LW chapter 96: Extra 12

 

Back home, Chen Qing was sweeping the yard. Although the wind and sand in Yizhou were less intense than in his hometown, the yard still needed to be swept daily, otherwise, a thick layer of dust would accumulate.

Seeing him return, Chen Qing threw down the broom and ran a few steps. Then he remembered something, stopped suddenly, and stood a couple of steps away to look him over. “Are you okay?”

Zhou Yuan had just felt a bit of numbness in his hand, but seeing Chen Qing so anxious made him want to tease him a little. He took a few steps forward, raised his hand, and held it out in front of him. “My hand hurts.”

Half-believing him, Chen Qing came over and grabbed his hand to check. Seeing no wounds, he looked up and found Zhou Yuan smiling at him.

Realizing that Zhou Yuan was teasing him, Chen Qing blushed, let go of his hand, and picked up the broom again to sweep the yard. Grandmother watched with a smile as she helped by sprinkling water. She didn’t ask what had just happened, which made Zhou Yuan relieved.

After sweeping the yard, Chen Qing brought a sewing basket out from the house. He no longer worked in the herb field, but he couldn’t stay idle. Each handkerchief he made could be exchanged for money.

Zhou Yuan looked at Chen Qing and noticed that his clothes seemed familiar. Upon closer inspection, he realized they were his old clothes that had been modified and patched many times. It was truly heartbreaking.

It was clear how hard the two of them had it while he was gone.

He bent down, took the sewing basket from Chen Qing, and lifted him up. He said to his grandmother, “I’ll take him to the county town to look around and buy some things.”

Grandmother nodded. “Go ahead. It’s fine if you come back later. Take your time.”

“I…” Before Chen Qing could finish speaking, Zhou Yuan swung him up. Dizzy, he found himself on Zhou Yuan’s back.

“Grandmother, we’re off.”

Lying on his back, Chen Qing saw the world from a new perspective, realizing that this was how tall people saw things. The last time he had been carried was when he was young. His father’s shoulders weren’t broad, but they provided a rare sense of comfort.

“I should bring the handkerchiefs I embroidered. There are three or four now. I can exchange them for money,” Chen Qing whispered from Zhou Yuan’s back.

“I’m taking you out to buy things. Don’t worry about earning money,” Zhou Yuan said. “I’ll support the family from now on. You don’t need to work so hard.”

Chen Qing’s hands rested on Zhou Yuan’s shoulders. “My father said that when two people support each other, the family gets better and better.”

Their home wasn’t far from the town or the county. Near the county, Chen Qing asked Zhou Yuan to put him down. After taking the medicine yesterday, his leg didn’t hurt as much. He had wanted to walk, but Zhou Yuan’s broad, warm shoulders felt good, and not having to walk felt nice.

Zhou Yuan put him down and supported him. “Your leg really is okay?”

Chen Qing nodded. He had never been to the county before, at most, he had gone to the town. He had never explored much, always hurrying to exchange handkerchiefs for money and returning home quickly. The last time he came for rice, he only went to the rice shop.

He looked at Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan rested one arm on his shoulder. “I’ll go to the government office first to take care of some things, and then I’ll accompany you while you shop.”

Chen Qing agreed. He didn’t know what to buy anyway, so he followed Zhou Yuan.

The last time he went to the government office was when he was sold and followed the slave trader to exchange the deed. Later, his grandmother changed the deed and registered him here. He was still afraid of government officials, instinctively.

So when Zhou Yuan invited him, he refused. Zhou Yuan had no choice but to leave Chen Qing at a tea stall near the government and order him a cup of tea before going inside.

Chen Qing’s heart raced. He didn’t know why Zhou Yuan had gone to the office or if someone had reported his actions at his second uncle’s house. He wondered if Zhou Yuan would be arrested. The more he thought about it, the more afraid he became. He was even trembling while holding the tea.

After some time, he finally saw Zhou Yuan come out. Standing beside him was a man in an official uniform, probably a captain of the constables. They seemed to be talking, and in the end, the captain patted Zhou Yuan on the shoulder. Zhou Yuan bowed slightly, then came over to Chen Qing.

Worry was visible in Chen Qing’s eyes. Zhou Yuan approached him, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. Chen Qing’s hand paused, and then he asked, “Are you okay? Why did you go to the office?”

Zhou Yuan paid for the tea and helped Chen Qing up. “The matter with my second uncle’s house isn’t finished.”

Regardless of whether Chen Qing understood, Zhou Yuan explained that his second uncle had taken the money he had sent to his grandmother. According to the law, the person should be arrested and punished. Even during wartime, the court paid extra attention to soldiers’ family matters, especially those of someone like Zhou Yuan, who depended on his grandmother. If the money hadn’t reached her, then the person who took it was responsible. Zhou Mu dared to act boldly because he was sure that Zhou Yuan wouldn’t come back.

Grandmother didn’t understand, so she suffered in silence. Now that Zhou Yuan was back with military merit, the government would respect him. He had just gone to report it.

“So they’ll arrest him?” Chen Qing asked.

“Of course,” Zhou Yuan replied. “Otherwise, my trip would be in vain.”

Chen Qing finally smiled. He hated Zhou Mu. During the New Year, Zhou Mu took the meat meant for him and his grandmother, stole Zhou Yuan’s money, and almost delayed his grandmother’s medicine delivery. He had also heard that Zhou Mu didn’t give his grandmother money during the New Year, yet made her give red envelopes to his children.

Being able to beat him up and then lock him up was truly wonderful.

“Shall we go back now?” Chen Qing rarely went out, and this trip alone had made him very happy.

Zhou Yuan shook his head. “I said I brought you out to buy things, how can we go back like this?”

He led Chen Qing to the busiest street in the county. Chen Qing smelled various mixed aromas and swallowed.

Zhou Yuan was much taller than Chen Qing, and he noticed all of his small movements. Zhou Yuan pulled Chen Qing along and bought him fresh meat pies, meat buns, milk cakes, and butterfly pastries to take home. They ate along the way. Although Chen Qing kept saying he didn’t want any, he couldn’t stop Zhou Yuan.

Since Chen Qing rarely ate enough, his appetite was small. He only needed one bite of Zhou Yuan’s food, and Zhou Yuan ate the rest. By the time they finished walking down the street, Chen Qing’s belly was full.

Next to this street were cloth and clothing shops. Realizing what Zhou Yuan wanted to do, Chen Qing quickly grabbed his sleeve and asked, “What else are you buying?”

“Of course, clothes for you. You don’t have a single new outfit,” Zhou Yuan replied matter-of-factly.

Chen Qing looked down at his clothes, noticing a large patch on his chest.

Zhou Yuan followed his gaze. “The clothes you’re wearing now are from when I was twelve or thirteen.”

Chen Qing gritted his teeth, knowing Zhou Yuan meant he was short.

“And we’re not having a wedding banquet, so aren’t we going to get new clothes?” Zhou Yuan continued. “Not having a banquet is already unfair to you. Can’t I at least buy you some clothes?”

Chen Qing was speechless. Seeing Zhou Yuan head for the clothing shop, he hurriedly said, “Don’t buy ready-made clothes, they’re expensive. Just buy the fabric, I can make the clothes myself.”

The money for one ready-made outfit would be enough to buy fabric. Making clothes wouldn’t require that much fabric, so the rest could be used for other things.

Zhou Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Fine, let’s buy fabric then.”

The cloth shop had an impressive selection of fabrics. In the past, when Chen Qing went to town to sell handkerchiefs, he wouldn’t have dared to look at the fabrics.

Zhou Yuan, who had no real eye for fashion, picked up a floral fabric and started to pay for it, but Chen Qing hurriedly stopped him. “Why are you buying floral fabric?”

Chen Qing looked closely at it. The large red flowers hurt his eyes.

“To make clothes for you. It’s beautiful,” Zhou Yuan said.

Chen Qing: …

In the end, Chen Qing insisted on choosing the fabric himself. He picked an indigo-colored piece with enough fabric to make two outfits for his grandmother and one for himself. One piece of fabric was just enough.

Zhou Yuan scratched his head at this choice and asked, “Isn’t this color a bit old-fashioned?”

Chen Qing replied, “It’s for Grandmother. This color is just right. I don’t mind. The leftovers from Grandmother’s clothes should be enough to make one for me.”

Zhou Yuan took the indigo fabric and rummaged through it, picking out a bright blue piece. Despite Chen Qing’s protests, Zhou Yuan paid for it. Luckily, he haggled and got some extra yarn from the shopkeeper.

Watching Zhou Yuan spend money so freely, Chen Qing could only feel his heart tremble. How much family wealth would it take to spend like this? For now, though, he had no way to stop him. It was all Zhou Yuan’s money, and he had no right to say anything.

Zhou Yuan carried both fabrics and said, “You’re still young. Why would you want such an old-fashioned color? Sky blue suits you.”

Chen Qing said nothing, but his actions showed his disapproval of Zhou Yuan’s extravagance.

Zhou Yuan laughed and ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry. You’ll never live in poverty again. I have money.”

Chen Qing nodded perfunctorily, he just wanted to go home and stop Zhou Yuan from buying anything else.

But he still couldn’t stop him. He watched numbly as Zhou Yuan bought several pounds of meat and had the butcher send some bones. Then, he bought refined rice, flour, and various seasonings. By the end, Chen Qing’s face was expressionless.

On the way back, Zhou Yuan’s arms were full, yet he still offered to carry Chen Qing’s things.

Chen Qing tried to help with some of the items, but Zhou Yuan said, “These are heavy. I’ll carry them.” In the end, he handed Chen Qing some packages of snacks and yarn: “Take these.”

Taking them, Chen Qing walked beside Zhou Yuan toward home. As they walked, the sky gradually darkened, and a crescent moon appeared.

Chen Qing’s pace gradually slowed, and Zhou Yuan stopped to wait for him. Chen Qing felt a bit embarrassed. “You go ahead. Don’t wait for me.”

“Can you find your way?” Zhou Yuan laughed. “Come on, I’ll carry you.”

Chen Qing shook his head. Zhou Yuan had no choice but to slow down and walk with him. They chatted along the way. “Where’s your hometown?”

“Xiaxi Prefecture.”

“How did you end up here?”

Night had fallen, and the surrounding insects chirped endlessly. Chen Qing’s voice sounded hollow in the night, but with Zhou Yuan’s responses, it didn’t feel lonely.

After walking for a while, they felt closer to each other.

 

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