Chapter 16 Repairing the Roof
Mantou led Fu Yunxiu into the room, then left with the basin of water. Fu Yunxiu stood in front of the bed and opened the window. What he saw diagonally opposite was the wisps of smoke rising from the kitchen in the backyard.
Wutong Garden has never seemed as lively and bustling as it is today.
Fu Yunxiu twitched the corner of his mouth, closed the window, and sat there in a daze.
A moment later, the door was pushed open from the outside. Fu Yunxiu thought it was Mantou who came in, but instead it was Aman who walked in.
"Young master, let me help you wash up." Aman entered the room, skillfully placed the basin on the wooden shelf, and then casually wet the handkerchief.
Recalling how embarrassing it was for Aman to see him fall off the bed last night, Fu Yunxiu's expression became rather unnatural. "Why is it you? Where's Mantou?"
"Brother Mantou had a stomachache and went to the outhouse," Aman lied through his teeth.
Actually, when Mantou went to the kitchen to fetch water, she mentioned that Fu Yunxiu had woken up. Aman was afraid that he would stay in the room like before and not be able to see her, so she thought she would take the opportunity to come and see him. That's why she took the initiative to do this job and asked Mantou to watch the fire for her.
Fu Yunxiu carefully examined Aman, only to find that her expression remained unchanged, and there was no pity or disgust in her clear eyes, as if what happened last night had never happened.
She is indeed a peculiar woman.
As for what Aman said, Fu Yunxiu didn't believe a word of it. He had been sitting by the window the whole time; how could he not know whether anyone had passed through the courtyard?
Fu Yunxiu gave a faint "hmm," and Aman, not caring whether she believed him or not, scooped out a handkerchief and handed it to him.
Fu Yunxiu washed his hands, took the handkerchief, and carefully wiped his face.
Her large, well-defined hands gripped a handkerchief, wiping her pale skin until it regained a touch of color, giving her a somewhat fair and beautiful appearance. Her lovely eyebrows and eyes peeked out from under the handkerchief, like a game of hide-and-seek, making Aman's heart itch with desire.
"Young Master." Aman couldn't help but take two steps forward, wanting to see more clearly.
Upon hearing the sound, Fu Yunxiu stopped what he was doing, opened his narrow eyes, which were slightly moist, like the sky after being washed by rain, and fell into Aman's eyes unexpectedly.
"Cough cough cough," Aman was startled when he suddenly opened his eyes. Caught off guard, he choked on his own saliva and coughed repeatedly. He quickly turned his back and said, "Cough cough cough, sir, I'm sorry."
Fu Yunxiu was also confused by the scene before him. Ignoring Aman, he threw the handkerchief back into the basin and picked up the toothbrush to clean his teeth.
Ah Man felt extremely embarrassed by what she had done and dared not approach Fu Yunxiu anymore. She then spontaneously went to make Fu Yunxiu's bed.
The quilt on the bed was spread out flat, and the sheets were neatly arranged, which meant that Fu Yunxiu had tidied it up in the morning.
Remembering what Mantou had said earlier, that the young master was a little angry when he found out that she had told Mantou about his leg pain flare-up, Aman thought that perhaps he didn't want Mantou to find out anything, so he deliberately made a fuss about it.
But although the young master was angry that she had told Mantou about his illness, he did not blame her.
Young master, you are a good person, and a good person who is also stubborn.
Considering that she was currently sharing a room with the young master and he hadn't asked her to leave, Aman understood that his earlier statement forbidding her from serving him personally was clearly invalid.
The young master truly intends to let her stay.
Ah Man was overjoyed. She quickly folded the quilt and placed five clods of dirt at the foot of the bed, planning to take them out later.
Clumps of dirt are everywhere in this small courtyard, but scraps of cloth are scarce; they can still be used after washing.
After Aman finished making the bed, Fu Yunxiu had already cleaned his teeth and started styling his hair.
He has a lot of hair, and it's quite long, but because he eats a light diet, his hair looks a bit rough; the strands are very thin and slightly yellowish.
Aman saw that he had tried to comb his hair several times but could not get it completely up. She wanted to help him, but ultimately hesitated because of the strict separation between men and women.
“Young master, how about I let Brother Mantou come in and help you tie your hair?” Aman suggested.
"No need," Fu Yunxiu refused directly. Actually, he usually took care of his own hair, but today there was a pair of eyes watching him from behind, making him feel very uncomfortable.
"My desk is a bit messy, go tidy it up, just make sure you don't mix things up." Fu Yunxiu made up an excuse to send her away.
"Oh, okay." It was rare for Fu Yunxiu to assign her a task, so Aman naturally accepted it with great joy.
When Aman walked to the desk, he found that there were only a few books that had not been put on the bookshelf, and it was not considered messy.
Without Aman's scorching gaze, Fu Yunxiu finally felt much more at ease and quickly tied his hair up.
Looking at his blurry face in the bronze mirror, Fu Yunxiu felt nothing. From childhood to adulthood, people always said he had a handsome appearance, but more than a face, he wanted a pair of healthy legs, or rather, a healthy body.
A hint of disgust flashed in his clear black and white eyes. Before Fu Yunxiu could even process any other emotions, he heard Aman call out to him, "Young Master, where is this copy of 'Leisurely Notes'?"
"The second shelf from the far right," Fu Yunxiu answered casually, then realized, "You can read?"
“Yes, I know him a little bit,” Aman said.
This wasn't Ah Man being modest; it was the truth. Originally, the old woman intended to teach her many words, but she thought it was too difficult and kept making excuses, saying she would wait a little longer. As a result, the old woman passed away before she could finish teaching her.
Thinking of her grandmother, Aman's mood couldn't help but sink. Finding the second shelf on the far right, Aman placed the book inside, and tidied up the other books scattered on the shelf as well. Fu Yunxiu was somewhat surprised. He had already been astonished by Aman's knowledge of tea ceremony, and although he had suspected she could read, he hadn't expected her to actually be literate.
Fu Yunxiu thought of Aman's background. She was raised by her grandmother, so all of this was taught to her by her grandmother.
Fu Yunxiu suddenly felt that Aman was like a treasure trove, with a wealth of treasures hidden in her small body, and she would give him a surprise one day.
When Aman didn't hear Fu Yunxiu speak again, she took the initiative to change the subject and talked about her plans for the day. "Young master, today I was thinking of going out with Brother Mantou to find a bricklayer to repair the kitchen roof and stove, and we'll also buy some things."
This is her way of informing others, and also a way of asking for instructions.
Mantou had mentioned this to him yesterday, and Fu Yunxiu was aware of it. He nodded and said, "I know. The allowance you brought yesterday is with Mantou. Just get whatever you need yourself. There's no need to ask."
Although they hadn't known each other for long, Fu Yunxiu had a good understanding of Aman. She was sensible and reliable, so he was naturally at ease entrusting all his money to her.
"Thank you, young master." Ah Man was a shrewd person, so how could she not understand the meaning behind it? She immediately grinned from ear to ear, laughing foolishly, "Hehehehe, young master, you're so kind."
The innocent laughter reached his ears, and even Fu Yunxiu, whose face was usually expressionless, couldn't help but smile.
There's no way around it, it just sounds so stupid.
After dinner, Aman quickly tidied up the house and got ready to go out.
She has been in Yongzhou for several days now, and this is her first time going out. She is really looking forward to it.
The area in front of Wutongyuan is full of houses, so going to the market would be a long detour. But Mantou said that going through the back gate and taking a side path would be a little shorter.
Since Aman was new to the area, he naturally listened to everything he said. After informing Fu Yunxiu, the two of them went out together.
Behind Wutong Garden is a deep alley, surrounded by houses. The narrow alley leading up from the alley leads to the back gate of the Marquis's mansion.
As Mantou walked, he introduced things to Aman, who carefully took notes. While looking around, the door next to him opened, and a woman carrying a basin of water came out.
The woman was slightly taken aback when she saw them, but then smiled and said, "Oh, are you going out?"
"Yes, Aunt Zhu, you're busy!" Mantou chimed in, indicating that the two knew each other.
"Oh, it's all because that brat Tiedan wet the bed. I washed his bedding." The woman's gaze fell on Aman, and a hint of curiosity appeared in her eyes. "And who is this?"
"Oh, I'm Aman, a newcomer from Wutongyuan. Hello, Aunt Zhu." Aman said to herself without Mantou's introduction.
"Oh, good, good." Few people dislike someone who is both pretty and sweet-talking. Aunt Zhu liked Aman more and more as she looked at her, nodding repeatedly. "What are you two doing so early in the morning?"
“The kitchen roof is broken, and we’re planning to find a bricklayer to fix it. Do you know anyone who can do this, Auntie?” Aman asked.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhu immediately stamped her foot and said, "Why bother finding a bricklayer for such a small matter? Your uncle can fix it."
Without waiting for Aman's reaction, she shouted into the house, "Honey, come out here, I need to talk to you."
Uncle Zhu was disciplining the child inside when he heard Aunt Zhu's voice. He hurriedly dressed and came out, saying as he went, "What's the rush?"
Aman looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man who looked to be about thirty years old. He was chubby and not very tall. His face, which was tanned by the sun, was full of smiles, and you could tell from his appearance that he was kind.
Uncle Zhu came out and was slightly surprised to see Mantou standing outside the door. "Brother Mantou, what are you doing here? It's been a long time. How is Young Master Fu?"
"Everything's fine." Mantou nodded, then the man turned to his wife. "Why did you call me? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Young Master Fu wants to renovate the kitchen at his Wutong Garden and says he needs to find a bricklayer," Aunt Zhu said truthfully.
Uncle Zhu slapped his thigh. "Hey, why bother asking anyone else for this? Just come to me. It's a small job, a piece of cake. By the way, do you have any roof tiles? The houses in Wutongyuan need red tiles, right?"
Although their houses are in the same area as those in Wutongyuan, they are not on the same level.
Wutong Garden was specially built by Lord Fu to house his mistress. It was made of the finest materials and was not much different from the Marquis's mansion. Later, Wutong Garden caught fire. Because less wood was used, only the western houses were affected. The others were only licked by the flames and remained intact inside.
"Red tiles are out of the question. We're thinking of using blue tiles instead. We're planning to go to Tianfang Street to see if there are any suitable ones," Mantou said.
Red tiles are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Given their current situation, they just need to make do with some repairs to prevent leaks, and they don't care about whether it looks out of place or not.
"Tianfang Street is a place for laymen; the things there are expensive and of poor quality. Here's what I'll do: I'll take you to someone who can get a tile for several coins cheaper." Uncle Zhu was quite enthusiastic, and as he spoke, he started to pull the steamed bun away.
Mantou originally didn't intend to trouble Uncle Zhu too much, but she couldn't refuse, so she had to go.
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