Chapter 15 Low Self-Esteem

When Yan Mu and Yu Yuan arrived home, they saw the village doctor coming out from Hunter Zhang’s house.

Hunter Zhang looked angry while the village doctor wiped his cold sweat and bent over to explain something.

Seeing that the atmosphere wasn’t right, Yan Mu tugged Yu Yuan’s sleeve, motioning for him to come to her house first to avoid the situation for a bit. Father Yan hadn’t returned from farming yet and the house was empty.

Yan Mu pulled Yu Yuan to sit down on the small bench, then very considerately poured him some water.

“Seeing such a strange atmosphere, you don’t know how to avoid it.” Yan Mu rambled as she handed the water to Yu Yuan.

“I can do it by myself.” Yu Yuan was somewhat unused to consideration. He turned away and said, “Of course he’s unhappy, Zhang Goudan’s leg was broken.” A cold smile seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth, but when Yan Mu looked closely, it quickly disappeared.

“Zhang Goudan’s leg is broken?” Yan Mu frowned, feeling that this matter was a little strange. So she carefully and tentatively asked, “How did Zhang Goudan break his leg?”

“I’m not sure either.” Yu Yuan lowered his eyes and his tone was extremely innocent, “I just heard that…… he went to the kitchen in the middle of the night to eat, but the ground was too slippery after the rain, so he ended up breaking his leg.”

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Was it because I sighed just now? If so, that’s really a beautiful misunderstanding.

“This is the second time the village doctor has come, Zhang Goudan’s leg…… probably can’t be healed anymore.” Yu Yuan said indifferently. Although his face was expressionless and his voice didn’t fluctuate, Yan Mu could hear his schadenfreude.

“But…… will Hunter Zhang take out his anger on you?” With these new thoughts, Yan Mu worriedly tugged at Yu Yuan’s sleeve. He looked back, and his black eyes seemed to be burning with red flames, but when Yan Mu carefully looked at them, they returned to their usual indifference.

“I’m going back.” Yu Yuan didn’t answer directly. He pulled his sleeve back from Yan Mu’s hand and stood up without a word, ready to leave.

“Eh? Do you want to eat before you leave?” Yan Mu urged him to stay, feeling troubled.

“…… No.” Yu Yuan paused his steps, then quickened his pace and left as if he was fleeing.

It wasn’t until he stepped out of the courtyard that he stopped to lean against the clay wall, deflated.

The midday sun was particularly harsh. Yu Yuan reached out his hand and covered his eyes with the back of it. A few rays of sunlight shone through the slit between his fingers, spilling onto his eyelids, stinging his aching eyes.

The blazing sun was hanging high and shining too brightly to look at directly.

Yu Yuan couldn’t help but think of Yan Mu’s eyes. Her eyes were more pure and brilliant than the sun.

Being stared at by such a pair of eyes made him, who lied in front of her, seem utterly despicable.

If Yan Mu was the warm and dazzling sun, then he was a lonely soul wandering in the middle of the night.

Without a place to return to and unable to rest in peace. Yan Mu and him were two completely incompatible existences.

Just a touch, he already felt like he was going to get burned.

The corners of Yu Yuan’s mouth curled into a mocking smile and he hid in the shadow of the corner of the wall. Perhaps a dark person like him did not deserve to be in the light.

Yu Yuan let out a long sigh, straightened his body, then slowly walked towards Hunter Zhang’s house.

************

Zhang Goudan was lying in bed, constantly groaning while Hunter Zhang sat on the side, holding the medicine.

“Dad, will my leg not get better anymore?” Zhang Goudan was sweating profusely and his face was pale with pain.

The village doctor said that his leg bone was broken. Even if it was set back in place again, he would still be crippled for the rest of his life.

I don’t believe it! The village doctor must just be too unskilled!! Zhang Goudan’s face became twisted.

“How did you fall down when you went to the kitchen in the middle of the night?” Hunter Zhang asked, his heart aching.

“I don’t know either……” Zhang Goudan said doubtfully.

He also felt that there was something evil about it. After all, the accident didn’t take place somewhere else but in the house he grew up in. At home, he could walk to the kitchen with his eyes closed, so how did he suddenly fall?

Could it be…… Yu Yuan? Zhang Goudan’s heart jumped as a bold thought appeared.

He recalled the eerie appearance of Yu Yuan carrying the axe yesterday afternoon, and he suddenly felt a little creeped out. Strangely enough, his first reaction was fear, then secondly hate.

“Dad! Yu Yuan must’ve done it.” Zhang Goudan grabbed onto Hunter Zhang’s clothes and shouted. At his words, he heard the creak of the wooden door being pushed open.

Moments later, they saw Yu Yuan walk in with an expressionless face.

“What did I do?” Yu Yuan looked at Zhang Goudan, who was limp on the bed, and a hint of ridicule flashed across his eyes.

“I…… I……” Zhang Goudan was so frightened and scared that he couldn’t speak for a moment.

“Little b*stard, why do you ask so many questions?” Hunter Zhang waved impatiently, “Quickly go and cook. In the future, you’ll attend school for only half a day, and in the afternoon, come to the field to farm.” 

Yu Yuan glanced at Zhang Goudan. He didn’t respond and just walked into the kitchen without emotion.

“Dad! Why are you letting that little b*stard attend school!” Zhang Goudan was furious.

“Teacher won’t refund the school fees and it’s too wasteful to just take a leave of absence.” Hunter Zhang took a few puffs of smoke and helplessly said, “Just let that little b*stard attend school for a few days.” Recently, he’d been smoking more and more. Even his eyes were a little out of focus from smoking and his face had become thinner.

“I don’t like him, you beat him up.” Zhang Goudan started to make trouble.

“Son, you can’t work with your injured leg, so it’s better not to beat him these next few days. Wait till your leg’s healed, then you can torture him as much as you want.” Hunter Zhang leaned on the bed and smoked, carelessly comforting him.

Currently, Zhang Goudan was bed-ridden and unable to move. And farmers depended on the weather to make a living so there was a bunch of work to be done in the fields that couldn’t be delayed at all .

Now that Zhang Goudan was injured, Hunter Zhang couldn’t hit Yu Yuan.

“Give your textbook to that little b*stard and have him take notes and teach you when he comes back.” Hunter Zhang patted Zhang Goudan’s shoulder and explained several things before he left to buy cigarettes again.

Zhang Goudan lay in bed and got angrier and angrier the more he thought about it.

Why? And let that little b*stard attend school? Does he even deserve it!!!

Zhang Goudan’s face was gloomy as he limped to the kitchen on crutches. With each step, he could feel a piercing pain.

Zhang Goudan looked at Yu Yuan who was lighting the fire for cooking. His hand held the textbook and he contemptuously said, “Didn’t you want the textbook? Take it!” 

After speaking, he threw the textbook into the burning stove.

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Edited by: Gaze