Chapter Thirty-Three: Two Hearts, Tenderly Entwined

Shi Zhaodi stood up, clutching the cauliflower in one arm while holding Jiang Haoen’s hand with the other.

"Brother, cauliflower is hard to pull out!" she complained, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Use a knife," Jiang Haoen replied. He took a Swiss Army knife from his pocket, then retrieved the cauliflower from her grasp to demonstrate how to harvest it properly.

"Brother, you should have taken the knife out sooner," Shi Zhaodi couldn't help but pout.

"Be careful not to cut yourself," Jiang Haoen cautioned as he folded the knife and handed it to her. He then carried the cauliflower to the edge of the field and set it down.

With the right tool in hand, Shi Zhaodi began to select vegetables with newfound confidence. As she walked, she came across a small patch of plants she didn't recognize. She turned to ask Jiang Haoen, "Brother, what kind of vegetable is this?"

"Ginger," Jiang Haoen glanced over, answered, and then bowed his head to continue weeding.

So, this is what ginger leaves look like! If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she never would have imagined it.

She used the small knife to dig into the soil, unearthing a piece of ginger to use for seasoning later. Turning back to look at Jiang Haoen, she saw him still focused on weeding the garden. Although she had asked him earlier if he was the one who tended the garden, it had been a casual question. Now, she truly believed that he was the one caring for it. Seeing him so absorbed in weeding, as if those precious vegetables were the only things in his world, she realized that beneath his aloof and quiet nature, Jiang Haoen was capable of many things—things she previously would have found unimaginable.

When Jiang Haoen looked up, his gaze met hers. Shi Zhaodi had been staring at him, lost in thought. He did not look away, meeting her gaze steadily. In that moment, it felt as though the entire universe consisted of nothing but the two of them.

Shi Zhaodi snapped back to reality, flashed him a sweet smile, and returned to picking vegetables.

Jiang Haoen lowered his head to continue weeding, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Together, they carried the harvested vegetables to the nearby stream to wash them before placing them into the basket they had brought from the cabin.

"Brother, look! There are so many little fish!" Shi Zhaodi pointed excitedly at the fish darting through the water.

Jiang Haoen nodded, a smile lingering in his eyes. Seeing how clear the water was and noting that it was shallow—barely reaching above their knees—Shi Zhaodi couldn't resist rolling up her pant legs and stepping into the stream.

The water was cool and flowed gently, offering a refreshing sense of comfort.