes, she felt as if Song Shuying understood her. Every time she saw Song Shuying's mouth form an 'O' shape, or heard her making cooing sounds, she felt as if Song Shuying was responding to her. Zhang Yingyue reclined on the bed, cradling Song Shuying gently in one arm, patting her softly to coax her to sleep. A slight smile graced Zhang Yingyue's lips. The room was brightly lit and tranquil, devoid of any curses or commotion, exuding a peaceful and comfortable ambiance. She could even hear, not too far outside the house, the sounds of three other children tidying up the well. This is truly wonderful. A sense of relief washed over Zhang Yingyue at that moment. Song Shuying was soundly asleep. Her consciousness, however, was absorbing spiritual energy within the space. Song Zhenyu walked along the area with traps, sprinkling some insects into each one before he moved on to mow the grass. He spent the entire afternoon harvesting, then gradually carried everything back in several trips. After preparing dinner, he began weaving grass following their meal. Once again, Chen Longxiao came to lend a hand. The two shared a knowing smile, without much conversation, quietly working away. When it was nearing midnight, Song Zhenyu put down his work, patted Chen Longxiao on the shoulder, and said, “Longxiao, thank you. This is enough. You don't need to come tomorrow.” Under the moonlight, Chen Longxiao wore a sincere smile. He said, “Okay. I'm heading home now. You should get some rest too, Zhenyu.” Song Zhenyu nodded, watching as Cheng Longxiao departed. Only after tidying up the grass did he finally take a rest. On the thirteenth of August, it marked their third day since they had been separated from the family. That day, Song Zhenyu didn't go out. Instead, he began preparing to renovate the roof. In the morning, he had first gone out to chop bamboo to construct a ladder. Then, he carried Zhang Yingyue and Song Shuying over to the neighbor's place and began refurbishing the roof. He removed all the old, damaged bamboo tiles from the roof and replaced them with new ones. Once everything was set up, he carefully laid down the woven grass and secured them tightly, layer upon layer in a repetitive manner. The unusable grass was discarded and used to start a fire. Song Zhenyu called out to Song Ruying to pass him the straw. The father-daughter duo worked seamlessly together, and by the time darkness fell, the roof had taken on a completely different appearance. After a long day, Song Zhenyu descended from the rooftop. Then, he carried both Zhang Yingyue and Song Shuying back into the house. Now, the rooftop was no longer letting in light. In her heart, Song Shuying silently praised her amazing father. Daddy's hands-on skills are simply exceptional. Observing such a home, Song Zhenyu also relaxed. He took the three children to kindle a fire and prepare a meal. The meal was the same as always, but the whole family found it particularly delicious. After finishing his meal, Song Zhenyu found himself with a rare moment of leisure. He dug out a few chestnuts that were buried in the hot ashes, leaving the rest for his three siblings to share. Meanwhile, he prepared a medicinal concoction for Zhang Yingyue to drink. After Zhang Yingyue had taken her medicine, he brought out a chestnut and said, “Yingyue, try this.” The roasted chestnuts, perfectly cooked in the hot ash, exuded a tantalizing charred aroma. They tasted wonderfully fragrant and had a soft, glutinous texture. Upon catching a whiff of the delicious aroma, Song Shuying found herself salivating in anticipation. Song Zhenyu peeled it for Zhang Yingyue, causing her to feel somewhat embarrassed. Song Zhenyu said with a chuckle, “What are you waiting for, Yingyue? Go on, eat.” Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Zhang Yingyue accepted the food that Song Zhenyu had offered her. She then said, “Zhenyu, let me do it myself.” Song Zhenyu was focused on peeling the shell while casually remarking, “Why are you getting your hands dirty? Your hands will get all dusty. Let me do it for you.” Zhang Yingyue felt a sense of sentimentality. The freedom of having one's own home is truly something. If they were still in that household, and Song Zhenyu happened to glance at her a couple more times than usual, Wei Zhilan would have scolded her relentlessly. But now, all those curses and criticisms were a thing of the past. Zhang Yingyue, in her delayed realization, pondered that perhaps, separating from the family was a blessing in disguise for her. Zhang Yingyue couldn't help but turn her gaze to Song Shuying, who was currently swallowing her saliva with a pucker of her lips. Zhang Yingyue laughed. “Shuying is such a foodie, but I can't let you eat now.” Song Shuying puckered her lips slightly. I get it, I get it. I'm still a baby, right? I understand. Song Zhenyu peeled the chestnuts for Zhang Yingyue, each taking turns to eat and feed. The air seemed to be filled with sweetness. At night, after the children had gone to bed, Song Zhenyu also retired for the night. That evening, he had the most peaceful sleep he'd had in days, free from the worry of impending rain. On the fourteenth of August, Song Zhenyu was ready to spend another day cutting grass, intending to add two extra layers of thickness to the roof of his house. His diligence was visible to all in the village. Every time Song Zhenyu went off into the distance, the folks laboring with the fall harvest in the fields would always share a few words. Occasionally, Song Zhenyu would faintly hear words like 'sinful', but he didn't care. In the afternoon, he had spotted a barren piece of land. As he made his way there, he passed by a certain household's property. He saw Song Shengdong, Song Zhenxin, and Song Zhenming hard at work. Also present was Zhao Yuyan, who had recently returned from her maternal home. Song Shengdong lowered his voice and spoke sternly. “Everyone needs to work diligently. Stop dawdling and don't get distracted by irrelevant things.” The meaning behind Song Shengdong's words was clear to everyone in the family.