Chapter 1557

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Xiaohua's head ached listening to Zhang Ruoshui's words; he had baby body wash on him, and indeed he couldn't just wipe it off and be done — he had to rinse it clean, otherwise it would harm his skin.

So he said:

"Wait for me a moment, I'll go fetch water for you."

Then he asked again:

"Is your mobile phone in the room or in the bathroom?"

"Huh?" Zhang Ruoshui was baffled. "Why are you suddenly asking where my phone is?"

Wang Xiaohua said:

"I'm afraid you'll be bored waiting, so you can scroll on your phone in the bathroom to kill time, and if anything comes up you can contact me by phone. So if your phone isn't in the bathroom, I'll put it at the bathroom door; after I leave you can open the door and grab it."

Hearing this, Zhang Ruoshui couldn't help breaking into a sweet smile:

"Brother Xiao Hua, how can you be so thoughtful? You're such a good person! My phone is in the room, on the bedside table!"

Wang Xiaohua turned around, fetched her phone, placed it at the bathroom door, and said:

"I'm leaving now, you wait patiently!"

Wang Xiaohua went down to the first floor, to the kitchen beside the courtyard, took two water buckets and a shoulder pole, then groped his way in the dark to the stream at the village entrance to draw water. He drew two buckets full and carried them back on the pole — it exhausted him. He hadn't done this kind of hard labor in a long time; his shoulders were rubbed raw.

Back home, he hurriedly used the family's big pot to heat the water to a warm temperature, then carried it upstairs for Zhang Ruoshui.

It was fortunate it wasn't deep winter; otherwise Zhang Ruoshui waiting this long would probably have caught a chill.

Wang Xiaohua brought the hot water to the second-floor bathroom door; he himself was sweating all over.

"Use this bucket first, see if it's enough. If not, I'll bring the other bucket up too."

Zhang Ruoshui's voice came from inside the bathroom:

"Brother Xiao Hua, where did you draw the water from?"

Wang Xiaohua replied:

"From the stream outside. I used the big pot at home to heat it up a bit for you."

"That's quite far, isn't it?" Zhang Ruoshui felt a bit embarrassed.

Wang Xiaohua just smiled. "Can't be helped. The house has no well, and no water was stored in advance. With the tap water cut off, we can only go draw water from the stream outside."

Originally his family had the habit of storing water — there was still a big water vat in the kitchen — but didn't Du Xiaojuan take Li Xiulan on a self-driving tour?

With no one home, afraid the stored water would breed bugs, they cleaned out the water vats before leaving.

As a result, tonight Wang Xiaohua brought Zhang Ruoshui back to stay, the tap water cut out, and they could only go shoulder water from the stream outside.

Learning the water came by such effort, Zhang Ruoshui said:

"Then I'll use it sparingly, save some for flushing the toilet tonight."

Wang Xiaohua laughed:

"Looks like you're not stupid after all — you even know to save water for flushing the toilet!"

Hearing Wang Xiaohua praise her, Zhang Ruoshui couldn't help laughing broadly:

"Brother Xiao Hua, can I open the door and go out to get the water now?"

Wang Xiaohua hurriedly said:

"Don't! I haven't left yet! Wait until I'm gone before you open the door! I'm going downstairs right now! If anything, message me on your phone!"

Wang Xiaohua hurriedly turned and went downstairs.

Hearing Wang Xiaohua's departing footsteps, Zhang Ruoshui cracked the door open a slit, saw his retreating back, and couldn't help feeling a pang of loss.

Naked, she stepped out, brought that bucket of water inside, tested the temperature — it was actually hot, and just right.

She felt Wang Xiaohua's thoughtfulness all the more.

She wet a towel with the water, wiped off the baby body wash, put her clothes on, walked out into the second-floor hall, and descended the pitch-black stairs — only to find the downstairs living room lights were also off. Only the room Wang Xiaohua stayed in showed a sliver of light through the door crack.

Zhang Ruoshui felt too embarrassed to knock and disturb Wang Xiaohui, so she could only grope her way back up to the second floor in the dark.

Back in the room, she took out her phone, opened WeChat, and typed to Wang Xiaohua:

"Brother Xiao Hua, it's still early. Can I come find you to chat?"

After typing that sentence, Zhang Ruoshui felt too embarrassed to send it.

But if she didn't have a proper talk tonight, who knew when there'd be another chance — because tomorrow she'd probably have to go find Du Xiaojuan.

Zhang Ruoshui stared at her phone in a daze.

Struggling inwardly.

At this moment, Wang Xiaohua messaged her first:

"I just came downstairs?"

Zhang Ruoshui's face instantly filled with shock. Damn, had he heard all that?

Wang Xiaohua sent another message:

"The light switch for the stairs is on the left wall. In a bit I'll boil a kettle of water and send it up."

Wang Xiaohua thought Zhang Ruoshui came down because she wanted to find water to drink.

Because the second floor had a kettle, but no water!

Zhang Ruoshui hurriedly deleted the words she had just typed, then typed a new sentence and sent it:

"Thanks, Brother Xiao Hua. I'll go down and boil it myself!"

Then he came out of the room again, reached the stairwell, and discovered the stair light had already been turned on by Wang Xiaohua.

Zhang Ruoshui went down to the first floor and discovered Wang Xiaohua had already come out of the room and turned on the living room light.

He was boiling water with a kettle:

"This water was fetched from the stream; once boiled it should be drinkable. Had I known the water would be cut off at home, I would have taken you to the other guesthouse in town. Really embarrassed — you'll have to put up with it tonight!"

Zhang Ruoshui, however, smiled sweetly and foolishly:

"Not hardship, not hardship! Showering with mountain spring water, drinking mountain spring water too — it's wonderful, hee hee!"

Wang Xiaohua smelled a strong scent of baby body wash on Zhang Ruoshui and couldn't help feeling refreshed and delighted, but still couldn't resist asking a sentence:

"Did you not wash the body wash off cleanly? Was one bucket not enough?"

Zhang Ruoshui hurriedly said:

"No no, it was enough. I just wiped myself with water; it should be clean already. There's still more than half a bucket left up there."

Wang Xiaohua brought the water to a boil, took out two wine glasses, and poured two cups.

"Careful, it's hot; let it cool a bit before drinking."

Wang Xiaohua handed a cup of water to Zhang Ruoshui.

Zhang Ruoshui was still smiling foolishly sweet:

"Thank you, Brother Xiao Hua!"

The air grew somewhat quiet.

This mountain village is like that — at night, apart from the insect cries outside, it's silently still.

Usually when Li Xiulan is at home, in the evening she turns on the TV and turns the volume to maximum to drive away the silence.

Tonight Wang Xiaohua didn't turn on the TV, because he no longer has the habit of watching TV; usually he just looks at his mobile phone at most.

So this spacious living room, after the two fell silent, sank into quiet.

Quiet to the point of embarrassment.

Quiet enough to make both feel a bit unaccustomed.

At the same time, an indescribably ambiguous atmosphere slowly rose.

Wang Xiaohua glanced at Zhang Ruoshui.

Suddenly discovered that the freshly showered Zhang Ruoshui had quite a pretty little face.

Fair and clean, no flaws, and even a bit of baby fat, looking rather cute.

Zhang Ruoshui also looked up at Wang Xiaohua; Wang Xiaohua's gaze hurriedly dodged away, and Zhang Ruoshui also hurriedly turned her head to look at the black-screened TV.

"That... Brother Xiao Hua, tonight... do you still have work to be busy with?"