21
The Tricks of the False Gentleman
Su Jiayu looked intently at Liu Jiang and asked, “Do you know someone came to my house to propose marriage?”
Lin Jiang said resignedly, “I… I know.”
Of course he knew, and he even knew which family it was.
Su Jiayu mustered her courage and met his gaze directly: “I’ve been waiting for you. Will you come to my house?”
Lin Jiang was somewhat stunned, avoiding her eyes as he replied, “I’m not worthy. You deserve someone better.”
“Aren’t you afraid I might get beaten after marriage?”
Hearing this, Lin Jiang grew agitated and declared, “Who dares to bully you? Tell me, and I’ll go beat them up.”
“Can you fight everyone? What would happen to your parents if you got beaten to death?” Su Jiayu lost control and shouted angrily.
Lin Jiang didn’t know what to say. He opened his mouth but no words came out.
“If you don’t come within a month, I’ll accept someone else’s proposal. If I die then, it’s none of your business. If you dare to propose, I’ll dare to convince my parents to let me marry you.”
After saying this, Su Jiayu didn’t wait for Lin Jiang’s response. Covering her eyes with trembling hands, she ran straight home. Even from afar, one could see tears dripping between her fingers.
She ran home directly to her room, locked the door, and collapsed crying over the desk.
Her tears fell one by one, “plop… plop” onto the desktop. She carefully wiped the wet spots with her sleeve, as if unable to bear the clean surface being stained by tears.
But the tears kept coming, impossible to wipe completely dry. Even when her sleeve became soaked, it couldn’t stop the relentless flow of tears.
Su’s father and Su’s mother watched helplessly as their daughter returned home crying, somewhat confused. Hadn’t they refused the marriage proposal?
She had always said she was waiting for her beloved to propose, but how long had it been without even a shadow of him? That’s why they had considered arranged meetings. If she didn’t like anyone, that would be fine too.
But just when they intended to inquire about the situation, a matchmaker suddenly came saying someone admired their daughter. She asked for the name, then told the matchmaker to return later.
She told the matchmaker she needed time to consider.
When their daughter returned, they told her, and she happily asked who it was. When she heard the name, her happiness turned to sorrow, which made them feel bad too. Since their daughter didn’t like him, the next morning she personally told the matchmaker that her daughter was still young and in no hurry.
The matchmaker wanted to say more, but she found an excuse to send her away.
The matchmaker thought it was unlucky – that Su Jiayu was already seventeen years old. If she didn’t marry soon, she’d become an old maid, and then who would want her?
Strangely enough, over the years several had taken interest in Su Jiayu and sent matchmakers to speak with her parents. But each time they used the same excuse to refuse.
Su Jiayu was famously gentle as water.
She appeared easy to handle, and many sought to marry her. But she didn’t fancy any of them.
What, did she want to become an official’s wife?
Su’s father and Su’s mother gently knocked on the door, asking concernedly: “Yu’er, what’s wrong? Tell your mother, alright?”
Su’s father quickly added: “Yes, Yu’er, tell your father what’s wrong. When your brother returns, we’ll have him go deal with that fellow.”
Su Jiayu tried hard to keep her voice from trembling, exhaling as she replied: “Mother, I’m fine. The wind was just too strong, and my eyes feel uncomfortable. Please go back first. I want to be alone for a while.”
“Remember to discuss anything with your mother and me,” Su’s mother said.
After Su’s mother finished, Su’s father added: “You don’t have to marry if you don’t want to. Your father can provide for you.”
He successfully earned himself a slap.
Listening to her parents gradually walk away, Su Jiayu couldn’t hold back her tears again.
She had already fought for it, and if the outcome wasn’t good, she would accept it.
It wasn’t… it wasn’t as if she couldn’t live without that Lin Jiang. She still had her parents and her eldest brother.
Lin Jiang was nothing but a scoundrel!!!
Su Jiayu ran to her bed and fiercely punched the quilt, as if it were Liu Jiang.
The two of them were childhood sweethearts who had grown up together.
She understood that her mother had probably guessed—she was waiting for someone.
Lin Jiang went to the county town with a grave expression to buy medicine, and upon closer look, the corners of his eyes were red.
Liu Shuhuai was sweeping the courtyard at home, the sunlight spilling over him, warm and comforting.
It felt as if it had reached his heart. When Brother He returned earlier, besides bringing food, he also had a very beautiful hairpin in the shape of plum blossoms.
He said it was for him, and Liu Shuhuai asked with a smile: “Is this a token of love?”
Brother He gently patted his head and replied softly: “How could a token of love be so shabby? I’ll give you a prettier one in the future.”
Was this considered shabby? It was so beautiful—he loved it.
Hmph! It was much prettier than Liu Zhi’s.
The only downside was that he couldn’t wear it outside; he could only wear the hairpin indoors.
He had Brother He help him put it on and asked, “Does it look good?”
“No one in this world compares to you.”
Ahhhh!!!
Was this the sweet talk mentioned in the storybooks? So embarrassing it could kill a person!
Liu Shuhuai thought about what Brother He had just said, his face growing redder and redder as he recalled it, feeling quite bashful.
He inadvertently glanced through the window and saw Liu Yao Zong holding a book behind his back, pacing back and forth slowly. He was muttering something about “zhihu” and “zheye.”
He didn’t understand it.
Nor did he need to. He wasn’t taking the imperial exams; knowing how to read and write was enough.
After watching for a while, he went back to sweeping the courtyard.
Liu Yao Zong seemed to sense something, as if someone was watching him. He turned to look out the window but saw only Liu Shuhuai sweeping the ground. He must have been mistaken.
Then he immersed himself in reciting again—nothing could stop him.
The household expenses were high. What if they couldn’t afford to support his studies?
Copying books at the bookshop only earned him fifty wen per book.
Why did such a major incident have to happen just when he was preparing for the Children’s Examination? Both his father and second uncle were injured. Medicine for each of them cost two taels of silver per month.
Why did they have to go hunting? Were they really that discontent? The thought was frustrating, so he forced himself not to think about it and focused on preparing for the Children’s Examination.
Look at Liu Quan—he only studied for a quarter of an hour before going out to play. With all the effort he was putting in, how could Heaven treat him unfairly?
By the time everyone returned from work, Liu Shuhuai had already prepared the meal, and there was a plate of braised pork on the table.
Song Xiao Lan asked Liu Shuhuai in surprise, “Why is there braised pork here?”
Liu Yao Zong came out of his room and replied, “It’s from the money I earned copying books at the bookshop. Seeing how hard Grandpa, Grandma, Mother, and Second Aunt have been working in the fields, I thought I’d give you all something to replenish your energy.”
“You’re very thoughtful. Let’s all eat,” Grandpa Liu said with satisfaction.
Once everyone was seated, Grandma Liu served Grandpa half of the braised pork and gave Liu Yao Zong a quarter.
“Eat more, my dear grandson.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“Let’s eat.” After Grandma Liu finished serving, only four pieces of meat remained on the plate. Everyone scrambled for them, except for Grandpa Liu and Liu Yao Zong, who didn’t need to fight.
Who dared to say anything? After all, it was his money from copying books, and it was already very kind of him to buy meat for everyone.
Liu Shuhuai just watched quietly, almost invisible.
Only Liu Quan didn’t get any meat, and he looked as if he was about to cry.
These women are truly terrifying, and then he saw his mother give him a piece of meat. Happily stuffing it into his mouth, he mumbled through a mouthful of meat: “Thank you, Mom.”
Yu Xiang looked at her foolish son and felt nothing but a headache.
Liu Yao Zong slid half of the meat from his bowl to Grandma Liu, saying with a pained expression: “Grandpa and Grandma work hard. Grandma, you eat it.”
Grandma Liu kindly pushed the meat back to Liu Yao Zong, saying: “Oh, how can you give it to Grandma? Look how hard you study—you need to eat more to nourish your body. Look how thin my grandson is.”
Both Liu Shuhuai and Liu Quan rolled their eyes. Was Liu Yao Zong really thin? He and Grandpa were the ones who ate the most meat.
Liu Quan watched as his grandmother and grandson politely deferred to each other, each expressing concern for the other.
He just wanted to say, if you don’t want it, give it to him—what hypocrites.
But he didn’t dare say it. It was driving him crazy with envy.
Whenever there was good food, they played this same trick every day. If Liu Yao Zong wasn’t tired of it, he was certainly tired of watching it.