Ji Chaozhou only explored the first floor of the villa. The hanging stairs leading to the second floor had not yet been changed and he had never gone up there.

While he sat in the living room reading a book, various sounds often came from the villa next door.

Without him realizing it, Ji Chaozhou has already focused most of his attention on what was going on next door, and he hasn’t turned a page of the ancient book on incense and Daoism in his hand for a long time.

There was a heavy scent of freshly-turned earth wafting over, and it was not coming from his yard.

Ji Chaozhou’s eyes unconsciously fell on the fingertips of his right hand as it lay on top of the page. His thoughts drifted. Was she digging up soil and planting things in her yard?

… …

Early the next morning, Ji Chaozhou learned what Cheng Liu had been planting in her yard.

Ji Chaozhou had just walked to his front courtyard to check the status of the flowers that had been transplanted yesterday.

Cheng Liu suddenly poked her head over the wall next door and, with a forlorn look on her face, told him a bit nervously, “It seems that all the fruit tree saplings I planted yesterday are going to die.”

Ji Chaozhou: “…”

Cheng Liu stood on a ladder propped on her side of the property, holding on to the wall with both hands. Looking at Ji Chaozhou with expectant eyes, she said, “Can you save them?”

He seemed to be good at growing flowers, so he must also be able to plant trees, right?

Young President Cheng felt that this logic was correct.

Ji Chaozhou didn’t want to get too close to Cheng Liu, but there was so much noise yesterday afternoon. He didn’t know how many fruit tree saplings she planted, but if they all died, then that would be a waste of a lot of fruit tree saplings.

Ji Chaozhou looked at Cheng Liu on the other side of the wall and reminded her in advance, “I’m just going to take a look.” 

His tone was as cold as ever, but at least he agreed.

Cheng Liu immediately got down from the ladder and opened the door.

Ji Chaozhou walked into the villa next door for the first time. He surveyed the front courtyard that looked like it had been gnawed by a particularly exuberant dog and was silent for a long time: “…”

He didn’t know what Cheng Liu had been thinking.

Various fruit tree saplings were planted all across the yard in a chaotic mess. Not only did the roots of these saplings seem to have been flooded with water, but none of the places that should be pruned were pruned. Cheng Liu planted them directly on the ground, and because she bought too many saplings, they were all crowded together.

Cheng Liu’s design aesthetics and talent were probably all focused on her company’s smart machine products leaving none left over for greenery.

Ji Chaozhou turned his face to meet Cheng Liu’s hopeful eyes and said expressionlessly, “They all need to be pruned and replanted.”

He turned around and went back to get the tools.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

“Why do we have to cut off the good branches, and even cut the roots?” Cheng Liu squatted next to Ji Chaozhou and kept asking various questions. “What if there is no one to cut them in the wild?” 

Ji Chaozhou suddenly stopped what he was doing and sent Cheng Liu a cold look.

Cheng Liu immediately fell silent, made a zipping motion across her mouth, and quietly helped where directed.

Ji Chaozhou concentrated on handling the fruit tree saplings in his hands. Every sapling seemed to be of a different variety.

Cheng Liu looked at Ji Chaozhou and reached out, ready to help at any time.

He didn’t realize how close she was, well beyond the usual distance he was comfortable with.

The early morning light shone in the courtyard, enveloping the two of them. For the moment, they seemed ambiguous and intimate.

… …

Cheng Liu had really bought too many fruit tree saplings. Ji Chaozhou helped with replanting most of them, but there were still two leftover.

“May I borrow a small piece of land in your yard to plant these two?” Cheng Liu asked.

No.

This answer immediately came to Ji Chaozhou’s mind—his front yard had already been tidied up exactly as he wanted it.

Cheng Liu thought about it and felt that these two fruit saplings would destroy the appearance of Ji Choazhou’s  garden, and was about to retract her request herself.

But Ji Chaozhou suddenly spoke, slowly saying the words, “In the corner is fine.”

“Then I’ll take it.” Cheng Liu grabbed the two saplings and walked out side by side with Ji Chaozhou.

Cheng Liu ended up planting the two fruit tree saplings on the left side of Ji Chaozhou’s front courtyard. At this moment, her mind was particularly sharp.

Her face full of sincerity, she told him, “Although they are planted in your yard, they are still my responsibility, and I will remember to water them every day.” 

This way, she could see him every day.

Ji Chaozhou frowned slightly, looked into Cheng Liu’s bright eyes, turned around and said coldly, “It’s up to you.” 

“I’ll treat you to dinner when I come back tonight,” Cheng Liu stood in the yard and said to his retreating back.

Regrettably, she has to go to the company now.

… …

Ji Chaozhou walked into the bathroom and lowered his head, washing his hands in the sink. He looked at the fingertips of his right hand, his face full of concentration. The water ran over the wounds that had not yet fully healed, causing a slight sting.

After a long time, he came out of the bathroom.

Ji Chaozhou stood in the center of the living room and looked out. That person had disappeared from the front courtyard, leaving behind the two extra fruit tree saplings.

These two fruit tree saplings were suddenly planted here, incompatible with everything in his front yard, bringing with them a hint of savagery amidst his garden.

Somewhat like the person next door.

Ji Chaozhou retracted his gaze, lowered his eyelashes, and slowly wiped the water drops on his fingers. He walked towards the table. He opened the lid of the incense burner and smelled the familiar sandalwood powder, feeling a faint sense of irritation in his heart.

The still-burning incense powder in the incense burner was suddenly extinguished, and the cold and sandalwood scent gradually dissipated.

Ji Chaozhou turned around and walked to the glass cabinet, opened the glass, raised his hand and brushed through various spice bottles, finally stopping on a coffee brown glass bottle.

He touched the bottle lightly with his fingertips, only to move his fingers away several times, as if hesitating, until finally, he grasped the glass bottle and took it down from the shelf.

Ji Chaozhou stood in front of the cabinet, his long eyelashes lowered, covering up all the emotions in his eyes.

For a long time, the cold sandalwood that was almost disappearing in the living room was replaced by a bitter scent that lingered for a long time.

If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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