Linbiangui Village-Infinite Streaming Chapter 17
byA New World Established
As Uncle A Dong vanished, the entire world began to tremble violently again. The commotion was immense; fine sand and dust on the roof rustled and fell, forcing Chen Jin to grip the table to remain standing. He had no idea what was about to happen.
Wu Zeng approached step by step. The ground beneath his feet shook incessantly, yet he walked steadily. When he reached the table, Wu Zeng wrapped his right arm around Chen Jin’s waist, lifted him up, and pulled him into his embrace.
The shaking walls above them began to crumble. Wu Zeng raised a hand to shield Chen Jin’s head, then embraced him and ducked under the table. All the falling dust and grit were kept outside.
Through the thin shirt, Chen Jin could feel the other man’s solid frame. A strand of hair brushed his nose, carrying a refreshing scent of mint that was surprisingly pleasant, and Chen Jin felt no resistance.
Surrounded by noise and chaos, the two were squeezed into the narrow space. Chen Jin was completely encircled, feeling as if he had returned to the state of being wrapped in a swaddling cloth as a child. His eyelashes fluttered as he pondered something unknown.
As the tremors intensified, Wu Zeng suddenly pressed his forehead against Chen Jin’s sweaty nose and slipped something into his pocket. “If we don’t make it out together, wait for me to find you.”
The next second, Chen Jin felt the world spin. His surroundings instantly plunged into nothingness, and all his senses failed. After an unknown period, the strange sound in his skull reappeared, “Since you have arrived, you must understand before you leave.”
As soon as the voice faded, Chen Jin began to fall rapidly. A vision flashed in his mind: Sister A Ping, mouth bloody, biting the alligator snapping turtle. His body was completely out of control. His chest felt crushed by a boulder, and his breathing gradually stopped. In just a few dozen seconds, he fell into a state of extreme oxygen deprivation, his entire body convulsing.
Suddenly, something soft pressed against him, followed by oxygen mixed with the scent of mint. The convulsions instantly eased, and his limbs regained movement. Chen Jin craved more, like a fish out of water. A cool hand cupped the back of his neck, and more cool oxygen slowly passed into his mouth, creating a strange temperature difference with Chen Jin’s burning breath.
“Xiao Jin.”
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Jin felt someone gently patting his cheek and calling his name. Then, a strong arm forcefully pulled him out of the void.
When he woke up again, the shaking of the world had finally ceased.
Chen Jin moved his stiff body. The chest pressed tightly against his vibrated with a soft chuckle. Only then did he realize he was curled up entirely in Wu Zeng’s arms, the heat radiating from his back being absorbed by Wu Zeng’s cool skin.
In a panic, Chen Jin struggled free, practically tumbling out. As he stood up, his right knee scraped against the rough floor tiles, leaving a patch of red blood.
The fallen stones on the ground had all disappeared. Outside the window, it was still the streetscape of Mengle Village, the only difference being that the houses looked much older.
A breeze blew in from outside, but the air was stiflingly hot. Chen Jin felt his face burning. He turned his head as if avoiding the light, only to meet Wu Zeng’s meaningful gaze. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and Chen Jin quickly looked away.
Downstairs, Uncle A Dong was sitting at the table, staring blankly, his water pipe, still packed with tobacco, resting by his feet.
“A Dong?” Chen Jin called tentatively.
“Hmm?” Uncle A Dong turned his head woodenly and responded. He looked frail and aged, completely oblivious to the subtle tension between Chen Jin and Wu Zeng.
“It’s nothing,” Chen Jin unconsciously looked at Wu Zeng, who shook his head. A Dong was truly gone.
The shops on the street had changed significantly. The biggest difference was that various small shops now had QR codes for payment. It seemed the timeline in this world was different.
He wondered what needed to be broken this time.
Since everything was currently unknown, Chen Jin decided to focus on the task at hand. He picked up his official letter and headed to the Village Office. Now, he should finally have a chance to visit the You ethnic group settlement on the east side of the village.
The layout of the Village Office was completely different from before. It was equipped with several desktop computers, and the staff had been entirely replaced.
The young staff member who greeted them this time was extremely enthusiastic. Upon seeing Chen Jin’s official letter, he even stood up and used the formal tea set to boil water and brew hot tea for the two of them.
Chen Jin initially thought the man was simply hospitable and warm, but later realized that he was putting on this show merely to have more conversation with people his own age.
“This is great!” Li Ming Ming exclaimed, almost tearfully, while laughing. He abruptly grabbed Chen Jin’s hands, which were holding the official letter, intending to say something, but Wu Zeng smilingly pushed him back.
The young man had a strong psyche; he wasn’t annoyed or angry, just kept sighing, “I finally see someone my age.”
Mengle Village was remote, and most young adults had gone to the city for work. The township rarely assigned young people to be stationed in Mengle Village, and Li Ming Ming was the first.
This young man had been stuck in the village for two months and was truly bored.
“But your date is wrong, huh? How could you make so many typos, adding a whole 10 years!” Li Ming Ming pointed to the date on the letter, winking at Chen Jin with a smile. “I wouldn’t let others pass, but since we’re the same age…”
So, the current year was 2015.
“I didn’t notice,” Chen Jin calmly lied, ignoring the other man’s gesture.
Wu Zeng unconsciously frowned. Offering courtesy without cause suggests ill intent!
“No problem, no problem. Have a couple more sips, and I’ll take you over right away.” Li Ming Ming was clearly a chatterbox and hadn’t stopped talking since sitting down. He refilled their hot water and then stood up, saying, “I’m going to grab something. Wait for me a moment.”
He spoke to both of them, but his eyes were only on Chen Jin.
Before he had gone far, Wu Zeng stood up expressionlessly and casually tossed the water out. “Be careful, you might be running to the toilet all day if you drink that.”
The You ethnic group settlement was not far from the Village Office. The fields were right next to the houses, an endless expanse of green, with crisp, long beans hanging from the branches, growing vigorously.
In the distance, a couple was sitting by the field. Both wore headscarves embroidered with ethnic patterns and were resting, drinking water from small cups.
“Sister Chen, Uncle Liao,” Li Ming Ming excitedly waved at the two people ahead, looking very familiar with them.
“Ming Ming, come quickly! We’re having afternoon tea.” (The local dialect phrase meant ‘afternoon tea’.)
“Sister Chen, Uncle Liao, this is Chen Jin and Wu Zeng. They came specifically today to help you harvest the peas.”
When did they agree to help harvest peas?
“Sister Chen, Uncle Liao, hello. My name is Chen Jin.” Chen Jin forced himself to respond. He bowed slightly to the couple, appearing humble and polite, like a child adults would favor.
Wu Zeng squatted down and pinched a pea seedling. The white flowers nestled between the stems and leaves brushed against the back of his hand. “Sister Chen, Uncle Liao, you two must be reincarnated agricultural deities! Chen Jin, look how plump these pods are!” He pulled Chen Jin closer, pointing at the round pods ahead, and laughed, tilting his head up. The pollen clinging to his nose became the perfect finishing touch in a splash-ink landscape painting.
Sister Chen and Uncle Liao were clearly honest people and couldn’t handle such immediate praise from Wu Zeng. They became a little embarrassed. “Not at all, we just plant them casually… Come and have something to eat first.”
Sister Chen said, pulling two packets of yellow objects from the basket on the ground and handing one each to Wu Zeng and Chen Jin. “Tuanzi Baba (sticky rice cakes). Have you eaten these before?”
Chen Jin took it with both hands. The item had been kept warm in the basket, and the outer skin was warm. It was a substantial piece.
As he pulled open the plastic bag, a sweet, fresh aroma wafted into his nostrils. He took a gentle bite, and red syrup flowed out. The sugar crystals sparkled under the sun, and steam rose continuously. The white mochi wrapping the syrup wobbled before being contained within the yellow glutinous rice, creating distinct layers that were fragrant and tempting.
“Sister Chen, it’s a shame you don’t open a shop with this skill,” Wu Zeng clicked his tongue. This time, it wasn’t just flattery; the thing was genuinely delicious.
“Sister Chen sells them on the street during market days. Brother Wu Zeng, if you want more, you can go find her then,” Li Ming Ming quickly interjected, afraid of missing a chance to contribute to the conversation.
After they finished eating, Sister Chen handed them straw hats. It was time to get to work in the fields.
“Have you harvested peas before?” Uncle Liao suddenly turned back and asked, remembering something.
“No,” Chen Jin replied. Wu Zeng also shook his head.
Uncle Liao placed his finger on a hanging pod, pointing to the shell. “It’s simple. You look at the long bean pods hanging from this pointed end. Pick the ones that are plump but not yet old, and put them directly into the basket.”
Then he pointed elsewhere. “See, the ones where the veins on the surface are starting to turn white, those will be a bit hard to pick—they are old. Just toss those on the ground; they can be used as fertilizer.”
It didn’t seem too difficult.
Wu Zeng rolled up his sleeves, eager to get into the field. The lines of his forearm extended smoothly from the rolled cuff. “Let’s try.”
“Thank you for your hard work, young men,” Sister Chen said, smiling slightly and apologetically at the two of them while quickly and skillfully picking the beans.
“Sister Chen, watch us. We’ve got this entire patch covered today,” Wu Zeng declared, lifting his chin confidently.
“Hahahaha.” Harmonious laughter echoed across the fields.
After picking for about half an hour, Chen Jin felt a dull ache in his bent waist, and his palms were unconsciously sweating. His fingertips, sore and sensitive from frequent picking, were starting to throb. Chen Jin wiped his palms on his pants and vaguely felt something hard poking his thigh. Reaching into his pocket, he found the alligator snapping turtle shell had reappeared on him.
Chen Jin took the opportunity to pull it out. The grayish-brown shell was polished smooth, and the cracks from when it was shattered were nowhere to be seen. It looked exceptionally clear in the sunlight.
Chen Jin adjusted his dirt-smudged glasses, holding his waist to stretch. The buzzing of insects mixed with the hot, earthy smell drilled into his eardrums. Wu Zeng suddenly moved closer and gently pressed Chen Jin’s waist. Chen Jin instantly felt much relief.
“Tired?”
“Not really.”
“What are you two whispering about!” Li Ming Ming, standing far away, shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.
“Idiot,” Wu Zeng muttered. This was the first time he had felt such aversion to a person. How could a man in his twenties be so tactless?
Chen Jin caught a glimpse of Wu Zeng’s darkened expression and waved lightly toward the distance, dismissing Li Ming Ming.
“You young men have such a good relationship!” Sister Chen couldn’t help but sigh, watching the two of them being close.
“Of course. Chen Jin is my little brother,” Wu Zeng said, wrapping an arm around Chen Jin, declaring proudly to the surroundings.
Sister Chen only had one son and always felt that only children were too lonely; it was better to have a companion.
“Get back to work,” Chen Jin pushed him away. This man had somehow assigned himself the role of his older brother and was now getting carried away with the act.
“Fine!” Wu Zeng’s voice held a hint of feigned grievance, but he secretly plucked a few burrs from a tree next to the field and stuck them onto Chen Jin’s hair. “You look great!”
Chen Jin was confused until Wu Zeng took out his phone and snapped a picture of him.
Seeing his head covered in burrs, large and small, neatly arranged like a little girl’s hair clips, Chen Jin managed a small smile. Then, he reached through Wu Zeng’s side and took something from a nearby pea plant. “Hand out.”
Wu Zeng obediently spread his palm. Chen Jin placed a small stick on it. Now it was Wu Zeng’s turn to be confused.
The next second, the stick began to twist. Several slender legs slowly unfolded from the body, and a pair of eyes darted back and forth—it was a stick insect.
A wave of goosebumps instantly erupted across Wu Zeng’s body.