Chapter 227: Much Like My Mother
Translator: Flying Lines & Fan Translation Studio
One who smiled always won forgiveness. Tarico was just like a naughty boy, with whom Ye Xiaoxian couldnât be angry.
âWhy donât you ski? You donât have boots?â he asked.
Ye Xiaoxian replied with a smile, âIt has nothing to do with boots. I donât know how to ski.â
âItâs very simple. I can teach you,â he said.
She hesitated, especially after she found physical contact was unavoidable when Jia Zhenbo taught Liu Qianqian how to ski. Apart from them, the other couples were also close to each other when they slid.
So Ye Xiaoxian declined politely. âIâm fine just watching from here.â
âItâs boring just watching here. The snow is cold and wet.â Tarico tried to persuade her.
âIâll be leaving soon,â She insisted.
He grinned. âAre you scared?â
âA little bit,â she admitted.
âWait a moment.â He put on his ski boots immediately.
Then, he slid down the hill skillfully. After a while, he reappeared dragging a wooden basin with a rope tied to it.
He scrambled up the hill and placed the basin in front of her. âSit in it.â
âSit in here?â She thought of the sand-boarding and rafting that she had once seen on television. It must be also very thrilling to slide down here, sitting in the basin.
âItâs safe. No skills are needed. Just sit in it.â Tarico explained.
Itâs not polite to decline oneâs kindness twice, especially after he brought the basin up
,
Ye Xiaoxian thought. Besides, she had also grown excited at the sight of the wooden basin.
On an impulse, she settled herself into it.
Tarico helped her hold the basin at first. When she was ready, he gave the basin a push to let it move down slowly. When it reached the middle of the slope, it suddenly sped up. She couldnât help screaming. What an adventure!
Tarico followed her down and soon came to her side. He asked with a smile, âIs it fun?â
âYes!â she affirmed.
âAgain?â
âOf course!â
She wanted to drag the basin up by herself, but it was too heavy to move. Tarico took it at once and put his boots in it. âIâll do it.â
Like this, she would be side by side with him. Keeping a distance, she didnât feel embarra.s.sed with him. Since she knew his story from Dilly, she had deemed him a good man who she didnât need to guard against.
Tarico was very talkative the whole way. âIs the man who came here that day your husband?â
âWho?â She was surprised by his question.
âThe king,â he said.
âOh, him!â She laughed as she panted and climbed up. âYou misunderstand. How could he be my husband?â
âWhy not?â He was confused.
It occurred to her that the cla.s.s divide was not that serious in this tribe. So she explained, âThose in the royal family canât marry ordinary people. Iâm just a commoner.â
Since Tarico usually wandered around, he knew the people elsewhere indeed had such social rules. But he asked, âHe likes you, or you also like him?â
She burst into laughter. âThatâs impossible. Itâs all in your mind.â
Liu Qianqian had also teased her about this after Li Chengru had left that day. The other people even supported her being with Li Chengru, though she might become a concubine as she didnât have a strong background. They said nothing would matter as long as he treated her well.
Ye Xiaoxian thought they must have let their imagination run riot. For one thing, she didnât want to be a concubine. For another, Li Chengru wouldnât fall in love with a widow. Anyway, she didnât want to get herself involved in such a drama of palace intrigue. She knew she was not smart enough to survive one episode if she was put in a TV series of that kind. So she was serious when she asked the others not to joke about this. Just like them, she treated him as an ordinary friend who had once shared great difficulties with them.
â¦
Rea.s.sured by her cert.i.tude, Tarico didnât ask anymore.
She joked, âWhy are you soâ¦â Since she didnât know how to say ânosyâ in the local dialect, she finally used, âmuch like my motherâ.
He got her meaning and gave her a big smile. âIâm just curious.â Then, he took out his ski boots and handed them to her. âGrab them. Iâll pull you up.â
Ye Xiaoxian panted heavily as she climbed up. After all, it was her first time walking in deep snow, which was almost as difficult as swimming for a beginner. So, she stretched out her hands and grabbed the boots without hesitation. Then, he began helping her up in front, which saved her a great deal of energy. Soon, they reached the top and darted down happily once more with the basin and boots.
Ye Xiaoxian had a great time that day. But she didnât notice the curiosity in the localsâ eyes as they looked at her and Tarico.
â¦
Bored at home, Ye Xiaoxian began making potato pies. The pies proved to be a great success. All her companions loved them very much. Therefore, she planned to give some pies to Dilly and chat with her.
Since it was freezing cold outside, the food would easily turn cool. So she made a simple thermal box, placing food in the top layer and hot water in the bottom layer. This way, the pies could remain warm when Dilly ate them. Then, she trudged through the snow to Dillyâs house
Delighted by Ye Xiaoxianâs visit, Dilly welcomed her to the yurt hospitably. The stove was burning, on top of which was a pot of hot water. It was much warmer inside.
Ye Xiaoxian took off her coat and blew on her hands to warm them up. After a while, she opened the box. âAuntie Dilly, Iâve brought some potato pies for you. Please try some.â
âOh, thank you!â Dilly took out a piece of pie and had a bite. She savored it and said that she liked it very much and that it reminded her of her hometown. Then, she asked, âI remember you planned to pick snow lotuses in the mountains, right? Did you do it?â
âNo,â Ye Xiaoxian said with a sigh. âTheyâre worried about being frozen to death.â
Dilly laughed. âIndeed, it requires courage and also a localâs company, or you wonât know what to do when facing heavy snow. I suggest you go in spring.â
She thought for a while and went on, âBut you can go fis.h.i.+ng.â
Ye Xiaoxian had also learned from some doc.u.mentaries that one could catch fish in winter even when the river was frozen. But she didnât know the specific method.
Dilly advised, âYou can ask Tarico. He also catches fish in winter. Oh yes, you can have his company when you pick snow lotuses. Heâs a master in this. I remember he once picked five lotuses in a day. The others might explore the mountains twice without finding any.â