Chapter 407: Confession

Chapter 407: Confession
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Shen Mo looked at the various bottles and jars on the counter, unable to distinguish between the salt and sugar as they looked very similar. He asked, “Which one is salt and which is sugar?”
Jiang Xia was momentarily taken aback, almost losing grip of her spatula.
She turned to Shen Mo, her face reddening instantly, and said, “The one on the right is salt, and the one on the left is sugar.”
Shen Mo nodded, then handed her the salt. There was an awkward moment between them.
It was Jiang Xia who broke the silence first, asking, “Why did you come?”
Shen Mo stuttered, unable to articulate his thoughts at first, and finally mustered the courage to say, “I wanted to talk to you.”
Jiang Xia was taken aback again, somewhat evasively, “What’s there to talk about?”
Shen Mo pressed, “You’ve been avoiding me for two or three months. Don’t we need to talk and resolve this issue?”
Jiang Xia fell silent again.
Determined to resolve the matter, Shen Mo cut straight to the point, “Jiang Xia, I like you. Everyone can see that I like you, except you. After your sister pointed out our relationship, you’ve been skittish and evasive. I just want to ask you, what do you feel about me now?”
At this, Jiang Xia’s spatula fell from her hand. Her face was beet red, even redder than the tomatoes on the shore!
Stammering, she said, “Who confesses like that?”
Shen Mo asked, “Then how should I say it?”
Jiang Xia pursed her lips, awkwardly replying, “I don’t know.”
Sighing, Shen Mo said, “Jiang Xia, I know you’re still young and it’s not time for you to think about marriage. I just want to tell you that I like you and hope that when you consider marriage, you’ll think of me first. That’s all. I don’t want to trouble you or make our relationship awkward. I hope we can interact as we used to, where you can share any of your thoughts and opinions with me, and I’ll do my best to help you…”
Shen Mo continued, determined to say everything he had in mind, fearing he might not get another chance if interrupted.
But Jiang Xia interrupted him, asking seriously, “Shen Mo, what exactly do you like about me?”
Jiang Xia, who had never been in a relationship and had no experience, realized after these past months of careful thought that she did like Shen Mo, at least not repelled by him.
She greatly admired Shen Mo for his conduct and abilities. If Shen Mo liked her, she wouldn’t be troubled; she just wanted to clarify things.
Shen Mo paused at her question, then replied, “I don’t know what ‘liking’ really means. I like that you’re different. Your uniqueness lies in your insights, your ability to think of issues others don’t consider, focusing not just on your family’s immediate interests but on the life of the entire village.”
“You’re also very intelligent. You can teach all the children to read and write, help your family solve problems, and always find the simplest ways to effortlessly resolve complex issues. I don’t know when it started, maybe from the first time I saw you, but I was deeply attracted to you. I couldn’t help but pay attention to you.”
“Coming to Pushan Village wasn’t a necessary choice, but I stubbornly came because I wanted to see you. I hoped to see you every day. Sometimes I’m really afraid that someone else will take you away, so I hope to stay by your side, and be the first one you see when you consider marriage.”
Jiang Xia had never felt her heart beat so fast. She listened intently to every word, every sentence Shen Mo said.
With her heart racing, she said, “Shen Mo, actually, I do like you. I just didn’t understand what this feeling was before. Now I know it’s liking, but I can’t say for sure when I started liking you. But I admire the qualities in you. I want to try being together with you, but you have to wait for me to grow up; it can’t be right now..”