Wheat Seedlings - Chapter 26

 Mai Miao Parallel Side Story (7)

Ahead was a tree-lined path that circled the large playground, just enough for a leisurely walk.

In the afternoon, the man silently shielded the scorching sun with his body, letting the petite young man walk in his shadow. Only a sliver of sunlight slipped through the banyan leaves, illuminating that still-youthful face.

They walked side by side, maintaining a safe distance of two or three steps between them.

"Have you finished the snacks?"

Mai Miao suddenly heard the voice and lifted his head with a short, startled "Ah."

At the sight of him, even the hardest heart would soften. Chen Li patiently repeated, "The butterfly pastries I bought for you—have you finished them?"

This time, Mai Miao understood. He averted his eyes and let out a soft "Mm..." but shook his head slightly.

Mai Miao was thinking—so that thing was called butterfly pastry.

He really hadn't finished the box yet. Something so delicious—how could he bear to eat it all in one go?

Chen Li had been carefully observing Mai Miao's expression, trying to decipher his thoughts.

However, they hadn't spent much time together. No matter how capable Chen Li was, he could only vaguely guess, "If you're tired of them, I'll buy you something else."

Unexpectedly, Mai Miao quickly shook his head and waved his hands anxiously. "No, no need to buy more."

"Why?" Chen Li paused, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.

Only after speaking did he realize his tone had been too sharp—enough to startle Mai Miao. He quickly softened his voice. "You... don't like them anymore?"

Regiment Commander Chen had faced countless major situations in his life, but never had his heart felt so unsettled.

How could Mai Miao not like them? He had never tasted such delicious pastries back in the village. Gripping the bag on his shoulder, he lowered his head and stammered, "They... cost money."

Though Mai Miao had a childlike innocence, he still understood the importance of money.

Buying food cost money, buying clothes cost money, even marrying a wife cost money.

Mai Miao had been raised well. From a young age, he knew how hard it was to earn money—he couldn't just spend someone else's so carelessly.

Now Chen Li understood.

For a moment, he tasted something bittersweet—Mai Miao was reluctant to let him spend money. Then another thought struck him: something must have happened to make someone so sensitive and sensible.

Chen Li asked quietly, "Who else is in your family?"

Mai Miao shook his head again. "My mother went to the sky... to find my father." As he walked, he thought carefully. "At home, there's me... and Big Yellow..."

"And... two chickens—"

When he mentioned the two hens at home, his voice lifted slightly, as if with a hint of pride.

Chen Li pressed further, "Then where do you usually eat?" He added, "Do you get enough to eat?"

This was a traditional Chinese way of showing concern—if you cared about someone, you inevitably asked about food. After all, everyone believed that if someone ate well, their life couldn't be too bad.

"I eat at Aunt Liu's house, and... at the officer's house." Mai Miao was gradually growing less afraid of this man. He spoke slowly but made an effort to express himself. "Before... sometimes full, sometimes not." After a pause, he said, "Now... full."

The "now" he spoke of was actually just the past five or six years.

In the village, every household had several children—each one an extra mouth to feed. With the wars raging in both the north and south in recent years, even city dwellers were struggling to make ends meet, let alone those in the countryside.

As Chen Li walked, he studied Mai Miao—now he fully understood why the boy was so small and frail.

It wasn't just a matter of innate constitution. A child without parents, never having enough to eat during his growing years, couldn't possibly develop a strong body or be capable of hard labor.

He listened quietly, a sour taste rising in his mouth, then asked, "Then... do you get to eat meat?"

Mai Miao nodded vigorously, his face lighting up at the mention of meat, his lips and eyes curving into a smile. "Twice a month!"

Chen Li couldn't tear his gaze away from that smile and found himself smiling faintly in return.

It had been raining every night these past few days, leaving puddles along the narrow path.

Mai Miao was wearing brand-new cloth shoes—perhaps bought a size too big—that didn't fit well, causing him to slip every now and then as he walked.

Several times, Chen Li wanted to reach out and hold his hand, but every time he lifted his eyes, he spotted the regulators following them at a leisurely pace not far behind, their gazes flickering toward them now and then.

Chen Li had no choice but to stiffly withdraw his hand.

Mai Miao carefully watched his steps—the path ahead was muddy and difficult to navigate.

Chen Li suddenly spoke up. "Wait." They stopped.

The man rolled down his sleeves and extended a hand toward Mai Miao.

"Comrade Miao Miao," Chen Li said, forgetting again to correct his wording, "just hold onto my sleeve. That way, you won't slip."

The regulations explicitly stated that during the matchmaking process, they were not to initiate physical contact with the Omegas—but the rules didn't say anything about Omegas reaching out to the men.

This didn't count as breaking the rules.

Mai Miao glanced at him, hesitated for only a moment, then loosened his grip on his own clothes.

His hand reached forward silently, tentatively grasping the edge of Chen Li's sleeve.

Behind them, the regulators' eyes widened, as if sensing something amiss but unable to pinpoint exactly what, their expressions caught between speechlessness and protest.

One walked ahead, the other followed behind—connected only by a sleeve and fingers.

The man in front kept looking back, while the young man trailing behind kept his head lowered, though his eyes flickered upward now and then. The moment their gazes met, he quickly looked away, biting his lip lightly.

For the rest of the short journey, neither of them spoke.

Chen Li escorted Mai Miao back to the building.

The moment Mai Miao spotted others nearby, he let go. Chen Li held his position for a few more seconds before slowly withdrawing his hand.

"Chen Mai Miao, come here," a female regulator called out.

The young man obediently responded, "Teacher Lu," and followed her.

As he left, he glanced back once more, as if reluctant, his eyes sweeping over Chen Li.

Chen Li stood where he was, watching that retreating figure. In the distance, he saw Mai Miao being led to stand before another man.

It was Xu Zhifeng—he had also been selected for the second round.

The two young men stood together before disappearing from everyone's sight.

That night, the heavy rain returned.

The radio couldn't pick up any signal, only emitting a harsh static noise. Chen Li turned off the radio and switched off the light. He lay on the bed, hands behind his head, quietly staring at the ceiling.

The rain tonight lasted a long time, continuing until nearly dawn.

After the rain, the cicadas grew even noisier, making it harder to sleep. Chen Li got up from the bed, slipped on his shoes, and soon the sound of the door opening and closing could be heard.

A car rolled through a puddle, splashing tiny droplets of water.

Chen Li aimlessly rode his bike across the entire campus, circling the sports field once, his face absentminded.

Unconsciously, he rode beyond the campus area, near the administrative office building, and before he knew it, he found himself in that familiar alley again.

The air carried the earthy scent after the rain.

The man gradually slowed his pedaling, tilting his head back to gaze fixedly at a window on the third floor.

He had thought that after the original occupant of that room moved away, they would never return.

The curtains were drawn, with only a faint light seeping through.

Perhaps sensing something, the person inside slowly approached the window after a while.

When the curtains were pulled aside, two pairs of eyes met across the distance through the glass.

Mai Miao was wearing a white round-neck shirt, his arms and neck pale, with only a faint pink flush on his delicate face.

Seeing the man's lips move but unable to hear him, Mai Miao unlocked the window and pushed it open.

Chen Li had just parked his bike when he suddenly saw Mai Miao leaning halfway out. Without caring if he disturbed others, he urgently called out, "Be careful, don't fall!" He waved his hands. "Step back inside, listen to me."

Mai Miao had no choice but to retreat.

Chen Li glanced around before looking up again, lowering his voice as he asked, "It's so late, why aren't you asleep?"

The young man quietly peeked out, whispering back, "...You're not sleeping either." It seemed he was no longer as afraid of Chen Li as before. Now, he even dared to talk back.

Chen Li's chest still felt warm. Breathing slightly heavily, he grinned and said, "I can't sleep." He lowered his head as if embarrassed. "I've been thinking about someone for days, couldn't sleep at all."

No matter the era, people's longing for love and desire cannot be suppressed or isolated. Even in the hardest times, genuine affection stubbornly sprouts in the darkest corners.

Chen Li, a rough man who had never courted anyone from youth till now, was confessing for the first time. Though they had only met a few times, he couldn't quite explain how he had fallen for Mai Miao—but he simply wanted to take care of him.

His heart ached for Mai Miao. He wanted to cook for him, buy him delicious food and fun things.

He wanted to be... to be his lover.

Mai Miao rested his chin on the windowsill, seeming to understand yet not fully comprehending.

Those innocent eyes gazed at the man, and even the faint scent of gunpowder in the air seemed to carry a hint of sweetness to him.

This peculiar change was something he could only sense from Chen Li.

The pink flush on his face deepened, like a peach that had been half-ripe gradually ripening, turning fully red.

Mai Miao was too embarrassed. He slowly slid down and sat hugging his knees beneath the windowsill, hiding himself away.

Seeing the person hide, Chen Li felt inexplicably flustered—truth be told, he had lied earlier.

He couldn't sleep, not just because he was thinking of Mai Miao.

He was jealous.

Jealous of other men looking at Mai Miao. The mere thought of Mai Miao talking to other men ignited a vicious, raging fire in his heart.

At that moment, Mai Miao peeked his head out again. Speaking softly to the man below, he said, "You should go to sleep now." He added, "Miao Miao... is also going to sleep soon."

He called himself Miao Miao.

Chen Li's heart pounded like a drum.

He lifted his face, staring blankly at the window for a long moment before nodding. "Alright," he urged. "It's cold at night. Close the window quickly."

"Put on more clothes, don't catch a cold."

Just as Mai Miao was about to shut the window, the man spoke again: "Miao Miao."

Mai Miao's heart skipped a beat. He looked down.

Chen Li gazed at him and said, "I'm leaving now."

Mai Miao nodded obediently and closed the window properly, but he didn't move away. He pressed against the glass, watching as the man mounted his bicycle and slowly rode away.

Only when that figure disappeared into the darkness did Mai Miao reluctantly step back from the window.

After a long while, Chen Li unexpectedly returned.

He stopped beneath the shadows of the trees, making sure the window was securely closed and locked. He waited until the light inside went out before finally heading back to his dormitory with peace of mind.

***

By Monday, the results of the second round were announced.

Director Zhang of the Civil Affairs Special Department specifically called the two men in for a talk: "Comrades, according to the original arrangement, you should have had one final competitive opportunity."

He glanced at Chen Li and Xu Zhifeng in turn before continuing, "Chen Mai Miao has fallen ill. Considering his safety and health, the final meeting has been canceled. Instead, the Regulatory Bureau will decide his spouse based on your performances in the previous two rounds, while fully taking into account the Omega's personal wishes."

"After all, this is a lifelong commitment. If you have changed your minds or have other concerns, you should raise them with the organization as soon as possible. Beyond your instincts as special individuals, I also hope your desire to live with Chen Mai Miao stems from genuine personal willingness."

After delivering these words, Director Zhang dismissed them.

At that moment, the tall man stood up from his seat. "Director, I have a question."

"Regiment Commander Chen," Director Zhang adjusted his glasses and turned back to the lectern. "Go ahead."

"How is Comrade Chen Mai Miao's condition? Is it serious?" Though the man's expression remained unchanged, his tightly clenched fists betrayed his current tension.

"He's fine," Director Zhang replied. "Any other questions?"

Chen Li's brows relaxed instantly.

"Thank you, Director. I have no further questions," he said.

Director Zhang then looked at Xu Zhifeng. "Comrade, do you have any questions?"

Xu Zhifeng stood up.

The young man straightened his posture and answered, "Director, I have no questions."

Director Zhang nodded. "If there are no objections, you may return and await the final notice."

By evening, training at the school had ended, and during dinner time, everyone flooded into the cafeteria.

"Brother Chen, is this seat taken?" A few students carrying their meals passed by the table and asked Chen Li upon seeing him. The next moment, they noticed Instructor Wang sitting down with his tray.

"What are you gawking at? Sit down—" Instructor Wang glanced at them.

The students quickly declined, saying, "No need, instructor," and slipped away like oil under their feet.

Instructor Wang withdrew his gaze. "What's there to be afraid of? I don't eat kids," he muttered.

As he sat down, he nudged the man beside him with his elbow. "Brother Chen, do you recognize any of those guys?"

Chen Li followed his gaze to a table not far away. It was filled with young officers, their laughter so loud it echoed throughout the entire cafeteria.

Instructor Wang studied them. "Old Wang mentioned that all of them are from cadres' families. One of them is even the son of a military district commander."

"I'm done eating. You carry on," Chen Li said, wiping his mouth before standing up.

After disposing of the leftovers, Chen Li rinsed his plate at the sink.

Someone approached and called out to him, "Regiment Commander Chen."

Chen Li glanced sideways—it was Xu Zhifeng.

Members of their special group not only surpassed ordinary people in physical ability but were also mostly good-looking. Xu Zhifeng was no exception, with a striking appearance that made him resemble a dashing young man even in military uniform, the kind that easily won over younger folks.

"My dad mentioned you," Xu Zhifeng said. "He's always singing your praises. Said you're outstanding and insisted I learn from you while I'm here."

Chen Li didn't even lift his head, responding with only a few perfunctory sounds. After rinsing his plate, he said, "I'm leaving," but Xu Zhifeng stopped him. "Regiment Commander Chen, I came to congratulate you."

The man's back stiffened. He turned around and asked, "What do you mean?"

Others nearby quietly paused what they were doing, their attention involuntarily drawn to the scene.

Xu Zhifeng continued, "I just met with Director Zhang. I'm withdrawing from the matchmaking—I won't compete with you anymore." Chen Li stared at him silently, his gaze dark and heavy.

"I've thought it through. This isn't just casual dating—it's marriage, a lifelong commitment. I'm still young; I'll have other chances in the future." Xu Zhifeng stepped closer, leaning in to whisper, "A little fool, no matter how pretty, isn't worth it. He might be fun in bed, but..."

"Imagine actually marrying him and having kids. What if the child turns out to be a fool too? Wouldn't that ruin your life?"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Chen Li's hand shot out, gripping Xu Zhifeng's head. Before he could even struggle, his entire body was slammed face-first into the sink with brutal force.

<<Chapter List