Chapter 77: I am drunk and don’t know what year it is in the palace in heaven.
A warm feeling slowly rose in the courtyard, which had been cold and frosty. The ground was covered with thick snow, which refused to melt. Flakes of snow fell like flying catkins on the hair between their eyebrows. The cups and dishes scattered all over the mahogany table had been cleared away, leaving only a faint aroma of lingering wine and food floating in the soft breeze.
His wife leaned on his shoulder, feeling heavy.
Song Xieqing glanced sideways and saw that Zhu Hao's bun was dotted with fine snow, and her eyebrows, which were like curved and furrowed mountains in the distance, were also white. Song Xieqing raised a hand, wanting to brush away the white hair on her temples, but when his fingertips were about to touch, he retracted his hand.
"Pianpian." A smile flickered in Song Xieqing's eyes. He lowered his head and placed a kiss on his wife's forehead. He whispered, "Snow falls on your bun, and also on my hair. Pianpian, open your eyes and look. Do we look like we've grown old together?"
He held her in his arms, as if holding a drunken ball, soaked in the aroma of wine and food. Song Xieqing found it funny. She was obviously not good at drinking, but she never learned her lesson and kept forcing herself to drink... He remembered that when they got married, she hurriedly gulped down the wedding wine, choking so hard that her face turned red, and she fell asleep.
At this moment, Zhu Hao suddenly thrashed in his arms, pounding his chest with her fists, "Who wants to grow old with you? I... I have a husband! Don't even think about taking advantage of me! I never use the money I earn to support any gigolo other than him! I only support my husband... I only want to grow old with him..."
Zhu Hao's cheeks were rosy, far more beautiful than spring flowers, her drunken eyes seemed to be holding a pool of spring water, and there was still some wine on her lips, which made her look even more charming against the shimmering water, like a drunken plum waiting to be picked in the quiet night.
Song Xieqing held her waist and leaned over to take advantage of her beauty.
Before he plucked a single plum petal, the aroma of alcohol mixed with the warm fragrance of a girl reached his nose. Song Xieqing closed his eyes, but what he was waiting for was not the heart-wrenching softness, but a fierce fist wind.
Feeling a stinging pain, Song Xieqing covered the red patch of skin she had hit. He, the one who had been beaten, hadn't cried yet, but he saw Zhu Hao burst into tears. She cried so hard that she was out of breath, and tears fell like broken strings, hitting her clothes one by one, soaking them with dark spots. Seeing this, Song Xieqing hurriedly took care of her and coaxed her, "Who has made our Pian Pian unhappy? I'll bully her back for you, okay?"
She wiped her tears carelessly and bumped around in his arms like a calf, "Song Xieqing! Song Xieqing bullied me!"
Song Xieqing raised his eyebrows, "How did he bully you? I'll help you beat him up."
Zhu Hao rushed over, his breath scented with wine brushing against his neck. "I won't grow old with him! He...he! He's not even human! He won't grow old at all, only I will! When I'm old and ugly, with gray hair, he might go and harm another girl...He! He's very bad! Song Xieqing can't grow old with me, only I will...I don't like him at all..."
The warmth in his arms and the chill in his heart tore at each other. Song Xieqing was silent for a long time before he uttered, "He is truly evil and deserves to be killed."
He suddenly grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her where her tears had not yet dried. The light at her fingertips flashed and disappeared. "Pianpian, open your eyes and look at me, okay?"
I wish your long and thick eyelashes tremble slightly, and your drunken eyes gradually become clear.
Where was the handsome gentleman in front of her, so attentive to her? She only saw a white-haired old man standing in the snow, his wrinkled face covered with the frost of time, though he still showed a trace of his former elegance and good looks. Unexpectedly, Zhu Hao was startled by him and took a few steps back, stumbling and falling into the snowdrift.
She choked on a few mouthfuls of snow. Song Xieqing dug her out of the snow. Zhu Hao backed away drunkenly again and again, "Get away! You...you're so ugly. I don't like you."
Song Xieqing: ...
Frost dust clung to her eyelashes, and in a trance, Zhu Hao saw ice flowers swirling before her eyes. When she rubbed the fleeting light from her eyes, the old man had transformed into a handsome young man. Zhu Hao drunkenly approached, tiptoeing to get closer to his handsome face, which was reflected in the moonlight. She touched the red mole on Song Xieqing's Adam's apple and said drunkenly, "Huh? Why do you look a bit like my husband?"
Song Xieqing squatted down in front of her, guiding Zhu Hao to touch his cheek. He took the opportunity to kiss the palm of her hand and asked her, "Is it possible that I am your real husband?"
"Don't try to trick me." Zhu Hao wanted to pull her hand back, but Song Xieqing held it tighter. She got anxious and stomped on his boots. "He won't be home so early, you scoundrel, why don't you let me go? If my husband knew..."
Song Xieqing suddenly felt playful, so he took advantage of the situation and pulled her into his arms. The dark black cloak wrapped around them both. His fingertips hooked around the silk ribbon knotted around her waist, and one hand climbed up her back. His warm lips brushed Zhu Hao's earlobe and landed on her neck. The man chuckled, "What would you do if your husband knew?"
"He... he'll kill you! He... he's a vicious monster! Last time a thief touched my hand, my husband grabbed a broom and chased him for thirty miles!"
She whispered, her voice growing fainter and fainter. Zhu Hao felt her head spin. The man lifted her up and held her sideways, forcing her into a pair of deep, long eyes. He asked, "Take a closer look. Who am I?"
Without a second thought, Zhu Hao said, "Lecher."
There was a slight dull pain on her neck. Song Xieqing stroked the pink mark left on her neck, "Pianpian, who am I?"
She groaned, "Anyway, it's not Song Xieqing."
Zhu Hao was held in his arms, her lips sealed, a turmoil surging between her teeth. She was so stifled that her ears and face flushed red. Zhu Hao clutched Song Xieqing's clothes and panted softly, then heard him ask again, "Who am I?"
"Song Xieqing! Song Lang!" She snorted coldly and added, "My pretty husband, are you satisfied?"
"Why are you here again? Who allowed you into my dream..." Zhu Hao hit his shoulder hard, "Get out... Get out! I don't want to dream about you..."
Song Xieqing paused, not just because of her words.
Countless red plum blossoms bloomed on the snow under his feet. His exposed skin was cracked inch by inch, with black smoke curling around the scars and blood rolling on his flesh. Song Xieqing hurriedly put Zhu Hao down and gently touched her between the eyebrows. The next moment, Zhu Hao fell asleep half leaning against the edge of the steps.
Zhu Yan's sharp teeth planted poisonous flames in his meridians, and Song Xieqing's internal organs were gradually eaten away. He was afraid that the dirty blood would stain Zhu Hao, so he staggered back a few steps.
The snow was falling in the air, and the two people who had been playing affectionately just now were now only a foot apart.
Song Xieqing traced her eyebrows and eyes through the wind and snow.
She was taller and rounder than she had been two years ago, but her eyebrows were as light as distant mountains. Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her rosy cheeks, like black butterflies dancing on her eyelashes. Zhu Hao's lips were slightly pursed in a smile, and the rouge at the corners of her eyes was like pink petals. Because of their previous playfulness, a few strands of black hair were scattered in her bun, brushing against her cheeks. A few traces of pink petals left by him were faintly visible on her open collar. Zhu Hao leaned lazily on the steps, quiet and picturesque.
There was a plum blossom in full bloom above her head, the branches climbing up the black tiles, dotted with a few specks of snow. The plum petals fell on her temples in the wind, adding another touch of color.
"Pianpian, when I returned home this time, I saw plum blossoms, very beautiful."
But what kind of plum blossoms were reflected in his eyes?
"Why would I care about your flowers? Xie Qingjun, if you don't return to the Ninth Heaven to recuperate, I'm afraid you'll have to die here." Chi Xing leaned against the eaves and casually plucked a plum blossom. "Xie Qingjun, you might as well guess, if you die, will there be another Song Xie Qing willing to sacrifice his own cultivation to prolong her life?"
Song Xieqing raised his eyes and asked coldly, "Did I allow you to pick flowers?"
Chi Xing was just about to smell the plum fragrance when he paused upon hearing the words. He had no choice but to use a hand gesture to take the plum branch back.
Seeing that his good brother's face looked a little better, Chi Xing couldn't help but recall the look in his eyes when he looked at his sister-in-law just now. It was so tender and gentle that it seemed to melt snow and ice. How come when it turned to him, it was like frozen water, making people feel chilled?
Song Xieqing stared at her for who knows how long, as if he wanted to engrave her features into his heart. It was not until another plum blossom petal fell between her buns that he said resolutely, "Let's go."
Chi Xing stood up slowly, her clothes fluttering as she landed gracefully from the eaves.
Song Xieqing stepped out, but saw two balls of fur blocking his way.
The fat yellow dog of the past has become a majestic guard dog, standing at the doorstep with a proud and proud look. The skinny black and white kitten has now become a big fat cat, which is worthy of the name Yuanyuan.
A cat and a dog squatted in front of the door. Song Xieqing rubbed the heads of the two fur balls. "A loving mother often spoils her child. Did your mother feed her too much?"
When Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan heard this, they drooped their ears, let their furry tails droop, and swept the snow listlessly, humming as if they were scolding him.
…
In just one night, the snow melted away, and several new branches of red plum blossoms appeared in the courtyard. When the wind blew, the whole garden was filled with flowers. When Zhu Hao opened his eyes, he saw a branch of red plum blossoms peeking into the carved window, swaying gracefully in the fragmented light and shadow.
She held her dizzy head, which sometimes felt like it was filled with paste, and sometimes like it was soaked in cold water. But on second thought, these two situations were not that different.
Zhu Hao stretched her arms and legs on the warm quilt. She rolled over several times before the confusion in her head slowly dissipated and her mind became a little clearer.
last night……
She jumped up from the couch, without even putting on her shoes or socks, and rushed out the door. However, after she took a few barefoot steps, someone's resentful reminders rang in her mind like a ghost, such as remember to wear shoes when going out and remember to put on clothes when it's cold in winter.
Zhu Hao let out a muffled groan from his nose, and reluctantly went back to put on his slippers and clothes.
After getting dressed, Zhu Hao pushed open the door and hurried across the corridor. He caught Miao Li tending to the flowers in the hallway and asked, "Where are the others?"
Miaoli paused with the scissors in her hand, unable to tell for a moment whether she was talking about a man or a woman, or whether he was fat or thin. "Who are you asking about, sister? We didn't have any guests today, and yesterday...last night's banquet has all dispersed."
Zhu Hao went straight to the point: "Has your brother-in-law never come home?"
As soon as these words came out, the woman in front of him almost lost her grip on the scissors. "Brother-in-law?"
Could it be that my sister is sick with longing and has hallucinations?
How could Zhu Hao not understand Miaoli's expression? She stopped asking questions and forced herself to smile. She patted Miaoli's shoulder and said with a laugh, "Nothing... I... my sister was confused from sleeping."
She walked back the same way, taking off her coat and kicking off her winter boots. Since he hadn't come back, why should she pretend? Anyway, no one dared to say anything bad about her!
Before she had walked ten steps, Zhu Hao turned back cursing. She bent down to pick up her clothes and boots and put them on again. Her body was warmed by the cloak and her feet were also warmed by the winter boots.
Zhu Hao placed her hands on her hips, feeling a sense of bewilderment. What did his return home have to do with her getting dressed and slipping on? Could it be that if Song Xieqing never came home, she would never be able to live a good life? Was it okay for him to abuse his own health by not coming home, not keeping an eye on her? In other words, wasn't this behavior a disgrace to Song Xieqing, who had risked his life for her?
As she walked, she suddenly smelled a cold fragrance lingering in her nose, and a shadow fell in front of her eyes. She looked up, and saw a red plum blossom bending down along the eaves above her head, which made her eyes hot and her heart beat fast.
"Pianpian, when I returned home this time, I saw plum blossoms, very beautiful."
Who dropped those nonsensical words into her ears?
Last night's dream was like a broken mirror, no matter how you piece it together, there are still cracks left.
...Drinking really does cause trouble.
Zhu Hao squatted on the ground with her hands covering her dizzy head. In a flash, a flash of inspiration flashed through her mind, and she stood up and ran straight to the inner room.
As soon as I entered the house, I saw some square boxes wrapped in brocade piled under the window, with a red plum blossom on top of them.
Zhu Hao stepped forward, her eyes filled with bitterness. She had only just discovered such a conspicuous object...
A rough count revealed that there were nearly ten of them. Each box was carefully wrapped in silk with patterns of flowers and birds, with a note pressed on the strap. The handwriting seemed a little sloppy compared to last time.
He really came.
But since he was here, why was he in such a hurry to leave? She was so drunk last night that she didn't have time to look at him carefully or hug him.
It felt like something in her heart had collapsed, weighing her down to the point where she couldn't breathe. For some reason, Zhu Hao suddenly saw a scoundrel covered in blood.
It turned out that it could rain inside the house, and the raindrops hit the paper like beads, blurring the words. Zhu Hao wiped it off in a hurry, and now a large area of the paper was blurred.
"Song Xieqing..." She refused to do it anymore, fell to the ground, and rolled back and forth on the lichen. "Go home and write a new one..."
…
Outside a spacious area beside the Qiqu Bridge, long plain silk gauze fluttered in the wind, and all the furnishings inside were half-hidden and half-exposed. The breeze brought the clear voice of a woman lecturing intermittently. The people of Huaicheng were no longer surprised by this, and it was not a rare thing after all. This place was originally the outer grounds of a school bought by the Shi family in their early years. After being abandoned for many years, it was bought by Zhu Hao, a well-known female businessman in Huaicheng.
Everyone originally thought that Shopkeeper Zhu was doing very well in the business world, and they were excited about hiring a few teachers to reopen the school and think about teaching and promoting education. Moreover, the son of the Shi family had been exiled for several years and had now been transferred to Kyoto. Although he was only a low-rank historian, he was still a Beijing official after all. If the son of Shi returned home, he might come here to give a lecture because of their childhood friendship with Shopkeeper Zhu. Thinking of this, the people nearby planned to send their useless children here to be educated.
Unexpectedly, Shopkeeper Zhu refused them all.
There was only one reason. It was not because her son was stupid, nor because he was poor and shabby. The reason was that this woman did not buy this place to re-establish a private school. She wanted to discuss historical stories and anecdotes here in her spare time, and most of them were related to the fallen immortal Song Lang.
What a disgrace! This woman really has the spirit to ruin Huaicheng!
Even so, it's not that there are no listeners at all. It's just that after a class, more than half of the ten or so cushions that are usually placed there are often empty. However, the situation is much better than when it was first set up a few years ago. Sometimes there would be no one to be seen throughout the whole day.
Zhu Hao looked at the seven or eight people in the hall, including an elderly man with a cane, a young girl who had just reached marriage, and a scholar in plain clothes. She breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that the time was almost up, she asked the servants to put away the writing utensils, and she herself sorted out the yellowed books on the desk in the hall.
Looking up, he saw several people lifting their silk and preparing to leave. Zhu Hao pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Once prejudice takes root, it will be like the roots of an ancient tree. Even if I stand in this hall and argue every day, even if I put irrefutable evidence before everyone, they will only believe what they believe. The reason I opened this hall..."
Before she could finish her words, the girl holding the scroll turned her head. Her eyes were clear and crisp as she spoke, "Even if the flowers don't bloom, someone still has to plant the seeds, right? That's what my sister always tells us."
According to etiquette, the person who teaches should be addressed respectfully as "Teacher" or "Master", but Zhu Hao thought she was not very talented or knowledgeable. Besides, although she occasionally talked about some test strategies in class, most of the time she focused on Song Xieqing.
She is selfish and should not be called a teacher.
How could Song Xieqing be cleared of these false charges? She racked her brains, but could find no answer. A century later, the situation seemed almost unsolvable, a dead end. It wasn't just Song Xieqing; countless others, throughout the ages, had been tainted by the filth. And how many traitors had managed to cleanse the tainted history books and turn them into a pure and clear history?
But rather than just sitting there and waiting for death, she had to at least take the first step, right? Even if this method was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree...
The injustice that cannot be cleared today may be redressed a hundred years later, and may be vindicated a thousand years later.
When she came to her senses, the hall was empty.
As dusk fell, a large patch of rosy clouds appeared, dyeing the peaks and ridges. However, when viewed through the veil, it did not seem very real, but just as hazy as usual.
Zhu Hao was about to leave, and just as his fingertips touched a corner of the silk gauze, another bony hand lifted the gauze first, and their fingertips touched at that moment.
At this moment, half of the sky was aquamarine, and the other half was fiery red, and he was standing under the thousands of feet of red clouds.
"Pianpian, I'll take you home."
She smiled and said yes, but in the blink of an eye she looked past him to see the red clouds in the distance.
I don’t know what year it is in the palace in heaven.
…
It was midsummer and dusk was falling. Miaoli had already prepared dinner and was squatting by the small pond with a dish of fish in his hand.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside the yard and knew that the couple had returned.
Looking up, she saw the couple walking hand in hand across the threshold. Miaoli saw her brother-in-law frowning, and her heart tightened. She saw Song Xieqing striding forward, snatching the fish food from her hand, and looking at it. She said thoughtfully, "Didn't Yuanyuan eat the red carp in the pond a few days ago? I'll raise snakehead fish instead. It's ugly, and Yuanyuan won't eat it. But the fish food I originally fed the red carp will also have to be changed..."
Miaoli said "Oh" sullenly, and she didn't know why her brother-in-law had been so concerned about fish since he came home last month. But when would he understand that a clear pond must be raised with koi, red-scaled fish and other beautiful fish. Since they are raised in the courtyard pond, isn't the purpose of raising them pleasing to the eye?
Now, look what happened! There are a few black snakehead fish lying in the pond, with ugly snake-like markings. It’s better not to keep them!
Song Xieqing placed the fish food on the edge of the pond, then wrapped Zhu Hao's hand in his palm. He said gently, "Pian Pian, why don't you go and have your meal? You've been lecturing in the hall for a long time just now, you must be tired. Can I massage your shoulders and back in the evening? Pian Pian, why bother with all my trivial matters? It's not worth it. I am just as Huai Min said, a rotten person and scum, unforgivable and deserving of death. Besides, why would I care what others think of me? All I care about is..."
Zhu Hao smiled and continued, "I know you don't care what others think. You only care about what I think, right?"
Miaoli didn't know what the two were talking about. He saw the couple leaving together, so he washed his hands and went into the hall to have his meal.
As soon as he entered the hall, he saw his sister put a piece of white and tender fish into his brother-in-law's bowl. The corners of Song Xieqing's mouth twitched slightly.
Yuanyuan doesn't eat the ugly snakehead fish, but that doesn't mean people don't eat them either! Poor snakehead fish, despite its ugly appearance, can't escape being eaten.
Song Xieqing picked up the fish with his chopsticks, but was not in a hurry to eat it. Instead, he rolled it in the sauce again, and then passed it to Zhu Hao's lips, "The belly of the fish is the most delicious, Pianpian, try it first."
Miaoli saw the couple being so affectionate with each other that he was already full before he could even have his meal!
My sister and her husband have been married for nearly twenty years. Even though he's been away from home for ten years and rarely seen, my sister has never blamed him for it. They're still as affectionate as ever...
She is not young anymore, she will be 36 next month, but she needs to find a husband.
But my sister also said that marriage is not something that can be rushed, and one should never rush into it just because others are in pairs... Now that I am with my sister, my life is quite comfortable and relaxed.
…
The days of summer dawn earlier than usual. South Lane is mostly occupied by the mansions of wealthy families. There are few street vendors along the street. Some are exquisitely decorated shops. If you don't want to find a stall, you have to go to the alley, where there are a few families setting up small stalls.
The food supply at home was almost gone. Although Fang Xuyin had cleared a vegetable garden in the yard, it was not yet the autumn harvest season. Today, Chen Ci happened to have a day off, so the couple went out to buy some food together. They visited the shops one by one and soon bought everything they needed. Chen Ci held the seasonal fruits and vegetables in one hand and held Fang Xuyin's hand in the other. In the gradually hot morning light, their shadows were leaning against each other.
"I wonder if Aunt Zhang has returned from her hometown..." Fang Xuyin muttered casually. Chen Ci thought for a moment and asked with a smile, "Are you worried about her chestnut cakes?"
Fang Xuyin waved her hand, "What a guess, you know I don't like sweet things."
"Didn't Young Master Song return home last month?" Her tone suddenly turned cold when she mentioned him. This mud pig and scabby dog hadn't been heard from in ten years. Pian Pian had wasted all her best years on him. "Pian Pian often complains about Aunt Zhang, saying that her husband is greedy."
She paused at this point, "But I clearly remember... a few years ago, Pian Pian held up a freshly steamed chestnut cake and asked me what was wrong with it. That damned man didn't like it. I just thought her handsome husband was picky and didn't like sweet things. It turns out he just didn't like the chestnut cake made by his wife."
Fang Xuyin couldn't help but curse a few times under her breath. Chen Ci rarely heard her curse, so she couldn't help laughing for a moment.
After she calmed down a bit, Chen Ci asked tentatively, "Then... shall we go to the neighborhood to see if Aunt Zhang has returned?"
"Okay."
The two chatted along the way and soon arrived at the neighborhood. The place was not big and could only accommodate five or six families setting up stalls. One could see everything at a glance just by standing at the entrance. However, they saw that Aunt Zhang's stall was still covered with a tarpaulin, which showed that she had obviously not returned to the city yet.
In this case, the two of them should have turned around and left, but they happened to meet the eyes of two other people in the neighborhood.
Fang Xuyin was stunned for a moment, then she tugged at Chen Ci's sleeve and whispered, "Let's go."
Over twenty years have passed, what's the difference between us now and strangers? Since I didn't see the chestnut cake that Pian Pian wanted, I shouldn't have stayed any longer.
Fang Xuyin and Chen Ci were not affected by the eye contact just now. Instead, there was a sense of tension in the narrow alley.
Wanqi Yi threw the kneaded dough heavily onto the chopping board, shocking his son who was practicing calligraphy at the desk nearby.
You Heng frowned and said in a deep voice, "Everything is fine, what's wrong with you? Li'er is still studying, if you want to lose your temper..."
"I'm not satisfied with anything!" Wan Qiyi sneered and asked, "Learn calligraphy? Tell me, what's the point of learning calligraphy? What's the point of being your son, a yellow scroll and a green lamp?!"
You Li had long been accustomed to his parents' occasional quarrels, but he did not quite understand what his mother said. He had always been among the top three in the school, and his teacher also praised him for his intelligence... In this case, how could studying be useless?
Although his parents moved him out of the big house a few years ago, and there were still a group of bad guys chasing his parents to collect debts all day long, he was a good student. As long as he grew up, he would make great achievements and move his parents back to the big house.
My father lost his temper and became a taciturn person, his mouth as sharp as a saw. But my mother kept on chattering, "Why were you staring at her just now? Your eyes almost popped out of your head! Don't you know that she's now the wife of the county magistrate, You Heng! Open your eyes and look at me for who I am? A shabby-looking guy selling pot cakes at a stall! I've been suffering here with you, but you, on the other hand, have other people's wives gone away, and your thoughts have drifted away too! Before I married you, I was raised as a precious treasure by my father! Five years ago, your business with your uncle was exposed, and who was it that stood by you through it all? It was me! What, you're still not satisfied?!"
She asked at the top of her lungs, "You Heng! What on earth were you looking at just now?"
"Have you had enough of the commotion?" You Heng pointed at the people who were setting up stalls in the neighborhood and watching the fun. "There are too many people here. If you have anything to say, let's go home and talk."
"What?! Are you afraid of losing face again? What face do you have left to lose? Do you still think you are a virtuous gentleman? You are clinging to your fake skin tightly and refuse to tear it apart! You dare to say that she has left just now, what are you still looking at with your eyes that have been dug out? What are you thinking about in your heart? I think you have forgotten who has been eating coarse food with you all these years!"
Wan Qiyi burst into tears. "They say I'm too precious to endure hardship, but when you got into trouble, who gritted their teeth and followed you? You Heng! You've hurt me and your son too! Your You family is full of jinxes!"
You Heng raised her eyes, bloodshot all over, "In that case, take Li'er back to Qizhou."
"Go back! Of course I have to go back!" She fished out a divorce letter from her sleeve. The cover was already yellowed and wrinkled, indicating that it had been prepared for many years. Wanqi Yi threw the divorce letter in You Heng's face, "Daddy advised me to divorce you, but I would rather sever the father-daughter blood relationship... I am so stupid."
He picked up the divorce letter and laughed, "That's great. I've had enough."
Wanqi Yi pulled You Li over and was about to leave, but You Li clung to the low table, "Mother... where are we going? Don't you want your father anymore? I, I... my homework... the teacher will check it tomorrow. Once I finish it, your anger will subside. Mother, please wait for Li Er... When Li Er grows up, buy you a big house! The teacher always praises my writing, saying that scholars can make a name for themselves..."
Without waiting for Wanqi Yi to say anything, You Heng grabbed his son and threw him outside the neighborhood. The Huai people who came to watch the fun kept talking about how sad it was that the You family, once a wealthy family, had ended up in such a state.
You Heng said indifferently, "Go back to Qizhou with your mother. If she despises you so much, why are you still staying?"
You Li was startled, realizing that his parents were really getting a divorce. He burst into tears and threw himself on Wan Qiyi's legs. "Mom, I don't want you to be separated from Dad. Can we take Dad with us? I don't want Mom and Dad to be separated... Li'er will study hard and won't make Mom and Dad angry."
"Idiot! You're just like your father!" Wanqi Yi raised his voice and said harshly, "Why don't you understand? Mother said it! Even if you study like crazy, it's useless! Your father has ruined you! Your father committed a crime and just got out of jail! This has affected three generations of your descendants and prevented them from taking the imperial examinations. Your surname is You! What's the point of reading more? With a father who's been in jail like this, you'll never pass the imperial examinations in your lifetime, You Li, is Mother clear enough?"
You Li stopped crying and sat on the ground blankly.
"Mother has had enough. Mother wants to go back to Qizhou and continue being the eldest daughter... Are you leaving or not? If not, you will follow your father and sell pot cakes here for the rest of your life!"
-----------------------
The author has something to say: I don’t know what year it is in the palace of heaven tonight - Song of Water Melody (When Will the Bright Moon Appear) by Su Shi, Song Dynasty
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
