Chapter 120: I’ll Listen to You

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: I’ll Listen to You

The rumor had indeed come from the village chief’s house, but the main culprit wasn’t his little grandson.

The grandson had merely overheard that there was going to be a war, but it was Mrs. Hong whose imagination had run wild.

Especially after her husband had left her with a cryptic remark before he left—something about ’the winds are changing, take good care of the children’.

She had immediately jumped to the conclusion of forced conscription.

She was well aware that the number of able-bodied men in the village had sharply declined in recent years. If they started conscripting again, she feared their family wouldn’t be spared this time. Why else would her husband tell her to take good care of the children!

Mrs. Hong, who valued her life above all else and was terrified of death, grew more panicked the more she thought about it. She sat in the courtyard wailing at the top of her lungs for half the day, then scrambled up and told her daughter-in-law to prepare rations and bedrolls for her son and grandson to go hide in the mountains.

With such a huge commotion coming from their house, it naturally couldn’t be hidden from others.

One person told ten, and ten told a hundred. Soon, the entire village knew about the "conscription" and followed suit, fleeing into the mountains.

Nearby villages also noticed the strange goings-on in Dafeng Village. Some wives who had married into Dafeng even made special trips back to their parents’ homes to deliver the news...

In short, the news of forced conscription spread like a plague. Villages for miles around were thrown into a panic, and everyone fled for their lives into the mountains, wailing and howling.

The village chief had just been at the government office, puffing out his chest and promising the county magistrate that he would pacify his villagers and ensure not a single problem arose.

But when he returned, he found more than half the village empty. He went door-to-door to make his announcement, but couldn’t even get anyone to open up.

When he found out why, he was about to explode with rage.

The chiefs of the other villages also came looking for him one after another, demanding to know what the hell he was playing at.

Why had he spread rumors about conscription and thrown their villages into utter chaos? Had the county magistrate told him something different from what he’d told everyone else?

The village chief was so furious he could have spat blood right then and there. He went home and had a massive fight with Mrs. Hong.

No matter how much he feared his wife, he was still a man with career ambitions.

He had wanted to make a good impression on his superior, only to be utterly sabotaged by his own family! He could forget about getting a "distinguished" rating this year. With a mess this big, he might even get an official reprimand. Anyone in his shoes would be coughing up blood.

Ji Huan was speechless after hearing the story.

Who could have imagined that the panic that had swept through several villages was all started by Mrs. Hong?

It was a good thing the village chief had returned before dawn. If he had been delayed any longer and some accident had befallen the people hiding in the mountains, it wouldn’t be a matter that could be solved with just a beating.

Viewed this way, the stout Mrs. Hong was basically a walking disaster.

For the next few days, the village chief was busy trying to reassure everyone.

It was snowing, so it wasn’t easy to gather everyone at the village entrance. Instead, he went from house to house, painstakingly persuading them and swearing by the heavens to guarantee their safety.

"The Honorable County Magistrate himself has said it! The military camps have not issued any orders for conscription. We’re just common folk, what does this have to do with us? Don’t listen to those rumors, and definitely don’t spread them! If you cause trouble, you’ll be thrown in jail... In short, everyone, don’t panic, and don’t be afraid. Just celebrate the festival in peace!"

The New Year had already passed; what festival was there to celebrate in peace?

The village chief’s efforts had some effect, but not much.

In the end, as long as the war wasn’t over, who would dare to beat their chest and guarantee there would be no conscription?

What if they were losing? What if they ran out of soldiers midway through the fighting?

The situation in the other villages was much the same. The few village chiefs had run their legs thin just to barely stabilize the situation.

But that was only on the surface. Underneath, people were still filled with anxiety.

Beneath the village’s tranquil facade, an undercurrent of restless unease lingered.

The snow fell on and off, and the skies never cleared.

One morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten at the crack of dawn, Ji Huan heard a knock on her door.

Opening the door, she found Song Jing standing in the snow.

This was the first time the two of them had seen each other since returning from the mountain.

Ji Huan thought about what Hu Liang had told her and felt a faint sense of awkwardness.

But she wasn’t some young girl experiencing her first crush. After a moment of unease, she quickly composed herself.

"Are you heading out in this snow?" Ji Huan asked, tilting her chin toward the small bundle he was carrying.

Though it had only been a few days, to Song Jing it felt like a long time had passed.

He stared at her for a moment, then, afraid she would notice, he cleared his throat and nodded.

"A classmate came to see me yesterday. He said the situation isn’t looking good, so he suggested we get together and discuss if there’s anything we can do..."

Although they were scholars with no physical strength to speak of, they still wanted to do their part in this time of national crisis. Even if it didn’t amount to much, it was better than just sitting around and waiting.

"I have to go to town, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back, so..." ’So I wanted to see you before I left.’

Their eyes met for a moment before they both looked away, letting the silence stretch between them.

Ji Huan suddenly spoke. "Wait for me a second."

Song Jing watched her run into the main room. Though he didn’t know what she was doing, he had plenty of patience.

Ji Huan returned quickly and stuffed the things in her hand into Song Jing’s.

Song Jing recognized the oddly shaped items. He had seen Dabao wearing them at the bottom of the slope that day. When he had asked Ji Huan about them, she had called them gloves.

But this pair was clearly newly made, with a coarse cloth exterior, a fine cloth lining, and good quality cotton padding in between.

Looking at their shape, the four fingers were grouped together, separate from the thumb, so they wouldn’t hinder his grip. The two gloves were also connected by a string that could be hung around his neck, making them convenient to put on and take off—far more practical than the hand warmers people usually used.

He turned them over and over in his hands, liking them more and more. The corners of his mouth lifted in an irrepressible smile.

"They’re very nice. I... did you make them especially for me?"

He had already put them on. They fit perfectly. Who else could they possibly have been made for?

Ji Huan thought Song Jing’s question was a bit silly, but she found her own lips curving into a smile as well.

She had noticed it that night in the cave when she was warming his hands. Both of Song Jing’s hands were covered in hard, swollen lumps—obvious signs of chilblains. His right hand was particularly bad, with several spots already cracked and raw from the cold.

Ji Huan knew in her heart that he must not have stopped writing all winter.

’Perhaps it was to earn money by copying books, or to prepare for the prefectural exam, or maybe both.’

As it happened, Ji Huan had been trying to think of a way to repay him. After all, Song Jing had taken such a huge risk to find her, and it was thanks to him that she and Dabao had escaped.

After thinking it over, she decided to just make him a pair of gloves.

Her own gloves and Dabao’s had been made by Widow Xie. While not particularly beautiful, they were at least properly made.

But this pair for Song Jing, she had sewn every single stitch herself, so they looked a bit... abstract. One look and you could tell they were from the same maker as Dabao’s Simba doll.

’Looks are fleeting, as long as they’re warm,’ Ji Huan could only console herself.

She had originally wanted to make five-fingered gloves, which would be more convenient for reading and writing, but then she discovered the difficulty level was too high and pulled back just in time.

"It’s just to thank you for helping me and Dabao. Don’t read too much into it."

’Actually, she really wanted to ask Song Jing: Why did you turn back to look for me that day?’

’But then she felt there was no need. The answer was already written in his eyes.’

"And this..." Ji Huan coughed, pointing to the bottle he was holding in his other hand. "The stuff in here is hand cream. You have to remember to put it on. Forget about it when you’re writing, but when you’re reading, if you can wear the gloves, you should wear..."

As Ji Huan was talking, she noticed Song Jing staring at her and realized she was starting to ramble. She immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Song Jing laughed out loud, the emotion hidden in his eyes almost overflowing.

"I’ll listen to everything you say," he said earnestly, as if making a promise.