Chapter 52 A couple must be of one mind to advance and retreat, using minimal effort to achieve maximum effect; a father and daughter must…
As night deepened, a chilly autumn breeze blew in, and Zeng Zhengqing got up to close the window. He went back and lifted the bed curtains, intending to enter the tent, when he suddenly saw Qingduo's sleeping face. He casually hooked the bed curtains up, sat on the edge of the bed, and gazed at her intently.
Her face was deathly pale in the moonlight. She seemed to be dreaming, her eyelashes trembling uneasily, and her fists clenched tightly on the pillow.
Zeng Zhengqing sighed. He couldn't help but stroke Qingduo's face, but he couldn't wipe away the worry on her face. Her plump, dandelion-like face had been blown away by the wind and rain, her stem broken, and thick white sap was flowing out.
His heart, like a weight, sank heavily, breaking the already unbalanced scales within him and causing his heart to tilt completely towards Qingduo.
Zeng Zhengqing lay down beside Qingduo, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her eyebrows and eyes, clearly having made a decision.
Sure enough, he couldn't stand idly by.
*
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The knocking woke Qingduo from her sleep. Still half-asleep, she wondered, what was going on? Was Aunt Feng next door making dumplings again? But why so early in the morning?
Never mind, I have to get up and go to her house. Aunt Feng is so hospitable. Every time I go, she either gives me sweet potatoes or rice cakes.
Qingduo seemed to smell the aroma of dumplings. She opened her heavy eyelids with all her might, and the exquisite wooden carvings around the bed came into view. Only then did she realize that she had already married.
What was that sound?
"Fang Qing, Fang Qing?" She lay motionless, calling out lazily a few times.
The sound stopped, and Fangqing walked in, replying, "What are your orders, young mistress?"
Qingduo rubbed her temples and casually asked, "What was that sound just now?"
Fang Qing said with a grin, "I'm pounding balsam flowers right now, and I'll be dyeing the young mistress's nails in a bit."
“Oh, so you were pounding…” Upon hearing the word “pounding,” Qingduo suddenly thought of something, her expression turned strange, and she stopped what she was doing. She called out to Fangqing, “Um… don’t pound… don’t do it.”
"Why? Didn't you like it when I painted your nails last time?" Fang Qing asked curiously.
"Anyway... don't do it anymore," Qingduo grumbled.
Fang Qing was stunned for a moment. When she saw Qing Duo pull the quilt over herself, she thought that Qing Duo was going to continue sleeping. So she tiptoed out, wondering to herself, "Why did the young mistress's ears turn red just now?"
Qingduo didn't lift the covers and breathe heavily until the door closed. Her face was already flushed.
The pain returned that night, and she inevitably had absurd associations:
The hard pestle pounded heavily into the mortar...
Qingduo covered her face:
The mortar... how much pain it must be in!
*
Inside Shouzhen Hall.
"What a rare guest! Young Master Dong, would you like to choose another book?" Sai Linfu asked tentatively, seeing Dong Wenyuan's gloomy face.
"I wouldn't dare. If even one book affects my luck, wouldn't two books ruin my writing career?" Dong Wenyuan said sarcastically.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” Sailinfu said, displeased but still smiling. “I remember the book you published at my shop last time was very popular, and Young Master Dong’s fame also increased. You gained both fame and profit. It’s not too much for me to say that this is thanks to my shop, is it?”
"Honors? Answer me that question first, and then we'll discuss whether it's merit or not!" Dong Wenyuan tapped the table with his middle finger. "I'm asking you, we agreed on a buyout last time, so why is that family coming to me again demanding money? Did you not give them the money at all?"
“How could that be?” Serin said casually, adjusting his cuffs. “They were just too greedy.”
Dong Wenyuan looked at him with suspicion: "Don't lie to me! Duo Xian told me everything!"
Sailinfu's smile froze on his face: "Who is Duoxian?"
"Hmph! You don't even know, Duoxian!" Dong Wenyuan stood up irritably and paced back and forth. "Not only does Duoxian say this, but the more I think about it, the more something seems off. The reason they keep coming to me is probably because they haven't received the money at all!"
He stood still, pointed at Sailinfu, and said angrily, "You probably pocketed it all! You didn't give them a single cent!"
"I don't care! I haven't shortchanged you on any money. You should give them whatever amount you owe them! Don't ruin my future because of this nonsense!" he said angrily, flicking his sleeve.
Sailinfu gave a forced smile and said, "Young Master Dong, please don't be angry. Please sit down. Let's talk this out."
After Dong Wenyuan sat down, he slowly said, "I don't know why Young Master Dong would have such a misunderstanding. I am just an honest businessman!"
"As for what you said, I've already had it settled in one go. It's really going too far for them to harass you like this! I'll go check right now. If they think it's not enough, I'll just add some myself. In any case, I can't let them come knocking on your door again and again!"
Dong Wenyuan looked at him with a smile on his face, but not in his eyes. Every wrinkle at the corner of his eyes seemed to hide a scheme.
What "add some yourself"?! How could someone like Sailinfu possibly have a genuine act of kindness? He's just making up a good excuse for himself!
He became increasingly certain that this person had embezzled the money, thus erasing his good deeds and causing his own story to get worse and worse!
Duo Xian is indeed a celestial being; if it weren't for her, I would still be in the dark!
Dong Wenyuan had no intention of exposing him, as long as he could resolve the matter. However, he had lost the trust of Serinfu, so he said, "Then please keep your word, Manager Sai. If this family comes to me again, don't blame me for being impolite."
"I'm not that kind of person! I still want to do business with Young Master Dong!" Sai Linfu forced a smile. But as soon as Dong Wenyuan left, the smile vanished completely. He pondered, "Duo Xian... such a strange name, could she be someone's lover?"
He coldly called out:
"Dacheng, go and find out in the store if anyone knows 'Duoxian'? Also, who leaked what happened in our store?"
*
Qingduo, carrying a small satchel containing her finished painting of a silk fan, was on her way to Zhuniang's grape-covered courtyard. Passing through a narrow alley, she encountered a fisherman dressed in a straw hat, selling fish to his neighbors. The two of them completely blocked the road.
Fortunately, just as Qingduo was about to get close, the fisherman stepped aside, allowing Qingduo to squeeze through. The sound of fish thrashing violently came from the basket on the ground. She couldn't help but glance back.
With just one glance, the fisherman immediately turned his back. Qingduo thought disdainfully, "He's looking at the fish, who cares about you!"
But why does that back view look...so familiar?
She stared at his retreating figure, and an unbelievable thought popped into her head. Before she could say it, the fisherman suddenly grabbed his fish basket and ran away.
"Tang Ali! Stop! You stop right there!" Qingduo chased after him angrily.
The big carp was still wagging its tail in his hand when his neighbor shouted blankly from behind, "Hey! Old Tang! I haven't paid yet!"
As soon as Tang Li turned onto the new road, Qing Duo grabbed his waist belt and said breathlessly, "I'm not running anymore, I'm not running anymore, I can't run anymore..." As he spoke, he slowly sat down against the wall, panting heavily.
"How come you caught fish again? Did you buy another boat?" Qingduo said irritably.
Last time, Dad and the boat sank, and he didn't wake up for several days. It terrified her. Because of the fall into the water, Dad's hands still shake, and he can't paint!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she couldn't help but scold, "You can't do this! Aunt Zhu and I are very worried about you! We thought you had taken up chess recently and stopped going fishing on the lake!"
As she spoke, a thought suddenly struck her, and she asked with a dark expression, "Wait, is there really no such thing as playing chess? Every time you say you're going to play chess, you're actually going fishing?"
"So what if I am!" Tang Li, seeing that he had been exposed, decided to go all out and shouted defiantly, "That's right! I went fishing! Am I not old enough to be ignorant? Do I need a child like you to teach me?"
"I'm not a child!" Qingduo retorted angrily. "I'm married!"
“You don’t even have children, what kind of adult are you! Besides, in the eyes of us parents, our children will always be children!” Tang Li said righteously.
Qingduo was speechless for a moment, then said angrily, "In short, you are not allowed to go!"
"You're being unreasonable, Tang Azhao!" Tang Li said with displeasure. "When you were little, you fell from a tree and scared your mother and me half to death. Later, you were still obsessed with climbing trees, and we turned a blind eye and tacitly approved of it, didn't we?"
“I told you about this before, you have to learn to respect other people’s decisions!”
“But, but…” Qingduo pouted, feeling wronged, and said, “I’ve already lost my mother. If something else happens, I, I don’t want to…” She didn’t dare to say the rest, fearing that her words might come true.
Tang Li's heart softened suddenly. He supported himself on the ground with both hands, slowly stood up, sighed, and said, "Ah Zhao, your father didn't buy a boat this time. Your father is on someone else's boat. It's stable and sturdy, so nothing will happen. Everyone on the boat can swim. Even if I fall in, someone will immediately rescue me. You don't need to worry."
"We can't just stop touching anything related to water because of one drowning incident, can we? That would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater!"
"Dad will live a long, long life to stay with you, okay?"
He wanted to pat Qingduo's head to comfort him, but when he reached out, he smelled a fishy odor, so he could only pat her from a distance as a gesture.
Qingduo nodded silently. She bent down to pick up the fish basket, intending to carry it on her back, but Tang Li took it from her and carried it properly. The two walked towards the grape courtyard in tacit agreement. On the way, Qingduo suddenly asked in surprise:
"Hey? Your hand isn't shaking anymore? How can you fish with shaking hands? Won't it scare the fish away?"
"Why isn't it shaking?" Tang Li quickly held out his right hand for Qing Duo to see; that hand was clearly trembling from side to side. Seeing the look of heartache on Qing Duo's face, he sighed:
"Sigh, look at your dad, he's still the same as ever, he'll never be able to paint again in this lifetime!"
Qingduo immediately said, "Father, don't be sad. Teach me everything, and I will pass on your skills!"
“Yes!” Tang Li said, “I only have our A-Zhao! After all, your use of color is extraordinary, and you learn things very quickly.”
Qingduo nodded vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly with the praise: "Yes! I am very talented!"
Tang Li seized the opportunity to say, "So you still have to finish the erotic painting that you owe your father. I will tell him that it was painted by my disciple, the one whose style is most similar to mine in the whole world. This is the only way he can get the painting of 'Dreamy Immortal'."
"You must study painting diligently, not only to reach my level, but also to surpass me!"
"Yes! I will try my best again!" Qingduo clenched her fists and said firmly.
He still calls himself an adult... A smile crept across Tang Li's lips, but he's still completely childish!
*
Qingduo's "Fan Painting" received high praise from Tang Li, who stamped it with the seal "Dreaming of Immortals" and added a few words in the upper left corner:
"A gentle wave of a silk fan conveys sorrow; what does it matter if the path of learning is fraught with difficulties? Diligent painting will lead to wondrous realms; when the time is right, fame will naturally follow."
He put down his pen and smiled at Qingduo, "Go exchange some spare money and buy some snacks!"
Zhu Niang burst out laughing: "Oh dear, that's enough for our A Zhao to eat for several months!"
Qingduo was both surprised and delighted. First, her father approved of her work; second, the "Dreamy Immortal" seal indicated their master-disciple relationship, meaning this painting would surely earn her a large sum of money. Her heart was itching with excitement, and she couldn't wait to roll it up. Tang Li stopped her and said to Zhu Niang:
“This painting is related to ‘Dreaming of the Immortals’, so we can’t let A-Zhao sell it.”
"Dreaming of Immortals" is named after erotic paintings, so it's not appropriate to let Qingduo, the wife of the Zeng family, show her face and attract gossip. Zhu Niang nodded and said, "I'll go."
Zhu Niang took the painting to "Mingzhu Yazhai" to sell it, and then gave the money to Qing Duo. Qing Duo was overjoyed to receive the money, as this was the first time she had earned money from selling a painting. She bought wine, snacks, cooked food, and cold dishes, and went straight to Lu Nong to share it with her.
"Sister Lu Nong! Sister Lu Nong!" As soon as she saw Lu Nong's courtyard gate, she shouted loudly.
It was indeed Zhu Yi who came out. He saw Qingduo bent over, carrying large and small bags on her back, looking like a hedgehog with its quills popped open, each quill pierced with prickles. Even before she got close, a mixed fragrance wafted on the wind, making one's mouth water.
He stepped forward and took the sweet burden from Qingduo, teasing her, "Little hedgehog, are you moving?"
Qingduo was panting heavily. She wiped the sweat from her face and followed him into the courtyard. Just as she was about to answer, she saw two people sitting in the courtyard, facing her. One of them was Sister Lu Nong. The other person turned around and smiled at her when he heard her.
"Qingqing?" Qingduo asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
Qingduo's gaze swept over everyone; they all smiled but remained silent. Just as she was about to urge them on, another person, equally impatient, spoke up:
"Your husband is going to sign Lu Nong!" Zhu Yi said.
Qingduo was taken aback. Didn't Qingqing not do business selling storybooks? She looked at Zeng Zhengqing with some doubt, and only when she saw him nodding with a smile did she realize that it was true.
A wave of joy washed over her, completely engulfing her. She excitedly met Zeng Zhengqing's gaze, and seeing his gentle smile, she understood that he had finally decided to stand by her side and stand with her through thick and thin.
Oh, Bodhisattva! How happy she is!
That evening, a banquet was held under the apricot tree. The two girls sat together affectionately. A roast chicken from Fuyuanju was placed in front of Lu Nong. She tore off a chicken leg and put it in Qing Duo's bowl. Qing Duo smiled sweetly and said coquettishly, "Sister Lu Nong is the best to me!"
Zhu Yi quickly tore off another chicken leg and placed it in Lu Nong's bowl. Lu Nong blushed and thanked him softly. Zeng Zhengqing tactfully raised his glass to drink, avoiding eye contact. When he looked up at Qing Duo, he saw her smiling as she ate her chicken leg while watching the commotion with relish. He couldn't help but smile and shake his head.
Zhu Yi suddenly picked up his wine glass, stood up, cleared his throat, and said loudly to Zeng Zhengqing, "Zeng Qingqing, you helped Miss Lu Nong, I want to toast you!"
In an instant, the room fell silent. Zhu Yi looked around in surprise; everyone was stunned and motionless.
"Clang—" Qingduo's chicken leg fell from her hand and smashed into the bowl.
She didn't even bother to wipe the grease from her lips, and stammered, "Is...is this intimate?"
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