Free Web NovelChapter 100: Chapter 100: Watch
Su Li looked at the rock in front of her, which could barely pass for a table. "...Thank you."
For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.
"What’s there to thank me for? Don’t be so formal." Wu Sheng patted the rock. "I’m so strong, I’ve got energy to spare."
Su Li: "..."
She scratched her head, about to say something, but Wu Sheng spoke again.
"I’m not like those young lads your age who’d have to use every last ounce of their strength for a little rock like this. Save your ’thank yous’ for them."
Su Li: "...Oh."
Feeling that things were getting a little weird again, Su Li quickly changed the subject. "Is there something you need me to do?"
"Right here." Hearing her, Wu Sheng pulled a bag out from behind a tree, took out a stack of documents, and placed them on the rock.
"Help me take a look. Which one of these is the engine file?"
Su Li paused. "Am I allowed to look at these?"
"Of course. These are all old files, not the real ones," Wu Sheng nodded.
"Alright." Su Li took the documents and glanced over them. "Is this your team’s work from the past few days?"
"Mhm," Wu Sheng replied ambiguously.
Because in reality, some of these documents weren’t theirs. He had simply taken a stroll through the Red Team’s camp and brought them back.
The research team’s formidable reputation wasn’t just for show.
"I might be leaving in a few days," Wu Sheng said as Su Li was looking through the documents.
Su Li nodded, not surprised.
Seeing Su Li’s indifferent reaction, Wu Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Did you keep the address I gave you before?"
Su Li paused for a moment before saying, "Oh." She hadn’t really thought about contacting Wu Sheng later, so the address was probably still sitting untouched in her bag.
Wu Sheng waited a moment, but when she didn’t say anything more, he raised an eyebrow.
"Isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to politely give me your address in exchange?"
Only then did Su Li look up at Wu Sheng.
"It’s not convenient for me to receive mail at my current address, and I’ll be leaving soon anyway. I can’t give you one since it’s not set."
"Then contact me when you have a permanent address," Wu Sheng said.
Su Li hummed in agreement, her attention focused on the documents.
Satisfied, Wu Sheng returned to his lazy, relaxed posture.
He had no idea Su Li was just casually agreeing. Such pleasantries about keeping in touch were all too common.
Su Li read through them quickly, identifying the correct document in less than an hour.
"Barring any surprises, it should be this one."
Wu Sheng nodded, a flash of approval in his eyes as he looked at Su Li. "That’s some impressive speed."
She was much faster than many of the translators he had met before.
"It’s my specialty." Su Li stretched her neck, glanced at the sky, and stood up.
"It’s getting late. I should head back."
"Mhm, I should get going too." Wu Sheng also stood up.
Thinking they might not have a chance for a proper goodbye later, Su Li said, "Alright, well, I guess I’ll see you around then."
"I’m not leaving just yet." Wu Sheng shot Su Li a sidelong glance. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I’m not," Su Li said, shaking her head.
"I hope not." Wu Sheng bent down, picked up Su Li’s bag, and handed it to her.
Seeing her take it, he stepped back and said, "I’m off."
And when he said he was off, he really left, without a moment’s hesitation.
"Goodbye." Su Li slung her bag over her shoulder and went to herd her ox.
After a couple of steps, she felt something pressing against her back from inside her bag. Su Li frowned and rummaged through it, suddenly pulling out a watch.
There was a note attached to the watch: "Payment for the translation. Had no cash, so this will have to do."
Su Li thought about how Wu Sheng had specifically handed her the bag just now. It all made sense.
Su Li turned around to look for Wu Sheng, but he was nowhere to be seen.
’I don’t need any payment! It was just a small favor, not worth something this valuable.’
Su Li felt helpless, holding the watch.
’Why would he give me a reward...’
She examined the watch in her hand. It was clearly an import, with a high-quality feel. The color was a rare black. It lacked the delicacy of a lady’s watch, but it had a bold, stylish presence.
Simple and stylish, its size wasn’t distinctly masculine or feminine—it was a unisex watch.
Although Su Li had never seen this particular style, she had a good eye for quality. ƒrēewebnovel.com
It was obviously very expensive.
The value of this watch far exceeded the value of her translation work.
’I never wanted any payment... What kind of payment is this...’ Su Li felt as if the watch was burning her hand.
Looking at the sky, Su Li finally gave up on the idea of chasing after Wu Sheng to return the watch.
Su Li couldn’t possibly go back wearing the watch, so she thought for a moment and put it away.
In those days, wearing a watch was a very fashionable thing to do. A watch, a bicycle, and a sewing machine were the three major items required for marriage.
Many people who owned a watch wore it as if they wanted to announce it to the whole world. For Su Li to quietly show up with one would attract way too much attention.
The unexpected payment of a watch inevitably reminded Su Li of the gold ring Tang Yuanxiao had brought back before.
Tang Yuanxiao had said to just throw it away if she didn’t want it. She had wanted to, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to actually do it.
She hadn’t been able to return the ring to Tang Yuanxiao, and it was now hidden in a pickled vegetable jar under her bed.
"I’ll return it to him later along with the money..." Su Li muttered to herself.
’The watch... I hope they haven’t left yet.’ For the watch Wu Sheng gave her, she could only hope his team was still around so she could run into him and give it back.
’If I can’t find him, I’ll just have to mail it back.’ Thinking this, Su Li rummaged through her bag, found the address she had stuffed inside earlier, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness I didn’t lose it..." ’With an address, I can mail it back.’
Su Li muttered to herself for a bit, then herded the ox home.
After quiet returned to the mountain, a figure suddenly and silently appeared where Su Li had been standing.
It was Wu Sheng.
He watched Su Li go down the mountain, a triumphant smile in his eyes.
’A token of love... ah, no, I mean a watch. Once a gift like that is given, there’s no taking it back.’
’Su Li won’t be returning it in this lifetime!’
Only after Su Li’s figure disappeared from view did Wu Sheng leave just as silently as he had appeared.
Unaware that she was being watched, Su Li still held on to the idea of returning the watch to Wu Sheng later.
For the next few days, she carried the watch with her whenever she went to herd the ox, but Wu Sheng never came to find her again.
Wu Sheng didn’t come looking for Su Li, but the principal of Xinghua Village Elementary School did.
He had come to ask Su Li to be a substitute teacher at Xinghua Village Elementary.
The whole matter started with the children Su Li had been teaching on the side.
Su Li truly taught them out of convenience. Since she had to teach Little Tang Mo anyway, she didn’t think much of it. Or rather, she didn’t think it was a big deal.
Previously, because his mother had passed away and his father was often away from home, Little Tang Mo was raised by Mrs. Tang. Although he wasn’t an orphan, his situation was quite similar.
Because of this, he rarely went out to play, had few friends, and developed a shy and introverted personality.
But recently, between Su Li’s presence and Tang Yuanxiao’s visit, Little Tang Mo finally felt secure, as if he had both a mother and a father. Armed with all the stories she told him, his confidence instantly blossomed.
Su Li was especially happy that Little Tang Mo was now able to play like a normal child, was willing to socialize, and had friends.
So, Su Li was actually quite grateful to the other children. Teaching them to read, telling them stories, and even making them small snacks didn’t seem like a big deal to her at all.
She might not have thought it was a big deal, but the parents of the other children certainly did.
In those days, most people were illiterate. Just knowing a few characters was considered amazing. Finishing elementary school, even if one attended by fits and starts, meant you were a capable intellectual.
