Chapter 40 Changsheng Brother "Brother, will you marry me?"...
"May I have your name?"
"Shang Su".
Seeing that he seemed not to have heard her clearly, she repeated, "My name is Shang Su."
"The 'Shang' in 'merchant' and the 'Su' in 'elegance'."
The person in front of me smiled gently and praised, "That sounds beautiful, your name is very beautiful."
"And you? What's your name, brother?"
"Chang Sheng, Chen Chang Sheng."
“Your name is also very nice.” She returned the favor.
"Oh, thank you." The person in front of me suddenly smiled, as gentle and tender as a spring breeze.
His laughter seemed to possess some kind of magic, making her laugh along with him.
"Brother, you're so handsome." Shang Su said, blushing after a moment of stunned silence.
"Ahem," Chen Changsheng blushed, his eyes sparkling, and said shyly, "Thank you, Little Su is very pretty too."
The two of them put the principle of reciprocity to the extreme.
They suddenly looked at each other and smiled.
Chen Changsheng found the little girl in front of him, who was the same age as his younger brother, very cute, and asked her if she was hungry and if she wanted something to eat.
Shang Su shook her head: "I'm not hungry. Are you hungry, brother?"
Today is the day she and the magistrate's son are formally engaged and betrothed. She doesn't like that young man at all; he always pulls her pigtails whenever they meet. She prefers the older brother in front of her.
She glanced around; seeing no one, she took the man's hand and boldly whispered, "Brother, will you marry me?"
"Huh?" Chen Changsheng was stunned for a moment, then coughed violently, "Cough cough cough... Xiao Su, what are you saying? Cough cough..."
Shang Su felt wronged. Although it was the first time she had met him, she still liked him more, both in appearance and personality.
Chen Changsheng, his ears red, coaxed gently, "Xiao Su already has a fiancé, so I can't marry you."
Shang Su pouted. She knew that her father had many concubines besides her mother.
"Can my brother be my concubine?" Although she would prefer him to marry her.
"...No." Chen Changsheng refused sternly.
"……All right."
Shang Su lowered her head, looking sullen.
Chen Changsheng sighed, thinking to himself that she was just a child at heart, not understanding the difference between a wife and a concubine. He then patted her head and said softly, "Never say such things to others in the future, understand?"
These words would indeed be considered extremely disrespectful to others, and fearing that her careless remarks might bring trouble, Chen Changsheng gave her special instructions.
"Oh." Shang Su nodded in agreement, considering how handsome and gentle he was.
Suddenly, they noticed a dark and intense gaze sweeping over them from behind. Shang Su turned around and saw a glimpse of a black hem flash by.
"Come back safely," Chen Changsheng said to the person hiding behind the tree.
A smaller, thinner child walked in, his face covered in injuries. He lowered his head and said respectfully, "Big Brother."
Chen Changsheng said softly with a smile, "Come and greet your little sister Su."
Chen Changsheng took his younger brother's hand and made him greet Shang Su: "If you think about it carefully, you should call her cousin."
“…Sister Xiaosu.” Chen Ping’an secretly glanced at her, then quickly lowered his head, his ears turning red.
Shang Su nodded like a little adult: "Mm."
"Su girl, what are you doing here? Master has been looking for you for ages!" A woman with fair skin and graceful bearing walked over and tried to take her hand, but Su girl dodged away. After an awkward moment, the woman smiled and said, "The banquet in front has already started. Miss Su, please hurry over and don't keep Master waiting."
She glanced at the two boys standing not far away. Their clothes were worn, and one of them had a face covered in injuries, staring at her menacingly. A look of disgust flashed in her eyes, but she smiled kindly and asked, "Who are these two?"
Chen Changsheng, holding his younger brother's hand, bowed to her: "Chen Changsheng, Chen Ping'an, son of Chen family ancestor, pays respects to Aunt Liu."
Aunt Liu thought for a moment before realizing, "So they are the old lady's family. The feast has been prepared. Young men, please hurry up and go."
Thank you.
After delivering her message, Aunt Liu swayed away.
Shang Su sighed: "Brother Changsheng, it seems we have to part ways."
Noticing the people around them, Chen Changsheng gently comforted her with the words he had learned in school: "Xiao Su, all good things must come to an end."
Shang Su pouted and kept shaking her head: "I don't understand."
"..."
Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before saying, "You'll understand later."
Shang Su was sullen. She turned and took a few steps, then suddenly turned back and asked, "Brother, is it really not okay?"
"..." Chen Changsheng paused, then said decisively, "No."
"..."
Shang Su left in disappointment.
They parted ways after that, and met again when her fiancé fell down the wall while skipping school, and then died from a serious illness. At that time, they could only look at each other from afar.
Later, everyone spread rumors that she was destined to bring misfortune to her husbands. When her father rushed back from out of town to arrange her marriage, he was caught in a storm and sank to the bottom of the sea forever. Her mother, after much deliberation, also abandoned her.
From then on, the saying that she was cursed was attached to her.
The merchant failed, the magistrate's engagement was canceled, the magistrate was investigated and dismissed, and a new magistrate was appointed. Meanwhile, Shang Su grew from a little child into a graceful young woman ready for marriage.
Aunt Liu's hair turned white with worry over her marriage.
"Grandma, what are you thinking?" Aunt Liu's clothes had become worn and faded over the years since the merchant's downfall, and her beautiful face was now weathered. She leaned against the door frame and glared at her. "I advise you to agree quickly so that I can have a few days of peace!"
Shang Su put down her brush and spoke softly but forcefully: "The shop's door isn't locked; you can leave whenever you want."
She'd been saying this over and over for years, but Aunt Liu seemed to have latched onto her and wouldn't leave. Shang Su spoke gently, but showed no mercy whatsoever.
"Look at you, you've been with the merchant for so long, you've become a middle-aged woman. If only you had run away with one of those concubines when the merchant was down on its luck."
Aunt Liu rolled her eyes and retorted, "Do you think I don't want to? If it weren't for your mother entrusting her child to me with her life, I would have packed my bags and run away long ago!"
Shang Su stacked the copied calligraphy together, looked up and smiled gently: "You're so obedient at times like this. You weren't so reasonable when you were fighting with my mother for my father back then."
“That’s different.” Aunt Liu’s fingers, already rough and dull, twirled the ends of her hair, which were streaked with silver strands, and mumbled incoherently.
Shang Su smiled and asked, "What's different?"
“One thing at a time.” Aunt Liu picked up the calligraphy book she had folded and said with a coquettish smile, “I didn’t run away because you’re still here. With your looks and beautiful handwriting, I’m sure I can sell you for a good price.”
"..." Shang Su picked up her teacup, took a sip, and calmly asked, "Which young master was deceived by you this time?"
“You know him too.” Aunt Liu winked at her.
"……who?"
"You told him you wanted to marry him when you were little."
Shang Su's eyelids twitched, and she fell into deep thought. Since the decline of the Shang family, she had been busy every day to support herself. Because of the rumors, she rarely went out except for business dealings, and had almost no time to reminisce about the past or imagine the future.
"How about it? Do you remember?" Aunt Liu teased her mischievously. "His family heard that you had returned to Anping County, so they came to inquire after you. And he is still unmarried."
"Most importantly, his family has become wealthy."
Shang Su looked at her expressionlessly.
"I've heard that your business is booming, almost surpassing your father's former glory!"
"So? Are you willing or not? They don't care at all whether you have a jinx to your husbands, they specifically asked someone to ask."
"..."
"Chen Changsheng, you know him, don't you?" Aunt Liu confirmed her suspicions by looking at her expression and teased, "You said you wanted to marry him when you were little!"
Instead of answering that, Shang Su said, "You were eavesdropping on our conversation that day."
“You’re standing in the courtyard, anyone passing by can hear you. Do you really need to eavesdrop?” Aunt Liu said dismissively. “So, are you willing or not?”
Shang Su's eyes flickered, but she remained silent for a long while.
Do I even have a choice?
“Of course not,” Aunt Liu said firmly. “I have already accepted their betrothal gifts and given them your birth date and time. You should just wait to get married.”
"..." Shang Su showed an "I knew it" expression, and shrugged, "Whatever."
Aunt Liu looked at her but smiled and said nothing.
Aunt Liu was as efficient as ever, arranging for the two to meet the very next day.
Shang Su, dressed in plain clothes, stood under the eaves, watching Chen Changsheng, who was standing in the courtyard with his hands behind his back and his eyes down, looking at the koi in the lotus pond.
To be honest, his appearance had long since become blurry in her memory, and she couldn't quite remember what he said that day.
At this moment, as he stood in the courtyard, she seemed to remember him from the curve of his lips as he lowered his eyes; it was the same gentle and warm feeling, with a smile in his eyes and brows.
"Su Niang?" Shang Su finally came to her senses when the person was already standing in front of her.
"Young Master Chen."
Chen Changsheng smiled and said gently, "Is Xiao Su being so formal?"
"..."
Shang Su was in a daze for a moment.
The soft "Xiao Su" seemed to transcend the long river of time that separated the two, leaving only a faint intimacy.
Shang Su blushed and lowered her eyes: "Brother Changsheng."
Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "Xiao Su has grown taller."
"Hmm..." Shang Su became shy, wanting to look at him but not daring to look at him too much, "Brother Changsheng has grown much taller."
"Thanks."
A similar conversation ensued, and the two looked at each other and smiled.
When you fall in love at first sight, even after many years, your heart will be captivated before your memories even begin to resonate when you meet again.
The wedding arrangements have been finalized, and the business community hasn't been this lively in a long time.
Aunt Liu drank a large cup of wine, her face flushed, and mumbled to her, "Shang Su, you're finally married!"
"That's all thanks to your persistence in trying to sell me." Shang Su had also drunk quite a bit, her eyes were bright, and she looked radiant.
Aunt Liu smiled and said, "When you get married, I'll pack my bags and run away. I'll never take care of you again!"
"Fine, I've been wanting to get rid of you for a long time! Run, run as far away as possible!"
She glanced at her and teased, "Do you want me to run away faster, or do you want to marry Chen Changsheng sooner?"
"Of course I want you to run away quickly." Shang Su chuckled, quite drunk.
"I think you just want to get married as soon as possible! Chen Changsheng will be back from his business trip tomorrow, and you're just too impatient. It's good that you're married, hurry up and get married so you won't get in my way!"
"Nonsense!"
As they drank, they ended up embracing each other.
Aunt Liu leaned against her and whispered, "Why do you suddenly feel a little reluctant to part with it?"
"No, if you can't bear to part with me, then you have to stay and serve me."
"You brat, you're just trying to mess with your old lady!"
Aunt Liu's sadness vanished suddenly. She pinched her cheek and said, "Live a good life and curb your spoiled princess temper."
"No way! Chen Lang said I'm the gentlest wife he's ever met."
Aunt Liu got goosebumps from her sourness.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
The two drank all three cans of wine clean, their eyes glazed over with intoxication.
"Mother, thank you."
"..." Aunt Liu turned her back, choked back a sob, and pretended not to hear. "Huh? What did you say?"
Shang Su chuckled lightly, not exposing her lie: "It's nothing, I just want to say you're amazing, and that you're the most beautiful!"
"Hmph, that's for sure. Otherwise, how could your father be so infatuated with me?"
"..." Shang Su was speechless.
"Hey, do you want me to share with you how to handle men?" Aunt Liu asked, her interest piqued. She pulled her aside and slurred her words.
"No, I'm not interested!"
"Hey, don't run away! My method is really effective! I guarantee he'll be completely dependent on you!"
"Get out of here!"
Shang Su covered her ears, refusing to listen to those "filthy words".
The two of them pulled and tugged at each other until they both fell onto the bed. As soon as Aunt Liu touched the bed, she fell fast asleep.
Shang Su nestled close to her side, her eyes half-closed, and murmured, "Mother, thank you..."
A smile played on their lips, and they slept soundly through the night.
"Bang bang bang!"
The door was being pounded on.
"It's the merchant's! It's Liu Rumeng!"
A loud, shrill sound woke the two of them.
"What is it?" Shang Su called out from outside.
"Something's happened! Something's happened!"
"Liu Rumeng!" The man clearly didn't recognize her voice. "Something's happened to Liu Rumeng!"
Shang Suxin trembled slightly.
"What's up?"
The man replied anxiously, "Something has happened to the Chen family!"
"Chen Changsheng is dead!"
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Author's Note: I, Hu Hansan, am back!!! Hahahaha! Congratulations on finishing my thesis! [Sprinkling flowers][Go for it!]
P.S.: No rankings this week either, but we updated 7,000 new posts this week! Happy May Day, everyone!! [cheering][confetti][cheering]
[Cheer!][Cheer!][Cheer!] That's true, but I feel it's not as good as the Ansai Waist Drum! [Applause][Applause][Applause][Applause][Applause] Once they start pounding, they go all out, forgetting themselves, going all out! [Applause][Applause][Applause] A hundred or so young men with drums slung across their backs, like a hundred or so stones being repeatedly struck by a strong earthquake, dance wildly before you. [Applause][Applause][Applause][Applause] Like a sudden rainstorm, the drumbeats are rapid; [Applause][Applause][Applause][Applause] Like a whirlwind, the tassels are fluttering; like frogs jumping, the steps are leaping; [Applause][Applause][Applause] Like sparks, the pupils are flashing; [Applause][Applause][Applause][Applause] Like fighting tigers, the posture is strong and vigorous. [Applause][Applause][Applause] On the Loess Plateau, what a magnificent, unrestrained, and fiery dance erupts! [Applause][Applause][Applause]
—Anse Waist Drum!
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