Chapter 1 (2/2)

“Minister Xue, what did you say?”

Hu San was very anxious and kept asking, but Xue Tingxiang couldn’t speak at all. Hu San could only ask on his own guess: “Are you concerning about the previous things? You can rest assured that your words have been passed on to Master Zhang He has known that minister Wang is your only son and will do as you instruct.”

Xue Tingyun blinked, and Hu San thought he had something else to say, with his ears next to Xue’s mouth, but he only heard one sentence: “I didn’t…”

No more after that.

When Hu San looked up, he saw Xue Tingxiang’s wide open eyes and gray blue face.

He shook his hands and touched his Xue’s nose, but he was so scared that he sat on the ground.

The cold wind came through the broken window paper, and Xue Gouzi’s face was cold.

He was agitated and opened his eyes.

It was a small room with black brick walls and tiled roofs. The walls were plastered with white ash, but it looked gray. The beams were log colored, because they were not exposed to dust. And there were several bamboo baskets hanging on them. There seemed to be something in the basket, which was covered with blue cloth.

He was lying on the bed, covered with a used quilt. The quilt looked clean and tidy, but the cotton quilt inside was hard.

Facing his feet, there was a row of dark brown cabinets with brass leaf nails and brass spike handles embedded in the cabinet, carved with simple clouds and water patterns, looking thick and generous. Although it is nothing in the large households, it is already a piece of furniture that can be easily obtained.

There’s no problem passing on generations!

This is what his father said, who is the best carpenter in the village.

Xue Gouzi felt his head hurt, as if he had been hit hard with a hoe. He wanted to sit up, but was weak and fell back on his back.

Then he realized that he was Xue Gouzi and the eldest son of Xue family’s the second wife. Because of something happened, he couldn’t help but burn his heart. He had been sick for many days.

He is not Xue Tingxiang, the person in his dream.

How could he be such a parson?

In order to prove that it was only his dream, he deliberately raised his hand and looked at it.

Sure enough! The hand in front of me was slender and fair. He had not yet grown the muscles and bones that a man should have. He was only fourteen this year. How could he live to be in his seventies and finally die and turn in one’s grave.

Xue Gouzi exhaled heavily and looked around again, finally calming down.

Someone was talking outside, and the voice came in along the window slit.

“Zhao’er, not to criticize you on purpose, but look at what you are like now. A girl does not settle down in house, but actually learned from those small business hawkers to do business. What business can you do? Like your fourth uncle, he can save a little money by running around outside. If you really have free time, why not help me with some work?”

The voice sounded like a young woman, but the irony in the words was too strong. It is said that appearance is born from the heart, and it is not surprising that Sun has a mean face.

Xue Gouzi subconsciously flashed this idea in his mind, and then he was stunned. He hated the fourth aunts, but how could he think of each other so much?

Before he could think of anything, he heard the sound in the dream.

“Fourth aunt, I’d like to help you do some work, but you also know that Gouzi has been ill for many days. At first, my family gave him some money to take the medicine, but only half a month later. The grandma said that the money at home was not enough, so she ordered us to stop buying the medicine. Gouzi is my husband, I can’t always watch him so sick. Fourth aunt wants me to help you with his work. That is possible, otherwise, you can lend me some money to buy medicine. Can I return it to you later?”

The master of the voice is a young girl, revealing a smart and crisp feeling from the tone, and also mixed with some running teasing.

Yes, Zhao’er teased Sun on purpose.

Sun’s nature is just stingy. It’s more difficult for her to get a penny out than to do anything. What’s more, she lends it to the two little children of the second wife.

The second wife only has two children now. The only son is 14 years old and the big sister is just 16. Sun’s face is always full of disbelief when she hears about Zhao’er in the village and makes money in any business.

What kind of business can the stupid girl do to make money? She just dug up three melons and two dates from the field and took them out to cheat the city people for a few pennies.

“Your fourth aunt has no money to lend to you. The money in our house is all your grandmother’s. You can ask money for her!” Sun patted his butt and went to the house, too lazy to talk nonsense again.

“Since aunt has no money to borrow from me, and I don’t dare to ask money for the grandmother. I have to figure out where to get some money and grab the medicine for the Gouzi!”

Zhao’er’s voice was particularly loud. Naturally, this was not only for Sun, but also for Zhao, who is sitting in the main room.

Sure enough, after Zhao’er entered the house, Zhao stood at the door and scolded Sun: “You haven’t cleaned the pigpen, but you’re back in the house?”

Zhao’er shook her lips, lifted up the door curtain and went in. She bumped into Xue Gouzi and looked into her eyes.

The author has something to say:

I have opened a new article! Two ways have developed, different ways of pampering, first females favor males, then males favor females. Although this is based on the big boss in the opera, but don’t equate with Xue Tingxiang in the play. The two books can be regarded as independent because many details have changed.

Every time I write a new article, I feel very nervous, but your messages are very supportive to me.

Although the male lead is now called Gouzi, it will change in the future. At that time, all the countrymen had interesting names. In fact, I think the name of Gouzi is very nice, right?

Translator’s Notes:

1.扬眉吐气: Yang Mei Tu Qi, A feeling of exaltation upon fulfillment: appear very proud and self-satisfied.

2.病入膏肓: Bing Ru Gao Huang, be at death’s door from one’s illness

3.乞骸骨: Qi Hai Gu, resign