Chapter 22 Zhao Hu
Mantou grew up in the Marquis's mansion and was a complete novice at making shovel handles. It took him an entire afternoon to select and polish the two handles and put them in place. As a result, the work of turning over the soil could only be done the next day.
Aman wanted to realize her vegetable-growing plan as soon as possible, so she got up before dawn the next day. After the three of them had breakfast, Aman hurriedly went to turn the soil with Mantou.
The backyard hadn't been tilled for years; the weeds were tangled and difficult to dig. Mantou and Aman were both people who rarely worked in the fields, and even after an hour of hard work, they hadn't done much tilling.
Aman was so focused on turning the soil that he forgot he had promised Zhao Hu yesterday that he would go to his place to get some scallion seedlings.
Zhao's mother made tofu early in the morning and saw her son lingering by the vegetable garden.
The weather isn't very warm yet, and there's still frost on the ground in the morning, so it's not a good time to plant vegetables. However, the patch of land closest to the wall is sheltered from the wind and gets plenty of sunshine, so she sowed some cold-resistant scallion seeds there.
Thanks to the good weather these past few days, the scallion seedlings not only sprouted, but grew exceptionally robust.
But Zhao's mother knew that her son had never been interested in growing vegetables. What was wrong with him today?
Seeing that Zhao Hu had already circled the wall three times, Zhao's mother finally couldn't help but ask, "Son, what are you doing in the vegetable garden so early in the morning?"
“Mother, I want to pick some scallion sprouts to take to the market,” Zhao Hu said.
"What, you want to sell the scallion sprouts at the same time?" Zhao's mother didn't understand her son's idea. She walked over and looked at the scallion sprouts, which were less than a palm's length long. She felt a little regretful. "These scallion sprouts are growing very fast right now. If we pull them up, they won't sell, they won't taste good, and they won't survive. It's such a waste."
"No, it's something I promised a friend I would bring to her," Zhao Hu said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Friends, male or female?" Zhao's mother had no idea when her son had made friends. She knew her son well; he went to the market every day and did nothing but sell tofu. He was as honest and simple as a block of wood. How could he have suddenly made friends?
Zhao Hu didn't expect his mother to ask so many questions, and he felt a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and didn't dare to lie to his mother, so he told the truth, "It's a woman."
"Oh dear, could it be..." Zhao's mother suddenly looked at Zhao Hu.
Zhao Hu felt a little embarrassed by his mother's gleaming eyes and couldn't help but look away.
Judging from her expression, Zhao's mother immediately understood what was going on and became excited. "Oh my, this is great news! Son, which family does that girl belong to? How beautiful is she? Could she possibly like you? No, no, I have to go with her to see. With your blockhead like you, what if you offend her by not knowing how to speak properly?"
As she was speaking, Zhao's mother was about to go back to her room to tidy up and tell Zhao's father the good news that her blockhead son had finally found a girl he liked, but Zhao Hu grabbed her arm.
“Mother, this is all very minor stuff, don’t go and scare people.”
"Oh, so he's already starting to protect her." Zhao's mother's smile deepened, and she could see that her son was really anxious, so she could only temporarily put aside her thoughts of looking at her daughter-in-law.
"Fine, if you don't want to go, then don't go. But since you said you were going to give them some scallion seedlings, then pick a lot, pick the thick ones, so that people won't think you're stingy."
After giving her instructions, Zhao's mother felt that her son was clumsy. The scallion sprouts were so fragile in the early morning, and if he was not careful, he could break them all. In the end, she decided to do it herself.
Holding the scallion sprouts carefully selected by his mother, Zhao Hu happily pushed his tofu cart to the market.
He arrived early today, before Aunt Hua. Zhao Hu's cheeks flushed as he recalled what Aunt Hua had said yesterday.
After unloading the tofu from the cart and setting up the stall, Zhao Hu carefully chose a shady spot to store the scallion sprouts, fearing they would spoil in the sun.
There were quite a few customers buying tofu in the morning, and Zhao Hu was busy all day, seeing off several groups of people, but he still couldn't spot Man.
As the sun rose higher and the weather grew hotter, Zhao Hu looked at the scallion seedlings beside him, which were already showing signs of wilting, and felt extremely anxious.
Aunt Hua had long noticed that Zhao Hu was distracted, and seeing him looking around now, she became even more certain and asked, "What's wrong? The person you're waiting for hasn't come?"
"Perhaps something is holding him back," Zhao Hu said, speaking up for Aman.
"I guess that's it. Working for someone else is just not as free as working here." Aunt Hua glanced at the scallion seedlings on the ground and suggested, "Why don't you deliver them to her? Don't you know where she lives?"
"Isn't this a bit impolite?" Zhao Hu felt that it was somewhat rude to show up without prior notice.
"Oh, what's so impolite about it? You're going to deliver something to her, not to visit her. Maybe she's having some trouble, and you can help out. Let me tell you, if you want a girl to like you, it's not enough to just talk and deliver things. You have to show your attitude, be observant, and have something on your mind."
Aunt Hua used her theories, which she'd somehow heard, to completely confuse Zhao Hu, especially her claim that the girl would take a liking to him. To be honest, he'd been interested in Aman for so long, and he still had no idea what she thought.
Thinking about this, Zhao Hu instantly realized that Aunt Hua was right. Just like yesterday, he had stepped forward, not only finding out the woman's name but also taking her home and knowing where she lived. If he went a few more times…
Zhao Hu was lost in thought, seemingly already envisioning the blushing face of Aman after he confessed his feelings to her.
"I can go, but what about this stall?" Zhao Hu hesitated, as there was still a lot of tofu left to sell.
"It's alright, I'll watch this stall for you." Aunt Hua waved her hand, and Zhao Hu instantly stopped worrying. He happily carried the scallion seedlings towards Wutong Garden.
Aman entered through the back door yesterday, so Zhao Hu didn't know that the owner of this courtyard was the residence of the pampered young master Fu, whom he had described as being showered with love and affection.
Zhao Hu was tall and had long legs, and he moved with incredible speed, arriving at his destination in no time.
After calming his breathing slightly, Zhao Hu raised his hand and knocked on the door. "Is anyone home?"
In the backyard, Mantou was resting against a tree.
Turning the soil is really not a job for humans. After only a short while, he felt his hands and arms were sore, and he was so thirsty that he had no strength left.
Aman went to the kitchen to make tea; he would rest for a while first.
Aside from his childhood experience of fleeing from disaster, Mantou didn't actually suffer much hardship after arriving at the Marquis's mansion. The most he did on a daily basis was probably grinding ink for the young master, which could be considered a life of luxury.
When the steamed bun was turned over, its smooth palm was slightly red and burning with pain.
Shaking his hand, Mantou spat in his hand, just as he remembered his father's appearance. Just as he was about to pick up the shovel and continue, he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.
The voice sounds very unfamiliar.
Who is it?
Has the Marquis's residence been without any guests for quite some time?
Mantou went to open the door, and as soon as he opened it, he was met with Zhao Hu's smiling face, which startled him.
"Cough..." Zhao Hu didn't expect that it wasn't Aman who opened the door. He was extremely embarrassed and wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.
Faced with the probing gaze of the steamed bun, he could only bite the bullet and state his purpose, "I wonder if Miss Aman lives here?"
"Yes, who are you? What do you want with her?" Mantou felt that this person looked familiar. After taking a closer look, he suddenly remembered, "Hey, you're that tofu seller!"
“It’s me, it’s me.” Zhao Hu recognized the man as the one who had gone grocery shopping with Aman that day and then got angry. He smiled and said, “Is Miss Aman here? I promised her I’d bring her some scallion sprouts yesterday.”
"How could I trouble you to make this trip? She's here, please come in." Mantou had a good impression of the tofu vendor, and seeing that he was sweating on his face as he walked over, she quickly invited him in.
"By the way, my name is Mantou (steamed bun), what's yours?"
"My name is Zhao Hu."
As the two entered, Zhao Hu noticed that the entire large courtyard was planted with fruit trees. The small door at the front was open, allowing a view into the inner courtyard, whose decorations appeared quite simple.
Does a place like this really need servants to wait on you?
Zhao Hu was a little confused.
Aman brought over some tea and just then saw Mantou leading Zhao Hu over. She was a little surprised and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Didn't I say I'd bring you some scallion seedlings yesterday? But you didn't come, and I was worried they'd wilt and wouldn't survive, so I brought them to you." Zhao Hu waved the sack in his hand.
"Oh my brain." Aman slapped her forehead, realizing she had completely forgotten about it. "I'm so sorry to trouble you to deliver it, I was so busy turning the soil that I completely forgot."
"It's nothing, it's just a quick task." Zhao Hu glanced at the land Aman was talking about, there was still a large chunk left to turn over, "Oh, there looks like there's still a lot left."
Now it was Mantou's turn to feel a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and said, "This soil hasn't been loosened for many years, and some parts are really hard. It will definitely take some effort."
"I'm free right now, how about I help you?" Zhao Hu was eager to show off, and without waiting for Aman and the others to agree, he picked up a shovel. He spat on his hand to wipe it, and with a push of his foot, the shovel went quite a distance into the soil. With a flick of his wrist, he smashed the grass roots covered in mud apart.
They move quickly and efficiently; they're clearly experienced workers.
Aman was completely bewildered by his overly familiar manner. It took her a while to finally react, and she hurriedly reached out to take the shovel from his hand, saying, "You can leave it to us. How can we let you do it?"
"It's just a small thing, no problem." Zhao Hu kept Aunt Hua's words in mind, keeping an eye on things to do. Adhering to the principle that if he did more, Aman would do less, he turned over the floor with complete willingness and joy.
Aman couldn't refuse, nor could he just stand by and watch, so he had to join the fight. But the shovel was taken by Mantou. "I'll do it, you pick up the grass roots."
Mantou, imitating Zhao Hu, gradually got the hang of it, turning the soil quickly and skillfully. However, compared to Zhao Hu, an experienced farmer, he was still slightly inferior.
The two men turned over the soil, while Aman was responsible for picking up grass roots. The three of them worked together, and in one to half an hour, they had actually turned over the entire large plot of land.
Mantou, panting heavily like an ox that had plowed three acres of land, propped the shovel against the wall. Zhao Hu, however, remained calm, though a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
After finishing his work, Aman poured tea for the two of them. Zhao Hu squatted by the wall and drank the tea before asking Aman about his plans.
This land is at least half an acre; using it all to grow vegetables is a bit too much.
"I plan to use half of this space to grow vegetables and the other half to grow potatoes." Aman wanted to expand the area where she originally grew potatoes, but she and Mantou had limited resources, so they had to give up on that idea.
Zhao Hu listened to Aman's plan and thought it was pretty good. He measured the land with his feet and helped divide the area.
The sun was strong, and the freshly turned soil would dry out if left to dry for too long, so Aman immediately started planting vegetables.
Aman was a complete novice when it came to growing vegetables. Before, when she lived with her grandmother in the village, the vegetables were all given to her by neighbors; she had never grown vegetables herself.
This was also the first time she had learned that bok choy seeds need to be mixed with soil before sowing to ensure even distribution, otherwise they would grow too densely and not grow very large. She also learned that coriander seeds have very hard outer shells and need to be crushed before they can germinate.
Also, scallion seedlings should not be planted too deep at the beginning, otherwise they will suffocate due to lack of air circulation. Later, when the white part of the scallion grows, it needs to be piled with soil so that the white part can grow thick and long.
Zhao Hu was like an encyclopedia, always pointing out what was important and what was beneficial, which made Aman look at him with admiration. On the other hand, Mantou, the old ox, was ignored after he finished turning the soil.
But that wasn't the most important thing. What Mantou cared about most was Zhao Hu's purpose in coming here.
This person is being a little too overly familiar!
They helped with tilling the soil and sowing seeds, being meticulous and attentive throughout the entire process, without the slightest intention of shirking responsibility. What were they after?
Since they were both men, Mantou always felt that his unusual attentiveness was motivated by ulterior motives.
Seeing Aman's adoring expression, Zhao Hu couldn't help but grin foolishly, his mouth practically stretching to his ears.
Seeing his silly look, Mantou understood everything.
This guy is probably after Aman, but when did Aman become so familiar with him?
Mantou was completely baffled, but he didn't want to ask directly. While scratching his head, he caught a glimpse of a figure passing by the moon gate in the inner room.
Mantou blinked; he thought he saw the young master.
But the young master should be reading in his room right now, so why is he in the backyard?
The steamed bun stood up and examined it closely; there was nothing inside except for fallen leaves blown by the wind.
I guess I'm just too tired and my eyes are playing tricks on me. Why would a young master come to a place like this?
But actually, the steamed bun wasn't wrong.
Fu Yunxiu really did come.
Having grown accustomed to Aman's constant chatter, Fu Yunxiu felt a sense of unease as he sat alone in his room reading, feeling utterly bored.
Thinking that the two of them were turning over the soil in the backyard, Fu Yunxiu suddenly had the urge to come and check on them. But as soon as he got to the moon gate, he heard a strange voice.
He thought it was Uncle Zhu coming to help again, but when he got closer, he saw that it was a young man he didn't recognize.
The man was digging the ground, and Aman was sowing seeds. They would say a few words from time to time. Aman's bright face was full of smiles, and her eyes were full of admiration.
For some reason, Fu Yunxiu suddenly felt unwell, and his desire to go and see her vanished, so he returned.
Aman was completely unaware that Fu Yunxiu had come; she was now completely focused on growing vegetables, hoping they would grow quickly.
After planting and watering the scallion seedlings, the vegetable planting project is temporarily on hold. Now all we have to do is wait for the vegetables to grow.
After finishing his task, Zhao Hu left without a word, concealing his merit and fame. He drank two more cups of tea and then took his leave.
Mantou got up to see him off, and the two chatted about the owner of the house.
After all, as far as Zhao Hu knew, this area did not seem to be inhabited by any high-ranking officials or nobles.
Not wanting to reveal his master's identity, Mantou didn't say it directly, but said, "My master is unwell and came here to recuperate."
“No wonder, I was wondering why Aman looked unfamiliar and didn’t sound like a local.”
“Aman was recruited later; he hasn’t been here long,” Mantou said.
Having found out what he wanted to know, Zhao Hu was satisfied and waved goodbye to them.
Ah Man was quite grateful to her, and waved back, "Thank you for your hard work today, Brother Tiger. Be careful on the road."
Zhao Hu walked quite a distance without making a sound, until he heard the door close, at which point he couldn't help but grin foolishly.
She called me Tiger Brother, hehe, that sounds really nice.
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