After resting, Ji Chun took up the hoe and began weeding the field. The late afternoon sun had mellowed, and a cool breeze made the work pleasant. Meanwhile, Su Ran sat meditating beneath the tree, regulating his breath. Though they didn't speak, a comfortable silence settled between them, both content in their shared solitude.
Suddenly, rustling came from beyond the tall cornstalks. Su Ran's eyes snapped open, but the dense crops obscured his view. At first, he assumed it was neighboring villagers—until the murmurs of a young man and woman reached his ears. Bored of watching Ji Chun farm and curious about the clandestine conversation, he stood and nimbly leapt onto a sturdy tree branch, using the height to peer over the field.
Ji Chun, about to return for water, froze when he saw Su Ran's aerial maneuver. His heart lurched—until Su Ran pressed a finger to his lips, signaling silence. Though uneasy about Su Ran's condition, Ji Chun noted his secure perch and reluctantly joined him, landing lightly on a nearby branch.
Through the stalks, they glimpsed a village couple locked in an intimate embrace. The man, his voice thick with desperation, pleaded, "Please... just this once."
The woman's cheeks burned crimson. "Not here... Wait until you propose properly—"
"But your mother won't agree!" The man tightened his hold, breath ragged. "If we... consummate, she'll have to accept me."
Tears welled in the woman's eyes. Torn between propriety and pity for her lover, she finally whispered, "Where... would we even...?"
Spotting Ji Chun's adjacent fallow field, the man grinned. "This plot's abandoned. The new owners just arrived—they won't come today."
As the couple's murmurs dissolved into rustling fabric, Ji Chun's ears turned scarlet. He tapped Su Ran's shoulder. "We shouldn't watch this. Let's go."
Su Ran's lips curled. "Why not? Don't tell me you've never—"
A strange heat prickled under Su Ran's skin. Odd—he'd never cared for such matters before, but now his mind treacherously conjured images of the monk. Mine, he thought possessively. Perhaps it was time to... clarify their relationship.
Oblivious to his thoughts, Ji Chun fretted over Su Ran's condition. "Sect Leader Su, this is inappropriate. And in your state—"
Su Ran's face darkened. "I'm not some fragile thing!" He dropped soundlessly to the ground, irritation simmering. Tonight, he decided, he'd make this infuriating monk understand his place. The thought of Ji Chun flustered and compliant face sent a thrill through him, dispelling his annoyance.
With deliberate calm, Su Ran retrieved his bamboo hat and strode ahead. Ji Chun followed, laden with tools, just as Doctor Liang approached on the path.
"Working the fields today?" Doctor Liang called cheerfully.
Ji Chun nodded. "Sowed some seeds."
"Perfect timing! A friend gifted me ripe melons." Doctor Liang wiped his brow. "Come cool off at my place—you can't refuse hospitality in this heat!"
Ji Chun was eager to cultivate friendship with Doctor Liang. Seeing no pressing matters awaited them at home, he readily accepted the invitation. "We'd be honored to join you," he said with a polite nod. "Let us just return these tools first."
"Excellent! My wife will prepare dinner," Doctor Liang agreed cheerfully, his rustic demeanor belying an open-hearted nature. Though a village physician, he carried himself with unpretentious ease.
Su Ran remained silent but offered no objection—he understood the value of maintaining good relations with the local doctor. After storing their farming tools, the two men washed up at the riverbank and changed into clean robes. As twilight settled, they made their way to Doctor Liang's home.
A boy of about five greeted them at the gate, his delicate features lighting up when he saw visitors. "Shushu[1]! Shenshen[2]!" he called brightly before darting inside to alert his parents. The child's innocent misgendering of Su Ran went uncorrected—in this remote village, such nuances mattered little.
When Doctor Liang and his wife emerged, their warm welcome confirmed this household as their closest connection in the settlement. Inside, the boy proved attentive, quickly fetching stools for the guests. Su Ran, noticing the child's uncommon grace, asked idly, "What's your name?"
"Liang Zheng," the boy answered softly, standing with hands clasped behind his back.
Doctor Liang ruffled his son's hair affectionately. "Forgive his shyness, Su Gongzi."
Su Ran merely nodded. The August heat soon became oppressive indoors, and before long, a familiar nausea twisted Su Ran's stomach. Just as he struggled to his feet, a small hand offered a teacup.
"Shushu... water?" Liang Zheng's perceptive gesture brought unexpected relief as the cool liquid soothed Su Ran's throat. The sect leader regarded the boy with newfound appreciation before retreating to the courtyard's merciful breeze.
Outside, Doctor Liang and Ji Chun were relocating the dinner table to enjoy the evening air. Ji Chun noticed Su Ran's pallor immediately. "Are you unwell?" he murmured, drawing close.
Before Su Ran could dismiss the concern, the Liang family emerged with steaming dishes—whose aromas triggered violent retching. Su Ran barely reached the courtyard's edge before doubling over, Ji Chun's steadying hands the only anchor as his body convulsed helplessly.
"Doctor!" Ji Chun's voice cracked with alarm as clear fluid spilled from Su Ran's lips.
"Normal for pregnancy," Doctor Liang assured, though his professional calm did little to ease Ji Chun's distress. When the spasms finally ceased, Ji Chun pressed a water cup to Su Ran's lips, his own hands trembling slightly.
The look that passed between them spoke volumes—Su Ran's weak pat to Ji Chun's arm, the monk's barely restrained anguish. Su Ran's voice seemed a little weak, "It's no problem." He murmured moving to rest, Ji Chun resolved to consult the doctor privately. This helplessness, this visceral pain at witnessing Su Ran's suffering—he couldn't endure it again without better understanding.
[1] Honorific: Uncle
[2] Honorific: Aunt