《Back to the Countryside》 CH 1 A horse-drawn carriage slowly drove into Gu shui village, many villagers stopped to look at it. The carriage in the village is a rare thing, only the rich people living in the town could afford to use it. Having an ox-pulled flatbed carriage in the village is good enough to show off. The man driving the carriage was certainly not from their village. As they were thinking this, the carriage suddenly stop and a young man wearing a white silk cloth jump off from the carriage, he walked to one of the villager, arched hand and cup a fist salute, show a smile, said: This big brother, excuse me, can I ask how to go to Wang De Wang Grandfather''s home? The man who was asked froze,oh my God! This man was so handsome! If he hadn''t been taller than him and didn''t had a mark on his brow, that villager would think he is a ger! The young man who had not received an answer, seemed accustomed to such situation, not angry, but ask again in a good temper. The villager came back to his senses and was a bit embarrassed to look at the man. What a shame for him to be in a daze when looking at this gentleman. If you''re looking for Master Wang, you''ll have to go to the town, he doesn''t live in the village now! The young man shook his head and said, I''m not looking for anyone, I bought his family''s courtyard in the village, but I don''t know where it is in the village, please tell me! The villager didn''t respond, but he still pointed in the right direction, You follow this road to the fork of the road, turn north, then found the fifth house in front of you. The young man looked in the direction he pointed, turned back and thanked him, then returned to his cart and drove his carriage to that place. As soon as the young man left, some villagers came around to inquire about the situation, the man who scratched his head foolishly said : This guy said he bought the wang family''s yard! As soon as this remark came out, the villagers were gossiping and discussing it. This man is going to settle in the village, isn''t he? He drove a carriage, wore silk clothes, and bought the Wang family''s large brick courtyard, he must be a rich man right? Moreover, he is that handsome! But they do not know whether he is married or not, if not ... people with unmarried daughters in their families are starting to have second thoughts. He was unaware that just by asking for directions, someone was already thinking of marrying his daughter to him, while he was leisurely driving his carriage to the place. Compared to the mud houses next to him, the black and blue brick courtyard of the Wang family was very conspicuous and easy to find. He jumped off the cart and patted the horse''s head to reassure him to stay put. When he reached the door, he took out a brass key from his pocket and unlocked it. There was a large courtyard, very spacious, with a hall directly opposite, a main room on each side of the hall, a kitchen on the left, two ear rooms on the right, and a path leading to the backyard next to the kitchen, where the chicken coop and cowshed and latrine were located. There is also an enclosed vegetable plot and a well, and four back rooms. You can tell that the previous owner had a good life and had everything he needed! The Wang family was not a wealthy family in the village, but their son was a hard worker and made a lot of money running a business outside the village with a big boss. When the son was away from home all the year round, he was worried about his parents and renovated the old house, using all strong bricks and tiles, so that the two old people could live more comfortably. Who knows that not even passed two years, he opened a shop in the town, bought a house, and took his parents around him, so he could take care of them, leaving the house in the village empty. Qi Yue is very satisfied with the house, the house was built with high walls, unlike the other houses in the village, which were mostly surrounded by mud or with low walls made of mud, so that one could see clearly what was going on inside. Is anyone there? As soon as Qi Yue turned back to the front yard, he heard a man''s voice coming from the door. He walked to the door and saw a square faced man standing there with a hoe on his back, look at him froze, obviously. Thinking that he should be from the village, Qi Yue saluted him with a cup hand gesture and smile: This big brother...is there any problem? Nothing, nothing! The man waved his hands back, his dark face flushed red, I''m sorry, I saw a carriage parked at the door and the courtyard door was open, so I thought the Wang family had returned! Actually Qi Yue is not very concerned, It''s okay, This humble one is Qi Yue, since I''ll be living here from now on, we''re all folks now! That''s good! The man saw that he was not bothered and very easy to get along with, so he wasn''t so nervous anymore. When he heard that he would be staying here, he was very enthusiastic: My name is Lin Sheng, I live next door to you, and you can call me if you need anything from now on! It turned out to be Brother Lin (Lin Da Ge)! Qi Yue saw his straightforward nature and his smile grew a little thicker. So you''ve just moved in here today, have you? I''ll put the hoes down when I get home and I will bring my wife over to help you clean up! Lin Sheng is a warm-hearted person, thinking of such a big yard for him to clean alone, that is quite hard. This is not good to bother Brother Lin. Qi Yue politely declined, as they hadn''t even spoken a few words, so it was not appropriate. No trouble, No trouble! It''s only a matter of the exertion of the strength. I''ll come right away! Lin Sheng waved his hand at him, turned his head and left without giving him a chance to say no. Qi Yue shook his head helplessly and laughed. This was the first time he had ever met anyone who acted like this, and it was interesting. He pulled the carriage into the courtyard and reached out to groom the horse''s sideburns, Mu Yan, this place will be our home from now on! The horse stamped its front hooves, as if in response to his words. He moved his hand to his cheek and stroked it twice, and the smile at the corner of his mouth began to turn a little nasty. In the morning I have to find a carpenter in the village to make a plow. The five acres of land I bought will be handed over to you. Mu Yan shook its head and snorted with great dissatisfaction. He-he... Qi Yue let out a deep and low laugh voice and patted its head with a face full of pleasure. What''s the matter that made this brother Qi smiled so happily? Lin Sheng walked in from the outside door, followed by a delicate woman. Nothing, just teasing the horse! Qi Yue put down his hand to greet the woman, and said to the woman, Pardon for troubling the sister-in-law! Please do not say that, we will be neighbors and folks in the future, so we should help each other out! The woman''s demeanor was also generous and unpretentious, matching Lin Sheng''s temperament. This horse of yours is really spirited! After seeing that they had greeted each other, Lin Sheng turned his attention to Mu Yan, It''s much better than the ones I saw in town, it has more great spirit! It is indeed a good horse! Mu Yan as a horse of a thousand miles, it was very spiritual and had been with him for years, like a good friend! By the topic of horses, the two chatted a few words, and then they began to prepare for clean up. In fact, there is really nothing much to do in this courtyard that need a lot of effort, only need to clean up all the dust accumulated when it is uninhabited for some days, and then put all the things Qi Yue had bought home. The author has something to say: It''s my first time writing a story, so I''m not very good at it~ CH 2 Chapter 2: Meeting (Ҋ) Two from the three people are veterans to this kind of work, and they are naturally very efficient. Only need an hour of kung fu (kung Fu here basically mean works of cleaning up, nothing related to martial arts at all) to finish all that need to be cleaned up. The rest of it are some small things for Qi Yue to tidy up by himself. Thanks to Brother Lin and Sister-in-law for their help today, I''ll make some good tea for you both! There''s not much that Qi Yue can do to help, he doesn''t know how to do these things, and the couple did help him a lot. Hai...these are just small things, no need to make tea. The elder and children at home are still waiting, so we will return first!Lin Sheng refused his good intention. It''s too late today, and they should go back. Speaking of this, naturally it''s not good for Qi Yue to force them to stay anymore, so he sent the two out of the door. He closed the door, turned around and took off all the firewood, rice, oil, salt, pots and pans from the carriage, put them one by one in the kitchen. Seeing that the place being filled, finally he had feeling of really living here. When the door was knocked, Qi Yue felt strange, wondering if it is Lin Sheng have anything to say to him? He left the stove room and opened the door. There was a six or seven-year-old kid standing outside the door. Seeing the door being open, he raised his face to look at him, Hello Uncle Qi, my name is Lin Xiao hu, and my father is Lin Sheng! This kid looks like a little adult, the way he introduced himself, Qi Yue feel that a bit funny, Is your father have something to tell me? My father asked me to deliver you something! The child brought a basket to him with his both hands. Qi Yue reached out to take it, and opened the coarse cloth covering the basket to see that it was a few multigrain cakes and a bowl of cabbage and radish stewed. Is this delivering him dinner? He curled his lips and smiled. Xiao Hu, wait for me for a while! Qi Yue touched the child''s head and turned to enter the stove room. He took out the pancakes and stew from the basket, put in several pears (ѩ) that he bought in the town today, bring the basket back to the door and handed it to Lin Xiao hu, and said, Go back, thank your parents for me! Xiao hu nodded, took the basket and ran away. Qi Yue turned his head back, looked at the quiet standing Mu Yan, bright smile on his face, With an honest people get along feels really good! On the second day, Qi Yue took several bags of tea leaves to the village chief''s home. As a newcomer, for first time so no matter what, he has to pay a visit, in the future if there is anything, it will be better not to be so passive. When he came out from the village chiefs house, Qi Yue thought about looking for a carpenter in the village, to plowed the two acres of paddy fields and three acres of dry fields he owned, but he didnt know where the carpenter lived. . Just as he was going to return to the village chief''s home to ask, there was a man from far away carrying a bundle of firewood on his back come to his side. That person bowed his head, his stature is not tall, and he looks like a half-adult. Qi Yue hurriedly come to him and asked, This little brother, May I ask where the carpenter''s house... His voice stuck in the throat when the man raised his head. The face he saw really surprised him, and he did not expect to see such a beautiful face in a small village. The corners of his eyes and eyebrows are slightly raised, and when he looks at you, he always seems to have a kind of amorous feelings, which makes you want to indulge in his eyes. The nose is small and beautiful, and the lips are red, do not point vermilion''s kind. The most peculiar thing is that Ger'' mark in the center of his eyebrows actually resembles a blooming red plum, which makes the whole face extraordinarily alluring. When the two saw each other, they were stunned, but that ger quickly reacted, quickly bowed his head, and reached out to adjust the fragment of his hair on the cheek, as if he was covering his face. Qi Yue also returned to his senses. He was a little puzzled when he saw his actions. With such a beautiful face, he should be confident and assertive. Why is the other party seem having such a low self-esteem? But this has nothing to do with him, and naturally it won''t be troublesome. He arched his hands () said: I''m sorry, I was... just now, a little bold! The Ger turned sideways, as if avoiding his gaze. Hearing what he said, he shook his head and said softly: It''s okay, you are looking for the carpenter pa. His family lives in the west end of the village. There are a lot of wooden utensils piled in front of the door. It is very easy to recognize! Having said this, the ger didn''t wait for him to ask anymore, lifted the bundle of firewood on his back, and walked away quickly, bypassing him. Qi Yue turned his head as he watched his fading back and raised an eyebrow, there were a lot of interesting people in this village! The carpenter''s house was not difficult to find, not only did it have some half-finished wooden tools at the door, but it was one of the few brick houses in the village, only not as big as the Wang family''s yard that Qi Yue had bought. The carpenter''s surname is Sun. Three generations of the family are carpenters. Naturally, the craftsmanship is good. In addition to the wooden plow, Qi Yue also ordered a rocking chair and a medicine cabinet. The medicine cabinet? What are you doing with this thing? Boy Qi is a doctor? When the carpenter heard his request, he inexplicably stopped grating the wood in his hand. I''m not a doctor, but I know a little about medicine, I can take a look at wind-cold and fever, but I can''t do much more than that! Qi Yue smiled, I want to grow some ordinary herbs by myself. At home, there must be a place to put it. That''s also very incredible! Carpenter Sun exclaimed as he continued the action in his hands: There is only one doctor in this Gu Shui village, and he only treats minor illnesses. The doctor is getting older now. To have you as one more, it is a good thing. Its better than need to run to town if you have a minor illness or fever! Qiyue humbly said Where and asked him when the stuff would be ready, but there was no hurry for anything else, the plough had to be done first, after all, planting season is not waiting for anyone. Carpenter Sun assured him that he was used to ploughing, and he could finish it in two days at most. After doing everything he needed to do, Qi Yue said goodbye to Carpenter Sun and returned home, it was almost noon. He washed the bones he had bought yesterday and stewed them in a pot. He was not very good at other household chores, but he was very good at cooking, and had once cooked medicinal dishes that many people could not get enough of. While the soup was simmering, Qi Yue went to the backyard and carefully tidied up the vegetable patch, and when he returned he planned to put herbs in it. When he returned to the kitchen, the bone soup had already exuded a very rich flavor.He lifted the lid of the pot and look at it, smiling, very satisfied, then took out the flour and began to make the noodles. He intends to make bone soup noodles to eat. Qi Yue never treats himself badly when it comes to food, like the meal Lin Sheng sent yesterday, he could occasionally eat it as a fresh meal once in a while. If this happens every day, he is absolutely unwilling. After rolling and cutting the noodles, Qi Yue started another stove and boiled the water, and when the water was boiling, he put the noodles in, and in the meantime, he cut some green onions. After the noodles were done, he took a bowl to serve, added bone broth, and sprinkled some chopped green onions on top. A bowl of noodles looked very appetizing! CH 3 Chapter 3 : Buying bull {Tl notes: This edited version is not perfect I''m not satisfied but I want to work on other things too so... hope you like it} After he had eaten, Qi Yue went to the backyard to get Mu Yan and saddle him up. He was going to go to town to buy a bull. Naturally, he wouldn''t really let Mu Yan do the ploughing but he could let it pull the cart, and if he really wanted it to pull the plough, he wouldn''t even let it pull the cart in the future. It usually takes two hours for the villagers to go to the town in an ox cart, and four hours for the round trip, so they usually have to get up early, or it will be dark before they come back and it would be unsafe. But with Mu Yan''s feet, it took only half an hour. When he arrived in the town, Qi Yue didn''t make any delay, and went straight to the livestock market. Many domestic animals there,so the smell is definitely not very good. He covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, and quickly searched for the location of the cattle. Originally, he was going to ask Lin Sheng, if anyone in the nearby village wanted to sell cattle, he would take one back. Later, he thought that now is the time for farming, and he is afraid that no one will sell cattle at this time. Even if someone is willing to sell,only left the small calves, and those who can work are kept for their own use. As for renting someone else''s, he felt that it was too much trouble, so he might as well just buy one,since he would use it in the future. Qi Yue soon found a place where they sell cattle, both calves and mature cattle. He picked a healthy-looking mature cattle from it, and he paid with silver cheerfully. After leading the cattle out of the livestock market, Qi Yue took a few deep breaths. The smell of various feces mixed together in the market is really uncomfortable! He bought everything needed for the household items yesterday, and there is no shortage for the time being, so he doesn''t plan to go shopping any more, he plans to go back to the village directly after picking up the horse at the entrance of the town. "Miss, be careful!" As soon as Qi Yue walked to the main road, he heard an exclamation, then there is a figure fell over at his side. He subconsciously turned to another side,so the person fell to the ground with a "teng" sound, issuing a cry of pain! "Miss, are you okay?!" A little maid girl hurriedly crouched down to help her get up, nervously check whether she was hurt or not. "What''s the matter with you?! Seeing this Lady fall, how dare you..." The girl who fell to the ground immediately rebuked as she was helped by the maid. She stopped talking when she saw Qi Yue''s face, stunned by his appearance. Qi Yue smiled, arched his hands at her, and said, "I''m really sorry, but when I saw something fell over, I subconsciously avoided it. I didn''t expect it to be a girl." Seeing him smile, the girl''s face instantly stained with a layer of red frost , her behavior became twisted (I prefer flirtatous) , "It was this little girl''s fault (she called herself СŮ which literally mean little girl but it is just another way to mention herself a humble way) for stepped on the corner of the skirt and didn''t stand firmly. It has nothing to do with this young master!" The little maid girl next to her looked at her lady with surprise, then turned to look at Qi Yue''s face, she is also blushed. Now she understand in her heart , don''t tell me her lady have a crush with this person, isn''t she? "If this is the case, then this humble one ( the way of saying "I" But polite one and use in the context of ancient china times) will leave!" Seeing her behavior like that, Qi Yue understood her intention clearly so he do not want to stay any longer, intend to leave directly. "Hey, this young master,just now this little girl made you frightened. I wonder if this gentleman willing to inform me your name,let this little girl invite you to the teahouse to chat as my way to apologize?"The girl stop in front of him, stare at him with a pair of beautiful eyes full of hope. A hint of impatience flashed through Qi Yue''s eyes, but his smile on his face never changed. "Frightened? Not at all! Drink tea, I think no need for it. This humble one is just a farmer in the village, so I didn''t dare to delay this lady''s time." "Do not say it like that, not delay at all. This little girl also has nothing to do!" The girl shyly twisted the veil in her hand. Although this person is dressed in an ordinary silk robe, holding a scalper, and looks like a countryman, his face is handsome and extraordinary, and his body and temperament are excellent. No need to mention, the town, she has seen those rich young masters in the big city, but those young masters do not have this kind of grace and manner which really fascinated her! "You had nothing to do, but this humble one have important thing to do, so pardon, Farewell" The words was already a bit rude, Qi Yue had no intention of wasting time with a young girl whose heart in spring. He pulled the rope in his hand and walked around her and left quickly. The girl still wanted to chase, but She was blocked by the passing carriage, when the carriage passed, there was nowhere of Qi Yue''s figure. She stomped her feet unwillingly! When Qi Yue returned to the village, his speed was naturally much slower because of the extra cattle. It was already dusk when he arrived in the village. Most people in the village had eaten dinner, some women sat chatting together, and seeing him riding a horse and bringing a cow, they asked him if he had gone to the town to buy cows! Most of them are elders, Qi Yue could not immediately reply because it is not good to reply while sitting on the horse, so he get off of the horse. Although he didn''t know these people, but in the future, they all were living in the same village so it was not good to ignore them. "Tomorrow I need to plow the land hurriedly, so I brought a cow back." "You could also use horses to plow the land. You just bought the yard, even if you are wealthy, you should save some! "A woman of a certain age persuades him, thinking that he is young and spends too much money without saving some money! " Yo, isn''t this just '' you can''t eat grapes so you say grapes are sour'', since he have spent it, naturally he still have it in hands. There is no need to be frugal!" Qi Yue hadn''t spoken yet but another woman already opened her mouth with her odd way of speaking. "He Tian''s family!" The woman who spoke first was immediately annoyed, and she cursed back with her arms akimbo (akimbo is "with hands on the hips and elbows turned outward"). She was persuaded by the people around her not to quarrel in front of a new boy. It was too ugly. "How old is this boy this year? It''s really rare to be so outstanding!" In order to ease the atmosphere, another woman changed the subject. The two of them were like that so Qi Yue could not open his mouth but now, at this time, he was able to interrupt the conversation by saying, "Twenty-two years old! "At this age, you have not married? "The moment this question was asked, it was obvious that everyone around him was interested and they all focused on him. Men were usually engaged at fifteen or sixteen, and married at seventeen or eighteen,the girls and gers were even earlier, will marry at fifteen or sixteen. Like Lin Sheng, who lives next door to him, he got married at the age of eighteen. This year ,Twenty-five, his son already six years old! Qi Yue lowered his head and smiled, "Have not met someone I like yet!" That means he has not married! The women present who had unmarried daughters and gers were overjoyed, this boy was handsome,rich and had a good temperament.By marrying him, the other part definitely could enjoy the blessings! "That''s a coincidence, our family''s ger is a good one, I''ll let you meet him later!" The He Tian family immediately started to smile, looking as if he must like her ger. "Oh, you''re talking about Ling Ge Er? He is indeed a good-looking ger with a good temperament who can do all the work at home and in the field! " The woman she had chided earlier sneered and spoke in a meaningful way. As soon as she said this, the faces of the people around her turned a little bit strange, especially the woman who had just spoken, and the mockery on her face was very obvious! ========================== Translator has something to say : Do not get confused for the changing term of bull, sometimes cattle or cow. It is basically the one used for farming to plow the land. I know English have many term (bull, cow, calves, cattle and specifically actually different meaning) but in chinese is much simpler, the same ţ so in mandarin only the same word. English also is not my first language and pardon for you know might be the grammar or choice of word which kind of weird or off. I will try my best since it is my first time translating danmei. This chapter basically as it chapter title mentioned is about. The Male lead is He Ling or his another nickname is Ling Ge er. CH 4 Chapter 4: He Ling Qi Yue looked around and felt that there must be some story in it, but it had nothing to do with him, and he was not interested in participating in it, so he gave them a salute hand () "I just came back from the town, a little bit tired, I won''t be talking with every aunts here more, so I am leaving first!" Those women didn''t pester him much and told him to go back and rest quickly. There will be next time, chance for small talk. Qi Yue stepped on his horse, nodded with them again, patted Mu Yan, and let it walk away and head home. When passing by the village''s well, he saw a small thin figure trying hard to lift the rope to fetch water on the well. This gorgeous face is exactly the ger, he stop to ask for direction previously. He watched as the other man raised the bucket from the well, filled his own bucket with water, then placed the two buckets of water on his shoulders and stood up straight with some swaying. The moment he looked up, he met his eyes. Qi Yue smiled at him, tighten the reins to stop and said, "Do you need help?" That ger stayed blank, not knowing whether it was because he met him which is unexpected or because he want to help that is unexpected but quickly, he lowered his head again, yet didn''t answer his words, holding on to the pole,with some uncertainty and quickly left . Qi Yue chuckled a little, He clamped the belly of the horse and let the horse continue to walk, with some interest in his eyes, "Within one day, he escaped twice!" After two days, Qi Yue went to Carpenter Sun to retrieve the plough he had made, then he went to find Lin Sheng, ready to ask him for advice on how to farm the land. The other party readily agreed and took him to the land the next day. Lin Sheng took him to the paddy field. Other villagers had already started planting seedlings at this time. Qi Yue came late, and the land hadn''t been plowed yet. Lin Sheng asked him to finish the two acres of paddy fields before going to work on the dry land. It would be fine if it was delayed for two days. As an inexperienced novice, Qi Yue naturally listened to him. The land of the two families is not very far away. If something happens, Qi Yue can directly go find him. It is not difficult to simply plow the land. Putting the plow on the ox and guiding it walking around, even he can do it. During plowing the land, Qi Yue glanced at the ground next to him. Someone was bending over to plant seedlings. The seedlings planted in front of him looked very in order and quick, very satisfying. Though the person who was immersed in planting rice seedlings was really familiar. The corners of Qi Yue''s lips twitched. He felt that he and this ger quite destined to meet, but Gu shui Village originally was not big so it''s not surprising to meet him twice in three days. This time the other party only focusing on his work and didn''t notice him. Qi Yue didn''t bother him, either left any sound out, omit the other being frightened and fled from the place. Thinking about the scene, it was quite funny, and the smile on his face deepened. But its also strange that every time I see this ger, he seems to be doing work. Generally, the rough work of chopping wood and carrying baskets of water are usually done by men. Although ger is also a man, but their body is weaker. Basically, Ger does something light, the same as woman. Thinking of this, Qi Yue felt that he was thinking too much, maybe because the other party has no men in the family, maybe the father in the family is not in good health, as for the husband, he should not be married ba? It seemed that he thought a lot before he realize it. Qi Yue found it funny. When would he think so much about things that have nothing to do with him? Could it be that he was influenced by the villagers and became interested in other family? He smiled and shook his head, then stopped thinking about it, and refocused on the cultivated land. By midday, Qi Yue''s two acres of land had almost been ploughed, Lin Sheng came over and called out to him at this time, "Qi Yue, my wife bring the lunch here. You have your share, so hurry up and follow me! " He stopped the plough and looked up at Lin Sheng, who was standing at the edge of the ground, and said:"Okay ah! When I came, I also bring the braised pork. Let''s eat together! " "Hahahaha, that''s good. I''ve got you to thank for this! " Lin Sheng stood there and laughed cheerfully twice, looking as if he had taken advantage of the situation. "He Ling! You have only planted these much of seedlings for a long time?! Look at your brothers and the others! Have you been lazy? I don''t think you should eat your lunch after all! " When Qi Yue was walking towards Lin Sheng, there was coming the sound of angry scream from the other side. Both of them looked over, then saw a woman standing on the edge of the ground with her hand on her waist (), screaming at the ger in the ground. The Ger who was scolded had a several fate of meeting with Qi Yue, and the one who scolding, Qi Yue met her before too, it was the madam from He Tians family about two days a go, who said she want to introduce his family ger to him. Qi Yue was a little surprised when these two people mix together like this. No matter how you looked at it, they don''t seem like to have any relation at all. Listen to the woman''s scolding, the ger named He Ling yet kept his head down continue working and did not refute. But Lin Sheng this warm hearted person , couldn''t stand it. He shout, "I said, this auntie, can He Ling who is a ger, compare with a man? Moreover, your two sons eat a lot and eat well, Strong, like a head of ox. Just one look on He Ling, his body condition is not good. Don''t go too far!" " Yo, what''s the matter? Lin Sheng, are you in love with Ling Ge Er? Shall I, this auntie go and talk it talk to your wife? Get him to be your little wife." That He Tian''s family, seeing him out, immediately sneered back with a sharp voice. "You ......" Lin Sheng opened his mouth to retort, but he saw He Ling in the ground lifting his head and shaking it at him, so he had to swallow his words, his face red with anger. He Tian Family''s saw that he could not say anything so she smiled smugly,After that, her eyes glanced at him and saw Qi Yue in the ground, and she instantly changed her face, "Aiya, Qi boy is also here?" There was a smile on Qi Yue'' face, but he didn''t answer her words. She didn''t think they was something wrong, she said with a smile on her face: "Last time I told you to see my family''s Ger. he happened to be here today, zhen Ge Er! Come here Quickly!" He Tian'' family who only mind her own business,turned his head and shouted. After a while, a ger ran over. His apperance is quite delicate. On the center of his eyebrows, there is a diamond-shaped Ger''s mark. He Tian Family'' grabbed his hand and said a few words in his ear, then the Ger looked at Qi Yue with a shy expression on his face. "Boy Qi (Qi Xiao zi: little boy Qi) this is our family ger. He is called He Zhen. He looks good and has a good figure. He is very capable with his heart and hands! Seeing He Tian''s tone and demeanor, as if , to be able to marry their family''ger is Qi Yue''s fortune. From start to finish, Qi Yue smiled without speaking, like a young gentleman, who seemed to agree with her very much. But if you look closely, you will find that his eyes look like a spectator watching a play, and he doesn''t feel that these everything of "to look upon" has anything to do with him. "Auntie, Honestly your Zhen Ge Er is too good, my brother Qi can''t climb too high, You better find someone who is greater. We still have to eat ne, excuse us to leave first! " Lin Sheng grabbed Qi Yue''s arm and pulled the person away. The angry He Tian Family''s madam directly scolded him for being immature and for messing up with other people''s opportunity*! ( could mean ''good karma'' also ''the opportune connection with the marriage partner'') ============ Translator''s Notes So far, my speed of translation is one chapter (normal length) a day. I hope I keep my motivation to translate it until the end. I, myself enjoy reading danmei novel. If I have time, I will post my recommendation list of danmei novels that I had read so far. CH 5 Chapter 5: Understanding ~rechecked and edited version~ "I said Qi Yue, you don''t really like that He Zhen, do you?" Lin Sheng afraid that Qi Yue as a newcomer, didn''t know the situation, so he would have any thoughts about that He Zhen. "What is Lin Da Ge (big brother Lin) talking about? I don''t like him!" Qi Yue was a little bit dumbfounded*,(Ц : not know whether to cry or smile) thinking that Lin Sheng''s conclusion was inexplicable. (Ī :irrational) "Then why are you smiling at him?" These his new brother is good looking, when he smile, which girls and gers can stand it? Qi Yue really think that Lin Sheng worry too much. "It''s fun to see them ''talk to one self*''" [ ˵Ի* : to decide for oneself; to talk to oneself] Lin Sheng''s eyes widened, somewhat speechless, must be, he was worried for nothing, the person himself didn''t think that it has anything to do with himself at all! "But..." Qi Yue''s turned the conversation, seemed to sigh and said: "That aunt''s attitude towards her own ger is really very different!" "What? !" Lin Sheng waved his hand at him, "He Ling is not her child!" "Oh?" Qi Yue raised his eyebrows. The two of them just happen to walk by the edge of Lin Sheng''s house, Lin Sheng''s father, Lin Shan and Lin Sheng''s wife, Wu Yulan were waiting for them to come, Qi Yue bowed to both of them, and they sat down on the ground. Wu Yulan handed them the whole coarse grain steamed buns, while asking them why it took so long for them to come here. Lin Sheng took a bite of steamed buns, told them about what just happened. "Ay, this Ling Ge Er is also a bitter soul*!" Wu Yulan put the vegetables out of the basket and arranged them, she sighed softly. [* Pinyin: mngk Definition : to suffer from a difficult fate or to be born under an ill star ?] Lin Shan also shook his head, looking helpless, "These He Tian''s family is getting worse and worse!" Lin Sheng picked up the chopsticks, and told him about the family''s affairs. He Ling was actually a child of He Tian''s younger brother''s family, his mother was a woman from outside the country, her appearance is beautiful, gentle personality, which attracted the admiration of many men in the village at that time. He Ling''s father, He Ming, is also one of them (it mean one of the admirer), his character is honest, not able to ''smooth talk*'' at all,he is not a man who particularly attract girls and gers, but He Ling''s mother just fall in love with him. [Z*/hu yn qio y Luring speech, sweet words, slick talk] He Ming''s mother was reluctant, He Ming was seventeen at the time, He Ling''s mother was twenty, already considered as an old girl in the village! Moreover she felt that the beautiful girl is not restless*, not to mention that she was still a foreigner, not knowing her inside story! [*/ n fn : knowing one''s place, not going beyond one''s bounds] He Ming disregarded her objections, determined to marry He Ling''s mother. Out of anger, his mother cut him out from the family, threatened him from now on, he would be treated as an outsider, as if she never has this son. But He Ming is capable, He Ling''s mother also did a good handcraft work, able to supplement the family, the two live a very abundant life. In the second year of marriage, He Ling''s mother was pregnant. They were very happy, looking forward for the birth of the child. However when she was seventh month pregnant, when He Ming returned after buying meat from the town, he saw she fall in the snow and her dress was stained with blood! He Ling''s mother gave birth prematurely, lost too much blood. After giving birth to him, she lost her life. He Ming gradually became thin and pallid, when He Ling was six years old, he passed away and leave him alone. He Ming''s mother couldn''t bear it after all, so she took him home to raise, but she didn''t like him, but didn''t mistreat him harshly, although some children from his uncle''s family always bully him, life is still pretty good. But it was only well for two years, after his grandmother died of illness when he was eight years old,after that his uncle''s family no longer concealed their disgust. Later, in the village, began a rumour which said that he is a ''hard life''* , (Ӳ: die Hard: Superstition says that the birthdate is bad, and it kills relatives.) His mother died after he was born, later he killed his father and grandmother. He has a face that was similar to his mother, even more gorgeous! It must be the reincarnation of "a seducing fox"* ( read h mi z, is words used to describe a woman/person who is good at deceiving people with her charming attitude.) It will bring bad luck to people! No children in the village dared to play with him again, but there was some boys who wanted to get close to him because he was good-looking, later set by ear* (, see pic), would be taken home by the elders in the family to be teach a lesson. As time passed, no one willing to talk to him anymore. ? Now he is already 18 years old, no fixed marriage yet, his elder aunt Qian also let out a word, if someone want marry him, prepare thirty taels of silver, otherwise there is no way. Thirty taels of silver ah! Anyone in village, whose family can casually take out these thirty taels of silver? Normally, by giving a son 5 taels is considered decent to marry a wife, thirty taels could let a son marry 6 wifes. Who would do such a stupid thing? So until now, He Ling still unmarried, no one dared to marry him. Even if sometimes he seems like having endless work, being yelled at, he could only sighed pitifully. Occasionaly someone like Lin Sheng who enthusiastically help him, will speak for him. Yet still, they won''t meddling in his problem too much, they couldn''t help worry about their own affairs, how can they have the time to worry about other people''s affairs? Listen to this, Qi Yue smiled clearly. The villagers have never seen outside the world, and there is nothing wrong with being a little superstitious. Its just that they have never thought that sometimes the consequences of rumours was that they ruined a persons life. This is the case with the so-called ''gossip is a fearfull thing'' (Կη : the tongue is not steel yet it cuts). "Qi Yue, I have to tell you, you better stay away from that He Zhen, he is so lazy* (óԑ* : be lazy and fond of good food/be fond of eating and averse to work), a ger who think highly of himself, you have some money in your hand and good looking, pestered by him, it''s just like a piece of sticky candy*!" [ ţƤ*: sugar with strong stickiness and toughness. Also describe people who are very entangled. Such as: "He is like a piece of brown candy, can''t shake it off."] Lin Sheng didn''t forget to tell him again. He has no good impressions for that family! "Thank you, Lin Da Ge for reminding me. In the future, I must hide from him far far away!" Qi Yue very exaggerated by making a deep zhuo yi gesture to him (Ҿ read zhuo yi : The old courtesy to show respect, raise your hands to your chest, hold your fists, and lean forward.), he looks very gratefull. The other three were amused by him. Lin Sheng smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "It''s good if you understand. You can rest assured ,if one day you fall in love with someone''s family'' girl or ger, I will call my mom to drop in and ask her to act as a matchmaker for you." Qi Yue held his hand again, "Then I have to rely on you big brother Lin!" "Good to say! Good to say!!" Lin Sheng laughed ha ha ha, put the last bun on his hand into his mouth. He had eaten with Lin Sheng and others, Qi Yue returned to his field. He didn''t go down to the ground immediately, but he pick up the basket he put on the ground. This was the lunch he had prepared, just now he was dragged away by Lin Sheng, forgot to take it with him. He carried the basket, walked to He Lings ground, looked at the busy man, put the basket aside, and called: "He Ling." The man who lowered his head while planted the seedlings stopped his movements,he raised his head and look up. The complexion of his face is not very good, there is a thin layer of sweat on the forehead, but the red plum on the eyebrows seems to be stained with dew, which is more bright and beautiful! Seeing that the person calling his name was Qi Yue, He Ling was stunned for a while, then lowered his head to work again, as if he had never seen him. Qi Yue couldn''t help but doubt, could it be because he looks fierce so that every time they meet,he will run away in confusion? or is it turn a blind eye? He smiled and shook his head, bent over to take off his shoes and socks, pulled the trousers up to the knees, lifted his feet to the ground, and walked to He Ling, "He Ling, I am Qi Yue, a new resident in the village!" It is obviously impossible for a person to stand by his side and pretend to be unable to see, He Ling straightened up, glanced at him, then he look down and avoided his gaze, "I know!" ====================== Translator has something to say : He Ling is so pitiful , I almost cried. it''s so good that he meet Qi Yue CH 6 Chapter 6: approach (coming closer) A handsome face, a tall figure, when he meets people,he will somewhat smiling on his face, a graceful face with tolerance, understanding of how to advance and retreat. It was hard not to notice such a person. In the past few days, the young girls and gers in the village have been talking about him even his eldest aunt had been talking to He Zhen all day long about how good he is, wait for them to meet and let him seize the attention of the other side. He Ling had heard too many remarks about this person in the village recently! "So you have heard of me!" Qi Yue looked down at him with a smile. He Ling''s figure is very petite, only reaching his shoulders ,he was wearing what appeared to be someone''s old clothes, which were a little too big, and from his angle, he could just see the other man''s collarbone, which was exposed in the slightly wavering collar, and was very small and delicately shaped. He turned his gaze away slightly, and stopped looking, "I will plant seedlings later, but I really don''t understand this matter. I see you are very good at planting seedlings. Can you teach me a few?" He Ling was determined to refuse, but didnt know how to refuse, look at his behavior, he know that he do not know how to farm.Its normal to learn from others, just why is it...me? "Could it be... any inconvenience? Am I made it difficult for you?" Seeing his hesitating appearance, Qi Yue pretended to be disappointed and said: "If this is the case, then that''s it!" "No, not ...difficult." He Ling is not good when dealing with others, seeing him look disappointed, he feels a little panicked. "Then, Thanks a lot!" Qi Yue face him, salute him with his hand. As a result, there was really no way to refuse. He Ling had to pick up a seedling seed from the shallow basket in his hand, and while bending down to plant it, he said to him: "That''s it, keep your hands steady, do not plant it crooked, it will affect the growth of the seedlings. Dont plant them too densely. A little distance is best... He Ling taught him how to plant seedlings very seriously, but Qi Yue focused his attention on the hand of the other party planting the seedlings, somewhat fair skin and long fingers. Although because of working all year around,made his hands callused and rough, but it didn''t affect the beauty of his hands. His gaze moved to the little calf soaking in the water again, and there was a lot of muddy water on it, which made people feel a pity. Such a beautiful pair of legs should not be soiled in this way, they should be treated more carefully and tenderly. Qi Yue felt that it was not completely unreasonable for the villagers to say that He Ling was "Hu Mei zi".There was indeed no place in this person that was unattractive, and the most attractive is the person himself not knowing its own beauty. He never felt that he looked better than others, and even felt a little inferior because of the misfortune brought to him by his appearance. He didn''t know that the girl and gers hated him because by standing in front of him made them feel ashamed*, and the guys stayed away from him because they couldn''t resist his attraction. [Բλ:[zcnxnghu] :feel ashamed of one''s ungainly appearance; ashamed of own unseemliness/ unworthiness ] Qi Yue smiled lightly. People are selfish. They used to loathe him and stay away from him to prove that they didn''t care about him at all, but never thought about whether he would be hurt?whether he would be sad? After He Ling planted a few trees to show him, he took one and handed it to him, "Do you want to try?" Qi Yue reached out and took it, "Naturally!" Although he has never planted land, however he is very good at planting medicine. Therefore, he has a quick comprehension when it comes to manipulating plants. After planting a few plants, he basically mastered the essentials and became proficient in his movements. He Ling felt that this man didn''t seem like a person that will live in the village at all. he is doing farm work, but he also gives people a kind of elegant air of attending flowers and plants. He didn''t understand why this person wanted to settle in the village and be a countryman, by this, he seemed to be suffering a little. Two of them,one teach one learn, Unconsciously, after planting the rest of these acre of land, Qi Yue straightened up and rubbed his sore waist, "I want to thank you for teaching me this. If I go back to work in my field, I will be fine. " "No, I want to thank you!" Although he was teaching him, He Ling felt that the other party had helped him. "No no no, you let me use your family'' land to practice, You helped me. In order to express my gratitude, I treat you to eat something! " Qi Yue didn''t wait for him to speak, after he finished speaking, he walked to the edge of the ground and brought the basket he had put down before and handed it to him."Give this to you!" He Ling put his hands behind him, and took two steps back, "I can''t have it!" Qi Yue took a step forward, pulled his arm, and stuffed the basket into his hand, "If you don''t eat, then throw it away ba!" He didn''t say much, and then left the ground. He knew that based on the other party''s character, he would never do things like wasting food. After ploughing the remaining half acre of land, Qi Yue greeted Lin Sheng and took the cow home. He Ling was no longer in that land, so he should have gone to work in other fields. When he returned home, he led the cow to the cowshed and tied it up. Qi Yue patted Mu Yan who was eating the grass leisurely. "I seem to be, not like my usual self..." Mu Yan snorted, chewing on the fodder. Whether if it understand or not, could not be known. Qi Yue dropped his hands behind his back, with some self-deprecation on his face, sympathy, for such a thing, he didn''t have it. There are many miserable people or things he had seen, and even some were come out of his hands. These things have never touched his deep heart. But facing He Ling, he did have a soft heart, with some thoughts he didn''t quite understand. This is very strange. He has only been here for three days, and the number of times he has seen each other can be counted with one hand, but every time he sees him, his heart will soften by a point. The number of beauties he had seen was countless, and some were even more beautiful than He Ling,most of them were of noble status. There are many admirers of him, but there had never been one that made Qi Yue treat the other differently. Why is it that...i feel soft hearted toward this timid and inferior country ger who couldn''t even dress up? But Qi Yue is Qi Yue. Even if there are a lot of things he can''t figure out, he won''t let him restrain himself because of this. If he wants to get close, then get close. since can''t let it go, then don''t let it go. He never escaped. In the past, it used to be a pharmacological problem, but now, it just changed into a person! When He Ling returned home, he went into his room and put the basket in his hand in an inconspicuous position. When he found an opportunity in the future, he had to return the basket to that person. A dish of sauced meat, two steamed buns and a bamboo tube of white porridge. This is the best meal he has ever eaten. Just teaching people to plant rice is not worth these at all. That person is a good man! "He Ling! What are you doing hiding in your room when you''re back and not cooking?Are you trying to starve us to death?" Qian''s shouting came from the courtyard, He Ling hurriedly retracted his thoughts and went out into the stove room. "All you know is to be lazy all the time" Qian scolded him again before she turned back with satisfaction to her baby ger and said, "Zhen''er, you must remember what mother told you, go and talk to that Qi Yue more to get close to him.You have to catch him!" "I know, mother!" He Zhen nodded and answered, and then lowered his head somewhat shyly, "I think it''s not that he doesn''t have that intention to me, you see how nice he smiled at me in the field today!" "That right, our family''s Zhen''er is so good, Which man see you and wouldn''t like it!" Qian patted his hand, as if she remembered something, her face was a bit annoyed, "If it wasn''t for that Lin Sheng, you guys could talk a few more words, and this case might just work out!" "Mother, if this man is really interested in our Zhen Ge er, that Lin Sheng could he hinder it? You don''t have to be angry with him!" Qian''s eldest daughter-in-law, Liu, came over after feeding the chickens, patted the crumbs off from her body, and sat down beside them. "Hmph, this Lin Sheng why did he help He Ling speak every day? He must have been hooked by him, is he not afraid of his wife making trouble with him!" Think about Lin Sheng today in the field, give her ''no face*'' (Chinese culture really put important on its image on public, not giving face means not respecting the person) . There is fire in her stomach*. (She is angry, not literally there is fire in her stomach, lol) "In the end, it''s He Ling''s fault, could only seduce men!" He Zhen said and glared at the direction of the stove room, her face was full of disdain. When he was young, he didn''t like this uncle''s ger. The boys in the village surrounded him and gave him things! He looked at his face all day long, very bored, but it was a pity that his grandma was still alive at that time, so bullying him can only be done secretly. In fact, when He Ling first came, his two older brothers also liked him very much and always gave him delicious food. Later, relying on his young age, he kept telling his brothers that He Ling bullied him, grabbed his snacks,eat it, and said that he was ugly and didn''t want to play with him. In addition, the mother always told them that He Ling''s mother was not good, and over time, the two older brothers started to bully He Ling along with him. Later, after his grandma passed away, rumors began to circulate in the village that He Ling was a ''broom star*''. [ɨ : bearer of ill luck] He Zhen knew that it was spread by his mother, but it was also a fact. Whether it was He Ling''s parents or grandmother, it was indeed after his existence that they passed away one after another. Coupled with his gorgeous facial features as he grows older, he really looks like a seductive ''fox hooker'' (Hu Mei ze). Seeing that no one in the village came to play with him anymore, He Zhen couldn''t be more happier. What''s the point of being better-looking than him? Moreover he is already eighteen and don''t even get married yet! When He Ling gets older, mother will find a rich old man to let him fill the house and collect a large amount of bride price and He Ling, his entire life will never have any happiness at all. What about himself? He Zhen again thought of the man who was smiling like a spring breeze* 崺 at him today, and remembered his handsome face, straight tall body shape and elegant manner, he couldn''t help but feel hot. That man would be his home! [ 崺 :a breath of fresh air / so delighted just like bathing in the spring wind] He Ling was setting up the fire to cook the food in the stove room, felt a little guilty in his heart, only for helping himself, he has provoked a grudge toward ''Lin Sheng Da Ge''. "It''s Okay, do not mention about the ''broom star'' anymore, Zhen''er, the first thing you need to do is to put your mind on that Qiyue!" Once her ger is married, no matter how much money the man has in his hands, it will still be her own. "I Got it!" He Zhen nodded. He Ling threw the cut vegetables into the pot, and took the spatula on one side to stir. He didn''t think that person would have any thoughts about He Zhen. A man like him should be attracted to a beautiful and gentle woman, as elegant and warm as that man, by only standing together, they would look really good. There was no hope for the people in the village. CH 7 Chapter 7: Fate The next period of time, Qi Yue is also busy because of the spring plowing up, basically spent his time in the field, He Ling, naturally of course he never saw him again, After all, not all of their land is next to each other. On the contrary, actually he had met He Zhen several times, his purpose is obvious, Qi Yue is not a fool, his heart naturally understand. After the spring plowing, the villagers is finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Just occasionally go to the field to take care of it.No need to be stuck in the field all day. There is more free time to chit chat with each other. But these have little to do with He Ling. He still has endless work to do every day. Today, after washing and drying all the clothes, he went into the mountain with a rope and machete.The firewood at home was used up, If he don''t make it up quickly, he will be scolded again for the delay in making dinner. His strength is not so strong, each time he couldn''t carry so much firewood, so he have to walk a few more trips, only enough to burn at home for a few days. But also because it took a lot of time to do so, it was not uncommon for Qian to say that he was lazy hiding in the mountains. He couldn''t argue since he would be scolded even worse. Fortunately, he was also used to it. When he was young, he would be sad, Now, he does not care much. He Ling squatted on the ground, tied up the firewood that had just been cut, and carried the bundle of firewood back on his back.It''s almost there. Not far away, came the sound of neighing horses, He Ling stopped the movements in his hands and listened carefully. He heard the sound of hooves on the ground, not far from him. He stood up and looked in that direction, a horse was standing there, kicking the ground with one front hoof from time to time, but no one else was seen near it. He Ling knew whose horse it was because there was only one person in the whole Gu Shui village who had a horse, but he didn''t understand why the horse was here and the person was not. He hesitated for a while, but still walked towards the horse, and when he got closer, he noticed that it didn''t seem to be right, and while kicking the ground, he also threw his head and snorted from time to time, seemingly very annoyed. * : hoof ? He took two more steps forward, but did not dare to go too close. He had only seen such a valuable thing as a horse from a distance before, and had never been so close, so he was still a bit afraid, not to mention that the horse''s mood seemed to be unstable. The horse did not run away when it saw a living person approaching, but lifted its front hooves, which had been kicking the ground. He Ling looked down and did not really understand very well. The horse snapped his nose again, raise his forefoot at him. He Ling seems to have some understanding, tentatively go to it, seeing no response from it, he knelt on the ground reach out to touch its front hoof, the horse did not lose his temper, cooperate with him, lift the hoof up. He Ling put its hoof on his lap to look carefully and found that there was a thorn prick in the calf position near the hoof,he breathed a sigh of relief. There are many thorn bushes* in the mountain, sometimes he will not pay attention to be pierced, although it was not very painful, just a bit annoying He took the thorns, and used his sleeve to carefully wipe away the emerging blood, and then gently patted the horse''s calf, "Is it comfortable now?" The horse lowered its head and gently rubbed against the side of his face, its nose breath, spraying on the nape of his neck, tickling it a little. He Ling raised his hand to touch his cheek, and the corners of his lips curled up, and a smile opened up, just like the first red plum blossoms in the winter, that brings people a surprise of dazzling beauty in the plain white snow. When the busy time passed, Qi Yue who had nothing else to do, would let Mu Yan out for a walk in the mountain , where he would also find some useful herbs and take it back with him. Mu Yan is smart so l he would not hold it by his side, it will follow him running around in the forest. When he was ready to leave, he would whistle for it to return. Today, he whistled, but he didn''t see Muyan for a long time. He has a strange feeling in his heart that it should not have gone far right? He followed the footprints in the forest to find. Before long, he stopped walking, and his smile grew thicker. He Ling held the horse''s head and played with it for a while, then gently pushed it away and stand up, "I have to go, you also go back to your master ba!" "It''s called Mu Yan!"The sudden voise startled He Ling, he turned his head to see that Qi Yue is coming over. As Qi Yue approached, He Ling took two steps back, keeping a certain distance from him, "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t touch your horse casually!" Qi Yue raised his hand and touched Mu Yan''s head, smiling. He said, "It''s okay, it''s rare to be close to people!" "Then...I''ll go first!" He Ling turned around, ran to the side of firewoods that he had left behind, and he picked it up and carried it on his back. "I''ll see you off!" Qi Yue followed him and reached out to take his firewood. He Ling dodged all of a sudden and avoided his hand, "Qi Yue!" Qi Yue''s hand faltered. It was the first time he called his name. He couldn''t say what he felt, it was itching in his heart. "I know you are kind-hearted and a good man. You want to help me, but..." he Ling held the rope tightly. "For your own reputation, it''s better for you to stay away from me!" "Kindness?" Qi Yue never knew that these two words could be put on him. What he lacked the most is the so-called compassion*(ȱ: it''s just interesting that separately ȱ itself means mercy + is heart) , "How do you know that I have no other aims*(ͼ)?" [ͼ you li suo tu: have other aims [plans] This idiom is almost similar to ͼ you li ke tu : profitable] "Have other aims*? If I have anything to make others to wonder* [] about, it wont be like this, the condition like now!" [*: to think of / to keep thinking about / to be concerned about] He has nothing good to scheme on/to aim* (ͼ),because he has nothing, "I''m going back, Qi Yue, thank you!" He Ling''s figure gradually disappeared in Qi Yue''s sight, his smile became meaningful, "Maybe, I have a lot of ''to aim*''ͼ for you!" [ͼ itself means diagram / picture / drawing / chart / map / to plan / to scheme / to attempt / to pursue / to seek] He Ling went home with firewood on his back, went straight into the kitchen, unloaded the firewood and put it on the pile. Today, Qian''s family took He Zhen to the town to buy goods by the ox cart of Zhao''s family in the village. He Tian and his eldest son, he Fu, and his youngest son ,he Gui went to have a drink. Afraid that it will be very late at night, Liu, took her three-year-old son back to her mother''s home to visit her sick mother. It was estimated that she would have to stay for a few days. Only her second sister-in-law, Zheng, was in the room to take care of her just barely-one year old daughter. It''s rare that there is no one at home today. It''s rare very quiet. He Ling feels that he can take a little breath. He doesn''t have to be so tense, for fear of doing something wrong. However, it''s time to relax and relax, the work still needs to be done quickly. It''s getting late. He afraid that Qian''s family, should be back too. If they see that he hasn''t finished cooking for dinner yet, they will lose their temper. Sure enough, as soon as he Ling cooked the meal, he heard a sound from the yard, Qian began to call him, "He Ling! Did you cook?! I''m starving" He put on the lid of the pot and went out of the kitchen. "Big aunt, the rice has been cooked. I''ll serve it now!" Qian nodded to him and went into the room to put things. He Ling was about to turn back to the kitchen, but he was stopped. He Zhen walked in front of him and turned around. He was wearing a goose-yellow shirt. It was a new purchase, which made his face more delicate. "Am I good-looking?" He Ling nodded, "Good-looking! " He Zhen looked at the coarse cloth clothes on him. It was his old clothes. It was already in bad condition and there was patches everywhere, but he still look beautiful. He Zhen took another step forward. "Are you good-looking or am I good-looking? Because of the premature delivery, and Later, he always worked and didn''t have enough to eat, He Ling is thinner than the average ger, He Zhen is three years younger than him, but he is nearly half a head taller than him and his skeleton is bigger than him. Talking to him so close makes him feel stifling, "You...you look good!" He Zhen showed a satisfied smile, "after dinner, you come to my room, I have something for you to do!" "Got it!" He Ling responded softly, watching him return to his room, he went into the kitchen fill the bowl with rice. There were not many people eating in the evening, so there was no noise like usual. He Ling shrank and sat down at the corner of the table and did not dare to hold his chopsticks to pick up vegetables. Instead, he went to drink his own bowl of soup. Every day when he has a meal, it''s the most difficult time for him. Sitting with these people makes every inch of his body uncomfortable. After dinner, he Ling took all the dishes and chopsticks to wash them. Remembering what he Zhen had said to him before, he sighed and went to his room even though he didn''t want to. Seeing him, he Zhen handed a cloth bag to his hand, "you embroider a purse for me!" He Ling opened the cloth bag, and there was a small piece of silver-white silk cloth inside, as well as a few balls of silk thread. It''s common for him to help He Zhen embroider things, and he was not surprised, so he nodded to show that he knew. He Zhen took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it and handed it to him, "Embroider this word on it!" He Ling took it over and looked at it carefully. He was illiterate, and only thought that the word was written beautifully, but not know what the word is. "This is the Yue character!" He Zhen smiled shyly. This character was written by the shopkeeper when he bought the embroidery thread today. He described the character he had seen on Qi Yue''s purse. The shopkeeper wrote this for him, "ԽԽ - the Yue''s in Qi Yue" He Ling''s hand holding the paper pauses and embroiders the name of the man. It''s self-evident who the purse is for. It''s just, "is that allright to send something to a man rashly like this..." "Pa" a slap in the face interrupted He Ling''s words, he covered his beaten cheek and lowered his head. "He Ling, are you trying to say that I''m shameless?" He Zhen grabbed his wrist and pulls him to his side. "Or, do you like him too?!" "No... no!" He Ling hurriedly shake his head, he just subconsciously spoke out, and he didn''t mean anything else. "Better not!" He Zhen pushed him away. "Today, I''ve been in town for a whole day. I''m all dirty. I have to take a bath. I''m afraid there isn''t enough water at home . You can pick up two baskets more." He Ling had only picked the water during the day, so a bath was definitely enough, but he knew that He Zhen was deliberately making things difficult for him, just looking for an excuse. CH 8 Chapter 8: Rumor He left He Zhen''s room, put the cloth bag inside his room, he took the bucket from the kitchen and went out. At the moment, it was dark outside. The villagers seldom wander outside at this time so there is no one on the road. He carried the bucket all the way to the well in the village. Fortunately, the moonlight is brighter today and he can still see clearly. He put down the bucket, reached for the handle of the shaft on the well, and shook the bucket down. The creaking sound of the wood shaft was particularly obvious in the silent environment. Hearing the sound of water entering, he Ling changed the direction to shake up. The bucket full of water weighed a lot, and his speed slowed down a bit. "He Ling?" Someone called his name behind him. He stopped his hand, turned his head to look, the man was a little far away so he couldn''t see his face clearly. When the man walked over to him, honly recognized it when he got closer, "Big Brother Lin Sheng?" Lin Sheng came to him. He had just gone to Wang Tie sheng''s house in the village. After talking for a long time, he quickened his pace to go home. Unexpectedly, on the edge of village''s well, he saw someone fetching water. "It''s pitch dark, why do you carry water at this time?" "There''s no water at home, just come out and pick some!" He Ling reluctantly smiles at him and continues to move on his hand. "Okay, you are being bullied again!" As he got closer, Lin Sheng also saw the red slap marks on his face. He shook his head and reached out to lift the bucket that had reached the edge of the well and pour the water into He Ling''s own bucket, "That family is really a bunch of hard-hearted people!" "Big brother Lin Sheng, I will do it myself!" Seeing Lin Sheng hung the bucket back on the rope, reaching out to grasp the handle, He Ling quickly rejected it. "Just stay here. I''ll do it for only two or three times. You''ll have to shake it for a long time!" Lin Sheng pushed him away and didn''t let him start. "You, don''t have to grin and bear it*() all the time. Although they have raised you, But for these past few years of ''to work like an ox, to work like a horse''* (ţR: means to work extremely hard) it should be enough for paying them back. You dont owe them anything!" [ Notes on : Meaning: to resign oneself to adversity (idiom)/ to submit meekly to insults, maltreatment, humiliation etc As idiom: refers to an attitude of obedience and tolerance to harsh treatment ] "I''m fine." He Ling bowed his head, sometimes he would also think like that, but it was his father''s family after all. If he had resentment in his heart, would his father be sad in heaven? "Let''s go, I''ll take you back!" The two buckets of water were full, and Lin Sheng directly put it on his shoulders. "Big brother Lin Sheng, it''s okay that you help me draw the water, but it is better for me to carry the water by myself." It was so late that he felt sorry for delaying Linsheng''s home return. Lin Sheng didn''t care about the hand he stretched out.He carried the water directly and walked forward. "Calling me big brother, then I will not make you call me that in vain. Dont worry, Ill give it to you at your door. I wont let your family know!" He Ling had no choice but to follow walking behind him. Fortunately, everyone in the family was in the house and no one was wandering around the yard. Lin Sheng put the water in front of his house and left. He Ling took the water back to the stove room and boiled the bath water for He Zhen. He waited for him to clean up the mess then he returned to the room, took out the cloth bag He Zhen gave him, rubbed his little dizzy head, start to do the embroidering work stitch by stitch. When the gate was knocked, Qi Yue was drinking tea and chatting with Lin Sheng in the main room. He asked Lin Sheng to continue sitting and went out to open the door. The person standing outside the door was Wu Yulan. He just said why would someone came here to look for him? I''m not even familiar with the villagers. "Why did my sister-in-law come here? Come in, Brother Lin is here too!" "I know. I''m here to find him!" Wu Yulan smile at him and follow him into the door.When they arrived at the hall, Lin Sheng was a little surprised to see his wife, "Why are you here?" Qi Yue asked Wu Yulan to sit down, poured a cup of tea in front of her, she thanked him, took the tea and took a sip. She said: "Did you see He Ling yesterday?" Hearing the familiar name, Qi Yue''s hand in the teacup suddenly paused, then calmly put it on his lips and took a sip, then put the cup down, put it back on the table. "Yes, I came back from Tiesheng''s house yesterday. On the way back, I saw him drawing water by the well alone. It was pitch dark then I helped him!" After speaking,Lin Sheng seemed to think of something and said, "What''s the matter? You''re not thinking about anything, are you? " "Of course not, I guess that''s what happened!" Wu Yulan took another sip of tea. With some anger on her face, "but you can''t stop others thinking and mix up gossip about it!" Today, as usual, Wu Yulan, with her unfinished clothes, gathered with the women in the village to do the work and chatted about her family. But everyone looked at her with weird eyes, and they all talked about "how good a man is, there are times when he thought about outsiders" and "good looking people will seduce people." After hearing these words, heads in the cloud*, she asked a few more questions, some people hesitated and told her that someone saw his family Lin Sheng walking with He Ling together last night, they looked very close! [ ( YFY );Read yn l w l head in the clouds means bewildered/puzzled look] Wu Yulan''s face is a bit ugly right now, it''s not that she suspects Lin Sheng, what her own man is like, she knows in her heart, she is angry with those who make false claims* (ŪǷ) , and they dare to talks about things without a head or shadow*( ûͷûӰ) and not afraid of rotting their tongue! [ûͷûӰ: baseless (story) ] [ŪǷ: deliberately picking up, or making random discussions behind the scenes, causing disputes] "What?! How can they talk nonsense?! Isn''t it just ,for no reason,making someone''s bad reputation?", After listening to Wu Yulan''s words, Lin Sheng slaps the table angrily. This kind of thing doesn''t matter to him, but it''s different for an unmarried ger! Qi Yue''s fingers rubbed gently on the edge of the cup, and he didn''t know what he was thinking. "Isn''t it!" Wu Yulan was also annoyed. His man was obviously kind, but he was rumored to be unbearable. It was truly anger her to death. Lin Sheng looked at Qi Yue, who has not yet speak from the beginning, with a wry smile, "I let Brother Qi look at the joke!" "Where!" Qi Yue removed his hand from the cup and grinned at him. "It''s just a person with a dirty heart who hears gossip. The one who is clean is clean*() , and there''s no need to care too much about others !" [ pinyin :qng zh z qng, which means a person who is innocent, even if he does not say something to clarify himself, he will naturally prove his innocence. ] "Hahaha... What Brother Qi said really suits my appetite!" Lin Sheng smiled heartily, stretched out his hand, pat him on the shoulder. ------- Qian slapped He Ling''s face, and his cheeks immediately became red and swollen. "You really give me a long face, just seduce someone else is not good? Seduce that Lin Sheng!" When Qian finished beating him, she has reduce some fire in her heart, sat down on one side of the stool and drank the sugar water Zheng made for her. "That is, if you seduce a landlord or something, you can still exchange some money for the family!" He Gui gave him a blank look, looked down upon him. He Ling closed his eyes, resisting the uncomfortable dizziness of his head, and explained in a low voice, "Big Brother Lin Sheng is just passing by, do me a favor." "Passing by? Help?" He Zhen let out a sneer, "Usually carry a thing to walk in the village and meet him, also did not see him so kind to help ah." Because Lin Sheng didn''t like these kinds of words, he Ling couldn''t say it anyway, so he couldn''t refute him. "I think you made an appointment in advance!" Qian heavily put the bowl back on the wooden table, shaking the whole table. "Okay, don''t smash the bowl, it was bought with money too!" He Tian angrily yelled at her, and then glared at He Ling, who didn''t say a word, "You are worthless, and expect him to marry you. Unable to become his second wife?! Hurry up and break it up for me!" "It''s not like that!" He Ling''s head became more and more dizzy, a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his vision became a little blurred, "I and Big brother Lin Sheng is not..." "Still dare to talk back!" Qian slapped the table and pointed at him, cursing again, "It''s pitch dark,one man and a ger stay together alone, could you say there is nothing? You really has a fox face, and It''s a mess..." He Ling couldn''t hear any words Qian''s cursed behind. He only felt that his head was getting heavier and heavier. Afterwards, when his eyes went dark, he didn''t know anything. "Ah!" Zheng cried out subconsciously, startled by the sudden fall of He Ling. He Ling gave in a step back, fearing that his fallen body would touch him, still disgusted, fan the dust that was raised. Qian stopped his mouth, put down the hand pointing at him, walked to him and kicked him in the leg, "Don''t pretend dead for me!" He Ling closed his eyes tightly, lying on the ground with a pale face and motionless. Qian frowned, squatted down and probed his forehead, feeling a little hot, "It''s useless, it''s fever again!" He Ling was not full-term when he was born, and his body was not good since he was a child.Things like fever and falling down happened frequently, and they don''t think it is a big deal. "A gui, please invite old man Li and prescribe two prescriptions. Don''t let him die at home. it doesn''t sound good!" He Tian''s buttocks didn''t move from the stool, only lightly waved to He Gui. "Dad, I saw old man Li go to town in Zhao''s ox cart today. I''m afraid he hasn''t come back yet." Old man Li did go to town, but He Gui also felt that there was no need to ask the doctor to come to see him. It was very expensive. The Ger might be able to get better himself. He Tian didn''t speak. There is only one doctor in the village. He is not here and there is no one. He cant take it to town to see, How much money would it cost, But let people''s fever just be burned over. This has a bad reputation in the village, death and harsh treatment are two different things. Zheng''s eyes rolled, as if thinking of something, she said: "Father, mother, I met Sun Carpenter''s daughter-in-law some time ago. She said that Qi Yue had ordered a medicine cabinet in their house and said that he knew some medical skills. Otherwise, we invite him to take a look?" He Zhen''s attention was drawn when he heard the name of the person in his heart. Knowing that he could still practice medical skills, he was very proud of him. As expected, he was the man he liked, so capable. After He Tian listened to her, he didn''t think much, and waved at He Gui, "Then Agui, you go..." "Father, wait!" Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Qian , She patted He Zhen''s hand, and said, "Let Zhen GeEr go!" As soon as she spoke, He Zhen understood what she meant, his cheeks were stained with red clouds, and his head hung down shyly. He Tian looked at him twice, it became clear in his heart so without saying anything, he waved his hand. _---___---------------___------------------------------- Translator''s OS: Only a small part of Qi Yue'' appear in this chapter but I like it how ''his hand suddenly paused description'' or ''how he react after hearing he ling''s name'' Could it be more obvious that he is in love with this ger. Kyaa.... CH 9 Chapter 9: Medical Treatment When the gate of Qi Yue''s house was knocked again, he was a little surprised. Usually he didn''t get along with many people in the village, and only with Lin Sheng''s family, they would visit each other. Now both husband and wife are here. Is it possible uncle Lin or aunt Lin who is coming? He and Linsheng looked at each other, then get up and walk out of the room. Linsheng glanced once at his wife before following him out. Qi Yue didn''t expect the person he saw when he opened the door, but he didn''t feel surprised that he would be here. "Big brother Qi..." as soon as He Zhen saw his man, his eyes were red, looks like as if he wanted to cry but also not. "I said He Zhen, just say it if you have something to say, this behavior, if it seen by others,they might said that my brother Qi bullied you!" Lin Sheng, who was one step late behind Qi Yue, felt his brain hurt when he saw him like that. "No...No, I''m in a hurry" He Zhen hurriedly waved his hand to explain, but he was a little annoyed in his heart. He wanted to make Qi Yue pity him, but being said like that by Lin Sheng then it would look like he is deliberate to do it. Honestly, why this person is not staying in his own home, what is he doing in someone else''s home!? "I have something to ask Brother Qi for help." "Looking for Qi Yue''s help? It''s only several days since he come to the village, what could he help? Speak out for us to hear, Who know, I might able to help you ne! " Lin Sheng stands there, hug his own arms and doesn''t give Qi Yue a chance to speak. This He Zhen''s feeling to Qi Yue is very obvious. Who would know then whether if he is only searching for an excuse to approach him! He Zhen was about to break his teeth. He scolded him in his heart for meddling in his business, but still had a pitiful expression on his face. "It''s my poor cousin He Ling. He has been weak since he was a child, and now he has a fever. Doctor Li went to the town again. Knowing that big brother Qi knew some medical skills, so we wanted him to take a look." "Hah?" Lin Sheng put down his arm, and the expression on his face changed. "Fainted?" He Zhen mocks, still say that they are not a pair, Look at how worried he was! At first Qi Yue was all smiling, standing aside and watching the two of them communicate,later he slightly restrain the smiling expression on his lip side, "Please wait a moment, I''ll get something!" "What''s the matter?" As soon as Qi Yue return to his room, Wu Yulan left the hall. Thinking that it was Lin Sheng who had just made a big noise so she came out to take a look. Lin Sheng told her about he Ling, then said to he Zhen, "I''ll go with my wife later and see if there something I can help." If he followed Qi Yue himself, someone might make irresponsible remarks*(˵).By taking his wife go with him, let''s see who dare to say something. [˵: make thoughtless remarks (idiom) / to criticize / gossip] He Zhen didn''t want him to follow, "This...I''m afraid that it will bother..." "It''s okay, it''s better that we follow, lest someone sees you walking alone with Brother Qi, and then spread any rumors*(Է)! " Lin Sheng directly interrupted his refusal. [ Է: slanderous gossip or Unfounded, unkind, and sarcastic remarks / The other refers to secretly discussing secret legends] He already said that, Naturally, He Zhen couldn''t say anything, otherwise, didn''t he just make it clear that he wanted to ''something to be spread''! This Lin Sheng is repeatedly ruin his opportunities. When the group of people arrived at He Zhen''s house, Qian and his two sons were waiting in the yard. Seeing Lin Sheng and Wu Yulan also followed, the expression on Qian''s face became a little unsightly, "Oh, isn''t this Lin Sheng, our Ling Ge er just got sick, then you rushed over. It''s really affectionate! " In the last few words, Qians tone is very subtle, obviously ridicule him. "Isn''t it right? We all the same folks in the village,Affection is naturally important, just now I was drinking tea at Brother Qi''s house, when we heard that Ling Ge''er passed out, we were very worried too!"Wu Yulan stopped Lin Sheng who was about to speak, and she spoke first.This remark also told her that Lin Sheng and He Ling are indeed affectionate, but it''s an ''affectionate'' between the villagers.Don''t just put* (tag) your hat* (hat also mean ''label''/bad name) on there, because you hear any wind*() ! [: sound of the wind/Rumors)] Qian naturally understood what Wu Yulan said.But in her heart she felt that she was pretending to be garlic*, but Qi Yue was still standing here, so she couldn''t let herself be rude in front of him. That''s why she didnt rebuke her but instead smiled at Qi Yue, "Boy Qi, I''m going to bother you this time! " [ *װ: to act stupid / to play dumb / to pretend to not know] "Its not a bother, May I dare to ask...Where is the patient?"Qi Yue now wants to see how He Ling is doing, but he has no intention to to feign civility*(̓cί) with her. "Yes, yes, you have to take a look first! Zhen''er, take Boy Qi over!" Qian''s wink at He Zhen. He Zhen nodded slightly. He stretched out his hand to Qi Yue and gestured, "Brother Qi, you come with me!" "Let''s go and check it out!" Lin Sheng didn''t even give Qian the opportunity to speak, and dragged his wife to follow. "This Lin Sheng, we wants Zhen''er and Qi Yue to get along alone, what is he doing by following them!" Qian is increasingly do not like this Lin Sheng, always disturbing her arrangement. "Mother, this Qi Yue looks like a little white face*, is him really reliable?" Seeing them all entered the house, He Fu moved to Qian''s side. He thinks that this surname-Qi looks like a ger, although he is taller than himself, but he do not looks like man at all. "Besides, he spent so much money on the period when he entered the village. Do he still have money?" [ С: Little white face refers to men who only rely on women to provide financial support, or men who are raised by their subjects, which has a derogatory meaning; the other refers to men with very beautiful appearance and fair complexion, which are not derogatory, as opposed to rough and mighty men.Focus on emphasizing the beauty of mens looks, Sometimes it is also an insult for handsome guys.] "Of course it''s reliable! Look at his behavior, he doesn''t look like a muddy leg*(), he must be promising!" Qian thinks that the young masters on the town, not necessarily better than him! [:refer to only relying on one''s little cleverness to professionally engage in the affairs of a certain industry. Often used as a derogatory term for farmers. It also refers to the unreasonable and domineering people in the countryside.] "That''s right, big brother, you see...he is wearing silk cloth, also the courtyard of the blue brick house, a carriage and a cow, How much money are all these? You don''t have a point in your hand, and you dare to be so stupid?" He Gui had the same idea as Qian, even if someone like Qi Yue had no money in his hands, he still had a way to get money. He Fu was just unsure of himself and wanted to ask, seeing his mother and younger brother were so sure, he felt relieved. If He Zhen can really marry him, then their family can also buy cattle, buy horses, and build a brick house! Then Qi Yue doesn''t he also know how to read, that''s mean he can teach his children. Thinking back, his son also might become a scholar, What a great honor! Qi Yue was not aware of the fact that someone was after his own money. He was following He Zhen into He Ling''s room. To said that it was a room, but it was actually a utility room with a lot of things piled up in a mess. The papers on the windows were also rotten, there was no windshield function, except for a broken wooden bed, there was not even a stool in the room. He Ling lying on the bed that looks like about to fall apart at any time, there is a thin patch-filled mattress under him, also a quilt that is also patched next to him but did not cover him either. He seemed to be left there casually, they didn''t help to set right his body and his posture looked uncomfortable "Huh, you usually wear glamorous* (: bright and neat) clothes. I didn''t expect your family to be so poor!" Seeing where He Ling lived, Lin Sheng couldn''t help but ridicule. "Home... There is not enough room at home, so my cousin said that he wants to live here!" He Zhen shrank his shoulders in fear, then his eyes red. Why didnt he think to put him in another room earlier? He can not left a bad impression to Qi Yue because of this matter. Seeing he looks like that, Lin Sheng curled his lips and didn''t say any more. If he really cried later, and said that he was bullying him, it would be impossible to argue*.(ٿĪ) Then that''s it. [ ٿĪ : beyond dispute / inexcusable] Qi Yue stood by the bed and looked at him for a few times. He turned his head to Wu Yulan and said, "Trouble sister-in-law, to help me,move him" The other party is a ger, so it was not appropriate to touch him casually in front of so many people. In fact, the most suitable person is He Zhen, who is also a ger, but he doesn''t think the other party will do it carefully. Wu Yulan had already stepped forward. She knew He Ling''s posture was uncomfortable as soon as she sees it. She immediately stretched out her hand to move him, also pulled the quilt on one side to cover him. Fortunately, He Ling was small and thin, so it didn''t take much effort for Wu Yulan as a woman to move him. At this time, Qi Yue turned around and looked at He Zhen. The other person''s eyes brightened when he met him, "Trouble this He Xiao Ge er (little He GeEr) bring a basin of cold water here." He Zhen was disappointed, hearing that he only say this. Although he wanted to stay with the other party, but he couldn''t refuse his request. He reluctantly turned around and walked out of the room. There was no seat in the room, and Qi Yue didn''t care. As soon as he lifted his hem of skirt, he sat down on the edge of the bed and put his hand on he Ling''s wrist. Lin Sheng saw that he just sat there motionless. He didn''t speak for a long time. He has this impatient personality and do not hold it for a long time. He said, "What''s wrong with him ?" As soon as he spoke, Wu Yu Lan glared at him and motioned him not to speak. Lin Sheng touched his nose in embarrassment. Fortunately, Qi Yue also withdrew his hand at this time. He looked at the two of them and said, " It''s not a serious illness. It''s just the occasional cold and high fever. It''s just that he has a very poor foundation, work hard ,day and night, also didn''t get any nourishment. Then he passed out!" "Nourishment? Its already nice for him to have enough food to eat in such a home! "Lin sheng''s significant meaning as he glare at outside the door. In fact, the people in the village knew that He Ling was in bad health.The villagers knows almost everything, after all, the village was so big (tl: Yes, you didn''t read it wrong, the author is being sarcastic here lol) and the doctor was only Old man Li, and it was impossible to hide it. He Ling hasn''t get married yet. This is also one of the reasons. Even though he is good-looking and capable, he will accidentally die of illness if he passed the door. How unlucky! Even if he doesn''t die, who knows whether his body is good or not, no one is willing to take the risk! "Cough cough cough..." The person on the bed made a series of coughing sounds, attracting the attention of all three people. Qi Yue was the closest to him. Seeing that he was coughing hard, he subconsciously put his hand on his chest, and slowly helped him go smoothly and comfortable. Lin Sheng didn''t feel anything, but Wu Yulan''s eyes changed. She dont know what is she thinking about. He Ling coughed for a while, as if feeling someone was comforting him, struggling to stretch out his hand, grabbing the warmth of caressing his chest,firmly hold it in his hand, and muttering: "Daddy...Daddy..." Qi Yue didn''t expect to be caught, but he didn''t intend to break away. The feeling of being held by those sweaty hands was not annoying. ========================= Translator''s : Lin Sheng is such well detailed side character. It''s a rare to have a good and interesting side character. CH 10 Chapter 10 :ϧ / Pity (to take pity on/to feel tenderness toward someone) Lin Sheng felt a little sad when he heard his dream talk. When he Ling''s father left, he was only six years old, as old as their tiger* son. (Remember that Lin Sheng'' son named Xiao Hu which means ''little tiger). Now is the time of mischievous for Hu Zi, all day long, he is not at home, but ran wildly all over the village with the village''s boy . At that time, He Ling should be living very carefully*(С: lit mean cautious and solemn) under the nose of his grandmother and uncle who didn''t like him very much. Wu Yulan didn''t think so much. She stared at the hand that intertwined with each other, and her face became more and more strange. There was a sound of footsteps at the door. Qi Yue gently took out his hand and stood up beside the bed. At the time, He Ling feel that his hands was empty, a tear fell from the corner of his eyes, it fell on the pillow, and he lose his consciousness. The expression on his face changed into weeping with grief, like an abandoned child, the red plum''s mark on the center of his eyebrows in a split second of those moment, splendidly seemed to be bleeding. Qi Yue took the hand behind him and held it slowly. He looked down at the person''s appearance, and frowned slightly. After He Zhen entered the room, he felt that the atmosphere in the room was a little bit strange. Before he had time to think about it, Wu Yulan came over to pick up the water basin in his hand, and he didn''t think about it anymore . Why Let He Zhen bring water over? Wu Yulan knew it, but "No (cloth*)towel ah!" He Zhen never works at home. It''s ok for him to bring a basin of water. How can he possibly figure out the purpose of this. Qi Yue took out the nearly folded white silk handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to him, said: "Use this ba! " "This handkerchief is quite expensive, isn''t it?" Although Lin Sheng is a rough man, he can tell the difference from good to the bad one. The material of the handkerchief is good, he knew it just by one look. Just like this, give it to be used by other? Instead, Wu Yulan stuffed the water basin into Lin sheng''s arms, took the handkerchief and threw it into the water to soak it. After a simple rubbing and washing, she wrung out the water and sat down beside the bed to wipe the thin sweat on he Ling''s face and neck. Lin Sheng looks at her in surprise. Last time at home, she asked him to persuade Qi Yue. Even if he has money, he can''t spend it carelessly. He should keep it in case he need it. How can she be so agreeable this time?! He Zhen''s heart is very reluctant. The things he carries in his body, usually must be used for and by himself, but now it is used on he Ling, which makes him a little unhappy! Looking at Wu Yulan carefully wipe he Ling''s hands, face and neck, then wash the handkerchief, wring it dry and put it on his forehead to reduce the heat, Qi Yue opens the medicine box on the ground, takes out a white porcelain bottle from it and hands it over to him, "sister-in-law will feed him one pill of this medicine." Wu Yulan took the bottle and poured out a pill in the palm of her hand. The pill was only the size of a soybean and it was brownish yellow in color. She put the pill into he Ling''s mouth, gently lifted his chin, looked at his throat, swallowed the medicine, then let go of her hand. "Brother Qi (ֵ: Qi Xiong di), this pill is good. On weekdays, old man Li always prescribes herbs directly. Once boiled, it''s black and a big bowl. It smells bad and tastes bad!" Lin Sheng saw that his pills were quite novel*(: new and odd) . They were only available in the town''s hospitals. They were more expensive than herbs. Ordinary people seldom bought them. "What? So curious, do you want one?" Wu Yulan gouged out his eyes and strike a pose as if she tried to pull out the cork that had just been put back to the bottle. Lin Sheng was holding a basin and couldn''t wave his hand, so he hurriedly took a step back, "No, no, no, I''m not sick, why should I eat this thing, moreover, this medicine is definitely not cheap, I still won''t waste it!" Qi Yue saw that these two husband and wife sort of funny. He thought it was interesting and slowly drew his lips. "Is this medicine... Really expensive?" He Zhen hesitated to look at the medicine bottle held by Wu Yulan''s hand. He didn''t want to spend too much money on this disgusting and annoying person. Even if he agreed, his mother would not agree. As soon as he asked this, the eyes of the three people in the room turned over at him. Wu Yulan turned back after only one look. Lin Sheng didn''t speak this time, but his eyes were obviously full of mockery. At this kind of time don''t care about people, only care about the price, but it seems like their family'' style. Qi Yue''s medicine is not commonly used for wind cold, and its price is naturally extraordinary* (ͬһ) . Of course, he didn''t intend to say these, "I''ve been in the village for a short time. Today, I act as if to pay a visit to the one''s home of the villager. This medicine is a gift for meeting*. I don''t accept any money." [*ҊY jin min l is a gift given to sb when meeting them for the first time] He Zhen looked at the pair of black eyes that were staring at her, and always felt that they were full of deep meaning. He seemed to think of remembering something, and hung his head down with red cheeks. Did he mean to visit his parents? Does he have feelings for himself? Lin Sheng opens his mouth, but he doesn''t say anything. Since Qi Yue has told him that he has definitely no intention to adore and love for He Zhen, he should not random guess any more! Wu Yulan sighed softly, stretched out her hand to straighten the quilt for He Ling and she was a bit convinced in her heart regarding of her own conjecture*. (ԼеIJŎ׷. tl notes: believe me, this sentence is really hard to translate) "In the past two days, his body may be relatively weak and unable to work. You should take care of it carefully!" His physical foundation is too poor, and usually he is always hold his breath hard. Once he gets sick, it will be difficult to heal. "OK, I understand!" He Zhen''s mouth promised very quickly, but he didn''t think much of it in his heart. He Ling has been pale for half a month, he was ill ever since he was a child. He seems to will fall down at any time, but he still has to do what he should do. He also didn''t see that something really will happened to him, right? Looking at the expression on his face, Qi Yue knew that he didn''t take his words to heart. He slightly restrain the smile on his lips. "You have to take good care of yourself, or you won''t get well. Don''t you want to make people think that brother Qi''s medical skills is not good? That''s a bad reputation!" Wu Yulan while fiddled He Ling''s hair that fell on the neck onto the pillow,muttered softly as if talking to herself. He Zhen heard what she said, and consideration began to arise in his heart.He Zhen think that he would marry Qi Yue in the future. How could he let others say that he is not good? Isn''t this adding to his own troubles, "Don''t worry, I''ll let my cousin have good rest these days. I will tell my parents!" Qi Yue smiled and nodded, then gave Wu Yulan a calm look. It is said that ''husband and wife complement each other*(޻)''. This saying indeed is not false. Lin Sheng is honest and straightforward. He often can''t turn his mind around. Yet he marry a wife who is really a smart person! Wu Yulan stood up, raised the porcelain bottle in her hand, and looked over inquiringly, Qi Yue raised his hand and motioned her to put it on the window sill, and then said to He Zhen: "When he wakes up, please inform him about the medicine bottle, one pill a day,take it after finish eating." There are seven pills in this bottle. He Ling was given one pill just now, and the remaining six pills can be taken for another six days. All the herbs used in this medicine are extremely mild and have the effect of replenishing the body. His illness will soon recover. Taking more medicine for a few days is to warm his body. After he Zhen nodded, they didn''t plan to stay any longer. It was too late. Lin Sheng''s family still have elder and children at home and Wu Yulan had to go back to cook. Qi Yue raised the medicine box and looked at the people lying on the bed. Then he turned his head reluctantly and went out of the room with them. Not long after they left, he Ling opened his eyes, to look everywhere around, a little bit dusky room. His consciousness returned back slowly. He moved his arms and propped up his weak body. Something fell on his forehead. He reached out and picked it up blankly. It was a white silk handkerchief embroidered with a bunch of orchids in the corner. Very elegant and beautiful! How can this kind of thing, which is not cheap at first sight, appear in oneself? When he was in a daze while looking at the handkerchief, the shabby door of the room was suddenly pushed open. He Zhen came in with a bowl in his hand. Seeing that he was awake, he put the bowl on the windowsill beside his bed and said impolitely, " The big young master finally woke up?" He always talk like that, and He Ling didn''t care much. He stretched out the quilt and prepared to get out of bed. "It''s Okay, stay in bed!" He Zhen stretched out his hand and pushed him to stop him from getting out of bed. He Ling raised his head and looked at him with his eyes widened slightly. He felt a little unbelievable. The other party even asked him to stay on the bed to rest? "What are you looking at? Do you think I want to?" He Zhen rolled his eyes disdainfully, and pointed to the porcelain bottle on the windowsill, "The medicine Qi Yue''s prescribed, take one a day!" Qi Yue? He Ling''s head is a little confused. What is the matter with that person? "You don''t have to work in the next few days, but you can''t leave the purse I asked you to embroider. Embroider it for me as soon as possible!" He Zhen didn''t care what he was puzzled about. He only care about the matter that related to himself and took away the silk handkerchief from him. At the same time, he glared at him. "It''s such a waste of Qi Yue''s things for you to use!" Looking at He Zhen who feeling very dissatisfied and angry* (޷޲ƽ) out of the room, He Ling clutching his head and straightened out his train of thoughts, wait until he was a little more comfortable,then he looked back at the window sill. Instead of touching the bowl of porridge, he took the small bottle and held it in his hand for a while. Then he tightly held it and stuck it on his chest, muttered "he helped me again..." He Zhen walked briskly in the village, touching the purse in his sleeve. His face full of happy color ,when he met someone, he would also called them aunt, uncle and so on, very sweet talking. When someone curiously inquired, he would smile utterly shy, saying that Qi Yue had helped him two days ago. Today, he went over to thank him specially. The person who asked,saw his radiant with happines*(M洺L) and shyness face, what else did he not understand. Some time ago, people who knew about the incident at the entrance of the village couldn''t help sighing, these He''s family''s ger also capable and has really won a golden turtle son-in-law! He Zhen naturally understand what other people think yet he would not go to explain it. The more they think at the crooked angle, the more favorable it was for him, and the faster he and Qi Yue''s affairs could be accomplished. He Zhen''s heart beat faster when he saw the courtyard of the blue brick house from a distance. In the future, the beautiful courtyard and the handsome men in the courtyard are all his own. He will become the most enviable ger in the Gu Shui village ! When he got to the door, he carefully arranged his clothes and hair, and then raised his hand to buckle the door ring. The clothes he chose today are ver suitable for him. It seems that his complexion is extremely rosy and good looking. He will definitely let the other person''s heart have a favorable impression. Behind the door came the sound of ''neither too fast nor too slow'' footsteps, just as Qi Yue this person, generally. He always look calm, indifferent and determine, gentle also polite. He never panicked or rushed when doing something, as if everything could be easily solved. Do not know such a person like him,if he speak out those love words, isn''t he more gentle and disturbing people''s mind? Thought of some that he should not think of, He Zhen''s face soon dyed red. The sound of opening the door brought back his thoughts. He looked up and saw Qi Yue standing behind the door, wearing a nattierblue*(ɫ) set of clothing, which reveal even more of his intellectual and elegant. Seeing the visitor, Qi Yue raised his eyebrows slightly. He put down his hand that open the door, one slightly nod his head and said, "He Xiao Ge er is here, is there something wrong with your cousin'' body again?" "No, it''s not!" He Zhen felt that his entire face was burning when he saw this person. He turned his eyes a little shy, and handed over the purse that had been in his sleeve. "To thank you, I specially I embroidered a purse, and hope that Big brother Qi will not dislike it!" Qi Yue lowered his eyes and glanced at the things he handed to him, his eyes flickered, "Did you embroider this?" "Exactly!" He Zhen nodded gently. His eyes are very sincere, " The thing that I could do is not much.Just embroidering is okay, so I thought of embroidering a purse to give to Big brother Qi! " "Oh? thats so." The smile on Qi Yue''s face suddenly deepened. He stretched out his well-defined hand (which show his distinct joints bone) , He pinch the tether on the purse, gently lifted it up and held it in his hand, and said: "Then I''ll take it. Thanks a lot. " "Its good that Qi Da Ge (big brother Qi) like it!" Seeing him accept the things he sent, he Zhen was surprised and shy in his heart, "I..." "Then I won''t send you off!" Qi Yue interrupted his unfinished words. He Zhen was surprised, but he looked up and saw a gentle and polite smile. He breathed a sigh of relief, he almost thought that Qi Yue was driving him away, Maybe he had something to do. maybe he was also a little embarrassed? He secretly smiled, feeling that the future will be long and it will be enough today, so he reluctantly said: "Then I will go first, and I will talk to Big brother Qi another day!" Seeing the person leaving, Qi Yue closed the door, looked down at the purse in his hand, and gently rubbed the word "Ling" embroidered under the green bamboo with his fingers. This word was embroidered with silver silk thread of the same color as the fabric, and it was inconspicuous. If he remember correctly, he had seen this in he Ling''s room before, and it was placed in the side of the bed. At that time, he only embroidered a "Ling" character, but be can''t tell what it was, but the color of the cloth and silk thread is exactly the same as this purse. " Heh," Qi Yue laught lightly, "I see." CH 11 Chapter 11: Confess "Dong Dong Dong" Three times, the main door is being knocked again. Qi Yue raised his eyes to take a look and thought that He Zhen had come back to say something. He slowly put his purse into his sleeve, then opened the door and said, "He Xiao Ge Er, I''m very busy today. It''s better that you..." He Ling stood outside the door, holding a basket in his hand. Hearing what he said, he stepped back uneasily, "I...am I disturbing you?" The expression on Qi Yue''s face became a little more gentle, and his voice was a little softer. "Of course not, but do you want to ask me for help?" He Ling shake his head, hesitated for a while, then return him the basket, "I''m here to return the basket, and... Thank you for treating* me!"(ﲡ*: it mean diagnose the disease/ the medical consultation) He also became more aware of the specific situation that day from He Zhen''s and his family''s idle chat. He had been to Linsheng''s house just now, when he came out he saw He Zhen at the door of Qi Yue''s house, he didn''t dare to come over, he could only waited to see him go far away then came to knock on the door. "As the same villager, that''s what I should do!" Qi Yue reached out and took the basket, saw that it was covered with a piece of cloth. Then he opened it. There was a layer of oil paper inside, and there were some pretty steamed buns. They were made of white flour and very delicate. This is...? "He Ling''s cheek is red, which makes the whole face gorgeous and extraordinary. Very alluring! He doesn''t have any silver. His only personal saving is the lucky money*(ѹǮ) given by his grandmother when he was a child. He secretly hid some money that he Zhen and others didn''t take away. He has kept it untill now. [ ѹǮ* : money given to children as new year present] Yesterday, he asked an aunt who knew his mother to bring him some flour and pork when she entered the city. Today, he avoided the He family and made some meat buns. Lin Shengs family had already been sent by him just now, because they were all from the village, and they paid attention to reality. He made a big, white and fat steamed bun with a bit more fat. It was incredibly fragrant after a bite! For Qi Yue, he is more particular. He doesn''t lack any oil and water, so he uses lean meat mostly. Each bun is small and delicate, and one can be eaten in two bites. "Sorry, that''s all I can give you!" He Ling''s two hands were tightly pressed together. The other party had eaten more exquisite and expensive food, but he could only give these as a gift of thanks. Looking at the other''s face blushing in embarrassment, Qi Yue smiles very gently. He reaches out his hand and takes out a steamed bun from the basket and eats it in two mouthfuls. "It''s delicious!" Seeing that he ate one in front of him, then He certainly didn''t dislike it. He Ling relaxed and softened a lot. Looking at him, the slightly picky eyes seemed to be contain special affection. "He Ling!" He don''t know whether he was bewitched, Qi Yue said incredible words to him, "How about I marry you?" He Ling stares,eyes widened, he could not believe what he heard, "Ai?" For his words, Qi Yue was also surprised, but he didn''t regret it. At this moment,this kind of thought really filled his mind! He put down the basket in his hand, took two steps forward, grabbed the weak hand of the person in front of him and held it in his own hand, "I''ll marry you as a husband, okay?" If you marry him back, he won''t be left in the dark room just like that when he is sick, he didn''t have to let go of his helpless hand to avoid suspicion and let him cry in his sleep. He wants to dress him with the most suitable clothes, eat the most delicate food and sleep in the softest bed. He wants to give him enough confidence, instead of being careful by only giving away some gifts, as he is now.He would also wonder, how could he have obsession with someone who he has only seen several times or talked only a few words? Suddenly there was the thought of seclusion*(w[), fell in love with this village, meet this person, and moved his heart that he had never moved before. he (He Ling) is not yet married and he (Qi Yue) is also unmarried man (bachelor). [ w[*: to go back to one''s native place and live in seclusion] He thinks that it''s fate, it''s destiny! He Ling was stunned by him holding his hand. He didn''t know how to react. The first time he might heard him wrong, what about the second time? But how could it would be himself? He is so good, even he could marry the rich lady! Seeing his dumb look, Qi Yue raised his other hand and stroked his cheek... He Ling seems to be suddenly awakened, step back to avoid his hand, want to take out the hand he is holding, but Qi Yue clasped his hand and did not let him go.He Ling is a little impatient, increased his strength and struggled, "Let go... let me go, you will be seen!" "What harm is there in being seen?" Qi Yue didn''t care at all, the other party''s little strength naturally couldn''t break away from him. Listen to what he said, He Ling was even more anxious. The people in the village who had some good deeds could spread all kinds of unpleasant words, and it would definitely ruin Qi Yue''s reputation! He... he is also a little at a loss, don''t know how to face him!He Ling''s hands were a little red because of trying to break free, and his eyes were anxiously covered with water mist. Qi Yue looked a little distressed, so he slowly reduced his strength, watched him pull out his hand and retreat, At last, he took a look at him helplessly, and fled in panic! "I''ll give you time to escape temporarily, but you can''t make me wait too long!" Qi Yue stared at his panicked back, his eyes gradually deepening, like a wild beast staring at its prey. He Ling walked back home in a panic. As soon as he pushed the door, he ran into the Qian and He Zhen sitting in the yard. He was shocked in his heart and stopped, "Big aunt, cousin." Qian''s face originally smiled. Seeing him, she pulled it down, "What are you doing in hurry?! It''s almost noon, why don''t you cook ?!" "I.... I''m sorry!" He Ling didn''t dare to lift his head, for fear that the other side would see something from his red face. "All right, all right, hurry up!" Qian was also impatient to see him and waved him away. He Ling didn''t dare to stay here any longer. He turned around and went to the kitchen. He could be distracted by doing something now. "Zhen''er, since this kid Qi has accepted your purse, he must have thoughts of you in his heart. Then, if you get close to him later, this matter will be done!" "Well, I know, I ''ll see him again tomorrow." The conversation between the two people in the yard came to his ears, and He Ling stopped, and then speeded up into the stove room. He took some firewood from the corner, squatted in front of the stove, and stuffed the firewood into the stove one by one, but his heart was in a mess. Qi Yue didn''t know the meaning of giving a purse, so he accepted it? Or he know but still accept it? If he didnt know, he accepted it, even if its not clear enough, if he knew... He Ling''s movement of putting the firewoods in, slowed down, if he knew, what did he mean by what he had said earlier to himself? Perhaps, he himself think too much. Those words, He just say it and say it, without having much intention? But Qi Yue, he didn''t look like that kind of frivolous person... Then himself, did he want him to had a purpose, or the otherwise? The firewood in his hand fell to the ground, and he held his hot cheek, his heart became more and more flustered. At that moment, he hoped that what Qi Yue said was true? He wants to marry him (Qi yue)? ! He Ling hugged both of his knees and buried his face in it. He thinks he is going to burn up. How could he have such a shameful thought? ! Qi Yue drove the carriage, and saw Lin Sheng walking back and forward in front of his house from a long distance, as if waiting for him for a while, he shook the rein and let Mu Yan trot two steps to the front, "Big Brother Lin? " Lin Sheng greeted him when he saw him, look at his set of clothing covered in dust'', and said: "Have you gone to town?" [ LmWW*(fng chn p p): lit. covered in dust (idiom) / fig. travel-worn ] "Well, there is almost no food at home!" Qi Yue jumped out of the carriage and stepped forward and unlocked the door. "looking for me, is there any problem?" "Go in and talk about it!" Lin Sheng''s expression was not very good, and he didn''t say anything. First, he helped him pull the carriage in.When a guest is here, Qi Yue is not in hurry to unload things. He simply washes his hands, cooks a pot of tea and asks him to sit down in the main room. Lin Sheng poured a cup of tea in, with a serious expression on his face. Staring at him, "Do you really like He Zhen that much?" " The hand that Qi Yue gave him a cup of tea paused a moment, then he calmly filled his cup until full and put down the teapot, "Why did Big brother Lin say this again? I think I have said that I am not interested in this He Xiao Ge er." "Don''t like him?" "Lin Sheng'' face was full of disbelief, "If you don''t like him, do you still take his purse?" It''s the object that girls and gers express their feelings to men! Qi Yue sipped his tea lightly. "How did big brother Lin know that?" As he answer like that, Lin Sheng was certain that this matter was true, and now he looked like he hated the iron but not the steel*. (to feel resentful toward somebody for failing to meet the expectations) "With He Zhen''s character, of course, this matter is widely made known that the whole village knows about it!" Compared with his excitement, Qi Yue is more calm and indifferent,very at ease. "Give someone a purse, but do you have to embroider it by yourself?" "Of course, otherwise, what''s the point!" Lin Sheng''s heart is even more angry at the way he looks like an old God*(: calm / unperturbed) Isn''t this his brother a senseless man*? (ȱۃ: stupid / senseless / dim-witted) He already told him many times that he Zhen is unreliable, and his family is even more unreliable. Why don''t he listen? Why don''t he like other? At a glance, he could see what he was thinking. Qi Yue smiled, and reached out to touch the purse hanging around his waist, "Then this, he sent me this thing for other (on behalf of other person) !" "Other person? Who?" Lin Sheng listened but couldn''t understand what he is talking about. How can He Zhen sent something for other based on what He Zhen feels about him(Qi Yue)? "Big Brother Lin!" Qi Yue raised his head and looked at him with some serious eyes. "At the beginning, you said that if I had someone I liked, you would ask Aunt Lin to act as match maker for me. Does that still count?" "Of course it counts! But..." Lin Sheng thought ''this time...oh no! he even wanted to ask for marriage with He Zhen!'' "Then I''d like to trouble aunt Lin to pick a day and go to He Family''s house!" Qi Yue had some bad baseless suspicions and paused bitterly as he watching Lin Sheng''s expression getting more and more tangled* (: to be at loss/confused), then he said with a smile: "Go and ''ask for marriage'' for me with He Ling!" "Huh?! He Ling? You just said He Ling?!" Lin Sheng''s eyes were so wide as if the eyesball are going to fall out.Is there something wrong with his ears or what?!? ! "Yes, He Ling, I am happy with him*()." Qi Yue lowered his eyes, his expression softer. [* means his heart pleased or happy to be together with him] "You..to him...oh~ I said, when He Zhen came to see you for a medical consultation, how could you promise so readily and you dont even charge any money after prescribing the medicine!! The handkerchief was also given to other to wipe his face. By the way, when he held your hand, you also didn''t break it!! It turns out that you, you have already thought about it!" Lin Sheng was really surprised and happy. He also did not expect, this kid likes the other person, He Ling. "Then ''the other person'' you just mentioned is He Ling?" "Hn." Qi Yue nodded, "at the time of diagnosis, I saw a half-embroidered purse in his room." So he accepted it because he Ling embroidered it. Lin Sheng understood. Then Isn''t He Zhen lying? That is not something he embroidered at all!, "I''m relieved that you like he Ling, but... the people in his family are a little bit difficult*(yp) !" [ yp*: usu. of people) difficult / demanding / troublesome / unreasonable / hard to deal with] Qi Yue curled up his lips and smiled, "Didn''t Qian said that as long as someone takes out thirty taels of silver, he can marry He Ling. I can naturally get it!" "That''s it!" Lin Sheng nodded. She said something like this, He Ling is not too young now (tl: it means the age for married at that time) , she can''t go back*() and throw her face on the ground! [* : old: to reap the consequences of one''s words (idiom, from Mencius); modern: to go back on one''s word / to blow hot and cold / to contradict oneself / inconsistent ] Qi Yue took a sip from his teacup, and a trace of darkness flashed in his drooping eyes. If the other party''s words couldn''t be trust*(Զ) , he wouldn''t mind using some methods. [Զ : to go back on one''s word / to break one''s promise / to be unfaithful / to be untrustworthy] ============================= Translators Random thought: This chapter as the chapter titled mention, to say frankly, I was expected some confession such as I like you or something like that, who know Qi Yue finally showing some signs of black bellied Gong in this chapter also Lin Shengs misunderstanding is kind of funny. Comments : Miki Mei 4 2021 3:36 am Kyaaaaa finally Hoho usually Im to lazy to put comment but this time I just couldnt help it. Ouh my heart is exploding lmao. Ps. Thanks for the quick translation and I hope you will always be motivated CH 12 Chapter 12:˵ (to act as matchmaker) Lin Sheng''s mood when he returned home was completely different from when he went to find Qi Yue. It was really sunny after rain*, ten thousand li ( li, a Chinese unit of length = one-half kilometer) without cloud. [^* :y gu tin qng sky clears after rain / new hopes after a disastrous period (idiom) ] When he arrived at home, he saw Wu Yulan drying clothes in the yard, he ran over on tiptoe, "Wife, I will help you!" Wu Yulan gave him the clothes according to his strength. When he wrung it dry, she took it and hung it on the rope. "Have you made it clear? "Yes!" Lin Sheng took out another one from the tub, "Guess what Brother Qi said? " "He has no feeling about He Zhen!" Wu Yulan carefully pulled the clothes on the rope neatly. "Wife, you are so smart!" Lin Sheng handed her the twisted clothes and said, "Then who do you think he has thought for?" " He Ling!"Wu Yulan said a name without even thinking about it. The clothes Lin Sheng had just taken out of the basin fell back again, "Why do you even know this?" Wu Yulan gave him a blank look and stopped her busy work. "If I guessed correctly, the purse was most likely* embroidered by Ling Ge er then it was taken by He Zhen to use!" [ʮа˾* :most likely / mostly (in 8 or 9 cases out of 10) / vast majority ] " Wife, you are amazing!" Lin Sheng was dumbfounded*, "How do you know everything?" [Ŀɿڴ* read m dng ku di : dumbstruck (idiom); stupefied / stunned] Wu Yulan also came near He Ling, she naturally knew what''s on the bed, and she had said a few words to He Zhen before, thinking that he was not very familiar with embroidery. Regarding Qi Yue who would abnormally accept his purse,even if she hadn''t seen the purse, she could almost guess it. "If He Ling can really marry him, he''ll make it*(^)! "Wu Yulan took out a piece of clothing from the basin and wrung it out and put it on the rope to arrange it. [ ^ (o ch tu) :to break clear of all the troubles and hardships / to achieve success] Lin Sheng recovered his senses and continued to help her twisting the clothes. "When my mother comes back, I will tell her!" ***** He Tian''s family had an unexpected guest came early in the morning. It was Lin Sheng''s mother, Fang. "Oh, from the Lin Shan family, what wind bring you here?" "When she opened the door and saw her coming, Qian opened her mouth in a strange way.*(ꖹ֚) [ꖹ֚* :eccentric / peculiar / mystifying (Describe : attitude quirks, cold words, unpredictable) ] Originally, the two families did not meet much in the village, so they just nodded their heads every time they met, that kind of relation. Later, Lin Sheng always helped He Ling speak from time to time, then Qian become did not like him much, even her family member also join to not to like him. Lin sheng family, on the other hand, felt that He family was rather mean and didn''t like to communicate with them. "Without something, naturally I''m not going to come, be a nuisance, but today I have proper things to talk about right? " No matter how much in her heart, she don''t want to see her, Fang still smiled on her face. If it weren''t for Boy Qi''s request, she wouldn''t come here to see her face. Don''t think she didn''t know how their family,set up her son behind her back! "What''s the matter? Between your and our family, what matter could it be?" Qian rolled his eyes disdainfully. Fang felt a little annoyed, she wanted to curse, but she still resisted , "Let''s go in and talk about it. It''s not convenient here!" "What''s the inconvenience? Let everyone listen to it, why? Could it be that your son really intends to marry our Ling Ge''er back to be ''his little wife''? Qian didn''t mean to let the person in at all. She stood at the door with a loud voice, which attracted the surrounding neighbors to poke their heads out to see the situation. Fang grit her teeth*(ҧ) that she don''t even take He Ling''s reputation into consideration , deliberately blocked in front of the door and not giving face to her right? Then she would like to see who is going to be more ashamed. [ҧ(yo y )could mean also to describes extremely angry or determined.] With a smile, she said, "Since you want to say it here, that is also okay. Anyway, it''s a happy event. I''m here today to act as matchmaker for Qi Yue!" "Are you serious?" Before Qian''s able to react, He Zhen ran out of the yard. He had been in the yard before. He didn''t care, when he saw that the visitor was Lin Sheng'' mother but who would have imagined hearing her say something like this! "Aiyo, my Zhen''er, this Qi xiao zi (Boy Qi) actually come to propose a marriage to you so soon,it''s truly a good insight" Qian also returned to her senses, and took He Zhen''s hand with a smile on her face. He Zhen''s heart is simply exciting, that person actually came to propose a marriage with him! He said, such an excellent ger as himself, how is it possible, if that person didn''t like him? That''s good. In the future, he will wear satin clothes and beautiful jewelry, when he go to the city, he will also be able to take a carriage. He will also be loved spoiled by a gentle and handsome husband. He will be the happiest ger in the village! "This Qi Yue is really want to marry He Zhen ne?" "Isn''t it? This He Zhen is also good enough, able to win over Qi Yue so quickly!" "That right, that''s right. That Qi Yue is handsome and also rich. He''s going to have a blessing* when he get married to him!" [ (xing f) : to live comfortably / happy and prosperous life] The whispers spread into Fang''s ears. She looked at the proud*Ժ (proud of one''s achievement)and proud of oneself* () expressions of He Zhen and Qian, she lowered her head to cover her mouth and laughed. "Look at me! Happiness frequently come, I almost forget about the big matchmaker. Quickly go in and sit down! let''s talk in detail!" Qian completely forgot how she treated Fang before, and now she changed her face and about to tugged her arm home. Fang didn''t mean to go in with her. She broke away from her hand and looked at her mockingly and said, "I won''t go in. Let''s finish talking here. Don''t make any mistakes. The person Qi Yue want to marry is He Ling." As soon as she said this, the joyful expressions of Qian and He Zhen froze on their faces, and He Zhen rushed up and grabbed her shoulders, "Impossible! It''s impossible!! How can big brother Qi want to marry him?! He''s going to marry me !! You are a liar!!" Fang was a little hurt when he caught her. She stepped back one step to get rid of him, with a slightly angry look on her face. "He Zhen, What''s your attitude towards your elders?" Qian supported He Zhen, who seemed to be a little unstable, and yelled at Fang right in the face: "What''s the attitude of our family Zhen''er? Who told you to talk nonsense in front of other people''s house!" Fang was made laugh angrily*(Ц) by her and pointed directly to her nose: "I''m telling you, Qi Yue said that he wants to marry your He Ling. previously, you said thirty taels of silver, and he will give you twenty taels more,so fifty taels of silver in total. Such a good thing, are you not happy about it?" [Laugh angrily*Ц : Something that you can''t stand it and it made you angry, but after taste it feels funny, so you laughed.] The villagers watching the excitement, all took a breath. Oh my Lord! fifty taels of silver ah! This much, can buy five cows! Also it can be used to marry a wife for ten sons! This Qi Yue''s shot is really generous! Someone previously said that he came to the village bought so many things, so he guess he didn''t have much money in his hands, that person must be looking away!! (tl: it''s because that person didn''t pay attention, hope u understand this joke) He just casually took out fifty taels of silver as a betrothal gift , so he definitely have surplus in his hand! These ordinarily times, no one have ever seen He Ling say a few words to Qi Yue, quietly win over a person without saying a word? In the end isn''t it because he is good-looking ah, someone will come to him even if he doesn''t do anything! He Zhen''s complexion became more ugly. He gritted his teeth, wishing to strangle that vixen immediately. Unexpectedly seduce Qi Yue when he didn''t notice it at all Qian''s was a little moved. That was fifty taels of silver ah! With this silver, her house could be turned into a blue brick house, she could buy a cow, and she could buy a few more acres of land! But she looked at He Zhen, and resisted the impulse to immediately agree. If their Zhen Ge er married, she would get more than fifty taels! "No! Incorrect! Big brother Qi took my purse, he took mine!!" He Zhen suddenly thought of something and shouted at her. On their side, if a ger or girl is interested in a man, he will embroiders a purse and gives it to him. If the man accepts it, it means that he is interested in that ger or girl too! "You said that purse, Qi Xiaozi told me about this!" Fang didn''t feel so angry when he saw him like this. "When he was treating Ling Ge''er, he saw that unfinished purse in his room. When you took it to him , he thought Ling Ge''er was thin skinned and ashamed, and asked you to help him give it to him, so he accepted it!" The eyes of the villagers are strange, He Zhen said that Qi Yue had accepted his purse to the whole village.Looking very affectionate* . It looks like he Ling is the one who embroidered that love purse. He was also seen by Qi Yue. Isn''t this stealing chicken, but instead he has lost rice? [ dd* qng y min min ; everlasting love / very much enamored] So, in the past those things he said he embroidered by himself before were all deceptive, right? He Zhen paled instantly, no wonder Qi Yue''s eyes at that time was strange, he already knew it all. No charge for medicine, all of that is just for that bitch! Seeing the appearance of her ger of ''take a beating'', Qian was distressed. She glared at Fang and said angrily: "He Ling won''t marry!" After she finished speaking , she didn''t listen to what the other party said, and entered the house. The wooden door was closed with a "bang". They will have this reaction, which is also expected. Fang didn''t care at all, turned her head and left. Translator''s comment: Wu Yu Lan is such a charming and smart woman character in BL novel which is very rare, usually, you know...more annoying woman character than the charming one. This chapter done earlier because a lot of dialogue than description. I am better at daily conversation topic than idiom and description'' part because although I am Chinese, Mandarin is not my first language and I Iearn by myself (autodidac) since I was junior high school. I can''t write it (only some words) and my vocabulary''s range is limited if you compare to natives. CH 13 Chapter 13: Ո (invite people) When Fang went to He Tian''s house to act as a matchmaker, Qi Yue slid two good inks to the village chief''s house. The head of Gushui Village is surnamed Feng. He is in his fifties and has three daughters and one son. The daughters have been married a few years ago. Only the son lives with them, he already married and has two children. When he was young, he read some books and knew some words, so he always liked to make himself look very knowledgeable. On usual day, he liked to take a branch to write and draw on the ground. When Qi Yue came over today, he was writing on the ground in the yard. The village heads wife opened the door for him. He respectfully saluted each other, and the village head came over and said, "Qi Xiao zi (Boy Qi) you haven''t come these several days!" The chief village was quite enthusiastic when he meet him. For him to look at a gentle*scholar like this, the more the village head cherish, the more he is very happy to associate with him. [|* (wn zh bn bn) : refined in manner / gentle] "This humble one, come bothering you!" Qi Yue smiled and passed the ink stick in his hand. The village chief is not polite with him, so he accepted it with a smile, this kind of precious stuff will be kept for his grandson in the future. While bringing Qi Yue into the room, he asked his woman to call their son come over too. Qi Yue has a good temper and has seen the world. The village head loves to let his son walk around with him more. He is getting older and older. In the future, the village head''s position will also require his son to sit. It is good for him to know more people. Not long after the two of them sat down, Feng Zheng came in. He and Qi Yue met before, they were not unfamiliar with each other, and they sat down after saluting each other. The three chatted for a while, and Qi Yue expressed the purpose of coming, "Actually, today, this humble one, ask Aunt Lin went to He''s family to ask for marriage on behalf of me. If this can''t be done, this humble one is afraid that Village Chief will have a lot of trouble. This humble one only have been here for a short time so there are many things that I dont understand." "He family?" The village chief paused, these days, Qi Yue and He Zhens rumors, he still heard some of them, he thought it was nonsense, now, it turn out that matter is true? "Is it He Zhen, that Ger?" But Qi Yue shook his head, "No, it''s He Ling." The village chief and Feng Zheng were a little surprised. They had never heard of any encounter between the two, so why did he suddenly say that he wanted to marry him?Could it be that he fell in love with his face? Feng Zheng glanced at his father then said to Qi Yue tentatively, "Brother Qi, you have been in the village only for a short time, you may not know it well, He Ling, there are some rumors in the village ......" [ : the way said "I" politely, whenever Qi Yue to the the village chief here whenever he said I using "this humble one"] "This humble one know." His unfinished story, Qi Yue naturally understands, This humble one dont care about it at all. What he meant by this was that he was well aware of the rumours that He Ling had killed his father, his mother and his close relatives, and even the rumor that he was the reincarnation of "Hu Mei zi", he knew it all , but he did not care in the least. The village chief exchanged a look with his son. He sighed and said, "This Ling Ge Er was also the one I watched grow up. He is a poor child. If he really follow you, it would be his blessing!" He had seen what happened to He Ling before, but after all, it was someone else''s family matter and he couldn''t interfere too much, so now he could have a good place to return to*, he is also very happy for him! [ w* gu s: place to return to / home / final destination / ending ] "It would be a blessing for me if I could marry He Ling!" Qi Yue hung his head, his eyebrows softened, and he was lucky to have found someone to be with. The three of them talked a little more about this matter, and when they found out that Qi Yue was offering 50 taels of silver for the bride, the village headman and his son were secretly surprised. This shot was a very generous offer! While chatting was lively, the village chief''s wife came in with Fang. As soon as he saw the expression on her face, Qi Yue knew that it was not going to work out, and he smiled coldly in his heart, thinking that the He family was quite tactful. As soon as Fang entered the door, she showed a very frustrated look, "Qi Xiao zi, aunt failed to fulfill your important trust, did not get the job done for you!" "What? That He family still does not agree?" The village chief asked the question first, It was clear that He family was difficult to handle,but Qi Yue said he would pay 50 taels of silver to marry He Ling, He didnt think it would be impossible. Since He family said at first, as long as someone is willing to pay 30 taels, He Ling will married that person. "That''s right!" Fang sighed heavily, "With this condition of the Qi boy, they still do not agree, I really do not know what is in their mind, He Ling is already eighteen this year, if this continues to delay, he can only married someone as ''a little wife''!" (Tl: Actually little wife could be translated as concubine, but I just got the feeling of concubine word is more related to palace setting so I prefer not to use it in this village setting, it''s weird) The village chief''s face changed, the He family has always disliked He Ling he knew it, usually is just small and petty fight so he let it be, If he really wants to push people into the fire pit, he cant pretend not to know. Fang looked at the village chief''s expression, and added a fire, "Could it be that He Zhen has a heart for Qi Xiao zi, so that is why .... ah, now that Qi boy just propose a marriage to Ling Ge Er, they won''t hit* him right?" [ * Trad. (dng shu) : to set about (a task)/to hit/ to punch/ to touch ] This time the person who changed his face became Qi Yue, he put his hands together and made a deep bow to the village headman, "Hope the village Chief will help this humble one once!" He is already like this, the village chief naturally is not going to ignore this matter. Besides, He Tian''s family has indeed been noisy* over the years, it''s time to let them to receive the temper! [[v* (no teng) :to disturb / to create confusion / to make a din] =============== As soon as Qian helped He Zhen back home, He Zhen left her behind and rushed to the back yard. He Ling was sorting the vegetable plot there. He grabbed him and just slapped him straight across the face, "You bitch!" The slap was so hard that it cracked the corner of He Ling''s mouth and his cheek swelled up very big. This was not all, He Zhen grabbed his hair and struck him again on the other side of his face, ruthlessly and without mercy. Qian was only now catching up with him and hastily pulled He Zhen who wanted to hit him again, "Zhen''er, even if you are angry, don''t hit him so hard in the face, it''s not good for others to see, pick a place where it can''t be seen!" "I''m going to smash his face! See how he can still seduce people! He Zhen was pulled by Qian''s arm, so he kicked He Ling in the calf, causing him to stagger, fall and sit on the ground. There was so much commotion over here, soon it drew the family over, He Tian saw the scene and said angrily, "What''s this?!" He Fu and He Gui was also surprised, He Zhen had bullied He Ling many times, but this was the first time he had been so mad. Zheng was holding her daughter, who had just turned one year old.She looked at the red and swollen face of He Ling with a little sympathy.He was really unlucky to have such relatives, but it was none of her business, she wasn''t the one being beaten anyway. Liu''s face was full of amusement as she watched.Her three-year-old son was hugging her leg, blinking his eyes and not afraid, instead he found it funny to see He Ling''s face and grinned happily with his mouth open! "Father! He Ling, this little bitch seduce Big Brother Qi!" After hitting him a few times, the anger in He Zhen''s heart subsided a little. Qian also plucked out a fierce glance at He Ling, "Just now the Lin Sheng'' family came to propose a marriage for Qi Yue with this unrestrained slut!" A few people were stunned, and then they understood, no wonder He Zhen threw such a temper. Just do not know when this He Ling hooked up with other. He Ling, who was sitting on the ground, widened his eyes, that person really came to ask for marriage? He, is he serious? "I told you this ''little white face'' was unreliable. What a lustful one*(ɫ) !" He Fu curled his lips, at that time, he already thought that this matter is not certain yet. [tl notes: remember in previous chapter He Fu call Qi Yue as ''little white face'' so this time He Fu called him "ɫ"*: its when you see a beautiful person, you start thinking about aggression etc. In Qi Yue case in He fu''s mind, as Qi Yue start to see that He Ling is such a beautiful ger, so he want him, do obscene thing etc. Hope it''s clear! ] Speaking of this, He Zhen couldn''t stop the hatred and jealousy in his heart. He turned around ,grabbed He Ling''s hair and pulled it down, forcing him to look up at him, "How on earth did you, you bitch, seduce Big brother Qi? He even willing to spend 50 taels of silver to marry you!" Fifty taels? He Tian and the others were all moved in their hearts, if he was really willing to spend fifty taels to marry He Ling, it wouldn''t be a loss! He Ling was pulled by the hair, eyes a little sour, he simply is not worth that man spend so much silver, not worth it at all. Seeing that he closed his mouth and did not say anything, the jealousy in He Zhen''s heart really burned more and more, he let go of his hair and directly choked his neck with both hands, "I''ll choke you to death! See how you can still seduce people!" He Tian was calculating in his heart when he saw He Zhen''s behavior, he hurriedly shouted at Qian, "Pull him away. Do not let him mess with someone''s life! " Qian saw this and hurriedly held his waist and dragged him away. The moment he let go of his hand, He Ling covered his neck and gasped for air, just then, at that one moment, he really thought he would die in He Zhen''s hands, but for this, he did not have a little fear, if he died like this, it would be a relief for him. "You''ve made such a mess,isn''t it ugly? Is men in the world are just that one?!" He Tian was a bit annoyed, but looking at He Zhen''s appearance, he slowed down his tone. "In fact, it''s not a bad idea to let He Ling marry, with those fifty taels, we can buy you more dowry in the future and find a better husband''s house!" "Father!!!" He Zhen looked at him incredulously, he actually wanted to agree to this marriage! "Husband, don''t be confused!" Qian said hurriedly, "If Qi Yue can take out fifty taels casually, so he must have more in his hand. If Zhen'' er married him, that''s not just fifty taels!" When she said this, He Tian thought about it. There is indeed some truth to this, But the question was, would the man surname Qi really want to marry He Zhen? The others thought it was reasonable too.If He Zhen could marry him, there would be an endless supply of silver! As they pondered, the door was suddenly rapped. They looked at each other for a few moments, but finally Qian opened the door. Translator''s OS: He Ling, you deserves to be happy. CH 14 Chapter 14: ͬ (Agree) The village chief stood at the door with a sullen face, followed by Fang and Qi Yue behind him. Qian struggled for a moment. She didn''t know what attitude she should take to face Qi Yue, so she just ignored him. She smile at the village chief, "Village chief, why are you free to come to our house today? "Let''s talk at your home!" The village chief waved his hand at her and led the people straight into her house. Naturally, Qian didn''t dare to stop him, so she had to follow up and invite people into the hall, "That, I''ll go and call the head of the family to come over!" No matter how strong she is, she is also a womanly family, if there is a problems naturally, would not discuss it with her. After showing the seat, Qian went to the back yard and asked He Tian to come over, and instructed some of her juniors to take He Ling to his own room. "He Tian, in the first place, the one who made the statement go out in the village that He Ling would be married off for anyone who willing to pay thirty taels, Was it from your side?" As soon as He Tian''s buttocks touched the stool, the village chief opened his mouth leisurely. "...Yes!" He Tian couldn''t argue, it was indeed what Qian said. Back then, although there were already many bad rumors about He Ling in the village, there were still some inconsiderate brats who came to the door to ask for marriage, and Qian wanted to keep He Ling for a few more years to work, and did not want to waste his good looks by marrying him to a poor village boy, so she said those words. The village chief stretched out his hand and pointed at Qi Yue, "That Qi boy is now willing to pay 50 taels of silver to marry him, and why don''t you agree?" "I didn''t even know that the Lin Shan family was here today, but my wife who answered the door!" His words were indeed true, and he heard nothing in the room at that time. "Now that you know about it, are you going to accept the marriage?" The village chief knew that he was not lying. If that''s the case, he could ask again. "This ......" He Tian hesitated, Qian''s words still echoing in his mind, if there was a way to let He Zhen marry..... "Uncle He!" As if reading what he was thinking, Qi Yue, who had not spoken all along, opened his mouth, "I want to marry He Ling and only marry He Ling." Being stared at by his seemingly gentle eyes, He Tian seemed to be seen through all the secrets in his heart, and the ideas he made seemed to be spread out in front of him, making him a little speechless for a while. "Big brother Qi, where exactly am I inferior to him?" He Zhen, who had been hiding outside the door and eavesdropping, could no longer hold back, and he barged straight in, despite Qian''s obstruction. At his appearance, Qi Yue didn''t seem surprised at all.He shifted his gaze from looking at He Tian to him and said, "As far as I am concerned, no one is as good as him." He Zhen was struck by lightning,took one step back with a hurt face. This man in front of him, even though he was sitting in such an old house, could not conceal his presence.His every movements carry an excellent self restrain. He once thought that such a graceful gentleman would only appear in the distant royal city, live in a splendid mansion, surrounded by servants like forests around him, a man he would never meet! But then, one day, out of the blue, such a man came to him, so close to him, smile at him so tenderly, and he couldn''t help it, to be occupied with him. He thought for a moment that this gentleman had feelings for him, but now he was telling himself that he was going to marry someone else, his cousin whom he had hated so much since he was a child! He Zhen looked so pale that even Fang felt a bit sorry for him, but when she thought about what he had done, that pity was gone. The village chief also felt a little unbearable, "He Zhen, such a gentleman is not Qi Yue only, don''t be too persistent!" He Zhen, however, did not appreciate him at all, and his expression suddenly turned fierce, "Qi Yue, that He Ling is a hu mei zi, he even seduced Lin Sheng the other day. Do you dare to marry a ger like him!?" It was okay that he didn''t take his words to heart but he even said such a things.The village chief was so angry that he grunted coldly and ignored him. "Get him out of here!" He Tian felt that he was losing his face. Qian rushed to pull him out by the arm.He Zhen struggled and refused to go out. "I won''t go. I want to tell them that He Ling is a slut, a vixen who seduces men everywhere!" With a bang, the village chief slapped the table fiercely, "He Tian, is this how you teach your ger?" He Tian opened his mouth but couldn''t say anything, so he just gave He Zhen a fierce glare. When the village chief lost his temper, he shocked He Zhen and made him restrain himself a little, but he still stood there stubbornly and refused to leave. When he made such a fuss, the The village chief also lost his patience and said directly: "He Tian, no matter what, He Ling is still your own brother''s child, and although you have raised him for all these years, he has also worked for you.Now that he has a good marriage, it''s a good thing, and He Ming should be relieved when he finds out about this in heaven!" The village had said this, and Qi Yue had made it clear that he would only marry He Ling.If they still had the original idea of marrying He Ling off to a wealthy landowner by delaying for another two years, he afraid that someone would break his spine. He Tian sighed and said, "I accept this marriage!" "Father!" He Zhen stared at him, how could he agree to this?! How could he just say yes?! It was only at this moment that the smile on Qi Yue''s face reached the bottom of his eyes, he lowered his eyes in thought for a moment and said, "I want to see He Ling." As soon as he said this, He Tian stiffened, Qian''s attitude also looked a little vain, and even He Zhen, who had been arrogant earlier, dodged his eyes. Qi Yue''s heart sank, he was afraid that Fang''s words had come true. "Since we are going to settle a marriage, it''s not good to meet again so soon, right?" Qian''s face squeezed a smile, trying desperately to look natural. The village head did not think much of it, thinking that there was some truth in her words. But Qi Yue got up straight away and walked out with big steps, not in the direction of the door. When Qian and He Zhen saw that he was heading for He Ling''s room, they panicked and hurriedly followed him out. The village headman and Fang looked at each other and felt that something was wrong, so they also followed. Qi Yue was a tall man with long legs.Naturally, they could not catch up with him.He arrived in front of He Ling''s room and pushed open the closed door, lifted his leg and stepped inside. He Ling hugged his knees while sitting on the bed. Hearing the movement, he looked up and met Qi Yue''s eyes. He was so surprised that he was frozen for a moment. Seeing the man with red and swollen cheeks looking at him blankly, Qi Yue completely darkened his face. He walked a few steps, stretched out his right hand to support the back of his head, and gently lifted it up, to take a closer look at his injuries, but he saw blue handprints on his neck. Qi Yue lightly pursed the corners of his mouth, and his face turned a little scary. He Ling returned to his senses at this point, and as he looked at Qi Yue, who was somewhat different from before, he spoke tentatively, "Qi Yue?" Hearing the man in front of him call his name with some uneasiness, Qi Yue''s face brightened again, he raised his left hand and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his lip with his thumb, saying softly, "Does it hurt?" Before he could answer, the few people who followed him came in. Seeing Qi Yue''s actions, He Zhen could only gnash his silver teeth in hatred. "What''s wrong?" Because Qi Yue blocked their vision, the village chief and Fang couldn''t see He Ling''s situation clearly. Qi Yue put down his hand and gave way to the side, revealing He Ling as a whole. "Yikes!" Fang let out a soft cry, He Ling''s appearance was really too miserable, he was already thin and small, and now his face was full of wounds, it was really heartbreaking! The village chief''s face was very dark at this moment, originally he still thought that the appearance just now was really some kind of forced marriage, his heart was a little bit quilty. Now he felt that he had done the right thing, the He family is really capable of such cruelty.This is what they have seen, there are many more that they have not seen over the years, "What? You want people''s lives in order to prevent them from marrying?" The fingerprints on his neck were so obvious, how much effort does it need to take? Is this a relative or an enemy? Qian has always been domineering but now she didn''t dare to say anything. She had never been seen beating or scolding him in the past. Although the villagers knew that they had been mean to him. But they understand that, after all, he''s not his own child and has to be raised, she must have been upset but now the village chief has seen it! He Zhen could only hated himself for not strangling He Ling to death, so that he wouldn''t have to see Qi Yue''s face full of tenderness towards him now! In any case, there was no way that Qi Yue would feel comfortable letting He Ling continue to live here, in case they dared to do anything more than that, it would be too late for him to regret, "Village head, I want to take He Ling to live with me." "This ......" The village chief was a bit hesitant about this, living together before they were married, it would not sound good if it spread out and it''s not following the etiquette. "Hey, Qiyue, although sooner or later is your person, but if you take him away now, is also too disrespectful to us, right?" Qian shouted first. She used to think that Qi Yue was good in every way, but now he was a blind man who didn''t know what was good for him! "I ...... won''t go, I''m fine here!" Although he didn''t quite understand what Qian''s words meant, it didn''t stop He Ling from refusing Qi Yue''s kind offer.To live in a man''s house, what in the world? Then he would really be an indecent ger! What Qi Yue said just now is also a bit impulsive. It is obviously impossible to let He Ling live there now, otherwise the village people''s spittle could drown them, he himself did not care about this, but he could not let He Ling feel sad. But to let him keep He Ling in this family until they got married, Qi Yue was really not in ease. He is somewhat impatient. He used to do whatever he wanted, but now he couldn''t, and it made him feel unhappy! He reached out and took He Ling''s hand, which was still stained with dirt, in his hand, gently rubbed the skin under his hand with his thumb to calm his displeasure. (Tl OS: Wow.. Kyaaaaa... ) Qi Yue suddenly grabbed his hand, which startled He Ling a little, as he was a bit overwhelmed by all the people here, and his hands were dirty from tidying the vegetable field.His face flushed red and he tried hard to pull his hand out, but he couldn''t. (?) He lifted his face and met the sunken eyes of Qi Yue, who was looking at him.The force of his hand had no intention of letting go, even to the point of secretly pulled him a little closer to him. He Ling was so ashamed and scared that he glanced cautiously at the others.He Zhen, who had been hysterical before, did not say anything, even though his face was full of anger. Qian didn''t stop him either.The looks from the village chief and Fang were kind, with a little bit of teasing. He was confused, what was going on? How come everyone is so weird? Fang looked at Qi Yue holding He Ling''s hand tightly, as if he couldn''t rest assured no matter what, so she felt a little funny. When he was with his family Lin Sheng on usual day, although he was a few years younger, yet he knew when to come, when to leave in handling things, also very polite.He was steady and proper.Appropriately, he seemed to be able to keep his face intact even before the mountain collapsed in front of him. He is always not infected by the angry people, now it''s good, he''s got that vivid expression! Lin Sheng has a good relationship with him, and Fang is happy for his stupid son to learn more from other. Besides,Qi Yue is a capable person, and can help them out If something happen in the future. Fortunately, today she is also being a good person until the end, "Little Qi, auntie think ba, it''s not appropriate to let He Ling live in your house for now. It''s better to let Ling Ge er live in aunts house. I have a spare room at home, which is reserved for Huzi in the future. Now clean and tidy it up, he could stay there. And it''s close to your, so you can take care of him." This idea that she came up with, was to Qi Yue''s liking.Lin Sheng''s house is right next to his house, so it wasn''t much different from staying at his house. "Then I''ll trouble you auntie!" "What are you being polite for? Anyway it won''t trouble for long!" Even if we don''t talk about this level of Qi Yue, since He Ling is also quite let her heartache, so she would be happy to help him out. "Hey, what''s the trouble and not trouble? Our He family'' ger, don''t need to trouble others, you guys discussed it very well, really don''t put me, big aunt in your eyes?!" Seeing that they had decided on He Ling''s destination, Qian couldn''t help herself, If they really take him away like that, she wouldn''t be able to save her face! "Now you know it''s your own ger? Who could have beaten their own ger like that? Even an outsider like me feel sorry and pity for him. It''s such a loss, you dare to do it!" Fang choked back, He Ling''s face was so pretty, but now it''s swollen like this, no mercy at all! Qian open her mouth, wanted to say that she didn''t do it, but if she did, it would ruin her own ger''s reputation, and she didn''t always do it, but what if she hit him twice? She fed him and clothed him, "Can you manage our own family affairs?! What''s wrong with a few lessons? Who hasn''t beaten their children before?" "All right!" Seeing that Qian didn''t feel guilty at all.The village chief''s anger was rose again. "Go and stay at Lin Shan''s family''s house, and save your mouthful of food!" The village chief had spoken, so Qian can''t offend people too much, but she couldn''t just turn her back on the idea she had in mind, so she rolled her eyes and said, "It''s fine to live there, but He Ling must marry out of our family. After all, she is a child of the old He family, and it would be too unpleasant to marry him from another family!" This was a reasonable request, and it would be unreasonable for them to refuse it, so Qi Yue pondered for a moment and said, "When the wedding date is confirmed, we will send him back the day before.But once He Ling is married to me, he is mine and you must not pester him any further!" "Naturally, I still understand this principle; ''marry a husband, obey the husband''." Qian agreed, thinking that this boy was really unpleasant, and that he was now starting to clear up his relationship. But is this relationship something that can just be brushed aside? Now that things are all agreed, there is no need to stay here. Qi Yue looked around and felt that there was nothing to bring in this house, so he said to the man holding his hand, "I will go to the town tomorrow and buy you new clothes. Let''s go!" He Zhen''s hands were clenched so tightly together that his nails were digging into the flesh.These tender feelings should have been his! Until they left, He Tian never showed his face again, thinking that he was so ashamed. He Ling let Qi Yue lead himself in a daze. His brain is still stupid, so Qian just let him go? And what is the wedding date? What is married off? When Qi Yue saw his dumbfounded eyes, he knew he hadn''t understood, so he tightened his hand and when he looked over, he smiled and said, "He Ling, your family has already agreed to our marriage, soon you will be my husband/bride!" He Ling couldn''t believe what he had heard, when he found out that Qi Yue had come to propose a marriage, although he was touched, he didn''t think his eldest aunt would agree, after all, He Zhen liked him so much! He himself hadn''t really thought he could marry him, he didn''t think he would be good enough for someone like him. But now, he was telling himself that their marriage was fixed, that, they were, going to be married? Qi Yue held his future young husband''s hand tightly, in a very happy mood, and he is a little impatient, to marry this person to enter his house. Tl: Lol, he is impatient aka too eager to bring his wife home CH 15 Chapter 15 : Xiao ling just cry and embrace your grief. From now on theres will be only happiness await you even if sadness come it will only passing by for short while. CH 16 Chapter 16: Plan As the wedding date drew nearer day by day , Qi Yue became busy, time was tight and there was so much to prepare that Lin Sheng was also taken by him to be a strong man*. (Ѷ:able-bodied man, capable of fighting) Because he is a foreigner, he didn''t know many people in the area and didn''t know who to invite. After considering the matter for a long time, he asked the village chief and Lin Sheng for their advice, and handed out invitations to all the families close to them and those with more prestige in the village. After all the posts were delivered, the guests matter was settled. The He family has not been very happy recently. When He Ling was here, he was doing all the work of washing clothes and cooking, carrying water and chopping firewood at home.Once he left, they were left to do all these things themselves. "They were smoky every day. I smell like grease and fumes!" Zheng complained dissatisfied as she fiddled with the vegetables in the pot with a shovel. "Isn''t it? my hands are getting thick from washing clothes lately!" Liu agreed, helping to add water to the pot, while helping to add a scoop of water to the pot. They used to be so comfortable, just waiting for their meals to arrive, and the dirty clothes were washed wherever it were left, and the heaviest work they ever did was just feeding the chickens and sweeping the floor. Now they have to wash the clothes of the whole family and cook the food. When they run out of water and firewood, they ask their own men to help them, later they are reluctantly complained that they use too much money and don''t know how to save. "That He Zhen is still not doing anything.He only knows how to eat ready-made food.I washed his clothes yesterday and he still thinks they''re not clean!" The more Zheng said, the more annoyed she became, she was also his sister-in-law, but she used that tone to talk to her, "A ger is so lazy, no wonder Qi Yue didn''t like him!" Before her words had even left her mouth, Liu pinched her waist, she turned head back and saw He Zhen standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a sullen face. Talking badly about someone behind their back. She was overheard, somewhat feeling guilty, Zheng smiled awkwardly, "Zhen'' ge er, did Mother ask you to come to remind of the meal?" "Humph!" He Zhen sneered and said. "You are hardworking, but unfortunately you can''t even give birth to a son, just give birth to a money loser*(Ǯ)!" [Ǯ*( rX؛ )pi qin hu : a money-losing proposition/ thing] His words hit Zheng right where it hurts. She had been married to He Gui for three years, but had only produced a skinny little girl, and He Tian and Qian treated her less favourably than Liu, who had given birth to a son. She had always felt resentment in her heart, and when He Zhen exposed her scars to her face like this, she became angry, "A money-loser? In that case, you''re the money loser, people don''t even want the goods*!" (ɫ: goods/trash ) He Zhen''s expression immediately turned particularly fierce as he took a few steps over and slapped her directly across the face. His slap came suddenly. Neither Liu nor Zheng reacted. Zheng was hit squarely, she covered her face and turned her head in disbelief, "How dare you hit me?" "How about hitting you?" He Zhen did not apologise in the slightest and looked at her as a matter of course. "He Zhen!" Zheng screamed, grabbing his hair and scratching him directly in the face with her other hand. Not expecting her to fight back, He Zhen failed to dodge, and as he was grabbed and pulled by his hair, he reached out and grabbed hers as well, and the two of them instantly wrestled into a ball. "You guys, you stop fighting!" Liu wanted to pull them apart, but she didn''t know where to start, both of their hands were waving and grabbing, and she was afraid that she would be affected. "What is this?!" He Tian and Qian, who heard the commotion, and He Fu & He Gui all ran in, and He Tian watched in annoyance as they fought. Qian hurriedly asked her two sons to go over and pull them away, as the stove was right next to them, what if they get burned, how to fix? When they were separated, both of their hair was a mess and their faces had marks from each other''s scratches. Qian hurriedly held He Zhen''s face to check and looked at the bloodied nail marks, pointing at Zheng''s nose and cursing, "You bitch, look what you''ve done to my Zhen Ge er'' face.Do you want to rebel?" Zheng''s face was also scratched, and Qian still scolded her, she naturally did not comply, want to open her mouth to speak back, but He Gui stopped him, he smiled at Qian, "Mother, please calm down, let someone take a look at Zhen''er, it will not be good to leave a scar!" Qian plucked out a fierce glance at her before she took He Zhen out, and the others went out with her. Zheng pushed He Gui away, "Are you still a man? I''ve been bullied like this, and you''re still looking out for him!" "Aiyo, my good wife!" He Gui hugged her shoulders, "Don''t forget the fifty taels of silver in Mother''s hand, before we cut it out. You just bear with it for now!" At the time of the formal placing of the engagement letter, Qi Yue had given the fifty taels of silver in the presence of the village chief, the money had been in Qian''s hand and they hadn''t seen it. When it came to the matter of silver Zheng did calm down a little, But she was still a bit reluctant. "But how could I bear to be bullied like this by He Zhen? What if your mother leaves the money to him?" He Gui patted her shoulder soothingly, "Don''t worry, no matter how much mother loves He Zhen, he will still be married off. I''m only protecting him because I''m afraid he won''t be able to marry a good family if he loses his face. In the future, it will be my brother and I who will pay for my parents'' retirement. If we please her more, we''ll get more." When he said this, Zheng also had some understanding. He Zhen was still going to marry, no matter how rampant she was. She will not be in her way anymore. If he still can''t change his temper in the future, his in-laws will have to deal with him. When she thought about it, Zheng''s heart felt much more comfortable. Qian sent He Fu to call the Doctor Li, so she dragged He Zhen back to the house, holding his face and carefully checking the nail marks, "If this leaves a scar, how can it be good?" During the fight he didn''t care much but now He Zhen became nervous, the girls and gers scare most about his face and didn''t want to have any flaw. "Mother, don''t scare me!" "Now you know scare? Why did you fight with her?" Qian saw that the nail marks were only a few shallow ones and that a little medicine should do the trick, so she was relieved. Seeing that Qian was still in the mood to lecture him, He Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and began to raise his hand to comb through his messy hair, "Who told her to say that I am a loser*() that no one want?" [: to lose money instead of being paid (i.e. sb should pay me, but is actually taking my money). More explanation about dao tie here, if you interested : https://www.echineselearning.com/blog/in-a-losing-situation-you-may-be-daotie ] "This second daughter-in-law is getting bolder and bolder! If she makes you angry again, tell me, you''ll be at a disadvantage*( ̝) only by yourself!" Qian patted him on the leg, telling him not to be silly next time. [̝ read ch ku to suffer losses / to come to grief / to lose out / to get the worst of it / to be at a disadvantage / unfortunately] "Yes!" He Zhen replied, and when he had finished fixing his hair, he whispered again, "Mother, did the method you told me before really work?" Qian knew what he was talking about and lowered her voice, "Of course, for the sake of face, he had to suffer from sorrow*(Ԑ̝) !" [ Ԑ̝ : it the condition where you could only swallow your anger, can not speak up, kind of unspeakable suffering, you could only bear it or hold it by urself~when you are being wrong or scolded or being angry by other etc.] "Mother..." He Zhen was not happy to hear Qian say that the word (̝*) "Wrong, wrong, it''s a blessing, it''s a blessing!" Qian hurriedly changed her words. He Zhen''s face finally burst into a smug smile, look at that time, what would He Ling do? The day before the wedding, He Ling had to go back to the He family, from where he was to be married off, a condition that had been agreed upon with the He family from the beginning. He kept dragging the time until dinner was served, and it was dark for a long time before Qi Yue planned to take him there. Fang was afraid that the two younger generations would not be able to say anything, so she came along. On the way, Fang kept tugging on He Ling''s hand and explain that he should stay in the room and not go out after he returned, and ignore whatever He''s family told him to do. In the past, because of the rumours in the village and He Ling''s appearance, she sympathised with him in the past, she did not deal with him much, but in the past half month of living together, she has grown to like his temperament. He Ling looked at Fang''s face full of uneasiness, he was touched in his heart, except for the time when he lived with his father when he was young, no elder had ever care for him like this, "You don''t have to worry!" "How can I not worry? There is no one good in that family!" In Fang''s view, sending He Ling back to the He family was no different from sending a rabbit into a wolf''s den. "I''ll take care of myself!" He Ling knew what she was worried about, but he didn''t think they would do anything to him now. Qi Yue who walk beside him, his heart also reassured, but he didn''t say anything more, just raised his hand and gently took him by the shoulder. When He Ling felt the hand on his shoulder, he turned around and met Qi Yue''s eyes, gazing tenderly at him, and he blushed but did not avoid his eyes. Seeing that he did not lower his head, the smile on Qi Yue''s face intensified. When Fang saw the interaction between the two, she looked less worried and her heart was quite relieved. Qi Yue dropped his hold on He Ling''s hand and fished out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, similar to the one he had given to He Ling earlier, he shoved the bottle into his side and said, "Keep this close to you, if they dare to bully you again, just sprinkle it over." "Qi boy, what''s this?" Fang looked at the small bottle, quite curious in her heart. "It''s a knockout drops!" Qi Yue hooked his lips and smiled, what was in this bottle was indeed knock out drug, only a little more powerful and made people sleep longer. Although he had many more vicious medicines, it would not be good if it scared his little husband boy. "Knock out drops?" Fang thought for a moment and clapped her hands together, happy, "This is good stuff, if they touch you, let them lie on the ground and sleep with their heads up!" After listening to his explanation, He Ling tucked the bottle of medicine up his sleeve and put it away. When the three of them arrived at He Ling''s house, they called at the door and Qian answered it quickly and opened the hidden door. When she saw He Ling, she almost didn''t recognise him. Normally at their house, He Ling was dressed in grey and cowered* (ηηss)with his head down. Now he was dressed in silk, his face is ruddy and his attitude was much more natural, he look even more seductive than before. She thought, really a Hu Meizi! (ηηss: cowering/cringing/the look of coward) No matter what she thought, Qian welcomed them in with a smile on her face, "Ling Ge er, you have been away for a long time. Big aunt has missed you!" Fang bristled, thinking she was being hypocritical, wanting He Ling to come back to work for her! Qi Yue and He Ling went straight to the room where he lived, once again seeing the shabby surroundings, Qi Yue lightly imbricated his eyebrows, "I should have brought a bedding!" "It''s okay, it''s just one night!" He Ling He didn''t care, he had lived here for more than ten years, and it was not less than this one night. Qi Yue sighed lightly, feeling that he hadn''t thought it through, "I''ll go home later and get it for you!" "No, don''t bother, I''ll just sleep for one night, it''s fine!" He Ling refused. The things Qi Yue bought at home were all good things and it would be a waste to store them in such a place. Seeing that he insisted, Qi Yue had no choice but to put the parcel in his hand on the bed, which was He Ling''s wedding dress. After they had spoken a few more words, Qi Yue went out, and Fang and Qian agreed that she should not touch He Ling again, for so many eyes were watching. After sending both of them out, Qian''s smile disappeared and she rolled her eyes and went back to her house. Let''s see how long Fang could be proud with herself! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Translator''s rant: when I was reading this chapter, I was also in panic and worry about He ling but since Qi Yue gave him the knockout drops, I quite rest assured. So Qi Yue actually have more cruel and vicious drug, is he kind of drug master? Poison master? He is retirement from Jiang Hu so this is a farming genre kind of story with wu xia background. I love wu xia since I was a child which made me love the ancient time era and its traditional clothes. CH 17 Chapter 17: Scheme () The room where He Ling live, had not been occupied for half a month and had gathered some dust.He had to clean up a bit before going to sleep. After thinking about it, he left the room and fetched a basin of water from the stove room, fortunately everyone stay in their room at the middle of night so he didn''t meet anyone. He took the water basin and return to the room, found a piece of his old clothes, tore it off,washed it in the water, and tried to wipe down the windowsill and bedside. Before he could do so, he heard the door of the room being pushed open, He Ling was shocked, afraid that his elder aunt and others would come looking for trouble. When he turned around, he saw his Big cousin sister-in-law Liu carrying a bedding in. He was slightly relieved in his heart, he didn''t have many encounters with his two sisters-in-law, although their attitudes were neither cold nor hot* (䲻) and they were not very polite to him, compared to Qian and He Zhen, they were still much better, "Eldest cousin sister-in-law, it''s so late, Is there something wrong?" [ 䲻 :tepid / be neither hot nor cold / neither hostile nor friendly / take a lukewarm attitude] "You haven''t lived in this house for half a month. I thought you must be uncomfortable with the bedding, so I brought you a clean bed!" Liu lifted the bedding in her hand to show him. "This ......" He Ling didn''t know if he should take it or not, the other party had never treated him so kindly before. As if she could see what he was thinking, Liu said, "Don''t think too much about it, after all, we have lived together for so many years, there is still some affection in it. The elders usually do things, I ,as a daughter-in-law can''t say anything, don''t take it too much to heart!" "Then, thank you, sister-in-law!" The words had come to this point, so it would seem pretentious for him to refuse. Seeing that he had accepted, Liu''s face was brought to a smile, since he had to clean the house, she stayed behind to help. The two of them removed all the dirty quilts and bedding, wiped up any dusty areas before putting the clean bedding Liu had brought on the bed. The two of them work very quickly, without any delay. Liu pushed the hair that had fallen to her cheeks behind her ears and said with a smile, "I''m thirsty from all the work we''ve been doing, I''ll go to the kitchen and boil some water." "I''ll go!" He Ling stood up. "It''s alright, you did it all by yourself at home earlier, tomorrow you''ll be married, so let me do it!" Liu waved her hand at him and went out of the room. He Ling sat on the freshly made bed, in a bit of a trance, from tomorrow he would completely leave this small room he had lived in for over ten years to become someone else''s husband (Fu Lang) . And that person ...... thinking of Qi Yue''s gentle face, he bowed his head and smiled lightly, that person treated him extremely well, he was a rare man in the world! When Liu came back again, with two bowls of water in her hand, she handed one of them to him, "Be careful, it''s hot, I''ve put sugar in it!!" He Ling took it in his hand and whispered his thanks to her. Liu sat down beside him, took the bowl in her hand, blew on it, took a sip and said, "The sugar water is delicious!" He Ling smiled but he did not say anything. When he was living in the He family, it was not his turn to drink such thing as sugar water. When he was at Lin''s house, every time Xiao hu noisily asking to drink sugar water, Wu Yulan would also make him a bowl. The taste was really sweet and warm, it was extremely delicious! Seeing him holding a bowl in a daze, Liu said, "What are you thinking about? You don''t like sweets?" He Ling regained consciousness , shook his head, "No, just remember something." "Oh." Liu looked up and down at his clothes then said with some envy, "Your clothes are made of such good material, did that Qi Yue buy it for you?" Hearing her mention Qi Yue, He Ling''s face reddened a little, he nodded haphazardly before bowing his head and drinking water to hide his burning cheeks. Liu''s eyes flickered as she watched him drink the water, and her mouth said, "He''s so good to you!" He Ling sipped the sweet sugar water and his heart was sweet too, that man was indeed very good to him, so good that he always felt like he was dreaming. "It''s late too, I won''t bother you to sleep. You have to get up early to dress up tomorrow!" Liu stood up holding the bowl, and hurried away without waiting for him to say anything. He Ling didn''t notice her abnormality and put the unfinished water on the window sill. He was about to take off his outer shirt and rest, but just as his hands touched the buttons, he felt a dizziness in his head, his body also lost it strength. He fell violently onto the bed, could not even lift his fingers. The door was pushed open again. He Zhen and Qian came in, He Gui followed behind them. He Zhen glanced at the bowl on the window sill as soon as he entered the door, looked at him smugly, "He Ling, is the sugar water good?" He Ling''s eyes widened, but he didn''t even have the strength to speak, they ask Liu to drug him, why? He Zhen took a few steps closer to looked at him condescendingly, "He Ling, tomorrow I will replace you and become Qi Yue''s husband, as for you, there will be a better home for you!" The ritual of marriage for both ger and girl is basically the same, both have to cover their heads. Although he and He Ling are different in body shape, they are not too obvious when they wear large wedding gowns. When he was welcomed into Qi Yue''s home, Qi Yue could not regret it, after all, the cover would not be removed until the bridal chamber. At that time, they had already paid their respect (it mean, ritual of kneeling to heaven and earth by bride and groom in a old-fashioned wedding ceremony) and married. As for the future, after day and night of counterpart, Qi Yue would fall in love with him. He Ling couldn''t believe that she had such an idea that Qian insisted on letting him marry from here, so that He Zhen could replace him! "Agui, take him to the place I told you!" Qian stretched out his hand and patted He Gui''s arm. "Hey!" He Gui answered and went forward to carry He Ling on his shoulders with one hand. He Ling''s heart was full of horror. He didn''t know where He Gui was going to take him. He wanted to struggle, but he couldn''t use any strength at all. He Gui carried him along the village, picking some small roads. There was no sound in the quiet night. He was terrified, but he couldn''t even ask for help. He could only slumped helplessly on He Gui''s shoulders. He felt they already walking for a long time and then stop at a place where he heard a knock at the door. "Aiyoo, brother He Gui, you''re finally here, I''ve been waiting for a long time!" After the sound of door opened , it was the voice of a man talking, and He Ling recognized this voice! The people in the village called him Luo Laizi, he was particularly annoying, his family only had two mu of land, but he didn''t cultivate it properly, he went to other people''s houses all the time to dawdle with food and drink, he was almost thirty and hadn''t gotten a wife, he always like to molest the girls and gers in the village, in the past, when He Ling saw him, he would always go around (to avoid him). Now Qian asked He Gui to bring him to Luo Laizi''s house, what did he want to do? ! "Didn''t I come here now!" He Gui said as he walked around again. Not long after, they enter a room, his person also was thrown on a hard bed. He Ling was lying on the side of the bed and seeing He Gui pointing at him and saying to Luo Laizi, "This is your husband from now on!" Luo Laizi''s little eyes immediately lit up, and he grinned happily, revealing a mouthful of big yellow teeth, and diligently escorted He Gui out the door. He Ling felt like the sky was about to collapse, tears rolled down the corners of his eyes. Falling on the bedsheets, it wasn''t enough that they let He Zhen replace him to marry, but they send him to Luo Laizi? After sending the man away, Luo Laizi soon returned.He closed the door behind him and rubbed his hands together, staring at He Ling with a salivating face, "Ling Ge er, my little beauty, every time I see you in the village, my heart itches, I didn''t think I''d get to taste you today!" He said as he walk over to the bed and, in He Ling''s horrified eyes, he stretched out his hand to the buttons of his clothes ...... A crunching sound, Qi Yue just got his hands on the teacups and shattered them on the floor, he looked at the fragments for a moment before squatting down and picking them up piece by piece, but in his heart he always felt stuffy, he had a bad feeling. Could it be that he was nervous about the wedding tomorrow? He shook his head and laughed, when did he get such a lot of worries and thoughts? After collecting the pieces and throwing them in the waste basket in the courtyard, Qi Yue looked up at the full moon and thought to himself,he wonder if He Ling has slept? Would he sleep well? Was he bullied by the family?" Tomorrow he will marry him, then he will be able to keep him within his sight from time to time. and he wont think as much as he does now! Qi Yue looked at the moon as if he were looking at He Ling''s smiling face. He wonder if he is thinking of himself at this moment? ***** He Ling gasped sharply, his eyes full of fear as he looked at Luo Laizi who had fallen to the ground, his heart pounding"pu tong pu tong" so violently! Before Luo Laizi could touch him. It took all his strength to sprinkle the medicine he was holding in his hand. The medicine Qi Yue had given him worked so well that Luo Laizi collapsed as soon as he got his hands on the powder! He Ling squeezed the empty bottle tightly in his hand, his palms covered in cold sweat! If Qi Yue hadn''t given him the bottle in advance, he wouldn''t have believed what would have happened next! Even though he was not with him, Qi Yue had saved him once again. He struggled for a while and wanted to get up and leave, but he could not move at all. The movement he made just now had exhausted all his strength. He Ling did not know how long this bottle of medicine given to him by Qi Yue would last, nor did he know how long the effect of the medicine in his body would last.He could only hope that Luo Laizi would sleep longer, and he could recover faster so that he could leave this nightmare house earlier. There is also He Zhen, if he couldn''t make it in time, Qi Yue would have to marry He Zhen back! He closed his eyes to hide his panic and wait in agony for this painful time to pass,hoping that everything it''s not too late. ================ Translator is puzzled? I wonder if the quality or accuracy of the translation is good enough? This one is kind of rush? I don''t want to lost the quality yet I want it done quickly too. He Ling O... He Ling... Why are you so naive? CH 18 Chapter 18: Fail () As Qi Yue put on his big red wedding dress, his whole person became more and more handsome*(),and Lin Sheng, who had just entered the door, couldn''t help to give him a punch on the shoulder, "Brat, you''re so handsome!" [ (mysterious or unusual style or manner kind of handsome like a god or spiritual being) ] In response to his teasing, Qi Yue smiled back and asked, "It''s almost time for us to leave, right?" "Yes, the village chief & the others are all here, and the villagers more or less are arrived too, my father & my mother were greeting outside, they let me come to call you out!" When it came to proper matter, Lin Sheng put away his playful face. Qi Yue did not have any elder relatives here, so he had to ask Lin Shan and Fang to come and sit in charge of his parents for him. When they left the house together, the villagers who were sitting in the courtyard all lit up when they saw Qi Yue. They couldn''t help but sighed in their hearts, full of emotion. They used to think that He Ling was a miserable person. Who know he will meet with such a good husband! Not to mention he is rich, good looking and good temperament too! The chef he hired to cook was said to be a chef from a famous restaurant in town! Could ordinary people go to a place like that to eat! but today they are lucky to have a delicious meal! Moreover the fruits and pastries were served from the famous dessert shop in the town. They are even drinking tea! "You''re throwing money around just because you''re getting married to an old ger who had a bad reputation....It''s too much of a waste!" A young looking ger pouting, but his eyes were full of jealousy. "What are you talking about? People have money they are willing to spend, so How can it be a waste?" One of the ger at the same table with him was a little displeased at his words. This Ger''s name is Li Zao, he is Wang Tie sheng''s husband/Fu Lang. His man had a good relationship with Lin Sheng, so he and Wu Yulan were also close.He knew more about Qi Yue and He Ling, so he had a good impression of them. "Of course it is, that He Ling even didn''t give a dowry, and Qi Yue also offered 50 taels of silver for the bride, which still makes a sound when thrown into the water!" This ger had a particular dislike for He Ling, Isn''t he just a good-looking ger! Sometimes when he met him in the village, his man''s eyes would look straight! Li Zao gave a cold snort of disdain, "Even Qi Yue himself doesn''t mind, what are you so sour about? He is willing to spend money on He Ling. There are not many man who have money and willing to spend it on their husband/Fu lang Ling Ge er is lucky!" Li Zao''s words are mocking that ger, he is called Liu Que, he is the husband/Fu lang of the youngest son of the Zhao family in the village. Before Qi Yue came, the Zhao family was the only family in the village with an ox cart. If the villagers want to go to town, they have to ride in his family''s car, one copper plate at a time. The Zhao family in the village is also considered rich, but unfortunately, their families are particularly "withholding",and usually even buy less new clothes for Liu Que. Now that he saw Qi Yue throw money like this for He Ling, he was naturally envious and jealous! Liu Que''s complexion became very ugly, his man stingy and do not know how to care for him, has been the thorn in his heart, yet Li Zao had to point it out! Li Zao saw that he did not say anything, and no longer talk to him, He was still not happy when he was treated with good things at the wedding banquet, really have a heart problem! Qiyue was unaware of the fact that someone had gotten into a fight over whether he spent the money or not, and he was currently riding on Mu Yan''s back, heading to the He family''s house with the sound of gongs and drums beating in a joyful manner! Many of the half-grown children who had followed him were saying auspicious words and chasing after him to ask for sweets, and Qi Yue had long ago given Lin Sheng a large packet of melon seeds and sweets, which were now being put to good use. The food he bought was naturally good, finely made and much tastier than the one that bought by the villagers, so the children were happy to eat it and were even more diligent in saying good luck words! There were many people gathered in front of the He family''s door to watch the fun. They gave way when they saw the welcoming bridal*(ӭ) party coming over. All of them gave Qi Yue a happy smile and congratulate him. He is happy and took out a red envelope from his arms to send it out. Everyone got a share. [ӭ : (of the groom''s family) to send a bridal sedan chair to fetch the bride / to send a party to escort the bride to the groom''s house] The person who had followed him over to welcome the bride*(ӭ) ,walked to the door, knocked on it while shouting auspicious words to marry the Fu lang. It was not long before the door was opened by He Fu and He Gui, with He Tian standing at the side. Qi Yue, who had already dismounted from his horse, greeted the other party. No matter how much he disliked the family in his heart, he still had to do what was necessary to save face on the day of the wedding. Qian support the bride with her hand and help the bride who was covered with a veil, in his wedding dress to come out, followed by Liu and Zheng, who were holding their children. Qi Yue was full of joy and took a few steps forward to welcome them, but the moment he got close, a different color flashed in his eyes. Qian smiled happily, her whole body overflowing with joy, "Qi xiao zi, I''ll leave my family''s ger to you, from now on, he is your husband!" As soon as she finished speaking, the person in the wedding dress lifted a hand and stopped in front of him. Qi Yue''s drooping eyes stared at that hand, and for a long time, did not go to take it. Qian didn''t think he had noticed something, they only just met him for a moment, she laughed again and said, "Qi xiao zi, You''re so happy that you''ve gone stupid, won''t you? Quickly fetch him away!" Qi Yue still didn''t reach out, he raised his eyes and looked straight at Qian and said, "I''ve come to fetch my husband!" The hand that was still in mid-air stiffened, but it soon relaxed. The smile on Qian''s face withdrew for a few moments, as if she didn''t understand what he meant by that. "Isn''t your husband here?" Lin Sheng, who was standing on one side, came over and looked at Qi Yue in confusion, "What are you doing? Why don''t you go and fetch him away, don''t miss the auspicious time!" Qi Yue was staring at Qian and did not open his mouth. When He Ling stood in front of him, he knew exactly where he was, and he was familiar with the hands that he often held. The sound of drums and gongs around them was joyous, but the atmosphere around few of them is odd. The villagers who were watching the bustle were a little confused, wondering if Qi Yue had changed his mind and didn''t want to marry He Ling. As if guessing what they were thinking, He Tian opened his mouth with a stern face, "Qi Yue, you were the one who insisted on marrying He Ling, what does this mean now?" Qiyue glanced at him and then curled his mouth, "What Uncle He said is right, I want to marry He Ling, not some other person!" As soon as he finished speaking, he stretched out his hand to pulled off the head covering from the head of the person in front of him,revealing He Zhen''s shocked and amazed face! The surroundings immediately become noisy, and the people who beat the gongs and drums stopped their movements in surprise. Lin Sheng''s eyes widened, and when he understood, he was instantly annoyed, " Are you trying to trick us? Where is He Ling?" Qi Yue''s eyes swept over all of them, except for He Tian who was genuinely surprised, everyone else''s face looked unnatural.They were all part of subordinates in crimes! He Zhen listened to the talking voices one after another*(hՓ) in his ears, and looked at Qi Yue''s cold eyes, and his body trembled unconsciously. His eyes were so different from the formerly modest cautious gentleman*(tt) which made him have an impulse to beg for forgiveness.But thinking of He Ling''s current situation, he stand firm. That bitch was now a broken shoe*(Ь) , and Qi Yue would definitely not marry him again, so wouldn''t he be a good choice? [ hՓ* y ln fn fn: to discuss spiritedly (idiom) / tongues are wagging] [ tt* read qin qin jn zi : a modest, self-disciplined gentleman / a modest, cautious gentleman] [ Ь read p xi : broken shoes / worn-out footwear / loose woman / slut] "Qi Yue ......" There was a small shout, no one noticed it among the many noisy voices of crowd but Qi Yue just heard it. He turned his head suddenly, and several people standing there subconsciously moved aside. Indeed his look is a bit scary! He Ling was standing there with one hand on the wall, his face was pale and he looked in a very bad state! Qi Yue''s expression changed, and he walked quickly over and hugged him in his arms. "Aling, what''s wrong with you?" He Ling was hugged worriedly by him. All night long he had to lie down in that place, the fear and grievance of being with someone who was going to rape him stay in one place ,could no longer be held back again, he plunged his head into Qi Yue''s embrace, wrapped both of his hand around him, tightly grasping the clothes behind him, Tears pouring out as if it could run out of it. His tears caused Qi Yue''s whole heart was torn up. He didn''t cry like that when he was beaten like that by the He family. It is obvious that he must have endured even more unbearable things yesterday! He Zhen''s eyes turned red with jealousy as she watched the person who should never have been there, being held lovingly by Qi Yue. Based on what? He could easily get what he had been asking for*(֮)? How dare he come back when he''s already dirty? He opened his mouth to say something, but He Gui covered it. [֮* qi zh b d: lit. seek but fail to get (idiom); fig. exactly what ones been looking for ] "Do you want to pull us all out?" He Gui blocked his mouth tightly, daring not to make a sound from him, for what they had done was dishonourable after all. Qi Yue saw that He Ling was crying and sobbing, so he gently stroked his back, pushed him away a little, took off the outer robe of his wedding dress and covered him with the whole hood, revealing only one face, " Don''t cry anymore! Your eyes are swollen!" He was suddenly covered by his clothes.He Ling was stunned, but he stopped crying. Qi Yue used his sleeve to wipe away the tears on his face, then he picked him up in one short movement, turned around and walked to the horses, passing by He family without even looking at them. Mu Yan seemed to recognize He Ling, and when he was being carried over, he leaned in and rubbed his face, which made his heart feel a little better! Qi Yue put the man on the horse''s back, after which he stepped up to protect him in his arms, and looked down to Lin Sheng, who was still not looking good, and said, "Let''s go." The sound of gongs and drums resumed at this time with good sense, and the atmosphere became lively and festive again as they headed for Qi Yue''s house. The onlookers soon dispersed and did not discuss much in front of He''s family, as to what they thought in their hearts, that was unknown. He Zhen pushed He Gui away and ran back to the house in tears. "Hurry up and find someone to marry him off!" He Tian threw down a sentence to Qian in annoyance and turned his head away. The He family had really lost face in the village this time! CH 19 Chapter 19: ( Get Married) As the auspicious time is approaching, the bridal party has not yet returned. Fang and Wu Yulan are both a bit anxious, fearing that something has gone wrong with the He family! They were just thinking of arranging for someone to go over and check.When they heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from far away, they put their hearts on hold and hurried to the door to welcome them. The bridal party was banging and beating.They stopped at the gate with great enthusiasm.Qi Yue dismounted from his horse, took He Ling with him and carried him into the door. When Fang and Wu Yulan saw He Ling covered in Qi Yue''s clothes, they felt strange, but knew it was not a good time to ask. Putting her doubts aside, Fang shouted out into the courtyard, "The new Fu Lang is fetch back!" The guests all stood up and watched as He Ling was carried into the hall, envious and a little strange at the same time, feeling that He Ling was not dressed correctly.He was wearing the official bridegroom''s clothes, and even without a head covering! "Could it be that you''ve spent so much that you can''t even afford to buy a wedding dress?" Liu Que opened his mouth sourly again. Li Zao glanced at him and didn''t even bother to say anything to him anymore. His own family''s is not good, He was so desperate to see other people''s family''s bad things! The minds in the room who were a little more adaptable could guessed that it was probably something wrong with the He family, and they were all thinking of going back and asking the people who were welcoming the bride! Qi Yue carried the person into the hall. The village chief and some of the prestigious elders were all sitting inside, they were stunned to see He Ling''s appearance, but they didn''t ask any questions. "Can you stand?" Qi Yue asked He Ling as he move close to his ear, his body was a bit weak, he should have been fed some kind of medicine by He''s family. In front of so many people, He Ling, who was hugged by Qi Yue and his emotions stabilized, was flushed with shame, but not as pale as before. When he heard Qi Yue''s question, he nodded his head urgently. Seeing that he was indeed better, Qi Yue carefully placed him on the ground and, seeing that he was standing firmly, withdrew his hand from holding his waist. Wu Yulan brought a futon and placed it on the ground. The two of them knelt down and bowed three times as the village chief instructed. When they got up, they looked at each other and smiled lightly. From now on, they would be together for the rest of their lives and would become each other''s most important people. The red silk was stuffed into the hands of the two of them. Qi Yue held the silk and took He Ling out of the house, amidst the congratulation and cheers voices of the villagers , he led him to the main room. As soon as he entered the room, Qi Yue helped He Ling to sit on the bed covered with a big red quilt, and reached out to squeeze his wrist. When Wu Yulan, who had followed him in, saw his action, she stood quietly by the side and said nothing. After a few moments, Qi Yue''s expression was not pretty let go of his grip and asked Wu Yulan to help him pour a glass of water from the jug on the table, while he went to the drawer in the low cupboard on the wall and took out a medicine bottle and walked back to He Ling. He poured out a black pill from the bottle and handed it to He Ling, saying softly, "Take this pill." He Ling obediently took the pill and put it into his mouth, and then drank the water that Wu Yulan passed him. Watching him take the medicine, Qi Yue took off his red robe, squatted down to took off his shoes, helping him to lie down on the bed and covered the quilt, "You close your eyes and sleep for a while." Last night, he had been holding on hard to not fall asleep. now that lying on the soft bed, naturally he couldn''t stop the sleepiness that came over him. He Ling closed his eyes and soon fell into a dream. It was until his breathing had calmed down that Qi Yue stood up and turned to Wu Yulan, who had been very quiet, and said. "Trouble sister-in-law to stay here with him." It was obvious that something had happened, but Wu Yulan was in no hurry to ask now, as she would find out sooner or later anyway, "Don''t worry, I''ll keep an eye on him, so you go and serve the guests." Qi Yue nodded to her, took another look at the sleeping He Ling, turned around and opened the door to go out. Just after leaving the door, he ran into Fang. When she saw him coming out, she greeted him, "How is Ling Ge er?" She had just asked Lin Sheng about what had happened and was so angry that her liver hurt. This He family is really shameless! "He''s asleep. Sister-in-law Yu lan is with him. Trouble Aunt to send some food in later, so that she can eat inside." If he didn''t have to take care of the villagers, he would have preferred to keep him company. "Fine, don''t worry about it, we''ll take care of him!" Fang was relieved to know that He Ling was asleep. Qi Yue smiled and walked away. With so many guests, it is not a problem that he hasn''t appeared not for too long. Fang sighed and turned to the kitchen, picked out a few dishes and put them on a tray and carried them to the main room. When she entered, she saw Wu Yulan sitting on the edge of the bed. She put the food on the table and said, "Yulan, come and eat your meal!" Wu Yulan answered and came over to sit down, Fang looked in the direction of the bed and sat down at the side of the table, telling her what had happened. Wu Yulan slapped her chopsticks on the table and, worried about waking He Ling, looked back and saw that he was still sleeping peacefully, so she turned back and lowered her voice, "This He family is really bad-hearted. Just now, Brother Qi even gave him a pulse check and medicine. I don''t know if the family gave him some drug." Fang knew that there was something else going on, and she was really disgusted with them. He Ling was already in poor health, and if anything else went wrong, it would be a lifelong problem! After the two chatted for a while, Fang went out, as she had to help greeting those female family members, so she couldn''t stay here much longer. Wu Yulan had eaten and packed all the dishes and chopsticks in the tray. She got up and walked to the door, opened the door a gap and looked around. The atmosphere outside was lively, and the men were drinking and drinking until the moment they get excited so she guess some of them are noisy today! She closed the door again and went to the bedside, seeing the thin layer of sweat on He Ling''s head, so she pulled the quilt down. It was almost summer time and the weather is slowly getting hot. Now it''s noon when the sun is shining, if the cover is too tight, she afraid it will too stuffy to the utmost. As soon as she wiped away the sweat from his head with the cloth towel, she heard a knock on the door. She got up and put the cloth towel back on the basin stand, and went over to open the door. "Zao''er, why are you here?" Standing outside the door, it was Li Zao who had a good relationship with Wu Yulan. Li Zao smiled, "I''ve had enough to eat, so I thought I''d come and take a look around, since Tie Sheng and others will be drinking by until afternoon!" "Come on in! Just the right time, you could accompany me to talk too!" Wu Yulan let the man in and closed the door. "Qi Yue''s house and this room''s set up is also very good!" Li Zao went into the house and looked around. Everything was brand new and it brightened up the whole house. "Of course it is, the date has just been set, he went to Sun''s carpenter and ordered a complete set also use the good wood, he had to make it in time for the wedding!" In fact, some of the things were still new, but Qi Yue said he couldn''t let his husband use the old things, so he replaced them all and put the old ones in the penthouse. "He loved dearly his Fu Lang!" The fact that he has to do everything well, it shows that he cares about the husband. Li Zao looked at the person on the bed and asked, "Can I go over there and have a look?" "Why can''t you?!" Wu Yulan knew he was also curious about He Ling, although he was in the same village, he had rarely met him, and He Ling had always avoided people and did not talk to them much. Li Zao walked lightly to the bedside, where the man was sleeping soundly and showed no sign of waking up. "The more I look at him carefully, the more I thought he look good, no wonder he always attracted envy!" They already knew what the He family had done from the mouths of the bride''s greeters, and he really didn''t like that family, and to disregard others for the sake of his own ger''s happiness was unseemly! Wu Yulan took him to the table and poured him a glass of water, "Who said it wasn''t so? You didn''t see Ling Ge er when he was brought to my house earlier, he was beaten beyond recognition!" She was shocked when she saw him, but she had always thought that the family was just being a little bit harshly to him.She had never thought that they would even hit him! "I see that he does not look so well now, and he has fallen asleep, is he ill?" He looked a little pale, and underneath his eyes were greenish black. "He was fine when he was sent over yesterday, he can''t be sick just like that. I think the He family has given him some kind of medicine, otherwise how could Ling Ge''er see He Zhen replace him to marry!" Although Wu Yulan was not sure about this, but looking at Qi Yue''s face, she guessed it was not far from the truth. "If Second Uncle He were still alive and saw his ger being treated like this by his elder brother''s family, how heartbroken he would be!" At that time, He Ming and his wife relationship with the villagers were quite good and everyone was quite sad after the accident. He remembered how He Ling''s mother would always give him something delicious to eat whenever she saw him, and how gentle her smile was! Wu Yulan was married from outside the village and was not too familiar with them, but she thought that if she had a ger and was bullied like that, she would be very unpleasant. CH 20 Chapter 20 : Kiss (H) He Ling had slept for an hour and when he woke up, his body was still a bit soft, but he was much better than before. He propped himself up on the bed and saw two people sitting at the round table in the middle of the room, Wu Yulan and a ger. "You''re awake? How are you? Are you still uncomfortable?" Wu Yulan, who was talking to Li Zao, saw him sitting up and went over to him. He Ling shook his head to indicate that it was okay and then focused his attention on Li Zao, he know who Li Zao is, after all,they are from the same village, but he did not know him very well. He was embarrassed to think that he was still lying in bed so his ears were a little red. Li Zhao saw it and thought that it''s quite funny, so he laughed and comfort him, said, "Don''t mind it, you need to rest if you''re not feeling well, it''s okay!" Wu Yulan saw the redness of his ears and gave them a squeeze, "I have a good relationship with him, so you will have more chances to meet him in the future, just call him Brother Zao!" "Brother Zao." He Ling followed her words and called out.The heat on his ears subsided. Li Zao saw that he has a good temperament also a well behaved and sensible person, so his attitude was more friendly. "From now on if you have nothing to do just go around more.I heard from Yulan that you are good at embroidery, so teach me more!" He Ling hurriedly waved his hand, "I just embroider it by chance. It''s not as good as Yulan sister in law said!" "Don''t fool me, I saw the purse Qi Yue was wearing, it was very well embroidered!" Li Zao pretended to whine strangely and look at him. He Ling blushed at the mention of this. He was surprised when Qi Yue said that he had known from the start that he had embroidered the purse. Wu Yulan laughed ''he he'' while watching them chat, and when He Ling blushed again because of teasing, she reached out and patted his hand that grabbing the quilt and asked, "Are you hungry? I''ll go to the kitchen and get you something to eat?" "I''m a little bit hungry !" He Ling rubbed his stomach, which was a bit flat, it was already close to sunset, he hadn''t eaten anything since morning, so he was naturally hungry.He lifted the quilt, "I''ll go by myself!" "What are you talking about? You are the new husband today, you can''t go out of the room!" Wu Yulan looked at him with a smile and did not stop him from getting out of bed, "There is ready-made water in the basin, wash your face to clear your head, I''ll go get you something to eat!" He woke up a little confused. As soon as she said that, He Ling remembered that he had already paid his respects earlier and was Qi Yue''s new husband. Inevitably, he also remembered what had happened last night, and his face changed and he was still a bit scared in his heart, the two people who were talking did not notice his strange appearance. Wu Yulan asked Li Zao to continue talking with him for a while, and then took her used dirty dishes out of the room. He Ling shook off his head to keep his mind off those things, put on his shoes and walked to the basin stand, scooped up a handful of water from the copper basin and splashed it on his face, the cool clear water sobering him up a little. "Qi Yue is a good man, your future, too, will be better!" Li Zao watched him wipe his hands and face with a cloth towel, then he smiled and opened his mouth. "He''s very nice!" He Ling lowered his eyebrows, recalling how considerate Qi Yue had been towards him, and a few gentle smiles appeared on his face. Li Zao looked at his face and his smile intensified, "The way you smile, you really look like your mother!" He Ling froze and lifted his head, "Brother Zao knew my mother?" "I''m seven years older than you, so naturally I know her! " His mother was then considered a celebrity in the village, and even though she was twenty years old when she arrived, she still provoked many unmarried men to chase her. "So my mother, what kind of person is she?" He Ling looked at him and opened his mouth to ask. Whenever he mentioned his mother''s to his father as a child his dad would get very sad and even would get sick, and then he didn''t dare to mention it again. When he was at his grandmother''s house, he dared not ask even more because his grandmother would recite every time she saw him that it was his mother who had killed his father, and as for the others, they rarely even spoke to him, and occasionally he heard some from the village people, but they were not thorough and detailed. When Li Zao saw that he was interested, he was also interested, "Your mother was a wonderful person! She was pretty and gentle, and she was so clever that she always made lots of delicious snacks and used to share them with the village children. She and your father loved each other so much that they never quarrelled since they got married. Sometimes the aunts in the village would say, with that personality of her, do not know what your mother would have been like if she had been like the village daughters-in-law who scolded people with their waists crossed! Listen to Li Zao''s words, He Ling could picture in his mind a gentle and lovely woman, even if he had never seen her, he thought she must be the best woman in the world! "Of course, your mother''s best skill is embroidery, everything she embroiders looks like it''s coming to life, it''s beautiful! Your embroidery work is also good so it might be an inheritance!" The Ger''s eyes were nostalgic, "Your mother once told me that if she ever had a ger or a daughter, she would teach him to embroider, she would love him and make him the happiest person, and when he grew up, she would choose the best husband in the world for him!" He Ling''s eyes were red, if Mother had not died, Father would not have been sick with longing, he would have had the happiest home! "I am a ger too, and I remember her words very clearly, and thought, if only she was my mother!" When Li Zao thought about himself at that time, he also wanted to laugh. The two of them got closer as they talked about He Ling''s mother, and Li Zao even talked about some embarrassing stories from his childhood, which made He Ling feel better. While they were talking, Wu Yulan pushed the door open and came in, she saw that they were getting along well so she feel relieved. She put the bowl she was carrying in front of He Ling, "The dishes in the kitchen are all big fish and meat, too greasy, you just took your medicine, so I didn''t bring those for you, seeing that there is chicken soup, I put in a bowl of noodles. Eat carefully, it''s hot!" "Thank you, sister-in-law!" He Ling took the chopsticks she handed him, said thank you and then put his head down and ate.He was really hungry at the moment. When Li Zao saw him start to eat, he looked at Wu Yulan, "Are they still drinking outside?" "Hn, there''s only those two tables of men left. It''s not easy to have a good time, so you have to let it go!" When she came over just now, she took a look and saw how many of them were already drunk, Lin Sheng and Wang Tiesheng were all red in the face, but Qi Yue was still smiling like a man with no problem! The older people and the girls and gers went back after dinner with their children, leaving a group of young and strong men who wanted to have a good time! "Let them drink, they don''t usually have the chance!" The men work all year to support their families, so it''s okay to have a good time today. "Man who is already drunk is like a child, you didn''t see Feng''s red face and his foot on the bench, shouting and screaming. I laughed so hard!" Wu Yulan thought it was funny when she remembered that, as the son of the village chief, Feng Zheng usually had a very stable style in front of people. This was a rare sight. "Yo, would love to see that!" Li Zao wanted to laugh just by thinking about it. Hearing this, He Ling paused with his hand on the noodles. "Is Qi Yue drunk too?" Wu Yulan knew he was worried, she waved her hand. "Your man is really good at drinking, his face hasn''t changed, he''s very sober ne!" At the word ''your man'', He Ling''s cheeks and ears turned red, and he hurriedly lowered his head and ate his noodles with his face buried in the bowl. The two of them, who had already seen this, looked at each other and covered their mouths and sniggered. By the time He Ling had finished the bowl of noodles, the men outside had almost had enough to drink, the more sober ones took the drunk ones home with them, Li Zao and Wu Yulan also helped their own men to leave. Qi Yue and He Ling were left alone in the house, never having been completely alone before. He Ling was in a bit of a panic, "I''ll, I''ll go and pack up the things outside!" He had only just taken one step out when he was caught in an embrace that smelled of wine. Qi Yue turned around with him and sat on a stool, then his person also was sitting on his big lap. He Ling felt himself burning up, but Qi Yue did not let go of him, He buried his face in the curve of his neck and exhaled a hot breath, "How is your body?" He Ling stiffened his body and did not dare to move, even his voice was small, "It''s fine ......" Qi Yue moved forward a little more closer and kissed him lightly on his white neck, "Is it really alright?" The piece of skin he kissed had a tingling sensation, He Ling shrank back, "It''s really alright!" "He he......" Qi Yue''s low laugh sounded in his ears, at the same time, his wrist was squeezed, "I am a doctor, I know your health condition better than you, don''t lie to me! " He Ling didn''t feel that he had lied to him, apart from some weakness and lack of strength, he really didn''t feel anything uncomfortable. "Lying, Punish!" Qi Yue lifted his head, his eyes full of laughter looking at him. Before He Ling could ask how he should be punished, his lips were covered by someone, and his eyes widened as he stared at the person close at hand. Qi Yue opened his mouth to take his lips and gently kissed them a few times before backing off a bit, "I don''t think that''s enough ......" He Ling obviously hadn''t reacted yet, and looked at him with his mouth open, as if he was shocked. Looking at his open mouth, the pink tip of his tongue could be seen, Qi Yue''s eyes darkened and he kissed him again, this time he stretched out his tongue, licked He Ling''s lips and then reached in with his open mouth, curling up his stiff tongue ...... He was not able to regain his senses until his tongue was curled up. He subconsciously tried to step back, but was stopped by the hand pressed against the back of his head. Qi Yue''s other hand encircled his waist and held him tightly, allowing his body to press against his own. His tongue tangled with He Ling''s, lingering in his mouth ...... Only when his body began to heat up did Qi Yue force himself to leave him, their foreheads resting against each other, both of them panting, their breaths intertwined, indistinguishable from each other. Qi Yue calmed down for a while, then gently stroked He Ling''s waistline with his fingers and kissed him on his slightly red lips, saying, "If you ever lie to me again, I will punish you like this." He Ling''s face turned red and he couldn''t say a word for a while.He wanted to find a crack in the ground and burrow into it! When Qi Yue saw how ashamed he was, he stopped teasing him and took him into his arms. He Ling quietly leaned into his arms for a while, and when his face was not so hot, he asked, "Are you feeling uncomfortable after drinking so much wine?" "It''s alright, I took the antidrinking pills in advance." Qi Yue knew that as a groomsman, he was bound to be plied with liquor and had prepared in advance, otherwise he would have fallen down! "That''s good!" He Ling was relieved that he was alright. "Where were you sent by that family last night?" he wanted to ask him about this when he brought him back, but at that time He Ling was not well and he had to take care of the guests, so he put it aside for the moment.Now, he naturally wanted to ask him about it. Hearing him mention last night, He Ling stiffened up, as if the long feeling of helplessness and fear had returned. The author has something to say: Is the kiss too much? It''s not going to be locked, right ? (?) ========================= Translator : So far this chapter is my favorite . I only read 1 chapter ahead after I post the translated one so I could keep motivated to continue and not slowing down. CH 21 Chapter 21: Live Together /to interact (ദ) Feeling the change in his body, Qi Yue lowered his head and saw his somewhat pale face, reaching out to lift his face so he could look at himself, "Ah Ling, I''m here." Meeting Qi Yue''s eyes gazing at him, He Ling came back to his senses, he closed his eyes and said back, "They sent me to Luo Laizi''s house!" "Who was that? Why they sent you there?" Qi Yue had not been in the village long enough to recognise all the people in the village, and Lin Sheng and the others would not have deliberately mentioned an asshole to him, so naturally he did not know. He Ling grabbed Qi Yue''s arm around him and said with downcast eyes, "That was a scoundrel from the village, they gave me to him ...... to be his husband (Fu Lang) ......" Qi Yue''s face instantly sank, the anger that rose in his heart was so strong that only he knew how strong it was. He Ling bit his lips, his eyes began to redden, "If you hadn''t given me a bottle of knockout drops earlier, I would have ...... been ...... by now." "Don''t say anymore! I know all about it!" Qi Yue put the man into his embrace, patting him gently on the back.He had understood the words that could not be said, no need for him to make things difficult for himself. When He Ling was lying there last night, he actually thought that if Luo laizi woke up before he left and did something to him, he would not let himself live, he would give himself an end. Luckily, God had mercy on him, allowing him to be held in this person''s arms as he is now. Qi Yue held the person in his arms tightly, unknown emotions flickering in the depths of his eyes, making one''s body go cold just by looking at them. [ hun shen bing liang: from head to toe all over ice cold] The two of them remained in this position for a long time in silence, until the emotions in their respective hearts had calmed down before they got up, intending to clean up the mess outside. The previous one, Fang had already cleaned up the mess with the people she knew well. All that was left in the courtyard were the two tables where the man were drinking. Qi Yue changed out of her large-sleeved wedding dress and put on some convenient clothes, and the two of them began to tidy up the messy cups and plates. Originally Qi Yue was going to let He Ling rest, but the other man insisted, so he went along with him, it was good to move around a little, anyway, with him around, nothing could go wrong. When he had finished packing up his things and it was getting dark, He Ling had a bowl of chicken noodle soup in the morning and Qi Yue had been drinking and eating, so neither of them was hungry. Qi Yue took him to the backyard to feed Mu Yan, who had been so busy today that he hadn''t fed him until now, and he was afraid he was going to lose his temper! As soon as they arrived in the backyard, Mu Yan started kicking and beating the ground with his hooves and kept tossing his head and snorting, looking very annoyed! Qi Yue walked over and patted its head a few times to soothe it, poured the small jar of wine he was carrying into its water trough and said, "To make amends, I''ve brought good wine!" Seeing it really lower its head and drink up, He Ling was amazed, "It really drink the wine!" When Qi Yue brought the wine and said he would bring it to Mu Yan, he didn''t believe him, thinking how could a horse drink? He didn''t expect that it would really drink! Qi Yue put his arm around his shoulder, "it loves to drink good wine, so if doesn''t give the wine from time to time, it''ll lose it temper and won''t let me ride it!" "How clever!" He Ling smoothed his sideburns, "The first time I saw it, I thought it had a spiritual nature*()!" [ lng xng ; spiritual nature / spirituality / intelligence (esp. in animals) ] Mu Yan, who was drinking wine, felt his touch, it lifted his head and moved towards him, tried to rub his face but a strong smell of wine rushed into his nostrils so He Ling subconsciously blocked it with his hand.Then it rubbed itself twice directly against his hand. Qi Yue looked at them with a smile and said, "Mu Yan is difficult to train and eccentric, he rarely lets people get close to him, yet he was willing to let you touch him on the mountain earlier.My A Ling, even the horse love you! " He was embarrassed by his praise, and did not look at him, but only at Mu Yan, who had lowered it head to drink again, "Last time it had thorns in it hooves, and I helped It, so it let me get close!" Qi Yue didn''t know about this, but given his stubborn nature, if Mu Yan was willing to let him come close to him under those circumstances was also a sign of intimacy towards him.If there was someone else he didn''t like, he wouldn''t let anyone come near him, even if he was shot with an arrow, not to mention a small thorn thorn. Thinking of this, Qi Yue''s heart was very happy, the fate between him and He Ling was really wonderful*() [ mio b k yn : too wonderful for words ( is too good to be expressed in words or words) ] "You didn''t sleep all night yesterday and you haven''t rested much during the day, so I''ll boil some water later and you can take a bath and rest early." Seeing that He Ling''s face was still a bit tired, Qi Yue stroked his hair, his movements were filled with compassion. When He Ling heard his words, he blushed, and his eyes darted left and right, not daring to look at him. (Tl: This reaction is so cute?(*䨌`*)?) Qi Yue was at first puzzled, but then he understood and took him in his arms, startling He Ling! "Blushing like this, what are you thinking about?" Qi Yue had a bad smile on his face and deliberately came up to his ear to speak. "No, I wasn''t thinking about anything!" He Ling shrank back his neck, trying to avoid the nostrils that sprayed on his neck. When Qi Yue saw his flustered look, his bad intentions came up, he hugged the man tighter and ran his fingers back and forth along his waistline, "You really didn''t think about it? Speaking of which, today is still our wedding night*(ҹ)!" [ ҹ :dng fng hu zh y: lit bridal room and ornamented candles night, it means wedding night] Feeling the strange hand around his waist, He Ling''s heart became even more nervous, "It''s still in the ...... courtyard ......" The person in his arms had a small voice, still a little trembling, but the words did not mean to refuse, just reminded him to change the place, Qi Yue was pleased and kissed him on the forehead, "Don''t worry, I won''t touch you, wait until your body recovers!" The poor quality medicine that He''s family had gotten from somewhere was very damaging to one''s body, if they didn''t take good care of it, they were afraid that they would fall sick, He Ling''s body itself had poor roots, so he naturally had to pay more attention to it. He Ling was relieved to hear him say that, but at the same time there was a small disappointment in his heart that made him curse himself for not knowing his shame! After the two of them had fed Mu Yan and the yellow cow, Qi Yue took him through the backyard carefully. The chicken pen was now empty, he was not good at raising poultry so he left it there for the time being, the vegetable patch had been turned into a medicinal garden, planted with common herbs.One of the four back rooms was used as a medicine room, one as a bath room and two were left empty, intended to be used as storage. Qi Yue pointed him to the well in the courtyard and said, "From now on, you can get water from here, no need to go to the well in the middle of the village!" He Ling took a closer look and saw that it was quite deep, and it would be much easier to use water since he had his own well. "I got someone to build a stove in the backyard for boiling water for bathing too!" Qiyue guided him to look at the small shed next to the back covered room. It was too much trouble to bring water from the front yard, so he had simply built one here, "Go inside and get some change of clothes, I''ll boil some water for you!" "I''ll do it myself." When he was at He''s house, he had to be scolded by Qian for wasting things every time he boiled water for a bath, and then he would only boil a little bit of scrubbing in winter and use cold water the rest of the time. "Be good, this is what I (Ϊ=wei fu) should do!" Qi Yue pinched his soft earlobe. [After they got married, Qi Yue use ''wei fu'' to call himself. It means ''husband'' or as a husband, wei fu is use between husband and wife in ancient times, the husband call himself wei fu] He Ling''s face reddened and he didn''t refuse again. After a comfortable bath, He Ling felt much lighter. He used a cloth towel to wipe his wet hair and returned to their room, but found that Qi Yue was not there, and feeling weird in his heart. He went to the front door of his room and saw outside that there was candlelight in the stoveroom, so he went over there. Qi Yue was standing in front of the stove,(He Ling) not knowing what he was boiling. "Qi...... Husband* (๫) , are you hungry? Let me do it!" He Ling was a little uncomfortable having to change his mouth to call him such an intimate name, and his face would get hot every time he call him like that. [ ๫ xiang gong mean husband, but it used by the wife to call his husband, usually used in ancient times] Hearing his voice, Qi Yue, who was busy at the stove, turned around and saw him standing in the doorway with his hair draped over his head, so he put down the wooden spoon in his hand and walked over to shake his hand, which was still warm, before he let go, "It''s cold at night, you go back inside, I''ll be ready here in a while!" "It''s alright!" He Ling shook his head, indicating that he wasn''t cold, "What are you doing? Let me help you do it." "No, you go back inside and dry your hair first, I''ll do it myself!" Qi Yue smoothed his still slightly wet hair, fearing that he might catch another wind chill. He Ling was a little hesitant, "But, cooking and washing clothes, it''s all what I should do!" "With me here, there is no such thing as should or shouldn''t!" Qi Yue knew that he had been doing the work in He''s house all year round, and it made him uneasy in his heart not to let him do it, and he also always felt that he owed himself a lot and felt a bit guilty. These thoughts he would help him erase it bit by bit, so that he could enjoy everything he gave him with peace of mind, "I''m cooking medicinal porridge, you don''t know anything about medicine, if you put the wrong things in it, not only will it taste bad, it will also affect the medicinal properties." He Ling was a little speechless, there were only the two of them here, Qi Yue''s health was fine, it was self-evident who the medicinal porridge was cooked for. He lowered his eyelids, his nose a little sour, since we met, this man had helped him a lot, always thinking of him, and there was very little he could bring to him. When Qi Yue saw that he was silent, he knew what he was thinking, "Ah Ling, as far as I am concerned, I am lucky to be able to marry you as my Fu lang. If you treat me like a stranger, then that would really make my heart hurt and sad." He Ling''s shoulders trembled as he tilted his face up to look into the man''s deep black eyes. It was as if he had been able to see through everything in his mind, all the anxiety and guilt in his heart, and he seemed to understand it all, perhaps he had made him unhappy by being like this, as Qi Yue had said? Qi Yue looked at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "If you really feel sorry for me (Wei Fu) , you can cook breakfast for me (wei Fu) tomorrow, the meat buns you brought me last time are especially delicious, I''ve been thinking about them these days!" He suddenly changed his face, so that He Ling was not able to react, listened to him finish talking, could not help but follow him, also smiling, heart much lighter, "Good, tomorrow I will definitely make it for you!" The problem in He Ling''s heart, Qi Yue will naturally make it disappear, but can not be too hasty, he lowered his head and kissed the other party on the lips. "So obedient! " He Ling made another big red face, he touched his mouth and said, "I''m going back inside to wipe my hair!" Qi Yue leaned against the door frame and watched him flee back inside, smiling dotingly* ()and helplessly, "Why do you always run away?" [ chng ni ; ( ) read chng : to love / to pamper / to spoil / to favor read n :to drown / to indulge / addicted to / to spoil (a child) CH 22 Chapter 22: ֲ (Weird Disease) The newlywed husband and Fu Lang (husband) were nicely getting along together, but at the moment, He family was not in a good condition. "Mother, why they haven''t brought Dr. Li back yet?" He Zhen''s body is hurt and itch all over, but he didn''t dare to touch it at all. That feeling is so unbearable. "Soon,soon, just bear with it!" Qian was anxious too, but there was nothing she could do until the doctor came back. "Mother, what if ...... Doctor Li can''t heal me?" He Zhen couldn''t bear to cry again, he had been crying for a long time before and his eyes were swollen. Today, He Zhen do not know what happened but he started to feel itchy all over his body in the morning and no matter how much he scratched it, it''s useless. He thought it would be fine if he put up with it, but who know, after eaten his dinner, he started to get chicken pox on his face and body, and when he scratched it, it broke. He had accidentally broken many of them earlier, and now he was covered in pox and broken wounds, which was very scary. Liu and Zheng were afraid that he would spread the infection, so they hid in their room with the child in their arms. The two brothers, He Fu and He Gui, two brothers have gone to get a doctor for him, and He Tian is reluctant to see him because he has lost face today. Qian was the only one who accompanied him, but she did not dare to get too close to him and sat far far away. "Don''t worry, it''s not even be treated yet, don''t say such discouraging things!" Qian''s mouth was soothing, but her heart was killing her with worry, and she didn''t even dare to look at He Zhen''s face.One look and her entire body felt numb, If he couldn''t get well, how could he marry? He Zhen carefully wiped away his tears with his handkerchief, those wounds on his face hurt so much when it touched his tears, plus that unbearable itchy feeling, it''s driving him crazy! When both of them were burn in anxiety* ( ļ) , the He brothers finally bring the doctor returned, the road was not easy to walk in the dark, plus the fact that doctor Li was old and his legs were not so good, so there was some delay. (ļ My heart was as anxious as it was on fire / Described very anxiously) As soon as they arrived home, He Fu and He Gui brought the person to He Zhen''s room first but they didn''t go in. It''s not funny, if it was really contagious, it would be no joke, their children were still young,if they got infected, they might lose their life. When doctor Li entered the room, he was shocked to see He Zhen''s appearance. Although he had heard the two brothers'' account, he did not expect it to be so serious. "Doctor Li, please take a look, what''s wrong with our family''s ger?" Qian saw him as if he was a lifesaver, grabbed his arm and brought him to He Zhen. He Zhen looked at him hopefully, as he was really suffering from this condition even a moment longer. After looking at his face and taking his pulse, Dr. Li asked, "Have you eaten anything today that you shouldn''t?" "No, I ate the same as usual!" He Zhen hurriedly shook his head. He had no face to go out today after what had happened, and naturally he would not eat anything "not good" by staying at home. After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Li said, "I''ve never seen this disease before, so I can''t cure it!" As soon as he said this, He Zhen burst into tears, and while sobbing he said to Qian, "Mother, you ....take me to the town .... to find a doctor in town, I must.... must be cured!" "This... Doctor Li, you could take a look at him again" Qian was reluctant, if they went to the town,it would cost a lot of silver ah! , but she also couldn''t bear to see her family Ger like this. Doctor Li waved his hand, "I really can''t do anything, you also know, I can only treat minor disease such as headaches and fever, but not the serious ones, why don''t you try and search for Qi xiao zi, he might has a way! He didn''t know if Qi Yue would be able to cure the disease, but he didn''t think he would be happy to do so, and he had heard about what had happened today, he didn''t like the way He family had acted, but he couldn''t meddle in with other people''s business. As he mentioned Qi Yue, Qian was a bit awkward, but she saw that he really couldn''t do anything about it, so she let him go. She looked at He Zhen and said, "Why don''t, go and look for Qi Yue tomorrow?" He Zhen knew that she was saying this because she is not happy to take him to the town, afraid of spending money, he was suffering so badly right now but she still only had money on her mind, "How could I still have a face to meet him right now? Mother, Qi Yue had given you fifty taels, I went to treat my disease, how much could it possible spend on it?" When he exposed her thought in her heart, Qian was uncomfortable, "You, this child, why are you talking like this? It''s not that I reluctant to spend the money, but I think it''s not a good idea for you to go to the town and also to show your face in public* ( ͷ¶)like this. Moreover if you go to Qi Yue and play the pity game, maybe he''ll take pity on you, also forgive you for what happened today. Even though he is now married to He Ling, it is still not certain whether He Ling will be able to give birth to a child with his body'' condition.You still has a chance!" Although He Zhen knew that what Qian said to him were just an excuse for not spending the silver, he was still somewhat tempted, after all, Qi Yue was good in every way, to let him give up like this, he is also not willing to, "How could he like me now, with me like this?" Seeing that he was moved, Qian made a push on him, Qi Yue had so much silver in his hand, but she could only get 50 taels out of it. Although she could make use of He Ling''s connections in the future, it was not as secure as marrying her own ger. "Silly child! That''s why I asked you to seek his medical help.I heard from someone that the last time He Ling''s face was beaten up like that, because Qi Yue gave him a box of ointment, not even two days were passed, he already regained his delicate skin. Then may be, he could also cure your illness too!" "Really?" He Zhen really didn''t know this. After they were engaged, he was very unhappy, he did not go out much on those days, afraid that someone would stand in for them. "Of course it''s real. Can mother lie to you." The more Qian say, the more reasonable she felt, she always felt that Qi Yue liked He Ling only because of his appearance, if he couldn''t give birth to a child, he might be fed up with him. He Zhen remembered at that time, He Ling once was ill,Qi Yue gave him the medical treatment and a bottle of medicine, after taking the pills, He Ling was alive and well within two days, he looked much better, so that person might be could really cure his strange illness. When he thought of this, he really wanted to go to him now, but he knew that if he disturbed him on his wedding night, he would definitely be disgusted, and it would be bad if he hated him even more. Just the thought that the two were having intimate ,skin to skin physical relationship*(֮) now, made his teeth itch! ! He was really disappointed that Luo Laizi hadn''t got his way last night, otherwise that bitch He Ling would have been left behind, Qi Yue would have realized how good he was, and it would be him who was now with the other man! He was his, he would take him back, the pain and tingling in his body twisted He Zhen''s heart even more, he was not willing that while he was suffering, He Ling was in the midst of happiness, he said with red eyes, "Tomorrow we will go find him!" Seeing that he had finally figured it out, Qian nodded her head in joy, busily telling him to rest early and go to Qi Yue''s house tomorrow. When He Ling opened his eyes, the sky was already shining bright. He had slept very deeply last night, not even having a single dream, so he was now in particularly good spirits. He tried to move, wanted to get up to sit, but the arm around his waist tightened even more, making him unable to move, and a voice with a smile rang out above his head, "Do you sleep well?" He Ling raised his head, contact with Qi Yue''s gaze, he smiled and said, "Sleep very well!" "Then that''s good." Qi Yue had actually woken up early, but seeing him lying in his arms sleeping soundly, he couldn''t bear to disturb him and lay with him while hugging him for a long time. "It''s time to get up, I promise to make buns for you." He Ling moved his waist, gesturing for him to loosen his hands a little. Qi Yue smiled and kissed him on the top of his hair, then let go of his hand, as soon as He Ling was free, he got up quickly. After the two of them dressed up and washed up*(ϴ), He Ling went to the kitchen, while Qi Yue went to the backyard to feed the cow and the horse, then he started to tend his herb garden. [ϴ : to wash the face and rinse the mouth] . The sound of He Ling chopping meat came from afar, Qi Yue looked up in that direction and lowered his head again, a light smile on his lips, this place, at last, felt like a home. The buns tasted as good as ever, and this time it was the two of them eating together, so naturally the food smelled even better, and accompany by the soft, boiled millet porridge, Qi Yue ate quite a lot. After eating and cleaning up the dishes, Qi Yue asked, "What do you want to do today?" He Ling thought for a moment and said, "I want to wash the clothes that had been changed since yesterday, and there are some things in the house that are too messy and need to be tidy up." "Okay, but don''t push yourself too hard, rest when you feel tired, I''ll go to the field later," Qi Yue took his hand and held it, he wouldn''t stop him from doing something he wanted to do, he was bored when he was idle, no matter what, he had to let his health come first. He Ling understood that he was worried about himself, so naturally he wouldn''t push his own limit, "I know, you go to the field with your heart in ease ba! if there are bugs and weeds, the crops will be ruined, will you be okay to go alone?" "It''s okay, our land is not that prone to bugs, I''m just going to check it out, I''m not doing anything!" He regularly sprinkled his own formulated powder on the ground, so there wouldn''t be any major problems. He Ling wanted to say that there is no land that does not have worms, but he thought that Qi Yue had never planted before and might not know much about it, so he did not say anything, it was not a big deal since he would go and check it out more often for him. "You do the laundry first, the house will be cleaned up together when I come back, don''t do it yourself! "Qi Yue thought he want to clean up the house, in case he had to move something heavy, it would not be good for him to get tired, so he explained a few more words. "Got it!" Seeing how uneasy he was, He Ling felt funny and warm in his heart at the same time. In the end, Qi Yue fetched several buckets of water from the well for him to wash his clothes before leaving the house and calling the next door Lin Sheng to go to the field with him. He Ling gathered out all the dirty clothes they had changed yesterday, including Qi Yue''s wedding dress, and he had mixed feelings when he looked at it. It was one dress, but it was the wedding dress of both of them. The one he had was still in He Zhen''s hands, and he was afraid he wouldn''t get it back, that dress was no longer have any meaning. Thinking about this, the two of them wore the same wedding dress when they got married, which was quite special, He Ling touched the soft fabric in his hand, as if he could feel the warmth of Qi Yue''s embrace,and he smiled. He put the clothes into the wooden basin and carried them to the well. Halfway through the washing, he heard a faint knock on the door from the front yard, so he stopped moving his hands and listened carefully for a moment. This time the knocking was much clearer, so he tugged the other basin of unwashed clothes and wiped his hands, then got up and went out of the backyard. ======== CH 23 Chapter 23: T ( To Visit) He Ling took off the door bolt and pulled the main gate open. When he saw the person standing at the door, his hand stiffened. "Ling Ge'' er, why are you the one who opened the door? Where is the boy Qi?" Qian looked behind him twice and asked when she didn''t see anyone. He Ling tightened his grip on the door, and when he saw that the other party did not feel guilty at all, his heart grew colder, "My husband (xiang gong) has gone to the field, he is not at home!" "Oh , what a comfortable life, you don''t even have to go to the field!" Hearing the hoarse and familiar voice, He Ling just realized that the person standing beside Qian with his head and face wrapped in a cloth and only one pair of eyes showing was actually He Zhen! He Zhen, this person liked to look good the most, he always made himself look refined and dressed up in bright colour whenever he goes out, so he had never gone out in such a grey cloth scarf like this. When he saw He Ling looking at him with that doubt look, He Zhen hated him so much that he wanted to gnash his teeth! No one knew how he had survived last night, the pain and itchiness of his body was tormenting him all the time, even his clothes touching the wounds were causing him great pain, and he had to wrap himself in this ugly rag to cover his even uglier face at the moment! And what about He Ling whom he hated the most ne? Still wearing his gorgeous face, living in a big house of green bricks and tiles, called out the man he likes the most, husband (xiang gong)! Being glared by He Zhen with what could be said to be a malicious look, He Ling was a little frightened, and he shrank back behind the door, no longer looking into his eyes. "Then we''ll go in and sit down, wait for him to return!" Qian said, lifting her leg to enter the door. He Ling didn''t move aside, he bit his lip and said, "If you have something to say, just say it! I''ll pass it on to my husband." When Qian saw that he wouldn''t let them in, she was a bit upset, but thinking that they had to ask Qi Yue for help, she suppressed her anger and said with a smile, "It''s not a matter of telling him, Zhen Ge''er has a disease and wants to get Qi xiao zi to take a look at him!" "And ......how about Doctor Li?" After what happened last night, he was a little resistant to them, now he was alone at home so he didn''t dare let them in. "This..Doctor Li already took a look, but he can''t cure it, so I thought I''d ask boy Qi to take a look. He have seen a lot and know a lot*, he may be able to find the way out!" [ ҊRV :jin du sh gung: experienced and knowledgeable (idiom)] Qian cursed He Ling in her heart for not put her in his eyes anymore just because he had someone to back him up. What an ungrateful*() white eyes wolf*! () [ means ''Ungrateful'' It''s no matter how good you are, he will not stick to the person. It shows that there is a estrangement between them, trust and understanding have not been established, and he still has a lot of dissatisfaction ] [ ; literally mean ''white eyes wolf''/an ingrate/ it means thankless wrench] He Ling didn''t know what to say now, he had never been good at dealing with the He family. "Cousin! I know you''re still angry with me, Yesterday I was possessed by a ghost*(), I''m begging you, just forgive me this time, okay?" He Zhen, who had not spoken, suddenly stepped forward and tugged his hand, his voice trembled with a crying tone, sounding exceptionally pitiful. [ : To be obsessed / to be possessed Idiom : The ghost is bewildered / Refers to unclear understanding of the problem] He Ling suddenly froze for a moment when he was pulled by him. He didn''t understand why he was saying such things, but when he saw his hand, he was startled by the wounds on it and subconsciously withdrew his hand. He Zhen''s feet went weak, and he sat down on the floor, shaking his shoulders and sobbing twice, saying, "Cousin, do you still refuse to forgive me? I already know I was wrong!" "My Zhen''er ah! it''s all our fault. It''s only right that Ling Ge er hate us!" Qian also cried out and sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Hey hey hey, ''amiability makes you rich*''(), ''amiability makes you rich''! Hold your hand! !" A few women passing by stopped and spoke up to advise. [ : idiom =amiability makes you rich. It means that treating people and being kind can attract money.] Seeing them, He Ling finally understood why they were acting like this, so it was for others to see. He Zhen was still sitting on the ground, crying very sad, "I know I shouldn''t have been in love* (Ĵ氮Ľ)with my cousin''s husband, but I promise I won''t fight with you anymore, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" [ xncn Ĵ store in heart im Ľ to love/to adore/ to admire ] It was true that what they had done yesterday was not kind and honest but now seeing people crying like this to apologize, several women felt quite pitiful, when a woman and a ger fell in love with a man, they would indeed do something irrational! He Ling looked at the man on the ground without saying a word. He Zhen not only wanted to replace him to marry Qi Yue, but also to ruin his innocence and pushed him into the pit of fire*.() Is this something that can be erased in just a few words? Moreover, they were just putting on a show, not to repent sincerely. [ (hu kng) :pit of fire / fig. living hell ] When the women saw that He Ling had no intention to care for them, their hearts could not help but feel that he was hard-hearted. People, they are always more sympathetic to the weaker side.In the past, He Ling was bullied, they will feel pitiful, but now the two people were crying miserably, they felt more sympathetic to them. The expressions on their faces were all in He Zhen''s eyes, he gritted his teeth and, intending to put more effort into it, reached out and pulled the cloth off his head. Some women, at first glance, screaming while took a few steps back, and He Ling was also startled, as he did not expected the other person''s face to look like this! "Cousin, I look like this now, how can I beat you? You look so good, my cousin''s husband will only love you from now on!" He Zhen said, standing up from the ground with difficulty, and fished a silk handkerchief out of his sleeve and handed it to him in ''to curry a favor'' way. "I''ll give you this silk handkerchief that my cousin''s husband gave me, too, okay? I beg you to forgive me for my mistake!" This handkerchief was left behind by Qi Yue when he was sick last time, it was snatched away by He Zhen, but now it appeared in this way, he took the handkerchief and squeezed it tightly in his hand, he suddenly felt disgusted at this behavior of He Zhen, "You guys go!" When the women saw the silk handkerchief, they started to have thoughts in their hearts, giving such a personal thing, this Qi Yue was probably had some interest in this He Zhen earlier, right? It''s just that He Ling is more beautiful, is he fascinated by his look? Then was it also true that Qi Yue had received He Zhen''s purse, which was rumoured in the village? Qi Yue suddenly want to marry He Ling, did he (HL)seduce him? They was told previously that he was having an affair with that Lin Sheng. Indeed, that face of his, he did not look decent. Didn''t everyone say that he was the reincarnation of Hu Mei zi? He Ling''s face changed at the sight of the handkerchief, This is jealousy, isn''t it? He''s really such a narrow minded* person! The other person was already so sick like that, yet he came to apologize sincerely but he just asked him to leave with a cold face, he is too petty*(ƽ) about it. [С : narrow-minded / petty ƽ :to bother about / to haggle / to bicker / to argue / fuss about] "I say, Ling Ge er, since Zhen Ge''er had apologized, where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them*ma !" (̎) One of the women could not refrain from speaking. [̎ : d ro rn ch qi ro rn = where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them (idiom); anyone can make mistakes, forgive them when possible] "That''s make sense! You and Qi Yue are now married, and no matter how much disputes, those all already in the past!" "Thats right! look at Zhen ge er''s face, what a pity! Hey, isn''t it Qi Yue know some medical skill? why don''t you ask him to have a look?" "No matter what, they are still your blood relatives, let Qi Yue treat him. we are all family!" "Ger''s face is the most important thing, it will affect the marriage, Ling Ge er you have a good marriage, don''t forget your cousin, since Qi Yue know how to heal, let him take a look, it will be a good thing if he heals!" The women were talking* ()so much that He Ling was unable to intervene at all, he looked at them with an expression as if he should not be so petty and should be more generous, clutching tightly the silk handkerchief in his hand! [ (q zu b sh ): lively discussion with everybody talking at once] Qian was overjoyed that her gerwas so capable that he had discredited He Ling, the white eyes wolf, with just a few words! He Zhen looked like he was wiping his tears by lowering his head but he actually had a cold smile on his face, he would never let He Ling get what he wanted and he would take everything away from him! "All right, I say, you guys don''t stand around here anymore! Ling Ge er, you should take him back and have a good chat. It''s better if you could talk it over and let Qi Yue cure Zhen ge er''s illness. You all are a family, right?" The woman who spoke first had a dominant tone and waved her hand to let them go home to talk about their problems. "Yo, You think this is your house, you can just put anyone in there!" A sarcastic voice rang out and they all looked over to see Wu Yulan standing there with a small basket. Wu Yulan had finished her work and since it was still early in the morning, she thought that He Ling was alone at home, so she came to nag him with her unfinished clothes, so that she could also learn embroidery from him. But when she arrived at the door, seeing some people standing there, among them were Qian and He Zhen, who seemed to have a strange disease, and when she heard the woman''s words, she was immediately annoyed! "Lin Sheng''s family, how can you say that? I''m just trying to persuade a person!" The woman was a bit upset by her chiding. "Persuading people? I think you''ve made up your mind!" Wu Yulan didn''t know exactly what had happened, but looking at He Ling''s face, she knew it was no good.These two people are really shameless, it''s not enough to bully people before, now they come to the door and bully him! "Hey, this Qi Yue knows how to heal, so what''s wrong with treating people? He''s already rushing to apologize, so it''s time to let go of such a trivial matter, it''s nothing right? After all, he''s still a blood relative!" The woman''s anger is up again and she crossed her arms and snapped back. A few other women echoed her words that they really felt that there was no need for He Ling to do this, for there is no such thing as a family feud! Besides, it''s normal for a man to like a few girls, isn''t it? he''s the one who he marry in the end so it would be pretentious to be jealous! "I''m really sorry, then, this brother Qi is really good at healing people, but he is not an expert in healing a livestock animal*() , Ling Ge er''s parents died early so he has no blood relatives!"Wu Yulan was so angry that her mouth was unforgiving. [: domestic animal / brute/ bastard] "You ......" Hearing her scold him, He Zhen was about to have a flare up but in the end, he held back and just acted like he was miserable and didn''t say anything back. Wu Yu Lan saw his expression, she was also disgusted, and when she looked at his unbearable face, she was a bit pleased. It was all karma! The woman was probably so angry that she couldn''t stop talking, "I''ve been told that your family Lin Sheng has something fishy with this He Ling, and you''re still helping to speak up, you''re really generous!" "Big brother Lin and I are innocent, don''t talk nonsense!" It didn''t matter what they said about themselves, but He Ling didn''t want to drag others into it. "Neither tphere''s something going on or not, as long as I understand it, it''s okay! Ling Ge er, you don''t need to explain to people who are not involved! As for some people with petty schemes*(СP), I''m afraid they won''t get what they want!" Wu Yulan calmly walked over to He Ling and patted him, then looked at Qian and He Zhen, dragged them out of the door and closed it with a ''bang''. [ СP xio sun pn: lit. small abacus / fig. selfish calculations / bean-counting] He Zhen''s teeth itched with hatred, she was so close to making it, but this busybody Wu Yulan had ruined it.And since Qi Yue was not here, he did not use the bitter trick*() in front of him. [ (k ru j) : the trick of injuring oneself to gain the enemy''s trust] But today was not without its rewards, at least He Ling''s reputation had been tarnished and he had been given a hard time, and thinking of this, he said to the women with a sobbing voice: "Thank you for these aunties for speaking up for me. It''s also my fault for doing something wrong and making my cousin angry, and it''s all retribution for turning out like this now!" They all told him not to take it into heart, that He Ling was also a bit narrow minded*(СǼ), and that the He family had raised him into an adult, so he shouldn''t hold grudges like that! [СǼ (xio d j chng) lit. small belly, chicken''s gut (idiom); narrow-minded / petty] He Zhen thanked them once more, told them to hurry back since they had been delayed for a long time! He told Qian to leave too, but he had no intention of leaving. He wanted to wait here for Qi Yue to return, and even if he could not be cured here, he wanted him to feel compassion. A healer''s heart is kind, he would be softened by his miserable appearance. Once his heart is soft,the future contact will be easier,he would be doing something like this, to make him fed up of He Ling! Miki Mei 11 2021 2:14 pm Well to bad, brother qi isnt a healer. So you better watch out theres a lot of thing that he can do including murdering you CH 24 Chapter 24: mp (Pester / Entangled) Wu Yulan dragged He Ling into the hall, and with a bang, she put the basket in her hand on the table, obviously some of her anger is still lingering,"What happened just now? Why did those few people help He Zhen to talk?" He Ling saw that he was still annoyed, so he took the jug on the table and poured her a glass of water, watching her drink it down then telling her what had happened. "Pah! What does he mean by a handkerchief given by Brother Qi? How can an unmarried Ger tell such a lie? And he expect Brother Qi to cure him? In his dream!" Wu Yulan was so angry that she wanted to smash her cup into He Zhen''s face, she had never seen such a shameless person. "When they sent me to Luo lai zi''s house the night before, I was already cold-hearted towards them!" He only thought that deep down in their heart, perhaps they would felt a little bit of guilty and uneasy but today, they gave him the answer. "What?!" Wu Yulan''s hand was unsteady and the cup fell on the table and rolled around a few times with "g l l*" (: grumble) sound. Qi Yue didn''t know what kind of person Luo Laizi was, but she knew very well that he was a scoundrel! A rascal! They sent He Ling to his house, even thinking by using her toes, she could think of what is their purpose in doing so, "Then you ....." "I''m fine, my husband was afraid that He''s family would bully me, so he gave me a bottle of knockout drop!" What happened on that night, He Ling did not want to remember it anymore so he say no more. When she heard that he hadn''t been harmed, Wu Yulan''s heart finally feel relieved. Although he didn''t say much, but when she associate it with the way he was brought back last night, generally she could guess what had happened. "In the future, if they come to visit once more, when Qi Yue is not here, just go to our house , let see how would they bully people again!" "Next time when I''m home alone, I won''t open the door for them!" Wu Yulan''s words brightened He Ling''s mood a little, no matter what, there were still people who cared about him, and there was no need for him always for people who didn''t care about him, feeling sad. "That''s the right attitude, people like that, they should be ''find the door closed''* (]T), Forget about them! I''ve come here to ask you to teach me how to embroider." Wu Yulan took out her half-made clothes and thread from a basket, "In a few days, Xiaohu will go to school, I want to make him a new dress. You help me take a look at it!" []T: to be refused entrance (idiom) / to find the door closed] He Ling''s attention was drawn to the garment, he took over what Wu Yulan gave him and looked at it.The material was made from the silk cloth that Qi Yue had sent them earlier, and it felt very soft and smooth. The pattern was very nice, and he thought that he could embroider some small patterns on the collar or cuffs, which would be simple and pretty.When he mentioned this idea, he got Wu Yulan''s approval and the two of them discuss about it together, forgetting all about their unhappiness! "Qi Yue, you''re really capable, the seedlings in this field grow better than even us old crop farmers!" Lin Sheng couldn''t help but admire all over again, the lush green patch was a cut above the others, "I thought it was your first time planting.I''m afraid you''re going to make a loss this year!" "Although I have never planted before but I''m good at tending the medicinal herbs, so I guess it''s the same logic!" It is not difficult task for him to prepare a medicine that nourishes the land and promotes the growth of plants and trees. Lin Sheng patted him on the shoulder and said, "You''re a strange person. Everything that comes to you,it''s never too difficult for you!" Qi Yue smiled but did not say anything.Naturally there were things that were difficult for him, but nowadays, those things are no longer a problem! "Hey, is there a man at your door?" Lin Sheng pointed to the front door of his house. Qi Yue looked over, exactly there was a man sitting with his knees in his arms, leaning against his door, a little too far away to see who it was. Lin Sheng was a bit confused, "Who is it? Didn''t you say that Ling Ge er was at home, why is he sitting at the door?" Qi Yue wasn''t sure, but he followed Lin Sheng and quickened his pace. Only when he got closer did he notice that the man had a cloth scarf covering his head and face, and he looked very strange, He raised his eyebrows, he had a speculation in his heart. Lin Sheng was quite curious in his heart, so he didn''t go forward to his own house and came to his front door first. "Big brother Qi, you''re back!" As soon as they approached, they were seen by the man, who stood up from the ground, propped up against the wall, and called out. As soon as he opened his mouth, the two of them who heard it immediately know who it was, and Lin Sheng''s face instantly looked unpleasant, "What? you haven''t give up (on Qi Yue) yet?" "No, no, no!" He Zhen waved his hands in fear, his voice choked with sobs. "I just want to beg Big brother Qi to treat (in medical term) me!" "Treat you? I see that you are healthy and active*() and quite looking good. By the way, there''s not just one doctor in this village!" Lin Sheng really admired how thick his skin was, when he dared to show up today after what he had done yesterday. [ : to leap and frisk about (idiom); lively / healthy and active] "I''ve asked Dr. Li to look at it but he can''t, so ......" He Zhen cried before he finished his sentence, sobbing a few times and taking off the cloth scarf he was wearing, "Big brother Qi, please help me, I''m like this, it''s really ''to live is more sad than death''*() !" [ : Life is better than death is a Chinese idiom, pronounced shng b r s, which is a metaphor for being extremely sad in the heart. To live is more sad than to die. It''s better to die than to live.] Lin Sheng was stunned and was unable to say anything harsh. After all, he was a gentleman at heart, so no way he could mock a disfigured ger, since it was already miserable enough. "Big brother Qi, I know you probably still blame me, but I was just too .... pleased with you so I did what I did.I already know I was wrong!" He Zhen''s teardrops were falling one by one, and his face was so miserable and pathetic, "My cousin hates me too.No matter how much I begged him, he wouldn''t willing to forgive me and now he doesn''t even want to see me. These all, I deserves it." Lin Sheng blinked, feeling that something was wrong with his words but he couldn''t tell what was wrong! (Tl: OMG lol I could imagined it, Lin Sheng, you are too "pure" in heart) Qi Yue had a smile on his lips, but his eyes had already lost the warmth, making a roundabout way to express his feelings for him and even insinuating that his A Ling was too petty. Really such a smart-ass*() ! [ : to think oneself clever (idiom) He thinks he''s clever and makes arbitrary opinions / Refers to overestimating yourself and doing things subjectively] He Zhen held back the pain and let the tears flow all over his face so that he could look more pathetic, "I really don''t mean anything else this time, I just want to ask Big brother Qi to help me, take a look!" If the person had come to look for trouble, Lin Sheng would have sent him away, but the person had come to seek medical help and had apologized sincerely, so he didn''t know what to do, and he could only look at Qiyue. Looking at his eyes, Qi Yue sighed in his heart, this Lin Sheng is an honest man, who is very affectionate and loyal, but his brain is not always very clever and he trust a person easily. Luckily, he married a smart wife! "Big brother Qi!" Seeing that he kept quiet, He Zhen looked at him with a begging face, the pain in his body was torturing him every moment and he didn''t want to go on like this! Qi Yue look at him up and down for a few moments before shaking his head, "I can''t cure it." "How is that possible?!" He Zhen''s voice rose for a moment, then softened, "I''m sorry, I''m too excited, Big brother Qi, take a closer look, your medical skills are so good, how can you not be able to cure it?" "I only know a little bit about medicine, but I really can''t cure such a strange disease!" He was not very proficient in the art of healing, and that was what he had said from the beginning, wasn''t it? "But, but, last time, my cousin''s face ......" He Zhen was still a bit undeterred, but he didn''t dare to mention it in detail, for fear that the other party might get angry and refuse to treat him. Qi Yue lowered his eyes to hide the emotion in it, "I once got the ointment from a miracle doctor*(t), that''s what cured A Ling!" [ t: highly skilled doctor / miracle-working doctor (Tl: if you watched wu xia or ancient times setting drama, you must know this!) ] Lin Sheng showed an expression of realization, he had said it before, within two days of applying the medicine, He Ling''s face was cured, in the beginning he had thought that Qi Yue''s healing skills were really miraculous but it turned out, the medicine was actually the one he had gotten from a miracle doctor.No wonder ne! He Zhen bit her lip and said hesitantly, "That medicine ......" "There''s only one box, there''s some left, but it''s definitely not enough for you!" He naturally still had the medicine, but why should he give it? "if it could heal my face first,then It would be good !"He Zhen said hurriedly, If he had that medicine, eventually he could still be saved. "Oh?" Qiyue asked in return, "That medicine is worth a lot of money, are you sure you want to buy it?" He Zhen was stunned, not expecting him to mention money.He seemed to never care much about money since he arrived in the village, for him even to say that,then it must worth a lot of money, it''s definitely not cheap at all! Even if he could spare the money, Qian would not, "Can ...... you lend me the medicine ...... first?" Lend? If I lend it, could it still be able to return? Qi Yue sneered in his heart, did he take himself for a fool? Lin Sheng was not happy either. The medicine is so good, it must not be cheap, so he borrowed it out by some words only, without even asking the price, he must be thinking to not return it. Is he treating people as a dupe*?( ԩͷ) "He Zhen, even if Big brother Qi has money, it doesn''t come from the wind.You can''t take advantage of it for nothing!" [ ԩͷ : spendthrift and foolish / sb with more money than sense/ blockhead in money matters, foolish spender (used with irony)] "I ...... don''t mean that!"He Zhen explained, but in his heart, he was annoyed, these Lin family''s couple,both of them were so difficult to deal with! Qi Yue looked at Lin Sheng and choked him before speaking slowly, "That medicine may not be right for your symptoms, if you use it wrongly, it may backfire, I advise you to go to the town and find a proper doctor to have a look, if you keep dragging this on, you may never get well again!" He Zhen was shocked, if he was never going to get well again, then he might as well die! He was not yet sixteen years old, he was in his prime, how could he be ruined like that? There was a ''creaking'' sound of the door being opened from the inside, Wu Yulan and He Ling were standing behind it, both frozen at the sight of them. CH 25 "Wife, what are you doing here?" Lin Sheng was a bit surprised to see Wu Yulan carrying a basket out. Wu Yulan glanced at He Zhen who was not looking well, and with a cold snort, she walked over to Lin Sheng, "I thought that Ling Ge er was bored at home alone so I came to keep him company, then take a look at time, it''s almost noon so I''m prepared to going home to cook. Why are you all standing at the doorway?" "Husband (xiang gong) !" He Ling saw Qi Yue and greeted him. Qi Yue''s eyes softened and he reached out to embrace him, "Did you miss me?" He Ling immediately blushed, although he did not push him away, his eyes did not dare to look at Wu Yulan and the rest "There is people here!" Wu Yulan''s eyes were full of teasing, and she was very happy to see how well they were getting along. Lin Sheng silently laughed twice, and when he caught sight of He Zhen, who looked unsightly, he remembered to answer his wife''s words, "He Zhen was waiting at the door, when we came back, we meet him, so we were delayed!" When He Ling heard his words, he looked at He Zhen, thinking of what had happened earlier, he was still uncomfortable, so he looked away from him. But Wu Yulan smiled coldly and said, "What? You haven''t splashed enough dirty water on Ling Ge er''s face in front of the villagers, so now you want to splash two more basins in front of Qi''s brother!" "What? Did he bully people again?" Lin Sheng answered immediately, thinking that he was sincere in admitting his fault, but it didn''t seem to be the case! "Is it true that Big brother Qi can''t do anything about my illness?"He Zhen couldn''t think of anything else at the moment and waited for Qi Yue to ask again. Qi Yue did not hesitate and shook his head straight away, "No!" He Zhen pondered for a moment, and then said, "Is it possible to trouble Big brother Qi to send me to the town tomorrow?" Qi Yue''s eyebrows knitted slightly, when he was about to refuse,his sleeve being tugged by someone then he looked down and saw He Ling looking at him, he understood the meaning in his eyes. But there is something that he couldn''t understand, yet he didn''t ask. He only looked up,said to He Zhen, "Okay, Come find me tommorow morning!" "Many thanks, Big brother Qi!" He Zhen thanked him, rewrapped his head and face in a cloth scarf, turned around then walked away. "Why did Brother Qi answer him?" Wu Yulan''s face looked a little uncomfortable. He Zhen had made such a scene with He Ling earlier that already made those long-tongue women think there is something about Qi Yue and He Zhen''s relationship.She was sure that it wouldn''t be until tomorrow that the rumours would spread throughout the village. By sending him to the town for medical treatment at this critical juncture would only be adding fuel to the fire! Qi Yue did not answer, he looked at He Ling and said, "I also want to know why?" When he asked this question, both Wu Yulan and Lin Sheng were stupefied, they also subconsciously followed to looked over. He Ling''s grip on his sleeve tightened as he lowered his eyes, his voice sound a little tired, "Help him once more, whether he is cured or not, from now on, the affairs of the He family will have nothing to do with me!" "You silly child!" Wu Yulan felt a little distressed, all these years he had worked for the He family, they had beaten and scolded him, but he had never complaint, because they were his blood relatives after all, and whenever they treated him well, he would never forget their kindness.These kind of deed, really broke his heart! Lin Sheng lifted his hand to his wife''s shoulder and patted her soothingly, understanding the sadness in her heart. "From now on, you should only care about me!"Qi Yue brushed the hair on He Ling''s cheek behind his ear and gently lifted his face to let him look at himself. He Ling looked into his eyes, seemed to be drowning in that tenderness! "Ai ya, .It''s getting late, let''s go back and cook, lets go back and cook!" Seeing that the two people had forgotten about others, Wu Yulan did not feel sad anymore, waved her hand at them, dragged Lin Sheng, who was still a bit unaware of the situation, and left. He Ling watched as Wu Yulan shoved the basket into Lin Sheng''s hand as they walked away and told him to take it, and even criticised him for not knowing how to read the situation, so he couldn''t help but laugh, "Big brother Lin and sister-in-law Yulan are really close!" Qi Yue saw that He Ling is happy, he was also in a happy mood himself, "We are also very good!" He Ling looked back at him and for the first time he reached out and climbed onto his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek, "Qi Yue, it''s so good to know you!" Feeling the softness touch on his cheek, Qi Yue''s eyes darkened, he settled down, look as gentle as before, "It''s noon, let''s think about what we should eat?" He Ling didn''t notice at all that he had teased someone, he thought for a moment and said, "I''ll cook a pie for you?" "Sure!" Qi Yue answered and swept him into the house. He Ling used to make pies at He''s house, using mixed grain flour, the fillings he used were some wild vegetables from the mountains. Qi Yue, however, bought fine food, using white flour and pork filling, the pies are golden brown and the pork is fatty and lean.It''s a delicious bite! He also mixed carrots, stir-fried shredded potatoes with spicy and sour sauce and he made an egg soup. Qi Yue was so satisfied with his meal that he sighed in his heart that it was good to have a husband! He Ling, however, seemed a bit worried. After washing the dishes, Qi Yue pinched his cheek and asked, "What''s wrong?" He Ling hesitated for a moment, but still spoke, "Xiang Gong, shouldn''t we... saving some money?" Since Qi Yue came to the village, he had bought a house and a cow, because he had married him, he had to spent fifty taels of silver, plus the clothes he had bought for him were all silk. When Qi Yue gave him the clothes, he was terrified, he had never seen such good clothes before, and he dared not accept them! But Qi Yue said that if he didn''t accept it, he would throw it all away, so he accepted it with ''trembling with fear* (սս) and was so uncomfortable that he didn''t dare to move the first time he wore the clothes, for fear of getting it dirty or spoiling it! [սս: trembling with fear / with fear and trepidation--- Describes a very scared and trembling appearance / It also describes a cautious look] The banquet was made of good stuff, and the chef was hired from the town''s restaurant , so it must have cost a lot of money,when he did the math,his heart was trembled! "Oh? How can I save?" Having eaten his fill, Qi Yue, who had been a little lazy, came to life and wanted to tease him. "We can raise our own chickens, pigs and so on, there is still open space in the backyard, we can open another place to grow some vegetables, these food is too expensive to buy outside all the time!" After saying this, He Ling glanced at Qi Yue, and seeing that he was still smiling, he continued, "I can make my own clothes, so I don''t need to buy such expensive materials in the future, and don''t buy those balms and hair creams either, it''s such a waste!" After finish listening to his ramblings, Qi Yue smiled and took him into his arms, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Raising livestock and growing vegetables is up to you, but not buying you anythings, I reject it!" He didn''t agree to the main thing surprisingly so He Ling urgently said, "Those are unnecessary, it''s a waste of money to buy!" "Who said it was unnecessary?" Qi Yue took his hand and caressing it, the softness and smoothness was particularly nice to touch, "You look good in your clothes, bring you up fair and delicate , I''m happy to look after you, is it possible that Ah Ling does not want to see me happy?" "No!" He Ling hastily denied it, how could he doesn''t want to see the other party happy, it''s just that Qi Yue always choose the entirely picky and the extremely expensive things to buy, he felt that its too extravagance for him to use. Qi Yue smiled faintly while took him by the waist and led him to the room, "I have something for you!" He Ling was full of doubts as he led him into the room and watched him fetch a carved wooden box from the wardrobe then put it in his hand, "This will be yours to keep from now on!" "What is it?" He Ling asked as he opened the wooden box, and saw some coins and silver, and five or six silver ingots, at least ten taels each. He was surprised, "Money?" Qi Yue lifted his chin, gesturing for him to continue looking through it. He lowered his head again, reached out and pushed the broken silver coins to the side, revealing a few sheets of paper underneath. He Ling reached out and pulled the paper out and looked at it, almost throwing the money box out of his hand, "This, this is ......" Qi Yue was amused by his appearance so he took hold of his hand, which was trembling while holding the banknotes, "Your husband is still quite rich now.I''m not afraid that you spend it!" But He Ling was a bit speechless, this was a silver banknotes! One paper worth a hundred taels of silver, he had at least seven or eight of these in his hand, he had never seen so much money! Seeing his really frightened look, Qi Yue was both amused and distressed for him, how could these things be worth so much to made him (frightened) like this? He lifted his hand and put the silver banknotes in He Ling''s hand back into the box, resting the box on the table, he cupped his face and said, "Only a few pieces of paper, why are you so scared?" "This is not paper!" But they were all silver banknotes! He Ling''s heart panicked, there is so much money but Qi Yue had just casually put in the cupboard earlier, even without a lock, "This, so much money, what if it was stolen?" "He he! " Qi Yue let out two soft laughs, he moved closer to rest his forehead against his. "The walls of our house are so high, it can''t be easily lost!" "It''s not very high ......" He Ling retorted in a whisper, he also thought the wall was very high before, after all, most of the houses in the village had low mud walls or fences, his house was a lot higher than a person, it was much better like this ! ! But now, with all the money in the house, he couldn''t help but feel that the wall was unreliable, and he would have liked it to be even higher! "Then tomorrow, I''ll hire some craftsmen to build it higher?" Qi Yue seemed to be seriously considering this. "That''s not necessary!" "Don''t worry!" Qiyue stroked his head, "When no one is home, lock the room''s door and the yard''s door, it won''t be lost!" Even though he said so, He Ling was still worried, it was fine if he didn''t know about it, but he knew about the money now, how could he not think about it! "Find yourself another place and hide it well, in the future, all this will be in your hands for you to manage. if I need money to use, I will ask you for it!" Qi Yue picked up the box on the table and put it back into his hands. Although he did not know where Qi Yue had come from, what is his identity in the past, and why he had settled in Gushui Village, but he had never been false in his affection for him. He had always thought of himself and always been considerate to pacify his various emotions! When Qi Yue saw that he did not refuse, and understood his feelings, he took off the jade pendant that had been hanging around his waist , tied it up around He Ling''s waist, "This jade pendant is given to Ah Ling, just like the purse Ah Ling embroidered for me, you and I will never leave each other, is that good?" He Ling touched the exquisitely carved jade pendant around his waist and his expression became tender, he looked up at Qi Yue with a smile and said, "Yes!" Seeing that he obeyed, Qi Yue took him into his arms and said in a soft voice, "Tomorrow you will also come with me to the town!" "I''ll go too?" Leaning into his arms, to have heard what he said, he tilted his face up. "Hn." Qu Yue nodded, "I want to show you a place and conveniently strolling around, but also ......" Qi Yue stretched out his voice,just did not say the next words, He Ling had to open his mouth to ask a follow-up question. "But also what?" The bad intentions were appeared, Qi Yue came up to his ear and said, " Don''t tell me that you are in ease if I, your husband (wei fu) go to the town alone with a ger who thought about me?" He Ling''s ears burned red, and He pushed away the man who was holding him in his arms, a little ashamed, "You''re not being decent again! I haven''t finished washing the clothes from this morning, so I''ll go to wash it!" "Now, you are able to get angry at me ah!"Qi Yue rubbed his chin and sighed before chasing after him. Doing things together, it''s good to improve and enhance the feeling between them. ======= Thank you for reading, any correction, support,and comment were really appreciated!! CH 26 Chapter 26 : Town () He Zhen was not alone when he came over the next day, Qian followed him, when she saw He Ling, who opened the door for them, she rolled her eyes, giving him scornful glance and grunted ''Humph!" coldly. "Cousin!" He Zhen, who was wrapped up with only one pair of eyes showing, called out to him softly, looking very well behaved. He Ling was not used to him looking like this, and did not know how to get along with them, so he only said, "Xiang gong is setting up the carriage, you guys can come in first and sit down!" Yesterday he was home alone and didn''t dare to let them in, but today with Qi Yue around, he wasn''t afraid. Bringing the two people into the hall and sitting down, He Ling poured them a cup of tea and set out a plate of pastry. "Now you''re really like the ger of a wealthy family! Serving tea and pastry, with a lot of spare money yet you don''t know how to subsidy and help (financially) the family!" Qian picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite, her heart couldn''t stop souring, this wide door courtyard, fine food, she could only take a look and taste it now but He Ling was enjoying it every day! He Ling pursed his lips and didn''t say anything, after all, he couldn''t argue with her, so he might as well keep quiet. "Mother, don''t say it like that, Cousin is not that kind of person who doesn''t care about his family!" He Zhen reached out one of his hand and patted Qian''s arm, his words seeming to speak for He Ling. "Humph, if he wasn''t that kind of person, how could he did not care about your illness!" As Qian said this, she gave He Ling a somewhat meaningful glance. He Zhen also followed suit and looked at him hesitantly, saying, "Cousin must have his own difficulties!" Qian slapped the table with ''Pa'' sound, "What kind of difficulties could there be? He just has a good life for himself and doesn''t care about us,these poor relatives, I''ve endure so much hardships*() to bring him up!" ( : to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship / to bear one''s cross) He Ling had some understanding in his heart, these two people, ''one sings first, and the other responds''*( һһ) , they wanted to force him to help with the consultation fee, right? He took a deep breath and said, "I''ll go and see if my husband (xiang gong) has finished!" [ һһ : originally described the two being emotionally connected / Now it is also likened to two people cooperate and echo each other. ] Not bothering to look at their faces, He Ling went straight out of the house and saw Qi Yue pulling the carriage out of the backyard. Seeing that he did not look well, Qi Yue looked at the door of the house and said, "What? Did they bully you again?" "No!" Seeing him, the boredom in He Ling''s heart dispersed a little, "Can we go now?" While he was still at home, he thought those two wouldn''t dare to do anything excessively, so Qi Yue didn''t ask any more questions, "Hn. (We) can go now!" [Tl notes: if you realize it, Qi Yue always spoke very short sentence or phrase, his wording also very polite] When He Ling entered the house to summon the others, Qian was obviously annoyed with him, her face was drawn long and she didn''t even look at him, pulling He Zhen and going out. Since he was a child, he had been suffered to the worst of Qian''s temper so naturally, he did not take this to heart. Qi Yue had already pulled the carriage up to the gate, and when she saw him, Qian gave him a good look, and He Zhen also called out "Big brother Qi! " He Ling came out of the house, turned around and locked the gate, made sure there was nothing wrong, then walked over and said, "Let''s go!" "He''s going too?" Qian, who was about to get into the carriage, gave him a reluctant look. Qi Yue reached out to take He Ling''s shoulders and said, "Naturally, when you go for medical consultation, I''ll take my husband (Fu Lang) walking around the town, there''s nothing wrong with that, right?" Qian was left speechless so she could only get on the carriage with hatred. He Zhen lowered his eyes, hiding the full jealousy and hatred*() that filled his eyes, and followed her into the carriage. [: to hate out of jealousy / to resent] Qi Yue looked down at He Ling and asked, "Are you going to sit beside me in the carriage?" (Tl: Actually Qi Yue asked him to sit with him in the shafts(ԯ) of the carriage) There was naturally room in the carriage, and it was natural that Qi Yue would ask this as a sign of his consideration, which He Ling understood in his heart, and he smiled and nodded, "Hn!" Seeing his nice smile, Qi Yue lowered his head and gave him a kiss on the corner of his lips, then helped the man onto the carriage and jumped on after him, flicking the reins and letting Mu Yan walk. When people in the village saw him sitting side by side with He Ling on the cart, they asked him if he was taking his husband (Fu Lang) to the town to play, and Qi Yue smiled in response. The people were muttering in their hearts, Aren''t they a good couple? Who said that Qi Yue likes He Zhen? It''s just a nonsense rumour! He Ling could not remember the last time he went to town. He only vaguely remembered that it was the Lantern Festival, when his father''s health was not so bad, and he bought him a lotus flower lantern and held him in his arms, looking at the beautiful lanterns, (at that time) his eyes filled with emotions that made people want to shed tears when they looked at them. At that time he did not understand, but now when he looks back, he seems to understand that his father was (actually) missing his mother ...... The moment he died, his father never stopped thinking about his mother, and even at a young age, he could feel that the moment he closed his eyes, he was actually very happy! "What are you thinking about?" Noticing his distraction, Qi Yue opened his mouth and asked. He Ling looked back and shook his head gently, wanting to say nothing, but then he stopped and asked, "If one day I am no longer with you, will you miss me?" Not expecting him to ask such a question, Qi Yue curled his lips and smiled, "Where else do you want to go if you''re not with me?" "I mean if!" He Ling emphasised. "There are no ifs!" Qi Yue''s face was gentle, but his tone was strong, "I will hold on to you tightly, so you will not allowed to go anywhere but beside me!" He Ling froze, but he looked down and laughed, and in a moment he raised his head, his beautiful face so beautiful that one could not take his eyes off it, "I will not go anywhere but beside you!" Qi Yue leaned over and pressed his lips on his forehead, after quite a long time, he stepped back a little, his voice was low and suppressed, "Ah Ling, I (almost) can''t hold back any longer!" After they arrived in the town, Qi Yue was searching for a place that specialized in watching over the carriage then put it away. Looking at Qian and He Zhen who had got off the carriage, he asked, "Are you going to look for a clinic yourselves?" They looked at each other and He Zhen said in a soft voice, "Mother and I are not familiar with the town, do you know any clinic?" Qi Yue pondered for a moment and said, "I do know one!" "Then I''ll trouble Big brother Qi to take us there!" Seemingly afraid that he would refuse, He Zhen did not ask, but directly requested him to lead the way. Qi Yue didn''t say whether to lead or not, but put his eyes on He Ling, "How is it?" He Zhen''s gaze flickered once and returned to normal, following suit and looking at He Ling with pleading eyes. "Let''s take them there first!" He Ling didn''t look at He Zhen, he just smiled at Qi Yue, they didn''t need that much time, it was just a matter of walking a few more steps. Qi Yue nodded and took his hand and walked ahead, not caring whether the two people behind them followed or not. There were many small stalls on both sides of the town, selling food and rare objects, and when they saw pedestrians passing by, the stallholders would smile and introduce themselves to them, the whole street was bustling with people, very lively! Qi Yue saw that He Ling kept turning his head and looking around, curious about everything, he smiled and said, "If you like what you see, buy it! Do not always thinking of trying to save some of my money!" He Ling, who was looking around, heard his flirtatious words,suddenly his cheeks reddened , the beauty that reflected in his face, dazzling a man who was passing him! Qi Yue glanced at that man indifferently, then tugged He Ling towards him and walked away. The man''s body was chilled and shivered, rubbing his arm and leaving in a hurry. Can''t look, can''t look, even if the ger looks good, he is still someone''s Fu Lang, the other party already take it easy by only glance coldly at him. Qian''s twitched her''s mouth and thinks it was not worthwhile, "Really is a ''Hu mei zi''!" (Hu Mei zi basically mean seducing fox ) He Zhen lowered his head and stared at the road beneath his feet, not responding, but only he knew that the pain and itch in his body seemed to spread to his heart! "Fried Dumpling*(F) ! Soft and fragrant sesame dumpling! One only two wen! Very cheap and delicious!" (F* :Fried Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame, i called it ''onde-onde'' ) The sound of hawking from a distance reached Qi Yue''s ears, he looked up and saw that there was a stall selling sesame dumplings in front of him. He could already smell the sweet smell of the sesame dumplings, and thought that his ger would like to eat it so he dragged He Ling over to the stall. The seller, who was busy while hawking, felt someone coming and smiled as he looked up to greet them. Oh hey! At first glance, these husband and wife were really handsome, one was excellent and the other one was charming and elegant. It was the first time he had seen such a good-looking couple. They were such a perfect match! "Please give me one!" When Qi Yue saw how beautifully the sesame dumplings were fried, he took out two copper coins from his purse and threw them directly into the wooden box on the stall where the money was kept. "Okay, okay!" The peddler looked back and nimbly pulled out a piece of greasy paper, picked the fattest and prettiest one and wrapped it up and handed it over, "These are the best (to eat) while it still hot!" Qi Yue thanked him and took the sesame dumpling wrapped in oil paper to He Ling, "Try it, be careful it''s hot!" He Ling took it and looked at it carefully, the golden ball was still covered with sesame seeds, he lowered his head and took a bite, the outside was crispy and the inside was soft and sticky, there was also a sweet taste of bean paste, his eyes lit up and he brought it to Qi Yue''s mouth, "Delicious, you want to try it?" Qi Yue took a bite from his hand, and the taste was really good, "Hn, delicious!" The two people who looked like they were out of touch with each other were standing on the side of the street, sharing their food, and some people even saw how good they were eating and couldn''t help but come up and buy one to try. This made the vendor very happy! Qian looked at the two and couldn''t help but clear her throat and cough a few times to remind them that there were people there, so they shouldn''t just eat for themselves and not know how to show their respect to her as an elder! Qi Yue was helping He Ling wipe off the sesame seeds that had stuck to the corners of her lips when he heard her coughing and looked sideways at her, "If your throat is not feeling well, when you get to the doctor''s clinic, you should let the doctor take care of it as well, don''t you let yourself get any ailment." The words choked Qian''s cough in the back of her throat, and she was about to open her mouth to curse, but He Zhen tugged her back, so she let out a cold snort of indignation and didn''t get angry again! He Zhen is increasingly disdainful with his mother, she is so concerned about the small benefits, whenever she opened her mouth, she is always trying to offend people. If he annoys Qi Yue, he will be out of luck! Qi Yue was in no hurry to go to the doctor''s office, he took He Ling for a stroll, treating the two people behind him as if they didn''t exist. Qian''s was only a little angry, but He Zhen was suffering, as the weather was getting warmer and his body started to sweat after walking around for a long time, and his already itchy wound was obviously torturous! He gritted his teeth and endured the pain in his body, vowing over and over again that when he stood beside Qi Yue in the future, he would make He Ling suffer twice as much! He Ling was holding the gadgets (small toys) that Qi Yue had just bought for him, he looked back at He Zhen who was not in very good condition, sighed lightly and tugged on Qi Yue''s sleeve, "Xiang Gong, let''s go to the doctor first!" Qi Yue stopped walking and looked at him, his eyes swept over the two people behind him, knowing that his husband''s heart had gone soft, so he said, "It''s not far ahead!" ============= Translator: This chapter is actually quite romantic except for the thirdwheel. CH 27 Chapter 27 :ҽ (clinic/medical center) The medical house was called Shengde Clinic, it was located in a busy part of the town. The doctor who practiced*() there was quite good, and although he wasn''t the best in town, he was still quite famous. [: lit sitting, providing medical services] When they entered the clinic, the clerk standing behind the medicine counter was delighted to see them, quickly stepped out, making a bow before speaking, but for some reason he paused before saying, "I wonder who is the one that need to see the doctor?" "It''s our Ger!" Qian spoke sharply, dragging He Zhen to the front. Qi Yue glanced at her and nodded to that clerk , "I wonder if the doctor is free at the moment?" "Coincidentally,he is available at the moment!" The clerk waved his hand, beckoned a fellow to lead these two to the side consulting room. After watching them walk away, Qi Yue reached out to wrapped his arm around He Ling''s waist then said to the clerk, "This is my Fu Lang." Making such intimate gestures in front of outsiders made He Ling a little uncomfortable, there was also some confusion in his heart, did Qi Yue know this clerk well? Why did he introduce himself to him? When the clerk heard these words, he put his hands together, bowed to He Ling, "Master''s Fu Lang ( in other word, The husband of the Boss) !" He took a half step backwards, but Qi Yue swept him back and gave him two pats on the waist to soothe him, while saying to the clerk, "Please bring me some paper and pens!" The clerk turned and went away so Qi Yue took He Ling into a small room and sat down with him on a chair, saying, "This is the medical center I bought when I first arrived here!" He Ling felt dizzy, yesterday Qi Yue had stuffed him with a box of money which was scary enough, now he was telling himself that he had a clinic? Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Qi Yue reached out his hand to pinched his face, "What? Are you frightened? The touch on his face brought He Ling back to his senses, he shook his head and nodded again, "I don''t know how to say it, I just can''t believe it!" Qi Yue laughed softly, the hand that pinched his cheek loosened and caressing him there again, "Now you don''t have to worry about me, your husband ''just sitting and eating, deplete a mountain of wealth''*(ɽ) and becoming poor wretch*(F⵰), our family clinic is still good, although this is not good for the others!" [ɽ (zu ch shn kng) : lit. just sitting and eating, one can deplete even a mountain of wealth (idiom) / fig. to spend one''s money without generating any income ] [F⵰ (qing gung dn) : poor wretch / pauper / destitute man / poverty-stricken peasant / penniless good-for-nothing / impecunious vagabond] He Ling was amused by his comment, and the feeling of insecurity in his heart was removed a lot. The clerk knocked on the door at that moment, followed by an assistant whose holding a tray with tea and snacks. While the man was putting things away, the clerk also laid out the pens, ink, paper and inkstones he was holding in front of Qi Yue. Qi Yue said to him, "Wait a moment", and started to write, after only he had filled a sheet of paper, he did stop writing and blow-dried the ink, he folded the paper and handed it to the clerk, "Give it to the old doctor!" The clerk took it, nodded his head in response, then he led the servant man out the door. Once the people were out, Qi Yue said to He Ling, "I have written a prescription for the doctor." He Ling nodded, he knew nothing about medicinal matters so he did not ask more questions. Qi Yue picked up his cup of tea, took a sip, saying, "When I first arrived here, I had planned to settle down in the town, which is why I bought this medical center." Hearing him say this, He Ling stopped his hand from reaching for the pastry and looked over in confusion, "Then why, again, did you come to Gu shui Village?" "To say it, it''s all coincidence!" Qi Yue picked up a piece of cakes from the plate and passed it to He Ling''s lips, watching him open his mouth to eat it before continuing, "That day, the Wang family''s son brought his mother here for medical treatment.I happened to be in the hall and heard them talking about a vacant courtyard in Gu shui Village, so I bought it with the idea in mind!" He Ling finished chewing the snacks in his mouth and took a sip of tea, "That''s quite a coincidence!" Qi Yue looked at him, his gaze was gentle, "If it wasn''t like this, how could I have met you, this is our destiny!" He Ling was stunned, his brows softened, inside his eyes seem to be overflowing with tenderness. Qi Yue stretched out his hand, took him, rubbing his thumb lightly against the back of his hand, "There are still many lively places in town, shall we go for a stroll again?" "Yes!" He Ling nodded and took his hand in return. The doctor carefully examined the blisters and wounds on He Zhen''s face, took his pulse, then looked down while pondering. His pulse was very peculiar, not a normal allergy, even though he had been practising medicine for many years, he could not see anything! "Doctor, is it possible to cure my illness?" Seeing that the other person did not say anything for a long time, He Zhen felt only panic. "Before you had symptoms, did you eat anything you shouldn''t have eaten, such as wild animals that picked from the mountains?" Thinking hard, the doctor tried to find the problem in the food. "No!" He Zhen shook his head, "I have always eaten home-made food, even if there are some wild vegetables, it was eaten all the time, there has never been any problem!" The doctor was at a loss as to what to do, as the symptoms were either illness or poisoning.He had never seen it before, nor had he ever eaten poisoned food. Was it possible that someone had deliberately poisoned this country ger to harm him? It was unlikely though, since he had been eating in his own home. Seeing the doctor''s face in distress, He Zhen became anxious, "Doctor, can it be cured?" "Yes, doctor, you should give us a precise word!" Qian was also a bit anxious. The doctor thought about it carefully, decided that he couldn''t do anything about it, so he wanted to tell them to look somewhere else, that he wasn''t the best doctor in town and that perhaps others had seen such a difficult illness. Before he could say anything, a man came in from the outside and handed him a piece of paper, saying that it was from the owner. The doctor took it, opened the paper, later his expression changed from one of enlightenment to one of pondering, after a few moments, he put the paper down and said, "Your illness is not completely incurable, but ......" "What it is? Doctor, please tell me!" Hearing that he could still help, He Zhen was excited, as long as he could be cured. "I have a prescription here that could be used to treat your illness, but...." The doctor hesitated for a moment before continuing: "Once you take this prescription, you will never be able to stop. If you do, you will have a double recurrence, moreover within an hour after taking the medicine, your body will burn like a fire and you will be in agony!" He Zhen froze, he didn''t think it would be like this, so he wouldn''t be able to get rid of this medicine from now on? "What? Qian exclaimed, "Then it''s like a medicine jar!" "Indeed, this medicine has to be taken every day and cannot be interrupted, and it''s not cheap either. It costs 300 wen each set. The old man stroked his beard on his chin. "Three hundred wens? That''s six taels of silver for a month! Why don''t you go robbing instead?! " Qian''s voice was raised, six taels of silver was enough to cover the expenses of an ordinary family for nearly three years! The doctor''s medical skill was good, he was old and respected deeply by everyone, so when he heard her talk like that, he was annoyed. He snorted coldly and said "I am only telling you that there is a cure, but it is up to you whether you want to be cured or not. Of course, you could also look at another clinic,so then you might find a cheap and an effective remedy!" Qian opened her mouth to make a further comment, but He Zhen held her back. He smiled apologetically to the doctor, "I''m sorry, my mother is a bit agitated. Let''s go out and discuss it!" Qian who was pulled outside the consultation room,still in full of displeasure, "I think he''s just asking for a lot of money*(Ҫ)!" (Ҫ : to ask for sky-high prices) "Mother! Don''t you want to treat me at all?" He Zhen let go of her hand. "How could it be? If I didn''t want to heal you, will I come to the town with you?" Seeing that he was angry, Qian stopped complaining and patted his arm soothingly. "Then you, Mother, still can''t spare the silver?" After he finished speaking, Qian''s expression became a little bit awkward so He Zhen tugged his hand again, saying, "Mother, didn''t we agree that after I cure my illness, I''ll think of a way to snatch Qi Yue back, and then we''ll have money!" "But what if this doesn''t work?" Before, Qian also thought that her ger could get Qi Yue back, but now since she saw his attitude towards He Ling, it was a bit doubtful. Besides, a set of medicine is 300 wen. Even a month''s daily expenses of a family didn''t need that much! "Mother, you told me that He Ling might not even be able to have children so what man can tolerate not having children? Qi Yue will eventually have to have a young one (little wife, he mean) , my chances are good!" No matter what, his face had to be cured, He had a long life ahead of him,and he couldn''t just turn ugly like this. Qian was still a bit hesitant to spend that much money, she had to discuss it with the head of the family at any rate. "Let''s just buy some and try it out, if it work then we''ll talk, okay?" He Zhen had a hunch that the medicine would be effective for his illness, and as for the side effects the doctor mentioned, he couldn''t care less! In the end, Qian nodded, no matter how much she deeply love the money, he was still a piece of flesh that had fallen off her body, could be cured and still had to be cured. They took 5 packages of medicine for a total of 1,500 yuan, a full tael of silver, and a 50 yuan consultation fee. Qian was so distressed then looked around and said, "Hey, where are the people who came with us? I''m afraid I haven''t brought enough money!" Qi Yue had already told the clerk not to let these two people know who he was also not to give them special treatment, so he said with a smile, "Those two left a long time ago!" Qian''s plans was not successful, full of displeasure, she cursed Qi Yue for not knowing how to be polite, not even informed her when he left,He Ling was also an eyes white wolf (Tl: remember,it mean an thankless wretch) , he didn''t even know to stay and care about his own cousin when he was ill! Reluctantly, he took out the money and handed it over. One by one, she counted out fifty coins. Qian felt as if she was plucking out her own flesh and blood. It was definitely true what they say about costing a lot of money to see a doctor in town. He Zhen took the wrapped medicine in his arms. At last, he felt relieved, when he regained his appearance, he would definitely get back what He Ling had taken away from him! CH 28 Chapter 28 : Qi Yue took He Ling into a very famous shop in the town, which had two floors, the ground floor sold fabrics & clothes, while the first floor sold gold & silver jewellery also rouge & powder, with a wide range of styles that were very popular with girls and gers. "Yo, isn''t this Qi Gong zi!" The shop manager seemed to recognise him and greeted him with a smile on his face. Qi Yue gave him a nod and said, "I''ve brought my husband (Fu Lang) here today to have a look!" The shop manager smiled, looked at He Ling. He thought he was very pretty and beautiful. No wonder he was so loved by Qi Yue. He said, "The two of you really look good together, even my small shop feels a little brighter!" "You''re joking!" He said, "I''ll show him around, the Shop manager is busy, no need to greet him." "Okay, make yourselves at home!" The shop maanager raised his hand and beckoned a fellow assistant to follow, and left with an arch of his hand. Qi Yue turned his head to He Ling and said, "The clothes and perfume I bought earlier for you belonged to this shop!" He Ling suddenly said with a smile: "I thought that this shop was also opened by xiang gong!" After listening, Qi Yue looked thoughtful as if he was considering it seriously, "If husband (Fu Lang) likes it, then I will buy this place, what do you think?" "You better not! " He Ling was anxious, What does he need this shop for? Seeing his panic, Qi Yue smiled and wanted to tease him again, but then he saw a shirt hanging, light blue in colour, with a few clusters of pear blossoms embroidered on the hem, very elegant and beautiful! He dragged He Ling over to it and touched it with his hand, the texture was smooth and very nice. He said to the fellow following him, "Does this suit fit my husband''s size?" The fellow looked at He Ling and bowed, "Yes, I''ll go and get it for you!" Seeing that it was for himself, He Ling took Qi Yue''s hand, "xiang gong, I have many clothes, there is no need to buy more!" "This dress surely fit you, I want to see you wear it!" Qi Yue didn''t say much else, his eyes looked at him with a smile. He Ling''s mouth opened again and again, but he could not say no. While he was hesitating, the man had already come over with the clothes, so he could not let anyone take it back, so he had to take it and change. Qi Yue suddenly thought of something and said to the servant next to him, "I''ll go up to the first floor to have a look, and when my husband comes out, please let him know." The man bowed in response, and Qi Yue turned and went upstairs, looking for a suitable hairpin to match the dress. No sooner had Qi Yue gone upstairs than a fellow greeted him, and with a nod he said, "Where are the jade hairpins?" The man listened and led him to a cabinet, "All the jade hairpins in the shop are here, you could see if there is anything you like?" Qi Yue hung his head and scanned through the hairpins of various shapes and sizes before finally stopping at a white jade hairpin.The hairpin was warm and delicate, and coincidentally, the head of the hairpin was also carved with pear blossoms, which matched the dress. Qi Yue reached out to picked up the hairpin and examined it carefully, Although it was not the finest jade, in this small town, it was not bad at all. He handed the hairpin to the man: "Wrap it up!" The man took the hairpin and left, Qi Yue looked around casually, so that if he saw something suitable, he could buy it for his husband as well. "My lord!" Qi Yue turned around and saw a girl standing behind him, like a young lady from a rich family, with a maid at her side, whom he did not seem to recognise, "You are ......" "These Gong zi has forgotten?" Seeing that he didn''t remember, the girl was a little lost and busily said, "You and I once met once, I accidentally fell down in front of you!" Speaking of falling, Qi Yue did have some recollection that he had indeed bumped into that girl when he came to town to buy cattle and was on his way back. Seeing that he seemed to recall, the girl relaxed and looked at his face, she couldn''t help but be shy again, "I didn''t expect to see you again after a hasty farewell last time, it was really fate!" Qi Yue did not say anything, to him, it was not fate. "That''s right!" The girl suddenly remembered what she had not been able to ask last time, "My name is Zheng Yue yan, I wonder if you can tell me your name?" "Qi Gong zi (Mr.Qi/Young Master Qi) your hairpin is already wrapped!" Before Qi Yue could say no, the shop assistant came over with a wooden box. "So your surname is Qi!" Zheng Yue yan was very excited. Qi Yue sighed and didn''t bother to deal with the situation, saying, "I''ve finished picking out my things, so I''ll leave first!" "Wait a minute, Mr. Qi!" Zheng Yue yan saw him leave so she panicked, chased after him with her skirt. ************ "Young master, it''s almost noon, shall we go and find the lady?" The slave following him looked up at the sky and came forward to remind him. Zheng Yue feng closed his fan with a swish and said, "She must be at the shop she always goes to!" They are not far from the shop, it was only a short walk, because of his sister, he had quite often come to this shop! "Young master Zheng, are you here to see your sister?" As soon as he entered, the shop manager rushed to welcome him, the Zheng family was a big family in the town, nearly half of the shops in the town were owned by them, they couldn''t afford to be offended! "Yes, she loves your clothes and jewellery, she comes here all the time!" We have a whole room full of these things, yet its still being brought home all day long. "Young lady likes it, it''s an honour for the shop!" The shop manager was busy arching his hand since Miss Zheng had spent a lot of money here and the big customer of their shop. Zheng Yue Feng was about to say something when his eyes caught sight of something, his expression became very stunning,he reached out by pushing the shop manager to the other side and walked over. The shopkeeper was suddenly pushed away from him, when he saw where he was going, his heart jumped, "Oh no, something''s going to happen! He Ling finished changing his clothes so he came out, but he didn''t see Qi Yue''s figure. He was puzzled, but the assistant who had been waiting at the side greeted him with a bow, "Qi gong zi has gone up to the first floor, please wait for a moment!" He Ling nodded his head to show that he understood, then raised his hand to straighten his sleeves. "This little ger really looks like an immortal who has descended to earth in these clothes, he looks great!" He looked up, saw a young gentleman dressed in white standing there, holding a folding fan while smiling with his eyebrows, all in the manner of a gentleman. When a strange man spoke to him, in a place where he did not know well, He Ling was at a loss as to how to react, so he took a small step back, dropping his eyes to avoid his gaze. "Young master Zheng, your sister is upstairs, I''ll show you the way!" The shop manager went up to him, trying to get him away from here.Even though Qi Yue was a countryman, he didn''t look easy, let alone the Zheng family, if these two clashed later, they would smash his shop! "No hurry, no hurry!" Zheng Yue feng waved his hand at him perfunctorily and took a step closer to He Ling, "My name is Zheng Yue feng, may I ask you, your name?" His intention was already very obvious, so naturally He Ling would not answer him so he just kept his head down without saying a word. "Name, I see no need to know!" Just as Zheng Yue Feng was about to ask the beauty a few more questions, a voice (without much emotion) came from behind him and when several people looked over, Qi Yue was standing at the entrance of the stairs with a cold expression. "Xiang gong!" He Ling''s heart was overjoyed then he hurriedly trotted over. Qi Yue took him into his arms, patting his back soothingly, and smiling, "Don''t be afraid! I''m here." Zheng Yue yan, who had chased him down from above, when hearing the calling sound of "Xiang gong!" was struck by lightning. As the same time, she saw Qi Yue holding someone in his arms. That man had already married? Zheng Yue Feng was heartbroken as well, he watched the beauty he had just fallen in love with, fall into the arms of another man! Qi Yue raised his eyes and saw that the man''s eyes were still glued to his husband''s body, and he was very unhappy. It was only a matter of taking a hairpin, and yet someone dared to think of his man. "Does he still look good?" "Naturally, look good!" Zheng Yue feng answered subconsciously. After he reacted, he met a pair of very deep eyes, his heart was suddenly scared. Although Qi Yue was smiling, there was no smile in his eyes, and his gaze was coolly fixed on him. He didn''t need to say anything else, but it gave him the chills and made him feel like he had fallen into an ice cave! Zheng Yue feng could not help but spread his fan to shield his face, blocking that line of sight. "You, Qi gong zi are married?" Zheng Yue yan came down from the ppstairs, trembled as she asked. Qi Yue held He Ling in his arms, turned around, holding his hand with his other hand, and said, "Naturally!" "Your husband, he ......" Zheng Yue yan was not convinced, wanting to say that she was better than him, but when she saw He Ling''s face, her expression froze and she muttered. "He''s really, seriously good looking ......" It was the first time that He Ling had been told by a girl that he looked good, so he blushed quietly. "When you blush, you look even better!" Zheng Yue yan was in a complicated mood, biting her handkerchief, how could she make provocations with such a face? In her life, she had never had a problem with good-looking people! Qi Yue raised an eyebrow, should he consider covering his husband''s face when he went out in the future? "Misunderstanding, it seems, is all misunderstanding!" The shop manager took the opportunity to make a roundabout statement, the way things were going was a bit unexpected, but it was good for their shop! "Hahahaha ...... misunderstanding misunderstanding!" Zheng Yue feng laughed dryly, by the shopkeeper down the steps, he said, "I am Zheng Yue feng, that is my sister Zheng Yue yan, I didn''t know you two were already ...... Please be magnanimous enough to forgive or tolerate*!" [ [hi hn], a Chinese word , pinyin hi hn, is often used as a word of forgiveness . Respectful speech, said to be generous and tolerant; speech for forgiveness] Since the others had already lowered their stance, Qi Yue naturally would not hold on to them any longer. He said, "I am Qi Yue, this is my husband, He Ling!" Looking at Qi Yue''s posture, Zheng Yue feng could not help but sigh in admiration, such poise and grace, only then could he be called a gentleman, a dragon and a phoenix among men! When he smiled, he could make people feel like a spring breeze, but if he took away a part of his smile, it would make people shudder*().He is really no match, no match! [ :shiver all over though not cold / tremble with fear / Trembling / Shaking without being cold / Describes very fearful] "What? Are you ashamed*( ) of yourself?" Zheng Yue yan walked up to him and saw his admiration, she couldn''t help but feel smug, she always had a good eye! [ :ashamed of being inferior / to feel inferior to others] Zheng Yue feng glanced at her and said, "We are the same!(˴˱˴) " [˴˱˴ : no better (or worse) than each other ] Zheng Yue yan was speechless, but she quietly shifted her gaze to He Ling''s face. "If it were me, I would like such a beauty too!" "He is a ger moreover he''s someone else''s!" Zheng Yue Feng looked at her speechlessly, "You''re out of luck!" "You''re no good either!" Zheng Yue yan gave him a fierce glare. The maid and the slave who were following them looked at each other and sighed. Their young lady and young master were good at everything, but sometimes, they always ...... acted differently than normal people! While the two siblings were exchanging words, Qi Yue also put the newly picked white jade hairpin in He Ling''s hair, and as he expected, it matched perfectly, "My Ah Ling, it''s so pretty!" He Ling lifted his hand and touched it, wanting to ask if the hairpin very expensive or not, but when he met Qi Yue''s eyes, he changed his mind, "If you think it looks good, then I like it!" Qi Yue''s heart softened as he lifted his hand to gently stroked the hair that fell on his chest, gently smoothing it out. "Gentlemen, I wonder if you could give me some face? Can I have a meal with you?" Zheng Yue Feng is a man who loves to make friends, and when he meets someone who is to his liking, he naturally wants to make friends. "Please don''t refused, it''s a token of apology!" Although she was always domineering and could scold people when her temper get the better of her, she was always very forgiving of people she like especially beautiful people. Besides, she had a crush on his husband, so she had to invite him to dinner in order to get to know him. The two of them were sincere, so it would not be good to refuse them, so after some thought, Qi Yue nodded and agreed. ================== The author has something to say: Yes, the Zheng siblings are * ( face con) [Notes on Face Con/ yan gou: Describe a type of person who is very concerned and care about the appearance. They like people with good looks, handsome or pretty, they easily fascinated by beautiful appearance.] CH 29 Chapter 29: Zheng Yue feng took them to a famous restaurant in town, called the ''Banquet Moon'' Restaurant(˜ = Yan Yue Lou).The chef , Qi Yue had hired when he got married was from this restaurant, and for this town, the food was quite good! When they entered, they were personally greeted by the restaurant''s head waiter, who led them to a window seat on the first floor. Zheng Yue Feng asked them about their tastes, and knowing that they had no taboos, he ordered a few of the signature dishes, "This restaurant is owned by the Zheng family, so if you come here to eat in the future, please mention my name and I will not charge you!" Qi Yue smiled faintly and said, "Then thank you for your generosity,Young Master Zheng!" "No need to say thank you!" Looking at him, Zheng Yue Feng felt that he was a very straightforward man, without the hypocrisy of others that often so meaningless! It was the first time that He Ling had eaten in such a big restaurant, so he was a bit overcautious. Qi Yue patted his hand on his lap under the table, as soon as he turned his head,meet with his reassuring gaze, his nervousness went away, so he smiled and said it was fine. Zheng Yue yan held her chin in her hands and looked at the two people across from each other, sighing in her heart, this picture is really pleasing to the eye! Although she regretted that Qi Yue was already married, she would have been happy and willing to, if his husband (Fu Lang) was such a beauty like He Ling! "I''m sorry to ask, but are you two foreigners?" Zheng Yue Feng knew this town very well, if they had lived here often, he would not have failed to recognise them. "I am indeed an outsider, Ah Ling is not." Qi Yue withdrew his gaze and attention from He Ling and said, "We now live in Gu Shui Village." "Gu Shui Village?" They actually lived in the village? Zheng Yue Feng was a little surprised, "That place seems quite remote!" Zheng Yue yan didn''t expect He Ling to be a country ger, he didn''t look like that, not at all, she thought he was a ger from some wealthy family! "It''s true that it''s some distance from the town!" Without the carriage, it would not have been so convenient for them to travel to and from the town. By the time the food was served, they had already talked quite a lot, Qi Yue had a bit of understanding regarding these brother and sister.The little temperament of a rich family is not a big problem, even if it is occasionally a little out of the ordinary, but it is also interesting! The fact that Zheng Yue Feng had offended his husband (Fu Lang) earlier was just a love of beauty, he had no bad intention, and could be dismissed. As for Zheng Yue yan''s thoughts about him ...... Qi Yue also does not know whether to be happy or unhappy, as for now, it seems that this girl''s interest in his husband, seems to be stronger! Qi Yue picked up a crystal clear shrimp dumpling, placed it in He Ling''s bowl, "You were not feeling well at the time of our wedding, so you were unable to eat any of the dishes made by the cook, today is the perfect day to try it." The shrimp dumpling was so delicate that it could be eaten in just one small bite, biting into the outer skin, the fresh fragrance of the filling filled the mouth, He Ling chewed a few times and swallowed, "Delicious!" "It''s good that you like it!" Qi Yue chucked another one to him, while putting some of the other few dishes he thought were quite good in his bowl. The Zheng siblings suddenly felt superfluous and just had to bury their heads in their food, trying not to disturb the other two. The seat He Ling was sitting in, was by the window, so he could see the street below him with a slight side tilt of his head, at the moment he saw two familiar people on the street, "Xiang Gong." "What is it?" Qi Yue, who was lowering his head to serve him food, raised his head to see him pointing his finger out the window so he leaned slightly to look over. "Is it someone you know?" Zheng Yue Feng saw them all looking downstairs so he followed suit, but there were many pedestrians on the street and he didn''t know which one they knew, "If you know them well, why don''t you invite them up for a seat?" Qi Yue''s lips curved up in a cold curve and said, "No need to bother them! " If he said that, then he was not a good friend, so Zheng Yue Feng did not speak again. "Big Aunt saw me!" He Ling at the window, however, locked eyes with Qian, who had inadvertently tilted her head,, and he saw her pulling He Zhen and pointing in his direction, saying something. Seeing that they had started to come this way, Qi Yue pointed at He Zhen and said to Zheng Yue Feng, "Zheng Gongzi (Young Master Zheng), this man has a strange disease, don''t let him infect the guests in the building." Zheng Yue feng glanced in the direction he pointed, he saw that the man''s head and face were masked and indeed strange. Naturally, he knew Qi Yue did not want to see them, he was also happy to help out, so he reached out ,beckoned to the head waiter to show him the man, "This man has a disease, don''t let him in!" The young owner''s words were naturally obeyed by the waiter, who took a look at the people and trotted downstairs. "I wonder if these two people are ......" Looking at the way they were dressed, they looked like people from the countryside. Qi Yue He patted He Ling and told him to continue eating, while saying. "They are my husband''s, relatives" The word "relatives" was said in a very subtle way. Zheng Yuefeng immediately understood. Everyone''s family has a few ''unlikeable'' kind of relatives! As for more, he wouldn''t ask. After all, it was a family matter, and he had a good sense of perspective. After waiting for a long time at the clinic, Qian and He Zhen finally couldn''t wait any longer for Qi Yue to return. It was noon already, they were both hungry, so they had to go out to find a place to eat. Who would have thought, on the street where the vendors were selling foods, when they looked up, they saw the white eyes wolf He Ling sitting on the first floor of a restaurant, eating a meal. They were still hungry, but this unfilial man was eating and drinking*(ĺ) here! [ĺ : literally, eating delicious and drinking spicy , it just another way to say enjoying the meal comfortably] "Zhen''er, He Ling is there! " Qian tugged on He Zhen and pointed him out. When He Zhen looked up, he saw He Ling and Qi Yue, who was sitting beside him, looking at them, pointing in their direction, then he saw a young gentleman sitting opposite them turn his face. The young man was handsome and well-dressed, and looked like the young master of a wealthy family. "Is that gentleman a friend of Qi Yue? He looks very rich!" Qian also saw the young man, thought to herself that it would be good if his ger could marry him, as he looked even richer than Qi Yue! He Zhen didn''t say anything, he looked at them, they turned their head away as if they didn''t see them, the young man was still smiling and talking to He Ling, so He Zhen squeezed his medicine bag tightly in his hand, he hated in his heart, how could He Ling, this little bitch, not having enough of Qi Yue, but He Ling without virtue and ability*(εº) , how could he have met such a gentleman? Qian saw that He Ling dared to pretend not to see her, she was already uncomfortable because she had spent the silver, now she was even more annoyed, "Zhen''er, let''s go up and look for them, we can''t let them keep the good things to themselves!" He Zhen did not object and followed her towards the front door of the restaurant. "I''m sorry gentlemen, the restaurant is full, please come back next time!" Their feet had barely stepped on the doorstep when they were stopped in their tracks by the shopkeeper who trotted out from inside. "We''re looking for someone, the person at the table upstairs by the window is with us all the way!" Qian pointed to the first floor and was about to lift her foot to go inside again. "Hey hey hey, this guest, don''t tease me, that table is our young master, he''s entertaining guests!" The waiter boy stopped her from entering. "The young master?" The young proprietor of such a big restaurant, how rich must he be, she had to go up even more, this was a better golden tortoise son-in-law than Qi Yue, "We know your young master''s guests, that''s my nephew and nephew-in-law!" "I''m really sorry, I can''t let you in!" The shopkeeper stopped them dead in their tracks, not giving an inch, he didn''t want to lose his rice bowl* (he mean he don''t want to lose his job, lol) "Hey, you ......" Qian was just about to give a lecture when he was pulled aside by He Zhen, "Mother, did He Ling say something bad about us to that gentleman?" Qian think he has a point, He Ling must have a grudge against them because of the marriage, thinking that he might make fun of them in front of others, the more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became, so she rushed and shouted to the first floor, "He Ling, come down here! Your aunt and cousin are still hungry, but you are eating well by yourselves!" When she shouted out, everyone around her stopped to watch the commotion. He Zhen didn''t stop her, but when he looking at the eyes of the people around him as if they were watching a comedy show*(ЦԒ), he felt so humiliated that he tugged on Qian''s arm, "Mother, there are so many people here!" [ЦԒ* : to watch with amusement as somebody makes a fool of himself] Qian shook him off, "I want everyone to see what this ungrateful white eyes wolf looks like!" Seeing that more and more people were gathered around, since He Zhen could not stop his mother, he had to shrink his shoulders, make a timid face, his voice was even tinged with tears, "Mother, cousin dislikes us, so we must not, don''t provoke and annoy him anymore! " He Zhen''s face was pitiful compared to the well-dressed people on the first floor, and the crowd was already pointing*(ָָcc) at them. [ָָcc* : to point out / to point the finger of blame] He Ling put down the chopsticks in his hand and lost his appetite for food. Qi Yue reached out and took him in his arms, gazing downstairs with a frosty gaze that was terrifyingly chilling. Zheng Yue yan picked up her cup of tea and suddenly stood up. She went to the window, splashed it down,immediately there was a screaming sound from the downstairs! He Ling looked at her in amazement, he even forgot to be sad. (Tl: Oh my... He Ling''s reaction is too cute So pure) Zheng Yue yan put her hand on the edge of the window and unhurriedly said, "I''m sorry, this auntie, this lady''s body is weak, so I didn''t hold it steady for a while, did I scald you?" Qian, who had been poured a cup of tea water over her head, was furious. She wiped the water off her face with her sleeve, pointed at her and scolded her, "How dare you splash me with water, you stinky little girl*(Ѿ^) !" (Ѿ^ : smelly/skinky brat/girl, but Ѿ^ could also mean a servant girl/maid beside little girl) "What if I splash you? I even dared to hit you, believe it or not!" Zheng Yue yan raised her hand, threw the empty teacup in her hand, shattering it right at Qian''s feet, causing her to scream and retreat a few steps back. "You ...... you ......" Qian shook her hand, unable to speak for a moment. "I''m telling you, old woman, no one in this town has ever dared to point their finger at my nose and call me, this magnificent young lady of Zheng family''s as a stinky girl, you''re the first one. This lady,I''ll remember that! " Zheng Yue yan crossed her arms, looking arrogant and domineering! (Tl: wow she is so cool! Actually at her first appearance in chapter 3, I doubt I will even like the character) Many of those who were watching the commotion turned pale at the sound of her name and hurriedly left with their heads bowed, for they could not afford to meddle in the affairs of the Zheng family! It was only then Qian realized that this girl was sitting with the young proprietor, so she must not be a simple figure.This was confirmed by the reactions of the people around her. Now she was so frightened that she turned pale! He Zhen''s intestines were turning blue now, he should have stopped his mother, but now he had offended someone for nothing! "You''re spoiling my mood for meal time, so get out!" Zheng Yue yan waved his hand disdainfully, like driving an housefly away. He Zhen helped Qian, who had lost her strength, to turn around and leave, before he left he looked back at He Ling upstairs, his eyes full of bitter resentment, the humiliation he had suffered today, he must double it on He Ling. Zheng Yue yan scolded the others and turned around proudly to see He Ling staring at her in disbelief ( Ŀɿڴ: dumbfounded like this ). She blushed, embarrassed! It was the first time He Ling had ever seen such a way of behavior and he simply sighed in awe*! [@^ֹ : tn wi gun zh (idiom) to gasp in amazement / to acclaim as the peak of perfection] "This is the first time that I*(wei xiong=as an elder brother, polite way) think, your bossiness( domineering) is your good point!" Zheng Yue Feng shook his fan, praise in a very special way. "Hmph, to deal with such people, you just have to be tough!" Zheng Yue yan took a large sip of the freshly refilled tea the maid gave her. She just yelling so loudly that her throat was hurting! Zheng Yue Feng arched his hand at the two, "You two should not blame my sister for meddling in other people''s affairs!" "No, we should be grateful for saving us from trouble!" Qi Yue gave him a faint smile and lowered his eyes to look at his right hand, a cold aura flashed in his eyes. ''Count them lucky! '' After they had eaten, Qi Yue planned to take He Ling to buy some things and go back to the village. So he said goodbye to the Zheng siblings. "Brother He Ling (He Ling Ge Ge!), when I have time later, may I come to Gu shui Village to look for you?" Seeing that the others were about to leave, Zheng Yue yan reached out her hand and tugged at He Ling''s sleeve. He Ling was a little surprised by her tugging at him, very few young girls or gers were close to him, they always inexplicably didn''t like him much, for the first time someone wanted to play with him, he subconsciously looked at Qi Yue. Qi Yue saw his enquiring look and nodded. His husband could make more friends and be more open-minded, and although this Zheng girl was ''pampered and sometimes brutal*()'', she was not a bad person, so he could get along with her. [* : ''coquettish'' is different from tsundere in japanese term=== the same description is an arrogant attitude but can become shy under certain conditions====the difference : Coquettish is to describe a girl who is cute but savage, tsundere is more hateful to others, No one inside in his/her eyes, I hope this is right] When he received the affirmation, He Ling smiled at her, "As long as you don''t mind the remoteness of the village, you can come anytime!" Seeing his promise, Zheng Yueyan let go of her hand, "Then it''s a deal!" ====١================= Translator OS : finally He Ling got a girl friend lol.... I forgot to say that actually i also didn''t expect Qi Yue own the clinic.. Ha ha More likeable characters beside Lin Sheng and Wu yulan, this two siblings also interesting CH 30 Chapter 30: After the four of them had separated, Qi Yue and He Ling bought some food and supplies, returned to the carriage at the entrance of the town then when Mu Yan saw them, it hissed as if complaining that they had been gone too long. He Ling groomed his sideburns and said, "Is Mu Yan tired of waiting?" Mu Yan gave a snort, its hooves stamped on the ground as if in response to him. "He likes to get angry!" Qi Yue patted its head then he said to He Ling. "Let''s go!" He Ling stopped stroking Mu Yan''s sideburn, but instead looked at him hesitantly. Qi Yue knew what he was thinking, and he lifted his chin in a direction where their village''s Zhao family''s ox cart was parked, "Since they don''t like us so much, they''ll be more than willing to go back by the Zhao family''s ox cart!" Since there was a way for them to get back, He Ling had no more worries. Qi Yue helped the person into the carriage,then he jumped onto the shaft and drove the cart out of the town. When Qian and He Zhen came over, they saw that the place where Qi Yue had parked the carriage was empty,so she was very angry that she directly stomping her feet (in anger)! "Forget it, Mother, isn''t Uncle Zhao''s wagon here?" He Zhen was prepared for such a situation.Today, because of Qian, he was afraid that Qi Yue''s impression on him had been further diminished. "An ox-carriage is not as comfortable as Qiyue''s horse carriage, moreover you have to pay for it!" Qian was very upset, Qi Yue''s carriage was very comfortable and spacious, whereas the Zhao family''s carriage was crowded with so many people, so bumpy, yet each person had to pay a coin! "There''s nothing we can do about it, We can''t just...do not go back right? !" Although Qian was reluctant, she knew there was no other way out, so she tugged on He Zhen and said, "Zhen''er, if Qi Yue''s side doesn''t work, you might as well, want to ask around about the young master we meet today!" "Mother, we''ve offended him today, what can we expect from him?" It''s not that He Zhen hadn''t thought about it before, the young man looked rich and powerful, if he could marry him, He Ling would be at his mercy* (the raw actually said that he will made He Ling kneaded round and pinched flat) and make Qi Yue regret for not choosing him! The only thing is that the young lady today seems to be that young master''s sister, and mother have made her annoyed! "If I''ve offended, you could just make up for it again!" Qian knew that the young lady of a wealthy family could change her face faster than turning over the pages of the book also loved to be flattered by others, at that time they just need to behave, lie low and be small, then not necessary that they couldn''t resolve over the grievances. "I know He Ling''s nature, when we back later, we just need to warm up to him and being friendly with him, I''m sure he''ll soften his heart, at that time, we could ask around from him!" He Zhen is not so optimistic, He Ling is not as timid and weak as before. he must have bad-mouthed him in front of those two, that''s why the young lady will take the lead (in defending him) , it was not that easy to coax him! Actually deep down in his heart, he still wanted to marry Qi Yue more, after all, he was the first man his heart had ever been moved, and it would also give He Ling the taste of the pain of being abandoned by his lover, "Let''s talk about that later, right now we have to cure my illness first!" "Yes, yes, yes, your looks are the most important thing right now!" Her family''s ger''s look like this now, no one would like to look at him. "After spending so much money, if it doesn''t work, I''ll smash the Shengde Clinic!" He Zhen touched the medicine in his arms, if this medicine was useful, he would have to find a way to get his mother to pay and buy for more! When he reached home, He Ling breathed a long sigh of relief, no matter how prosperous and lively the town was, he still preferred his village home in his heart. After the two of them had put their purchased goods in order, He Ling picked out the desserts he had brought for Lin Sheng''s family and said, "xiang gong, I''m going to go to Big brother Lin Sheng''s house." Qi Yue had just washed his hands and took a cloth towel to wipe them as he returned. "Let''s go together!" He put the cloth towel back on the shelf and carried the snacks out the door with He Ling. When they arrived at Lin Sheng''s house. It was Fang who opened the door, and Xiaohu, who was also playing in the yard, ran up and called out obediently. "You''ve just returned from town?" As she welcomed them in, Fang looked at the snacks they handed over, "Spending money and buying things again!" "It didn''t cost much, I brought some back on the way back from the town." Qi Yue shoved the snack packet into her hand, "It''s for Hu Zi,you can''t replace him for not taking it!" Lin Xiaohu had been looking at the snacks for a long time, and when he heard his words, he tugged at the corner of her coat, "Grandma, Uncle Qi bought it to give it to me!" "Okay, okay, okay! Yours, yours!" Fang nodded at her head and gave him the snack, urging, "Don''t eat too much, you hear?" "Yes, I know!" Xiao Hu nodded and scurried back inside with the snacks in his arms. "Little Ghost Spirit*(С龫)!" Fang scolded with a smile and moved a stool for the two to sit on. [С龫: a clever and mischievous person] He Ling sat down on the stool and said, "Little Tiger is a smart boy!" "Like it?" Fang gave him a look and teased, "If you like it, then you should hurry up and have one with Qi xiao zi!" He Ling instantly made a big red face, Qi Yue hadn''t touched him yet because he had to nurse him. If Fang suddenly brought up the matter of having a child, of course he would be ashamed! Qi Yue saw that his face was so red as if it was dripping blood, so he thoughtfully changed the subject, "Why don''t I see anyone else at home?" Fang''s face changed, sighed and said, "Yulan is picking up the vegetable patch in the backyard, and Lin Sheng is with his father ......" "Yo, Brother Qi and Ling Ge er are here!" Before Fang could finish her sentence, Wu Yulan walked out of the backyard with her sleeves in order. They both greeted each other, she moved a stool and sat down beside them, "What are you guys talking about?"l "I didn''t seen you guys, so I asked about it. By the way, where are Big brother Lin and Uncle He?" Qi Yue asked. Strangely enough, Wu Yulan''s face also became a bit off, she looked at the two of them and said, "You guys have gone to town today, I''m afraid you don''t know that something has happened in the village!" "Something happened?" He Ling didn''t understand, what could have happened in the village? Wu Yulan exchanged a look with Fang, Fang continue her words then said, "This morning, Luo Laizi was found dead at home." He Ling''s face turned pale instantly, after the incident that night, Luo laizi was the last person he wanted to think of, just by thinking of him, he could remember how desperate he was that night. It was his nightmare! But now, Luo laizi had died? Qi Yue embraced the person into his arms, "Don''t be afraid!" Wu Yulan and Fang looked at him with some concern, they knew all the things that the He family had done, they also understood that there was a shadow in his heart, if not for the death of the person, they would not have mentioned it in front of him. The warmth of Qi Yue''s body made He Ling feel better, he was afraid, first, because of that man, second,because of the dead person in the village, "How did he die?" When they saw that he had gotten over it, they relaxed. Wu Yulan sighed a little, "He was found this morning by a child who ran around to play near his house, he fell down in the yard. The chief village reported the case to the authorities, who sent a ''feudal official'' to investigate the case, but they did not find out anything, so finally they came to the conclusion that he had died suddenly and left. The village chief thought that it was no good just leaving the man like that, so he thought to find a place to bury him, or at least build a grave for him, so my husband went with my father to help!" "Alas, we can''t say anything now that he''s dead, so Ling Ge er, don''t think too much about it in the future!" Fang reached out her hand and patted He Ling''s leg. "I''m fine, I just feel a bit sudden!" He Ling was in a complicated mood, he naturally hated Luo laizi, but he didn''t think he deserved to die either! Qi Yue hugged him, his hand gently patting his back, no one noticed that his eyes were lowered, there were no waves in them. "By the way, how did He Zhen''s medical consultation and visit to the town with you today go?" Wu Yulan felt that the subject was too heavy, so she turned to something else. He Ling''s mood had calmed down a bit, so he nudged Qi Yue then asked him to let go of him because it was embarrassing to keep holding him like this, "I don''t know, I went elsewhere with my husband while he was having his consultation." "I don''t think that his weird disease needs to be treated at all, he''s just done too many bad things and got his karma!" Fang was furious when she thought of what he had done, now he''s sick yet he still has the face to ask Qi Yue and He Ling for help! He Ling didn''t want to be involved in He family''s affairs in the future, good or bad, it''s all their destiny, although they raised him, but he also worked for them so many years, it might be a small return but Qi Yue also gave them an extra 20 taels of silver to help him repay the kindness he had received for so many years, "Retribution or not, it''s not really my business anymore.In the future, it won''t have much to do with me!" "It''s good that you think so. If they come again in the future, don''t bother!" Seeing he had this attitude, Wu Yulan was also relieved, if He Ling was soft-hearted every time, that family would definitely become more aggressive! "Don''t worry, I have someone more important now!" He Ling turned his head to look at Qi Yue, who was also looking at him, and the two of them smiled at each other, everything is the best left unsaid*( Mڲ) (Mڲ : speechless) After they had talked for a short while, the Lin family''s fathers came back and didn''t mention anything more about Luo Laizi. Fang forced them to stay and eat dinner at their home, before they returned home in the darkening sky. =================== Translator''s Note : I quite satisfied with the accuracy of my translation although I don''t think the grammar is good enough or it is smooth enough. I suspect Qi Yue done something to He Zhen and Luo Laizi since he is black bellied Gong he he he CH 31 Chapter 31: ָ (Recover) He Zhen sat in his room, looking at the bowl of dark color medicine in his hand, his heart a little nervous, this medicine was his last straw, if it didn''t work, he might have to live with this ghostly look for the rest of his life! He gritted his teeth and poured it all down in one gulp, the bitter taste spreading in his mouth and making him wrinkle his brow tightly. After drinking the medicine and placing the bowl on the table, he took a small breath, not knowing if it was because the medicine was so hot that he felt his whole stomach burn up! He Zhen stood up, tried to take the empty bowl to the stove room, but the violent and more burning sensation in his belly made him lunge on the table, resulted in the bowl of medicine was knocked to the floor and shattered into several pieces! He covered his abdomen tightly with his hands, a thin layer of sweat rising to his forehead as the burning sensation intensified little by little, gradually turning into searing pain, as if someone had put a fire in his stomach, burning his entire intestine to rot! "Uh-huh!" He couldn''t help but let out a small cry of pain and curled his body up tighter. He thought the sensation would go away with time, but it didn''t, the searing pain spread throughout his body, he felt like he was being thrown into a fire, fierce flames burning away his flesh and blood without stopping! "Akh..!!!" He struggled and rolled to the ground, tossing and turning his body to put out the "fire" that was following him around, burning everything in his body. The pain of his ruptured blistered skin on the ground was ignored under the pain, He Zhen let out a miserable scream that startled everyone in the family who had already intended to sleep. "Zhen''er, what''s wrong?" Qian was the first to push open the door to the house, looking at the table and chairs that had been knocked about, along with He Zhen who kept rolling around on the floor, she was horrified! He Tian draped himself in clothes and entered the door, seeing the mess, he was also startled, "What''s wrong?" A few of the juniors were standing in the doorway, it was frightening, by only hearing the screams, which sounded like flesh being cut! "Zhen''er, Zhen''er!" Qian wanted to help him, but his violent movements made her unable to get close, so she could only watch helplessly, "Don''t scare me! what''s wrong with you?" "The room smells like medicine, did he drink some medicine blindly?" He Tian had just come in when he smelt it. "Medicine? Medicine!" As soon as he said medicine, Qian remembered, the old doctor in town today seemed to have said that the medicine would be very painful after drinking it. Seeing that she had a suspicion, He Tian hurriedly asked, "Did you know? Is it the medicine you went to the town to buy today?" Qian looked at He Tian and felt a bit weak. She didn''t dared to tell him about the medicine she had bought today, thinking that she could hide it for one day, but now, how could she hide it? She could only nod and gave a careful account of her visit to the doctor. "Three hundred wen for a set of medicine?!" He Tian''s eyes widened, "You bought those five pairs of medicine for one tael of silver?!" "I ...... thought I could cure Zhen''er so that he could marry a good family!" Qian''s heart naturally felt that it was expensive, but if He Zhen married a rich man, then wouldn''t she get it back! "You ......" He Tian pointed at her, unable to say anything, although the reason is so reasonable, but everything is not so absolute, that''s a lot of silver and spend it so casually! "Ah!!!" He Zhen on the floor shrieked and knocked over a stool, looking particularly ghastly with his skin covered in rotten sores! His own ger had turned into this ghostly state, so He Tian didn''t know what to say, he finally had to fling his sleeves then leave the room. "Father and mother are getting really biased!" Zheng''s mouth was bristling with dissatisfied, she lowered her voice, said to the others, "A tael of silver is spent so casually like that!" "One tael of silver?" Liu looked over, "Didn''t you hear what Mother said? One tael of silver bought five sets of medicine, he''s not done with this illness yet!" The two brothers, He Fu and He Gui, didn''t look too good either, if they had only spent this much, it would have been fine, but He Zhen would have to take medicine every day from now on, when would this end? "Why are you still standing there? Come and help!" Qian, who had been unable to get close to He Zhen, saw that they were all standing there, so she called out to them. They hurried over to him, pulling his hand, pulling his leg, but the painful He Zhen was so frightening strong that he was able to break free several times, he even scratched He Fu''s hands with his nail marks. By the time he was finally pinned down to the bed, all five of them were covered in sweat! "Second daughter-in-law, go and get a rope!" As long as he wasn''t pinned down, He Zhen would still roll around, so Qian gritted her teeth, she decided it was better to tie him up than to let him hurt himself. Zheng went to the courtyard to get the ropes ,it was used to tie He Zhen''s hands and feet firmly to the bedposts, in order to prevent him from biting his own tongue, Qian also stuffed a cloth towel in his mouth. "Mother, this medicine is so frightening to drink, does it work or not? You''re not being tricked,right?!" He Gui asked Qian as he looked at He Zhen, who was struggling even though he was tied up. Qian wasn''t sure either, but she said, "Don''t talk nonsense! we went to the famous medical clinic in town, so if they lie to people, they''ll be ruining their own brand!" Seeing how sure Qian was, He Gui couldn''t question it any further. He wish that the medicine was useless, so they wouldn''t have to spend the more money on it! "Three hundred wen for a set of medicine, that''s really expensive!" He Fu muttered. Their family don''t even spend 300 wen for a month on food and drink, and yet they bought a set of medicine that will be finished only in a few mouthful of drink! "What? You''re going to tell me off too!" Qian glared at him, she was already distressed by the silver she had spent, and it was enough for He Tian to accuse her, but her son dared to talk to her too! "That''s not what I meant!" Seeing that she was angry, He Fu waved his hands repeatedly. "All right, I know what''s on your minds!" Qian didn''t really lose her temper, "You''re just not happy about spending so much money on Zhen''er, but you have to think about it, only when Zhen''er is cured then he will be able to find a good in-law, and we''ll be able to live a good life together!" Liu and Zheng looked at each other quietly, they knew exactly what He Zhen was like, and even Qi Yue, who was right in front of them, he couldn''t take him, let alone someone else who was a hundred thousand miles away! He Fu and He Gui also had their doubts, but now that he was still lying there, they couldn''t ask any more questions, even though he was not in his right mind (unconscious state) , there was no guarantee that he couldn''t hear them. In the end, Qian stayed in his room to look after him, while the others went back to their rooms. Her ger were asleep in the room now, when he woke up and saw that no one was in the room, he would likely to cry. When He Zhen woke up the next day, his body was a little sore, yesterday he had fallen asleep without realising it after the pain had stopped. He slowed down, still somewhat muddled in consciousness,he sat up slowly,after he had fallen asleep, Qian untied the rope that was holding him, he lowered his head, looked at his hands and his eyes widened! He didn''t even bother to put on his shoes, he jumped out of bed to looked at the basin, his skin had no new blisters , the scabs had formed on the rotten wounds, he was recovering! He Zhen was about to weep with joy, even though he had endured an hour of life and death yesterday, as long as he was well, then it was all worth it! When Qian entered his room with a bowl of porridge, she saw him standing near the basin with his bare feet, "Why don''t you put on a shoe?" "Mother!" He Zhen lifted his head and walked up to her with a happy face, "Look at my face!" Qian took a look and also noticed that he was better, he put the bowl down and held his shoulders, "My Zhen''er, your face has recovered a lot, this medicine really works!" "In a few days, I''ll be back as good as new!" He was so happy that he no longer had to endure the itchy pain and the strange looks from people. But the next moment, he stopped smiling, "But Mother, I only have enough medicine for five days!" When he mentioned this, Qian''s good mood was gone. The medicine was good, but it was all in exchange for spending silver like that, for her it was just like cutting into her own flesh. "Mother~~" He Zhen reached out to took her arm, "only after I am cured that I could get close to Qi Yue!" "You have to talk to your father about buying medicine now!" Qian couldn''t make the decision anymore. If she spent any more money on him, her father would have to take care of her! "Father knows?" He was surprised, he hadn''t known anything but the physical pain yesterday. "With all that commotion, not to mention your father, I''m afraid all the folks around heard it!" The sound of his screams would have been heard by half the village! He Zhen pursed his lips, originally he thought the same as Qian, he could hide it for a day, but he really underestimated the power of the medicine, he didn''t expect it to hurt so much! With all the trouble he had caused recently, his father was now upset when he saw him, and it would be difficult to ask him to buy medicine for himself. But no matter what, he couldn''t afford not to take the medicine! No comment(?) CH 32 Chapter 32: (Xu Hua) It was a beautiful day, so He Ling took out all the bedding and prepared it for sunbathing, but Qi Yue had gone to the backyard to work on his herbs after he had lunch, since He Ling didn''t understand about herb, so he didn''t go over and inconvenience him. He had just finished putting up the quilts when he heard a knock on the door and a voice outside, "Brother Ling, it''s me, Zao Ge (Brother zao) !" Hearing Li Zao''s voice, He Ling went over, took off the bolt and opened the door, "Brother Zao, why are you here? Come in quickly!" "I''m not coming in!" Li Zao waved his hand, not going inside, "Yesterday I heard Yulan say that you wanted to raise some chickens, I know someone who has chicks, do you want to come with me to have a look?" "Yes, I want it!" He Ling nodded, the chicken pen in the backyard had been left empty, it was a waste, "I''ll go and tell my xiang gong, Brother Zao wait for me!" "Go on, get a basket by the way, and if it''s okay, pack it straight back in!" Li Zao did not forget to remind him. He answered him then he went to the backyard, greeted Qi Yue, found another small basket to take, and left the door together with Li Zao. "Their house is not far from mine, and they also live at that end of the village, so you should not be familiar with them!" Li Zao said as he walked. He Ling used to spend all his time working for He''s family, apart from picking water and collecting firewood, he rarely went out, and most of those who lived slightly far away, he hadn''t seen much. He Ling nodded his head, no need to mention the village, even the folks around the He family, he could not say he knew them well, at that time he wanted to disappear so no one could see him, naturally he would not talk to them much or even to get acquainted. The two of them walked around the village for quite a long time and met quite a few village people, both acquaintances and non-acquaintances would greet each other, and there were some aunts and married womens who looked at He Ling in a particularly strange way. He Ling knew that this was related to the drama that He Zhen had caused a few days ago, he used to feel sad about these stares, but now he is much more calm, just like Qi Yue said to him, ''A clean hand wants no washing'', why bother about what the irrelevant people think about you, it would be forever impossible to make everyone like you. "Ling Ge er, don''t take it to heart, it''s just a bunch of hearsay!" Li Zao had also heard about He Zhen''s disturbance in front of his house, but he only thought those women were stupid, and even a blind man could see how much Qi Yue cared for He Ling! There were only a few who didn''t understand the situation, who heard some babbling nonsenseand took it seriously! He Ling knew he was worried that he would be sad, so he smiled, "I''m fine, I''ve had so many rumours, it''s not as bad as this one or two!" Seeing that he really didn''t care, Li Zao put his mind at ease, just as he reached the place, he pointed to a dilapidated house not far away, "That''s the place!" The house was only enclosed by a short fence, and the mud-built walls were peeling in many places, so it was obvious that the house had not been repaired for years. "Hua Ge er, are you there?" Although the fence door was open, the two of them did not barge in straight away, and Li Zao shouted to the inside. "I''m here!" A voice heard from inside the house, not long afterwards, a ger came running out from inside. The ger was very lean, a little taller than He Ling, with a heroic look between his eyebrows; at first glance one would have thought he was a little boy, but the rounded ger''s mark on his eyebrows reduced some of that feeling for him. The rough clothes he wore had been washed and whitened somewhat, and there were many signs of sewing and mending, but his person did not have the kind of inferiority complex caused by his poor life, his back was straight, and his whole state of being was very comfortable to look at. "Come on in, the house has been a bit dirty lately, don''t mind it!" The ger smiled and invited them in, he smiled to reveal a small tiger tooth, very pleasing! "We''re all from the same village, where''s the fuss, this is He Ling, Ling ge er!" Li Zao pointed to He Ling and introduced him, then turned to He Ling and said, "His name is Xu Hua!" "Ling ge er, I know you!" Because he had a good skin, there was a lot of talk about him in the village, both good and bad! Recently, because he had married a good husband, there were even more people talking about him. Every time Xu Hua heard it, he just felt that those people were bored with their idleness and liked to make fun of others. He Ling, who was not good at dealing with strangers, did not know what to say, so he smiled at him. He had a pretty good impression of this ger, his eyes were clear and not so much complicated. Xu Hua felt that, apart from the fact that he was good-looking, he could not believe anything the village people said about He Ling, such as "a fox (Hu meizi) who was born to seduce men" and "a malevolent man with no regard for his relatives family". All of those were false. His nature was soft and gentle, and his smile was cleaner than anyone else in the village. "Well, you know each other now, so you can visit one another in the future!" He was happy to make more friends with either of these two people. Xu Hua took them to the chicken pen he had circled on the side of the courtyard, which held two hens and a rooster, and a nest of yellow chicks, especially cute with their fur! "There are eight chickens here, two roosters and six hens, if you think it''s okay, it''s three wen for each!" Xu Hua didn''t say any nonsense,gave him the price directly. He Ling saw that all the chickens were chubby and in good spirits, so he didn''t hesitate much, "OK, I''ll take them all then!" Xu Hua was relieved to see that he wanted it, as basically everyone in the village had chickens at home.If he didn''t buy it, he don''t think anyone else would. He was in a hurry to use the money, and these were not much, but at least they were something. He took the chickens out one by one, put them into the basket that He Ling had brought with him, and the other party counted out twenty-four coins then gave it to him. As soon as Xu Hua received the money in his hand, a sharp coughing sound rang out from inside the house,so he glanced back at them and said sharply, "Sorry, I won''t see you out!" Without waiting for their reply, he ran back into the room in a hurry. Li Zao sighed and dragged He Ling out the door, helping to close the fence gate in the process. "Hua ge er''s house, is there a patient?" He Ling saw the sympathetic look on his face so he was curious for a moment, asked out loud. "That''s his father." Li Zao looked at him, sighed again and said, "Hua ge er''s mother resented the family''s poverty and ran away with someone after giving birth to him.His father had to work and take care of the child by himself. Once, when he was helping someone build a house, he was hit in the chest by a falling stake and vomited blood then he passed out. Since then, he has not been able to get up and walk around. At that time, Hua Ge er was just an eight year old boy!" "Then he ......" He Ling felt like his heart was pulled into a ball as he listened, he knew better than anyone how helpless Xu Hua should have been at that time. When Li Zao saw his expression, he knew he was thinking of himself and reached out to pat his back, " Hua ge er is a strong child like you, only a little old, but he took on the responsibility of taking care of his father. He worked all over the village for other families, doing small jobs when he couldn''t do big ones, and earning food when he couldn''t earn money, so he managed to get by. When he was a little older, he went into the mountains to catch rabbits and pheasants for money.He is..., he looks just like a guy (basically he mean, he didn''t like the usual ger) , and he did all the things that guys do.Now he''s almost seventeen, yet he hasn''t found anyone! " Previously, the two most sympathetic people in the village for Li Zao, one was He Ling and the other was Xu Hua. He always thought sometimes God is too unfair that such a good children like them has to suffer so much! Now, He Ling has made it to the top and has the best husband in the world who loves and cares for him, while Xu Hua still hasn''t met that person. He Ling lowered his eyes, his heart a little sad, he remembered those days when he and his father were dependent on each other, how he was watching his father''s body weaken day by day and it was a very torturous thing. "Originally, Hua Ge er didn''t intend to sell these chicken cubs, he wanted to raise them for more money, but recently Uncle Xu had a bad cough so he wanted to get two more sets of medicine before selling them. I know you want to buy it, so I brought you here. There are other people in the village who have chickens too but I just want to help him. Please don''t blame me, Ling ge er!" Li Zao gently stroked his back, expressing his own selfishness. "How could I blame Zao Ge! if I can help him a little, I''ll be happy too!" He Ling grabbed his hand, "I need it, he happened to have it, there''s nothing to help or not!" Li Zao knew that with He Ling''s nature, he would definitely not mind since he had always been a good and kind person. When he reached a fork in the road, He Ling nudged him and said, "Go back, Brother Zao, I''ll just walk by myself!" "How could it be? I''d better that I take you back!" Li Zao was a bit uneasy about letting him go by himself. "Why couldn''t it be? Now, in the middle of the day, it''s not the night time, you''ll have to send me back and then come back by yourself. I just don''t feel good about it." Li Zao''s house was just around the corner and their house was at the other end of the village, so he was already very sorry that the other party had gone to pick him up today, so how could he ask him to send him back again? Li Zao couldn''t persuade him, so he nodded his head and agreed. Before he left, he also warned, "If you meet those gossipers, don''t pay any attention to them, they''re just a bunch of people who having nothing better to do!" "I know!" He Ling replied with a smile, urging him to go back quickly. After watching Li Zao leave, He Ling himself turned around and walked in the other direction. On the way, he reached out every now and then to touch the fluffy chicken chicks, loving it in his heart; when he raised these little things, the family wouldn''t have to spend money on eggs. Originally, the village people rarely ate their own eggs, let alone bought them, but Qi Yue liked egg , and it were also very nutritious that he was required to eat it at least two a day! One egg costs two wen, so they have to spend eight wen a day, which is two hundred and forty wenl a month. It hurts to think of it so it''s better to have chickens at home! "Cousin!" He Ling was thinking about it when he heard someone call out to him, that voice, he can''t be more familiar with it. =========== Translator''s notes: I quite like this chapter... CH 33 Chapter 33: to borrow money Ǯ "Cousin, you''ve gone to buy chicken broods?" Before He Ling could even think about whether to pay attention to him or not, He Zhen had already greeted him and stopped in front of him. He was not covered with a cloth scarf, and the skin that was exposed did not look like there were any major problems anymore, except for some areas that looked pinker in colour, which were new flesh that had grown after the scabs had fallen off. It seemed that he had found a cure after the visit to the town''s clinic two days ago. "If my cousin wants to buy chickens, why don''t you go to our house? Our chickens have hatched in the past two days, and they are all in good spirits!" He Zhen spoke in a familiar tone, as if they were really cousins who had played together since childhood and were extremely close. He Ling did not say anything, he did not know what to say to him, nor did he want to say more to him. Seeing that he kept silent, He Zhen grabbed the hem of his shirt, his expression timid, "Are you still angry with me, cousin?" When the occasional villager saw them, they deliberately slowed down their steps and didn''t move far away for a long time, obviously paying attention to the situation. He Zhen''s bullying behaviour was just for them to see, He Ling closed his eyes and said, "I''m not angry, He Zhen, if there''s nothing wrong with you, I''ll go back!" "Wait!" He Zhen reached out and took his arm, "If cousin is really not angry with me, why doesn''t you even want to talk to me?" He Ling gently brushed his hand away and moved back a step, "If you have something to say, just say it!" When he broke his hand, He Zhen dropped his head and looked gloomy, "Cousin misunderstood me, I was just cured of my illness and wanted to talk to Cousin about this happy event!" "Congratulations!" He Ling gave him a nod. Seeing his cold expression, as if he didn''t want to talk to him any longer, He Zhen was annoyed in his heart.This He Ling is really becoming more and more arrogant, just because he has someone to back him up! He bit his lip, as if he had a hidden trouble hard to mention*֮, hesitated for a long time before saying, "Cousin, the medicine for my illness costs 300 wen each set, and you know the situation of my family, can you lend me some money? Actually, I didn''t want to bother you, but I really have no other choice!" [֮* : nn yn zh yn : sth too embarrassing to mention / an embarrassing illness/Hidden deep down the reasons or things that are inconvenient to say] He had been begging his father for days, but his father wouldn''t let him do as what he want, and there was only one of medicine left. If he didn''t do something about it, he would have to go back to his ghostly appearance self! It just so happened that he had met He Ling. If he doesn''t give him the money, he''ll have a reputation for being called as cold-blooded again! He Ling knew that He Zhen would not show weakness to him for no reason, "Fifty taels of silver for the betrothal gift have you spent it all so quickly?" He Zhen stiffened, and then sighed, "There are many people in the family, and my elder brother and second brother are also watching. I need to take this medicine every day, it''s a lot of money, but if I don''t take it, my face will rot again, how could I marry someone then? Please help me, cousin, I will definitely pay you back later!" They had fifty taels of silver in their hands yet unwilling to spend it, but they came to him for money! The medicine that he had to drink day in and day out, if he really lent it out, he is afraid there would be no end to it, the character of the He family, He Ling who had been with them for more than ten years was very clear, "He Zhen, I''m sorry, I can''t help you!" "Yo, you married a good family, so you don''t care about your family? You don''t even think about the person you married, from whose hand you snatched it!" Before He Ling could say anything, a voice interjected from the side so He Ling turned his head to see a ger standing there, he looked familiar but he couldn''t name him. "Brother Que, why are you here?" He Zhen did know the other person and opened his mouth to call out. The ger was none other than Liu Que,the fu lang of the youngest son of the Zhao family. He had an argument with Li Zao at Qi Yue and He Ling''s wedding banquet, and smiled at He Zhen, "Just passing by!" After speaking to He Zhen, he shifted his gaze to He Ling, looking at him, dressed in silk and with a white jade hairpin on his head, he couldn''t help but feel envious His husband had never bought him such good things, "He Ling, even if you have become a phoenix, you must not forget your roots. Even though Zhen ge erl has begged you like this, you refuse without even a frown, you''re too hard-hearted!" He Ling was not familiar with him and did not know why he was targeting him, but there were many people in the village who dislike him so he did not find it strange. He Zhen didn''t really know Liu Que well, but he could see that he didn''t seem to like He Ling very much, which was good for him, so he walked over and took his hand, "Brother Que, don''t say it like that! It''s me who did something wrong before!" Liu Que patted him, deliberately raised his voice, "Who hasn''t done something wrong before? why do you have to be so narrow minded and hold on to it and do not let it go? Besides, if he hadn''t done something shameful or underhand way, maybe this Qi Yue would be someone''s else husband, it''s exactly just because he depend only on his good-looking skin! " There were quite a few people passing by who were already paying attention to them, and when he shouted out, most of them stopped and responded to his words.There were those who thought that was the case, and those who thought it was nonsense, but either way, they didn''t say a word. Both the Zhao family and Qi Yue are now wealthy families in the village, and it would not do them any good to offend either one. He Zhen bowed his head, seemingly stunned by the scene, but in fact he was secretly happy, there were too many people in the village who didn''t like He Ling, so what if he had a good life, he was just a ''hu meizi'' in everyone''s heart! He was surrounded by people, looking at him with different eyes, He Ling''s hand trembled a little as he held the basket. He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to look down and run away, he straightened his body and looked directly into the eyes of the other party and said: "It''s exactly because I am good looking that xiang gong like me, so what?" Choke by his words, Liu Que was speechless for a moment, He had already admitted that he depend on his good looking, so what else could he do? He Zhen was also a bit stunned, others might not know well, but he knew how inferior he had been regarding the matter of his face and now he was saying such things! "He Zhen!" He Ling turned his attention back to him, "Even if our family has a lot of money, it''s still something that my xiang gong has worked hard to earn, I won''t lend it to you!" He Zhen''s face distorted that he lowered his head to hide it, and in his heart he simply hated him to death! He Ling looked at those people around him again, turned his head and walked away, these people, he didn''t owe them anything, by merely just backing off would only make them stomp on his nose! He had people he wanted to protect, a family he wanted to protect, he couldn''t always hide behind those who loved him, he had to learn to protect them too! He had just walked out a few steps when he saw Qi Yue standing not far away, looking at him with a face full of smile. He Ling paused in his steps, his eyes dodged, and he asked, somewhat a little bit guilty in his heart, "When did you come?" Qi Yue walked up to him and raised an eyebrow at him. "Just when do you want me to come? Looking at his expression, He Ling knew he must have heard everything, and he instantly turned red, not even daring to look at him, such a shameless words, to be heard in red handed! "Why is Ah Ling blushing?" Qi Yue came up to his ear and whispered, "Ah Ling is right, I (wei fu) am indeed bewildered by my husband (fu lang) ''s beauty!" His nostrils hit the skin on the side of He Ling''s neck, burning so hot that he hurriedly took a step to the side, grabbed the basket in his hands and walked away quickly, "Going, I''m going home!" Qiyue followed him unhurriedly, with a particularly wide smile on his face! His Ah Ling had not returned for a long time, so he did not feel at ease and came out to look for him, but, he did not expect to hear those words, which were really interesting, he put his hands behind his back and spoke leisurely, "Husband''s beauty, it really makes me salivating*(), I cannot help myself!" [ :chu xin y d : to drool with desire (idiom); / to hunger for, ex I was so greedy that my saliva dripped ] In front of him,suddenly He Ling stopped his step and turned around, glaring at him with a red face, "Qi Yue!" It was the first time he had ever been yelled at, quite uncommon, and it was also the first time he had ever seen A Ling so angry, so he put his hands together and bent down and made a deep bow, "A Ling, don''t be angry, it''s husband''s (wei fu) fault! "You, what are you doing?" He Ling hurried over to hold him up, he regretted what he had said , this man is still like this! Qi Yue smoothly took the basket with the chicken in his hand, and with his other hand, he took him by the shoulders, "If Ah Ling is not angry anymore, let''s go home!" Knowing that he was teasing him again, He Ling raised his hand and punched him on the chest, glaring at him again. "Hehe ......" Qi Yue let out a low chuckle, and kissed the person in his arms on the forehead, and took him home! (Tl: (((o(*??*)o)))(? ?~ ?? ??)??*:?.) Unable to get the money from He Ling, He Zhen''s heart was angry and anxious, that bitch was getting harder and harder to deal with now! If he didn''t get the money to buy medicine, his face would be rotten again! He entered the house with a sad and miserable face and saw Qian playing with her three-year-old grandson, while He Tian sat watching with a smile on his face, when he entered the house, no one even aware of it. "Father, mother, I''m back!" Even if he was unhappy in his heart, he still had to speak up and call out. "Zhen''er is back!" Qian raised her head to greet him, and then looked back down at her grandson. "Humph!" He Tian pulled a long face and lectured, "You''re not so young anymore, don''t go out all day, do more chores with your two sisters-in-law, so as to avoid you won''t be unable to find a household*(˼) !" [˼ : house of woman''s/ger''s husband -to-be] He Zhen was already unhappy, and now he was even more feel wronged, "If I don''t continue to drink the medicine, even if I do all the household chores, no one will want me! He Tian stood up slowly, pointed at him and scolded him,"Dare to rebel,are you?! Are you accusing me of something?" "Husband*(ҵ) , calm down, calm down!" Qian hurriedly held him up and patted his chest to smooth out his anger, while saying to He Zhen, "Come over and apologize to your father!" (ҵ : the head of the family) He Zhen bit his lip and went over to him and knelt down in front of him, "Father, I am your own ger ah~~, can you really stand by and watch me turn back into that ghostly appearance? So I can''t even hold my head up in front of He Ling for the rest of my life? I can''t even get married for the rest of my life ma?" Seeing him kneeling in front of him with tears on his face, the anger in He Tian''s heart was mostly gone, "There are so many mouths to feed at home, can I spend all that money on you? What should your brother and the others think in their hearts?" "Father, didn''t you say before that with these fifty taels, you could buy me a good dowry!" He Zhen gritted his teeth, "If you give me twenty taels of silver, I won''t need a dowry when I get married later!" "Twenty taels? It only costs five taels of silver to marry a wife, and you dare to ask for twenty taels of silver for your dowry?" Zheng, who had come out to wash her daughter''s nappies, shrieked when she heard his words. After being glared at by Qian, Zheng coughed dryly and lowered her voice, "I''m not wrong, mother, who would ask for twenty taels to marry a ger? It''s already not bad to have a dowry of two or three taels!" He Zhen hated her for causing trouble, but had no way to argue with her. No one would pay 20 taels of silver for a dowry unless he was a ger of a wealthy family, that''s a lot of money for nothing! He Tian pursed his lips and said nothing, clearly meaning to refuse. "Father, would you consider it a bet?" He Zhen knelt down and tugged on the hem of his shirt, "If I can marry a good family, I will pay you back ten times over!" "How can you find a good family? It''s rare to find one like Qi Yue, but it''s a pity he doesn''t see you!" Zheng was afraid that He Tian would be swayed, so she hurriedly interrupted. "Who says no!" He Zhen glared back at her, "Last time we went into town, we saw Qi Yue having dinner with a young gentleman who was the young proprietor of a big restaurant in town, Mother can vouch for me!" "Yes, yes, Zhen''er is not lying, we did accidentally meet him!" Qian hurriedly agreed with him, "He''s even richer than Qi Yue!" "Father, he knows Qi Yue well, I''m sure I can find a chance to get close!" He Zhen tugged at He Tian again, expecting him to say yes. Seeing that he had actually named someone, Zheng bristled, so what if he had, he didn''t necessarily will turn out well! He Tian pondered for a long time, and He Zhen''s legs were numb from kneeling, before he spoke, "I''ll give you five taels of silver first, what happens later is up to you!" "Thank you, Father!" He Zhen kowtowed to him happily, five taels was good enough, he hadn''t really wanted to ask for twenty taels from him. Seeing that he had really got the money, Zheng''s face did not look good as she took the nappy and went to wash it, last time one tael, this time five taels, if this goes on, all the money in father and mother''s hands will be gouged out by that He Zhen! If he did marry a rich man, it would be fine, but if he didn''t, the money would be wasted! Translator''s update : My target so far is to post one chapter a day So 65days more before it finished? Could I do it? CH 34 Chapter 34: treating/examining the illness When it was time for dinner, Qi Yue brought out a small cup of medicinal food as usual, he placed it in front of He Ling. Since the day he was married, Qi Yue had cooked it for him every day, and he would make it in different ways, the taste was so good that He Ling would not get tired of eating it at all. "Xiang Gong, I''m not feeling unwell now, so later I don''t need to eat this medicinal meal, right?" Although he didn''t know what was added to it, it must be not cheap, so isn''t it too much of a waste to eat it every day? "Although you are not unwell on the surface but inside your body, you need a lot of nourishment.I am the doctor, I know best whether you are well or not, you must be good and obedient!" He was born prematurely, overworked since childhood, and malnourished, his body had many problems, if Qi Yue didn''t take care of them all, how could he eat him without fear! He Ling could only nod and obediently continued to eat. After he had just eaten a couple of bites, he seemed to remember something, put down his spoon and said, "xiang gong, your medical skills, is it very good?" Qi Yue''s hands pause as he clips the vegetables, he looks up at him without moving his head, "What?" "I ......" He Ling opened his mouth, say one word but he paused again, he picked up his spoon, took another bite of the medicinal food before hesitantly saying. "Can I ''request'' you for something?" Seeing him say this, Qi Yue smiled, he put a piece of tofu in his bowl, "Ah Ling could just ask wei fu ( this husband) to do everything for you, why do you need to use the word ''request''!" He Ling smiled shyly and ate the tofu he chucked over to him, "I want xiang gong to help me heal someone!" "Oh?" That person would definitely not be He Zhen, but the other people he knew did not seem to be sick, either. "Who is it?" "It''s the father of the ger who sold me the chicken today!" He hadn''t thought about it before, until just now, although Qi Yue always said that he was not skilled in medicine, but only slightly skilled in medical theory, but He Ling knew that his medical skills were much better than doctor Li, since every time the other man consulted him, he got well very quickly and his body was also more relaxed than before! "A Ling is so taken with someone he just met today?" He knew very well how introverted his fu lang was, he had only bought a few chickens, and he had become friends with him? He Ling shook his head, with a look of nostalgia and sadness, "He has lived with his father since he was a child,they also depend on each other to live*(Ϊ) , the feelings between them must be deep, day after day, watching his father lying in bed gradually weakening, how desperate that feeling is, I know better than anyone." Ϊ: It generally refers to relying on each other, and no one can do without anyone, mutually dependent for life (idiom); to rely upon one another for survival When he heard this, Qi Yue already understood, he reached out to take the hand that rested on the table in his own, comfort him silently. He Ling looked up, exposing his smiling face toward him, but his eyes were red, he smiled with tears in his eyes and slowly said, "Every day, I sit at my father''s bedside, watching his breath grow fainter and fainter, but I can do nothing, whenever this time, I''ll think, if there is such a person who could help me save my father''s life, how good would it be ......" The moment his tears rolled down from his eyes, Qi Yue embraced him into his arms, surrounding him with his own warmth. He Ling was held tightly by him so he felt unusually warm, he buried his face in his chest and curled his lips, "But I also understand that father has been looking forward to the day when he leaves, he misses mother too much, so even if he goes, I am happy for him too!" At this point, he lifted his face and looked into Qi Yue''s eyes that seemed to be laden with lakes, "Nowadays, I understand that feeling even better." Looking at his eyes that staring at him unblinkingly, which look even more seductive from crying, Qi Yue lowered his head and kissed him gently. He Ling''s eyes curled in laughter, he also gave him a kiss on the chin, then said, "But Hua Ge er is different, in his father''s heart, he is the most important person, so I want you to treat him, whether he is cured or not, I am relieved!" "Good!" Qi Yue stroked his hair, "We''ll go tomorrow!" "Hn!" He Ling let his face leaned back against his chest, his heart settling a lot. Qi Yue kissed the top of his hair, his eyes gentle, A Ling wanted to keep him alive, even if he had one foot in the door of ghosts, he would still pull him back to human''s world. Xu father''s health has been deteriorating day by day for the past two years,also his cough has been ceaseless in recent days, and he has lost his shape. Yesterday, Xu Hua sold his chickens and got twenty-four pieces of money, which, together with some he had saved earlier, it was enough to buy his father a few sets of medicines, If his health doesn''t improve, he will have to find some more money in order to buy medicine. "Father, it''s time to drink the medicine!" Xu Hua put the bowl of medicine in his hand on the old wooden table beside the bed, reached out his hand to help his father up, put a pillow behind him to let him lean against the bed, sat himself down on the edge of the bed, and picked up the bowl of medicine again. Xu''s father coughed lightly then looked at his wasted away ger with pain, "Xiao hua, father''s health won''t last much longer, so why waste money on these medicines? Buy yourself something nice to eat!" "Father, don''t talk nonsense, you''ll definitely get better!" Xu Hua held a spoonful of medicine and blew it cold, bringing it to his mouth, "Just take the medicine properly, don''t worry about anything else!" Xu father opened his mouth and drank the medicine, he couldn''t help but sigh, "You''re already seventeen, but because of me, this drag, you still haven''t settled on someone!" Although Xu Hua was pure handsome and he looked a bit like a boy, there was no shortage of families who came to his door to propose marriage, but he had to take his father to get married, who would want to raise another person for nothing, or a medicine jar, in the end, it all ended in disagreement, and over time, no one came to his door anymore! Hearing him say such things again, Xu Hua frowned, "Father, how can you be a drag, if you keep saying that, I''ll get angry!" "Fine, fine, don''t say no ...... cough cough cough ......," Xu father spoke in a rush and started coughing again covering his chest. Xu Hua hurriedly put down the medicine bowl in his hand then stood up to pat his back. "Is Hua Ge er at home?" Xu''s father had just suffered a little, Xu Hua arranged his father''s pillow to make him more comfortable, after that he turned around and went out of the house. "Yes!" The low hedge could not hide the people outside so he could saw He Ling, the ger who had bought his chickens yesterday, beside him stood an attractive and elegant man with a smile on his face, outstanding manner, standing together with the gorgeous He Ling, they were really a perfect match! He was surprised to learn that this was He Ling''s husband, who was the envy of the village, and why had they come to see him? Could there be something wrong with the chickens? "Come in quickly!" Xu Hua stepped forward to pulled open the fence gate, inviting them in, "Ling ge er, is there something wrong with the chickens?" "No, they''re all fine!" "Then this is ......" Xu Hua looked at them in confusion. He Ling opened his mouth, not knowing how to explain to him, they had only met once yesterday, so it was too strange for him to come to the door rashly like this and ask to treat and give a medical consultation for his father, in the end he brought his attention toward Qi Yue. When he received the look from his family''s fu lang, Qi Yue hooked his lips, he nodded once,then said, "This humble one is Qi Yue." Xu Hua stupefied for a second, then hurriedly nodded to him as well, "My name is Xu Hua!" After exchanging names, it was time to get down to business. Qi Yue lifted the medicine box in his hand and said, "I am a doctor. After A Ling returned home yesterday, he has been worried about Hua Xiao Ge er''s sick father, therefore today he asked me to come here to treat (medically)and check for this respected father''s pulse!" Xu Hua was dumbfounded for a moment, these two persons had come specially from the other side of the village to treat his father''s illness? Seeing that he didn''t say anything, He Ling, fearing that he might have some misunderstanding, stumbled over his words and explained, "That, I, I didn''t mean anything else, just, just ......" His voice made Xu Hua come back to his senses, seeing that his face was red and he didn''t know how to explain, his heart warmed a little as he said, "I know, you don''t need to be panick over it!" He knew that He Ling, had no intention of looking down on him, he just wanted to help him sincerely under the circumstances of his own capabilities extend as far as he could*. [ܼ* : l su nng j as far as one''s capabilities extend (idiom); to the best of one''s ability within one''s powers] He Ling was relieved, he just wasn''t good at dealing with people, it was good that he hadn''t misunderstood. Xu Hua took the two men into the house and went over to the bed to explain in a low voice to his father. Qi Yue looked around the house, it was small, the furniture was very shabby, and the windows were closed tightly because of the sick people living there. "Thank you for thinking of me, Ling xiao ge er!" After listening to his ger''s explanation, Father Xu smiled weakly at He Ling and then looked at Qi Yue and said."Sorry for the trouble, Doctor Qi!" Qi Yue bowed slightly and said, "You''re too modest!" Xu Hua brought a stool and placed it next to the bed, Qi Yue sat on it, placed the medicine box in his hand at his feet and reached out to put his hand on Xu''s father''s wrist. The room was unusually quiet, no one said anything, not to mention Xu Hua, even He Ling felt very nervous inside. It was only after a long time that Qi Yue slowly withdrew his hand, his expression had not changed much, making it impossible to see what was going on. "Doctor Qi, how is my father?" When he had finished, Xu Hua hurriedly asked, "The medicine prescribed by Dr. Li had been for his lung problems, but he hadn''t recovered much. Qi Yue smiled faintly and said, "It''s not a serious illness, the doctors in town should be able to diagnose it!" Xu Hua breathed a long sigh of relief, it was good that it wasn''t a major illness, if not because he didn''t have the money, he would have taken his father to the town a long time ago, so it wouldn''t be delayed until today! "Father Xu had been injured by a heavy object, there was blood in his chest that hadn''t gone away so he often felt pain in his chest. His lungs had problems which is why he often coughs, he also has minor illnesses elsewhere in his body.All these together make him feel very uncomfortable!" To put it plainly, there were no major problems, but many minor ones from many years of work. "Is there a cure?" Xu Hua asked. "Naturally there is!" Qi Yue opened the medicine box and took out three porcelain bottles from it, "One bottle to dispel blood stasis, one bottle to clear the lungs, and one bottle to nourish, one capsule a day, no interruptions, when you have finished, remember to seek me out, this medicine needs to be taken for one month!" Xu Hua held the bottle of medicine in his hand, not knowing what to say, he had only seen him yesterday, but he was thinking of him, he had brought his husband here early in the morning to see his father, and he was giving him medicine like this! He Ling looked at that strong and unyielding person,his eyes were red, he understood what he was thinking. He went forward, gently held his hand that holding the medicine bottle and said softly, "You don''t have to think too much, when I see you, I feel like I see myself, my father is no longer here, I hope Uncle Xu can accompany you well, it''s a kind of fulfillment of my dream!" Only after hearing his words did Xu Hua remember that He Ling was once also dependent on his father who was very ill, that''s why he felt the same way about himself, in fact he was luckier than him, his father was still with him. He gazed into He Ling''s eyes and said, "Thank you!" He Ling hooked his lips and smiled, he felt that he had made another friend. ========= Tl : Some parts was really touching and sad CH 35 Chapter 35 : A chance Encounter "Ah Ling, Wei fu is going to be jealous!" Qi Yue spoke coldly from the side, even though the other party was a ger, he didn''t like it when Ah Ling smiled at him like that. He Ling let go of his hand, turned his head to look at him, "What are you talking about?" "Just telling the truth!" Qi Yue justified back to him, "You should pay more attention to your husband!" "You ......" He Ling blushed, "Uncle Xu and Hua'' ge er are still here!" "So what? It''s not like we''ve done anything shameful!" Seeing him blush, Qi Yue''s mood improved a lot. Dumbfounded and speechless, He Ling turned his head away and paid no more attention to him. Xu Hua felt that this couple of wife and husband was really funny. It was easy to get along with them. When he saw the smile on his ger''s face, Father Xu was relieved, but later he sighed, If only he could met a husband who will love him so much, then it would be better! Qi Yue know when to stop, he could not really let his Fu lang be angry with him. He looked at Xu Hua and said, "Open the doors and windows more often to let in some air! It''s not good to be stuffy like this, also don''t let him stay in bed all the time! Go out more often! even sit down at the front of the house is also okay!" "Ay, I''ve remember it all!" Xu Hua immediately nodded his head. Qi Yue looked at the bowl of medicine on the small wooden table, "Although the medicine prescribed by Doctor Li does not cure the root cause, since it doesn''t conflict with the medicine I prescribed, it is also nourishing for the body. If you''ve paid for it, you should finish it." Xu Hua was a little relieved, he was thinking that he probably couldn''t take this medicine anymore, it''s not that he was distressed about the silver, it just that Doctor Li was a good person, the old doctor never asked him for the consultation fee, and every time he went to get medicine, he gave him two more sets.If he used Qi Yue''s medicine and didn''t need his, he would feel sorry for him. Having explained everything that needed to be explained, Qi Yue stood up, brushed his robe and said, "Then we will not bother you anymore, if later Uncle Xu has any discomfort, you could look for me." "I will definitely bear in mind the great kindness that I received from both of you!" Xu Hua bent his knees, he was about to kneel down, but Qi Yue lifted one hand to lightly support his arm, He Ling''s face also changed, "Hua ge erl, What are you doing? Don''t do that!" Xu Hua was stopped from moving, so Xu Hua could only stand up straight , his heart full of gratitude but he didn''t know how to express it! If someone had been able to save his father back then, he would have reacted in the same way. He Ling sighed and said, "I hope Hua Ge er will remember in heart what I said just now, I really want to treat you as my friend sincerely!" Xu Hua was silent for a moment then said in a deep voice, "You are my friend for life!" Qi Yue looked at them and smiled. People like Xu Hua were most affectionate and loyal, once he recognized someone as a friend, he would definitely take him to the heart and value him immensely. A few bottles of medicine that he could prepare with just a lift of his hand could actually give his Fu lang such a friend in exchange.It was a good deal! With the five taels of silver he had received from Qian in his arms, He Zhen went to the Shengde Clinic as soon as he got off from the Zhao family''s bullock cart. The clerk recognised him so when he saw him, he said, " Xiao Ge er, are you here to get the medicine?" "Yes, here''s the silver, take it all!" He Zhen put the money on the counter, hesitated, and then said, "Is it true that this medicine cannot be cheaper?" Hearing his words, the clerk didn''t bother to touch his silver. He smiled politely, "I''m really sorry, what I gave you is already the lowest price, if you think it''s expensive, you can also go to other clinic to take a look!" Why didn''t he go to the other place then, last time he left the restaurant, he already went to several clinics, but none of them could see what was wrong. He had asked them to look at the medicine he had taken to see if he could get something cheaper, but the results were similar. Some of them were even more expensive than the Shengde Clinic! "Then you could prepare it for me!" He couldn''t negotiate the price and do anything about it. If they didn''t want to do the business, it was only a matter of losing the money but if he did not take the medicine, then it will be a torture for him! The clerk took the silver then he sent a fellow to get his medicine. He pointed to the chair at the side of the lobby, "Little Ge er, please wait there!" He turned around, sat down to see the clerk lowered his head and continued to check the accounts. This was the first time he had ever seen a prescription that gave people a burning pain after taking it, and sometimes he wondered if the clinic''s doctor was trying to trick people.But,even the other doctors couldn''t understand the medicine prescribed from here, let alone him. It took some time to prepare the twenty-five sets of medicines. He Zhen brought a basket in order for convenience, put all the medicines in it and covered it up with a cloth towel. The Zhao family''s ox cart would not leave until the group had finished shopping, since it was only midday so he had to find a place that sold cheap food to eat. His mother was so stingy that she gave him only six coins besides the five taels, one coin for the cart and five for the food,yet she still complain about it for the entire half a day! With this amount of money, he could eat a bowl of noodles in the town, but if adding some meat in, it would have cost him at least eight wen! Not long after leaving the clinicq, He Zhen came across an unexpected surprise.Besides the young master in white attire who is holding a fan and walking this way, a young servant boy following him. Isn''t he the young master that Qi Yue had dinner with last time? He straightened his clothes and hair as soon as possible, put on what he thought was his best smile to greet him,opened his mouth and said, "This young Master, what a coincidence!" Zheng Yue Feng stopped moving his fan, look at him, up and down inexplicably, This ger had a clear face and a quite pretty face, but he didn''t look familiar. He smiled flirtatiously, " This beauty, Do you know me?" He Zhen blushed shyly, "We have met before at the Yan yue Restaurant, but at that time, I was suffering from a strange disease so I did not show my true face. My mother even had a misunderstanding with your sister!" When he said that, Zheng Yue feng finally understood that this person is the relative of He Ling''s,the relatives that unpleasant to the eye, "Oh, I remember! you are He Ling''s cousin, right?" At the words "He Ling''s cousin", He Zhen''s face twisted for a moment, did he have to hang behind that bitch to be remembered!? He calmed down and said with some apology, "My name is He Zhen, last time my mother was reckless. She had offended your sister, please do not blame us!" "Oh..that''s matter? My sister has always been bad-tempered, and she has bullied many people, so as long as they don''t come up to her again, she won''t remember!" Zheng Yue Feng shook his fan, seemingly unconcerned. The tone of his voice was clearly a sarcastic remark about him not having eyes.He didn''t know how many bad things He Ling had said about him to make this gentleman treat him like this! He Zhen reluctantly raised the corner of his mouth, "I wonder what this young master''s name is? If you are a friend of my cousin and Big brother Qi then you are also a friend of mine!" "Big Brother Qi" This kind of calling was a bit subtle, as he should have called Qi Yue as his cousin''s husband*( ø) . Zheng Yue Feng seemed to have seen through something, he suddenly closed his fan and said to the young servant boy beside him, "Do we still have some shops to see?" The boy had been with him for a long time and naturally understood what he meant, "Yes, young master, there are still a few shops left to visit, if we don''t hurry, we''ll miss the lunch!" "Look, I''m busy, I''ll see you later!" Zheng Yue Feng unfolded his fan, smiled at him, and left with the boy. He Zhen, who was left in the same place, gritted his teeth, annoyed in his heart, it was all that bitch He Ling''s fault for making them have a misunderstanding last time! "This little ger, don''t be sad! the Zheng family''s young master is not that easy to climb into!" The peddler on the other side, out of the goodness of his heart, spoke up to console him. When he saw his words, he thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Does this big brother know that gentleman?" "Not many people in this town don''t recognise him!" As the peddler sorted out the things on his stall, he said, "That''s the eldest son of the Zheng family, his name is Zheng Yue Feng, nearly half of the shops in this town are owned by this Zheng family, no one dares to offend him!" He Zhen''s heart was thrilled, this Gong zi was richer than he thought. The restaurant that seemed to them to be a great deal, was only a small part of his property, "Then how old is this Young master Zheng, and has he ever married?" By asking this question, anyone would know what he was up to, then the peddler looked him up and down. He said, "Young master Zheng is almost twenty years old and has not yet married but I would like to advise you, this young master Zheng loves beauty and he is very picky. Otherwise, he would already decide to marry.It''s better for you to give up before it''s too late, or you''ll end up sad!" Is he saying that he is not a beauty? He Zhen was annoyed, he thought he was good-looking since few people in the village had proposed a marriage to him. It just that He Ling had a seducing foxy face that could seduce people, that''s all! He smiled at the street seller, thanked him then he left. By the time he got back by using Zhao family''s ox cart to the village from the town, it was already time for dinner. When He Zhen entered the house, the family had already prepared a meal. Since hadn''t eaten at noon, he was really hungry now, so he went to the kitchen to get the dishes,and sat down near the table. "Little ge er is so lucky to be able to eat a ready-made food when he get back!" Zheng glanced at him, opened her mouth in an ominous manner. The two elders didn''t reprimand him although He Zhen had spent so much silver these days, the other two families must have been upset, so they said a few words that intend to hurt him, so he let her be. He Zhen''s hand paused as he held the dish, but he continued to eat, pretending not to hear them. "That''s right, our Zhen ge er is going to marry a rich family, of course he is lucky, these kind of rough work is given for us to do !" Liu also helped out. He Zhen put down his chopsticks, did not look at them, but smiled while he said to He Tian and Qian, "Father, Mother, guess who I met when I went to town today?" "Who?" Qian asked. "It''s that gongzi (young master) from before!" He Zhen''s tone was cheerfully excited. When the people at the table heard his words, they all stopped their chopsticks to look over, then Qian hurriedly asked, "And then what happened?" "I greeted him and explained what happened before, he said he didn''t take it to heart and ......" Here, He Zhen lowered his head and blushed shyly, "He was very kind to me, and told me his name was Zheng Yue Feng! " "Really?" Qian was clapping her hands in excitement, "Zhen''er, he doesn''t have a bad impression of you!" The expression on He Tian''s face loosened up a bit too, that''s a good sign! "And mother, do you know who he is?" He Zhen was still excited even now at the thought of his identity. Qian was puzzled, "Isn''t he the young owner of that restaurant?" "More than that!" He Zhen moved forward, "That restaurant is only one of their properties, the Zheng family owns nearly half of the shops in the town!" "What?!" Qian''s chopsticks fell out of her hand, but she couldn''t care less. The other people were drew in a breath of cold air, Nearly half of the shop then that''s mean the Zheng family could be sleeping on a pile of money ah! "Zhen''er, this time you must seize the opportunity, besides for his poise and grace, this gentleman is better than Qi Yue in every way!" Qian grabbed He Zhen''s hand with such a force that his hand become red! "I know, Mother!" He Zhen patted her hand. During the rest of the meal, no one said anything more, Qian also kept giving him food to eat more. He Zhen sneered in his heart, so what if he lied? He would make the lie come true! CH 36 Chapter 36 : Guest Zheng Yuefeng used his fan to lift the curtain of the carriage and took a look at the scenery outside, then withdrew his hand and praised, "Let alone the fact that although this Gu shui Village is a bit remote, it has enchanting scenery* which is a good place to go for a walk!" [ɽˮ* shn qng shu xi : lit. verdant hills and limpid water (idiom) / fig. enchanting scenery] Zheng Yue yan look at outside with great interest*, "That''s right ah! I want He Ling ge ge to take me to the mountains to play and pick wild fruits!" [²* ( d² ) : xng zh b b to become exhilarated (idiom); in high spirits / full of zest] "Picking wild fruits?" Zheng Yuefeng snorted, "You don''t even like the piles of good fruit at home, how can you pick wild fruits to eat? Besides,can you even reach the fruit tree!?" "You''re the one who can''t reach the fruit tree!" Zheng Yue yan kicked him in the calf. Seeing him cover his leg in pain, she continued, "The fruit at home is not as good as the fruit you pick yourself!" Zheng Yue Feng rubbed his leg, thinking that his sister was getting more and more savage (barbar), how could she get married in the future! "Young master, we have arrived at Gu shui Village, where does young master Qi''s family live?" Zheng Yue yan''s personal maid, Chun xiu, lifted the curtain to ask. "Let''s find someone to ask around later, I didn''t ask in detail last time!" He only knew that Qi Yue''s family lived in Gu shui Village. Chunxiu said "Yes" and lowered the curtain, and in a few moments the carriage stopped, probably to ask someone! "This auntie, do you know how to get to Qi Yue''s house?" Seeing a woman passing by, Chun xiu jumped out of the cart and greeted her. The madam was taken aback when she was stopped, but when she looked at her, she was relieved to see that she was a young girl with a pretty face and decent clothes, and said, "Their family lives in the north of the village, the fifth house in front of the head, the one with the green brick house!" Chun Xiu said thanks then she returned to the carriage, "Young Master, Young Miss, i''ve got the detailed address!" "Well, let''s go then!" A male voice floated out from the carriage and answered her. Chun Xiu bent her knees and got back on the carriage. The woman marvelled in her heart, "My goodness! She dressed so well, but she was only a servant. This Qi Yue was really something, he knew friends from rich families!" The carriage moved slowly again, heading to the north of the village. The woman watched the carriage go away before she reluctantly withdrew her eyes. "Auntie!" Just as the woman was about to leave, someone called out to her from afar, and she turned around to see He Zhen of the He family running over to her. He Zhen ran up to her, after taking a couple of breaths,he asked, "Is that carriage going to Qi Yue''s house?" "Yes, how do you know?" The woman looked at him in wonder. Then it was Zheng Gong zi! He was delighted, "Thank you, auntie, I have something to do, so I''ll leave now!" Looking at He Zhen''s haste in coming and going, the woman was simply baffled, she hadn''t been stimulated too much lately and become stupid,right? "What are you embroidering?" When Qi Yue, who had finished dispensing medicine in the medicine room, returned to the hall, he saw his fu lang''s very serious expression and went over to him. He Ling heard his voice and lifted his head, holding up what he was holding, "I''m embroidering this!" Qi Yue looked at it, it was a large grey cloth bag of satin, with a long cloth strap sewn on it, for a person to carry it across the body, and on the front of the bag was a tiger''s head that had not been finished embroidered yet. "What are you embroidering this for?" He Ling put his hand down, picked up his embroidery needle to continue working on it as he replied, "Isn''t Xiao Hu going to school, I want to make a bag for him to carry his books!" He smiled and sat down on the stool next to him, "I almost forgot about that, I''ll send a set of pens and ink from home too!" "Hn!" He Ling agreed, but then thought of something else and sighed. "Shang zhuang village isn''t that close, so it''ll be hard to go there every day!" After listening to him, Qi Yue thought for a while and suddenly said, "Why don''t we go to Sun Carpenter''s and order a bullock cart? Anyway, our ox are idle now, Mu Yan won''t allow anyone else beside me to ride, then the ox will be fine, we can lend it to Lin Sheng to drive Xiao Hu too!" "Make a bullock cart?" He Ling stopped embroidering, yes, it was good, but he wasn''t going to spend the money just because he said so, was he? Reading the meaning in his eyes, Qi Yue reached out and pinched his face, "I had plan to make a bullock cart, originally I wanted to wait until the autumn harvest so I could use it to haul grain. Now it''s only a bit earlier!" He Ling nodded, since it was going to be done, it didn''t matter how early or late it was, doing it now would also make it easier for Lin Sheng and the others! "Knock, knock, knock." Before they could discuss it carefully, there was a knock on the door, and Qi Yue gestured for him to sit. He himself got up to open the door. When he opened the door, he was a little surprised to see them. It had only been a few days, and these two siblings were really here! "Qi Gong zi, we are here to disturb you!" Zheng Yue feng arched his hand, not embarrassed at all "Qi Gong zii!" Zheng Yue yan gave him a greeting.* "It''s nothing about being disturb and not to disturb, please come in!" Qi Yue also gave an arch of his hand and sidled out of the way. Zheng Yue feng turned his head to let the maids and servants who were following him to wait in the car. As he was about to lift his steps to enter the door, "Big brother Qi!" A distant shout stopped them in their tracks, and they all turned their heads to see He Zhen trotting over. Qi Yue raised an eyebrow and said in a very flat tone, "He xiao ge er, is there something wrong?" He Zhen stopped walking ,as if he had only just seen Zheng Yue feng and the others. He said slightly shyly, "Gong zi is also here?" Zheng Yue feng smiled, did not say anything. As if he understood something, Qi Yue shifted his gaze to him and curled his lips into a smile, it seemed that this He Zhen, had shifted his target! Zheng Yue yan also turned his head to look at his brother, the meaning in his eyes was: when did your taste become so bad, even this country ger, flirting with you! Zheng Yue Feng stretched his hands innocently, he really didn''t know this ger well! He Zhen was shy for a while before he remembered the business and said, "Is cousin at home?" "Whether he''s home or not, it seems to be none of your business!" He looked like this, just by first glance, Qi Yue know that he wanted to take advantage of his fu lang''s relationship with the two siblings to climb up to Zheng Yue Feng, so he would not let him get what he wanted. "Big brother Qi ......" He Zhen''s eyes were red, "I just want to apologize to my cousin!" "I don''t think is necessary to apologize!" He Ling hadn''t seen anyone back for a long time and he was wondering that''s why he came out to take a look, but he didn''t expect to see He Zhen at the front door again. Qi Yue smiled faintly, what Ah Ling said was exactly what he wanted to say just now, it was really a heart-to-heart''s mutual exchange! "Cousin ......," He Zhen spoke weakly, shrinking his shoulders, looking as if he was frightened. "He Zhen." He Ling lightly wrinkled his brow to look at him, "Always acting like this, aren''t you tired?" He Zhen stalled and secretly gritted his teeth, this bitch was getting harder and harder to handle! He looked a little scared and leaned towards Zheng Yue Feng, "I''m not ......" He Ling sighed, "Then it mean there is nothing right? my family has guests to entertain today, then please take care!" "I ......" He Zhen seemed afraid to retort, he reached out and grabbed Zheng Yue Feng''s sleeve, asking him for help, "Gongzi ......" "Hey hey hey, I say you this ger, why are you so shameless, did my brother agree that you pull him!" Zheng Yue yan brushed his hand away as soon as she could,after listening for almost half a day, she understood that this ger was the one who hid his face in the town last time, and now he seemed to be well. Is he trying to seduce her brother? He looks like he''s being bullied by He Ling Gege, What kind of pity is he playing? He is not even a match for the little tricks of the girls in the town who want to enter the Zheng family''s door! He Zhen''s body went limp,he sat straight down on the ground, sobbing in a small voice. "Yo, this body is so delicate, it''s really a delicate flower!" Zheng Yue yan clasped her hands to her chest, her tone sarcastic. Zheng Yue feng brushed his scratched sleeve as if it had been soiled, not even giving him a look. He Zhen''s nails were grabbing into the dirt, he was in such a mess now thanks to He Ling! "Both of you, please come in home!" Qi Yue, who had been watching the drama for half a day finally spoke up, exactly for what, wasting all his time on this person. The Zheng siblings listened and entered his house, they were here to have fun, not to deal with extremely gross and annoying person. "He Zhen, the ground is cold, it''s better not sit there for too long!" He Ling closed the door with Qi Yue as soon as he finished talking to him. He Zhen stood up, staring fiercely at the closed door, He Ling even dared to mock him ? ! His previous weak and deceitful self was really an act, but inside he was really a vicious vixen! He had hoped that today, he could take the opportunity to enter the door and get in touch more with Zheng Gong zi but not only did he fail to do so, he had even made him dislike him! He stomped his foot angrily, if he couldn''t climb up to him, he wouldn''t be able to pay for his medicine in the future! When he entered the door, Qi Yue held He Ling''s hand, "My Ah Ling has grown up!" He Ling blushed and raised his eyes to look him straight in the eye, "I can''t let my xiang gong worry about me all the time, I have to learn to protect myself, and I have to learn to protect you too!" Qi Yue''s other hand lifted up and touched his cheek. "Ahem, don''t forget about us, you two!" Zheng Yue Feng cleared his throat and made his presence known by giving very unobtrusive meaningful eyes signal. "I''ll go and boil some water for tea!" He Ling blushed and backed away, turning to go to the stoveroom "He Ling Gege, I''ll go too!" Zheng Yue yan carried her skirt and went after him. With his own family''s little fu lang running away, Qi Yue turned his attention to the culprit, "Zheng Gong zi is so charming, he has just arrived and has brought a troublesome peach blossom!" (Tl : Qi Yue''s meaning by a troublesome peach blossom is He Zhen. i just realized in english, do not have a significant word for yi tuo hua te yi tuo) Zheng Yue Feng unfolded his fan and shook it, saying, "Even if I don''t come, this troublesome peach blossom won''t come?" "Oh?" Qi Yue raised one eyebrow, seemingly not understanding the meaning of his words. "The person are saying ''Big Brother Qi'' here and that everytime he opened his mouth!" Zheng Yue Feng looked him up and down, "Qi Gong zi''s charm, I am ashamed of myself*!" [* z ku b r : ashamed of being inferior (idiom) / to feel inferior to others] Qi Yue hooked his lips and smiled, no longer seeking trouble from him, "Sit inside!" He Ling boiled water and brewed a pot of good tea, carrying it to the hall, Zheng Yue yan followed him, carrying two plates of snacks. "Yo, the sun has come out of the west today, my sister usually doesn''t even bend down to pick up her handkerchief when it falls!" Zheng Yue Feng watched her put the pastry down and teased her. Zheng Yue yan gave him a fierce glare, "You''re talking like you''d pick up a fan if you dropped it!" Choked back, Zheng Yue Feng rubbed his nose with embarrassment and picked up his cup to drink his tea, his sister must not be able to be married off! He Ling smiled as he watched them fool around and helped Qi Yue pour the tea on. "Yo, is this embroidered by He Ling Gege? It''s so pretty!" He Ling had left the unfinished cloth bag on the table when he went out, and at this moment Zheng Yue yan saw it.She touched the embroidered part on it, "It''s really good, the shops in town don''t even have this kind of craftmanship!" "I''m just embroidering it casually!" He Ling didn''t think that he was really that good. Zheng Yue yan looked at it and put it down reluctantly, the tiger''s hair was embroidered realistically, it was really beautiful! He Ling saw the look in her eyes and thought to himself, this cloth bag is for Xiao hu, let''s embroider another small item for her later ba! Zheng Yuefeng was a man and did not care much for embroidery, so he only took a glance at it and thought it looked good, but could not tell the difference. "Yue yan, on the way here, were shouting noisily that she want to go to the mountains to pick fruits, can you take us there to have some fun?" "Of course!" Qi Yue nodded, every day when they had time, they would also go up to the mountains, and A Ling would accompany him to pick some herbs. He Ling also said, "There are many wild vegetables ripening in the mountains at this time, they are fresh, let''s pick some and I will cook it for you at noon!" "Yes, yes, I''d like to try He Ling gege''s cooking!" Zheng Yue yan was looking forward to it, she had never eaten wild vegetables before, she was tired of the ones she usually ate! Translator''s Notes: Recently didn''t have time to read another danmei besides the ones that I worked on it. Humph(?>? Blackbellied Qi Yue CH 70.2 Chapter 70: [ Fear] Part 2 After settling his little Fu Lang, Qi Yue sat down at the chair, tapping his fingers on the tabletop, one at a time, without hurrying, as if he was considering how to deal with the person in front of him. He was not in a hurry to speak, but He Zhen was breathless by the silence, so he said, I am already like this now, what more do you want? What? Qi Yue stopped his hand for a while, as if he had heard some joke, even his eyebrows were tinged with laughter, I dont intend to do anything or I should say, I dont need to do anything anymore. What do you mean by that? He Zhen did not believe that after what he had done, the other party would let him off. Is it possible that your body has been feeling unwell a lot lately? Qi Yue did not directly answer his words but instead asked him a question. He Zhen froze, precisely at this moment his head was still pounding with dizziness, making him unable to support himself, How did you know? I dont know if I ever told you that Qi Yue propped up his elbows on his knees and bent down slightly to look at him, I am the owner of the Sheng De Clinic. You He Zhens hand that was propping his body up went limp and he almost fell to the ground. He took a moment to slow down before saying, So, you can cure me from that strange disease? Of course! (Naturally!) Qi Yue straightened up his body, stood up and smiled playfully, That prescription of yours was prescribed by me. Since it is the case He Zhens eyes were red and full of resentment, Then, at that time, why didnt you help me? If only you were willing to help me, I wouldnt have been married off to an old man by my family?! Qi Yue took back the smiling expression on his face. In his eyes, a cold chill flashed through within it, Have you forgotten what you did to my Ah Ling? Who are you to beg me to help you! But isnt he all right? Isnt he fine now? He even conceived with your child! Why is he the only one who has suffered misfortune? Why should both He Ling or Xu Hua be able to have everything? At this point, you still never reflect over yourself. Qi Yue stood up, walked to him and squatted down, I might as well tell you that I am not only good at using medicine, but also very good at using poison. He Zhen was startled and stared blankly at him. He had a not so good speculation in his heart, You. It seems that you have already guessed it! The smile on his face was tinged with mischief, How does it feel for your body to be festering all over? He Zhen quickly covered his chest and gasped violently, his eyes full with the unwillingness to believe. He didnt want to accept that the strange disease that had brought him all the misfortune was the handiwork of this man he had once admired! Qi Yue sat back down on his stool and picked up a cup on the table and played with it, To use a poison in front of me, you simply are too naive. Do you really think that the cup of tea you drank earlier was only yourself that had someone add something to it? What did you say? What did you put in?! There was nothing unwell or physically wrong with He Zhen but he just knew what the other party said must not be a lie! Since you want to harm my child Qi Yues hand loosened, therefore the cup fell to the ground and broke into pieces, Then you will never have a child of your own. Impossible, impossible! He Zhen shouted hysterically, how could he not have a child? If he didnt have a child, then he wouldnt be able to live the rich life he has now for much longer! You dont need to feel too sad since you wont live for a few more years anyway. Qi Yue looked at him as if he were watching a play, Thats also not true, you still have a choice. What else have you done?! He Zhen felt like he was going to collapse. The ways this man brought him under control seemed endless, how many other hidden dangers were there in his body that he didnt know about? He Zhen, do you really think that I am that kind and would give you a prescription to cure your illness? How could he be merciful to the person who had hurt He Ling countless times? The medicine is eating away your body bit by bit. Every time you drink one set, you are one step closer to death. What he had been taking was the deadly ! He Zhen wrapped his arms around himself and curled up on the floor, unable to accept what he had heard. The medicine he had been taking every day, with its burning pain, was not a life-saving remedy! Qi Yue sat there, like an elegant and distinguished young master from the aristocratic family, gazing at the petty and low mole cricket and ants (fig. tiny individuals with no power) as if it was a dust in front of him, You have two choices, continue to take the medicine and maintain your present appearance, or stop taking the medicine so that you can live for more years. What will you choose? How to choose? No matter what the result would be, he didnt want any of them! For the first time, He Zhen began to feel regret, why did he have to provoke this man in the first place? Why did he have to fight with He Ling? If he had been more honest, wouldnt he have married a nice man and lived a happy life now? At least, he wouldnt be dragging his sick body around weeping bitter tears like he is now! (Tl : Sad why the regret coming so late?) This is my last warning to you, from now on, do not appear in front of my Fu Lang, or I have a thousand other ways here to make your life worse than death, and believe me, you do not want to try it. With these words, Qi Yue paid no more attention to the person on the floor, got up and left the hall. Rather than wasting too much time with him, he still had to go and accompany his little Fu Lang. Until he left, He Zhens body did not stop trembling. He realized that he had never seen this person clearly. All that he had once sentimentally attached to was nothing but a false image disguised by the other person! The real him was not some kind of gentle and elegant young master that could make people delighted just like bathing in the spring wind but he was instead a frightening and terrifying evil spirit! The author has something to say : Thats right, the last chapter was about the drama queen He Ling, so my precious baby, if you guys guessed it right, raise your hands for me! 2333333 CH 71 Back To the Countryside Chapter 71: {Morning sickness (during pregnancy) Qi Yue pushed the door open and entered the room, the person lying on the bed immeditely looked back. When he saw him coming, he tried to get up, his loose hair falling all over on his chest, Is he gone? Hn. He answered, sitting down on the bedside and lifting his hand to touch his long hair and put it behind his shoulders, Is your back still sore? Not anymore! He Ling shook his head, leaned over to his shoulder and asked, What did you say to him? I heard him crying and screaming, it was pretty miserable, you didnt do anything to him, did you? What kind of foolish things are you thinking about? Qi Yue laughed and amused by his speculation. He lowered his head and kissed him on the forehead, But did it bother you? Not really, I couldnt sleep in the first place! He had come back to lie down just to rest his mind, not really to sleep at this hour, In the future, he wont come here again, right? I believe he dared not to come again. The way my Fu Lang slapped him is so awesome. He wouldnt have the guts to come to our house again! He had seen it clearly from outside the room. The three slaps were so direct and efficient, he didnt even take a breath! He Ling blushed and hid himself in his arms. His husband had seen all of his ungentle side, I was so furious, he even dared to make people bully Xiaohu! Qi Yue pinched his red cheeks, which were soft and felt good in his hands, Even when he is hitting someone, my A Ling is so gorgeous which cant be compared with anything! He Ling was even more shy after hearing what he had said, raising his eyes in annoyance to glare at him, even the corners of his eyes were tinged with a thin red. Looking into those seductive eyes, Qi Yues heart heated up. He kissed him on the lips and he kissed him gently. Only when he was out of breath did he reluctantly back away, If it wasnt for the little thing in your belly He understood the implication behind those words, so He Ling bit his lip and whispered, Ill use my hands Qi Yue softened his gaze, kissed the corner of his lips again, and took the man into his arms, Ill write the account down, pay it back later. He Ling leaned against his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat, his eyelids closing in unison, surprisingly he began to feel sleepy. A Ling, if someday in the future, you find out that I am different from what you see, will you still stay in my embrace as you are now? Just as his consciousness was fading away, Qi Yues slightly uncertain voice rang out above his head, asking a question that he could not understand. He Lings already somewhat muddle head could not comprehend these profound questions. Subconsciously, he replied in a daze, Xiang Gong is Xiang Gong, how could it be different? Hn, it wont be different. Qi Yue gently patted him on the back of his shoulder, his eyes gaze into beyond the window, not knowing what he was thinking about, Go to sleep then! Only then did He Ling reassured himself and let himself drift off into the land of dream, the hand that was holding him seemed to tighten a little more, as if he wanted to embed him into his body. By the time the hustle and bustle of the autumn harvest had completely passed, He Lings body began to react strongly, throwing up whatever he ate. His entire person had lost a great deal of weight, as if a gust of wind could blow him over. Not to mention Qi Yue, but Xu Hua and the others who came to visit him were all very distressed at the sight of him, but there was really nothing they could do to help. Even when Wu Yulan brought him some of the things she used to eat when she was pregnant and vomiting, it did not help much. When he ate some food, he would still vomit as if his entire intestines were being ripped out. Because of this, Qi Yue cooked for him different kinds of foods in different ways every day, but unfortunately, after all of his efforts, he could not find any foods that could stay in his stomach. His expression was getting unsightly from day to day,as his brow was knotted in a frown. He Ling rubbed his brow every day and told him not to worry that he would be fine after a while. But how could it be possible for him not to worry? He could feel his bones when he held him in his arms right now. No matter how skilled (in medical expertise) he was, there was nothing he could do about his reaction to his pregnancy. It was an unavoidable process and was not something that can be suppressed by drugs. In the end, the unexpected person who solved the problem was Zheng Yuefeng! When he came to visit their house that day, he brought a small basket of honey oranges, saying that he had bought them from a foreign merchant and the fruits were not common here, so he gave it for them to taste. Who knew that He Ling would like it so much that he ate several of them in a row. He even ate half a bowl more than usual at lunchtime that day and didnt throw up. Qi Yue finally got a smile on his face. He simply threw one sheet of hundred taels of silver banknotes to Zheng Yuefeng and said that he would like him to buy the honey oranges back from the merchant as many as the merchant had. Zheng Yuefeng pulled the silver ticket off his face and he was awfully speechless. He was the young master of the Zheng family and he had always been the one who threw the money to others. This was the first time he had ever been thrown a silver ticket by someone else. He had mixed feelings about this. This gers appetite after pregnancy is really unexpected! As he watched He Ling stuff another orange into his mouth, he felt his teeth softened. No matter how delicious this stuff was, one would get tired of eating it too much, right? Ling Geer is quite good already! Ive seen a pregnant ger who poured vinegar directly into his mouth before! Xu Hua thought he was quite good like this, at least he was eating something normal. Zheng Yuefengs mouth felt sour just by thinking about that image, so he hurriedly shook his head to stop. He then set his eyes on the person beside him and said with a cheeky smile, I dont know what youll like to eat in the future, Ill have to prepare more in advance! Xu Huas face reddened as he heard this, and he raised his hand to hit him on the head, What nonsense are you talking about? Zheng Yuefeng covered the back of his head with a grin on his face. People who have been working for years are different, their hands are really strong, it hurts a lot! Seeing that he was in pain, Xu Hua somehow couldnt bear seeing him like this, so he reached out his hand to rub the back of his head for him and said in slow tone, From now on, dont say such shameless words outside! He could feel his hand on the back of his head, stroking it gently, and his movement was gentle. Zheng Yue Feng did not feel any pain. He smiled happily as the corners of his mouth curled up. Qi Yue turned his face away, no longer looking at his silly face. He placed the peeled orange in his Fu Langs hand and said, This is the last one, you cant eat any more afterwards. He Ling stopped chewing and looked at him anxiously, obviously still wanting to eat. No, no more! Qi Yue shook his head very firmly and refused, stroking his head, Eating too much will cause diarrhea, its not good for you and the baby inside. Be good! Hearing that it would have an effect on the baby, He Ling nodded obediently and stuffed the last bite of the orange into his mouth, just letting him take the rest of it away, out of his sight and out of his mind. [۲Ϊ (yn b jin wi jng) : what remains unseen is deemed to be clean / what the eye doesnt see, the heart doesnt grieve over (idiom) Tl: This idiom is good for our greedy eyes and heart] Seeing the way He Ling was trying hard not to let his eyes look at the yellow fruit, Qi Yue was amused and felt that it was funny. He pinched his cheek and took all the oranges away. Its still unknown whether the child is a boy or a ger, or could it be a girl? Xu Hua looked at his not yet pregnant belly and held his chin to guess. A girl or a ger is good, ah! Zheng Yue Fengs eyes lit up after he heard what he said, Surely, he will grow up to be as good looking as Ling Geer! Xu Hua gave him a sidelong glance. So excited, huh? Those who didnt know, would think he was the one that was going to be a father! Meeting his eyes, Zheng Yue Feng smiled fawningly and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, curry a favor and said: Of course, the best looking person in my heart is you, Hua Geer! Xu Hua rolled his eyes and only thought that he was annoyingly stupid, Allright, dont talk nonsense anymore! I dont care about that, but if the child is a little ger or girl like Ling Geer, itll be extremely cute! Zheng Yuefeng agreed, when the time came, a little soft one baby definitely would be liked by everyone! He Ling rubbed his belly, his expression gentle as if he was caressing his precious treasure, However, I think to have a little boy like Xiang Gong is also quite good. If the child is a man like Doctor Qi, he will surely attract many girls and little gers Xu Hua thought about it again and said, I should say that no matter what (the genders is), the threshold will be broken! [Xu Hua is saying that if the child is a man like Qi Yue, surely their houses main front doors threshold will be stepped on by many people and be broken because of so many people coming for him. Yeah, its kind of exaggerated (hyperbole) illustration. ] Pic of threshold: Both of them were good looking so it didnt really matter who the child would look like, it would be a beautiful child that people were fond of. Zheng Yuefengs face fell. He was now being oppressed and bullied by Qi Yue all day long so he didnt want to see a little guy that looked like him, that simply would be a disaster for him! Its still early before the baby is born. Are you guys not thinking too far ahead? Qi Yue came out from the kitchen and put the egg custard in his hand in front of He Ling. When he was finally able to eat something, he wanted him to eat more. Previously he had wanted to vomit at the smell of eggs and could not eat a single bite, but now that he had an appetite, the melt-in-your-mouth egg custard was quite tasty in his mouth. Precisely, its fun to guess at times like this! Zheng Yuefeng saw him happily eating spoonful after spoonful, and in his heart he could not help but sigh once again at the changing tastes of pregnant people. Last morning when he came here, he saw the other party vomit for a long time because of the smell of steamed eggs, but now he was eating happily. Would his Hua Geer be like this too in the future? He couldnt help but imagine in his mind, the other party with his big belly asking him for something to eat and it was surprisingly kind of cute. It would be great, if only their wedding was closer. However, he still had to wait for a long time! The man beside him was holding his chin and his eyes were empty, giggling foolishly at one moment and sighing in despair at another, causing Xu Hua to sigh helplessly. This person was getting more and more stupid than when he first met him! He Ling put the last spoonful of egg custard into his mouth, took the handkerchief from Qi Yues hand, wiped his mouth, and said If Hua Geer gives birth to a boy like Zheng Gongzi in the future, it will be fun! Xu Huas face reddened and he said embarrassedly, Youre really thinking too far ahead. There is not even the first stroke of the eight ()character yet! [ֻûһƲ Trad. ߀]һƲ b z hi mi y pi *lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character *things have not even begun to take shape/ no sign of success yet The sentence ֻûһƲء originally used to describe marriage. In ancient China, a man and a woman whose date of birth and eight characters of a horoscope were matched could get married. The first stroke of character ˡ is aد(pi) . It is a metaphor of no sign of anything happening yet.] They hadnt even gotten married yet, so it was too hasty to discuss what kind of child they would have, and besides, he didnt want to have a kid like the other party, it must be stupid! Qi Yue seemed to have the same thought as him. He raised his eyebrows and said, If the child is like him, its bound to be not too bright in the head, so I think we should just forget about it. How is it that I am not smart? Im the graceful young master of the Zheng family. Im also a rich scholar and I manage a lot of shops under me! Zheng Yuefeng in fact couldnt accept this, not that he wasnt smart but Qi Yue was just too deeply sophisticated which made him look like a fool. At least he was an elegant young master who had attracted a lot of girls and gerss attention! You dont look very smart when youre arguing with people right now! Xu Hua poked his agitated cheeks and thought it was funny in his heart, wondering how the Zheng family had raised him. In business, he was indeed very shrewd. In daily life, his temper was like that of a child, very unrestrained and a bit out of character. However, he was quite nice like this, he didnt have the arrogance of a young master and was easy to get along with. Zheng Yue Feng was becoming listless all of a sudden, his Hua Geer also followed others in bullying him and didnt say anything to help him out. Do not always bully him! He Ling couldnt watch it anymore, he then patted Qi Yues shoulder, At least he brought me the chinese honey oranges today! [۽ or chinese honey orange/ honey-sweet tangerine] Pic here: Thats right, then for the sake of the honey oranges, not bullying him anymore! Qi Yue embraced his shoulders, but his eyes were still full of teasing. Zheng Yue Feng wasnt very happy to hear this, as a big living person, he was not even as good as a few oranges. He could see it clearly now that they were simply bullying him for fun. They had totally learned to be bad! CH 72 Chapter 72: [Acquaintance] At the time when the fellow countrymen were immersed in the joy of the harvest, something that could be said as not a big problem and also could be said as not a small thing had happened in the village. The man was fished out from the river, his entire body was covered in blood. When the villagers first saw him, they thought this person was dead, but to their surprise, he was still alive! His face was covered in bloodstain and his wet hair was stuck to his cheeks. People could not see his appearance clearly and no one dared to touch him randomly. In the end, it was the village chief who came to take a look at him after he received the news. The village chief sent some people to invite Qi Yue here. Until he came over, the village chief hurriedly grabbed Qi Yues wrist and brought him to the man so that Qi Yue could take a look at him. No matter what, it was a human life anyway, and they could not just leave it like that. Qi Yue crouched down and looked at the wounds on his body and frowned, those wounds were all from swords, and this man was obviously a person from Jiang Hu. Perhaps he had accidentally fallen into the river when he was being chased down by people who wanted to kill him and arrived at this place. [ C Jiang hu , the world of martial arts] He lowered his head and pondered, not saying a word for a while. This person, if he saved him, perhaps this would be a problem for him, especially when he hadnt known the situation of the other party and what the ins and outs of the matter of this man. Qi Xiao Zi, is he too badly injured to be treated? Seeing that he had not responded, the village chief asked with some concern. Qi Yue was brought back to his senses by his voice, he shook his head and said, No, its just that there is too much bloodstain on his body, I cant see clearly his wounds condition for a while. As soon as he heard this, the village chief sent his son to the river to wash a cloth towel and give that man a simple wipe, as long as he did not touch the wound then it would be fine. When the mans true face was revealed, the few people gathered around him drew their breath. This person was really handsome. He was no less handsome than Qi Yue, this was the first time they had ever met a man who could compare with him! But in his heart Qi Yue was even more surprised than they were. The man who was conveniently saved by the villagers was someone he knew. Should he sighed one time for the world being small? Actually he didnt really know this man well, but he wasnt a stranger either. He had met him a few times and for a man of his status to be lying here in such a sorry figure so he must have been set up by others ba! After all, he had a lot of enemies. Since they knew each other and had no grudges at all, Qi Yue was happy to be a good guy. It was only the exertion of lifting his hand anyway and by this, he could make the other party owe him a favour, Its not convenient to treat his wounds here. Why dont everybody do me a favour and take him to my house so that he can be carefully treated? [֮ j shu zh lo : lit. the exertion of lifting ones hand (idiom) / fig. a very slight effort] The village chief was relieved that Qi Yue was willing to put such a person of unknown origin in his own home, otherwise he really didnt know what he should do with him. Several people lent a hand (eagerly but somewhat chaotically) to lift him up. No matter how careful they were, they would still touch the wound from time to time. The man was bleeding again and even while unconscious, he was frowning. Even when he saw the injuries, Qi Yue just curled up the corner of his mouth and ignored it. Those wounds were only scary to look at anyway but in fact, it was not much of a problem. At the very least, it wouldnt kill him. When they reached his home, he asked the villagers to carry the man to the side room and put him into the bed. After sending them all out, he took out a bottle of powder medicine from the pharmacy room and sprinkled it evenly on the mans wounds. Xiang Gong? He Ling, who had been woken up by the previous movement, came over to look for him. He was a little surprised to see a stranger lying on the bed, Who is this? Woken up by the noise? Qi Yue tossed the empty bottle onto the table in passing. He went to his side to wrap his arms around him, his hands rubbing his waist as a matter of habit, Do you want to go back and sleep again for a while? He Ling had started to become sleepy in the recent days, sometimes for the entire day he was too dizzy and unable to open his eyes, so now he spent most of his time in bed. Not sleepy anymore. He shook his head to indicate that he was fine and threw a look at the man in bed again and said, Whats wrong with that person? Qi Yue glanced back at the man who still showed no signs of waking up, as he embraced He Ling to go out of the door and at the same time he said, He was saved by the villagers. Since he was wounded, well take him in for a few days. Dont need to bother about him! Dont you need to help him change his clothes first? That persons clothes material was of a good quality, but it was torn and still dripping wet. It must be uncomfortable! Never mind, leave him alone! Qi Yue casually closed the door behind him, blocking out He Lings still somewhat worried eyes and asked : What do you want to eat tonight? How about congee with shredded chicken, is that okay? He Lings attention was quickly distracted by him and leaving the person in the room behind to discuss the dinner with him. The moment Xiao Yu Heng woke up, he saw an unfamiliar roof. He tilted his head and saw a wooden table in the middle of the room, a candle was lit on it and a small flame was flickering. He stared at it, blank for a moment. The memory of the moment he fell into the river was still fresh in his mind. However, he did not have any memories of what had happened after that. He moved his body and propped himself up to sit down. He caught a faint smell of medicine on his nose so someone must have put the medicine on his wounds while he was unconscious. However the person who had saved him obviously was not particularly attentive. He was not even bandaged and just directly left to dry in here. He touched his still faintly aching chest. He sighed slightly, fortunately, that persons gong li was not deep, otherwise he would have lost his life. [ C Gongli : level of martial art ability or skill.] Just as he was about to lift his leg and went out of bed, the wooden door creaked open as someone pushed it open. He looked over with a fierce gaze but saw an extremely beautiful and alluring ger walking in with something in his hand. He was stunned at that moment. He Ling suddenly met his eyes so he was a little startled. He stayed where he was and didnt come any closer. Qi Yue had gone to take a bath. When He Ling brought him some clothes, he conveniently found a set of clothes that Qi Yue hadnt worn before. He Ling thought he would put it in this room so if the man had recovered, he could change the clothes himself. He had no idea that he was already awake. At the time he was hesitant whether it was better for him to go out or not, the man on the bed revealed a smile. His entire face was instantly becoming seductive, it was completely different from his earlier cold and stern appearance, Where did this immortal come from? So good looking! He Ling instantly regretted his action of coming over. He really should have listened to his husband and not paid any attention to this person. Xiao Yu Heng opened his mouth, still wanting to say something, but he rapidly coughed twice instead,it was affected by the wound on his body. It began to hurt again, so he slightly wrinkled his eyebrows. Are you okay? He Ling still stood in the same place and did not move, but when he caught sight of the other party who was seemingly unwell, he could not help but ask him a question. The man who had finally calmed his cough heard his question and took a look at his face again. He raised his eyebrows with a malicious smile, My chest hurts so much. If you are so concerned about me, then come over here and rub it for me, okay? .. He Ling took a deep breath and put the clothes he was holding on the table. He said, The clothes you are wearing must be uncomfortable. This is the clean one. Since youre awake then change into this, ba! How about this beauty help me change it? Xiao Yu Heng skillfully pulled open his own belt as he said this. What answered him was the sound of the door being closed. He put his hand down and restrained the smile on his face. He took a closer look around the house again, the room and the decoration in it was indeed an ordinary peasant family house, so the ger just now had not been sent by someone to lure him in? Xiao Yu Heng dared not to be certain, even though this place was ordinary, the gers appearance and clothes did not look like a country ger. He was very seductive. If he seriously had the intention of him, he might not likely be able to hold back. But whether, indeed there was a conspiracy or not. Now that he was wounded, he could only take one step at a time. With that in mind, he got out of bed. He picked up the clothes on the table and looked at them carefully. The clothes were a very ordinary silk clothing that had not been tampered with. The clothes on his body were half wet, not entirely dry, so uncomfortable to wear so he took them off and changed into silk garments. He had just finished dressing when the door to his room was kicked open with a bang sound. He subconsciously made a defensive posture, but he was startled when he saw the person who came in, Qi Yue? Xiao Yu Heng absolutely never expected to actually see this man in this kind of place. He had disappeared without a trace from Jiang Hu more than half a year ago, no one ever knew where he had gone! [伣 /xio shng n j :to vanish without trace (idiom) / to lie low] It was you who saved me? If the other party had saved him, then he could rest assured, although he didnt know the other party very well either, at the very least they had no grudge against each other. Qi Yue raised his hand with a calm face and tossed an object to him. He was not in guard against him so it hit him directly in the chest, knocking him back two steps. He caught the object subconsciously, it was a white porcelain medicine bottle. This must be the medicine that used to help him heal. Qi Gongzis way of giving people medicine is so special! Xiao Yu Heng laughed and coughed twice before removing the cork out of the bottle and poured the pill into his mouth. He wasnt worried at all that the other party giving him the . If he wanted to kill someone, there was no need to go to such trouble. Ill give you my warning! Qi Yue flinged his sleeves and sat down beside the table, If you act improper toward my Fu Lang again, then Ill crippled you! (tear you up) He had just finished his bath and returned to his room when he was hugged by Ah Ling. He Ling was panting with rage as he said that the man he had rescued was sick in the head, and only upon detailed questioning, then he found out what had happened. This man was a real pain in the ass as usual! Xiao Yu Heng, however, almost choked on the pill, he rubbed his neck and swallowed it with great difficulty as he changed his expression in shock, What did you say? Qi Yue gave him a sidelong glance and said, Dont make me repeat my words! You take a wife? He wondered if he himself was so injured that he couldnt even hear properly, That beauty just now is your Fu Lang? Dont use such a frivolous way to call him! Qi Yue wrinkled his brow and glared at him, his tone was unpleasant, Still want to be beaten? Hahaha Xiao Yu Heng however held his stomach and laughed out loud, he didnt stop until the wounds on his body started to throb, If those admirers of yours hear this news, Im afraid their hearts would be broken into pieces! Qi Yue kicked him at the crook of his leg, but the man dodged it with a nimble movement, It seems that your wound is no longer serious, in that case, you better go tomorrow! That wont do, I still need to recover from my injuries! Xiao Yu Heng roguishly sat down on the other side, Since you have saved me, you must save me to the end, right? He was initially not really going to let him go, so Qi Yue did not argue with him, and only said, Its fine for you to stay, but you must remember, in front of my Fu Lang, you must not say that you know me and you cant mention everything about me. Oh? He doesnt know your identity? Xiao Yu Heng was even more interested, this man was always on the clouds are pale and a light breeze is blowing. He did not care much about anything. But now, he actually had someone he really loved. How could he not be curious? [Ƶ yn dn fng qng : The clouds are pale and a light breeze is blowing. It means that Qi Yue looks like nothing ever matters to him.] You dont need to ask a lot of questions, just remember my words! Naturally, he would not say much to him about what happened between him and Ah Ling. He was just a temporary resident guest and after his injuries were healed, naturally he would have to leave. Okay, fine, fine! I wont say anything! That beauty looks like an ordinary ger who doesnt know anything about Jiang Hus matter. It is indeed not suitable for him to know about those fights and killings. Qi Yue seems to be quite concerned about the other side. Or is he afraid? Afraid that he might find out who he really is and leave him alone then run away from him? Qi Yue stared at the night outside the window, his eyes darkened. His little Fu Lang only needed to know that he was his husband then it would be fine. His other identity was not important and also he did not need to see it. CH 73 Back to the Countryside Chapter 73: (Former/Once) When he saved him, Qi Yue knew he was a troublesome person, but he didnt expect him to be this much trouble! Beauty, I cant use my hands. Would you like to serve me some food? Xiao Yu Heng held his chin with one hand, his pair of charming evil eyes unblinkingly staring at the person sitting across from him. Qi Yue raised his foot and kicked him in the calf. The space under the table was so narrow and he could not hide, he then let out a muffled grunt. The person who kicked Xiao Yu Heng acted as if nothing had happened, peeled an egg for the harassed and troubled person. Qi Yue handed the egg to He Ling and said gently, Be good, eat! Dont pay attention to him. Looking at that person gentle like water, Xiao Yu Heng was getting more and more interested, although he was often beaten by the other side, but the process of annoying him was still very interesting, Beauty, I am a patient, if I dont eat, Ill starve to death He Ling gave a long sigh, knowing that by ignoring him, he was afraid the whole eating meals time would not be good so he put the egg which he had not had the time to bite yet into his bowl, Is this okay? Xiao Yu Heng picked up the egg and took a bite joyfully, The things that beauty has touched are different, particularly delicious! Qi Yue glared at him fiercely. He peeled the new one for his Fu Lang again and said, Snatching food from a person who is pregnant, you really have a face! Ling Geer does not lack food but you know I am a patient here! He said this and winked to He Ling, Am I right,beauty? He Ling bowed his head and ate as he pretended not to see it. He used to think that Zheng Yue Fengs face was thick enough. Now after he met this one person, he finally knew what it meant to be there are mountains beyond mountains and the heavens beyond heavens. 1[ɽɽ, : Literal meaning: There are mountains beyond mountains and heavens beyond heavens. Meaning : Behind an able man there are always other able men. Particularly this part () : there is no limit in the universe knowledge is infinite; no matter how strong you are, there is always someone stronger]It was him being naive previously. The good point was that Xiao Yu Heng still knew how to behave properly. He had gotten his way once and that was all. He wont keep on pestering. He was not that annoying and his behavior was still bearable. After eating, he was driven by Qi Yue to wash the dishes. After Qi Yue coaxed He Ling to take a nap after lunch, he made a pot of tea and sat beside him. His leisurely look made Xiao Yu Heng grit his teeth, At least, I am still the grand Young Master and you actually let me wash the dishes here! Qi Yue ignored his resentment, tasted a mouthful of tea in the cup and smiled: Move more! It will help you to recover from your wounds faster. Xiao Yu Heng did not believe his words, the other party was simply taking this opportunity to bully him. However, when he thought about how this man who had frightened the people of Jiang Hu was doing this kind of work everyday, his heart felt so much in balance. Hereafter do you really plan to stay in this small mountain village? He asked him with a sideways glance as his hands moved, Are you really willing to live this kind of ordinary life for your entire life? Why not? Qi Yues fingertips circled around the teacup and his face was calm, : I have done everything that I need to do. To be together with A Ling for the rest of my life, thats exactly the life I want now. Youre a strange person,leaving the top notch life behind and prefer staying in this kind of small remote village!Xiao Yu Heng could not understand. Is this kind of oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar days 2[ν yu yn jing c ; (lit.) oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar / (fig.) the trivia of everyday life]really better? Wandering around in the chaos of the martial arts world (Jiang Hu), from the beginning its not what I like. However, there was once something that supported me so I have to accomplish it. When its all over, then Ill also be able to set my mind at ease and look for what I want. Qi Yue looked back at the closed door of his room, But I also didnt expect to meet someone who would accompany me for the rest of my life this soon! Xiao Yu Heng put down the bowl in his hand, lifted up the corners of his mouth and smiled teasingly, In the term of choosing a Fu Lang,at this point, you are indeed amazing. If I were to meet with such beauty, I would certainly also be immersed in the tender land!3[ (wn ru xing) : the literal meaning of this term is the gentle countryside Land of warmth and tenderness C a place where a man can find solace in feminine charms/ tender land/ conjugal bed/ lovers nest. The enthralling experience of enjoying female charms in an intimate manner. ] Qi Yue flicked his wrist, the cup of tea splashed all over on the surface of the door. The other party conveniently fell backwards to avoid it. The next moment, he was unexpectedly hit on the shoulder by the cup that came after him. The body with injuries in the end is unfit for anything! Xiao Yu Heng rubbed his extremely painful shoulder, and looked at him askance, Qi Gongzis agility is as nimble as in the past! If you keep your unconstrained mouth and babbling nonsense again, then in the future you wont have to talk anymore! Qi Yue re-poured himself a cup of tea and slightly drifted his eyes past him. Im simply envious that you have a beautiful Fu Lang, thats all! Xiao Yu Hengs expression was clearly unrepentant, frivolous enough to make people want to beat him, If that little beauty knows how cruel you are, do I still have a chance ah? Qi Yue, who was drinking tea with his head down, raised his eyes to look at him. The bottom of his eyes darkened and profound, You can try it! Better forget it then! He put his hand into the water basin and continued to wash the dishes. As if he sighed, he also said : If I die, those young beauties and intimate friends of mine will be sad! I dont care who you are being chased to kill by. Leave as soon as youre healed! Dont cause trouble for me! Qi Yue didnt drink the tea anymore, stood up, reminded him for a moment and went back to his room. Xiao Yu Heng watched him leave, raised the clean bowl from the basin and slightly narrowed his eyes. Thats right, ah! He couldnt stay here for too long either. That group of people who were scheming against him were still alive and active outside! Zheng Yue Feng and Xu Hua stared blankly at the unfamiliar man who opened the door for them. For a moment, they thought they had knocked on the wrong door. They looked around their surroundings for a while and after making sure that they didnt get it wrong, they still had the appearance full of doubts on their face. Are you guys Qi Yues friends? That man, on the contrary, did not regard himself as an outsider at all. Seeing that they were hesitant to speak, he opened his mouth first, as if he was the owner of the house. Exactly! Then you are? Dont tell me, this man is a person that Qi Yue used to know? Zheng Yue Feng had known Qi Yue for quite some time too but he had never seen his old friends come to look for him! Xiao Yu Hengs body was tilted against the door frame. The corners of his mouth were lifted in an unrestrained wicked smile. His finger wrapped around his strand of long hair and slowly circled it, Me ah? I am Ling Geers new little pet lover! His words had not yet fallen, he suddenly felt the sound of wind coming from behind his head. He avoided it by slightly tilting his head and a tangerine flew past his ear. It fell to the ground and smashed into pieces. He then pretended, as if he didnt see it, My surname is Xiao. Zheng Yue Feng and Xu Hua were both confused. They werent able to come here for only a few days yet how come they felt as if they had missed a lot of stories? And where did this divine person suddenly come from? It was not until they sat in the courtyard and listened to He Ling tell them in detail what had happened, only then they finally got their confused thoughts straightened out, to think that this person was picked up from outside! Zheng Yue Feng looked at that man who was persevering against Qi Yues murderous gaze and kept molesting He Ling. He simply admired from the bottom of his heart, this person was worthy of surviving from being chopped down. His guts were extraordinary and couldnt be compared to any other human being. However, admiration was no more than admiration. He felt in his heart that this person was not simple. How could it be possible for the ordinary person to be chased to kill by people? He vaguely felt that he had something similar on him to Qi Yue. He couldnt say what it was but it was very subtle. So Xiao Gongzi and Qi Gongzi also know each other for the first time? Zheng Yue Feng looked at both sides and asked them in a way as if he didnt pay any attention at all. Naturally (Of Course!)! From Xiao Yu Heng, he could not see any mistakes or gaps in his expression. He even looked him straight in the eye, without any dodging, After the first sight, I felt regret for not having met him earlier. Moreover our temperament is very compatible! [ xing jin hn wn : to regret not having met earlier (idiom); It is nice to meet you finally. / It feels like we have known each other all along.] Compatible? He was not even blind! This was the first time Zheng Yue Feng met someone who could talk smoothly even better than himself. Qi Yue clearly wanted to throw him out of the house okay!? Where on earth did he get the confidence to say such things? I mean, in terms of looking at people! As if he could see his unspoken criticism, the other party raised his eyebrows and gave He Ling an ambiguous look. The latter turned his face away and buried his face into the arms of the person next to him. Toward an evildoer like him, it was better not to see him at all! Qi Yue was too lazy to pay attention to him. If you give him a look, it would only make him more aggressive so it was better to leave him alone, He wont stay here long, hell leave when hes healed. Zheng Yue Feng sipped his tea and nodded his head. The implication was that there was no need for them to have too much contact with him? Was he afraid that they would get into trouble? Or was there something that he didnt want them to know? Truly heartless! Every day you want to drive me away! Xiao Yu Heng held his chin and looked at him with a sorrowful look. Inwardly, he sighed in admiration; this young master was somewhat intelligent because he was suspicious of the relationship between him and Qi Yue. Qi Yue raised his eyes to look at him, implying a warning. He indicated to him not to talk too much and behave like a guest who was staying overnight to recover from his illness! Ai ya, I suddenly feel a little tired. Im going to take a nap. You guys take your time! Receiving his look, Xiao Yu Heng stretched his body, slowly stood up and left. Since he was not well received then he better not stay here to be an eyesore. Taking in such a person of unknown origin, arent you afraid of getting into trouble? Zheng Yue Feng saw that the person had left, only then he said this to him, Or are you simply not afraid at all of any of these? Qi Yues hand that patted the back of He Lings shoulder stopped, remaining calm and collected as he took a cup of tea and drank the tea. He said: As a healer, its just a matter of saving a persons life. After he has recovered and left, then just pretend that you and I have never seen this person before. If trouble really comes to you, what will you do? Zheng Yue Feng did not believe in his excuse. He was now basically sure that these two people must be acquainted with each other. He just did not understand why the other side was hiding it? What was it about his past that no one was allowed to know? They were already so close with each other now but he still refused to reveal half of his past. Sometimes he felt it was quite unfair, Qi Yue knew all the details about them, while on the other side, apart from his name and age, they knew almost nothing. Zheng Gongzi, I dont care what youre guessing in your head, for your own good, its best to stop there. Although Qi Yue often called him stupid, his heart knew clearly that as a businessman, he (ZYF) was never short of his clever minds. Zheng Yue Feng pursed his lips and did not say anything anymore but his expression was not very good. He treated the other side as a friend, but did the other side really also treated him as his friend? Even if he and Xiao Yu Heng truly knew each other, so what? Wasnt it normal to have one or two old friends? Xiang Gong, Im hungry! Seeing that the atmosphere between the two was already a bit tense, He Ling hurriedly dragged Qi Yue, Can you make me a bowl of noodles? Xu Hua patted Zheng Yue Fengs leg, under the table, soothing his somewhat indignant emotions. No matter what, in this case, that was the other sides problem, willing or not willing to inform them, still depending on the other partys wishes. Qi Yue did not ignore his little Fu Langs kindness, he got up and went to the kitchen. It was all in the past, what was the point of mentioning it? Zheng Gongzi, I know you dont have bad intentions but can you promise me that you wont ask these things anymore? He Ling looked toward the still somewhat unhappy man and spoke. Zheng Yue Feng lightly frowned after he heard his words and said, its okay that if he didnt want me and Xu Hua know but even if its you, he has never mentioned it. Dont you feel sad? He Ling, however, lowered his eyes and curled his lips. He looked very calm, If he wanted me to know, he would have told me. But if he doesnt want to mention all of those, then I do not want to force him either. I just need to know that he is my Xiang Gong. Zheng Yue Feng sighed after hearing this. The seemingly normal but eccentric temper of Qi Yue, he guessed only He Ling could put up with him, Okay then, I will put away my curiosity and not mention it again. He Ling got one thing right ; no matter what he was like in the past, he was always him. The person they knew was the person he was now and that was enough! When Qi Yue came back again, no one mentioned that little unpleasantness just now. It was as if none of that had happened. They were still the same as always, just getting together as close friends. Xiao Yu Hengs back leaned against the door sheet, tilted his ears listening to the sound of laughter from the courtyard and lifted the corners of his lips. The reason why that person chose to live in seclusion here, he seemed to somehow understand it. Translators Corner: Xiao Yu Heng is hilarious . I like him already, another favorable character. CH 74 Back to the Countryside Chapter 74:ѩ [First Snow] The night in the village was always so quiet, it was also easier for people to hear some small sound. Qi Yue opened his eyes in the dark, with the help of moonlight, he looked at the person sleeping beside him, helped him pull the covers and get out of bed. He opened the door of his room and met the eyes of Xiao Yu Heng in the courtyard. Beside him stood several people dressed in black, almost hidden in the night, their heads and faces covered with black scarves, unable to see clearly their faces. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. The time has come for me to leave. The man in the courtyard stood with his hands behind his back, a rare moment of seriousness. Qi Yues expression was indifferent. He seemed to already expect this, It took them so long to find you. The ability of the people from your place has regressed. The moment he said that, he immediately received a few incoming murderous aura. Several people in black still did not move, but he (QY) could vaguely see their imposing manner where they were waiting to act after having accumulated the energy. Xiao Yu Heng tilted his head and swept them a glance, said in a cold voice, Are you all tired of living? Do not forget who you guys are facing! Several peoples breath was choked, their spurt out murderous intent was restrained. They were angry at being belittled for a moment but they forgot the identity of the person standing in front of them. If the other party wanted to kill them, it was only a matter of taking a breath. Those shown in front of them were the less capable ones and the weaker members of his. Their emotion was so easy to provoke, Qi Yue naturally would not bother with them. However, the ones hiding in the secret place were very calm and their breath was not revealed at all. Such a small and remote village, even if they damage their head, they will not be able to guess that I am here and it is good enough that they can find it. Xiao Yu Heng justified them in the course of time. No matter what, they were also his people and he still had to defend them despite knowing that they were the ones in the wrong. All right! Since the person who picked you up has come, hurry up and get lost ba! For several days, Qi Yue had enough of getting annoyed by him. If he was able to send the person away earlier he could have some peace of mind too. No matter what, in these several days we eat and live together, yet I do not properly say goodbye! Xiao Yu Heng said this as he took a look inside the house, What a pity, the little beauty is sleeping. I also cant bear to disturb him. How about you let me in and take a look ? Before he finished speaking, Qi Yue had already entered the house and closed the room door, giving cold shoulder and leaving all of them in the courtyard. What a bad temper! Xiao Yu Heng shook his head and sighed, arching his hand at the closed door of the house and said, Qi Gongzis kindness, Xiao Mou1[Mou here refer to the way Xiao Yu Heng call himself, its kind of common in Jianghu or Wu Xia setting] remembers it in my heart. Only hoping that we will meet again (in Jianghu) someday in the future. The house was extremely quiet, no one answered, but he knew that the other party must have listened to his words, as the matter of whether he could see him again later in the Jianghu, it would be a matter of the future. After a few sounds of fabric rubbing together, there was no more detectable movement from the courtyard. Qi Yue wrapped his arms around his little Fu Lang and closed his eyes. Jiang Hu had long been far away from him, all he had now was a peaceful life. The next day, when He Ling found that Xiao Yu Heng had left, he sighed helplessly for a while. This person came inexplicably and left quietly. He was really different from the ordinary people. These several days, He Ling seemed to have gotten used to the other partys gags2[The original one used this :ƴڻ / ch k d hn : to include impromptu comic material in opera performance (idiom); to jest / buffoonery], the moment without his somewhat need a spanking voice, he also felt kind of lonely. Even though he was a smooth talker, that man was not a bad person. The weather was becoming colder and colder. Inadvertently, the first snow covered the entire Gu Shui Village with the pure white color, it calmed down the hearts of the people who looked at it. Qi Yue stood under the roof, reaching out his hand to catch a falling snowflake, the ice-cold in his palm did not stay too long until it disappeared without a trace. He sighed in his heart, just as the time was fleeting. When he first arrived here, the overflowing greenery covered the whole land. At that time, he was still a carefree person and unattached. However now he already had someone he loved and they were about to have their own child. Xiang Gong. From inside the house, there was a light voice calling him with some confusion, he withdrew his thoughts and turned back to the house. The person on the bed was rubbing his eyes and sitting up, the quilt slipped off, revealing a bulging belly. He closed the door to isolate from the cold air, took a few steps to the bedside, lifted the quilt and wrapped the person in it, kissed him on his still warm face, Its still early, why dont you sleep a little longer? Ive had enough sleep! He Ling gave a small yawn. As his eyes saw the falling snow swirling in the air, outside the window. He said with surprise, Is it snowing? Seeing his joyful appearance, Qi Yue also followed after him and smiled. He curved his eyebrows, Hn, I guess it started to snow yesterday in the middle of the night. The snow on the ground has accumulated a thick layer. Do you want to see it? The person in his embrace naturally nodded, he wrapped him more tightly and carried him in his arms out of the door. The icy cold breath on his face, He Ling shrunk into the blanket, looking at the white snow constantly falling from the sky, said softly: This is the first time I watched the snow with my Xiang Gong. After hearing that, Qi Yue lowered his head to kiss his forehead. His face reflected full on his eyes, Every snowfall in the future, we will watch it together. He Lings hand hidden in the quilt touched his bulging stomach, tilted his head and kissed his chin, And our child too! Hn, how about making dumplings for lunch at noon? After having let him see the snow, Qi Yue carried him back to the house, not letting him get sick because of the cold. After his little Fu Langs belly was getting bigger and bigger, his appetite was also getting bigger. He wanted to stuff his mouth with food from time to time, except for some taboo foods. He basically ate everything, just the opposite of what he did at the beginning. Because of eating too much, his entire person was flabby and soft to touch. The original pointed chin had also become much rounder and smooth but less of his somewhat beautiful face, more childish. Then we eat the one with the chinese cabbage stuffed in it! As soon as the mention of food, He Lings mouth began to secrete saliva. At first, he would still be embarrassed about the fact that he ate a lot, but over time he didnt care anymore since the more he ate, it was also good for the baby. Putting him to bed, Qi Yue smiled and agreed to his request. He took out thick clothes from the cupboard and helped him put them on one by one, wrapping him up into a ball before he stopped. With his body condition right now, if he was sick, it would be a problem. He Ling tried to move his arms and legs and felt some difficulty. He raised his face to look at him speechlessly, Xiang Gong, the clothes are too thick! Be obedient, the weather is too cold, you could catch a cold! Seeing his dumb look, Qi Yue was in a very happy mood and stroked his head to appease him. After a simple breakfast, Qi Yue began to prepare the stuffings ingredients that would be used for the lunch; fresh chinese cabbage with fresh pork were chopped up and mixed together. Just by thinking of it, it smelled good. He Ling sat on a stool beside him, nibbling on the freshly baked sweet potatoes. The aroma smelled good and the sweet taste warmed his heart. Now, Qi Yue basically did not let him do a little bit of work at all. He couldnt help it so the only thing he could do was to stay by his side while he was doing his work. Is it cold? Qi Yue finished making the stuffing for the dumplings, came over and kissed him on the cheek. He was fed a bite of sweet potato. It tasted sweet and soft like the person in front of him. Not cold! The fire in the kitchen was warm so how could he be cold when he was sweating in his thick clothes? Wait, lets wrap it together, two people can wrap it fast! Seeing him looking at himself impatiently, Qi Yue knew he wanted to help him out. The dumplings also didnt take much effort to wrap anyway, it was just a matter of moving his hands so Qi Yue did not refuse, Hn, when I have made the dough, well wrap it together. Qi Yue then smiled and came to his lips and kissed him, it tasted sweet of roasted sweet potatoes. He pressed down the person and kissed him thoroughly for a while before withdrawing and went to make the dough. Leaving He Ling blushed and gasping for breath. Nowadays, Xiang Gong really doesnt know how to pick a place, moreover here is the kitchen! After Qi Yue finished making the dough, he moved a small wooden table into the kitchen and put all the fillings and stuffing on it, making the table completely full. In fact, he was not very good at making dumplings. He did not eat much of it in the past either. Even though he ate the dumplings once in a while. It was also when he was in the restaurant ordering the types of refined steamed dumplings that looked like an ornament. This was the first time that he had made the dumplings himself. The result was barely passable. He knew it by seeing the uncontrollable smile on his little Fu Langs face. I thought Xiang Gong is good at everything! He Ling saw that the dumplings in his hand had the filing of it leak once again, he finally could not help but say, So there is something you are not good at it too! He handled everything skillfully and easily, even in cooking, he was very good at it. Perfect, not like ordinary people, who knew that he would be defeated by a small dumpling? Qi Yue shook his head, unable to help laughing. He was able to wrap the wonton quite well so he thought this thing was similar. He did not expect it would be this difficult, Nobody is perfect, your Xiang Gong, I am not good at everything either. Its okay, Ill teach you! He Ling put down another white fat dumpling from his hand, moved closer to him, You put a little too much filling, it will definitely leak ah! He held the other partys hand and told him step by step how he should pinch the dumpling beautifully, with his head down in a serious manner that made the person beside him lift the corners of his mouth. The fact proved that smart people no matter what or how they do things, they were always able to do it awfully well. It was only a short while before the dumplings Qi Yue had wrapped were not much different from his, just as fat, white and lovely. No wonder youre good at everything, youre a fast learner! He Ling exclaimed in admiration. The first time when they just knew each other and he taught the other party how to transplant rice seedlings was also the same, but only after a few plants, he had completely mastered it. Qi Yue smiled but did not say anything. He had encountered many difficult problems when he was studying medicine and the poison method attentively but could not solve them, some even took him to spend time and money on it for several years. They were chatting while wrapping so it took a lot of time. Before they knew it, it was noon therefore the small pot of filling was basically used up, leaving only one fat white dumpling which looked very pleasing. He Ling stretched his body and took a look outside the door. The snow had stopped at some point. The sunlight sprinkled down, shining on the spotless white snow glittering its light. Qi Yue found that he was looking outside the window and was lost in thought, so he did not make a sound neither bothering him. With a smile on his face, he got up, went to boil water and put the dumplings into the pot. He Ling , who had returned to his senses, held up his chin. He was looking attentively at the busy figure in front of the stove. Suddenly he remembered at the time when he was in a half-asleep half-awake state, the other side had asked him that question, if he (QY) was different from what he looked like right now, what would he (HL) do about it? At that time, he was so sleepy that he did not think about the hidden meaning of that question. Now, when he pondered over it again today, it seemed that he would still say the same thing as he did at that time. Xiang Gong was the same Xiang Gong, there was nothing different, even if there was a difference, in his eyes he was the same. Qi Yue was carrying the freshly cooked dumplings with both of his hands as he turned around, then he met the eyes that were staring at him. He was stunned for a moment. He did not know what the other party had remembered to reveal such a gentle look that seemed to encompass everything about him. [ bo rng : to pardon / to forgive / to show tolerance / to contain / to hold / inclusive] Xiang Gong, Im hungry! Both of them looked at each other for a while, He Ling suddenly bloomed into a smile and rubbed his stomach. Qi Yue returned to his senses and softened his eyebrows. He returned to his side bringing the plate and put it down in front of him, Then you should eat more! The boiled dumplings that were made after being busy and working on it for half a day, the taste was naturally good. However, the most beautiful thing for them was to be with each other at this moment. Thank you for Britener for sending me the ko fi, really appreciated it CH 75 Back to the Countryside Chapter 75:Ѱ [Looking for a person] Yun Su hugged the small hand warmer, his body was so cold that he curled up into a ball, pouted his mouth and complained resentfully, This place is truly cold, causing me to freeze to death. Im going to get sick! Sitting on the other side of the carriage, Shen Juming who was holding one roll of medical book and reading it seriously, heard what his words, raised his eyes to look at him and said: I have told you not to follow, but you do not listen to my advice, now you know how hard it is? Even if its hard, its better than being bored in the valley! Knowing that he was in the wrong, he muttered in a low voice and asked again, Such a remote place, will Sh Xing (Senior Brother) really be there? Thats what Xiao Yu Heng said! Shen Juming put down the scroll book in his hand, lifted the curtain of the carriage and took a look. In the white blur, the shadow of the town could be vaguely seen, We will soon reach the town, lets rest here first! Hn. Yun Su answered casually. He frowned when he thought of that mans face, That surname Xiao is a smooth talker all day long, can his words be trusted? He doesnt look like hes lying. Shen Juming felt that his words had some credibility, Anyway, we have nothing to lose by coming to see. If we can find Shi Xiong then that is the best, if not, we take it as if we just came here to take a break. Shi Xiong is also really unreasonable, without saying a word and then suddenly disappearing without a trace, he should at least tell us ah! Remembering this, Yun Su was angry again. In the past he was also like this whenever he went out, he just said go and then go as he liked, but this time he had disappeared for too long! Actually Shen Juming understand in his heart that since he left without saying goodbye, that meant he did not want them to look for him. He had finished what he had always wanted to do so he probably wanted to find a place to spend his days in peace ba! But although he understood this ; now they have his whereabouts, they still wanted to come and look for him. It was impossible for them to really forget about him and pretend that they have never known him. The sound outside the carriage began to become noisy, Yun Su looked outside the window for a while, and then he retracted his head back with lack of interest, Really boring! Shen Juming shook his head helplessly. He (YS) really thought they were out to play, huh? Are you hungry? Then lets find a place to eat first! Seeing the other side nodded, he lifted the carriage curtain and asked the carriage driver to find a good restaurant. The journey was tiring and they didnt rest much so when they arrived at the right place, they would like to eat something good. After the carriage stopped, both of them got out of the carriage. The weather outside was even colder than inside the carriage which had the stove fire burning, so Yun Su shivered hard and pulled the fox fur robe draped over his body more tightly, Winter is the most annoying! As a person who was very afraid of the cold, in previous years, he did not go out in winter, but this year there were unexpected events. It was all his Shi Xiongs fault, supposedly everything should be alright, so why did he suddenly disappear? Moreover, he also made them come all the way to find him! Knowing that he was afraid of the cold, Shen Juming took him into the store first and said to the waiter who came and greeted him, Is there any private room available? At this time, it was time for lunch; the restaurant was full of customers. Naturally, there were no private rooms available. Seeing the two guests dressed in luxurious clothes, the waiter who accompanied them said carefully: Im really sorry, sir! The private room is full, but the comfortable seat is still available, I dont know if you two Actually there was only one comfortable seat left, moreover it was usually reserved for their young master and would not be given out to others. But today, the two of them looked like they could not be offended, so the waiter could only use it first for emergency purposes. Hearing that there were no more private rooms, Yun Su frowned in dissatisfaction. No matter how good the comfortable seating was, how could it be compared to the private rooms? But, for such a small town to have this kind of restaurant was already pretty good so he did not say anything. Seeing that he was reluctant but did not object, Shen Juming then nodded his head and said, Trouble you to put a few more brazier, my little brother (Di di) cant stand the cold. The waiter hurriedly nodded in response and took the two upstairs. The windows that were usually open were closed tightly at this time, so there was only a little cold wind pouring in, allowing Yun Su to relax his brow a little. The waiter poured the tea for the two of them and took note of the dishes they ordered. He bowed before then he walked away. If I hadnt come here to look for someone, such a small town, Im afraid I would never set foot in here for the rest of my life! Yun Su pouted, picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. He then immediately spit out his tongue and put it down, Its awful! When we are outside, youll have to make do with it! The taste of the tea was actually okay and not to the extent that it was unpleasant to drink, but the other party was used to being spoiled and being picky, so he felt that the tea tasted bad. Looking at how he did not mind at all drinking the tea, Yun Su pouted and silently picked up the cup. Although the taste was not good, at least the tea was hot, which could warm him more. The ordered dishes were served quickly, one plate after another of hot and piping up dishes, looking so appetizing but they didnt know what the taste would be like. Shen Juming served a bowl of fish soup and put it in front of him. In winter, the dishes cool quickly. This soup was fishy. It would be better to drink a bowl first to fill their stomach. Yun Su tasted a spoonful. Unexpectedly it was quite delicious, there was no heavy spice flavor, but it was not outstanding for him, Its just barely palatable. Zheng Yue Feng, who had just stepped onto the second floor, happened to hear this so he subconsciously followed the voice and looked over. Every person who had eaten food in their restaurant, who did not praise that it was good? Who was this person who had the cheek to let out a spate of nonsense? The voice came from the seat where he usually sits, the shopkeeper explained to him personally downstairs and said there were two valuable guests, so he made an exception and gave up his seat. For the sake of the restaurant, to do so was also normal. He did not care much. At first, he wanted to find an ordinary seat to sit down but who would have thought that someone would say that about his familys restaurants food? It was enough that he took his seat. How dare he say the food was not good? Zheng Yue Feng narrowed his eyes. He would like to see by himself a holy from where the other party was! [ηʥ /h fng shn shng: a holy from wherewhat person, a person of what background [in martial arts novels, used when a character inquires about sb of an apparently formidable background; now mostly sarcastic in tone] He then turned his footsteps and stopped at the table of those two and said with an arch of his hand,greeting them, Are you two dissatisfied with the food? When he got closer, he realized that these two people were dressed in fine clothes, especially the ger who spoke just now, wearing very carefully selected quality clothes, and their appearance and bearing was also one of a kind, no wonder he would say such picky words. The voice of a stranger suddenly appeared beside him, Yun Su turned his head and looked over. His face was full of displeasure of being disturbed. He looked up and down at the other party for a few moments, brocade clothes and holding a folding fan in his hands in the middle of winter. He snorted, he thought he was outstanding and elegant, but in reality, he was just a brainless playboy young master, What? Do you have something that you want to say? Zheng Yue Feng could see the contempt in his eyes clearly. Of course, it was also the reason why the other party didnt hold back at all. He choked in his heart, at least he was also the most ideal husband in the hearts of the single young girls and gers in town. This was the first time he was so nakedly disliked! Sorry, my younger brother is still young. Gongzi, please forgive him! Shen Juming disapprovingly glanced at Yun Su and said in a good-natured way to compensate for the courtesy. Its okay! I understand, I understand! Zheng Yue Feng sighed with relief as he waved his hand. Whose family did not have one member who didnt know how to properly behave? His family little sisters arrogance was no less, I am the owner of this Yan Yue restaurant, I just heard that this little ger seems to be not very satisfied with the food, so I especially came here to ask, if there are any complaint please put it forward, we may as well make it better. Humph, then what you have to change is too much! Yun Su completely did not give him a face. He hated this kind of coquettish or dandified in appearance kind of pampered and rich young master the most, Im afraid that this whole restaurant of yours will have to be torn down and rebuilt! Xiao Su! Shen Juming lightly reprimanded him. The other party did not have any malicious intent, he (YS) was really rude by being like that. His Shi Di (Junior Martial Brother) had been favored since childhood and whatever he wanted, he always got it. His personality was very arrogant and willful. He was not afraid of anyone except for Shi Xiong. By being undisciplined and out of control, he was a big headache for them. Yun Su was unhappy, being scolded by him, glaring at Zheng Yue Feng as he turned his head away to sulk. It was this pampered young masters fault for no good reason, coming to their seat and talking to them. Gong zi, no need to listen to this childs nonsense! The food in the restaurant is extremely good and there is nothing to be dissatisfied with. Knowing that his temper came and went quickly, Shen Juming just shook his head and smiled, not to say more about him. Thats good then! Being inexplicably glared at, Zheng Yue Feng was also helpless. Luckily, there was someone among them who knew how to behave, Both of you dont look like youre from here. Are you here for sightseeing? Who would come to this shitty place to have fun? Yun Su rolled his eyes and muttered in a low voice. A shitty place? Where is it no good? Our towns people are simple and honest and the scenery is pleasant. The town itself is quite lively, such a good town, you know? Of course, Zheng Yue Feng would not blurt it out, this kind of true feeling. He gave a forced laugh several times before he said, Thats right, then the two of you are here to visit relatives? Shen Jumings heart moved, this person seemed to be very familiar with this place, so he should also know how to go to the village where their Shi Xiong was. Perhaps he could make some inquiries from him, We are here to find someone, I wonder if Gongzi, you know Gu Before he finished speaking there was a loud thump/thud, a drunken customer overturned the table; the cups, plates and dishes were broken all over the floor, scared the surrounding guests to scatter far from there. Zheng Yue Feng pinched his brow as he hurriedly went up and commanded several waiters to hold him back, This guest is drunk, please take him out first! Dont disturb the other customers having their meal! Let me go! Im (he is using Lao Zi here actually) not drunk! The man waved his hand to shake them off, Ask me to get out? I have plenty of money! I, I want to drink, drink! This guest, you are already drunk so it is better to go back and rest early ba! Zheng Yue Feng sullenly gave a few waiters a meaningful glance and told them to get the man away from here as soon as possible. The man was already quite drunk, he saw Yun Su who was looking at his side with fed up with something expression, in contrast with the snow-white fox fur, his face looking even prettier. He hiccuped, smiled lustfully and said: Beauty, little beauty, come over here to accompany, accompany me to drink a cup! Not only Yun Su, even Shen Jumings face also looked bad. This bad guy dared to speak rudely to his Shi Di, this person seriously was not aware of the danger ahead of him! Zheng Yue Feng felt a headache. Drunk people were the most unreasonable. He dared to provoke anyone. He waved his hand and told people to take him away in order not to offend the other guests. Beauty, I want beauty! The drunkard didnt understand his good intentions at all. His strength was surprisingly strong so that the waiters couldnt pull him away for a while. Yun Su coldly snorted, picked up the cup on the table and turned his hand over to throw it out. It hit right in the middle of that mans mouth, directly breaking two of his incisors. Followed by a scream and blood in his mouth, he fell to the ground, instantly sobering up from the drunken state a lot. Zheng Yue Feng sucked in a breath of cold air and subconsciously covered his mouth. This ger was so cruel. Fortunately, just now he did not say any disrespectful words, otherwise he would not end up well! He turned around and cupped both of his hands in greeting toward them and said, Sorry for disturbing your mood. My shabby restaurant could not provide the best service. This humble one will treat you guys to the meal today. Please forgive and tolerate our shortcomings! Enjoy your meal! After saying that, he asked the waiter to take the man go. No matter what, he was injured in their restaurant, so it was necessary to take him to the doctor for treatment. Humph, its good enough for him! Yun Su pouted his mouth. What kind of trash was this person? To even dare to speak disrespectfully to him! Okay, dont be angry! Lets find an inn to rest after eating. Shen Juming put some dishes into his bowl, because for half a day he did not eat much. Just now, I want to ask that person about the direction to the village but cant. Lets find someone else to ask then. Since it is nearby, there will be many people who know. CH 76 Back to the Countryside Chapter 76 : Ѱ [Seek for and coming over] Because of the cold weather, people in Gu Shui Village rarely go out and walk around, it seemed that the village was extremely quiet and uninhabited. Im afraid, this is not an empty village, right? Yun Su put down his hand holding the curtain of the carriage. His eyebrows were tied into a knot, As far as my eyes can see, I cant even see a shadow of a person. Is there really someone living here? The cold weather and frozen ground everywhere, people naturally stay at home and will not come out to wander. In these past years arent you also the same? Shen Jumings gaze did not leave from the scrolls, he only raised the corner of his mouth and thought it was funny. Seeing him focus on his own, Yun Su discontenly glared at him, the person who lowered his head and read the book however did not see him so Yun Su reached out and pressed his book down, Do not look at it again! Now there is no one here, who are we going to ask for directions? Who said there is no one? Disturbed by him, Shen Juming also stopped reading. He looked sideways towards the car, Someone is already here! After hearing what he said, Yun Su lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a middle-aged man picking up a load of water on his shoulder, one foot deep and one foot shallow, walking to this side, stepping on the snow on the ground g zh g zh (creaking) sound, no wonder he could hear the movement. You stay here, Ill go down and ask. Shen Juming put his book into the small drawer in the carriage and stretched out his body to let the driver stop the carriage, and jumped down nimbly. The middle-aged man saw him and stopped his step, looked up and down a few times, with a clear surprise on his face. Shen Juming faced him and arched his hand in greeting and asked, May I ask this uncle, is there a person named Qi Yue living in this village? Hearing his question, He Tian frowned. This rich and nobly dressed gentleman was a friend of Qi Yue? He secretly sighed in his heart, if it were not for there had been so many wicked tricks had been used, he would have been able to say proudly that he was his nephew in law, right? How dignified it would be to get involved with such a person! As for now, he could only hope to be treated as a passerby and not to mention himself in front of him, There is such a person. Shen Jumings heart was happy, he did not expect that Shi Xiong was really here so he immediately said: Can you tell me where his house is? Turn north at the fork on the road ahead, the fifth one with the greenish black brick house in front of you, thats it! He Tian lifted his frozen hand and pointed the direction to him, without waiting for him to ask anything else, he picked the water and hurriedly went away. Why was he in such a hurry? Shen Juming took a puzzled look at his back, thinking he was a bit strange. However, he only thought about it and did not pay much attention to it anymore. Perhaps that uncles family was in a hurry to use the water. How is it? Have you inquired about it? Before he returned to the carriage, Yun Su already stared at him and asked, Is Shi Xiong here? Shen Juming told the driver the address first, only then he got into the carriage and said to him, There is indeed a person named Qi Yue living here, mostly (in 8 or 9 cases out of 10) it is Shi Xiong. He is really here? Yun Su was also in a joyful mood. After working so hard all the way, it was not a waste of effort, After all, to what extent he took things so hard that he chose such a small and remote village to settle down! If you do not want to be disturbed, this place is indeed quite good! Although the place was remote, it had a pleasant country scenery, if you compare it to those bustling cities; it was much better here, at least he did not have to pay attention to those turmoil mundane worlds. Then we came to his house so rashly, will Sh Xing get angry ah? Close to the front door, only then Yun Su began to feel weak. He had always been fearless, fearing nothing in Heaven or Earth, but only afraid of the all day along, the smiling Sh Xing. Having a good temper, that was all a facade, since his methods of punishing people were in an inexhaustible variety!1 cng ch b qing : more and more emerge / innumerable succession / emerge in an endless stream; be continuing without end; come out in an unending flow; come out thick and fast [one after another]; emerge one after another] Only now you know to be afraid, isnt it a little too late? Shen Juming knew what was in his mind when he looked at his flickering gaze, When youre making a fuss about coming with me, you should think deeply about it first! Yun Su clutched tightly his hand-warmer and shrunken his body without saying anything. This foolish man who only knew how to study, completely did not understand what he thought about in his heart? He endured the cold to come here and yet he did not understand his reason at all! The carriage soon stopped in front of a courtyard, the two people got out of the carriage and raised their heads to look at it up and down. Their heart was slightly comforted, at least the place where he lived was much better than those mud houses in the village. Sh Xing still treated himself well. Shen Juming step forward, knocked on the door and waited for a long time but no one answered, just when he was about to knock on the door once again. The sound of footsteps came from inside the door, which seemed to be very slow and somewhat heavy. He frowned, Sh Xing, could it be that you are injured? But nowadays, there are just a very few people in Jianghu who can hurt Sh Xing, let alone in this small village. If this was not the case, then they were looking for the wrong person. Did this person just have the same name as Sh Xing? Who is it? Before he could ponder about it clearly, an unfamiliar voice rang out from inside the door. The other party was very careful not to open the door directly. Does Qi Yue live here? Shen Juming asked in a clear voice, adding some words after some thought, We are his old friends. The person inside did not utter any words for a long time and then they heard him remove the door bolt, the tightly closed wooden door was pulled open, revealing a thickly wrapped ger with a beautiful and alluring face full of curiosity and confusion. Shen Juming and Yun Su were stunned at the same time, but did not expect that in such a countryside to have such a good-looking ger. They were only surprised for a moment, before then came back to their senses. After all, they have seen a lot of remarkably beautiful people, the person in front of them was not the most outstanding one. He Ling was also looking at these two people up and down, looking at their luxurious clothes and appearance, he was a little nervous in his heart, precisely at this kind of time, Xiang Gong was not here. It should be because the weather was too cold, the village chiefs grandson caught a cold and had a fever. Feng Zheng was so anxious and all sweaty when he came to their house and invited Qi Yue to come over. After all, in this cold weather, Doctor Li was old, the full of snow road was not easy to walk on. Before leaving, the other party warned him again and again to stay well in the house and not to come out and walk around. Although the snow in the yard had been cleared, there was also a layer of frost. He was going to be heartbroken if he accidentally slipped or fell. When he heard the knock on the door, he was sitting in the hall room roasting something on the stove and embroidering something. As one wishes, his husband had ordered him not to move randomly, since he could not ignore it, he could only move over carefully step by step. Xu Hua and the others usually directly shouted at the front door when they came to the house, but this time there was only a knock on the door. He was the only one at home and with his bodys condition which was not convenient, so he asked some questions first. Who would have thought that the other side would say they were Xiang Gongs old friends? After a moment of hesitation, he still opened the door. If they were really his old friends, people came all the way here. Moreover, the weather was still so cold, he could not always keep them standing outside ba! Is this Qi Yues house? Shen Juming saw a ger come out, his heart was more in doubt, he cupped both of his hands in greeting and confirmed it again. These two people gave him a really similar feeling to Qi Yue when he just first knew Qi Yue. Their outstanding presence was out of place with this village. He Ling nodded as he held the door, Its here, you guys know him? Exactly! We have known each other for many years. Shen Juming faintly looked behind him, it did not seem like there was still people, He is now The two of them did not look like bad people; that ger seemed to be very cold. His nose was red from the cold wind. He Ling then pulled the door open some more, moved aside to make way and said: You guys come in first and sit down, Xiang Gong go out and he will be back very soon. The two people who had already raised their feet and planned to go inside stopped moving and raised their heads at the same time to look at him and cried out: What did you say? He Ling looked at their exactly the same expressions and was dumbfounded, Did he say something wrong? Seemingly realizing that he was a bit rude, Shen Juming coughed lightly and set his face straight, Sorry, we get a bit excited. Just now, you said Xiang Gong? He Ling suddenly somehow understood something. He and Xiang Gongs marriage matter, they surely didnt know about it, therefore that was why they were so surprised, he nodded a bit shyly, Weve been married for almost half a year. That was how long he had been missing, wasnt it? Shen Juming and Yun Su looked at each other and at the same time they saw the word unbelievable on the other partys face. They couldnt help but wonder once again, was this Qi Yue really their Sh Xing? Uh, are you guys going to keep standing here? Seeing that they seemed to be in deep thought, He Ling couldnt help but remind them and said, The weather is cold, why dont we go inside first? Hearing his words, Yun Su couldnt help but shiver. He felt that he had a point, they couldnt keep freezing here while at the same time he was giving Xiao Yu Heng a mark in his heart, no wonder that guy said we will be shocked when we come but when we asked him what it was, he kept us in suspense and refused to say, so thats how it is! When He Ling took them in, he walked very carefully and the speed was very slow. Only then, both of them found out that he seemed to be pregnant. The other side wore a lot of clothes so previously they actually were not even aware of it. They exchanged another look, Yun Su stretched out his hand that had been hidden under the fox-fur robe and held his own arm and said, Let me help you walk then! No matter what, if this person was really their Shi Xiongs Fu Lang then the child he conceived in his belly was Shi Xiongs child so they also must not let this person fall down. With support on his arm, He Ling felt a lot more at ease while walking. He turned his face sideways and smiled, Thanks a lot. The door of the hall was hung with a heavy and thick cotton curtain. Inside, the stove was lit and very warm. As soon as Yun Su entered the room, he felt like coming to life and breathed a long sigh of relief. There was a small earthenware pot simmering on the stove, inside was the boiled white fungus and lotus seed soup Qi Yue made for him so he could drink some, when he craved for delicious food. He Ling served two bowls and put them in front of them and said, Drink it to warm your body! The taste of the soup was already good, and a bowl of it at a time when the body was cold, even as picky as Yun Su, he also drank a mouthful of it to warm his body, he then felt a lot more comfortable. For a while, He Ling used the stick in the stove to pull it, and a baked sweet potato rolled out of it. He wrapped it in a handkerchief and broke it open. The sweet smell immediately entered his nose as he handed it to them,Be careful, its hot! Yun Su grew up with brocade garments and jade meals, living a luxurious life. He had never eaten the roasted sweet potato. That thing smelled good, but the outer skin was roasted in black colour. He did not know if it would taste good or not, but it was also not good to refuse it so he received it. Seeing Shen Juming eat it, he took a small bite too, immediately his eyes lit up, it tasted sweet and hot, it was really good to eat it at this kind of time. Seeing that they did not dislike it, He Ling was relieved. He was now pregnant so Qi Yue made a lot of such snacks for him to eat. Giving it to entertain guests, he was still afraid that they would not like it. Staying in a warm room, drinking soup and eating sweet potatoes, Yun Su felt sweat coming out of his body so he took off the fox-fur robe that had been wrapped around his body and put it on the side. He had a few good feelings about the person he had just met for the first time. Looking at his appearance, he knew that he was in a good mood, Shen Juming smiled, then he put his attention on He Ling and said: This humble one name is Shen Juming. He is called Yun Su. We have known Shi Qi Yue for many years. This time we especially came to look for him. I hope we dont disturb you. Without being sure of the identity of the other party and Shi Xiongs wishes therefore he still decided not to say too much. Not at all, this is the first time friends of Xiang Gong have come. My name is He Ling. You guys can call me Ling Geer. He Ling felt that Xiang Gongs friend had the same general poise as him and was still quite good to interact with. We separated from him more than half a year ago. Has he always been in this village? Although his heart was already sure that he was here, he still could not help to confirm it once more. He Ling touched his stomach and nodded slightly, Xiang Gong came here in the spring and has not left since then. Now the time was basically correct, Shen Juming heart no longer in doubt, his Shi Xiong was truly always beyond peoples expectations , not only living in seclusion here, but also married a Fu Lang. Although this ger from all aspects, also counted match well with his Shi Xiong but there were actually many better options than him. Shi Xiongs way of thinking always made them unable to guess it. CH 77 Back to the Countryside Chapter 77: ͬ ( Fellow Sect Disciples) Qi Yue walked to the door of his house in a hurry, but when he saw the carriage parked there did not belong to Zheng Yue Feng, his face sank. At the time when the man in the carriage jumped down and bowed to him to salute him, the look in his eyes had become somewhat frightening. He had not been able to calm down when he was examining the village chiefs grandson, always thinking of his little Fu Lang at home, for fear that he would be disobedient and bumped into something. He didnt expect that there would be other unexpected situations. He narrowed his eyes, ignored the man and went into the house. Xiao Yu Heng, this guys mouth really couldnt be trusted. He really wants to get beaten! When he entered the hall, he saw a harmonious situation, three people sitting around the fire and chatting happily. Do these two really think they are here to visit a friend? The cold breeze that came in when the hanging curtain was lifted made them feel cold, so they subconsciously looked towards the door. When Yun Su saw who was the person standing there, Yun Su subconsciously stood up and called out, Shi Xiong! Shen Juming was a little calmer than him, and slowly stood up to give him a nod, Long time no see. Xiang Gong, youre back! He Ling also stood up, holding his back and wanting to walk up to greet him. Qi Yue took a few steps to his side and held him in place, softening his expression, You can just sit there. Why do you want to get up? Both of them who had been ignored did not dare to speak freely; giving them the cold shoulder here meant that the other man was angry and it was better for them to be quiet. However this was the first time they had ever seen such a tender and soft as water look (deeply attached to sb) from their Shi Xiong. Before this, even when he was smiling, it never reached the bottom of his eyes. How is it today? Have you listened to my words and stayed at home honestly? Qi Yue helped him to sit down and touched his bulging belly. He Ling looked at the two people who were still standing there so he tugged at his sleeve and said, Xiang Gong, the guests are still here! Only then did he give them a look that was neither salty nor light, enough to make people feel terrified, Sit down! Why are you guys still standing? You guys are the guests. [Neither salty nor light here means he is giving them unemotional look or didnt care about them kind of look. ] Who would dare to sit if he spoke like that? Shi Xiong was indeed the same Shi Xiong, not having worn off his awe-inspiring aura just because he had lived in the countryside for a while. He Ling felt that the way they were interacting with each other was strange, not at all like close friends, but rather like seniors with juniors. If he had heard correctly, just now Yun Su had called him Shi Xiong, right? When Qi Yue saw his puzzled gaze, he sighed lightly and said, They were my fellow disciples Shi Di when I was studying medicine, you dont have to be too formal. As he said this, he also gave them a warning sweep, the meaning of which was clear that they should not say anything more. So thats how it is! He Ling understood, no wonder they always had an indescribable respect when they faced Xiang Gong, it turned out that he was slightly senior in generation. Im sure you all know who he is, from now on you must call him Xiong Fu Lang! Having explained it to him, Qi Yue then looked sideways at them. Xiong Fu Lang! Both of them called out at the same time and cupped their hands in salute. He Ling was uncomfortable and flustered, not knowing what to do. How could he afford such a serious and earnest greeting! Qi Yue pressed his shoulders and patted it, waved for them to sit down and said, Did that guy tell you that I was here? Even though he didnt mentioned his name, Shen Juming knew who he was talking about and didnt hesitate to sell the other man out, Exactly, I met him by chance and learnt about this from his mouth. He knew it, that person would not sincerely and honestly keep his secret. Last time, he should have just left him there to emerge and perish on his own, by saving him and bringing him home would only create difficulties for him. Since you guys are here, then both of you should stay here longer for several days, so that you guys can talk and reminisce (about the past) with Xiang Gong. He Ling did not understand the twists and turns between them. He only thought that it was rare for Xiang Gongs old acquaintances to come, therefore they should get together more often. Both of them did not dare to answer randomly, but looked at Shi Xiongs expression and they did not utter any words. Of course, Qi Yue meant that both of them could leave now, but his little Fu Lang was so excited that he could not afford to throw the cold water on him, There are still rooms at home. You guys can stay here for now. The family had two more guest rooms and since they were staying here, both of them asked the carriage driver to drive the carriage back to the town while he (the driver) waited there. When it was time for lunch, Qi Yue rolled up his sleeves and went to the kitchen. Only then, both of them couldnt sit still, letting their Shi Xiong to cook for them, they were afraid that they would be poisoned! Therefore, they went over and tried to help. However, in the end, only Shen Juming was left there to help since he still had some common sense but Yun Su, whose his ten fingers didnt have to wet in the spring water (ʮָմˮ; figurative for leading a pampered life), better let it pass ba! Is Shi Xiong usually the one who does all the cooking? Yun Su, who had been driven back to the hall, looked at He Ling, who was embroidering something and asked him since he could not hold back his curiosity. Earlier it was us doing it together, since I got pregnant, he doesnt let me get involved in the family matters. He takes care of everything inside and out. When He Ling saw him seeking to speak to him, he put down the work in his hands. So there are times when Shi Xiong is so gentle and considerate! All Yun Su could recall was the image of being severely punished by the other party when he had misremembered a prescription. He immediately felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he looked back on those bitter past memories. Did both of you and Xiang Gong know each other from the time when you guys started to learn the medicine? He had only heard it mentioned that they had known each other for many years, but he didnt know exactly what kind of the situation it was. Actually, we have known each other since childhood! Qi Yue was already in the valley before Yun Su was even born, Because his family had suffered a reversal of fortune so he was taken into our family at the age of five. He has been my Shi Xiong for as long as I can remember. Shen Shi Xiong started a little later. He quietly spat out his tongue and almost let his mouth slip, but luckily he stopped in time, otherwise his Shi Xiong would not have spared him. When he heard him say that Qi Yue had started studying medicine when he was five years old, He Ling remembered that he had lost his parents at that age and that was the result of the abolition of his family clan ba! He was already learning such complicated things at such a young age and he was somewhat sad for him. How about Xiong Fu Lang? How did you and Shi Xiong end up getting married? Yun Su was particularly curious about this matter, very curious to know how his impressive Shi Xiong was taken down! Me and him ah He Ling skipped over the feud with the He family and told him briefly about how they got to know each other. Looking back on it now, it seemed like a dream. Yun Su was speechless for quite a while. Based on his story, it sounded like Shi Xiong had been charmed by the other partys beauty like a Dengtu Zi! He had only met him for several times, yet he had urgently or anxiously beseech him to marry him. However, it was like something he would do. [Who is ͽ/ Dengtu Zi? He is a famous lecherous character / lecher / skirt-chaser] Shi Xiong, this persons character seemed to be a gentle person who was indecisive but actually he was cold in nature, resolute and very determined. Once he had made up his mind about something, he didnt hesitate at all. He acted quickly and seized it firmly on his grasp. It must be the same with the way he treated the person he loves! However, on the other hand, the other person who only knows how to hold medical books with both of his hands and read it to death, is like a thousand-year-old rotten tree. No matter what you do, he still didnt get it, particularly making people upset! And this rotten wood, at the moment he was in the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves and helping Qi Yue choose the vegetables. Is Shi Fu (Teacher), the old man (˼: polite form) still well? Qi Yue lifted the lid of the pot to taste the chicken soup and asked him without looking back. Still well, its just that Shi Xiong Shen Juming stopped moving his hands, raised his head and said, He has been retreating in these recent years. You, however, suddenly disappeared like this. Im afraid he will be disappointed in his heart. Qi Yue stirred the soup in the pot, his expression unperturbed, I said at the beginning that I had no intention to be the head of the valley, so why should he be obsessed with me? Its just adding to his worries. There are many Shi Xiong and Shi Di in the valley now, but which one of them is as good as you? It is understandable for the valley master to have the intention to entrust it to you! Shen Juming let out a long sigh as he pinched off the withered and yellowed part of the vegetabless leaf, Besides, he also wants to entrust Yun Su, who has reached the right age (to get married) but now you already have a Fu Lang. Im afraid this matter wont be possible. However, cant you really take the position as the master of the valley? Could it be that youre here as a lobbyist on behalf of Shi Fu?! Qi Yue put down the soup ladle and went to the table to cut vegetables, As you said, there are so many disciples in the valley, there is always someone more suitable than me. I think you are good. Shi Xiong, dont be ridiculous! You also know that I am more expert in the art of healing and inferior in poisoning, the difference between us is too far! He liked medicine more than poison. The one who could hold the position of Master of the Valley should have both. Moreover, he had no interest in that position. You are not good at using poison, but Yun Su is the expert on it, so in the future if you marry him, you guys will be able to complement each other. Qi Yue wasnt just saying that haphazardly, he genuinely did think that this Shi Di was a good candidate. I have always treated Yun Su as my younger brother and he treats me as his older brother. Shi Xiong, its really absurd that you say this! Shen Juming put the selected vegetables in the basin, clapped his hands and raised his eyes to look at him, If he hears you, he will be angry again. Qi Yue laughed lightly and said meaningfully, You are not yet enlightened, huh?! Yun Su Shi Di is seriously going through a lot of hardship. Shen Juming who was washing vegetables in the water jar, after he heard what he said, he frowned and asked, Shi Xiong, what do you mean by that? Qi Yue did not say another word anymore. The only sound that remained was the sound of chopping vegetables. This Shi Di of his was mature and stable in nature, dependable in handling matters. There was nothing that could make people worry about him except that he was so absorbed and set his heart on the medical books that he did not listen to anything outside the window (he did not care about anything outside or the affairs outside). When it came to relationships, he was never enlightened. He often made Yun Su hopping mad without even realizing it. Seeing he didnt respond to him, Shen Juming didnt take it to heart. He hesitated for a while before then he asked him specifically Shi Xiong, have you ever told Xiong Fu Lang about your past? Qi Yues hand stopped moving for a while as he looked in a trance for a moment, then he put down his knife and looked back at him, There is nothing to discuss, and you guys should not say anything either. Shen Juming also followed after him and stopped moving, met with his eyes that seemed to be suppressing something and sighed, Since Shi Xiong has chosen him to spend the rest of your life with him. Dont tell me that you want to hide it from him for the rest of your life? Regarding this matter, Qi Yues heart was actually very conflicted. He felt guilty for hiding it from the other side, but he was also afraid that by telling him, this would make the other side afraid. Every time he met with his eyes that treated him like he was his everything, he couldnt bear to let the other side know how cruel he used to be. In fact, I think that even if Xiong Fu Lang knew about those things, he would still be able to understand you. Shen Juming had never seen such a torn expression on his face before. He felt that he seemed to be unchanged, but actually he was different from before. Once you had someone you care about, there were more things you care about. The person he knew when he entered the valley at the age of ten was a gentle masked man who treated his many Shi Xiong and Shi Di with great care. He believed at one time that that was his true form. [Mask here, not literal mask lah, but I think it refers to how he deals or treats other people on the surface.] Until one day, he passed by the other mans medicine room and heard a scream coming from within it. The sound was so miserable that he could not hold back his curiosity and looked in through the window gap. There was a man who had long since lost his human form, curled up on the floor, rolling around in pain; his flesh and blood decaying as fast as he could see, until the white bones of his body were revealed. Qi Yue was standing in front of him, still smiling, so delighted as if he was breathing in the fresh air. At that moment he realized how terrifying this only fourteen youngster was. The moment the other partys full of smiling eyes looked over, he fled from that place in a panic. Shi Xiong he met afterwards still remained gentle and polite, as if what he had seen that day was just a dream. He deliberately forgot about that incident and did not recall it. But he was always filled with veneration when he faced Shi Xiong. He always rejected the idea of using poison and could never learn it well. In the end, he simply put all his energy into learning medicine. But even that kind of Shi Xiong would now be hesitant because of one persons thoughts, making him couldnt help but sigh. Because of love comes fear, due to love comes sorrow, that was what it meant ba! A Ling always thought that I had redeemed him, but its me who was really redeemed by him. Even now, Qi Yue remembered that when the other party panic-strickenly looked up at him. Those eyes, which seemed like stars at the ends of the earth, seemed to calm his heart at once. Shen Juming suddenly felt that perhaps this kind of life was what really suited Shi Xiong. At least he would see his true emotions as he did at this moment, not like the old days when he was always separated by a false mask, making people difficult to figure out (what he was thinking about). The translators Note : Its difficult for me to put on the footnote or whenever I edit the post so bear with this new format until I figure out how to fix the error problem when editing the post. Additional info: CH 78 Back to the Countryside Chapter 78 : (The Past) Warning: Massacre, bloody description!!! He Ling was in a much higher spirits with the arrival of guests at home. After lunch, he wanted to go and help them clean up their room. Of course Qi Yue wouldnt agree. With just one glance of him, both of them immediately shook their heads and refused He Lings offer, saying they could clean up themselves and didnt need to trouble him. To be honest, Yun Su had never even wiped a table since he was a child, so how was it possible for him to be able to clean the room? In the end, it was Shen Juming who had to do this kind of exhausting hard work. He Ling was worried about this, as they didnt look like people who know how to do these kinds of things, so was it really a good idea not to be concerned and leave them alone like this? However, Qi Yue completely didnt care at all, with Shen Juming around, it was unlikely for them to go so far as tearing his house down, if they couldnt clean it up, then they didnt need to stay here and just go back to the town! To his disappointment, after a long time of ping ping pong pong sound, both of them still managed to sort out the rooms they wanted to stay in. To be precise, Shen Juming was the one who cleaned it, Yun Su stood by and gave instructions. Youre so slow, my feet are freezing! There was no fireplace or any kind of fire pan in the unoccupied room and it was extremely cold that Yun Sus teeth were chattering. Thats why I told you to go and sit in the hall right? ! Shen Juming saw him shrinking miserably and reached one of his hands to touch his face, which was cold and icy. Yun Su blushed instantly and hid his face in his fox-fur robe, so that he could not see him, Shi Xiong is there, accompany Xiong Fu Lang! How could I dare to be so oblivious and go over there? Shen Juming couldnt help but laugh. As the master of the valleys grandson, the other party had always been a tyrant in the valley but it was only when facing Shi Xiong that he was like a rabbit that had seen a tiger, extremely well behaved! Seeing that he really believed the excuse he said, Yun Su was a little disappointed again. It was true that he was afraid of Shi Xiong but he also didnt want to leave this man to be busy and do all the work alone. What a fool! Lets go! Its done over here. Shen Juming didnt pay attention to the other partys expression. He led the person back to the central room. While they were working over there, He Ling had been sitting restlessly looking out from time to time, but his Xiang Gong was beside him and watching, not allowing him to move, so there was no way for him to help them. He Ling was relieved to see people coming in. As they sat down, he poured some tea for them, Its freezing, isnt it! Come on, have some hot tea! This time, regarding the matter you guys have come to seek me, who else knows about it? Qi Yue watched them drink their cups of tea before he opened his mouth to ask. Shen Juming knew that he did not want too many people to know his whereabouts, so he put down his cup and said, Shi Xiong, please be at ease! We have only mentioned this matter to the Valley Master. After all, we have to leave the valley for some time, so we still need to let him know. Hn, stay here for a few days. You guys better return as soon as possible. It was enough for them to stay here for a few days, as for anything else, he had made up his mind and would never agree to it. Yun Su held the warm cup with both hands and said hesitantly, Shi Xiong, wouldnt it be good for you just to take Xiong Fu Lang back to the valley to live? So why do you have to stay in such a (place)? The latter words were swallowed back when the other party looked over at him. He was busy lowering his head and drinking the tea, secretly regretting in his heart why he had spoken so much? He Ling also only realized and understood at this time that the two of them had come not simply to pay a visit, but also to bring his Xiang Gong back. He lowered his eyes to hide the emotions inside it. He could see that both Shen Juming and Yun Su felt it was such a pity for his husband for living in this village. He often felt that a man like him should have a more extraordinary life than to live in such a little remote village, by only being the countryman farmer. But if he let himself follow the other party out of this place and face the unpredictable life, would he really have the courage to do so? Because of his thoughts wandering around, until he returned to his room and finished his dinner, He Ling was still a bit absent minded and almost bumped into the table in a daze but fortunately, he was pulled back by a hand. What are you thinking about, youve been so distracted? Qi Yue helped the person to sit on the bed and looked into his eyes worriedly. He Ling had a lot of words that he wanted to say to him, but in the end, he opened his mouth but could only ask him one question, Xiang Gong, do you feel happy staying here? Hearing him ask this kind of question, Qi Yue knew that Yun Sus words in the morning had caused him to let his imagination run wild so he took the other persons hand and placed it on his chest, How can I not be happy when I am with my Fu Lang? He Lings hand felt the beating of his heart. His heart was at peace but at the same time he was even more upset for him, Xiang Gong, are you really sure that you dont want to go back with your Shi Di? That is the life you should be having! The life I deserve is to live peacefully with my Fu Lang for the rest of my life and to protect him. Qi Yue caressed his face, gently rubbing his silky skin, his gaze gentle as water. If Xiang Gong is concerned about me, then there is no need! The warmth of his palm made He Ling rub against him, Wherever you go, I will go with you and wherever you are, I will also be there. He had thought about it carefully before. For himself, it did not matter where his home was, as long as he was with the other person and stayed together forever then no matter what kind of life they lead was a happy one. Looking at him with only himself in his eyes, Qi Yues heart softened into a ball, he lowered his eyes and sighed, as if he had made up his mind and said softly, Fu Lang, would you like to listen to my story? He Ling was stunned, the other mans past was like a hidden wound that he was never willing to raise a topic about. He Ling was prepared not to probe into it for the rest of his life, but at this very moment, unexpectedly his Xiang Gong wanted to talk about it? Qi Yue gently embraced him in his arms, patting the back of his shoulder with his palm and slowly spoke, I was born into a medical influential family. My father and mother loved each other. As their only son, my parents loved me deeply and doted on me. At that time, like all children, I liked to be naughty, mischievous and always refused to learn the medical skills taught by my father meticulously, until that year when I was five years old A middle-aged man with a gloomy expression came to their residence and asked his father to help him save his son and to provide critical care but his father refused. Because that mans faction or sect had done many imaginable misdeeds and had a bad reputation in the Jiang Hu. Moreover, his son was not a good person either. He was a licentious man that had ruined countless girls and gers. This time, he had been seriously injured by someone who was seeking revenge on him. His father had always been stubborn and he would not save anyone who he did not like even if a knife was put to his neck. That man seemed to know about this so when he was refused, he did not say anything more but turned around and left their house. But the matter didnt end in such a simple way. That night on the same day, a group of masked men broke into their house. They killed everyone they saw, without mercy. That night, his home was likened to Asura field, a field littered with corpses and a river of blood. The servants who had accompanied him to play, the housekeeper who had loved him dearly and treated him as his own grandson, were reduced to lifeless corpses. His mother just barely managed to put him under the bed, so narrow that it could only contain him. The man whom he had seen during the day suddenly burst into the room, dragging his father who had only one breath left. He watched through the small gap in the draped curtain as he watched his parents being killed sadistically by his sword. However, he could not even utter a single sound. At the time when a friend of his father, the Master of the Valley of the Poison Qi Valley (᪶ȹ) rushed over there, he was left alone, sitting blankly in front of the two already cold bodies. His stupefied face was fully covered in tears, as if he had lost his soul. All those days since the first time he was brought to the valley, he had been like this, like a walking corpse. Until one day he raised his head and looked at the Master of the Valley who had come to visit him and said, he wanted to learn the skills, that he wanted to take revenge. At that time, the Master of the Valley only deeply sighed as he didnt say anything. After that, he took him with him and taught him personally. Day and night without rest, the little person absorbed all that he had taught him. He even frantically tested the poison on himself, using countless kinds of on himself and then solve it one by one, then the cycle came back again from the start In those days, he had a very brutal nature. All the Shi Xiong and Shi Di who dared to provoke him met with his deadly blow and misfortune by chance. Fortunately, they were all saved in time and did not lose their lives and those who had suffered did not dare to seek and trouble him again. When he was eleven years old, the Master of the Valleys son and his daughter in law who went on a trip to handle some work were chased and killed, leaving behind the just five years old little boy. Looking at the other party and seeing how much he had aged in an instant, he was emotionally moved by the look on his face. The master of the valley had always made an all-out effort for him but on the contrary, he had added a lot of trouble for him and had made him worry too much. He should not have been so ungrateful, thinking only of himself. He wanted to avenge the murder of his family on his own. No one else was allowed to interfere or get involved in it. But for the revenge of the Master of the valleys son, he had to make use of the power of Qi Poison Valley to seek revenge, otherwise, no one in the Jiang Hu would take them seriously anymore! The master of the valley was still in the throes of losing his son, so as his personal and direct disciple, Qi Yue was in charge on his behalf, no one could argue with his decisions even if he was still a child, he was not to be underestimated. He led the disciples of the valley to uncover all those involved in the incident and strangled them all. The method was extremely ruthless and without mercy, making the Qi Du (Qi Poison) Valley which had never been involved in Jiang Hu matters become famous for once. Moreover it was a fearful one! He had been a different person since then. He didnt show off his own abilities like he used to. He started to put a smile on his face at some point, giving people a good impression at the first sight, he seemed to be very good to interact with. Of course, these were only the thoughts of the newest promoted disciples. However, those who knew that he had a lot of methods, only thought that he had become more and more unpredictable and extremely dangerous. So many years had passed like this, after being completely wrapped up in his work and working so hard for so long, the time had come for him to make an end of it. On that day, without telling anyone, dressed in the entire white clothes, like a gentle and cultivated young master from the aristocratic family ; He led Mu Yan, who had accompanied him for many years, left the Qi Du Valley at a leisurely pace. That mans gang had hundreds of disciples up and down and I didnt leave a single survivor alive. Qi Yue placed his hand on the back of He Lings head and pressed him into his embrace, not daring to lower his head and look at his expression, I put dozens of strange poisons on his body, all kinds of poison that mutually reinforce and neutralize each other, making him hopes for life but cant live and even though he prays to die he cant die, torturing him for three days and nights before taking his life. The moment his great revenge was avenged, he suddenly felt an emptiness in his heart; For many years he had only lived for revenge and when the goal that had supported him was complete, he began to feel at a loss and he didnt know what path he should take. He let Mu Yan carry him on his back wandering aimlessly around, walking through one unfamiliar place after another, and meeting many kinds and types of people, until he came here and met his little Fu Lang. His heart was at peace, as if it were destined to be. In order to learn the art of healing and poison, I have saved and killed countless people, but I know deep down in my heart that the sins I have carried already far outweigh the merits I have accumulated. He stared at the candle flame placed on the table, his gaze brightening and fading with the leaping flames, Both of my hands are covered with blood, enough to throw me to the eighteenth floor of hell. He studied poison for revenge. He studied medicine for the sake of his heart that had been entrusted with (where his father placed his hope on him), that was something his father had wanted to teach him properly. Whenever he used it to save someones life, he would remember his fathers face. The other man smiled and told him that as a healer they should have a kind heart and that it was their duty to heal the sick and save the patients. It was a pity that he probably had let his father down; he had no so-called benevolent heart and had committed countless sins. He had become the kind of man his father disliked the most. Now he was telling all his cruelty to the person he loved the most. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. If He Ling was afraid of him then perhaps he deserved this kind of punishment! CH 79 (Love Dearly) Leaning close into his embrace, He Lings tears were already flowing all over his face. He bit his lip without making a sound. His heart ached as if he had been stabbed a thousand times, making his entire body tremble. Sensing his trembling body, Qi Yue held him even tighter. Even if He Ling was scared of him, he was unwilling to let go of him. He wanted to hold him even more tightly to himself, so that he could not go anywhere. How could his tone be so flat? How could he tell such a painful and heartbreaking past story as if it were someone elses? He Ling gripped the clothes around his chest with such force, as if it was about to tear the fabric under his hands. He could not breathe from the pain he felt just by listening to it. Then what about Xiang Gong who had gone through all of this? How much pain he must be feeling? A child of only five years old, witnessing with his own eyes how his loving parents were slaughtered like livestocks. A home where life was once carefree, everywhere was full of bloody corpses, each one of them were the people he knew well. All of his strength had been built up from the pain and suffering he had experienced over and over again. He could not imagine what was going through his mind when the other party told him the grief of losing both his parents. The pain he had endured was ten million times greater than his but each time, he had always held him in his embrace, gently comforting him and lightly wiping away his tears. The last time he concealed his unwell body condition and something happened to him, Xiang Gong lost his temper with him like that because he was afraid in his heart ba! He knew better than anyone the pain of losing someone close to him, didnt he? Im sorry, Im sorry Every time he thought back on it, the regret in He Lings heart grew stronger. He had taken it for granted that he had enjoyed his partners affection, but he had never been more attentive to him. Qi Yue heard his voice hoarse from crying, he was stunned for a long time before he slowly lowered his head, the person in his embrace was red-eyed and the tips of his fingers, clutching his clothes were turning pale, Why do you say sorry? However, He Ling did not answer him. He lifted his hand and stroked his cheek as the other party did to him every time he touched him, a smile so gentle that it melted his heart bloomed on his still crying face. He said softly, Its all right, its all in the past. Ill always be with you. Qi Yues eyes quivered, not knowing how to respond to his sudden comfort. Why is he treating him so gently? After all, didnt he hear that he had killed so many people? He could make a person experience a life that is worse than death without blinking an eye! Is he not afraid? Ill also be there wherever you are, thats not merely just a talk He moved his fingers to stroke his eyebrows, his eyes and finally lightly touched his high nose. His tearful eyes were filled with doting, Even if you have to go to hell one day, Ill follow you too,okay? Why, why ? Qi Yue asked with trembling lips for a long time, but he could not ask the next words. But as if He Ling understood what he meant, He Ling reached out his hands and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his head lightly into the nook of his shoulder, tenderly stroking the hair at the back of his head, Because you are my husband ah, you are my everything. The hand on his waist tightened violently, as if to break his bones. The breath that sprayed on his neck turned a little rushing and in a short while he felt a little frustrated. He Ling gently patted the back of his shoulder while his eyes looked out the window at the snowflakes that had begun to fall again at some point. The look on his face was unclear. Those who died at the hands of his Xiang Gong, innocent or not innocent, he was really sorry that he couldnt be compassionate to them. All his softness and kindness was intended only for the person in his arms. If he could live this life safe and sound and in good health, nothing else would matter, right? He closed his eyes and buried his face in the other persons neck too. All he could smell between his nostrils was his scent. He was glad that in Jiang Hu where life and death are decreed by fate, his Xiang Gong had become the slaughterer, not the slaughtered one. The next morning, when Qi Yue opened his eyes, he unexpectedly found that his little Fu Lang was already awake, staring at him with unblinking eyes, Why are you awake so early? He Ling smiled and didnt say anything. He came up to him and kissed him on the lips, unlike the sloppy kiss1 approach he used to take. This time, sticking out his tongue as he lightly traced the shape of his lips, this titillated him, tickling Qi Yues heart. Qi Yues eyes darkened as he turned over and pressed himself against him to deepen the kiss. The other side cooperated by wrapping his arms around his shoulders and back. He opened his mouth and allowed him to move. The atmosphere between them was gradually rising. He didnt leave his lips until there was a change in his body. Looking at the person who was especially enthusiastic today, he said, If I had known earlier that my story would make Ah Ling so active (to take the initiative), I should have told you earlier! He Ling took two light breaths, hooked one hand around his neck while he moved closer to him and the other hand went down, Ill help you Qi Yues breath raised. His breath was disordered, Fu Lang is really good at seducing people The two people who lie down in the bed managed to miss the morning meal time. Shen Juming, who had already memorized a volume of book, looked at the door of their room which was still tightly closed. He wondered, in the past Shi Xiong had always got up early when he was still in the valley but now had he become lazy? Yun Su rubbed his flat stomach and pouted at him discontentedly Im hungry! Shen Juming was now in a difficult position, as he could only help (act in a supporting role in helping someone to cook) but he could not cook (by himself). He thought for a long time before asking, Why dont we bake some sweet potatoes to eat? This stuff was easy to make, just throw it into the firepot (¯: firebox, furnace chamber, or stove chamber) and roast it, so it was probably the only food he could make. Hearing that, Yun Sus eyes lit up and he nodded his head. He still remembered the taste he had yesterday. It was sweet and soft. With one bite, eating it while it was still hot, warmed him straight to his stomach. It was really delicious! So when Zheng Yue Feng came to visit them again with Xu Hua, the person who opened the door for them was Yun Su who was holding half a sweet potato and eating with both of his cheeks puffed out, the other party frowned as soon as he saw him, Why is it you? This was also what Zheng Yue Feng wanted to ask: How can this petulant and fussy little Ger open the door for him while he was chewing on a baked sweet potato in such a disgraceful manner? Moreover, the one he happened to open is the door of Qi Yues house? You guys know each other? Xu Hua looked back and forth between them with a bewildered expression. We happened to meet once in my familys restaurant! Zheng Yue Feng explained it to him, then turned back and said, Were here to find Qi Gongzi and Ling Geer This person actually Shi Xiongs friend? Yun Su looked at his pampered young masters style and still disliked it, so he was a little impatient, They are still sleeping, why dont you guys come back again another time? Xiao Su, whos out there? Just as he was about to close the door behind him, Shen Jumings voice came from behind him. He pouted, knowing that there was no way to shoo him away. Zheng Yue Feng was speechless, Would the disappointment on his face be a little too obvious? Let me get it clear, who is the regular guest in this house? ! Xu Hua, on the contrary, thought this ger was quite cute. The thoughts in his heart were written on his face and he could see through it by just a glance, very easy to understand. Although his temper did not look very good, he was not a bad person. Shen Juming came out and saw the man outside the door. He was very surprised to meet him here, What a coincidence! How come this young master is here? Zheng Yue Feng looked at his ash-stained cuffs and understand in his heart that he knew how that gers sweet potatoes came from, but he didnt show it on his face and said, We know Qi Gongzi and Ling Geer who live here, so we came to visit them. So you are my Shi Xiong and Xiong Fu Langs friend! Nice to meet you, this humble ones name is Shen Juming and this is my Shi Di, Yun Su. When Shen Juming heard his words, he cupped both of his hands in greeting, I didnt expect you to be acquainted with Shi Xiong. We are considered meant to meet by fate. Shi Xiong? Zheng Yue Feng was a bit surprised by the way he addressed Qi Yue. What kind of weird relationship is this? Do Qi Yue have the same Shi fu? (Master/Teacher of the same sect) He was thinking a lot in his mind, but he didnt lose his manners on his lips. He also cupped his hand in greeting and said, This humble ones name is Zheng Yue Feng and this is my fianc, Xu Hua! With this introduction, Yun Su took a closer look at Xu Hua. He looked like an ordinary ger from a village. He thought that a pampered young master like him would like a rich young master or young lady with the same status as him. It was beyond his expectation. Both of you, please come in too! It was outrageous to have people standing at the door all the time so after they finished introducing each other, Shen Juming stepped aside and invited them in. Coincidentally, they had just stepped into the courtyard when the door of the main room was opened. Qi Yue walked out of the room with a contented expression, raising an eyebrow when he saw them. Qi Gongzi, its already late in the morning and youre only up? Zheng Yue Feng rarely saw him get up late. It was such a rare occasion so when he did, he naturally had to tease him a little. Qi Yue curled his lips, took the shovel leaning under the eaves, walked over to him and threw it into his arms, Zheng Gongzi since youre already here, why dont you help shovel the snow then?! Zheng Yue Fengs face immediately fell, feeling that he was simply enslaving him and treating him like a retainer/footman, I havent even had a sip of tea, and youre making me work! Qi Yue, who had already stepped into the kitchen, waved his hand at him without looking back, Be quick! I still have to make some food for Ah Ling. There is so much snow on the road. How can he get out and walk around like that?! Zheng Yue Feng gritted his teeth and reluctantly bent down to shovel the snow. In his past life, he must have owed the other party! Shen Juming and Yun Su looked at each other and felt in their hearts at the same time that Shi Xiong was indeed living a good life here. Not only did he have someone he loved but he also had this kind of friends who he could tease each other like this, truly living like a normal person. After Qi Yue had finished making the food, he went inside the room to get He Ling wake up, helped him wash up and then took him to the hall. When He Ling saw the people sitting there, he smiled shyly, I woke up late today. Its alright! Since you are pregnant, its normal to sleep more! Xu Hua saw that he looked quite well and was relieved that he didnt seem to have any more discomfort recently. Qi Yue helped him sit down, served him red bean porridge, peeled the skin of the egg and told him to eat it quickly while it was still hot. He Ling, however, brought the eggs to his mouth first, his eyes as gentle as a pool of spring water, Xiang Gong, Eat! Looking into his eyes, Qi Yue lightly bit into it, looking satisfied, as if he had eaten some kind of luxury foodstuff from distant locations: You should eat it quickly, dont starve yourself! Zheng Yue Feng pinched his arms fiercely as he watched the two of them eating while being very affectionately or romantically to each other. With a tangled face, he said: Why do I feel that, after a few days of not seeing them, the two of them have become more lovey dovey? This time not only him, the other three people also felt the different atmosphere between them (which was different from the past). They seemed to blend even more, making it impossible for anyone else to intervene. Shen Jumings heart moved and he had a vague suspicion that if that was really the case, then his Shi Xiong was finally put away the last stone in his heart that weighed him down. Hua Geer, look at them!Zheng Yue Feng indicated he was jealous again. Those two were already an old married couple, but they were still so sticky. They hadnt even gotten married yet, however the other side didnt care about him! Seeing that he was having another childish tantrum, Xu Hua sighed speechlessly and reached out to stroke his head in order to calm him down, Come on! Dont make a scene, so many people are here! Zheng Yue Feng was slightly comforted, he wasnt satisfied with the small gains2 so he took hold of the other partys hand, touched it ah and stroked it, not letting go even after that he was being glared at. Yun Su looked at the pairs of couples in front of him. He then glanced at the person next to him who was reading a book seriously, unhappily, Yun Su kicked his stool. When the other party looked at him in confusion, he turned his head away and ignored him, leaving him to be at loss. The author has something to say: I feel that in this chapter, He Lings character setting has indescribably changed from a good behaved Shou to a seductive Shou. [ѵˮ/ qng tng din shu : lit. the dragonfly touches the water lightly / superficial contact (idiom)] [ô /d cn jn ch : lit. win an inch, want a foot (idiom); fig. not satisfied with small gains / give him an inch, and hell want a mile] CH 80 Chapter 80:ȥ [Go Back] The longer the day he stayed here in Qi Yues place, the more Shen Juming felt that he should not drag him back to Jiang Hu, spoiling the tranquillity he deserved. He looked up at the full moon in the pitch-black night sky and sighed lightly. He was afraid that G Zh (The Valley Master) would be disappointed that he could not bring back the disciple he missed and concerned the most. Youre not sleeping, what are you doing by standing here? Yun Su, who had gotten up to go to the toilet, saw the person standing in the courtyard as soon as he pulled open the door. He walked over to him with a frown, Arent you cold? Shen Juming shook his head and said to him, Xiao Su, well stay here for two days more then well leave and go back home! Hearing this, Yun Su was stunned, after that he understood it clearly ; he had seen it all these days that his Shi Xiong was doing very well nowadays, if they insisted on making the person go back, it would only cause trouble (as if they were looking for trouble when everything is perfectly fine), I understand. When he saw how straightforward he was, Shen Juming lifted his hand and stroked his head. Although this Shi Di of his was not particularly good-tempered, he was not an annoying troublemaker. He was always obedient when it came to serious matters. Feeling the warmth on his head, Yun Su blushed slightly, his heart thankful that it was night time so the other party could not see (his expression) very clearly, Its just that grandpa still has to continue to work hard and take the position of valley master for a few more years! Ever since his parents died, his grandfathers health has been deteriorating year by year. Even though the valley was full of sage doctors, they could not heal the pain of losing his son. Fortunately, he was with him all the time which gave the other party some support. There are many outstanding and capable people in the valley, perhaps not as good as Shi Xiong but there is no shortage of those who are capable of taking on the role of Valley Master, so you dont have to worry too much! After saying that, he patted the head under his hand again, There will definitely be an ideal husband for you! Yun Sus expression stiffened as he waved his hand away fiercely, gritting his teeth and glaring at him, Are you my father? Its not your business to worry about my marriage matters! Seeing the person leave panting with rage, Shen Juming held the hand that had been opened, feeling somehow empty in his heart. He then smiled and shook his head. In the end, he still had a childs temper ; whenever he said he was angry, he would do so. It had been the case since the past, the other side had always been angry with him for unexplainable reasons. However, he treated his other Shi Xiong and Shi Di quite normal. For some time, he thought the other party hated him. Later, as he grew older, he began to understand that Yun Su was only more affectionately (family love) dependent on him. That was why he was always in a bad mood with him. He then vowed to treat and loved him as if he were his own little brother. Now he was almost sixteen years old, waiting until the time he got married and when he became someone elses Fu Lang, the person he would act spoiled to and the one he would spill his temper to would no longer be himself ba! Thinking of this, he sighed again, suddenly feeling melancholy inside. Perhaps this was what it felt like to have the little brother he had loved for so many years married off to someone else ba! It was slightly obscure and bitter. Before Shen Juming could mention to Qi Yue about leaving, a snow-white pigeon flew into their courtyard, landing on the ground and obediently stopping in its tracks. When he heard the noise, he lifted the curtain and came out of the house, Shen Juming frowned at the sight of the white pigeon. This was a carrier pigeon bred in Qi Du Valley, used to deliver news. It was seldom used when there was nothing. He walked over and picked it up, removed the small bamboo tube tied to his belly, and with a wave of his hand set it free again. He pulled out the tiny piece of paper from the tube and spread it out. The words on it made his pupils shrink. He repeatedly confirmed it several times before he was sure he had read it correctly. His expression instantly looked complicated. Shi Xiong, is it a letter from the valley? Yun Su also came out of the room, so the sound of vibrating wings that he heard just now must have been the sound of a carrier pigeon, right? Shen Juming tucked the note into his sleeve. Turning around, he smiled as if nothing had happened and said,No, I dont know where the bird came from, as soon as I came over, its get scared away. Yun Su didnt suspect much. Seeing that his face was a bit unpleasant, he thought he was cold so he said, Then why are you still standing there? Come in quickly! Shen Juming followed him into the house, all sorts of thoughts were churning in his mind. He was unable to calm down, once this matter was out, it was even impossible for them to stay here much longer, the valley must be in a mess! Shen Shi Di, come with me to make another pot of tea! Qi Yue suddenly called out to him as he got up straight away, leaving the room without waiting for him. He knew in his heart that he could not hide this matter from the other party, so he immediately followed him to the kitchen. Yun Su gave them an inexplicable look and stopped paying attention to them, moving closer beside He Ling to watch him embroider flowers. His hands were never good at this kind of work, either embroidering the wrong thread or piercing his own hands. What kind of news did you hide from Yun Su? As soon as he entered the kitchen, Qi Yue asked straightforwardly. He had heard the conversation between the two of them and from the expression of the person in front of him, the situation did not seem to be good. Shen Juming took out a slip of paper from his sleeve and handed it to him, If Xiao Su knew, I am afraid that he would be worried. Qi Yue finished reading the contents in it with a sullen face and then casually threw the letter into the stove, a cold smile hanging on his lips, It seems that someone cant hold back and has started to plot for the position of the valley master! Seeing that the other party had the same thought as himself, Shen Juming said, Now in this kind of situation, with the absence of both Shi Xiong who is the direct disciple of the Valley Master and Xiao Su who is the grandson, its reasonable and fair for several capable and outstanding Shi Xiongs to act on behalf of the Valley Master but we are not sure which one of them is the one who did it! He also really chose such good timing to do it! [״: direct disciple, usually to describe the disciple that get things personally passed down by their master and they have a very close relationship with him. ] The fact that you came looking for me should have leaked out. The other party must be anxious in their hearts! As the most favoured successor in the heart of the Valley Master, once he returned, then the others would not have another chance, so this person had to hold the position of the Valley Master in his hands before that. Shen Juming also had this suspicion in mind. He did not take extra precautions when he explained to the valley master that he was coming out to look for Qi Yue. They did not feel that this was some kind of secret that could not be disclosed. However, he did not expect that someone would be driven to desperate action by this. [ǽ/ gu j tio qing : a cornered dog will jump over the wall (idiom) / to be driven to desperate action. ] Qi Yues eyes were sunken in thought for a long time before he looked at him with an unspoken expression and said, Pack up today and we will go back to the valley tomorrow morning. Shi Xiong? Shen Juming looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to make this kind of decision, Then what about Xiong Fu Lang? Naturally, he will come with me! How could Qi Yue leave his little Fu Lang here alone? This trip would take a lot of time so how could he be at ease then? But weve had a long travel-worn journey, moreover Xiong Fu Lang is pregnant, so Im afraid its not inappropriate ba? It was a long journey from here to Qi Du Valley. It would take nearly a month by carriage. Such a long and difficult trek journey would definitely be unbearable (unpleasant)! Qi Yue naturally thought of these, but as long as he took care of him attentively, it would not be a big problem, Do you have no confidence in my medical skills or in your medical skills? Shen Juming was stunned. Thats right! There were two doctors accompanying him, how could they not be able to take care of him? Besides that, they were not ordinary doctors. His heart was relieved at that moment, What Shi Xiong said is right! After they went back to the hall, they told the two who were still unaware of this decision. Yun Sus eyes widened, Shi Xiong, why did you suddenly change your mind? Qi Yue lifted the hem of his upper garment and sat down. Looking at him, he said, I havent seen my Shi Fu (Master/Teacher) for a long time, so Ive been thinking about him. I will only be visiting this time and will not stay longer. Yun Su felt in his heart that something was strange. Previously he had that kind of determined attitude, saying that he would not go back no matter what but suddenly he was going to visit his grandfather, somehow there was always a feeling that something was wrong. Alright, go back to your room and pack your things! Dont ask any more questions! Regardless of his doubts, Qi Yue waved his hand and shooed him out. He had made his decision so there was no need to explain it to him so much. Shen Juming had the good sense to drag the person away, although Yun Su would know about it sooner or later, but if he could, he would like to hide it for a while, for the purpose that he would not be full of worries all around the way. Once they had left, the central room was peaceful again. Qi Yue seized He Ling who had been smiling at him without saying a word and said to him, Do you blame me that I didnt discuss it with you and made the decision by myself? The person in his arms shook his head and put his hand on his arm and patted him, Xiang Gong, you must have your own reason for suddenly to do something like that. It is enough for me that you are willing to let me stay with you. (If) you are spoiling me like this, however you are going to spoil me rotten. Qi Yue gently kissed the top of his head and held him even tighter. Its good to be spoiled! He Ling lifted his face to look at him from the bottom up, smiling a little cunningly, If I spoil Xiang Gong so much that no one can stand it, then you will be mine alone! Qi Yue stroked his cheek and kissed the plum blossom marks space between his eyebrows, Even if Fu Lang doesnt overly spoil me, Wei Fu still will be yours alone, no one can snatch it away. Really? He Ling rolled his eyes. Suddenly he reached out to grab his front lapel and said, Ive heard from Yun Su Shi Di that there were many people who adored you before. Tell me honestly, have you ever fallen for one or two of them? Qi Yue looked at He Ling who pretended to be sulking and stared at him, unaware of how seductive he was, Qi Yues eyebrows slightly raised because of this. Qi Yue took his hand in his grip and moved it to his thumping heart and said,This heart has always beat only for Fu Lang. If you dont believe me, do you want to cut it open and see? Dont say such things! He Ling wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed his body against him, it was meant to be a joke, he didnt want to hear him say that, I dont like to hear it! Qi Yue exerted some strength and made him sit down on his lap, patted him on the back, Okay, Ill say no more! Its all my fault for talking nonsense. Even in words, his little Fu Lang didnt want to hear that he was hurt. He understood that in his heart but these words were also his real words (he also meant what he said). His heart was surely full of him. This time, Its a long journey to go to the valley, Im afraid its going to be hard for Ah Ling! If not for the reason that something had happened, Qi Yue wouldnt have put him through all of this, Someone conspire to murder Shi Fu and made him unconscious if I dont go back this time, my heart would not be able in peace. He Ling stopped moving as he let go of the hand he had wrapped around him and looked at him with a heartfelt look (felt distressed for him), God protects the good man, he will surely be fine! No wonder Xiang Gong was in a hurry to go back, that valley master had taught him since he was a child, raised him up and toward the other party he had such a great favor as heavy as a mountain. If anything happened to the other side, his heart would surely be in pain. [ɽ n zhng r shn /favours weighty as a mountain / a great debt of gratitude] For the time being, we will keep this matter from Yun Su. You must not mention this in front of him, just say that we are going on a leisure trip. Qi Yue did not forget to make it clear for him so that he must not leak anything out. He Ling nodded his head thinking of that person who despite being arrogant and willful (sometimes shy and considerate), was simple-minded and sighed in his heart, if he knew that something had happened to his grandfather, he would probably be worried to die! CH 81 Back to the Countryside Chapter 81:̥ [Fetal movement] As he was going out for a very long trip this time, Qi Yue visited Lin Shengs house and Xu Huas house after he had packed all the things he wanted to take with him. He gave Lin Sheng the key to his house so he could help him look after the livestock. The two families were surprised to learn that he was leaving for several months. This decision of his was indeed a little too sudden. He said that they were going to go then go, leaving them unprepared. But no matter how surprised they were, since they were going for a long journey, they wished the other party well and everything went smoothly on their journey. Regarding everything in their house, they would help him properly take care of it so that he would not have to worry. What should be prepared was already prepared. Tomorrow the four of them left Gu Shui village by carriage early in the morning. They only stop in the town for a while to buy something to eat on the way, and then hurriedly continue their way. The furthest He Ling had ever been was the town. Now they were going to an even more distant place, he still felt a little excited and couldnt resist the urge to lift the curtain and look outside. For the umpteenth time, Qi Yue tugged his hand back and held it in his hand to keep it warm. Helplessly, he said, If you really want to see it, you can do so when we get to a lively place. Here, still in the middle of a deserted mountain, theres nothing new and interesting here. I just feel curious! He Ling let him hold his hand and smiled shyly, This is the first time Ive been out for a long trip! Once weve solved my Shifus affairs, well wander around more before we go back! After warming up the persons hand, Qi Yue helped him to adjust the soft pillow behind his waist, Is it uncomfortable? In order to make He Ling more comfortable on the way, he had not only spread many layers of thick bedding in the carriage but also put several soft pillows and cushions, so that whether he wanted to sit or lie down, he wouldnt feel too bad. No! What he sat underneath him and leaned behind him were all something soft so how could it be uncomfortable? He glanced out of the carriage again and said, Is it really alright if we dont use our carriage (the carriage with Mu Yan is)? Qi Yue smiled and dropped another piece of carbon into the small stove (furnace) and replied, Dont worry! Mu Yan is very smart. It will follow us obediently. Shen Jumings carriage was leading the way so his Mu Yan would not get lost as he followed behind them. They had often travelled like this before. In fact, even if they didnt do it this way, Mu Yan would have been able to find his way back to the valley on his own. He had a very good memory. I sometimes think Mu Yan doesnt even look like a horse, but like a child! Mu Yan was really such a good horse! He liked to act as a spoiled child and throw a tantrum. Moreover, he was a very clever one. Qi Yue who was caressing his belly hearing this then said, Hes probably smarter than the average child! Actually he got Mu Yan accidentally, he had just turned 15 years old at that time. In a horse market, he saw him being abused by the horse trader, starving and a mere skeleton, tethered by a few ropes. Even after being whipped, his eyes were full of unyielding. Mu Yan kept lifting his hooves and struggling to get free. It was because he was so fierce and always couldnt get him tamed that he could not be sold. That was also why the horse trader always beat him, didnt give him food to eat, trying to change his unbending backbone proud and unyielding character. Unfortunately, a horse like Mu Yan would never submit to this and would only become more and more stubborn. At that time, Qi Yue already took a fancy at Mu Yan with just a glance and bought him back at a cost of silver. At first the horse wouldnt let him get close, always tossing his head and resisting his touch. He was not in a hurry at all, proceeded in an orderly way and advanced step by step. He took it easy. He would occasionally sleep with him in the horses house, bring him some good wine to drink together with him when he found out that he liked it and he would also take him to the open and spacious areas of the valley so Mu Yan could run around there while he stood and watched, never trying to climb his arrogant back. As the time went on, Mu Yans precautions toward him relaxed and loosened a lot. He then would let him stroke his head and brush his back, until one day he was willing to carry him along on his back. Rather than being his horse, Mu Yan was more like his best friend, so when he left the valley he took nothing with him but only took Mu Yan along with him because Mu Yan would not submit to anyone except himself (QY). Now, he has his little Fu Lang beside him too. Actually he had always been quite surprised about this matter, how the disobedient Mu Yan was willing to let the other party (HL) get close to him? Perhaps the more astute he was, the more he was attracted to the simple one, just as he was. In this aspect, Mu Yan was really similar to him. He laughed softly, causing He Ling to glance at him, Xiang Gong, what are you thinking about? Why are you so happy? Im thinking about something from the past! Qi Yue reached out his hands and took him into his embrace, adjusting his position to make him more comfortable, Once Mu Yan stole several jars of wine from me and got so drunk that he fell headfirst into the pool. It took me a lot of effort to drag him out of there! He Ling blinked, imagining the situation in his mind, and couldnt help laughing out loud as he leaned over his chest, that handsome and outstanding horse had turned into a drenched chicken. ( : drenched and bedraggled / soaked through/ like a drowned rat) The diligent and hard-working Mu Yan who hurried on with his journey had not the slightest idea at all that his master had already revealed all his embarrassing stories while he was working so hard, just trying to win a laugh from a beauty. After several days of coming and going, stopping and driving the carriage in hurry, they finally arrived at a (not small one) town. On that very day, they finally had a place to rest. This city was naturally different from the small town. It was much more prosperous. Most of the passersby were well dressed. Cows, donkeys and other similar animals were less common than horses, with just one look, they could tell that life here was exceedingly good. When they entered the inn, they drew a lot of glances from the passersby. They were all distinguished in appearance and dressed in luxurious clothes which was rare even in this prosperous and busy city, so naturally people could not help but look at them twice and guess their identity. They asked for three main rooms and ordered some food to be delivered to their rooms. Therefore, they ignored the whispers of the people and went upstairs. The horse carriage, no matter how comfortably furnished, was still a carriage, and after a bumpy ride on it, He Lings back was unbearably aching; he was put to rest on the bed once he entered the room. Qi Yue frowned and rubbed his waist as he felt distress for him. If it wasnt something bad happened to his Shifu, no matter what he would never have gone on this journey for no reason, and let his Fu Lang follow him endured the rough time. He Ling stretched out his index finger and gently pressed it on the space between his eyebrows, smiling as he said, Dont frown! You dont look good at all (like this). Good, you even dare to dislike your husband now! Qi Yue put his hand and grabbed it into his hand, put it to his lips and kissed it, and gently bit it twice as punishment. His bite didnt hurt at all, it even tickled a little. He Ling drew back his hand and curled his eyebrows with a smile, Dont bite anymore, it tickles! Qi Yue persistently did not let him go, holding his hand tightly and kissing him on each of his fingers, Who let you actually dare to dislike your husband?! Eh He Ling , whose face lit up with smiles, suddenly let out a muffled grunt and changed his expression. He curled his body, looking a little in pain. Whats wrong?! Qi Yue also changed his expression, subconsciously grabbed his wrist first but he found that the pulse was stable so he quickly took the person into his embrace and asked urgently, Where do you feel unwell? He Lings expression was somewhat dumbfounded. It was only when the other party asked him again that he grabbed his hand and placed it on his stomach with a face full of joy and said, Xiang Gong, the baby moved. He has moved just now! Hearing his words, Qi Yue was also stunned. It was only when another tiny vibration came from beneath his palm that he came back to his senses. A smile revealed on his face while he carefully felt his belly which was no longer moving inside. The existence of this child began to become distinct in his heart. Xiang Gong, hes growing up a little. He Ling shifted his body and rested his head on the other persons lap, his hands touched his, Im really looking forward to the day hes born! Qi Yue flipped his palm and interlocked his ten fingers together, looking down at his soft brow. In a gentle voice, he said,Our child will be the best in this world! Both of them had lost their parents when they were young, one experienced hardship in Jiang Hu, the other one lodge under another persons roof [Idiom for: to live relying on someone elses charity] so neither of them had ever felt what it was like to be fully loved and pampered as they grew up. Things that belonged to their child, he must have a lot of goodness, to live willfully, freely and at ease. They wanted to be the best parents for him, to give him the most complete and happy family. The first fetal movement of the baby made the couple excited for a while, until the young waiter came up to deliver the food, then they put the matter aside for a while. No matter what, they still had to eat. After he had eaten, Qi Yue told the others to sit down and take a rest. He himself opened the door and asked the young waiter to boil some bathing water and send it to his room. It was for A Ling who had been tired all day along to have a nice hot bath so he would feel even more comfortable. While he was ordering, a girl in a red dress came up from the stairs. She had a beautiful face and a dagger in her hand, which added a touch of martial bearing. She was followed by a man and a woman.They were both dressed in similar style. When Qi Yue heard the movement, he looked over and met her face to face. The girl was stunned before it changed into surprise and full of joy. She walked over to him and said, Qi Gongzi, what are you doing here? Qi Yue was also a little surprised to see her, I was on my way and came here to rest and stay for the night, but I didnt expect to meet an old friend! This girls name is Lin Yuxue, a disciple of the Hidden Detached Palace. He had met her a few times before but like Xiao Yu Heng, he was not really familiar with her. But in the other partys heart, she didnt seem to think the same at all. Qi Gongzi has disappeared from Jiang Hu without a trace for half a year, where did you go? When Lin Yuxue saw his smiling face, she had on her the young maidens delicate attitude as she blushed slightly and asked him where he had gone. The two people who came here together with her also came over at this moment. They clasped their fists to him as a greeting, obviously not unfamiliar with him either. They were also the disciples of the Hidden Detached Palace, Lin Yuxues Shi Xiong and Shi Jie. These three had come together to attend to the affairs of the sect. Qi Yue gave them a nod first before looking at the person in front of him again, without going into details and simply said, I only do some of my own matters. Lin Yuxue didnt look deeper, it was normal for people in the Jiang Hu to have some secrets of their own. If she had to pry into everything, it would surely annoy the other party, Qi Gongzi, are you going back to the valley now? Qi Yue nodded his head and said, Exactly. Thats really great! We can go together! Lin Yuxue was secretly delighted that the Hidden Detached Palace was in the same direction as the Qi Du Valley. She needed to return to the palace tomorrow to report back on her completed mission. She and he could travel together for some time. She, having those maidens feelings and harboring the amorous thoughts of spring (love) was naturally clear to Qi Yue. In the past, he had no intention of responding to her and even more now. So he did not answer her words and only said, You all must be tired from the long journey, so please go back to your rooms earlier and rest ba! Lin Yuxue however did not see the meaning behind his refusal, she only pleased with his gentleness and thoughtfulness, Many thanks for your concern, Qi Gongzi! You too should rest early! We will see you early in the morning! Even though in her heart, she actually wanted to talk to him more but he must have been on the road for all day, so it would be not sensible of her if she kept pestering him. Anyway, she still had plenty of time since they would travel together. As the three of them returned to their own rooms, Qi Yue slightly wrinkled his brow. This was indeed troublesome (a bother)! CH 82 Back to the Countryside Chapter 82 : [Jealousy (in love rivalry)] After a dreamless nights rest, the four of them who still had to hurry up on their journey, all got up. Shen Juming went downstairs first, he asked the shop manager for some easy-to-carry pancakes and marinated raw meat so it would be convenient for them to cook and eat it on the way. Also, pack me some soup ingredients which are good for nourishing the body! After all, He Ling was pregnant and it would not be good for him to eat only those things. They brought a small cooker with them , so when the time came, they could heat it up for him to drink. After telling them what they needed to prepare, Shen Juming ordered breakfast for them. At this time, Yun Su wrapped in a thick fox fur robe also went downstairs and sat down beside him. Did you sleep well last night? Shen Juming saw that he looked sickly so he asked, Not feeling well? No! Yun Su shook his head and yawned a little,I just didnt sleep well! Shen Juming put his mind at ease for the time being, took a cup and poured some tea for him, Drink some tea first to sober up. Ive ordered the breakfast, just wait for a moment, it will be served after this. Shen Gongzi? Su Geer? Yun Su had just received the cup in his hand when someone called out to them from the direction of the stairs, turning his head to look, he saw Lin Yuxue and the other two coming this way. He irresistibly looked into them as he slightly knitted his brows. Miss Lin (Lin G niang)? Looking at the person who had come close, Shen Juming stand up and arched his hand to greet them, What are you doing in here? Shifu asked me to go out and handle some matters together with my Shi Xiong and Shi Jie! Lin Yuxue greeted him as she cupped her hands and said, Are you guys coming here together with Qi Gongzi? Shen Juming was stunned, how did she know about this?, Youve already met him? I ran into him last night when I just arrived here! She smiled shyly as she said this, We agreed to travel back together today! Chi! Yun Su, who had been sitting still all along, let out a light sneering snort. This womans feeling for his Shi Xiong was simply the heart of Sima Zhao (figurative for open secret or obvious to everyone) but it was a pity that his Shi Xiong completely didnt have that kind of intention, so how could he agree to travel together with her? Definitely, It must be decided by herself presumptuously. Lin Yuxue took a quick look at him without saying anything. Since before Yun Su already particularly did not like her. At first she thought the other party was also in love with (adore) Qi Yue, but later she unintentionally found out that the one he liked was Shen Juming, so she didnt care much about him anymore. (so she didnt take it to heart anymore.) By just looking at his face, he immediately knew he was having another tantrum. Shen Juming shook his head helplessly. Perhaps both of them were spoiled and favoured by the Master (Sect leader, for Yun Su is his grandpa and for Lin Yuxue is her Shifu). The two of them had never gotten along very well, especially after he knew she was having some feelings for (interested in) his Shi Xiong. He was even more so, making an uproar all the time that he would never let her get what she wanted. He definitely didnt want to call her Shi Sao (Martial Senior Brothers wife or Sister-in-law)! Qi Gongzi hasnt come down yet? Since she didnt see Qi Yue, Lin Yuxue couldnt help but open her mouth to ask. She had been excited for the entire night that she hadnt slept much since she saw him yesterday! He Ling slept more because he was pregnant, so Qi Yue usually waited for him to wake up and helped him wash up before they went out together. At the time Shen Juming knocked on their rooms door when he came down, they were already up so he guess they were almost done, Probably still washing up. Can we sit together then? Since we will go together after this anyway! Although she was asking, the expression on her face was anything but that, she even had started to arrange the seating for her Shi Xiong and Shi Jie. What else could Shen Juming say? He could only extend his hand and said, Do as your wish! (Go ahead!) Yun Su fiercely rolled his eyes; Do they think here is their Hidden Detached Palace (Yin Lgng)? Doing everything as they like! [Oh my.. Yun Su baby is so cute, after that Chi and now this lol ] The table they had chosen was a small round one, there were six chairs in total. After Lin Yuxue and her group sat down, there was only one empty seat left, which she placed beside herself. On the other side was Shen Juming. He took one look at the unoccupied space and beckoned the waiter to add another chair to the table. Lin Yuxue was surprised, she had thought that only these three Shi Xiong Di (male apprentices of the same master = martial senior brother and junior martial little brother) were together this time, Is there another disciple from the valley accompanying you guys? Shen Juming only smiled and didnt say much. The rest, let the other party see for herself ba! It was as if it had been timed, just as breakfast was set on the table, Qi Yues figure appeared on the stairs. Lin Yuxue who had been focusing her attention on that place, smiled broadly and raised her hand to call him but suddenly her expression froze, since the other party did not come down alone. In the crook of his arm, he was holding a delicate and beautiful ger! When he saw that look on her face, Yun Sus mood suddenly became better. If she is willing to stay, then let her stay, bei! This may not be a bad idea and its good for her to open her eyes and see how much both of them are deeply in love with each other! Qi Yue walked over holding He Ling with his arms, when he saw the person sitting there, he twitched his eyebrows slightly, but didnt say anything. He helped his Fu Lang to sit down on the empty seat and said, Sorry, Im late. After He Ling took his seat, he saw the unfamiliar girl sitting next to him kept staring at him, so he nodded lightly to her. He also didnt know who the other party was and did not know how to address her, so he didnt say anything. Now that everyone was present, naturally they could begin to eat now. They still had a long journey waiting for them so the sooner they finished eating, the sooner they could set out. Qi Yue put an egg roll on the small plate of the person next to him. He then began to serve him the porridge. Lin Yuxues face was stiff as she watched the person her heart was pleased with, meticulously taking care of a ger who had appeared from nowhere. Her hands seemed to be using too much force and almost breaking the chopsticks she was holding. As if squeezing it out of the space between her teeth, she said, Wont you introduce me to this one (person)? As if he had just remembered, Qi Yue gave the expression of suddenly understanding something and replied, It was an oversight on my part, this is my Fu Lang. His name is He Ling! When did you get married?! Lin Yuxues eyes instantly widened, as she was annoyed and said it in a shrill voice. After realizing that she had misbehaved a little, she straightened her face again, Qi Gongzi is joking right? [ I could understand Lin Yuxues disappointment over this,meeting such a handsome, mysterious, elegant and great guy as Qi Yue then suddenly already married HahahaPardon my excitement] How could I joke about such a thing? I and A Ling have been married for almost half a year! As Qi Yue said this, he pulled the person to his side. Her voice was so loud, do not disturb (by making a noise) Ah Ling! Earlier, I should have asked Shen Juming to sit over there! Unexpectedly, it had been six months? Lin Yuxue didnt want to believe that the man she had been longing for so long was actually already married to someone else. She simply had become a joke! Because he was sitting next to her, He Ling could see clearly how her mood changed several times. He understood it in his heart. He had mentioned it before too, yet he didnt expect that he would meet his husbands admirer so soon. Lin Yuxue slightly pulled herself together to keep herself calm down a little and asked, I wonder which sects disciple He Xiao Geer is from? My Fu Lang is not someone from Jiang Hu! Qi Yue originally thought that the other party would simply fling her sleeves away and leave. He did not expect that she would be much calmer than what he had predicted. Then from which (famous) distinguished family is he from? Lin Yuxue wanted to see what kind of family background and status could make the man marry him! I am also not from a well-known family either. I was born in Gu Shui village and have grown up in the village since I was a child. I am just an ordinary person! This time, didnt wait for Qi Yue to speak, He Ling then answered her question first. Gu Shui Village? Lin Yuxue repeated the name that she had never even heard of, disdain rising in her heart (thinking that he is not worthy of him). So he was just an insignificant figure (a nobody), Then hes a country ger! Yun Su slapped the table and was finally unable to hold back his temper, Whats wrong with being a country ger? Even if Xiong Fu lang was born in the countryside, his appearance and manner are better than some (certain) people! Seeing Yun Su speak for him, He Ling turned his head and smiled at him. His hand grasped Qi Yue who had already changed his expression and patted him on the hand as he continued to say to Lin Yuxue, Youre right, Im indeed just an ordinary country ger. Ive never seen the world and I know very little. Fortunately, I got married to Xiang Gong, he is knowledgeable, has a lot of experience, and very capable in everything. He has loved me and pampered me even more since we were married. Hes a very wonderful husband! Even though he was belittling himself in his words, Lin Yuxue wasnt happy at all. He was simply showing off to her, showing off that such a good man belonged to him! Seeing the little Fu Lang to be all smiling and making the other party speechless, Qi Yue was happy and at the same time relieved in his heart, he moved over and kissed him on the corner of his curved lips,Ah Ling is also a very good Fu Lang! He Ling rarely did not blame him for being too intimate with him in public. He even gave him a small kiss on the cheek, boldly but also at the same time his cheeks were slightly red. He was still a little shy in his heart. As she widened her eyes (figuratively, it could also mean looking on helplessly) and watched them to be very much in love with each other, Lin Yuxue was about to bite her teeth broken into pieces! He was just a little ordinary country ger, how could he have taken Qi Yues heart? Where is she inferior to the other party? Todays meal is extraordinarily delicious! Yun Su was pleased with himself as he took a bite of a steamed dumpling (xio lngbo). He chewed it cheerfully. That annoyed face goes well with the rice. Xiong Fu Lang is so powerful! After having the breakfast, some people ate it happily, while others were full of anger and did not eat a single bite. After they finished the meal, everyone went out of the door, their own carriages were waiting at the entrance and ready to leave at any time. To their surprise, Lin Yuxue still decided to go with them anyway. They didnt pay much attention to this. If they were happy to follow, so let them be! They wouldnt see much of each other in the carriage anyway. She watched as Qi Yue carefully helped He Ling into the carriage, with a cold snort, she turned her head and got into the carriage herself. It would look too bad on her part if she decided to leave on their own. Moreover, she was also not quite willing to do so! Sitting on the carriage, He Ling lightly pinched Qi Yues thigh and said discontentedly, Attracting bees and butterflies!1[з /attract bees and butterflies(of a woman) flirtatious; coquettish / fig. to attract the opposite sex] Wrongly accused ah!!(I am innocent) Qi Yue raised both of his hands but he smiled so happily, I didnt invite. I met her only a few times. Its she who came to me on her own! Then its also your face that caused it! He Ling stretched out his hand and pinched his cheek, In the end, just how many other girls and gers are thinking about you? Qi Yue wrapped his arms around him and smiled as he buried his head in the crook of his neck, rubbing it twice, his voice full of laughter, Are you jealous? What do you think? He Ling slapped his hand that was stroking back and forth between his waist and struggled to get free from his embrace, She expressed her feelings for you so blatantly, cant I be jealous? Yes, of course you can! Qi Yue took the man into his embrace again, this time holding him tightly and didnt let him struggle free from him, But shes just an outsider and not worth mentioning. Its not worth it to ruin your mood for her! Hmph, shes still following behind us right now! He was already married but she still wont give up, it proved how deep she felt for him, Its really such a deep love for you! The little Fu Langs angry look was so cute that Qi Yue couldnt help but laugh out loud. As the other party punched him on the chest in embarrassment, he moved closer to his ear and whispered, If Fu Lang doesnt like her, how about Wei Fu (this husband) go and kill her? Ever since he had opened the door of his (inner) heart to him, he had become less and less concerned about saying such things to him, for he had firmly believed that his A Ling would not leave him because of this. Therefore, in front of the other party, he did even more as he pleased. No, dont! You didnt need to come to that extent! He looked like he was saying it as a joke, however He Ling knew clearly in his heart that if he really nodded his head, This joke was no longer just a joke! Fine, then I wont kill her! Qi Yue hugged him as he leaned back against the soft pillow behind them together, sniffing the faint fragrance of his hair, Then Fu Lang dont be angry with me anymore! I will still want to get angry! On the mouth, although He Ling said so, the corners of his mouth had already hooked up! He said he was angry, but in fact, he just wanted to act coquettishly with him. Just as Xiang Gong had said, he need not take those unimportant outsiders to heart at all. CH 83 Back to the Countryside Chapter 83 : [People Coming] As they hurried on their way, the snow started to fall again. All they could see before their eyes was all white, making it difficult to see the road ahead. Their progress was naturally slowed down. By the time the weather was getting dark again, they were unable to reach the town where they could stay for the night. It was not possible to travel and face dangers through the snow and wind at night. In the end, they had to find a certain col (level ground in the mountains or hills) to be their shelter from the snow as their temporary stopping place. It was so cold as the weather was windy and the snow was heavy outside. Qi Yue told He Ling to stay put in the carriage. He himself lifted the curtain and got off from the carriage. Just at the same time, he saw Shen Juming jumping down from the another carriage. He exercised a little before he rushed forward here, Shi Xiong, well have to stay here for the night. They were quite strong and fit, not having any problem at all but it might be a little hard for He Ling. However, the good thing was that on the carriage, the cotton-padded quilt and (the heating) stove were all available there, so it wasnt that bad. Lets make the fire first and cook something to eat! Qi Yue took a look at the col (level ground in the mountains or hills).The place wasnt too big and the three carriages almost filled it up but the wind and snow didnt get in, so it was pretty good. Then we must go and find some dry firewood first, right? Lin Yuxue and her seniors also got out of the carriage and walked up to them, Im afraid its not easy to find firewood in this weather, its all damp at the moment. Just now, we passed by a mountain forest. Its not too far from here. Ill go there and look for some. Ju Ming, you help me take good care of A Ling for me. The other partys agility was not as good as him so it would take him a lot of time to go there. Since it was getting late, if he went he could get it faster. Ill go with Qi Gongzi! Seeing that he was going, Lin Yuxue hastily took up the job as well, My Qing Gong is pretty good. I wont delay your time! [Qing Gong is a technique in Chinese martial arts. Its use has been exaggerated in wuxia fiction, where martial artists have the ability to move swiftly and lightly at superhuman speed, perform gravity-defying moves such as gliding on water surfaces, scaling high walls, and mounting trees.] Qi Yue wanted to refuse at first but after thinking about it, he nodded his head and agreed. The other party was still having a fanciful or impractical idea toward him so if she was left here and suddenly wanted to attack his Fu Lang, Shen Juming and Yun Su probably wouldnt be able to manage the three of them. By taking Lin Yuxue away, at least both sides would be balanced. Lin Yuxue was delighted in her heart for being able to be alone with the other party. She had just put on a shy look, then she saw him turn around and go back to the carriage, lifting the curtain to speak to He Ling. At that moment, she pulled a long face (put on a serious expression). Ill go for a while, if you need something, just call Juming! Qi Yue took his hand and squeezed it lightly, informing him that he had to leave for a moment. He Ling nodded his head, hearing the wind howling outside and telling him again, You have to be careful! After saying goodbye, Qi Yue and Lin Yuxues figures disappeared into the snowstorm. Together with the two disciples from the Hidden Detached Palace, Shen Juming took down some cooking utensils and ingredients from the carriage and arranged it. If an ordinary person were to move around in this kind of foul weather, they would not be able to bear it. However, for those who practice martial arts, apart from the obstruction of vision, none of it could become a problem. Lin Yuxue divided her attention to focus on the person next to her. The tip of his feet tapped the ground lightly, leaping through the drifting snow. His white robe was lifted by the wind and his face was handsome and flawless, like an immortal banished from heaven and descending to the mortal world (earth), uncontaminated by dust and dirt. From the first time she saw the other party, he had already captivated her heart like this. She could not take her eyes off him. At that time, she thought that only a man like him would be worthy of her. She had always known that she was not the only one who had fallen in love with him. He never stayed for anyone and never took anyone into his heart, but left them to sink into it. He seemed gentle and polite, extremely good to get close to but in fact his heart was tightly closed to all. Even so, she still for a long time could not forget about him and vowed to be the one to stand beside him. But one day, he disappeared after eliminating a sect. He disappeared as if he had vanished from the face of the earth, without any single trace left. She was worried and anxious, wondering if he had been wounded and had gone into hiding to recuperate. For more than half a year, there was no more news about him. When she met him again at the inn, she was simply overjoyed and couldnt wait to step forward and talk to him, but he seemed to have not changed at all, still so noticeable (attracting attention), still gentle and cultivated as a man of virtue ()1[ : Man of noble character; man of virtue; gentleman (originally a Confucian term, meaning an ideal man whose character embodies the virtue of benevolence, and who acts in accordance with the rites and rightness]. She thought her chance would come when she went on the same journey with him this time, but what she didnt expect was the harsher truth that he was unexpectedly already married. Moreover, he was married to a country ger who did not have a single good point beside his appearance. He was like a different person when he was with that ger. He never took his eyes off of the other party, all the time always protecting the other party in his embrace. Even with only the slightest frown from him, he would nervously ask if he was unwell? She saw it in her eyes and was jealous in her heart. She didnt understand what was so good about this ger that he could make the person she looked up to care for him so much in every possible ways that he wanted to hold him in his hands. Lin Yuxues line of sight always set on him. Qi Yue naturally knew it but he just didnt want to pay attention to her. Even if she was so much in love with him, it was none of his business. Vaguely seeing the outline of the forest ahead, he slowed down his pace. The winter trees were covered by the accumulated snow and many of them were too wet and completely could not be used. Qi Yue stopped his figure and looked around, trying to find some place that was sheltered from the wind and snow, in there he should be able to find some firewood. Lin Yuxue followed behind him, throughout the journey they kept moving forward and as the atmosphere became somewhat silent then she asked, This time when you return to the valley, Qi Gongzi supposedly should not leave again right? As far as I know, it seems that Yun Gu Zhu (the master of the valley Yun) has always intended for you to take over his position! Qi Yues attention had always been on searching through the forest. He didnt turn back when he heard her question, Miss Lin is joking. There are many other disciples who can take over the position. This time I only came back to visit Shifu. After that, I will take Ah Ling back to the village. You mean that after this, you will live in a small village? Lin Yuxue stopped in her tracks to look at him in surprise. She thought this time, the other party was returning to Jiang Hu. Naturally. Qi Yues footsteps did not stop. He also did not care whether she catched up with him or not, The affairs in Jiang Hu are no longer my concern. I only want to spend my life in peace with him and will no longer bother with the other things. How can you do that? Lin Yuxue ran up to him and stopped him in his tracks, You are extremely skillful in martial arts, a great doctor and also a great poisoner. You have such great capabilities at such a young age! How can you waste your life in a village? Qi Yue stopped in front of her, compared to her excitement, his expression as calm as a lake without a ripple, Lin Guniang, no matter what kind of decision I make, its definitely none of your business! His words left Lin Yuxue with no way to refute it. She bit her lip in silence for a long time before her eyes turned red, How can you be so heartless? You clearly know what I have in mind for you Lin Gu Niang! Qi Yue interrupted her before she could say it, he definitely did not want to hear someone other than A Ling say this to him, What you have in your heart is your business but I can only have one person in my heart! Lin Yuxue eventually shed her tears but her heart still remained unwilling. She extended her hands and lunged forward to hug him but was dodged by the other party. Ashamed and resentfully she turned her head and stared at him, A physically weak [the literal one: lacking the strength even to truss a chicken] country ger, are you not afraid that he will die by my sword? Hearing these words, the corners of Qi Yues lips curled up, revealing a smile but his eyes were even colder than the snowflakes dancing around in the air, If you really dare to do it, I will make your life worse than death! Lin Yuxue stumbled and took one step back. The other partys ruthlessness was always more than she could have imagined. Her whole heart was poured into him but not even a trace of it was accepted (could be kept). If the other party hadnt come to provoke him, he would not have cared for her maiden feeling and affection at all. Besides, he had no time to understand it. But if she seriously, for this reason, hurt even a single hair of Ah Lings, he would make her regret coming to this world! Miss Lin (Lin Guniang), its getting late! Lets finish collecting the firewood quickly and go back early! As if nothing had happened, Qi Yue smiled gently at her and turned back to continue on his way. Lin Yuxue wiped the tears from her face and followed him, pretending that nothing had happened. However her mind was lost in a myriad of thoughts, this person never saw her in his eyes, so naturally he would never take her into his heart. No matter how much she did, no matter how much she said, it was all in vain (useless). He Ling lifted the curtain hanging on the carriage window and looked at the snow that was still falling outside the col. He was a bit worried, he didnt know where his Xiang Gong had gone to find the firewood in this cold weather? Would he be okay from the freezing weather? Yun Su just got in from outside the carriage and saw his anxiously waiting appearance (: keep gazing till ones eyes are strainedlong), immediately he curled his lips and said teasingly, Xiong Fu Lang, are you worried that Shi Xiong will be unfaithful, being together alone with Lin Yuxue outside there? Hearing the tone of his voice, He Ling turned his head and met face to face with his cunning gaze and smiled helplessly, What nonsense are you talking about? Xiang Gong definitely will never do that! What brought you here? Not seeing the look he wanted to see, Yun Su pursed his lips as he found it boring and moved to sit beside him, Juming Shi Xiong was afraid that you have nothing to do by being alone in here so he asked me to come over to accompany you and to chat with you. Shen Shi Di is always so attentive! He was indeed just as Xiang Gong had said, doing things steadily, dependable and making people feel at ease. Chi! He just likes to worry about things! Yun Su lay back and leaned back on the soft pillow, squinting his eyes comfortably, Hes been like this since he was a child. He loves to meddle in other peoples business, so fucking annoying! Oh? He Ling didnt believe this excuse of him at all. From his observation as he took it all in, he could see it from the way the other party looked at Shen Juming, Do you seriously think hes annoying? Then I will go and tell him to leave you alone in the future! Seeing that he was really about to get up and go down from the carriage, Yun Su hurriedly stopped him and pulled his arm. As he tried to hide it but only to make it more conspicuous, he said, Dont move (randomly)! Shi Xiong has told you to stay put, you have to listen to his words! He Ling originally was just teasing him, so following along with the force, he sat back and poked his slightly red cheeks, If you like him so much, why dont you tell him? Who, who likes him? Yun Su excitedly and subconsciously retorted back, yet when he saw his smiling eyes, he dropped his head in defeat and twisted his fingers, That bookworm (nerd), all he knows is to treat me as his little brother all the time. He doesnt understand a single thing! These words of his, He Ling agreed with him. Everything about Shen Shi Di was good, however he seemed to never be enlightened (unable to understand) in the matters of love. He doted on Yun Su, attached himself so much to him and loved him dearly (as brothers) but there was less love feeling (between lovers) for him. No wonder he was so frustrated like this. Who is that?! At first, he was about to say a few more words to help the other side to get over his worries. However, suddenly Shen Jumings soft shout sounded from outside the carriage. He was just about to probe open to see but he was pushed and held down by Yun Su, who had a serious face and was listening carefully to the commotion outside. It wasnt long before the sound of swords clashing became clear, the horses neighing as if they were frightened, and the carriage they were sitting in right now swayed for several times! It was obvious that there was a fight going on between the other three and the villains outside. He had never encountered such a situation before so He Ling stared in disbelief and did not know what to do. His heart was beating fast. CH 84 Back to the Countryside Chapter 84: Ϯ [Be Ambushed] Yun Su kept a hold on He Ling to prevent him from moving, keeping his head sideways so as not to miss any sound from outside. Although he was worried about Shen Jumings safety, he couldnt leave the pregnant He Ling alone in the carriage. If anything happened to him, Shi Xiong would definitely peel his skin. As he thought like this, he felt someone approaching from outside the curtain. Subconsciously, he kicked the man in the stomach and waist. The man grunted and retreated momentarily. He Ling was startled by his sudden movement but at least he didnt scream out loud! How could someone suddenly attack them in the middle of nowhere? Could it be a bandit? Yun Su had just kicked the person away, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he felt two more breaths coming towards him. He secretly cursed Damn it!, reached into his pocket and took out a few poisonous needles and put it between his fingers, just waiting for them to get close enough to throw it out. The result, however, was not what he had expected. All the three breaths stopped a few paces away. Something had been thrown around the carriage. The tip of his nose twitched as he caught the smell of something burning. In order to force them out, the other side even tried to set fire to the carriage. Yun Su gritted his teeth, grabbed He Lings wrist and took him out of the carriage. As soon as he took a firm stand, a sword came from the side. He immediately dodged it out of the way as he guarded him (HL). He Ling was still in a daze until now. He could only let Yun Su drag him around, dodging back and forth between several swords and several times, his skin was just barely scratched. The situation on Shen Jumings side was no more optimistic than theirs, with seven or eight men in black clothes surrounding the three of them, leaving them no time to focus on other things. In between dodging, Yun Su shot the poisonous needle out of his hand, hitting one of the men in black squarely on the wrist but it did not work since the man quickly swallowed a pill. He grimaced since the poison he had put on those needles, no one knew what it was except for some of his Shi Xiong and Shi Di in the valley. How could these people have carried the antidote with them? Actually, from which sides of the forces are them? A sword slashed down, right into his hand that was tugging at He Ling, Yun Su turned around and pulled He Ling to his other side, not letting them have their way. At the same time, he flung a bottle of medicine out of his sleeve and smashed it on the ground, sending the powder drifting away in the air. He turned and stretched out one of his hands to put a pill into He Lings mouth. He pulled the person back a few steps. He raised his head and catched a sight that made him blacken his face again, those people had taken the antidote again and were unharmed! Yun Sus heart was restless with anxiety, these men in black simply knew him like the back of his hand. He completely had no way to deal with them, he couldnt help but wonder if there was a mole in Qi Du Valley! He was not sure where these people came from, but Shen Juming knew, they must have been sent by the person who put the master of the valley in coma. Only the fellow disciples of the valley would know their movements (in martial arts) so well. Distracted as he looked at both Yun Su and He Ling who were surrounded, his heart became anxious. He didnt know if Shi Xiong had started to turn back. They couldnt hold out any longer! He Ling knew no martial arts at all and could not help them at all, so he could only try his best to keep himself quiet to avoid disturbing those around him while they were dealing with the enemy. However he still cried out in alarm when a man in black reached out to catch him! Yun Su immediately pulled He Ling towards him after hearing his voice. He spun around with him to avoid the mans hand but he could not avoid the sword from the other side. He was cut on the arm and the blood immediately stained his sleeve. He Ling was so shocked that he raised his hand to cover his wound, panicking and not knowing what to do. These people did not look like they were after money at all, but rather, they were here to kill! A sword stabbed him, the other side didnt give them a chance to catch their breath, the attackers immediately attacked them again, forcing the two of them apart with every move they made. Yun Su felt in his heart that something was a bit strange; once was a coincidence but after several attempts was certainly deliberate. These black-clothed peoples target was actually the person beside him, He Ling! Always been living in the village all his life, so who could he have offended? They must be trying to capture him to deal with Shi Xiong! Shi Xiong has always the type of person who done everything perfectly (ˮ©the literal one: not even one drop of water can leak out). He never left behind any calamity. So no one should come after him, seeking revenge. But if he wasnt looking for revenge, then what was it? The more questionable points he saw, the more Yun Su couldnt figure it out. When his heart was full of agitation, from the other side, there was a shout of alarm. He was distracted and looked over and saw that Shen Jumings shoulder was red. In the dead center of his vision, there was a man trying to attack him! His pupils shrank at once and he couldnt care about anything else! He leapt forward with a single point of his toes, just in time, he managed to block the sword. The sound of a sharp weapon sinking into flesh, accompanied by his muffled grunt, caused Shen Juming, who had his back to him, to turn his head back! Xiao Su! His eyes were crimson red as he caught the body that had fallen with one hand after the man in black pulled out his sword out of Yun Sus body. He looked at the other partys chest that was red in blood and panicked like never before! Due to this unexpected situation, the two people from the Hidden Detached Palace managed to block a few moves for him. But two fists could not defeat four hands, and with so many people, they also might not be able to hold out for long. As they were thinking about this, two people came flying from afar. One of them, a figure in white moved for only a moment then all those men fell to the ground, their faces blue and grey, apparently poisoned to death! This man was none other than Qi Yue, together with him was Lin Yuxue; when they came back from collecting firewood, they heard Shen Jumings sorrowful call from a distance. They immediately knew that something bad had happened so they rushed over as soon as they could. Qi Yue looked all around with his hands on his back, Looking as if some terrible storm (fig for crisis) was brewing. He asked in a deep voice, Wheres Ah Ling? Shen Juming, who had just given Yun Su a pill with a trembling hand then suddenly raised his head. Just now, the place where the other partys position was, where there was even half of figure of him? He was shocked. Its over! Xiong Fu Lang had been taken away! He Ling was carried on the kidnappers shoulder and swept through the snow and wind. He was very anxious since his acupuncture points were sealed and he could not move at all, even if he wanted to struggle, he couldnt. He had no idea who these people were, what their purpose was, and why they had kidnapped him. If Xiang Gong returned and found he was already being taken away, he would surely be worried. He didnt know how long they had been travelling. Only when He Lings body was frozen stiff, did they stop inside a cave. Being thrown to the ground, he grunt softly and said,My stomach hurts! Dont play tricks! The man who was carrying him gave him a cold look, ready to turn and walk away. Its true, Im pregnant. Being treated so roughly by you all, it will naturally hurt the fetus! He Ling bit his lip, his face was a little pale, At least, let me drink the medicine! One of the men came over and looked at him for a few moments and said, Where is the medicine? Ill get it for you. Im a ger, if you dare to touch me as you like, Id rather die! The feeling of being unable to move at all, like a fish in a shuffle, was really that bad, Ill take it myself! The two men looked at each other, one of them then came forward, stretched out his hand and lightly poked at He Lings acupuncture points twice (to release him so he could move again) and said in a cold voice, If you try to escape, we wont be polite anymore. After he could move, He Ling drew back, leaned against the stone wall. He then took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill and swallowed it. This was the medicine Qi Yue had prepared especially for him to calm the fetus. He had always carried it with him. Both of the men in black saw that he was staying still obediently and didnt move around so they turned their body away from him and sat down near the entrance of the cave. Just now, one of the men had just gone out. He Ling also didnt know where he had gone. He Ling sat in the corner while hugging both of his knees, trying to warm up his cold body a little. He was not that afraid anymore in his heart, these people had no intention of killing him, otherwise just now, they would not have paid attention to him. He rested his chin on his knees and lowered his eyebrows, his Xiang Gong would have gone back by now right? He must have been very worried when he found out he was missing. Besides that, Yun Shi Di, He Ling also had seen the other party stabbed with a sword before he was taken away, and wondered if he was going to be alright. He glanced at the two men sitting at a distance as they kept their mouths shut. He tightened his arms around himself again, wondering what on earth they were up to. He was just an ordinary country ger, what was the point of kidnapping him? They were not going to threaten his husband right? Thinking of this, He Lings heart sank. If they really wanted to use him to force his husband into doing something he didnt want to do, what should he do then? His heart was a little impatient and fretful, but there was nothing he could do. He was physically very weak but his opponents were three strong and powerful men that were very skillful and outstanding in martial arts. How could he escape from them? The other man soon returned to the cave and in addition to the firewood, he had also hunted a pheasant. The three of them made the bonfire and took the pheasant out to be processed and roasted over it in the fire. Having the fire, the temperature inside the cave was slightly warmer and not as cold as before which made He Ling breathe a sigh of relief. Finally not even his teeth were chattering. When the roasted chicken was done, one of the men in black tore off the chicken leg, walked up to him and threw it to him, then turned back without waiting for him to say anything. He Ling took the chicken leg and looked at it. He was indeed a little hungry. After all, he had been brought out in shock before he was able to have time to eat. Since they wanted to keep him alive, they would not poison him, so he ate it with peace of mind. The chicken was not seasoned so it did not taste good but it was already good enough to have something hot to eat in the middle of the desolate area outside of town, so how could he be nitpicky? After he finished eating, his hands were greasy (covered in oil). He reached into his sleeve to take out his silk handkerchief however his fingers unexpectedly came across a bottle. He was stunned, as if he had thought of something. He looked up at those several people. He stayed calm and collected, took out the handkerchief and wiped his hands clean. After wiping his hands, he swallowed another pill as if nothing had happened. Rubbing his arms as he said to them, Im a bit cold, can I come closer to the fire? I wont disturb you guys! Hearing what he said, the three people sitting around the fire turned their heads and looked at him at the same time. Seeing that he was indeed shivering because of the cold weather, after they hesitated for a while, one of them said, Come over here! The other party was just a ger who didnt know any martial arts, moreover he was also pregnant, so he wouldnt be able to do any tricks right in front of their eyes. Their employer had said that they should leave him unharmed, so naturally they could not treat him harshly. They nodded, He Ling then very cautiously moved close to them, both of his hands were folded inside his sleeves and he seemed to be extremely cold. He stayed calm, without any change of expression as he surveyed the distance between the three men and himself and adjusted his position slightly. The three men in black acted as if they were unfamiliar with each other. They almost never communicated with each other, only remained silent in a posture where they could get up at any moment as their entire bodies were all full of power and ready to strike. He Ling was a little nervous in his heart. He swallowed his own saliva quietly while his hand hidden in his sleeve squeezing a bottle tightly. There was only this one chance, if he didnt make it, he would have to obediently let them take him away. CH 85 Back to the Countryside Chapter 85:ӳ [Escape] Gritting his teeth, He Ling pulled the cork out of the bottle inside his sleeve.He took a look at the three men in black who were resting with their eyes closed. With a wave of his hand, he scattered all the powder, spreading a mist of powder. As he did so, the men in black had already opened their eyes. However, they were already covered in the powder and could not even raise their hands before they lost consciousness, falling to the ground. He Ling threw away the medicine bottle. He covered his beating heart, breathed a long sigh of relief and at the same time he also regretted in his heart that if only he had remembered this bottle of medicine earlier, perhaps he would not have been kidnapped. His Xiang Gong had put it on his body after the accident with He Fu for the second time but he had not used it since then, so he had forgotten about it. However, he didnt expect it would come in handy this time. He got up from the ground after he had calmed down. Walking past those people, he went out from the cave and faced the windy snow. Now, he had to get away from here as soon as possible, so that he wouldnt be caught up again when they woke up. He had been taken away along the road for an hour or two. Those several men were moving fast so he was already far from the col where they had stopped for rest. It would be impossible for him to walk back there. He also didnt believe that Xiang Gong and the others would stay there. He Ling pulled up the hood of his heavy cloak over his head to shield his face from the snow and the wind. He had to find a more secluded place to hide first, waiting until it was safe, then he would look for a nearby town. In such a place, he might be able to wait for and meet his husband and the others. After several hours of heavy snow, a thick layer had fallen on the ground and every step he took was hard but he could not stop. He would freeze to death in such a place if he was not found. He reached out and touched his bulging belly, pulling his cloak tighter to protect it more tightly. He had made the child in his belly suffer, having to endure hardship together with him. In the future, if the child was born later, he would definitely love and dote on him well. He Lings body gradually grew stiff in the cold weather. He put his awfully painful fingers to his lips and breathed in, rubbing his hands together to bring a little warmth on it. Beside the pitch-dark night sky and the vast expanse of white snowland, he could see nothing but this in his vision. He could not help but feel a little desperate in his heart. If he couldnt find a place to stay then would he really die here? For a moment, he did not know whether it was right or wrong for him to escape. But if he did not escape and was really used as a bargaining chip to compel his husband, then he would rather die here now. Just at the time he was filled with frustration and anxiety, the sound of a horse neighing came from far away in the windy snow. He froze and looked around in a panic but he could not find any place to hide himself. He did not know who was coming. If it was someone who harbored ill-intentions, wouldnt he be in more danger? The sound of horses hooves gradually approaching him, He Ling covered his belly and took a few steps back. The thick accumulated snow made him sway and almost fall. When he looked up again, he could clearly see the horses appearance. At that moment, his eyes lit up, Mu Yan? The one who came racing through the snow and wind was the one he knew so well, Mu Yan. Hearing his call, Mu Yan gave another long neigh and soon reached him, obediently stopping in front of him. Mu Yan, why are you here? He Ling was so pleasantly surprised as he went up to him and cupped his face, gently stroking it. He was so excited that he eventually asked Mu Yan a question. Naturally, Mu Yan would not answer but he merely fling his head and snorted, on his body still carrying a few burnt leather ropes that had been used to secure him to the carriage. Only then did He Ling remember that the carriage he was riding in had been set on fire by those men in black so the carriage should have been burnt down and these ropes also must have been burnt off at that time. Luckily, Mu Yan was fine. Mu Yan was the only one who had come here alone. That meant, Mu Yan was not with his husband. Mu Yan was able to find him that quickly, so he must have followed him from the time he was taken away. He Ling put his arm around his neck and rubbed it gently. His stiff and cold body warmed by the warmth of his body, Thank you for coming over! Just exactly at the time his heart was full of despair, meeting a familiar face, whether it was a person or a horse, it gave his heart a lot of peace. He pulled all the ropes off from Mu Yans body. However, he was at loss, because previously Mu Yan was pulling the carriage, so without a saddle how could he get on (the horse)? It was as if he understood the difficulty in his eyes, Mu Yans forelegs bent. His whole body drew down to a height where it was easier to mount the horse. He Ling smiled and patted his body, praising the horse and said, Good horse! then stepped on its bent front legs and sat on it, gently placing both of his legs in between the horses belly. He was pregnant so he could not let it run too fast. Mu Yan stamped on his hooves as he began to move forward and walk slowly. He grabbed the horses hair on the temples to steady himself. At least, he was not so confused anymore. Having company by his side, he became much stronger. For a long time one person rode on one horse advanced through the snow and wind, until the darkening sky was white in colour as the fishs belly (grey dawn/ marble white color of the dawn sky). The snowflakes were much lighter than before, He Ling yawned and raised his hand to rub his sleepy eyes. Even an ordinary person who had not slept all night would feel sleepy, let alone a pregnant person who needed a lot of sleep. He lowered his body to lie on Mu Yans back. He tried to ease his confused head. Pressing against him like this, it warmed up his cold and stupefied body. Reaching out and wrapping his arms around its neck, his consciousness drifted away in the slightest of shifts. It was at this moment that Mu Yan stopped in his pace, to let out a sound, waking up He Ling who was about to fall into a deep sleep. He straightened up and shivered violently, couldnt help but be thankful in his heart that luckily he hadnt fallen asleep. It simply would have been a fatal thing (which could have caused someone to die) in this kind of weather. He patted Mu Yan who once again had helped him. Looking up, he saw a small wooden hut. It looked a little rustic (simple and crude) but it did provide shelter from the wind and snow. He got down from the horse and walked over to the hut, carefully pushing open the (purposely left) unlocked door. Inside, it was empty and no one was there, except a simple cooking stove, a few animal skins laid on it and some firewood piled up in the corner. There was nothing else. It must have been a place where the mountain hunters had settled for the time being. The house was not large but there was still space for Mu Yan to come in. He was relieved, if he had to leave Mu Yan outside, how could he have the heart to do so? He Ling lit up the fire using the dry firewood. Once the house was warmed up, he curled his body up on the animal skin and had a feeling of coming to life. He slowly closed his eyes, thinking in his mind before he fell asleep; he wished that he could be reunited with his husband sooner. A whole night had passed as they couldnt find any trace and with that heavy snowstorm, any trace would have been covered up in a moment. Qi Yue sat expressionlessly on a stool. A brutal emotion was raging in his heart, if the other party dared to hurt his little Fu Lang even a little, he would make them have a fate worse than death. (the literal one is this: one would beg for life but couldnt live and pray to die but couldnt die!?) Qi Gongzi, also not need to be too worried. Supposedly, they have kidnapped him, they will not hurt his life. Lin Yuxue looked at his unpleasant expression, poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of him. In fact, after learning that the other party had been taken captive, her heart was secretly delighted. If he died at the hands of those men, wouldnt she then have another chance? Brokenhearted was all for a moment, a man as strong and powerful as Qi Yue would forget those pains sooner or later. Lowering his eyes to the tea in his cup, Qi Yue did not move but only said in a cold voice, Stop thinking those thoughts in your head that you shouldnt have, if you dont want to die yet. Lin Yuxues body stiffened and her face changed as she didnt say anything more. An ordinary country ger, where did he get the good fortune to have this mans heart and eyes full of thoughts of him, refusing to give even a tiny bit to others? Shen Juming sighed, he felt more and more guilty in his heart. Shi Xiong had placed the person into his hands yet he failed to protect him. If anything happened to Xiong Fu Lang, he was afraid that hed never be able to be in peace, Mu Yan has also disappeared since then, did he really go after him? Most likely! (The literal one using : Nine times out of ten) But whether he could catch up with him or not was unknown. Qi Yue closed his eyes and raised his hand to touch his forehead. In the hands of those men, even if He Lings life was not in danger, they would not take care of him attentively. He was pregnant so if he didnt eat or sleep well, his health would be affected. It was his fault for leaving A Lings side. He should have let Shen Juming do such a small matter as collecting firewood. What was the harm in being slower? At least he would have been able to protect him thoroughly. Since he also didnt know where he had been taken to now, not knowing whether he was afraid or not. He wondered too if he was hoping in his heart that he would be there sooner and come to rescue him? Just thinking about this made his heart ache as if it had been twisted together. Lin Gu niang, trouble you to leave for a moment! Shen Juming looked at her, tilted his head and made (!) Please! gesture to Lin Yuxue. [! : it depends on the context, it could also be used to ask someone to sit down, come in etc but I think is quite a polite word to ask for someone to leave, especially in this context] Having said that, it must have meant that there was something he wanted to discuss that he didnt want her to know. She bit her lip, finally left her seat, went upstairs and returned back to her room. After he saw her figure disappear up to the stairs, only then Shen Juming said, Shi Xiong, the person who sent them must be one of the people in the valley, then Xiong Fu Lang should also be taken back there too and placed nearby. Shouldnt we rush back earlier? Since the other side had kidnapped He Ling, they naturally had the intention of keeping Qi Yue out from meddling in the matter of taking up the Valley masters position. If he wanted to get that position safely and securely, he would not put his bargaining chip too far away. Instead of delaying here, why dont we speed up and head back to the valley? Perhaps we can still discover those peoples traces on the way. They didnt know which direction the other party had escaped, bringing the person they kidnapped last night. They had searched like headless flies (headless fly is a metaphor for sb who is rushing around frantically) all night in vain. What he said had naturally crossed Qi Yues mind but his heart couldnt let go of it and wanted to find the person back sooner, to keep the person with him, only then he would be at ease. Unfortunately, the snowstorm last night did not allow him to have his wishes fulfilled Now, the best way was to chase them all the way there, as Shen Juming said. If he found those people He narrowed his eyes, he would definitely tear their bodies into thousands of pieces. How is Yun Su? Qi Yues eyes turned to look at him. The mention of the other party made Shen Jumings expression darkened, his heart throbbing with pain, Still hasnt woken up The sword didnt pierce into his heart, but it was a bit deep. He had lost a lot of blood yesterday so if he wanted him to recover from the wound completely, he guessed, it would take a long time. He was usually afraid of pain the most, so how could he have been so foolish as to rush up to him (and shield him)? You stay here and look after him ba! Ill rush back to the valley alone. Qi Yue knew that if they left Yun Su here in the care of others, Shen Juming definitely would not be able to feel at ease. Anyway, he could take care of those things alone so he didnt have to follow him. How could it be like this? In the end, if they hadnt insisted on looking for him, Shi Xiong also wouldnt have come back with them. Then none of this would have happened too, so now how could he leave the other party to solve it out alone? Juming. Qi Yue suddenly called out to him, his expression was differ to some extent from the past, If Yun Su wakes up and sees someone other than you, he will definitely be sad. Shen Juming was stunned, not knowing what he meant by this,Shi Xiong, Xiao Su is not such a weak person. Qi Yue sighed, now that after he had someone he loved, only then he understood what it was like to be in love with someone. It must be even harder to bear if that person was never able to respond to his feeling, After all these years, cant you really see that he is in love with you? Up to here, his words were clear enough so he could only let the other side think deeply about it. He stood up and left the place. His little Fu Lang was in a dangerous situation, therefore he had no time to care about other things. Let them solve their own affairs ba! Shen Jumings mind was in a state of confusion at the moment. Shi Xiongs words kept echoing, Yun Sus heart was pleased with him? Wasnt the other party always treating him like his older brother (Ge ge)? How could he be in love with him? He raised his hand to cover his head, his face full of disbelief but at the same time, he then recalled last night when he had taken him into his arms ; the look of at ease on the face of the person whose chest was stained with blood. The author has something to say : When I was writing that part about Mu Yan, I remembered a foreign video I had seen before. The girl had been trying to get on the horse for a long time but she couldnt get on it and finally the horse squatted down and let her step on his legs. At that time, I thought that horse was very handsome (cool), so I couldnt help but write this part ~23333333 CH 86 Back to the Countryside Chapter 86: [Get sick] At the time He Ling opened his eyes, it was already dawn outside. He moved his body and tried to get up yet he found that his head felt so heavy and his body was hot. He raised his hand to his forehead to check the temperature and sighed lightly. He really got what he was afraid of. After last nights torment, he had developed a fever in a place like this where there was no village in front of him and no shop behind him. Mu Yan came up to him, lowered his head and rubbed it against his face. He was tickled by the spray of its breath so He Ling reached out and pushed Mu Yan away a little. As he started to speak, his voice was hoarse, Dont play around, Mu Yan! Seeing that Mu Yan step aside, He Ling propped himself up and sat down, rubbing his dizzy forehead. Looking up at the window, he was glad that it had cleared. The small log cabin was considered warm, but without food and water, he definitely could not stay here longer. Taking advantage of the fact that it hadnt snowed again, he had to get to the town as soon as possible. He could stand it but the baby in his belly could not. Taking out the medicine bottle out of his pocket, He Ling took another pill. By enduring the pain, He Ling got up and pulled Mu Yan out of the hut. The cold air outside made him shiver abruptly. At this moment, his feverish body felt a little better. He pulled his clothes tighter and his hood over his head. He Ling climbed onto Mu Yans back as he had done yesterday. Without waiting for him to make a sound, the horse began to walk slowly and move forward, carrying him on its back through a blanket of snow. Going out for the first time, He Ling didnt know any of the roads. He did not even know which direction to go to the town. Now he could only depend on and hope that Mu Yan would lead him to a safe place. As far as his eye could see, there was no one in sight,the living creatures were even less. It was so obvious how cold it was all this time. He touched the horse beneath him. In his heart, he was worried, wondering what had happened to his Xiang Gong and the others right now? Everything that had happened since last night and now had been so sudden. They werent prepared for it at all. To be honest, this was the first time he had been separated from his Xiang Gong for so long since they had been married. He missed him very much. In the midst of his troubled thoughts, Mu Yan took him on a long journey, long enough for the sky to begin to darken again. His stomach, which had only eaten a chicken leg last night, was already rumbling with hunger, grumbling non stop. He shook off his drowsy head, narrowing his eyes as he looked forward, he could see the outline of a town vaguely. Finally, he revealed a smiling expression as if he was relieved from a heavy burden, at least he was able to catch his breath. The town was even bigger than the one they stayed in before. There were all sorts of people coming and going, in all kinds of outfits. Some of them were obviously from foreign countries, so He Ling pulled the hood on his head a little lower to hide the mark of ger on his forehead. Even though it was his first time to travel this far, he knew that people were dangerous. He was all by himself now, moreover he also did not know any kung fu. It would be better to be as careful as possible. He turned around and got down from the horse and he pulled its sideburns along with the crowd to move forward. He had only a dozen bits of silver in his pocket, so he had to spend it carefully as he did not know when he would be reunited with Qi Yue and the others. He ate a bowl of noodles at a small stall and found a clean inn to stay over. He was pregnant, eating too much of anything else was bad for the baby except the nourishment and medicine to calm the fetus so he did not go to a doctor. He asked the inns waiter for a bowl of ginger water and drank it, then climbed into bed and wrapped himself up tightly. Even though his forehead was covered with beads of sweat, his body was still cold for a while. In the dimly lit room, he tightened his eyebrows as the tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. If only his husband were by his side at this moment, how wonderful it would be. Shen Juming sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at the unconscious person, still unable to forget what his Shi Xiong had said to him in the morning. This person in order to save him and now still lying here, had actually always put him at the bottom of his heart. He stretched out his hand, rubbed his hand gently against the other partys pale cheek. No wonder the other party was always so annoyed and angry with him every time he mentioned that he wanted to find an ideal husband for him. Because the person Yun Su wanted to marry had always been himself after all. How could he be so stupid as not to see what he was thinking? He thought the other party was going to say that he wanted him to be his older brother for life. You must have been so furious when I said something like that right? Shen Juming stroked his face, feeling the warmth under his fingers, he smiled and laughed at himself, Im such a big fool! He didnt know whether he was disturbed by his touch, Yun Sus eyelashes fluttered lightly. He then slowly opened his eyes. He looked blankly at the top of the bed, unable to return to his senses for a moment. Xiao Su, how is it? Is there anything uncomfortable? Seeing that he had woken up, Shen Juming excitedly moved closer to him, Does your wound still hurt? Yun Su frowned and gave him a sideways glare but he was still weak, not very imposing, Its so damn noisy! Still able to dislike himself in such good spirits, supposedly he must be fine. Shen Juming breathed a long sigh of relief, as he smiled and said, Okay, its my fault, Ill speak more quietly. Yun Su looked around, he saw that he was in the room at the inn, recalling the attack, then he asked, How long have I been unconscious? What happened afterwards? What happened to those people? He asked several questions in a row, Shen Juming paused slightly before he said, Shi Xiong rushed over later, those people were all dead, its just that Just what? Dont mutter and mumble in your speech! Yun Su hated it the most when people say half and leave it half unsaid, it was uncomfortable to be kept in suspense. It was not pleasant at all! Shen Juming sighed lightly. Having a guilty conscience, he said, Xiong Fu Lang was taken away by them. Yun Sus head was instantly confused. He was speechless for a long time. At that time, he was the one who was protecting him by his side. Once he left, wasnt it only natural that Xiong Fu Lang was captured?! It was me Its not! Seeing that his face was even more ghastly than before, Shen Juming hurriedly caressed his face and said,Its not your fault. None of us thought of it, even if you want to blame someone, you should blame me then! I shouldnt have let go of his hand Yun Su closed his eyes in remorse, seeing this person injured he couldnt care less about anything. It was he, the one who sent He Ling to that group of people, Where is Shi xiong? He must be very angry, right? He was in such a state that made Shen Jumings heart ache. If he had been stronger, they wouldnt be in this kind of situation, Shi Xiong has left first, hoping that he will find traces of those people on his way back to the valley. Back to the valley? Yun Su widened his eyes to look at him, questioning his words, How did you guys know that they would go in that direction? Why would they head towards Qi Du Valley? Shen Juming was a little annoyed at having accidentally let his mouth slip. His gaze dodged in all directions as he tried to find an excuse to pass it off. Do you guys know who sent those people? This kind of look on his face made Yun Su even more suspicious, obviously hiding something from him, What exactly is it that you cant tell me? Now, if he kept hiding the truth from him, it obviously wont work anymore. He knew the other partys temper so well, if he didnt tell him, he would be even more annoyed. Shen Juming hesitated for a while, but finally said, This time Shi Xiong is willing to come back together with us, actually there is something bad that had happened in the valley. What is it? A bad feeling began to rise in Yun Sus heart ; What kind of problem is that his grandfather couldnt handle it and needed to bring Shi Xiong back? Shen Juming held his hand, clutching it tightly, The Master of the Valley was schemed by someone, up to now he is still unconscious. What did you say Ugh Yun Su tried to sit up but he touched the wound in his chest which caused him to fall back down again. Dont move, youre still hurt! Shen Juming hurriedly held him down and was about to lift the quilt to check his wound. Yun Su grabbed his hand, gritting his teeth and his eyes were red as he glaring at him annoyingly, Why didnt you tell me about such a big thing earlier? You have discussed it with Shi Xiong, right?! I was just afraid that you would be as sad as you are now, thats why I didnt say it! He was so emotional, Shen Juming was afraid that he would make his wound open again, You need to recuperate well now. Leave the matter of the Master of the Valley to us! He Ling had been kidnapped, grandfather remained unconscious and Shi Xiong had returned to the valley all by himself, how could he still have the heart to lie in here quietly and recuperate from his injuries? He propped his arm on the bed and was about to sit up, No, we have to go back as soon as possible too! Xiao Su, dont move around (randomly)! Shen Juming immediately changed his expression into worry, the other partys sword had injured him deeply so if he moved so much, the wound would split open! When will Yun Su ever listen to his advice? He got up and lifted the quilt, the moment he got out of bed, his chest was already stained with blood. Xiao Su!!! Shen Juming took him into his embrace and held him tightly to prevent him from moving, Do not make me worry anymore, okay?! Yun Sus body stopped moving, as it took a long time before his voice rang out with a sobbing tone, But grandpa Grandpa, he He lost his father and mother when he was four years old, so it could be said that he was raised by his grandfather single handedly. The other party always took good care of him and thought of him in his heart, protecting him in every possible way. That person was his only family, the person who loved and pampered him the most in the world. I know, I know it all! Shen Juming pressed Yun Su head on his chest, stroking his hair tenderly, We all are equally worried, but the person who harmed him has not yet achieved his goal. He will not lay his final poison on the Master of the Valley. You have to trust Shi Xiong, he is so smart and capable so he will not let anything bad happen to the Master of the Valley. He will definitely save Xiong Fu Lang too! Under his reassurance, Yun Su was a little calmer. The situation was not at its worst yet so they could not mess with their own mind first. What he said was right, he had to get well as soon as possible before he could rush back. He raised his hand to wipe the tears from his face before he realized that he was still being held tightly by the other party. He blushed as he pushed him away gently. Shen Juming looked at his face which looked even better because it was tinged with a blush red colour. He also followed suit, a little embarrassed. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something but the door of the room was suddenly pushed open vigorously by someone. Where did Qi Gongzi go? Lin Yuxue stepped in, not caring if she had disturbed anyone else. She had just gone to look for him, only to learn that he had checked out of his room. He hadnt even said goodbye to her! Because the door was wide open, a cold breeze came in. Yun Su, who was sitting on the bed wearing only his inner clothes, shivered coldly. Shen Juming hurriedly wrapped him up with the quilt and said with a frown: Lin Gu niang, is the etiquette of the Hidden Detached Palace is only like this? Lin Yuxue was dumbfounded since the other party spoke to her in this way for the first time. She then looked at Yun Su who was not looking well. She felt that she had indeed been a bit rude, so she said,Sorry, I was a bit impatient! Shen Juming helped the person to lie down on the bed again and covered him with the quilt carefully before getting up and turned toward her, Shi Xiong had already left early in the morning and went back to the valley first. I will stay here for some time, after this Lin Gu niang, you are free to do as you wish! After she heard that the man had really left, Lin Yuxues face twisted. He would be in such a hurry then he must have gone to look for that He Ling. She gritted her teeth, swung her hands and left the room. There are so many good men in the world, why do you keep chasing after Shi Xiong and do not let go, make yourself look so bad! Yun Su snorted coldly. He really disliked her, chasing after a married man all day long. She was really shameless! CH 87 Back to the Countryside Chapter 87: [Pleased with each other / Mutually in love with each other] After Shen Juming closed the room door, he turned around and looked at him with a smile, without saying a word. When was Yun Su not like this? He was so insensitive and yet Yun Su was still pleased with him for a long time. This one word love, by nature, was difficult to control. Why are you looking at me? Yun Su found it embarrassing to see him staring at himself from time to time so he flew into a rage from shame as he glared at him. Nothing. Shen Juming shook his head as he walked to the bedside and sat down. He lowered his head and said to him, Just now, your wound is bleeding again. Let me take a look! The wound was on his chest, if he was going to look at it then he would have to take his clothes off, how embarrassing would that be! Yun Su tugged on the quilt and shrank back in, What are you looking at? Im fine, I am not hurt at all, theres no need to look! Xiao Su, your wound, I was the one who bandaged it before. You dont need to feel embarrassed over it! When Shen Juming saw his eyes darting around, he understood what he was thinking about. It was really strange, such an obvious feeling, why couldnt he figure it out before? Seriously, this was called as those closely involved could not see clearly, Besides, Im a doctor, you dont have to avoid it as a taboo. [Avoid it as a taboo because of the difference of gender between man and ger, a doctor examining a wound is not taboo although the doctor is not the husband.] This nerd (fool), who is avoiding it because of taboo? Its all becauseYun Su gritted his teeth, hating that he could not bite him twice to see if he could bite (wake) him up, Since you want to see, then see it ba! Seeing him agree, only then Shen Juming stretched out his hand and lifted up the quilt. At the time he placed his fingers on his sash, the person on the bed tilted his head to another side while the tip of his ears reddened. His heart indescribably began to feel a little nervous too, his hand trembling for several times before he could untie it. The thin cloth covering the wound was also covered with blood, so the wound definitely had been opened. He wrinkled his eyebrows, got up and brought the medicine kit over. He cut off the soiled cloth, exposing the wound that was seeping with blood. Lying like this with his lapels wide open and uncovered in front of the man he loved, Yun Su gripped the bed sheet nervously, not even daring to look at him. He could only feel his warm fingers helping him deal with the wound on his chest, occasionally scratching the skin next to it. The wound was very painful. The area he touched was a little itchy, just like the way he made him feel, painful and itchy yet he was so deep in it that he couldnt free himself from him. Shen Juming spare some time to look at him. He found that Yun Su was lost in thought, his eyes staring blankly at a spot not knowing what he was thinking about, Because of the side of his head, the line of his neck was clearly visible so he could see his collarbone along the way. Then thestrength of his own hand momentarily increased, the person on the bed grunted, turned his head to glare at him resentfully. In this posture, Yun Su completely didnt have any sense of threat at all. He hurriedly focused his eyes on the wound again, swallowing slightly and said, Im sorry, did that hurt you? When the words came out of his mouth, it seemed to have an ambiguous meaning. He closed his eyes and let out a shallow breath, made himself not to let his own imagination run wild and stopped thinking about all the nonsense. Yun Su only felt that he was strange but he couldnt figure out what was strange. He frowned and only said, Hurry up, its so cold like this! The weather in the winter, even with several heating stoves lit up in the room, one could still feel the slightest chill after leaving ones clothes open for a long time like this. When Shen Juming heard this, he hastily started moving his hands quicker and reapplied the medicine to his wounds. When wrapping the bandage around his body, it was necessary to make the other side sit up. This time, again and again he reached behind his back and wrapped the cloth around him layer by layer. When he was unconscious before, he had taken him in his arms and done this yet he didnt feel anything. Now that he was awake, every time he came close enough, he could feel the other persons breath on his ear, it seemed particularly hard to bear. Yun Su was also very embarrassed, stiffening his body, letting him move around while his face was blushing hard. What the hell, it was just bandaging the wound, what is he doing to be so nervous? Tying the thin cloth in a knot behind him, Shen Juming could see his burning red face when he turned his head sideways, and (he was amused) something funny rose in his heart. It seemed that he was not the only one who had reverie (wild and fanciful thoughts) in mind but the person next to him too. Shi Xiong said that the other side had been in love with him for many years. His every act of intimacy had made him as shy as he is now. He didnt notice it before, but in the days to come, he could see it all. Now that they were considered to be in love with each other, could they stop tormenting each other like this? The other side had been chasing him for so long, so Shouldnt it be the time for him to do something? Thinking of this, Shen Juming reached out and wrapped his arms around him, moved closer to him. He then dropped a kiss on that rosy cheek. Yun Sus body trembled and his whole body froze, the touch he felt just now was just his illusion, right? How could this person kiss him? His head must be too confused because of his injuries! Xiao Su, later, after we save the valley master, are you willing to become my Fu Lang? Shen Juming embraced him and felt as if his heart was filled, both content and at peace. Whatdid you say? Yun Su simply couldnt believe what he had heard. Is he really awake now? Or is all of this just a dream? Shen Juming loosened his arms around him, held both of his shoulders and gazed earnestly into his eyes, I said, I want to marry you, with the status as your Xiang Gong, to be by your side. Yun Sus eyes widened as he looked at him blankly. How could everything be different when he woke up after being unconscious for one night? The man who had previously been saying that he would treat him as his younger brother, unexpectedly suddenly said he wanted to marry him? Is he serious? Shi Xiong has already told me, Im really such a fool for not understanding your feelings! Shen Juming caressed his face and said in gentle tone, You were so foolish to rush up to save me, didnt you even know to think about your own safety? Yun Su, however, felt like a pot of cold water had been poured on him instantly, cooling him completely as he pushed the other partys hand away, What? You want to devote your life (pledge to marry somebody) in return because I saved you? Shen Juming, I dont need your pity! He just said that how is it possible that the other party had suddenly become enlightened? So it turned out that he had found out about that despicable adoration of him and used it as a way of repaying the kindness for saving his life. He was not that low to this level as to exchange pity for his compromise! Seeing him pushing himself away in anger, his eyes clearly filled with tears but he stubbornly did not let it fall. Shen Juming panicked and hurriedly tugged his hand, No, I didnt mean it like that! Get out! I dont want to see you! Yun Su didnt want to listen to his explanation. He used his full power to break away from his hand. This time, Shen Juming did not let go of him anymore, holding his hand tightly and tugging it towards him. He leaned in and covered his lips with his own, stopping the other party who was still trying to say the words to drive him away. The warmth on his lips made Yun Sus eyes widened, his hands clutching the clothes on his chest, unable to do anything in response. The two lips were pressed together for a long time, Shen Juming was slow and did not make the next move. The courage he had when he kissed him was gone. Suddenly he felt he had overstepped the bound a bit, so he stepped back awkwardly and said with some embarrassment, I I didnt have the intention to disrespect you, I just want to make you understand. Returning to his senses, Yun Su saw his extremely embarrassed appearance, so he hooked his lips and laughed out. He touched his own lips which seemed to still have the residual warmth and scolded him in a low voice, You suck! Hearing him regard himself with disdain like before, Shen Juming raised his hand to scratch the back of his head and laughed along with him. He always seemed to be unenlightened in front of the other party. After staying and resting in the inn for two days, He Ling felt that his body wasnt getting better. He drank it up the ginger water that the inn waiter had just brought up while it was still hot, slightly dispelling the coldness in his body. If he continued like this, it was probably not a good choice. He had to find a doctor, even if he couldnt take the medicine but he still could receive some acupuncture treatment from the doctor. If he kept delaying it any longer, he also didnt know when this would end. Thinking like this, he got up and wrapped his cloak tightly around him and went out of the door while enduring the unwell feeling. Mu Yan was placed in the inns stable. For the time being, he didnt need to worry. After asking the innkeeper where there was a clinic nearby, he pulled his hood down further and left the inn alone. Todays weather was very nice, not as gloomy as the previous two days. The sun was shining brightly, it felt so warm on his body. It made He Ling feel happy that he had gone out today. Because of the good weather, the streets were full of pedestrians. The sound of hawking rose one after another, resounded in his ears. The scene was very lively. He was trying not to bump into people as he walked through the crowd, protecting his stomach. However some things could just happen and not because you have avoided it then it would not happen. With the brim of his hood pulled down, his line of sight was naturally blocked. It was not uncommon for him to accidentally bump into someone who was walking from the opposite direction. Im sorry. Actually it wasnt really clear whose fault it was, but He Ling carried with him the idea that it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, so he apologized first, as he wouldnt lose a piece of meat anyway. [du y sh b r sho y sh һ²һ it is better to avoid unnecessary trouble (idiom) / the less complications the better] By the time he was about to walk away, he was stopped by someone. The other party was the person who stood beside that young master, dressed in young servant boys attire, You bumped into our familys young master, with just saying sorry is that even enough to apologize? Kneel down immediately and apologize! When he heard the other partys arrogant accusations, He Ling couldnt help but wrinkle his eyebrows, how could he ask someone to kowtow after a light bump? But the young master he had bumped into was dressed in a noble manner and had an arrogant demeanor, so he was probably a big shot in the city. He was all alone for now so if he had upset him, he would not have been able to get away with it. In a kind manner, he said, It was my fault for bumping into you, please forgive me. Dont you understand human language? Im asking you to kowtow That young servant still wanted to scold him but he was stopped by his masters hand, who smiled and looked He Ling up and down for a few moments, Its not impossible to forgive, you take off your hood, if you look good, this young master (: Ben Gongzi, the way to call yourself) will forgive you. The way the other party was being nitpick and speaking teasingly, surely he could already see that he was a ger. He Lings eyebrows knitted tighter as he took a small step back, I was born ugly, Im afraid Ill scare you. Ive seen a lot of things so Im not that easily frightened! That young master obviously did not intend to let him off easily. He remained calm and composed while waiting for him to make a move while he hugged his own arms. Those who passed by also only took a glance at him and hurriedly walked away. They did not even want to watch the fun, obviously recognizing and knowing that the other party was not to be messed up with. They were afraid of attracting trouble. He Ling tightened his cloak and immediately turned around to go back but the young male servant caught up with him and blocked his way. This time, he thoroughly couldnt leave! He had to take back his earlier words, he shouldnt have gone out today.p Since this little ger is shy, then Ill give you a hand! Before the young servant boy could hardly finish his words, the boy reached out his hands towards him. He Lings heart panicked, he took several steps back to avoid it. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he felt that someone had pulled his hoodie off behind him so he subconsciously turned his head over to take a look, exposing his gorgeous look to the other partys eyes. That young masters eyes changed in an instant, harbouring a certain amount of infatuation. He licked his lips and said, No wonder Xiao Geer wont show his true face to others. Such beauty indeed should be hidden from others! The way he looked at him made He Ling get gooseflesh (frightened) in his heart. He Ling pretended to be strong and calm as he straightened his back, barely looking straight at him, Since Gongzi has already seen it, then can you let me go now? Dont rush! Just now, it was this young master who bumped into you. How about you let me treat you to a cup of wine as an apology? The young masters body did not move at all as he blocked his way. There was a certain look of determination (to get what he wanted) in his expression. He Ling said in his heart, This is not good! He covered his stomach and stepped back. Then he said, I am pregnant and should not drink wine. There is no need for this young master to be polite. The other party narrowed his eyes and looked at the area between his belly. His expression slightly irritated, You are married? Thats right! He Ling hurriedly said, hoping that the other party would give up, My Xiang Gong and I are very much in love. He is waiting for me at this moment, so this young master, please let me go! It doesnt matter! How about you ask your husband to come too? That young master laughed coldly. His expression in his eyes was dark, not knowing what he was thinking about. He stretched out his hand and tried to grab He Lings wrist. The back way was blocked by the young servant boy so there was no way to escape. He Ling was in a panic, not knowing what to do. Then a hand came out from his side and grabbed that young masters hand. He Ling turned his head and saw the familiar face, a smile of surprise revealed on his face. The author has something to say: Guess it, who is the hero that will save the beauty [ Ӣ۾: a hero saved a damsel in distress. ] CH 88 Back to the Countryside Chapter 88:֪ Had learned (of something) This young master, he will not need you to take care of him. Xiao Yu Heng seized the wrist of that person. The smile on his seductive face was still frivolous as before. However, the tone of his voice did not allow any rejection. He was about to catch that beauty but he was cut off halfway. That young master was really annoyed so he waved his hand and shook it off, Who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?! Hearing him speak to him like this, Xiao Yu Heng smiled even more malicious. He stretched out his hand toward He Lings waist and said, I am his husband. Do you really want to buy us a drink? As soon as he said that, several men in black leapt out of nowhere, standing quietly behind him. Their eyes were very fierce, just standing there made people feel their life was in danger. What are you guys going to do? Our familys young masters father is the honorable prefectural magistrate, arent you afraid of being arrested? The servant boy hurriedly protected his familys master by standing in front of him. Are you kidding me? This was the only child of his excellency county magistrate, if he was hurt then it would be the end of him! That young master looked attentively at the other party with a cold face. The person in front of him was obviously a man from Jiang Hu, full of Jiang Hu aura. These people had always been reckless and willful, not necessarily afraid of his father. The Prefect (Governor)? Xiao Yu Heng raised his eyebrows in a casual manner. He said it lightly like the wind and indifferently like the cloud, Who is the governor here? Maybe there are still some secrets about him in our Qing Feng Xi Yu Pavilion! (aka House / Mansion of Light Breeze and Rain) Hearing these words of his, that young masters pupils shrank. Even if he was not from Jiang Hu, he had heard about the reputation of the Light Breeze and Rain Pavilion, where they gathered information from all over the world and knew many secrets that were not known to anyone, including those secrets of many government / court officials. How many of those who served in the government were completely clean? Once those secrets were revealed, they were dead, without a place to be buried, without the possibility of turning over a new leaf. After considering all the pros and cons, the young master looked at He Ling who was being protected, cupped both of his hands in greeting and said with a smile, I (: I in humble form ) just want to do my best as a host in this friendship but if both of you are not available, then I will leave it at that. Gongzis kindness, we appreciate it! The other party was still sensible (know how to behave), so Xiao Yu Heng naturally did not waste his time on him. He nodded at him which could be considered as a way to forget his grudge. (By saying I appreciate your kindness is the conventional way or reply to turn down an offer.) When he saw that young master had gone far away, He Ling immediately pushed away his hand that encircled him. Just now, he did not make a sound because the other party could be regarded as helping himself but now he did not need to do that anymore. This could be considered as after you used someone then throwing it away? (after youre done with it?) Seeing that he immediately distanced himself from him, Xiao Yu Heng sighed as if he was sad, So heartless as always! He Ling closed his eyes to relieve his dizzy head. He had been holding out (or keeping on) in spite of his illness but when he suddenly relaxed, all kinds of physical discomfort became apparent, How come Xiao Gongzi is here? Thats a long story, its not very convenient to talk about it here. How about we find a place to sit down and talk about it in detail? This kind of street full of people coming and going was not a good place to talk. He Ling was just about to open his mouth to say that they should go to the inn where he was staying when right before his eyes were turned black and his legs became too weak to hold himself up. While he was talking, the person in front of him suddenly fell backwards, startling Xiao Yu Heng. He reached out and caught his body. He immediately saw that his face was flushed red and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He was obviously having a fever. In this cold and deadly weather, he had travelled so far on his own. It would be strange if he did not fall ill. With a short leap, he picked the person up into his arms and hurried away from that place. In a gentle shaking, He Ling regained his consciousness once again. He opened his eyes and looked somewhat blankly at his surroundings. He seemed to be inside a carriage. Are you okay? Xiao Yu Heng leaned over and met his eyes, reaching out to test the temperature on his forehead, Its still a little hot. Do you want to eat something? He Ling shook his head and tried to sit up, but he had no strength. The person beside him helped him up and put some soft pillows behind him for him to lean on. Only then, he opened his mouth and asked, Where are we going? Xiao Yu Heng lifted the kettle simmering on the small stove and poured him a cup of water, The place you were at earlier has deviated from the direction to Qi Du Valley. We are now heading back there again. After taking a sip of water, his somewhat dry and sore throat was moisturized so he felt so much comfortable, At that time, I was inside the heavy snow and I didnt know the direction at all. It was always Mu Yan who led me away. Oh thats right, where is Mu Yan? Did you take him with you?! Xiao Yu Heng pushed his excited body to sit back. He smiled as he said, Dont worry! I already had someone go to the inn where you are staying. Mu following behind the carriage. This horse was just as arrogant as his master, no matter what, the horse would not let his people touch him, that was why he and his people let the horse alone walk behind them. Only then, did He Ling put his mind at ease, remembering the conversation he previously had with the other man before he passed out, then he asked, How did Xiao Gongzi happen to show up there that coincidentally? Do you have some matters that need to be handled? No. Xiao Yu Heng paused slightly and said something that made him surprise, I specially come to look for you. Looking for me? That made him even more surprised, How did you know that I was here? And why are you looking for me? His reaction was clearly predicted by Xiao Yu Heng. He twirled the hair on his chest with his fingers as he seemed to be organizing his words. After a long time, he said, In fact, this time, this incident is somehow related to me Apart from recruiting talents and gathering the information, the Light Wind and Rain House (Organization) also trained assassins. As long as you could afford the silver, you could hire them to help you do what you wanted to do. The group of men in black that make a surprise attack on He Ling and the others came from his place. The mission they took on was to take He Ling away unharmed and as for the others, kill them if they could! It was only two days ago that Xiao Yu Heng learned of this matter. Afterward, he then rushed over here as soon as possible (the literal one used ӱ: to spur the horse to full speed / at top speed). By the time he found his men who performed the mission, He Ling had already escaped. He searched all the way until he found the hut where He Ling had stayed before. He then went to the nearest city based on his prediction. I picked it up in the hut, I think its yours. He took out a jade hairpin out of his sleeve and handed it over to the other party. It was because of this that he was able to conclude that the other party had stayed there before, Fortunately, I got there in time, otherwise Qi Yue would have turned my pavilion upside down later! If He Ling was taken away by that pampered young master, there was no need to think about the consequences at all since he would not have been able or even hope to live in peace anymore. He Ling took the hairpin, previously his mind had been so muddled. He didnt even know that he had lost the hairpin that his Xiang Gong had given to him, but luckily it was picked up and returned to him again. Before I found my men, I met Shen Juming and Yun Su in another city. Qi Yue thought you had been taken to Qi Du Valley and so he chased after them alone. We are now heading that way too. Perhaps we could even run into each other! Only by handing He Ling over into his hand safely, only then could the other side slightly take his anger away, ba! Xiao Yu Heng sighed, this was the first time he had ever canceled a business! Hearing him say this, He Ling was also relieved. He asked, How about Yun Shi Di? He seemed to have been injured before, is he alright? Him? Very good! Xiao Yu Heng leaned back against the wall of the carriage, revealing a rather playful smile, Now that hes already achieved a happy result with a certain someone. Its precisely the time to be proud and happy! [ (pinyin is chn fng d y) meaning: A warm spring breeze is very suitable for a persons mind. To describe a person be flushed with success or proud of ones success (in exams, promotion etc)] He Ling was stunned for a moment before he understood what it meant. Inside his heart, he was happy for him, for the other party had suffered hardship because of (unrequited) love for a long time, since now he could get what he wanted. Really, nothing couldnt be better! You are sick now, so you should not sit for too long. It is better to lie down and rest. Seeing that his face still did not look good, Xiao Yu Heng took away the soft pillow from behind him and helped strengthen his shoulders, You dont need to worry about Qi Yues side! I have already sent someone to deliver the news to him. He Ling did not try to be brave. He followed his lead and lay down. After learning that the others were all safe and sound and there were also people beside him to escort him so he did not have to keep his nerves tense, he then closed his eyes to rest with ease. After smoothly pulling the blanket over him, Xiao Yu Hengs hand stopped. How could he serve someone so smoothly? He looked down and laughed lightly, then withdrew his hand as he properly sat back, no longer distracted by the person lying there. Qi Yue stopped in a small town that wasnt very bustling and found a teahouse to rest for a while. Having rushed for so many days, he still couldnt find any trace at all, probably because they were too good at hiding or because they were always in the open field/ wilderness and rarely stayed in the towns. For him, none of it was considered to be good news. Ah Lings physical condition would suffer a lot if he kept staying in the outdoor kind of life. He slammed his cup of tea down on the table while his brow knotted into one. With each day passed, the worry in his heart grew even more. Even though he knew that the other party would not let his little Fu Lang in danger in order to threaten him, he still could not stop worrying. He Ling had never left his side and disappeared from his sight for so long since they had been married, even more so when he was pregnant, under this kind of situation. While his mind was full of thought, a man with an ordinary face and ordinary clothes, who could not be found again if he was put in the crowd, stopped at his table and said with a clasped fist (cup ones fist in the other hand before the chest as a gesture of greeting), Are you Qi Yue, Qi Gongzi? Qi Yue raised his head, looked at him up and down several times but he did not have any impression at all about this person, Who are you? I am here to deliver the letter for this young master. The man did not announce (introduce) himself but took out a letter from his pocket and handed it over, This is what my master has given to me (to send it to you), you will understand when you read it. Qi Yue could immediately tell if there was something on the letter that should not be put on it but this one letter in front of him was obviously not. He lifted his hand and took it, opening it without haste. When he saw the contents of the letter, he instantly changed his face. He was so excited that his hands were shaking a little. Repeatedly, he checked the letter several times to make sure that every word on it was true. Master said that after you receive the letter, you only need to wait where you are right now and he will bring the person over in a few days. The mans tone did not have ups and downs, passed on the orders from above calmly. Where is he?! Qi Yue completely didnt care what he just said earlier. Now, how could he feel at ease, sit around and wait in here? From which direction Xiao Yu Hengs side comes over? As if anticipating his inquiry, that man pulled another piece of paper out of his sleeve, The writing on top of it is the position where they are now. They should have already come this way too. Xiao Yu Heng had given him this note along with the letter paper at the time when he arrived. He said that if the other party asked where he was, he should just give him the note. Qi Yue snatched that slip of paper away from him without even opening it and threw the silver money on the table, swinging his sleeves up and went out of the door. Now, he only wished he could be in front of his little Fu Lang right away. As soon as he left the teahouse, he took his horse and sat on it, clutching the horses belly then he was gone! After being separated for so many days, finally he could get his A Ling back! The author has something to say: Raise your paws baby, if you have guessed it correctly! CH 89 Back to the Countryside Chapter 89:Ů The Woman / The Female As they marched forward on their journey, the fragments of the snowflakes began to fall from the sky again. It wasnt very heavy and didnt cause trouble for people who were in the middle of hurrying on their journey. Under Xiao Yu Hengs watchful eye, He Ling ate a small cup of tonic soup, which the other man had packed in the town they had stayed in earlier, in the hope that he would eat not less well on the road since he had not yet recovered from his illness. After watching him drink the last mouthful, Xiao Yu Heng took the porcelain cup, put it aside, handed him a handkerchief and said, We will be able to reach the next town before it gets dark. Until then, we will stay there for two days, otherwise your body may not be able to bear it. He Ling wiped the soup stain on his lips and nodded to him, Thank you and trouble you Xiao Gongzi, for thinking of me at all times. If it were not for your help, I really dont know what I should do. Hearing what he had said, Xiao Yu Hengs eyes were downcast, not knowing what he was thinking about. When he raised his eyes again, his smiling face was still frivolous as before, Qi Yue is considered to have saved my life, so this is just a small repayment. Besides, its my honour to take care of a beauty like you. Seeing that he had started to be indecent again, He Ling sighed helplessly. Whenever he felt that the other party was reliable, he would always break that impression the next moment, smiling mischievously and be all cheeky. The corners of Xiao Yu Hengs mouth curved in a wicked way . His eyes that looked at him, however, there were some indefinable and unexplained emotions in it. He turned his face away and lifted the carriage curtain to take a look at the outside. The beautiful and spotlessly pure white snowflakes fell gently but the time for the snow to stop was too short, no matter what, he couldnt grasp it with his hand. The carriage suddenly stopped so he put down his hand and frowned. Without waiting for him to ask, the subordinate who was driving the carriage outside reported to him first, Master, someone is blocking the road. He narrowed his eyes and told He Ling to stay in the carriage and not to move while he himself took a look outside the carriage. He raised his eyebrows at once and said in a clear loud voice, Du Fang Zhu (Master Du/ Sect Leader Du) is so elegant, sipping tea in the snow! Straight in front of him and in the middle of the road, a woman dressed in red clothes as red as the fire. She was sitting on a chair with a cup of fragrant tea in her hand, taking a sip every now and then. When she heard his voice, she handed the cup to the young girl dressed in pink who was holding an umbrella for her and replied, Its all because Xiao Shao Lu Zh (Young Master Leader Xiao, a young landlord of a building / organization) is so busy, running around without stopping. Thats why even though I am tired, I am still waiting here! Xiao Yu Heng jumped down from the carriage. He walked unhurriedly as he stepped forward, stopping not far from her, What is the need for this, Sect Leader Du? You are always chasing after this junior everyday. Those who dont know, will think that you were in love with me! Impudent! Another young girl dressed in blue, who was standing on the other side of the woman, rebuked him but at the same time she also put her hand on her sleeve. Dont be impolite! The woman in red gave her a sideways glance, stopping her from taking the action before turning her gaze back to him, Xiao Shao Lou Zhu, dont you relate those impudent and nonsense matters with me. After so many years, from beginning to the end, I had only one purpose. Xiao Yu Heng shook his head with a long sigh, pretending to be in a difficult situation, This junior, from beginning to the end, also has only one answer for you. Since we have received the silver from others, there is no reason for us not to do the work after taking the money. The woman in red slammed the arm of the chair. She was obviously angry, I told you, I will pay double the price. When the person is found, I will also return the money to you! Money is indeed important, however the reputation of my building is even more important. We really cant find out the whereabouts of this person for you, so please Sect Leader Du give up on this matter! Xiao Yu Hengs attitude was also very tough without any intention of compromising with the other party. Reputation? The woman laughed coldly as she leaned back to her chair, glancing meaningfully at the carriage behind him, As far as I know, Young Leader Xiao have personally cancelled a mission this time, am I right? What kind of beauty is hidden in this carriage that can make you make an exception? As soon as she said that, Xiao Yu Heng pulled a serious face. It seemed that the building had to be reorganized. They could not even handle a job like this so what was the point of having them? Sect Leader Du, this is my pavilions own business, we dont need you to interfere with it! Naturally I dont have time to care about the matters in your building. I only care about whether you will accept or not the matter I have entrusted to you? The woman in red narrowed her eyes. Even as she sat, her imposing aura was not weak in the slightest. In this matter, this junior can only once again apologize to you! Xiao Yu Heng flung his sleeves and turned back to go back to the carriage. The woman in red was not willing to let him go so easily but before she could make a move, the two young girls beside him sprang out. At the same time, several embroidery needles with silk threads flew out of their sleeves and shot towards his vest. In the nick of time, several men in black came from hiding, and with a flick of their swords, they were able to separate the needles from him. With a twist of their bodies, they brought up their swords to block it for Xiao Yu Heng. The two young girls withdrew their needles and returned it to their sleeves, standing in front of the woman in red to confront them. Young Leader Xiao please do not refuse a toast, only to be forced to drink a forfeit1[ƲԳԷ/ jng ji b ch ch f ji: to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit / fig. to hesitate to do sth until forced to do even more]! The woman sat in her chair, not moving at all but there was a ruthless and tyrannical aura from between her upturned eyebrows. She seemed to be in a very unhappy mood. Although the number of people on the other side was smaller than his, if they really fought, he would not be able to get a good result, After all these years, if the other side was willing, the person would definitely come back to visit you. Since the person didnt come back, then why should Sect Leader Du painstakingly pursue the other party? This is my business, you dont need to worry about it. You just need to help me find the person! The woman in red didnt care about his many arguments or wisdom talk, if she had listened to him, she would not have pestered him until now. It seemed that today was not going to be a good day. Xiao Yu Hengs face darkened as he drew his flexible sword from his waist and took the lead, going straight for the woman in red. The other side gave him a cold snort and flew up (leap swiftly) to fight with him. He Ling was sitting inside the carriage as he listened to the sounds of the fight outside, feeling anxious and helpless.He didnt know who that woman was.However, by blocking and stopping them in the middle of the road, she was definitely looking for trouble. If Xiao Yu Heng could not defeat herp and was injured, what should he do then? Xiao Yu Heng, you have broken the rules of your pavilion once, so whats the harm in breaking it again? The woman in red threw a silk thread out and wrapped it around her opponents sword. Both sides pulled each other and for a moment, they refused to budge from their original position. This time, I owe that person a favour so Im just taking this opportunity to repay it. Why should Sect Leader Du need to make it difficult for me? Xiao Yu Heng did not relax at all, Besides, it was my father who took on this matter in the first place, so even if I were to make an exception, it wouldnt be my turn ah! With a twist of her hand, they separated and in the blink of an eye exchanged a few more moves, If I could find your father whose whereabouts is unknown2[ײβ /shn lng jin shu b jin wi : literally it mean able to see the dragon gods head but cant see the tail. It was a metaphor for the mysterious whereabouts of people; be secretive in ones movement and trace. ], why would I bother you, a junior? Why dont you tell me the whereabouts of Master Xiao (Xiao Lou Zhu) so I wont spend any more energy on you here! The embroidery needles flying all around made Xiao Yu Heng fight for his life and was busy dealing with it but his mouth still refused to give away in an argument, What? So its not me who you adore but my father that Sect Leader Du has in mind? The woman dressed in red put on a serious expression, with a change in her hand (movement in her martial arts), a needle grazed her opponents cheek, leaving a bloodstain, Such a slippery tongue, you are not afraid to bite your own tongue? Xiao Yu Heng turned around and took two steps back, raised his hand to wipe away the blood on his face and hooked his lips into a smile, Is it possible that Sect Leader Du has been angered by the fact that I have predicted it correctly and said whats in your mind? I think you are looking for death today! The woman in red narrowed her eyes. Her ruthless and murderous qi (aura) was even thicker, as her red sleeves fluttered, the embroidery needles along with the silk thread seemed to form and spread into a net, making a surprise attack on the person in front of her. Xiao Yu Heng glanced sideways at the carriage behind him. He took a wrong step as he brushed over to the other direction. His position was too close to the carriage so a fight would have injured the people inside. The woman dressed in reds needles changed direction as she did, spreading out and instantly leaving several more wounds on his body. Watching the other partys figure pause, she temporarily withdrew her moves. She looked at the carriage that was securely parked in there and said, I didnt expect that Young Leader Xiao was still a romantic type of person. You have taken a lot of effort in order to protect the person inside. Sect Leader Du Fang is joking, this junior had said, its just repaying the kindness of saving my life! Xiao Yu Heng was afraid that her attention would go that way. He coughed lightly twice and laughed, Or dont tell me that you are jealous? This time, the woman did not lose her temper as he had wished for. Her figure moved quickly towards the carriage. At the same time, she also said, I would like to see what kind of stunning beauty is hidden in the carriage. Xiao Yu Heng panicked and quickly brought up his sword to block her path. However, he was attacked by his opponent with a wave of her sleeve. He turned around and flipped in the air to avoid it. Both of them made such a big movement making the horse that was pulling the carriage frightened, raised its front hooves and let out a neigh.The carriage shook and the person inside let out a muffled grunt, he perhaps had hit something. Ling Geer, are you alright? Struggling against the other partys attack, Xiao Yu Heng had no time to go there, so he could only ask in a loud clear voice. I am alright! It was only after a long time that a slightly panicked reply came out from inside, probably startled by the sudden situation just now. He Ling indeed did not get hurt, he only hit his arm on the wall of the carriage during the shaking, although it hurt a little, but nothing was serious or harmful. He calmed down his heartbeat before he opened his mouth to answer him. Hearing that the other party was fine, Xiao Yu Heng was relieved. He looked at the woman dressed in red with some slight annoyance, Sect Leader Du, Im afraid its not good to involve innocent people in a dispute between us! Xiao Shao Lou Zhu is being serious here. I dont mean to do anything to him. I just want to get to know him! Seeing that he no longer had that mischievous smile and playful look on his face, the womans heart felt a little happy. Hes not from Jiang Hu so theres no need for you to know him! He titled his head and gave a meaningful wink (signal with eyes) to the men in black who were still fighting with the two young girls, they instantly changed their path and separated into groups, one to guard the carriage. In his heart, Xiao Yu Heng regretted that he had come out in such a hurry that he had not deployed a gold-ranked assassin to follow after him. Otherwise, he would have been able to get away faster. He would not have been in a difficult situation as he was now. When she saw that he had especially sent someone to keep watch, the woman smiled. The more the other party cared, the more useful this person would be to her. If she could capture him, Xiao Yu Heng could not help but agree to her requests. With this in mind, her moves were also changed. Each move or attack was directed towards the carriage, the silk threads danced in the air, fluttering everywhere, so tricky that it made them hard to guard against it. Xiao Yu Heng had been wounded earlier so his movements were much slower than before. Now his mind was in turmoil, he naturally fell further behind. Luckily, the man in black at the back was able to take in (back him up) the moves he missed. But following as the womans attack became more and more rapid and complex, he had more direction to attend to. His eyes were glued to the chaotic (numerous and disorderly) silk threads, not daring to look away. The womans body moved quickly to one side at this moment, walking past the two of them and directly making the surprise attack on the carriage, lifting the curtain, tugging the persons arm inside the carriage, pulling him out and stopping a few feet away. It all happened in a matter of a few breaths, leaving Xiao Yu Heng impossible to defend effectively. By the time he cut off all the embroidery thread around him, the woman was already standing a few steps away dragging the person in her arms. His face immediately sank (pull a long face; put on a serious expression) at the moment. He Lings mind was also muddled at this moment, he only saw a red colour scurrying in from outside the car. Suddenly everything was blurry before his eyes, he then already landed on the snow. He didnt even have time to react. Young Master Leader Xiao, your tightly hidden beauty is in my hands now. Lets each of us stop and have a good talk! As the woman spoke, the two young girls who had followed her instantly retreated and stood behind her. Several men in black also retreated to Xiao Yu Hengs side.The situation between the two sides returned to what it was at the beginning, facing each other with no one refusing to lose their momentum, as if even the air had become frozen. Another secret revealed in the next chapte CH 90 Back to the Countryside Chapter 90:ĸ [Aunt] Arent you afraid of losing face as the Sect Leader of Jade Dragon Residence if you strike at a ger who is unable to fight back? Xiao Yu Heng gripped the flexible sword in his hand tightly yet he did not dare to act rashly. I just want to be friends with him, so how would I lose face? The woman watched his face change several times, her heart could be said to be in a very good mood, Young Leader Xiao do not be too petty. Du Huashang! Xiao Yu Heng called her full name with a sullen face, and looked at He Ling whose face was still red and a little sickly. He said in a cold voice, Dont blame me for not advising you, if he was hurt even a little bit, Im afraid your Jade Dragon Residence will be turned upside down! According to how much Qi Yue cared for him, if the other side dared to do something, it would be a bloody mess. [The original one used this ȷѪ : foul wind and rain of bloodreign of terror] Hmph, what a big tone you have there, but unfortunately what I am not afraid of the most is when someone threatens me! Du Huashang pulled the person closer to her and lifted her other hand to pinch his chin, Let me see how gorgeous the ger who can make Xiao Shao Lou Zhu lose his composure like this! He Ling was dragged by her, only felt that her hand was so strong that he could not break free. He let her fingers clamp down his chin and lifted his face towards her. The moment she saw his face clearly, Du Huashang was even stupefied, in a trance, it was as if she had seen again the person she missed for so long. Her hands trembled a little as she unbelievably stared at him. The expression in her eyes was too intent when she looked at him like this. The feelings in it were very complex, it was indescribable and indefinable, like joy yet also sadness. He Ling didnt quite understand why this unfamiliar woman was looking at himself like this? Her strange appearance was also seen by Xiao Yu Heng. He wrinkled his eyebrows, not daring to let his guard down at all. At the same time, he also found it strange that the two pairs of eyes and brows (appearance) that were staring at each other were indescribably similar. Du Huashang trembled, her hand that was cupping his chin slowly moved to the side of his face, carefully as if she was touching a fragile treasure, her eyes began to flush red, Jie Jie (elder Sister) He Ling shrank back, avoiding her hand that was gently caressing him. He said in a neutral tone, Youve got the wrong person. The moment her hand was empty and losing that touch, at the same time it brought her back to her senses. Yes, thats right! He is a ger, how could it be possible for him to be her sister? Its just his appearance that is slightly similar. When Xiao Yu Heng heard her soft call, he narrowed his eyes. Ling Geer looked similar to the sister she had been looking for? Not only that, but as a bystander, he also noticed that their upturned eyebrows resembled each other, Could there really be such a lucky coincidence? Du Huashang put away all of her emotions that had been aroused by his appearance and looked at the man opposite him again, but the strength of her hands dragging his arm loosened,Xiao Yu Heng, lets not talk any more nonsense! If you want this ger to be safe and sound, then help me find out where my Jie Jie is! Xiao Yu Heng already had an unbelievable guess in his mind. He looked at those two faces, the more he looked, the more he felt that the possibility was high. He lowered his eyes and pondered, if that was the case, then wouldnt her sister alreadyBut no matter what, saving Ling Geer now was the most important priority. Seeing that he kept his head down and didnt say anything, Du Huashang was impatient in her heart, she gritted her teeth and grabbed He Lings throat, not looking at the other partys somewhat painful expression, What? You dont believe Ill do it? If the other party found out everything on her own, then it wouldnt count as a loss of credibility of their building! Xiao Yu Heng looked nervously at the restrained person and said in a deep voice, If Sect Leader Du dares to hurt him, you will never, ever know the whereabouts of your sister! By saying this, he was trying to compromise. Du Huashang reckoned and let go of her hand, Dont worry! I dont intend to kill anyone. As long as you are willing to help, naturally I wont do anything to him. Ling Geer, what is your mothers name? Xiao Yu Heng did not answer her at all but oddly opened his mouth to ask the other person. He Ling covered his neck that was pinched to the point of being a little sore. Not knowing why, as he looked up at him, he saw that person kept insisting on looking at himself, only then he said in a slow voice, Du Jinxin, my mothers name is Du Jinxin. Xiao Yu Heng breathed a long sigh of relief. Everything went in the direction that he had expected. His mood was also a little complicated, this was really like a predestined coincidence. He looked at the person who was already dumb as a wooden chicken ( fig. dumbstruck) so he said, Sect Leader Du, now do you still want to make a move on him? Du Huashang froze and turned his head back to look at He Ling who was still unaware of the situation, holding his shoulders, her voice was hoarse, Say it again, what is your mothers name? Her grip on his shoulder was so strong that it seemed to be embedded into his flesh, it hurt as He Ling tightened his eyebrows, Her name is Du Jinxin. Du Huashangs body shook vigorously and she staggered back a few steps. For many years she tried to find her sister and now her child was standing right in front of her, it felt so unreal. Taking advantage of her mental turmoil, Xiao Yu Heng hurriedly skimmed over to He Lings side and grabbed the persons shoulders to support him. Because he was ill, his body was extremely weak. He must have been tired from being pulled around and delayed for so long. He Ling was also relieved, his dizzy head made him stumble but fortunately his body was supported by someone, otherwise he would have fallen to the ground. Du Huashang was brought back to her senses by their movements, looked up and saw his increasingly flushed face. Her heart jumped and she went forward to take his hand in hers. She asked concernedly, Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Sect Leader Du, all these days he is having a fever. Youve been tugging and pulling him around so much. Do you think (treated by you like this) he will feel comfortable? Xiao Yu Heng had already confirmed that he was not in danger anymore so he also took this opportunity to speak sarcastically to her, kind of, to remove the irritation in his heart. I dont know Du Huashang felt guilty in her heart. If she had known about this earlier, no matter what she would not have done anything to him. If her Jie Jie was here, her heart would ache to see this. Thinking of this, she asked, Where is your mother? Is she (living) well now? Are you my mothers friend? He Ling had this suspicion, seeing that she had changed her attitude towards him after she learned his mothers name. After that, his expression darkened (became gloomy), Because of the premature delivery, she passed away after she gave birth to me As if suddenly drained of all strength, Du Huashang fell and sat on the ground as her feet weakened, her scarlet red dress spread on the white snow, as dazzling as the red blood. She then murmured, How could how could it be? Just now, the woman who was so arrogant and considered herself to be unbeatable in the world, yet now she looked so lost in thought and despair, as if she had lost her most precious thing, He Ling also felt sad and his heart ached for her. She must have a good relationship with her mother to be this heartbroken and sad. He squatted down as he supported his own waist and took her hand which had fallen into the snow ice. He said, Dont be sad anymore! Even if my mother already passed away, she must be watching over us from heaven. My father will accompany her so she is not alone (not lonely). Du Huashang raised her head and looked at his gentle face, as if she had seen her Jie Jie who had comforted her countless times. Jie Jie would always say these words to her whenever she missed her father and mother. Tears rolled down from her eyes. The regret and sorrow in her heart was about to overwhelm her, for if it hadnt been for her own fault, her sister would not have gone alone to a new place, without even letting her see her for the last time. At the time when both of them were still young, their home was hit by a flood and everything came to nothing (vanished like a bubble; ended up in smoke) overnight, leaving the two of them to depend on each other for survival. Only after they were taken in by the Jade Dragon Residence that only accepted female disciples, did they have a place to live or to return to after a long period of starvation. They were also accepted by the sect leader as her own disciples because of their good natural talent. As she grew older, the difference between her and her Jie Jies personalities became more and more obvious. Her sister was quiet by nature. She preferred embroidery rather than practicing martial arts. She could sometimes stay at her embroidery stand for a whole day without moving, while she herself was the opposite, she could not sit still and she only liked learning and practicing martial arts more than anything else. But perhaps it was because her Jie Jies talent was more outstanding, although Jie Jie put less effort into her martial arts training, she did not lose to her in any way and seemed to be surpassing her. She was so ambitious and proud, naturally she refused to accept it as the final result so she worked even harder every day. Whenever her Jie Jie saw her, she would smile gently and tell her to take care of her health and rest, not to make herself too tired by devoting herself into it. However, she felt that the other party was afraid that she would overtake her and that was why she was so pretentious. It all started on that day when she happened to hear from her fellow disciples Shi Jie that the sect leader intended to pass her position to her Jie Jie. At that moment, it ignited the flames of fury in her heart. It was not because she wanted that position so badly but she felt that her efforts had not been recognized so she lost her temper, as childish as she was. She had a big fight with her sister. Relying on her many years of generosity and forgiveness, she shot her mouth off and as a matter of course, she found fault and accused her sister of keeping these matters from her. Those hurtful words were so hurtful that she felt ashamed of herself every time she thought of it. Jie Jie must have been feeling deeply hurt! But at that time, she still looked at her as usual, smiling like an elder who could tolerate all of her willful acts and nonsense. After she had vented all her emotions, she told her that she would not compete with her for anything. That was the last time she saw her Jie Jie. The next day the Sect Leader personally summoned her over and told her that her Jie Jie had erased her martial art in front of her (the previous sect leader) and had left the Jade Dragon Residence. She thought that the Sect Leader was lying to her, how could her Jie Jie have left her without saying a word like that? She was just being her usual self, throwing a little tantrum, then the other party didnt want her anymore? As a matter of fact, from the very beginning, Jie Jie did not like Jiang Hus turmoil. What she wished to have was to spend her entire life peacefully in a small village with enchanting scenery where there were green hills and clear water, just like they had when they were young. Now that she has grown up and her sister has no more worries in her heart, even without this incident, she would not have stayed here for a long time. Naturally she would not take the position as the Sect Leader and at that time she already refused it too. All of these was what the Sect Leader had told her, so after hearing all this, she felt a mixed emotions in her heart. Since she was a child, rather than to be called as Jie Jie, the other party was more like her mother. No matter how willful and unreasonable she was, never even once she lost her temper with her, but she had hurt the other party too many times. Many years passed after that, she became the sect leader of Jade Dragon Residence (Yu Long Fang) as she had always wished for but her sister never came back. As if she had calculated everything, she handed over most of her money to the Light Wind and Rain Pavilion and gave a task that had never been requested before, not allowed to investigate her whereabouts. It had been nearly twenty years now yet she had never been able to find out about the other partys whereabouts. She didnt know what kind of life the other party was having, whether she was married or not. She didnt know would she think of herself from time to time? Now when she finally knew her news after all the difficulty, it was news of her death, was this Gods punishment for her? Letting her go through this lifetime without being able to say I am sorry to her sister. Child Du Huashang raised her hand to touch He Lings face, she moved gently, for fear that she would accidentally hurt him, My name is Du Huashang, I am your mothers little sister. You should call me Aunt. Jie Jie already passed away. It meant that the child she left behind, she had to take care of him on her behalf. Just now, she heard him say that his father had also already passed away, leaving him all alone. He Ling was stunned as his eyes widened, Maternal Aunt? He had never heard his father mention that his mother had a sister. Was it because his mother hadnt told him? The moment she saw him, she called him Jie Jie (Older sister), was it because he resembled his mother? Du Huashang saw that he was staring at her blankly and did not respond, she understood that he was confused (unable to figure things out) for a moment, so she softened her voice and said to him, I know you may still have doubts now, so I will slowly explain it to you later. You are still sick now so lets not stay here anymore. Shall we find a warmer place to talk? Moreover, it was snowing in the middle of nowhere (desolate place outside a town; wilderness), indeed not a good place to talk so even though his mind was full of questions, he was not in a hurry in this short moment. The author has something to say : The next chapter, Qi Yue is coming o~ Yeay chapter 90!!! 8 more chapters CH 91 Back to the Countryside Chapter 91:ط [Be reunited] Just when He Ling wanted to stand up as he was holding his own back, he suddenly let out a muffled grunt. His expression was also suddenly changed, causing the two people next to him tensed up and reached out to hold his slightly shaken body. Whats wrong? Xiao Yu Heng hung his head and asked him. Could it be because the movement when he was pulled around so much just a moment ago, hurt the baby in his belly? I am fine. He Ling took a moment before he shook his head and reached out his hands to touch his belly. Ever since that last time of fetal movement, the little one had been turning over every now and then. Everytime, it was always leaving him unprepared, The baby just moved. Youre pregnant? Du Huashang was surprised as she looked around his belly and waist. He was wearing clothes with a lot of layers and also a thick cloak, so she didnt even realize (that he was pregnant) for quite a long time already. He Ling smiled at her and gently stroked his belly, looking very happy,Hn, its been more than five months. Its only in recent days that the baby started to move. Du Huashang knitted her eyebrows; actually she was not really satisfied as she took a look at Xiao Yu Heng who was standing right next to her up and down. His status and background was passable (acceptable). It was just that this man was too sly and frivolous. He was indeed not a good match. If only she had met her nephew earlier, she would have found a better man for him who she could entrust his nephew to him for a lifetime. However, now that he was already like this, there was nothing she could do, Well, since both of you are already married, then Xiao Zhao Lou Zhu, you really have to take good care of him. If I find out that you have wronged him in the future, I will not let you off easily! Hearing what she had said, Xiao Yu Heng smiled and knew that she had misunderstood which was understandable. He didnt even say any words yet, the other party already exchanged moves (in martial arts) with him when they met. He didnt even have time to explain properly. I didnt get married to him! He Ling hurriedly waved his hand to deny it. This was really a big misunderstanding. The other party was just kind enough to give him a ride and send him on this journey so how could she think that they were having such a relationship? Hearing him say that, Du Huashangs face immediately sank. It was true, if the young master of the Light Breeze and Rain House had gotten married, how could there be no news about it in the Jiang Hu? She flipped her hand over and slapped toward his direction with her palm, while cursing,Xiao Yu Heng, you beast! He was suddenly hit by her. Fortunately, Xiao Yu Heng reacted quickly, otherwise he would have been hit squarely, he hurriedly retreated a few steps away, to be far away from her and said helplessly, Sect Leader Du, please calm down and listen to my explanation first! What is there to explain? You didnt marry him formally and legally yet you dare to insult his innocence and make him give birth to your child without title and status? Are you bullying him because he has no one to back him up? Du Huashang was really furious. She was thinking of taking care of this child just now, but in the blink of an eye she found out that he had been bullied! She was really itching to (wished that she could) crippled this person so with this thought in mind, she swung her hand and sent dozens of embroidery needles flying out of her sleeve. Xiao Yu Heng leaped away and dodged in a hurry. There was unspeakable bitterness (difficulty) in his heart, it was okay if it was really his own doing, but unfortunately, it really wasnt his doing, still had to be chased and beaten like this by her! You guysdont fight anymore! He Ling held his stomach and anxiously stamped his foot but was unable to intervene. This matter could be properly talked over, why said fight then they really fight? This so-called aunt of his, at least listen to him to finish the words ah! His head became even more dizzy when he was in a hurry. He raised his hand to cover his forehead, not knowing if it was because his hand was too cold so his head temperature seemed to be a little hotter than before. He coughed lightly twice and felt like he was not going to be able to see clearly their fighting figures. Ah Ling! From the distance, there was a call that he would never forget for this lifetime so he turned around excitedly to see the person who could relieve him and make him feel at ease, coming over here, riding on a horse through the drifting snow, just as always attracting peoples attention to look at him. In Qi Yues eyes, at this very moment, it was as if he could only hold (to accommodate / to be filled with) that one person standing in the snow; he didnt even wait for the horse to walk over there, he immediately leapt out of the horse, jumped down, stood in front of him and took him into his embrace. This kind of real touch, finally he could put down the heart he had been holding. His state of anxiety and physical discomfort of the last few days turned into full of grief at the sight of the person he knew the best, so he buried his face in his chest and choked out a sob. The two of them who were in the middle of a fierce fight, noticed the situation and each of them withdrew their hands. Xiao Yu Heng looked at both of them who were hugging each other closely and his heart suddenly seemed to be empty. He laughed at himself as he lowered his head and said to the woman who was full of surprise, Someones husband has come over, so my injustice can be cleared (proved as not guilty) right? Du Huashang saw clearly the person who was holding He Ling and turned to him with a wrinkled brow, Isnt that Qi Yue? That sage doctor (who was highly skilled in medicine and poison) who wiped out a sect and then disappeared without a trace? Exactly, its him! Xiao Yu Heng put his sword back to his waist. Back to his careless and casual self again, he said, Isnt it great that such a renowned person has become your nephew? Du Huashang glared at him, then turned her face away. She looked at the two people over there with mixed feelings, if it was that person, she would not be able to win against him if her own nephew was bullied in the future. Once his excitement had calmed down, Qi Yue immediately sensed that something was wrong with the person in his arms. He pushed away the person a little, stretched out his hand and put it into his forehead. In a flash, his expression was not looking very good, Youre having a fever? He Ling nodded his head while his mind was in a muddled state, feeling that the other persons hand was slightly cold and comfortable to be put on his face, Its been a few days. Its been going back and forth yet, its not completely recovered. Qi Yue therefore knew that once he was not by his little Fu Langs side, the other party would certainly not be well taken care of, so he bent down and carried him into his embrace, kissing his forehead, Ah Ling has suffered. Its this Wei Fu (your husband) who has failed to protect you. He Ling shook his head and snuggled into his embrace. In this world, there was no better husband than him, Xiao Gongzi has been taking care of me these few days, already gotten much better. When he heard that his Fu Lang was being taken care of by someone else, Qi Yue wasnt happy about that. He finally was willing to take his eyes off the other party and looked at those people present there. The presence of Du Huashang surprised him a little but as he wasnt very familiar with her so he didnt ask much and only put his attention on Xiao Yu Heng and questioned him, How did you take care of him? In all honesty, he was already sick when I found him! Xiao Yu Heng loosened his grip and shrugged his shoulders. He felt wronged (accused wrongly) to the core, I arrived just in time. Xiang Gong, what Xiao Gongzi has done is already very good! He Ling tugged at his clothes, if it wasnt for the other person, he was afraid that he would have been harrassed by that man, he was very grateful to him. Qi Yue wanted to ask him what had happened all these days, but he knew that now was not the time, nor was this the right place to talk, A Ling was still sick and had to find a place for him to rest first. As if he could see what was on his mind, Xiao Yu Heng opened his mouth and said, We better rush to the town now. We can talk about everything there. Moreover, we need to properly talk about the matter of Sect Leader Du and Ling Geer too. What possible matter could there be between her and his Fu Lang? Qi Yue looked at her a few more times, but found out that the other side was not looking at him in a friendly way. He did not feel that he had anything against her, so he turned his eyes away and paid no more attention to her. When they left, Qi Yue naturally had to stay by He Lings side and look after him personally. He then drove Xiao Yu Heng away outside to ride on the horse, while Du Huashang had her own carriage and followed behind them. As soon as He Ling got into the carriage, somehow he couldnt hold on any longer. He was carried in his arms and fell asleep. He gazed at his frowning brow and felt heartache / very distressed. In the future, he would never let Ah Ling out of his sight for every moment. The carriages speed was much slower than riding a horse but at least they arrived on time before the sky was getting dark in the small town where Qi Yue had been staying before. He found the best inn in town and took He Ling to his room and put him there. He got up and went to Xiao Yu Hengs place. He still had to explain to him how he ended up being together with his Fu Lang? He lifted the lower hem of his coat, sat down beside the table and said, Now then, isnt it time for us to talk about everything in detail? Xiao Yu Heng poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of him, watching him take an unhurried sip, only then he said, Those assassins who attacked you came from my pavilion. Qi Yues hand paused as he drank the tea, then he placed the cup on the table with a thud, Your building even dares to take (accept the mission / order) on my matter? Could it be that you are thinking of money to the point that you have become crazy!? I dont know anything about this matter! Xiao Yu Heng scratched his nose embarrassingly .This time it was really his fault, the other party just saved his life (not a long time ago) yet his subordinates had captured his Fu Lang. Humph, Ill keep this account (debt) for now! Dont think that you can clear it off by saying that you dont know. Is that why you retrieved Ah Ling from your subordinates and brought him here? Not exactly like that, on the night when he was captured he escaped using the medicine you gave him and ran away alone for several days On these days of interacting with each other, the other party told Xiao Yu Heng briefly what had happened, while feeling that his subordinates were useless, at the same time he felt a little distressed for him, When I found him, he was being pestered by a pampered young master, and after saving him, I brought him to seek for you! Alone in that kind of cold weather circumstance, to be alarmed and frightened, If Mu Yan did not go after him, if only relied on both of his legs, perhaps he would freeze to death in the wilderness. Qi Yue only felt pain in his heart, how scared and desperate his little Fu Lang was when he was running away with his child in his belly. Moreover, he himself had not been able to be by his side. The person who came to hire the killer was very cautious and did not reveal his identity, but my men still found some traces (˿: lit. spiders thread and horse track), perhaps you will understand who it is after reading it! Xiao Yu Heng took out a note from his sleeve, placed it on the table and pushed it in front of him. Qi Yue took another sip of tea before picking up the note and unfolding it. After reading the contents, he raised his eyebrows as he came to understand it, obviously knowing who the other party was. He laughed scornfully as he placed that one slip of paper on the candle flame and burned it, tossing it on the ground and letting it burn to ashes, This matter, I also hope no more people know about it! Dont worry, I still have this kind of common sense. Xiao Yu Heng hooked his lips and smiled at him, since he had to return the favor, then he had to do so thoroughly. The main matters that should be talked about had already been talked about. Another matter was also on Qi Yues mind all the way here as he said, Whats the matter with that Sect Leader Du? Why is she following us? This matter is complicated one! Xiao Yu Heng felt that many coincidences that had happened earlier were like a storybook, Its not appropriate for me to say it, it is better to wait until later and let her come to tell you and explain it herself. Remembering what he (XYH) had previously said that it was related to his family Fu Lang, only then Qi Yue would ask this question here and now. Now the other party had said so, he also did not ask any more questions, since what he should know he would naturally know anyway. Thinking of He Ling who was still in the room, Qi Yue also didnt plan to stay any longer. He stood up and planned to leave, when he pulled open the door, as if he had just remembered something, he titled his head and said, Its not the doing of a gentleman (man of moral integrity) to keep thinking of someone elses Fu Lang. Xiao Shao LouZhu should respect (: conduct oneself with dignity; self control) himself! As soon as he finished speaking, he took a step and left the room. Xiao Yu Heng remained staring blankly at the open door of the room for a long time. He covered his face and lowered his head, letting out a low chuckle. That persons eyes were vicious just as in the past. He thought that he didnt reveal anything in front of him, yet he still saw it. When he had laughed enough, he put down his hand and raised his head. Something was settled and deep down in his eyes there was unreadable emotion. He stood up and closed the door of the room, leaving the soft sound of the door being closed behind, completely separating the outside from the inside. What was the point of taking something that didnt belong to him? It would be better to stand from a far distance at the beginning and quietly admire it. Perhaps it could still have left a good and beautiful impression on the other persons heart. Tl here: I didnt expect that Xiao Yu Heng would have a feeling for He Ling, but I really like his characters (beside Qi Yue of course) and especially this chapter~ CH 92 Back to the Countryside Chapter 92:˵ Speak Clearly Translator: LittleYen Qi Yue had just returned and saw Du Huashang dressed in red, standing in front of the door of their room, with a hesitant look on her face, her hand raised and lowered several times but she could not knock on the door. There were rumours in Jiang Hu that although the Sect leader of Yu Long Fang [Jade Dragon Resident] was a woman, her personality was very strong, not to be outdone by a man. Now, it did not seem so. He slowly paced over to her. Being mindful of her older age, he said by cupping both of his hands in greeting, I wonder the purpose of Sect Leader Du of coming here, is there something you want to see me about? The moment Du Huashang turned her head to look at him, she already had a different look on her face. Her feeling was difficult to tell whether she liked him or disliked him, Where did you go when you left the sick person alone in the room? The tone was already carrying some interrogation in it, therefore Qi Yue raised his eyebrows, I went to look for Xiao Gongzi, to ask about Ah Lings condition and how he has been doing these several days, after all I couldnt by his side. If you were so concerned, why didnt you take good care of him in the first place? Du Huashang seemed to be very annoyed and looked at him with an even more unkind look, Or is it just on the mouth only that you are saying it and you dont really care about him at all? Sect Leader Du, whether I am truly sincere and deeply concerned about Ah Ling or not, I only need him to understand it in his heart. Besides, this has nothing to do with you, right? His feeling for his Fu Lang, what need is there for an outsider to judge? You Du Huashang was speechless by his words. Her heart was even more uneasy, such a venomous mouth and poisonous tongue guy, with her nephews character, how could he win an argument with him? He would have been suppressed to death! Xiang Gong? As the two were silently confronting each other, a soft call rang out from inside the room. It must have been He Ling who had woken up and heard the sound of people talking from outside the room. His little Fu Lang had already woken up, so Qi Yue wasnt in the mood to talk nonsense with the person here. He pushed open the door of the room, walked in and he saw the other party already sitting on the bed. Seeing Qi Yue enter the room, he revealed a smiling expression. Why dont you sleep a little longer? Ill wake you up at dinner time. He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. Just now, he had covered He Ling with a thick quilt because he was having a fever. He Ling was just about to say something when he saw another person step in from outside the room. She stood there from afar and did not approach, but looked at him with eyes full of concern. Thinking of what the other person had said to him previously, he was distracted for a moment before he said, Sect LeaderDu, why are you standing there? Please have a seat! Du Huashang was a little disappointed that she didnt hear the form of address she wanted to hear from him but she also understood that this matter could not be rushed, the other party was still confused and didnt know the truth, so it was normal for him to be like this. She took a few steps closer to the bed, Its nothing, I just came to see you. Ive just caught a cold, nothing serious. He Ling also didnt know what to say to her, he had never met his mother and didnt know the others past, now this sect leader who still looked young and beautiful said she was his aunt, he felt a little complicated in his heart. Qi Yue felt that the atmosphere between them was a bit odd, as if there was a story behind it. He was really getting curious about what had happened between them earlier when he was not there. Du Huashang sighed shallowly as she moved a stool, put it near the bed, and sat down on it. Looking at the person who resembled her sister in front of her and asked in a neutral tone, Do you want to hear about your mother and me? He Ling nodded his head dumbfoundedly, he knew very little about his mother, what he knew was mostly from the villagers. Those were all things that had happened since his mother had come to the village, he had no idea at all about how his mother had been in the past. Du Huashang had never felt sorry for anyone, but her Jie Jie was the only one who had made her feel guilty for half of her lifetime. She hated her past self for being ignorant and willful. She had hurt the person who loved her the most in the world. During the time when Jie Jie had just disappeared, her heart had been filled with expectation that the other party was just angry and playing a little prank on her. Perhaps, she would come back in a couple of days, still as gentle as she always used to be. Before then, it slowly went from expectation to disappointment and from disappointment to despair, approximately twenty years had passed, yet her Jie Jie had never appeared in front of her anymore. She sometimes would blame the other party for her cruelty (making the painful decision). How could she disappear without a trace with such determination (to cut off the relation)? But even more often than that, she blamed herself for hurting the only family she had. But she had never imagined that, while she had been making wild guesses and persistently searching for her, that beautiful and gentle Jie Jie was long gone. In this lifetime, she would never be able to get the opportunity to see her again. Now facing her Jie Jies child, she said all the regrets she had buried in her heart for so many years, not for the sake of peace of mind, but only to make him understand that she sincerely wanted to take care of him in place of her Jie Jie, Child, I dont force you to open your mouth and call me aunt.I just want you to remember that you have an elder who can back you up. An elder who could support him up? Such a statement made He Lings heart filled with many emotions. Ever since he was a child, he had never had an elder who could back him up, even when he suffered from being wronged, he could only swallow it into his own stomach. He did not know why his mother had left in the first place, but he was clear that she did not blame his little sister. Even though her time with his father had been brief, he was sure that his mother must be very happy during those times. It was impossible for Qi Yue, who was listening to the whole story from the side, to say that he was not surprised. He had never expected that his mother-in-law, whom he had never met before, would have this kind of relationship with the Sect Leader of Yu Long Fang. The reason why she would choose to live in seclusion was something he himself could somehow understand. After seeing too many grudges and resentment, one after another of mess or chaos in Jiang Hu, she naturally wanted to find a place where she could calm the body and mind and spend the rest of her life peacefully. Wasnt he also like this? He Ling raised his eyes and looked at Du Huashangs gloomy expression, which was completely different from that strong and brash appearance when she stopped them in the middle of the road. He stretched out his hand and gently held the others hand. He smiled and said, I have never met my mother, but I know that with her temperament, she certainly did not blame you. If there hadnt been an accident, its possible that she would have gone back to see you. Held by the hand with unnatural heat, Du Huashangs eyes gradually reddened and a tear rolled down from it, hitting the back of his hand, which she gently wiped away with her sleeve, softening her face, You are a good child, if Jie Jie was still alive, she would be definitely gratified in her heart! Seeing the two people getting along like this, Qi Yue also curled his lips. There was one more person in this world who loved his little Fu Lang, so he had one more happiness, it was a good thing. Hearing his light laugh, Du Huashang turned her attention to him. Where would he still have that previous gentle look? With frowning brows and angry eyes, not being polite at all, How did you abduct (swindle) the person? Ah Ling is my Fu Lang that I formally and officially wed. How can you use the word abduct? Knowing her reason, her hostility towards himself was also explained, everything was just out of concern. Hmph, this child is simple-minded, maybe he was tricked into it by you! Du Huashang knew very well how complicated the minds of people in Jiang Hu were, especially those like the other party that were imperceptible to people. Xiang Gong didnt lie to me, I was willing, with my own free will! He Ling could not let other people say that about him, Xiang Gong was willing to marry him, so it was obviously his blessing. Qi Yues eyebrows formed a curve as he pinched his face, finding the way he was defending himself very cute, I will never ever deceive (cheat on) Ah Ling. He Ling saw that he smiled thinly, both of his heart and his eyes were filled with trust, I know! Look, how much he has fooled him to turn towards (side with) him! Du Huashang was anxious, there were many female disciples in their sect and many of them had been hurt by love. Which one of them was not deceived by the other partys flowery (sweet) words? In the end, they were eventually covered with cuts and bruises (beaten black and blue),Do you know what kind of figure he is in Jiang Hu? Do you clearly understand that? Do you know how many people he has killed? That kind of cruelness and merciless, pursued to the brutal end, she even felt a chill down her back when she heard it. If her nephew were to accidentally annoy the other party one day, she simply couldnt even dare to imagine it. I know, Xiang Gong has told me! Those past events whenever he thought of it, he did not feel afraid, only felt distressed and heart ache for him. If the other party had a choice, he would not have forced himself to take this path too. Since you know, you should understand how dangerous he is. If he treats you The latter words were not spoken by Du Huashang, but she believed the other party could understand her. She did not care at all if Qi Yue was here in person or not. At the worst, she would fight him to the death. (She would fight him with the risk of mutual destruction. The original one used this idiom :either the fish dies or the net gets torn which means life-and-death struggle) Sect Leader Du! What other people had said about him, Qi Yue would just listen to it and let it pass. There were plenty of people in Jiang Hu who talked about him so he would not take it to heart. However, this kind of words he did not even want to hear about it, Even if I die at Ah Lings hands one day, I will never hurt him at all. Xiang Gong! He Ling threw himself into his arms and punched him on the chest unhappily. How could he say such words? How could he himself ever hurt him even for a little?! His earnest look shocked Du Huashang so she stared blankly for a long time. When she came back to her senses, she saw him holding He Ling in his arms and softly coaxing him, promising him over and over again that he would never say such things again. He was so gentle, not at all like the person who killed people like killing flies as he was rumoured to be in Jiang Hu. Her heart was a little bit touched.Moreover, her real intention was also not to separate the two. She just worried that her Jie Jies only child might be hurt. She had to tell him not to devote himself wholeheartedly to the other man, but now it seemed like the other mans whole heart was the one preoccupied with her nephew. I know you are worried about me, but when I was cold-shouldered by the whole village, it was my Xiang Gong who married me and never cared about what other people thought. He has always treated me with care and attention in every possible way. In this world, he is the person who treats me the best!! If the other party thought that his Xiang Gong was bad, he would explain to her that he was more affectionate and faithful than many people that seemed to be kind in the world. Dislike (Ignored)? Du Huashangs attention was on another point. Her nephew was a good-looking ger with a good personality. She didnt say that he would be loved by everyone, but most unlikely she didnt think he would be disliked either. Qi Yue patted his back while telling her all about the village however the cause of Du Jinxins death was not mentioned. Since the He family had received their retribution now, it would only cause her grief if he talked about it. Instead of letting her kill them in anger, he thought it would be more painful for them to live in such hardship, only then could make them so filled with grief as to wish one were dead. She had no idea that the childs life had been like that. No wonder he relied on Qi Yue and trusted him so much. That family indeed deserved to die, so selfish! Du Huashang felt a great deal of pain / incomparable heart ache, Its been hard on you. What happened in the past, it was like a lifetime ago for He Ling. Now he is living a good life with many people who love him, therefore he is very content, so why should he need to remember all those irrelevant things that would spoil his mood? Everything that needed to be said by both sides had been said (clearly). The rest of it could be discussed later and take it slowly. The most important thing now was He Lings illness. He could not take medicine and Qi Yue did not want to use the acupuncture on him, so he planned to prepare a barrel of medicated bath for him after dinner. Actually it was as if using a talented person in an insignificant position to use the medicinal bath to treat the common cold, but to him, as long as it kept his Fu Lang from having a hard time, no matter what it was not considered as a waste at all. [С /d ci xio yng : using a talented person in an insignificant position (idiom) / large material put to small use/ a sledgehammer to crack a nut] Du Huashang also had the same idea, with a wave of her slender white hand, she sent the two disciples who were following her out to buy the required medicinal herbs. It was only natural that she should pay out of her pocket for the treatment of her family nephews illness. He understood that she was now trying to be kind to his little Fu Lang in every way possible, to make up for the regret she felt for many years, so Qi Yue did not argue with her since he had a lifetime to cherish his Ah Ling anyway. CH 93 to arrive Their group stayed in the small town for a few days. After continuing the medicated bath for several days, He Lings body had recovered as before. It was time to return to Qi Du Valley as soon as possible. The man behind the scene had not succeeded yet, so one knew if he would be driven to desperate action and do anything extreme 1. The person was successfully handed over to Qi Yue. After spending so many days with them, it was time for Xiao Yu Heng to leave. He turned his head to look at the person Qi Yue was holding and teasingly said with a smile, How sad! The beauty has got his husband, then cast me (dump) aside! In the past few days, after spending so much time together, He Ling has gotten to know him better. Although he did not look like a proper person, he was actually very meticulous and very good at taking care of people, Thank you Xiao Gongzi for taking care of me before. If you are free in the future, you can come and see us in Gu Shui Village. Hope to see you again ()! Xiao Yu Heng lowered his eyes and smiled but when he saw the warning look in Qi Yues eyes, he restrained himself a little. He grabbed the reins, turned his body around and got on the horse. In the end, he looked toward that person with a deep look, Ill see you later! () Leaving behind these words, he pinned his horses belly and left, the silhouette of the one person and one horse gradually fading away, looking a little lonely. Xiao Ling, when all the matters in Qi Du Valley are settled, remember to look for me at Yu Long Fang. Du Huashang reached out to hold his hand. Her eyes full of reluctance, only a few days of meeting with her nephew and then having to part, she was in a really depressed mood. However as the Sect Leader, she still had many things to deal with and could not be away for too long. I will come to see you. He Ling also took her hand in his. The other partys status was honourable and respectable, but she had been looking after him for the past few days. She was absolutely sincere in her love and care for him, made him who had never experienced a motherly love before feel so warm, You too, take good care of yourself Aunt. The body of Du Huashang shuddered and the corner of her eyes were gradually reddened. She blinked her eyes and showed a gratified smile, Ay, you too, since you are also pregnant, you have to take good care of yourself. He Ling was also relieved as if a heavy burden was removed from him when he declared to call out to her. In the future, he would be counted as having an important real blood relative. Mother would also be relieved when she saw it in heaven ba! You must take good care of him this time. If anything goes wrong again, I will make sure you hold the responsibility! Du Huashang was not so polite when she spoke to the man who took her family nephew away. Auntie, please do not worry! Your nephews husband will not let him get hurt again even for a bit. Qi Yue didnt care about her attitude. Following what is right as a stream follows its course, he also changed his form of address and went along with his little Fu Lang. Who is your aunt? Du Huashang gritted her teeth.This smiling tiger man (outwardly kind but inwardly cruel person), her eyes full of dislike. How did he attract her familys nephews love?! As if to deliberately anger her, Qi Yue kissed the person in his embrace, on the side of his face and said, Ah Lings aunt is my aunt. Is it possible that Sect Leader Du is unwilling to acknowledge this nephew of yours? Dont misinterpret my meaning here! If not for the fact that He Ling was still here, Du Huashang would have wanted to hit him directly to relieve her anger, Take good care of him! He Ling saw that they were having an interesting mutual exchange of words so he didnt want to disturb them, but he had to be mindful of the time, Auntie, if you leave now, it will be noon. After listening to his words, Du Huashang pulled her attention back. She dragged him and rambled on, reminding him about many things. Finally, she took one step and turned back three times and got into the carriage before she left with her heart full of unwillingness. After sending off all those who should be sent away, the two of them did not stay here any longer. They got into the carriage that Xiao Yu Heng had given to them. Since the other party had left a man in black to help them drive the carriage so they did not replace the horse with Mu Yan, leaving Mu Yan to follow in silence as he had done before, as they slowly made their way out of the city. By the time they reached the Qi Du Valley, it would be more than ten days later. The road here was extremely rugged. If an outsider were to break in, the person would definitely not be able to enter. Due to the nature of its master, Qi Du Valley usually didnt pay attention to the matters of Jiang Hu. All the disciples in the valley dedicated their attention to the medicine, poison and venomous insect kind of art and technique, rarely went out. Naturally, to put oneself outside the sphere of the others consideration, there were advantages and disadvantages in it. Many years ago, his son and his daughter-in-law were hunted down and killed outside the valley, one of the reasons for it was, of course, because of not fearing the name of the valley. It was only after Qi Yue fully demonstrated his competence or skills once that were likened to thunder-like power (or rage), the world came to understand the horror of Qi Du Valley. The reason for that was if his opponent couldnt stand up to his varied and fast-changing tactics, once it was silently placed on the opponents body, he would become powerless and never be able to reverse the desperate situation. As a man of Jiang Hu, you were in the glint and flash of daggers and swords all day long.Who can guarantee that you will not be seriously injured one day? And where was there a doctor who can do more than the doctor from this valley? From that day onwards, the status of Qi Du Valley in Jiang Hu continued to rise! Yun Valley Master also changed his methods of handling matters, becoming tougher and tougher. If people tried to mess with him, he would not stop until the opponent was dead (fight to his last gasp). Over time, many people came here to become disciples, but most were turned away. Those were the kinds of people who curry favour with the powerful; play up to those in power, so if they were admitted, they might become a hidden danger (snake in the grass). For so many years, the Qi Du Valley has not been disturbed by outsiders. However, this time he didnt expect that The Master of the Valley would suffered misfortune from his own people murderous scheme. He also didnt know how long the other sides ambition of wild wolves had laid dormant? [Ұ: wolf cub with a savage heart have a wolfish nature; be full of wild and evil ambitions; wicked intention/ rapacious designs] Following Qi Yues instructions, the carriage stopped at a certain point outside the mountain valley. Two disciples who were guarding the entrance to the valley stopped it and said in a clear loud voice, Who is in the carriage? No outsiders are allowed to enter the valley without permission! He lifted the curtain of the carriage and peered out to see that the two men in front of him were fresh faces, probably new disciples, no wonder they didnt know Mu Yan, I am the disciple of the valley, Qi Yue. This time, I returned to the valley to visit Shi Fu. Make a way quickly! The two disciples looked at each other and turned their heads without moving even an inch, We have never heard of this name. Please leave quickly! Was this to show ones authority at the first encounter (begin with a show of strength)? Qi Yues lips curled into a cold smile. Had he not been back for too long, therefore he made those people think that these two mole crickets and ants (a nobody) could also jump in front of him? [lu y : lit. mole cricket and ants / fig. tiny individuals with no power] Ill say it one last time, get out of the way! The hostility in his tone made the two mens legs go weak. However the higher authority had told them to make things difficult for him if they saw him. They were new disciples, less than a month old. If they did well on this less important job, they might be able to get a high ranking Shi Fu. The person in front of them, they didnt know him at all. But since he was directly against the people of the valley, he must not be an important person ba! Thinking of this, their attitude hardened again, Do you want to make trouble in the Valley of Qi Poison? Then youd better think about the consequences! Qi Yue laughed instead of being angry. Even such foolish trash could also be recruited into the valley so he could see that that person was not much smarter. With a flick of his hand, he tried to put them down. But at that moment, a person hurriedly came out of the valley to meet him. Qi Shi Di, youre finally back! That persons face was full of joy at the sight of him and he took a few steps to his carriage, Im relieved to see you. Qi Yue jumped out of the carriage and smiled at him with both of his hands cupped in greeting gesture, San Shi Xiong, I havent seen you for a long time. Are you all (fellow disciples) doing well these days? We are very good, its just that The other side said to this point and his eyes became gloomy, The Master of the Valley has been unconscious for a long time. It really makes us feel uneasy. This mans name was Han Yang. He was the disciple of the Great (Oldest) Elder in the valley. There were still two other Shi Xiong above him. He was already in his thirties, among many of fellow disciples, he had the most gentle temperament (disposition). This time, the Master of the Valley was in a coma. The three eldest Shi Xiong have taken over the reins of the valley, instead of the elders. The reason why it was them, although they were not the elders was because the two elders in the valley were not available; the Eldest Elder had passed away a few years ago and the Second Elder who had been travelling for many years, his whereabouts was unknown so only those who were qualified to take over the position of the Master of the Valley were only these three Shi Xiong. I also just now hurriedly came back when I received the news, but I didnt expect to be refused directly at the front door. Qi Yue gave the two disciples a meaningful glance, The requirements for accepting disciples in the valley are getting lower and lower. Such things really happened? Han Yang was dumbfounded and with a sideways glance, he reprimanded the two men, This is the only disciple that The Valley Master personally taught. How dare you guys even stop him? Dont you guys want to live? The two disciples were instantly went bloodless, then they immediately kneeling to the ground,Shi Shu (ʦ) please spare our life, we have only been in the valley for a short time and have never seen the real face of our Shi Shu, we hope you show mercy! Qi Yue revealed between smiling yet also not a smiling expression, not knowing what was in his mind, Stand up ba! Since you guys are also thinking about the safety of the valley, lets forget it this time. After dismissing the two men, he also did not go back to the carriage, but gestured to the carriage driver to follow him. He walked ahead with Han Yang on foot. On the way, Han Yang told him a lot about the recent situation in the valley. Youve been gone for more than half a year. The Valley Master, this venerable old man has often thought about you. Han Yang sighed softly at the mention of the other party, No matter how many disciples are accompanied by his side, he always cares about you the most. If only he was awake now, he would be very happy! San Shi Xiong is joking, Shi Fu treats every disciple the same, but it is because I cannot always accompany him, therefore that is why I was mentioned more. Qi Yue stopped in his tracks, turned his head and said to him,I want to go and see him first. You should, it just so happens that Shi Dis medical skills are superb, so you can also try to diagnose The Master of the Valley once again. Han Yang stopped as he did, looked at the carriage behind him and said, Who is in the carriage? Shall I take it to rest first? Wait a bit! Qi Yue gave him a nod and went to the side of the carriage. He then helped He Ling to get down from the carriage and brought the person in front of him, This is my Fu Lang, his name is He Ling. Han Yang was a little surprised as he looked him up and down before saying joyfully, Shi Di unexpectedly has settled down and got married? Congratulations! Many thanks to Shi Xiong Qi Yue curled his lips into a smile as he looked at the person beside him, You can just call him San Shi Xiong [The 3rd Senior Martial Brother]. San Shi Xiong. He Ling obediently called out to him. This persons face looked gentle so he should be a person that was easy to get along with. It made him feel less nervous. Di Fu Lang has outstanding qualifications and looks, he is really a good match with Shi Di! Han Yang highly praised him and then turned to Qi Yue and said, Then you go and see The Master of the Valley, I will take Di Fu Lang to your residence first. Shi Xiong, just take the carriage driver to rest first. Ah Ling will accompany me to Shi Fus place. Qi Yue had learned his lesson previously so now he did not intend to let the person leave him even for a moment. This Han Yang seemed a little hesitant, The place where The Master of Valley lives, without permission Shi Xiong dont need to worry, if anything happens, I will take the responsibility. Qi Yue understood the meaning behind his words but he was not going to let go of this matter, Moreover, since I marry a Fu Lang, it is what I should do to bring him and pay a visit to Shi Fu. What Shi Di said is right, The Master of the Valley has always been tolerant of you. In the future, it is unlikely for him to blame you. Its my fault for worrying too much! Hearing him say this, Han Yang felt that there was some truth to it so he didnt stop him (get in the way) anymore. He led the horse carriage to find a suitable place to settle it down. Qi Yue also took the person into the other direction, now it was not safe to be in the valley. He would not feel at ease if his little Fu Lang was not right before his eyes. [ǽ: A cornered dog would jump over a wall. A desperate man would risk anything.] CH 94 Back to the Countryside Chapter 94: [A wooden or metal token of authority] When he was in the Valley, in fact Qi Yue also did not often go to the Valley Masters residence. He even rarely visited his own residence. The only places he spent most of his time in were the medicine room (drugs storage) and the martial arts training ground. With his heart full of tyranny and hatred. Every day, he went to and from these two places without stopping, not feeling tired at all. Now that he has returned with his Fu Lang, there is a great difference in his state of mind. Suddenly he realized that he had never seen the place where he grew up and he had never felt its peace and beauty. A disciple was also on guard outside the residence of the valley master. He was of a different rank from the ones at the entrance to the valley. Having been in the valley for many years, he naturally recognized Qi Yue, so as soon as he saw him, he arched his hand in greeting and said, Qi Shi Xiong, when did you return? I have just arrived. Qi Yue gave him a nod, This time I came here to see Shi Fu, the old man (in a respectful way). Normally, if you were here, I would have let you in. However, now there is a rule that anybody can only enter if they bring the token given by Shi Xiong who acts in charge of the valley, moreover you have an outsider with you At this point, the disciple glanced at He Ling and with an apologetic face, he arched his hand to him again, Im sorry (to let you down), Shi Xiong! Qi Yue hooked his lips and smiled, today, everywhere he went, he met someone who was blocking his way, Shi Di, how long do you think you can last under me? The disciples face changed as he hurriedly took a few steps back and took on an alert appearance, Shi Xiong, dont need to act recklessly! Im also following the rules, if you are going to barge in forcefully, where do you put the Valley Masters face (prestige)? Is it the face of the Valley Master? Or is it the face of a certain Shi Xiong behind you? Qi Yues smile had not reduced at all, but it made the disciple break out in a cold sweat. Shi Fu is not even dead now, are you so eager to make your own rules? Shi, Shi Xiong, how can you say such disrespectful words to the valley master? The disciples face had turned white, but he still kept himself up blocking in front of the door. Now the shape of the valley was different from the past and he had to make a more favourable choice for himself. Humph, who exactly is it that disrespects his old man? Are you not clear in your heart? Only after the hardship (tribulation), only then we could see the hearts of some people clearly. Shi Fu was put here, under the pretext of letting him recuperate, just to let him die on his own (: to emerge and perish on its own) , The Valley Master of Qi Du Valley for now still surnamed Yun! Seeing that he was angry, He Ling could only comfortingly pat his arm. These matters, it was not good for him as an outsider to interfere. However, to see him repeatedly kept being rejected, he also knew that the situation was not very optimistic. His husband, who was really worried about the valley master in his heart, was also understandable. The disciple was rendered speechless by what he had said. That Shi Xiongs figure had not yet received the Valley Masters token, so he was indeed still illegitimately conferred, while the other party was the main disciple of the Valley Master. If he was going to compare, one would be more convincing than the other. He hesitated for a long time before sighing and made a way by moving to the other side, Shi Xiong, please! Qi Yue cast him a sidelong glance before he took He Ling inside. After this incident, it was just as well the good time to reorganize the valley. He could be brought in so easily, so this person would not be a helping hand even if he stayed here. The courtyard of the Valley Master was empty and there was no one there, but it looked clean and tidy. Qi Yue thought that someone had been sent to clean it. Qi Yue pushed open the door and walked in. He felt that the air was dreary, so after helping He Ling to sit down, Qi Yue opened all the windows. The Valley Master Yun (Yun Gu Zhu) was lying on the bed. Both of his eyes were tightly closed and his face was calm, he looked as if he was asleep. Qi Yue went over and sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand on his wrist. His pulse was very weak, as if he was on the verge of death. Qi Yue was surprised so he checked him once again carefully, but his pulse was still the same. With a sullen face, he let go of his hand. Without saying a word, he began to examine the distinctive features of his body. He Ling sat quietly, not daring to make a sound to disturb. He only saw the other partys face change and change, extremely not a good expression so he couldnt help but worry in his heart. Could it be that even Xiang Gong was unable to save him? Qi Yue, who had once again started to check the other partys pulse, suddenly moved his eyebrows and pressed his fingers between his wrists for a long time before he let go of his hand, standing up and unhurriedly straightening his clothes. He walked over to the table and sat down next to He Ling, shaking his head and sighed, Shi Fus interest is getting really peculiar! Xiang Gong, what are you talking about? He Ling looked at him in confusion. Why did he suddenly come over and sigh with emotion while diagnosing a disease? Qi Yue patted his hand, smiled at him and said, Ah Ling, this time our journey back to the valley has been many twists and turns but there is a certain person that sleeps peacefully. He Lings eyebrows were tied into knots, why was he more and more couldnt understand what he said to him? What was he doing here chatting leisurely with himself instead of hurrying to treat the Valley Masters disease?! As for us, no need to mention it anymore. Its just that I pity Yun Shi Di Qi Yue turned his head to look at the seemingly all but unresponsive person on the bed. Gradually, his smile thickened, He was stabbed in the chest with a sword and almost lost his life. Which bastard did that? Look at how I will skin him! The unconscious man on the bed suddenly jumped up with a face full of anger, startling He Ling. Qi Yue tapped his fingers on the table. He remained calm and composed while handling pressing affairs as he looked at his Shi Fu. How he pretended to be was quite real. If he hadnt been aware of this state of affairs, he feared that he would have been concealed from the truth too. The moment he met with his smiling eyes, he knew he was being set up. The Master of the Valley bent over and sat down on the bed, one leg on the edge of the bed. He put his hand on it, in his loincloth, but with a free and easy state (unrestrained appearance), Good ah,boy! How dare you deceive (your Master) me? Im not lying to you, Yun Shi Di is really seriously injured Seeing that the other party had changed his face once again, Qi Yue only slowly picked up the next half of the sentence, But there is no worry for his life. He is staying in a town on the way here to recuperate from his injuries. Hearing that his precious grandson was alright, Yun Gu Zhu was relieved. Only then did he turn his gaze toward He Ling, seeing the other person tense up when he looked over, he found it quite amusing,When did you get married? Qi Yue patted his tense back and replied, Its been almost six months. Yun Gu Zhu narrowed his eyes. His expression became solemn and looked a little more imposing, Make a match by parents order and match-makers word, both of your parents have passed away since you were young and I am your only Elder, without my consent, you have privately gotten married? Moreover, Wei Shi (this master) wants you to marry my Xiao Su. Its not that you dont know that it is against my wishes right? He was suddenly so serious that He Ling was frightened and dumbfounded. For a moment he didnt know what to do. The other person he had heard from Xiang Gong and Yun Su was a very kind old man so he didnt even think that he would make it difficult for him. Qi Yue brought the startled person into his embrace, looking nonchalantly at the person who had excitedly raised his teasing heart, Shi Fu, a pregnant person cannot be frightened the most! You have already frightened him twice today. You are having a child? Yun Gu Zhu carefully took a look at his belly and saw that it was indeed curved. He hurriedly put away that frightening face and waved his hand happily and cheerfully at him, Dont be afraid, do not be afraid! Just now, I was just joking with you. He Ling didnt know whether to laugh or to cry. He was worried for nothing. He was still planning in his heart about how to not make things difficult for his Xiang Gong and how to nicely get along with the other party. Yun Gu Zhu got up and took out a small box from a low cupboard from one side, walk past him and handed it to him, As an elder, I should give you a first meeting gift, but I didnt prepare it, so Ill give you this little thing for you to play with it. [: gift given to somebody when meeting them for the first time] The elder was giving him a present, He Ling hurriedly got up to accept the gift with both of his hands. He opened the box to take a look inside according to the other partys signalling him to do so. Inside was a perfectly round pearl the size of a longan fruit (dragons eye). He did not recognize what it was, but it looked extremely valuable so he subconsciously looked at the person beside him (QY). Qi Yue knew that He Ling thought it was a valuable gift and did not know whether he should accept it or not. It was true that night-luminescent pearls of this size were rare, but Shi Fu was not short of such things, so he nodded to him, Take the gift and you follow me to call him Shi Fu ba! Many thanks to Shi Fu! Seeing that he nodded, He Ling held the box and greeted the other party by slightly bending his body to pay respect. This was a gift from The Elder, he should keep it well in the future. No need to be polite. Yun Gu Zhu raised his hand and gave him support as he looked at the person beside him with relief, I thought it was impossible for you to marry in this life, but I didnt expect that you were even close to having a child now. Qi Yue smiled and did not say anything. Once he also thought that he could not contain love in his heart, but who knew that things in this world were unpredictable, having a Fu Lang was one of his unpredictable variables. Okay then, now tell this teacher what has happened to you guys all along the way? Yun Gu Zhu gestured for them to sit down. The side matters had all been said, now it was time to get down to the main matters. Qi Yue told the other party everything about the attack, at the same time regarding the note given by Xiao Yu Heng had not been left out either. The culprit was actually kind of expected and did not surprise him much. I know who he is, even if you dont tell me. In recent days he wasnt being careful enough and has been going through my room looking for the token in a blatant manner. He is very confident in his poisoning methods! The Valley Master Yun laughed coldly, did he really think he was too old and useless to not be able to smell the medicine taste inside his tea? Youve used this tactic to turn his trick against him; to beat him at his own game, but youve used it smoothly! It appeared that his symptoms were similar to the poison that the other party had put on the Valley Master, but in fact they were completely different, only with a false appearance but (actually) the inside had not been damaged in the slightest. I also want to take this opportunity to see how many vermin there are in this huge valley? How many people have wicked ambitions, so that when they have the chance they will bite up! The Valley Master Yun was not afraid of people with wild ambition but only afraid of the greediness of people where they would do anything to get what they want, Another reason is to lure you,this unfilial disciple to come back here! He left without any news, he also did not know to give them an explanation. Even if in the future, he wanted to live in seclusion in the countryside, he needed to inform them, so that they would know how the matter actually had happened. It was this disciples fault. The other party knew him well enough to know that unless something bad really happened, Qi Yue would never return that easily, Ive made Shi Fu take a lot of trouble (rack ones brain). The Valley Master Yun understood that although he was quick to admit his mistake, he had no remorse in his heart at all and still would do the same thing again, so he didnt discuss more about this matter and said, Your return this time will also certainly make him in a state of panic. Using up all of his effort to play small tricks yet only scratching the surface so he has the heart to take the position but not the brain to do so. He is only seeking his own death then. ( about to bring his own destruction) Qi Yue was also curious, where the other partys confidence came from? As if he thought that everyone else was an idiot. Humph, If he really had a brain, he wouldnt have chosen to poison me! If it had been Qi Yue who had wanted to poison him, it might have worked, but anyone else would have been making a fool of himself in front of an expert. [Ū: show off ones skill with the axe before Lu Ban (³) the master carpenterdisplay ones slight skill before an expert; teach a fish to swim] Qi Yue lightly patted He Ling who was quietly listening to them. He then laughed in a slightly mischievous way, Then we will wait until he is about to succeed, after that put him into the bottom of the valley. The feeling of being just one step away from what you wanted, but not being able to grasp it in your hands no matter what. That kind of feeling surely would be very painful. Until then, the other partys face would definitely look wonderful. As soon as the two of them left The Valley Masters compound, He Ling could not suppress the doubts in his heart and opened his mouth to ask him, Didnt Yun Su Shi Di say that the Valley Masters health was not good? I saw, he was quite strong ah! Qi Yue pinched his face in amusement. He conveniently gave him a kiss in the mouth,The so-called bad health is only comparatively to those from the same generation and practice the martial arts. Its definitely so much better than ordinary people, he can still jump around! He Ling suddenly understood, everyday Yun Su had been talking about how hard his grandpa was working. He thought he was going to meet a sickly old man, but he didnt expect him to be bright and cheerful. The way he jumped up from the bed was so quick. It was true that you couldnt just hear things, you had to see it by yourself. CH 95 Back to the Countryside Chapter 95: [The Token] Both of them settled down in Qi Yues former residence for the time being. He refused Han Yangs suggestion to send some disciples to serve him. He did everything by himself as he had done in Gu Shui Village. He would go to the Valley Masters place every day. When he came out, his expression usually did not look so good, as if he was really clueless about the cause of his sudden illness. It had been more than a month since he had fainted. It was also unknown whether he would ever wake up again or not. The disciples of the valley were divided into two groups, one of the party insisted on waiting for him to wake up and take charge again while the other group felt that it was time to choose a new head of the valley. But even if they chose the new Master of the Valley right away, there was still a difference of opinion among the disciples. The three Shi Xiong were now acting as the head of the valley and were managing things in perfect order. From among them, one of them would be the right choice (proved to be competent). However, the main disciple of the Valley Master, Qi Yue had returned to the valley. The Master of the Valley had always been very fond of him. He was also the most outstanding disciple. It seemed only right that he should be the head of the valley. Because of these matters, the disciples of the valley would keep on arguing. Each of them held on to their own ideas and refused to back down. This made the atmosphere in the valley different from before and it was very confusing and chaotic. At such time, there were new rumours in the valley about Qi Yue, saying that in the past, when he was still in the valley, his method in testing medicines was very ruthless. He was a man who left no room for error, even when he punished the disciples, he did so without mercy (lack of sensitivity to other peoples feelings). Moreover, he also acted in an absolutely lawless way in handling a matter relying on the favours of the head of the valley. This time when he had just returned to the valley, he had caused two more incidents. They had quietly asked the two new disciples at the entrance of the valley. If they hadnt begged for mercy so quickly, the other party would have killed them! Even the Shi Xiong who was guarding the door for the Valley Masters residence was scolded for stopping him. If such a person ended up as the head of the valley, would they still be able to live a good life? For a moment, those who supported Qi Yue began to waver in their hearts. They dare to say such things? They are really so thoughtless (not sensible)! Han Yang informed him of these circumstances. He was very furious, We are basically only done the jobs on behalf of the Valley Master. The position of the Valley Master is naturally yours, Qi Shi Di! Qi Yues expression did not change as he poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, Shi Xiong, dont be upset! Originally its just complete nonsense. Why bother and let it spoil your mood just because of this? I cant stand myself from being angry that they are slandering you! Han Yang took his cup of tea and drank it. He breathed a long sigh, Shi Di, dont worry! We definitely will not compete with you for the position of the valley master. I naturally trust the integrity (personal characters) of all of the Shi Xiong here. Qi Yue smiled and nodded his head, indicating that he did not care, In fact, Im not going to hide it from Shi Xiong, Shi Fu sobered up for a while yesterday and he had already handed over the Valley Masters token to me. Han Yangs hand paused as he sipped his tea, after that he looked up in surprise, The valley Master has actually sobered up? As expected of Shi Di, we have tried many ways to wake him up but we have not been able to do so. It was just a fluke. Qi Yue smiled bitterly while lowering his head, I have no idea what kind of poison is inside his body. If this goes on, Im afraid there is no way to reverse this desperate situation. I dont know which bastard has done this! Seeing him sad, Han Yangs mood also dropped, Shi Di also do not be sad anymore! Now since you have the Valley Masters token in your hand, at least we wont be a host of dragons without a head [Ⱥ: a group without a leader]. How about you take over this position earlier? For now, lets wait for a few more days ba! The token is already here anyway, so theres no need to hurry. Qi Yue said, taking out a jade tablet from his pocket, engraved on one side with the word Qi Du [᪶], these two words and on the other side carved with many flowers and plant-like patterns. Those were all precious herbs, and the engraving was very nice. This was the token that the Valley Master often used to wear around his waist. Han Yang naturally recognised it. It was indeed Shi Fus token, no mistake! Shi Di must take good care of it. Since the Valley Master remains unconscious for the time being, this is the only keepsake he has. Shi Xiong, dont need to worry! Such an important thing, I always carry it close to me, even when I sleep I dont put it away. Qi Yue tucked the object back into his arms and took a sip of tea from his cup. Han Yang looked up at the sky, then put the cup down and stood up before he said, There are still trivial matters that I need to attend to in the valley, so I wont bother Shi Di here any longer, so well talk again the other time. Then I wont keep Shi Xiong here any longer. Just dont pay attention to those nonsense words, it will only cause distress! Qi Yue also got up and arched his hand in greeting at him, The matter of the token, please Shi Xiong keep it as a secret! Naturally, I know the importance of it, since Shi Di trusts me so much, I certainly will not talk about it with others. Han Yang assured him with a serious expression, then he turned back and left the courtyard. Just after his figure disappeared, the door behind him was pulled open with a creak and He Ling came out of it while holding his own back, Han Yang Shi Xiong has already left? When Qi Yue heard his movement, he turned around and walked to his side, helping him to sit down at the stone chair before he said, After hearing such great news, naturally he will rush back to prepare. He doesnt look like a bad guy ah, could it be that you guys have got it wrong? If it was as Xiang Gong had said, this person was really scary, his heart full of calculations and schemes. Bad people are unlikely to have the word bad written on their faces! Qi Yue pinched his nose and sat down beside him, He has been longing for the Valley Masters token. Now that he knows that I have it, hell be so desperate that he will risk anything. He absolutely will not just stand by the side and watch me use it to take over the Valley Masters position! So what if he took that position? Would he be happier than he was now? He Ling didnt really understand, as far as he was concerned, as long as he could be with the one he loved, even a lifetime of plain tea and simple food would also be good. On that same night, a guest arrived in Qi Yues courtyard. He opened his eyes at the sound of movement and looked at the doorway, through the gap there was a wisp of smoke faintly wafting in. He smelled the smoke, then smiled, took out a porcelain bottle from the side of his pillow, turned around and put it under He Lings nose, after that he withdrew his hand and let him sleep peacefully. Because when he was a child, he had often tested the poison on himself, Qi Yue had long been invulnerable to all kinds of poisons. This was something that only the Valley Master knew about, so it gave him a hidden card. The ingredients in the mist used by the other party, he knew it as soon as he smelled it. The effect was so strong that If the one lying here today was not him, the person would certainly become unconscious.It was a pity ah, that man still didnt know him very well. The guest who came to visit was very cautious and waited for a long time after putting in the knock-out drug before he started to carefully pry open the bolt of the door. Even when he was sure that the person inside was unconscious, he made very little noise. The moment the door bolt fell to the floor, Qi Yue gently closed his smiling eyes. There was no sound of footsteps in the room but he could feel the other partys breath approaching a little towards the bed. He laid in there motionless, even his breathing was so light and almost inaudible, as if he had really fallen unconscious from his opponents tricks, making his breath seem less tense. The other party stood at the bedside and stopped for a moment before he reached out and touched Qi Yues body lightly a few times, then took away the token he had hidden inside his chest. That moment, Qi Yue noticed that his breathing was a little heavier so he was obviously excited. From tomorrow onwards, the Qi Du Valley will have a new master, its just a pity its not you! Having gotten the thing that he had been yearning for day and night, the man relaxed a lot and even opened his mouth as he stood at the bedside. Afterward Qi Yue felt the attack of a burst strong wind coming towards him but it stopped just before his neck, You cant die yet, or Ill be too suspicious. Let it be then! Ill let you watch me get that position, ba! The main disciple, Qi Yue! After he finished his words, the other party turned his head and left, restoring the door to its original state, as if no one had ever come here before, leaving no trace of his presence. Qi Yue opened his eyes and slowly curled his lips. Now the attacker must have gone to Shi Fus place ba! He turned over and took his little Fu Lang into his embrace. Fortunately, the other party did not take action to kill them just now, otherwise, he would have made him die even more miserably. For now, just wait for tomorrows show! The disciple who had been in charge of changing the Valley Masters clothes and wiping his body was shockingly terrified today. Yesterday the Valley Master who was still fine, unexpectedly had lost his breath! No matter how many times he confirmed it with his trembling hand, the outcome did not change at all! His face immediately turned pale as he rolled and crawled out of the Valley Masters residence and reported this matter to the Shi Xiongs in charge; the incident came so suddenly that no one was even prepared for it. The three Shi Xiong hurriedly come over to him. The valley master who had been in a coma and previously still looked normal as ever, now his face was ashen and he was not breathing at all. When they reached out to touch him, his body was cold and hard. He had obviously been dead for quite a long time. They fell on their knees in front of the bed with a sorrowful look on their faces. As for who was real and who was not, therefore only they themselves knew and understood it clearly in their heart. The death of the Valley Master was an important event, so it was only natural that the disciples should be informed so they could begin to deal with the aftermath of his death. The moment the news broke, there was an uproar throughout the entire valley! Most of the disciples still had great expectations that he would wake up. His existence had been the backbone (pillar) of their lives for so many years. How could they accept him just leaving like this? Qi Yue, who had received the news, came in with an ugly look on his face. He Ling followed beside him with a very worried expression, one of his hands tugging on his arm as if to comfort him. Shi Di, I know you are sad in your heart at this moment, I absolutely hope that you restrain your grief [ڰ: this is said when someone offering condolences] The Big Senior Martial Brother (Da Shi Xiong) Ye Xin patted his shoulder, not knowing what to say to him other than this, and with a sigh he gave away his place beside the bed. Qi Yue came forward and stood there, bowing his head and looking at the person lying on the bed without saying a word, not knowing what he was thinking, suddenly the atmosphere in the entire room was so depressing that it seemed to make one couldnt even breathe. Can some of Shi Xiong go out first and let me and Ah Ling, both of us, stay here to accompany him? It was only after a long time that Qi Yue opened his mouth, his voice sounded very calm but in such a state of him, one could not help but worry when looking at him. Several people looked at each other for a moment. They then all sighed gloomily and silently withdrew from the room; since they had been master and disciple for a long time, they really had to say goodbye properly. He Ling tightly tugged his arm. His mouth opened and opened, yet he did not know what to say. At last, he could only say, Xiang Gong, if you want to cry, just cry ba ! The hang down hair on the side of his face covered his look, Qi Yue whose expression he couldnt see clearly, turned his head over. Unexpectedly, he smiled very cheerfully, A Ling, what are you talking about? Why should I (your husband: Wei Fu) cry? One more chapter and two more extra CH 96 Back to the Countryside Chapter 96: The End The previous Valley Master had already died, so it was the most urgent matter of the moment to choose a new Valley Master. Many disciples gathered in the Council Hall to discuss the funeral affairs, at the same time also to choose the new Valley Master so that he could take charge of the funeral ceremony for Yun Valley Master. I wonder where Qi Shi Xiong is now? All the high ranks and senior disciples were present in the hall, but Qi Yue, the Valley Masters main disciple was nowhere to be seen, so someone raised a question. He has been grieving since the death of the Valley Master. He has been in the ice chamber guarding the corpse of the valley master for the past few days Han Yang sighed with a concerned look on his face, He has also been informed about this. If he hasnt shown up now, he must be unwilling to come,ba! He was the most beloved disciple of the Valley Master during his lifetime. It was understandable that he would behave like this now but there were many disciples present who would like to choose him as Master of the Valley. What could be done if he didnt show up? Its fine, just need to follow your heart! If in the end, it was decided to be Qi Shi Di, we have no objection. Seeing the crowd whispering, Ye Xin waved his hand and interrupted them. It didnt matter whether he came or not, he was wholeheartedly determined to accompany the Valley Master, it was understandable. The election of the new head of the valley, to say it was difficult then it was not but to say it was not difficult, it was difficult too. It was reasonable to say that as the head of the valleys main disciple and an extremely outstanding and capable man, It was the most logical thing that Qi Yue should succeed him. But the remarks that arose in the valley recently indeed make their hearts worried. If his methods were too harsh and ruthless, then their life in the future definitely would be in extreme misery. The three Shi Xiongs characters who were in charge now were all pretty good, handling works also very well organized. But in terms of ability, they couldnt be compared with Qi Yue and were still somewhat far behind Qi Yue. It was indeed a dilemma to settle the matter at once in this period of time, no matter who was chosen, it did not seem to be the best outcome and there was always something unconvincing about it. While everyone was discussing spiritedly, Han Yang looked a little off, his eyes hesitating as if he had something to say, but somehow hesitated. When the Second Shi Xiong, Le Yushi who was sitting beside him, noticed his strange appearance. He frowned, turned his head and asked, Whats wrong with you? If you have something to say, just say it, dont hesitate like that! Han Yang took a quick look at him, gritted his teeth, stood up and waving his hand to make everyone quiet down, Everyone, there is actually something I have always wanted to say, but I am afraid that it would be unfair to the two Shi Xiong and Qi Shi Di, therefore He stopped talking at this point, the look on his face was indeed very torn. They didnt know what kind of trouble could cause him to find things difficult like this, but everyone subconsciously turned their attention to the other two Shi Xiong. You dont need to have such a lot of worries, we will not mind and I believe Qi Shi Di wont either, so just say it! Ye Xin waved his hand at him and told him to speak quickly. This was the time for them to get together and discuss, there was nothing too unpleasant to say. Actually a few days ago when I went to visit the valley master, he had been sober for a moment Han Yang paused and seeing that everyone looked a little surprised so he continued, It didnt take a long time for him to regain consciousness and he soon fell back into a coma, but during that time, his old man handed over the Valley Master token to me. The hall was in an uproar before he could hardly finish speaking. Why did the Valley Master give him the token? Didnt he mean to pass on the throne to him? They had always thought that the Valley Master preferred Qi Yue, but they had never imagined that it would be Han Yang! Its not that no one doubted his words, such as Le Yu Shi, who was still very calm at the moment, Are you sure the Valley Master is giving it to you and not asking you to give it to someone else? For example, Qi Shi Di? This comment calmed everyone down a bit. There was indeed some truth to it, he was the only one present at the time, so naturally whatever he said was what he said. However, normally San Shi Xiong (The third Shi Xiong) had a gentle disposition and didnt put much on self importance. He didnt look like someone with such a plotting heart. Le Shi Xiong, are you doubting me? Han Yang looked as if he (LYS) had broken his heart. He took out a jade token from his pocket and put it on the small table beside him. He said sadly, I was afraid of being thought of in this way, thats why I didnt want to say anything about it. Now the token is here, you guys can take it! Anyway, I never considered myself becoming the valley master! Ye Xin took the jade token and examined it, it was indeed the Valley Masters token. He smiled and shoved it back into Han Yangs hand, Dont be angry anymore Han Shi Xiong! Le Shi Xiong is just asking. He didnt mean anything else. If he had given the item out so easily, then he must not be lying. After all, the other party had a good reputation in the valley and did not have that much ambition. Although there was still doubt in Le Yu Shis eyes, he didnt say anything more and lifted his cup of tea and drank it silently. Now most people are beginning to favour the other side. It would be useless for him to say more. It might even give people the impression that he had an ulterior motive. After he returned the token, Ye Xin said in a clear loud voice, Since the Valley Master has already given the token to Han Shi Xiong. Then there is no need for us to take the time to choose, the new Valley Master will be him! Shi Xiong, isnt it improper for me to be the valley master. Qi Shi Di, he Seeing the other party announce this directly, Han Yang seemed to have these concerns in his heart. You were personally chosen by the valley master and are the perfectly justifiable successor, where is it improper? Qi Shi Di respects the Valley Master the most so he would not have any objections with this. You dont need to think too much about it! Ye Xin smiled faintly and reached out to pat his shoulder. After hearing his words, Han Yang breathed a sigh of relief. The expression on his face relaxed a little, just when he was about to open his mouth to say something to him, his eyes caught a glimpse of someone coming in the doorway. He frowned unnoticeably as he looked over. Ye Shi Xiong is wrong, I have a lot of objections in mind! Qi Yue stepped up from the door with his hand on his backs. He looked down at the token he held in his hands. The corners of his mouth lifted in mockery. Han Yang was secretly annoyed, but his face instead showed an expression of pleasantly surprised, Qi Shi Xiong, I thought you wouldnt come today, but its good that youre here! Qi Yue walked over to him, bypassed slowly around him, looking him up and down as he tsk, Shi Xiong looks well-dressed and looks like a proper human, but I never thought that you would be a thief! [ zeze or the popular use in english is Tsk! / ONOMATOPOEIA for clicking of the tongue] Shi Di, pay attention to your wording! Ye Xin wrinkled his eyebrows, no matter how great he was, he was still a Shi Di. This kind of disrespect for his Shi Xiong was really a bit rude, Are you not dissatisfied with the fact that the Valley Master has passed the position to Han Shi Di? Naturally I am dissatisfied because the candidate in Shi Fus mind is not him at all! Qi Yue stopped his step, with a smile on his face as he looked straight into Han Yangs irritated eyes that were contained in a concealed form, That piece of token in his hand was stolen from me! When he said that, many of the disciples looked at each other in disbelief. They didnt know whether to believe his arguments or not. For a while, they were very silent and could only wait to see what would happen. Han Yang let out a long sigh and laughed a bitter laugh as he lifted his hand that was holding the jade token and handed it over to him, slowly spreading it out,If Shi Di really wants it, then take it,ba! Shi Xiong will not compete with you. Compete? Qi Yue pinched the jade token in his hand and rubbed it gently a few times, Its not even yours in the first place, so what qualifications do you have to compete for it? You really think too highly of yourself! Qi Yue! Ye Xin was somehow really furious at the moment. He had, out of nowhere, inexplicably come to accuse Han Yang of being a thief, then so be it. However, the other side had already given the token to him yet he was still talking nonsense. No matter what, he was still his Shi Di from the same Shi Fu so how could he let him bully and insult him like that? You are so arrogant (presumptuous) that you dont even take your Shi Xiong into account, so what qualifications do you have to be the valley master? Everyone felt the same way, if he was so arrogant (behaving unscrupulously) like this, even before he took up the position of Master of the Valley, then who else would he put in eyes once he was in the position? Le Yushi, who hadnt said another word for a long time, however found it very interesting. Qi Yues temperament was really to his liking. He did not stubbornly cling to outworn rules and regulations. Normally, he seemed to have a very good temper, but if he became openly angry, he would not be easily persuaded by anyone. Not caring about his annoyance, Qi Yue sat down on an empty chair, playing with the Valley Masters token, up and down with one hand indifferently, Who said I wanted to be the Valley Master? You dont want to be the valley master, then why are you acting like this now? Ye Xin had never understood this person before, even though based on age, he was not that old, his subtle thinking was indeed very deep. Even if I dont want to be, I dont like people stealing from me! Qi Yue stopped flinging and moving his hand as he squeezed the string of the jade token and shook it a few times, For such a thing, even he dares to plot to murder the Valley Master, Han Shi Xiongs wild ambition is truly a little too much. Qi Shi Di, just because the Valley Master handed over the token to me, do you hate me so much then? Han Yang looked at him with a sad expression. His body staggered as he took a step back, You say I stole from you, so be it, or if I have wild ambitions, I am okay with it, as long as I can calm your anger. However, how can you put such a big charge like murdering the valley master on my head? The contrast between his on the verge of collapse appearance and Qi Yues leisurely and carefree sitting in his chair was so strong that many of the disciples could not help but feel biased in their hearts; Han Yang Shi Xiong was known in the valley for his respect to the teacher, yet to say that he had plotted to murder the valley master was simply a complete nonsense. Qi Shi Xiong, you have gone too far by making slanderous accusations like this! Even if Qi Shi Di wants to sit as the head of the valley, then just say so! No need to beat around the bush and in order to loosen the reins only to grasp it better like this, just to kill Han Shi Xiong! [ܹ: leave sb. at large the better to apprehend him; allow sb. more latitude first to keep a tighter rein on him afterwards; give sb. rope enough to hang himself] Qi Yue raised his eyes and swept them over, those people immediately shut up, but they still looked unconvinced. As Ye Xin and the others quieted down, their emotions also somehow calmed down. He opened his mouth and said, Qi Shi Di, you need to have real evidence to back up your words. Youre being a bit nonsensical to bring down such a big charge out of the blue. Since I can say this, naturally I am not just talking nonsense. Qi Yue leaned back in his chair and rested his chin on his hand, I have a living witness here who witnessed everything. Han Yangs eyes flashed at his words. He was sure and certain that no one else was there when he did it, this witness he was talking about was probably just to swindle him. He slowed his mind down and tried not to show any flaws. Is this true? Ye Xin did not expect him to really have evidence. He had thought he was just upset and had come here just to make trouble, If there really is such a person, you can have him come and confront Han Shi Di face to face. Hold on! Han Yang suddenly spoke up to stop it and all eyes turned to him. What? Is Han Shi Xiong afraid now? Qi Yue raised his eyebrows, the smile at the corner of his lips containing a bit of mockery. Naturally not. Han Yang looked as if he didnt feel trouble in the slightest, very calm, The fact that my reputation is at stake makes me ask a few more questions, since Qi Shi Di is now displeased with me in his heart, if he deliberately finds someone to come here and talk nonsense, how can we tell? Everyone in the room was stunned. Thats right! They completely didnt know what was going on. If he were to find one little Shi Di in the valley casually and promised him some good benefits to slander Han Yang. They would have no way of knowing it too. Qi Yue let out a soft laugh with an arched brow that seemed to be amused by him, This witness of mine, you will understand as soon as you see it He will never lie about this matter. Shi Di, these words of yours are a bit too excessively absolute right? Han Yang didnt care if he had real witnesses. He just needed to plant the seed of suspicion now, then no matter what the other party said, everyone would only be half-believing and half-doubting, If Shi Di has the intention to frame me, therefore it will be difficult to clarify. Who said my disciple would set you up (make a false charge against someone)? You think too highly of yourself! As soon as the words left his mouth, his voice, which couldnt be more familiar for everyone, sounded at the door. They turned their heads in horror. The sight of the man made them feel a chill run down their spine. Their mouths were open yet unable to utter a word. Yun Gu Zhu slowly walked in, amidst the astonished eyes of many disciples. He Ling , who followed behind him, immediately went to Qi Yues side as soon as he entered and was taken into his embrace. I wonder if my testimony as the living witness is convincing or not? Yun Gu Zhu stopped in front of Han Yang, his unruffled and powerful aura pressed the other partys to be out of breath, his face was also instantly pale. Valley Master! Ye Xin snapped out of his stunned state and looked him up and down in pleasantly surprised, You are not Humph! He snorted coldly and walked past the pale faced Han Yang to sit down on the main seat. Even though Ive become useless over the recent years. Im not going to be poisoned to death so easily like that! Han Yang stiffened his body, a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and when he tilted his head, he met Qi Yues like a smile yet not a smile gaze. He even waved the Valley Master token in his hands at him.The mocking intent was so obvious. He gritted his teeth and felt quite unwilling. He had been calculating for so long, but at the last moment it was a wasted effort (ˮ: using a wicker basket to draw water). He did not understand how he was worse than the other party. He treated people gently and honored the teacher and revered his teachings. This person however hid a dagger behind his smile and was very cruel and ruthless. Why the Valley Master could not see it? Ye Xin, how should a person be punished for plotting to murder the Valley Master? Yun Gu Zhu stared at his back, casually raising his hand to the armrest of his chair, lightly smashing it. Ye Xin was surprised in his heart and looked at the ashen Han Yang, still very overwhelmed with shock and horror. This Shi Di of him really daring to that sort of disgraceful and rebellious things. He didnt dare to think any further. He arched his hand in greeting and said, Reply to the valley master, its immediately killed and will not be spared. As soon as the four words left his mouth, Han Yang immediately fell to the ground with weak legs, unable to even say the beg for mercy words. In an instant, what was so close at hand had turned into a bubble (illusion/ empty hope). He could not even keep his life. Then what are you waiting for? The Valley Master didnt even want to give him another look, waving his hand lazily, Drag Han Yang out of here! With these words, his guilt was decided. Everyone in the hall didnt even dare to breathe, as the rapid change of events had really made it difficult for them to digest. The wrongs committed by Han Yang were made known to the public. The disciples he had bribed were also uncovered one by one. The Qi Du Valley took this opportunity to reorganize itself inside and outside. The dark cloud that had been hanging over everyones heart was dispersed with the end of the incident. While they were thinking that Qi Yue would really take over the position in the future, the other party was already saying goodbye to the Valley Master. Youre going back so soon? Yun Gu Zhu knitted his eyebrows and looked at the two of them who were standing in front of him, Just stay here and live in the valley, what is wrong with that? Although the valley is good, it couldnt give us real peace. The ordinary daily life and peaceful one, its the life I want nowadays. Qi Yue and the person beside him looked at each other and smiled, understanding without words what was in each others minds. Yun Gu Zhu sighed deeply, knowing that he could not keep him, so he instructed, When you have free time in the future, come back and visit me more frequently! Shi Fu, please be at ease! This disciple will definitely come back to visit. Hearing his words, Qi Yue pulled He Ling to kneel down in front of him and both paid their respects, Shi Fu, take care. Yun Gu Zhu smiled as he nodded his head, his heart was gratified. In fact, no matter where he was, as long as this child who he had watched him grow up could be happy, it would also be considered as he was able to justify himself in front of his old friend. After bidding their farewell to the Valley Master, both of them sat inside the horse carriage and wandered out of the valley. Everything was already over and they were able to return to peace again. Xiang Gong, I miss Big Brother Lin and the family, also Hua Geer and the others! He Ling caressa his belly and leaned on Qi Yues arms. He felt that this period of more than one month had been short yet also long at the same time, I miss our home too. Qi Yue hugged him tighter and kissed him softly on the corner of his lips, Well live there for the rest of our lives, until Ah Ling gets bored of it. He Ling made a soft laugh sound and rubbed against his chest, Who would be annoyed with their own home ah? Xiang Gong entirely talks nonsense! Qi Yue curled his lips and closed his eyes to feel the peace of the moment. Thats right, ah! Who would feel unhappy (depressed) with their own home? It held all their memories and also the place to spend their entire lives. Not only he and Ah Ling, but when their child was born, that would become the childs home too. He would grow up there, play there, and in many years to come, perhaps would marry there too. Until the moment they were old, they could still sit in the courtyard and watch their children and grandchildren being naughty and mischievous. They would still hold each other as tightly as they did at this moment, until the moment they died. It would be a long, long time away before that day. He and his little Fu Lang still have countless days and nights. Spring, summer, autumn and winter where from now on, for the rest of their life, they would never leave each others side. The End Author has something to say: Thats right, this is the end of the main story. I am very thankful for all of your support during this period of time, so that I can keep on writing consistently (although the style of writing is really bad 23333). Some of you, in particular, have been following me since I started writing and have left comments below every chapter, even if its just one sentence Jia You! Ive been encouraged by all of them and Ive seen them all (I also took it all into my heart). I am extremely grateful for it, love you all and salute by bowing There are two more extras that will be released at the same time tomorrow. Muaach ~ ^.^ CH 97 Back to the Countryside Chapter 97 : Extra~ The Wedding Ceremony Today is the wedding day of the Zheng familys eldest son, Zheng Yue Feng. There were many unmarried young girls and gers who cried on this day, weeping with grief that they did not have such a good fate to fly into the tip of a branch and become a phoenix. [Phoenix/ˡ is considered the symbol of harmony and auspiciousness by the Chinese people. It could also refer to rare things or exceptional people.] Zheng Yue Feng was wearing a big red flower on his chest while the corners of his mouth were grinning from ear to ear. He had been looking forward to this every day, counting the days with his fingers, but finally the day had come. After today, Hua Geer would become his Fu Lang officially and legally. He no longer had to avoid holding hands outside as such action was put under a taboo like before. Its enough, dont giggle foolishly! What a disgrace! Master Zheng stood beside him, and together they greeted the guests. Finally he gave him a scornful glance when his patience came to an end; this child of his was smiling as if he had a brain problem. Hearing his words, Zheng Yue Feng withdrew his thoughts and said, Its just because I am happy~ since from now on, Ill become my Fu Langs husband! Look at you! Master Zheng shook his head helplessly. It was probably because of the comparison with Qi Yue that he felt that his son was becoming more and more foolish. Whats wrong with me? Its fine as long as Hua Geer likes it. Zheng Yue Feng knew in his heart that Xu Hua liked his childish look. I havent seen you for a long time but Zheng Gongzis bragging ability is getting more and more hilarious! Before Master Zheng (Zheng Laoye) could say anything to scold him, someone else already helped him to do so. Both father and son looked over at the same time and saw Qi Yue holding He Ling up the steps and stopping in front of them. Qi Yue? Ling Geer? I cant believe youre back! Zheng Yue Feng was so surprised to see the two of them. He reached out and patted them on the shoulder, I thought you guys wouldnt be able to make it. How is it possible that we dare to miss Zheng Gongzis wedding day! Qi Yue raised an eyebrow at him and then turned his head around, nodded his head at Master Zheng, Long time no see, Master Zheng! I havent seen Qi Gongzi in so many days, but you still look great, unlike my silly son! While praising him, Master Zheng did not forget to glare at his own family son. Seeing that his old man (father) was speaking sarcastically about himself again, Zheng Yue Feng hurriedly changed the subject and looked at He Lings belly, which had grown a size larger than before. He then said, Ling Geers belly is already so big? Youre about to give birth, right? He Ling also did not expose him for using himself as a shield and replied with a smile, Its almost seven months,so probably theres still about three months to go before giving birth. Zheng Yue Feng looked at his small arms and legs, holding such a big belly, so he sighed in his heart at the hardship of being a ger. In the future, he had to take good care of his Hua Geer. Qi Yue casually threw a small box into the other mans arms, stopping him from keep staring at his family Fu Langs belly,This is my congratulatory gift for you, Zheng Gongzi should take it well. Zheng Yue Feng caught the small box and opened it curiously, seeing that it was two porcelain boxes , he then raised his eyes to look at him, Is this medicine? Youre sending me medicine on my wedding day? He Ling stood at an angle where he could see the boxes, he was instantly blushed, using his elbow to touch the person who was holding him, How can (Xiang Gong) send something like this?! Qi Yue grabbed his hand and held it, squeezing it soothingly, looking at the unenlightened bridegroom as the corners of his mouth raised, Ive put the instructions of how to use it at the bottom of the box. Zheng Gongzi, dont forget to read it! Looking at He Lings bright red face and then at the wooden box in his hand, Zheng Yue Feng seemed to suddenly understand something so he quickly stuffed the box into his sleeve, smiling until his eyes couldnt be seen, Qi Gongzi this gift of yours is very much to my liking. Many thanks, many thanks! As they were going back and forth, how could Master Zheng not understand, he clenched his hand into a fist and put it to his mouth and coughed lightly, then said. Come, come, come in! No need to stand at the front door! Please come inside quickly! Zheng Yue Feng beckoned Kang Yuan to take both of them inside and arrange a suitable place for them there. His hand reached into his sleeve to feel the box, his mind began to wander while he was unable to resist his wild and fanciful thoughts. For the first time, he thought that Qi Yue, this person was really not bad! Almost all of the guests had been welcomed. When the time came, Zheng Yue Feng was filled with joy as he got on his horse and set off to meet Xu Hua at Gu Shui Village. Qi Yue and He Ling sat down during the feast as they listening to the sounds of the beat drums and gongs outside until it was getting further and further away.They were happy for them as they had watched them begin from not knowing each other to knowing each other and then to loving each other.For them, to be able to obtain a positive outcome after the sustained efforts on this day, it was something that could not been better. By the time the wedding party* returned, it was almost the auspicious time. Zheng Yue Feng tugged the red silk in his hand, from outside the door, he led the head covered person in through the door with a smug look on his face. [*ӭ: (of the bridegroom) send a party to meet the bride at the brides home and escort the bride to the bridegrooms home for the wedding] Master Zheng and Madam Zheng were sitting at the seat of honor. Their eyebrows full of joy as they watched the two children pay their respects smilingly, so happy that they couldnt stop grinning from ear to ear. Zheng Yueyan saw the table where He Ling and Qi Yue were sitting from afar, so she came over in high spirits and sat down in the empty seat next to them, He Ling Gege, when did you guys come back? I just arrived today. I didnt even have time to go back to the village, so I came straight here! Looking at the little girl who was so carefree as before, He Ling found the other side cute in his heart. Your belly is so big now, can I touch it? Zheng Yueyan stared at his rounded and bulging belly. She raised her hand, eager to touch it. Miss Zheng, the baby is still in my Fu Lang belly now, where do you intend to touch it? Qi Yue reached out and wrapped his arm around He Ling. His refusal was absolutely clear: how could he let someone else touch his Fu Langs body? Zheng Yueyan pursed her lips and withdrew her hand. She should wait until next time when the other party was not present, otherwise she would never get her hands on him. The three of them did not chat for a long time before Zheng Yue Feng, dressed in red, came over to this table to toast. When he saw his sister, he lightly knocked her head, Why did you come over here? You mind me! Zheng Yueyan sticks out her tongue at him, I am willing to be here! Zheng Yue Feng shook his head helplessly and stopped caring about her. He raised his cup of wine to the other two and said, Qi Yue, Ling Geer, I and Xu Hua couldnt have today without your help, so heres this cup of wine dedicated to you guys! He Ling was pregnant and could not drink, so Qi Yue raised his cup on behalf of him. He toasted it with the other party and drank it together, Hua Geer and my Fu Lang are very good friends. Zheng Gongzi, you have to treat him well! I will not fail him in this life! Zheng Yue Feng straightened his face and looked very determined. After the toast, the others went to the next table. He Ling held Qi Yues hand and his face softened, whether it was him and his husband, or Hua Geer and Zheng Gongzi, may we all be together in this life, help each other in time of need and grow old together until death do us part. At the wedding feast, people always seemed to be enthusiastic. By the time, the guests finally let go of Zheng Yue Feng and could reach the bridal chamber, the corner of his eyes were already red with signs or feeling of getting drunk. He stepped into the room and saw the one he had been longing for sitting in the bed with the red curtain hung in the bed. He could not help but grin and sat beside him bringing with him the smell of wine, Are you anxious to wait? The other person was so close to him that Xu Huas face, which was covered with a head covering, turned red. He pretended to be disgusted, pushing him away, Get away from me! I cant stand the smell. Zheng Yue Feng backed off a little in response to his force, smiling a little foolishly as he got up and walked to the table to pick up the wedding stick made of steel, then turned back to the bed, Im going to lift up the cover! Hearing his words, Xu Hua was a little nervous, his hands clasped together tightly, not making a sound. He was afraid that if he spoke, his trembling voice would betray him. The stick made of steel gently picked up the corner of the cover and then the whole red cover was removed from his head. Zheng Yue Feng put the steelyard aside and squatted down in front of him, gazing at his face, which was softened by the contrast of red,Hua Geer, you are so good looking. Xu Hua felt his face burn even hotter so he raised his eyes to glare at the other party to hide his shyness, Dont say such things, its so lame (sappy)! When he glared at him with such shyness and nervousness, Zheng Yue Feng could not help but feel a throbbing from nervousness in his heart. He reached out, pulled him downwards and pressed his lips against the one he had longed for. This sudden move made Xu Huas body stiffened. He didnt even dare to raise his hand to touch him, only letting the other partys hot palm clasp his back and press his lips against his. Zheng Yue Feng gently took his lips, carefully kissing him over and over again, each time making him more addicted. He couldnt bear to part. He just wanted to taste and savor it carefully. Feeling the softness enter and explore through his lips and teeth, Xu Hua held his breath in shock as the misbehaved tongue darted all around in his mouth. Every time it glided over a sensitive spot, it sent a strange sensation through his body. This kind of sensation was pleasurable yet at the same time it was hard to bear. He couldnt help but push him away as the other partys movements became more and more intense, covering his lips and turning his face away, We didnt drink the wedding wine (share the nuptial cup) yet! He was pushed away when he was just getting excited, so Zheng Yue Feng was a little displeased but when he saw the other partys red cheeks that were about to drip blood, he smiled with pleasure. He got up and walked over to the table, lifted the wine jug and filled the two wine small cups, took it and walked back to him. Fu Lang, lets drink! He sat down on the bed and handed one of the cups in front of him as his eyebrows twitched. Hearing him address himself in this way made Xu Huas heart even more shy. He took the wine with a shaking hand, then he met the mans smiling eyes so he dawdled for a long time before gritting his teeth and wrapping his hand around each other in mid-air and drinking the wine from the cup. Zheng Yue Feng wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled the person close so that he was pressed tightly against him without leaving a single gap. Fu Lang, we have finished our wine. Xu Hua naturally felt the change in his body as he was so close to him. He was still unwilling to give up and spoke softly, Cu, cup Zheng Yue Feng took the wine cup in his hand and casually threw it to the ground along with his own cup, not caring whether it would break or not. His eyes kept staring straight at him, My Fu Lang, what excuse do you have now? Being held tightly in his arms, Xu Hua could not hide. He took a deep breath and laughed in his heart, he was already married to him, so what was there to hesitate about? Thinking of this, he closed his eyes and raised his face. Zheng Yue Feng looked at his appearance which he was giving himself entirely to him, his heart was so filled with joy and warmth, as if it could no longer contain any spare room. He would love this person for the rest of his life and would not let him suffer even a bit of distress anymore. With this promise in mind, he pressed his lips on him. - CH 98 Back to the Countryside Chapter 98 : Extra ~ The Bun/ The Child It was that time of the year when the weather was scorching hot, the slightest movement was enough to make your entire body sweating. He Ling, who carried a huge belly, was not willing to move even for a single step. He was lying on a small couch in the room right now with a thin blanket, taking a nap and still drowsy. His posture didnt look comfortable because his stomach was too big. Qi Yue came in with a bowl of sweet-sour plum soup when he saw him in this state. He frowned lightly, since his stomach got bigger and bigger, He Ling didnt have it easy. Every night, he couldnt sleep. Sometimes even when he fell asleep, he would be woken up by a sudden kick from the baby. He walked over quietly to his place. He sat down on the edge of the couch, looking at the panda eyes under his eyes. He sighed as he was distressed for him, if he could, he would like to suffer on his behalf. He Ling was not sleeping. He could naturally feel the presence of someone coming and sitting beside him. He opened his eyes, saw his worried face and smiled softly, Xiang Gong, why are you looking so sad? Seeing that he was awake, Qi Yue reached out and stroked his sweaty hair. He also followed him and revealed a smiling expression, My Fu Lang looks so good even in his sleep, what would happen if someone came to steal it from me? He Ling laughed lightly. He moved his body, which was a little stiff, to make himself more comfortable, Xiang Gong is so capable, who can steal from you? Thats right, if theres anyone who doesnt know his place, Ill make him suffer the consequences. Qi Yue scratched his nose and pointed to the bowl he had placed on the side table, Ive just made sweet-sour plum soup, do you want some? Want. The heat was unbearable and his mouth was dry so this soup came at the right time. He Ling nodded in response, and sat up with the help of the other side. Knock, knock, knock. He had just taken the sweet-sour plum soup and was about to feed it to his little Fu Lang when he heard a knock on the door outside. Qi Yue helplessly put the bowl into his hands and let him drink first, then got up and went out of the house. When he walked into the courtyard, the hot sunlight made him squint. He raised his hand to cover his forehead and walked slowly to the door, removed the hot bolt and opened the wooden door. The person outside was dressed in red like fire, even warmer than the sun in the sky. Qi Yue raised an eyebrow in surprise and said with a smile, Auntie has really come quite suddenly! Where is Xiao Ling? How is his body (health)? Du Huashang didnt want to talk nonsense with him, so she asked first what she wanted to know the most. The other party had always been so straight to the point that Qi Yue was used to it, Recently, his stomach has been tossed around so much (by the baby inside) that he hasnt eaten much. He didnt sleep well either. When they came back from Qi Du Valley, they went to stay at Yu Long Fang for a while. If it wasnt for the fact that He Ling missed his home, Du Huashang wouldnt have been willing to let them go. After returning to Gu Shui Village, she also sent letters from time to time asking about his condition, accompanied by many different kinds of tonic products, which were piled up all over their house. Qi Yue would also write a letter to her on behalf of He Ling, all about their trivial daily life and the babys growth. Every time they sent the letter, it would be exchanged for more tonic and nourishing food, leaving them feeling very helpless as well. This time the other party would personally come over, and the reason for it, he had some guesses in his mind, guessing that it was because on the last letter mentioned that He Ling might give birth in the next few days, so she was worried and hurriedly rushed over here. Its all your fault! Du Huashang glared at him discontentedly, if this man hadnt done bad things, her nephew wouldnt have to suffer a lot, Ill go and see him. Seeing that she walked in and entered the door, Qi Yue shook his head helplessly. He followed her into the house without closing the door. Her two apprentices were still outside and inside the carriage presumably she must have brought a lot of things with it. The two of them had just reached the door of the house when they heard the sound of dishes falling from inside, followed by a painful grunt. Their hearts jumped at the same time as they rushed in. He Ling was clutching his stomach while lying down on the floor in pain. The bowl of sweet-sour plum soup had shattered on the floor, probably because the sudden pain had made him lose his grip. Ah Ling?! Qi Yues expression immediately changed as he ran forward, wrapping his curled up body into his arms and wiping away the cold sweat that continued to rise from his forehead. Xiang Gong, I am going togive birth He Ling lifted his hand with difficulty and grabbed his sleeve tightly. The sharp pain in his abdomen was so intense, burst after another burst, making him unable to even complete his words. Qi Yue forced himself to calm down, at such a critical moment, he could not mess up himself first, he picked him up and put him on the bed, turning his head to the woman who was at a loss for words, Trouble auntie to have someone boil some hot water! Du Huashang hurriedly nodded her head, carried her skirt and left the door. She had never been married before, so how could she know about childbirth? When she saw how difficult her nephew was, she was in a state of panic. Ah Ling, dont be afraid, I will always be by your side. Qi Yue stuffed a pill in his mouth and held his hand tightly, with words of comfort, not knowing to whom he said it (it meant that he said it to comfort He Ling but also himself), The baby will be fine, and so will you! The warmth of the other persons hand cleared He Lings mind, which had been distracted by the pain. He took a few deep breaths and looked at him with complete trust in his eyes. Qi Yue kissed him heavily on the side of his face. He changed direction where he sat down, took off his trousers and stared straight into his eyes, Ah Ling, you have to push harder. He Lings hand clutched the pillow.Meeting with his gaze, his expression became much more determined as he gritted his teeth and bear the pain, resolutely used his strength. Ah! The painful scream that came from the room made Du Huashang, who had returned with the ginseng, tremble in her heart. She knocked the box onto the floor and her legs went weak for a moment. She was held up by the disciple beside her. She did not have the courage to push open the door in front of her. She was afraid that the scene she would see when she entered would be too miserable. It would make her heart feel even more distressed. Her eyes were red with tears falling down when she heard another cry of pain that was even more painful from inside. She could only pray silently in her heart that the other person was alright. Ah Ling, Im here! Qi Yues eyes were red as he looked at the person lying in front of him with a red face, veins rippling between his forehead, trying to grit his teeth and hold on, it was as if his heart was torn and rolled into a ball. He Lings sweat had already wet the pillow, he was already very tired, but the pain beneath him was reminding him that the baby had not yet been born, he could not stop to rest at this time. Time passed, his voice turned hoarse from the constant screams of pain. His eyelashes were wet with sweat, so he could not see anything clearly but beside his ears kept ringing his husbands voice, giving him strength one at a time. Du Huashang sat on the stone stairs in front of the door, her two hands clasped tightly together, the worry in her heart growing stronger and stronger as time went by. She bit her lip, feeling tormented beyond measure. It was not long before a babys cry finally came out of the room. She breathed a long sigh of relief and propped her hand on her side so that she did not fall over. Aunt, please bring water in! Qi Yues voice came into her ears immediately afterwards. Du Huashang hurriedly wiped away the tears that had rolled down from her face once again from being relaxed. She stood up and took the basin of water from her disciples hands, and carried it in herself. The room smelt strongly of blood. He Ling was lying on the bed with his eyes tightly closed, probably because he had fainted from exhaustion.His clothes had been thoroughly drenched with sweat, as if he had just been fished out of the water. Qi Yue gestured to her to put the water basin on the table stand, and then shoved the baby he was holding into her arms, Trouble Auntie to take it out for a while to be looked after, I have to take care of Ah Lings side. Suddenly a soft ball was placed between her arms, Du Huashang was too stiff to move her body. She looked down and saw that the baby was wrapped up with only its face exposed, sucking on its fist and sleeping soundly. The skin on the little babys face was wrinkled, Why is it so ugly? All newborn children are like that. Qi Yue reached out and touched the little head again, then said, Aunt take the baby out first, I need to wipe Ah Lings body. Du Huashang carried the newborn baby out the door. Qi Yue brought the water basin to the bedside and placed it on the cupboard, wrung out a towel and wiped the stain from He Lings body. Seeing his brow still furrowed in his sleep, Qi Yue bent down and kissed him on the forehead. He couldnt help but drop his head and bury it in the crook of his neck, sniffing the smell of sweat on his nose. His mad and intense racing heart calmed down a little, God knew just now, how one day seemed like a year during that time, but thankfully it was over, and he never wanted it to happen again. It was already a few days later when Zheng Yue Feng and Xu Hua learned of the news that He Ling had given birth to a big fat baby boy. At that moment, burning with impatience, they immediately rushed over from the town. Because they were far away, they were the last ones to visit. The Lin Sheng family and Father Xu had already come to visit on the second day after the baby was born. Wheres the baby? Wheres the baby? As soon as he entered, he looked around and saw no sign of the baby at all, I said, Qi Yue, where did you hide the baby? Qi Yue simply did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Who would put a newborn baby that was just born a few days ago in the courtyard? Hes in the room with Ah Ling, Ill bring you guys to see him. It wasnt that long before He Ling gave birth to his baby so he could not be exposed to the wind yet.The doors and windows in the room were closed tightly. When they entered, he was sitting on the bed, holding the baby and coaxing it, while Du Huashang was accompanying him there. When they saw a woman they had not seen before, they were both stunned. It was only when Qi Yue introduced them that they realized that this was the aunt they had previously mentioned and she looked really young. Qi Yue took the baby from He Ling and showed it to them, Zheng Yue Feng leapt over and looked it up and down for a long time. The baby was no longer as ugly as it had been when it was first born. The fair white skin looked so beautiful that he regretted it, How nice it would be if it were a girl or a ger! What are you talking about? Xu Hua slapped him on his back, Such a good looking little boy, he will be very popular in the future and you still dare to dislike him! Zheng Yue Feng, who had been taught a lesson, scratched his nose embarrassedly. How was it possible for him to dislike the child? He was just expressing his disappointment but in order not to be scolded again, he kept his mouth shut, coughed lightly and changed the subject, Have you named it? Qi Yue turned back to look at He Ling with a smile before he said to them, Qi Lin, his name is Qi Lin. Zheng Yue Feng silently repeated reciting the childs name, after he understood the deep meaning behind it, he could not help but feel envious again in his heart, Hua Geer, let us hurry up and have a child too! This comment was naturally met with a fierce glare from Xu Hua, Is it possible to Immediately have a child just because you say so? As if you are saying that the wind is the rain, then you are still a child that has not grown up yourself! Qi Yue carried the baby back to the bedside and sat down beside He Ling. He reached out his arm to take him into his embrace and kissed the corner of his curled lips, his heart was completely content. From now on, they would live out their lives as ordinary country families, bringing the child that belongs to both of them, with their many friends, to spend their happy and ordinary life. The author has something to say: The buns that have been steamed for so long are finally hot and ready. This is the end of the story. Thank you again for your support! Translators corner: My first pick up novel finally finished. I have a lot in minds but cant exactly say what I want to say, since I just recovered from fever. It took longer than what I have plan but its okay. Thank you for reading and support..