Chapter 36 Good News If she wants to know, I will tell her.
Xingcheng Village becomes much quieter at night. Farmers work from sunrise to sunset, and few people venture out after dark, leaving only a few scattered lights and the occasional bark of a dog. However, the Pei family's house in the village is still brightly lit at this moment.
Gu Qiu appeared silently outside the courtyard and whispered, "My lord, Young Master Xi has arrived."
Pei Ji gazed at the room lit by candlelight. Hearing this, he didn't turn around, but simply said, "I understand. Go and rest now. You've worked hard cleaning up the mess today." He knew that Gu Qiu had been running around all day trying to erase any traces the Chen family might have left.
"Yes." Gu Qiu bowed and withdrew.
Pei Ji straightened his slightly wrinkled robes and pushed open the door. His mother, also wearing an outer robe, came out. Upon seeing him, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes immediately smoothed out, and a smile appeared on her face: "Guanzhen? Why are you back at this hour?" Then, a hint of worry crept in her eyes, "Is the coursework at the academy too heavy? Are you tired? Or have you encountered some difficulties?"
Pei Ji stepped forward to help his mother up, his tone gentle and showing no sign of distress: "No. I was just worried because I was concerned about your leg ailment flaring up recently, so I came back to check on you. How are you feeling?"
Hearing this, Pei's mother felt comforted and patted the back of his hand: "You child, you always overthink things. This is an old problem of mine, why do you need to make a special trip from the academy? Your important business is more important." She didn't know that Pei's father had concealed from her the fact that their son had once wanted to abandon his studies for martial arts.
After saying that, she seemed to suddenly remember something and gently patted her forehead: "Look at my memory! One of your classmates has come and is talking to your father in the main room. He says his surname is Xi and he looks quite distinguished. Do you know him?" There was a hint of probing in her tone. After all, it was the middle of the night and a strange young man had suddenly appeared, claiming to be Guanzhen's friend. She was a little uneasy.
Pei Ji remained calm and nodded, saying, "I know him. He's a good friend of mine from the academy. His surname is Xi, his given name is Queping, and his courtesy name is Yongshu. Mother, you don't need to worry."
Madam Pei breathed a sigh of relief, her smile becoming more genuine: "It's good that you know him, it's good that you know him. Then go and meet him quickly, don't neglect him. I've already prepared the room next door, so Young Master Xi can stay here in peace."
“Alright, thank you, Mother.” Pei Ji agreed, and after watching his mother return to her room, he turned and walked towards the main hall.
Before even entering the house, they heard Pei's father's admiring voice: "Young Master Xi is so young, yet he has such insight. He is truly a talented man with a limitless future."
Then came a clear, smiling male voice that responded respectfully yet with grace: "Uncle, you flatter me. My courtesy name is Yongshu. You can just call me by my courtesy name, there's no need for such formality."
The two seemed to be discussing classics and historical texts, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious. Pei Ji pushed open the door and entered. When Pei's father saw him, the smile on his face faded slightly. He clearly still remembered Pei Ji's previous boastful remarks, but because there were outsiders present, he couldn't show it. He only said lightly, "You're back. Your father is getting old, and his alcohol tolerance is not what it used to be. I'm a little tired after a few cups. Have your mother take me inside to rest. You should entertain Young Master Xi well." After saying this, he was helped up by Pei's mother, who had entered upon hearing the commotion, and returned to the inner room.
Before leaving, Pei's mother gave Pei Ji one last piece of advice: "Get some rest early..."
"Understood," Pei Ji replied.
Only then did Mother Pei feel relieved enough to leave.
After his parents left, only Pei Ji and Xi Queping remained in the main room. Xi Queping, a seemingly elegant and refined young man, was watching with great interest as Pei Ji rolled up his sleeves and skillfully gathered the scattered tea sets and wine cups on the table, preparing to wash them.
He couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, his tone filled with exaggerated surprise: "It's like the sun has risen in the west! Our young master Pei, known for his arrogance at Shanqing Academy, actually handles these mundane matters personally? If those ladies who admire you saw this, wouldn't their hearts be shattered to pieces?"
Pei Ji didn't even lift his eyelids, continuing what he was doing, only letting out a very soft, ambiguous single syllable from his throat as a response.
Xi Queping was taken aback by his attitude. He touched his nose, wisely stopped teasing, and said seriously, "...Alright, I'm here."
Soon, the sound of rushing water filled the small courtyard. Xi Queping resignedly rolled up the sleeves of his expensive silk robe, stood by the well, and took the bowls and plates Pei Ji handed him to wash. As he washed, he watched Pei Ji leaning against the wall, leisurely drinking a small jar of homemade rice wine by himself, and couldn't help but say, "It's quite rare to see you in such high spirits today, drinking alone under the moon."
Pei Ji didn't speak, but simply gestured to him with the wine jar in his hand.
"Drink!" Xi Queping didn't stand on ceremony. He freed one wet hand and precisely caught another unopened jar of wine that Pei Ji tossed to him. He broke the mud seal, tilted his head back, and took a swig. The clear, slightly spicy liquid slid down his throat. He exhaled a breath of wine and exclaimed, "I must say, this rural brew has a unique flavor, quite mellow."
After praising the wine, he finally got to the point, turning to look at Pei Ji with a hint of inquiry in his voice: "Tell me, why did you run away from the academy again? And cause such a commotion? Although the teacher didn't say it explicitly, the fact that we took turns checking on you, isn't that clear enough?"
Pei Ji remained expressionless, tilting his head back to take a sip of wine, the moonlight outlining his handsome profile. He turned his head, looking calmly at Xi Queping: "He's just going down the mountain to handle some personal matters, and he still has to trouble you to come all this way to keep an eye on me?"
"You have no manners!" Xi Queping feigned anger, shaking the water droplets off his hands. "You should at least address me as 'teacher,' shouldn't you? How come you call me 'teacher' so respectfully in front of your childhood sweetheart, Lady Yu, but you become so cold and aloof in front of us? If the old man knew, he'd probably be so angry he'd blow his beard and faint in the school."
After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but laugh mischievously, clearly finding it amusing as well.
Pei Ji ignored his pointless teasing and asked directly, "Where are the other two?" He was referring to Chunyu Zhi and Jin Chuchuan.
Xi Queping's smile became even more meaningful: "The old man has kept you at the academy to check your studies, saying you're not allowed to go down the mountain until you've thought things through. What? Do you have a message for them?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Ji shook his head, his tone indifferent: "I had something to say before, but I don't have it now."
Xi Queping: "...?" He was stunned for a moment, not understanding the meaning of this seemingly random statement.
Pei Ji stopped explaining, straightened up, and scrutinized Xi Queping from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze, making the other man feel uneasy, before finally saying, "You should also hurry back to the academy tomorrow. Don't go down the mountain unless necessary."
Xi Queping was both amused and exasperated by his sudden request. He shook his head and sighed, "When we came, Jin Chuchuan said you were probably crazy. I didn't believe it at first, thinking he was just holding a grudge after being humiliated by you last time and was deliberately slandering you. Now that I've seen you in person, I realize he was being too lenient."
He paused, then added in an extremely serious tone, "You're not crazy, are you? In my opinion, you should hurry up and get a top-notch doctor from the Imperial Medical Academy to check your brain!"
Pei Ji glanced at him sideways, his expression indifferent, but it made Xi Queping shut up instantly and subconsciously touch the bridge of his nose.
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you." Xi Queping compromised good-naturedly, his tone slightly teasing. "I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning and promise not to appear in front of you, oh, and your lady Yu. If she takes a liking to me, wouldn't I have another romantic entanglement and be letting her down?"
Pei Ji finally spoke, his tone flat: "...Speak plainly. Stop beating around the bush."
Xi Queping's joking expression vanished. He straightened his face, lowered his voice, and his tone became serious: "Before you went down the mountain, did you go to see Prince Ding?"
"Yes," Pei Ji readily admitted.
"Did you also get him to promise you something?" Xi Queping pressed, as this was the most important thing they were concerned about on this trip.
"Yes," Pei Ji replied again.
Xi Queping's breath hitched slightly, and he found himself unable to ask the next question. He carefully considered his words, trying to figure out how to say it.
Just as he hesitated, Pei Ji seemed to see through his thoughts, tilted his head back and drank the last mouthful of wine in the jar, then casually placed the empty jar by the well. His voice was calm and even, yet carried a strange sense of reassurance: "Don't worry. What I made him agree to has nothing to do with my own future, nor with you... or anything he's thinking."
Upon hearing this, Xi Queping's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief. As long as it didn't involve that matter, he could handle everything else. A relaxed smile returned to his face, and he stretched: "Alright! With your words, I'll pass on the message to the old man as before, so he can rest assured." He paused, unable to resist his gossipy nature, and leaned closer, winking as he asked, "But... does your childhood sweetheart, Madam Yu, know about these... things?"
"I don't know." Pei Ji turned his head to look at him.
Xi Queping raised an eyebrow.
However, Pei Ji immediately added in a flat tone: "But if she asks later, I will tell her."
Xi Queping's pupils contracted slightly, and the playful expression on his face completely vanished. He stared at Pei Ji, as if he truly didn't understand, and slowly uttered two words in an incredulous tone: "...All?"
Pei Ji met his gaze and repeated clearly, "All."
Xi Queping remained silent for a long while. Finally, as if digesting this astonishing information, he shook his head and muttered a curse under his breath, a mixture of surprise, worry, and a hint of understanding in his voice:
"What a madman."
...
Yu Man slept exceptionally soundly, finally relieving the fatigue of the past few days. She was awakened by the hushed conversation of Yu Chengfu and Deng Sanniang outside. Listening carefully, she realized they were discussing going to Deng Sanniang's hometown, Xiaoqing Village, to bring Xiuxiu back today.
She quickly got up and changed into a clean, simple cotton dress. Though not luxurious, it was neat and tidy. After a quick change, the family of three hired a carriage and set off for Xiaoqing Village.
As the carriage left Xingcheng Village, the road gradually became narrower and bumpier. Compared to Xingcheng Village, which is close to the county town and has relatively fertile fields, Xiaoqing Village is located in a more remote area, and the land is more barren. Most of the houses along the road are low and old, and the villagers' clothes are simpler, with the marks of years of hard work on their faces.
Sitting in the slightly swaying carriage, Deng Sanniang looked at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar scenery outside the window. She became more talkative, pointing to a spot and telling Yu Chengfu and Yu Man that it was a small ditch where she used to play as a child, and that there was an old locust tree there where they would always cool off in the summer... Her tone carried a longing for home and a hint of barely perceptible emotion. She hadn't been back for a long time either.
The Deng family was the only butcher in Xiaoqing Village, and their life was considered relatively good compared to others in the village. This good fortune was mostly due to occasional help from Deng Sanniang after she got married, coupled with Deng Dage's hard work, which allowed them to gradually accumulate wealth.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the road narrowed further, and the carriage could no longer proceed, forcing the three to disembark and walk. Along the way, they encountered many villagers, all of whom showed surprise upon seeing Deng San Niang. Deng San Niang, however, was quite generous, greeting them with a smile and introducing them: "This is my husband, Yu Chengfu. This is my eldest daughter, Aman."
Back then, Deng San Niang, an unmarried girl, insisted on marrying Yu Chengfu, a widower from another village who had a daughter. This caused a lot of gossip in the village. Everyone said she was foolish and that she would definitely suffer endless grievances in the future.
Unexpectedly, upon seeing her today, Deng Sanniang appeared radiant and full of energy. Her clothes, though not fine silk or satin, were certainly not the coarse cloth commonly found in the village. Yu Chengfu seemed honest and reliable, and her eldest daughter was exceptionally beautiful, possessing an air unlike any other village girl. While everyone murmured amongst themselves, they exchanged pleasantries with smiles and pointed the way, saying, "Your elder brother and sister-in-law are both home."
Deng San Niang thanked them and quickened her pace. Just as she reached the familiar house with its small courtyard, Brother Deng, who was chopping firewood in the yard, looked up and saw them. A joyful smile immediately spread across his dark face, and he turned and called out gruffly into the house, "Xiuxiu! Come out quickly! Your mother has come to get you!"
As soon as the words left her lips, a figure in a little red jacket burst out of the house like a firecracker. Her eyes were bright and clear, her goal clear. She bypassed Deng San Niang and threw herself into Yu Man's arms, her little arms tightly wrapped around her waist. She looked up at her, her voice sweet and loud:
"Sister! Sister! You've come to pick me up!"
Yu Man was bumped and took a small step back. She smiled and patted Xiu Xiu's head, which had two little buns, and nodded, "Yes, I've come to take you home." She casually weighed the little girl in her arms. She was quite heavy, so it seemed that she had eaten a lot at her uncle's house these past few days. She felt a little relieved.
Just then, Sister-in-law Deng, who was in the inner room, finished feeding her two-year-old son porridge. She lifted the curtain and came out, just in time to see Xiuxiu clinging to Yu Man. Her eyes flickered, and she put on a warm smile: "Oh my, sister, brother-in-law, and Aman are all here! Come in, come in and sit down! It's already noon, have lunch at home before you leave!" Her gaze swept over the packages Yu Man was carrying, and her smile deepened.
Before coming here, Yu Man had discussed it with her family. After all, the Deng family had taken care of Xiu Xiu these past few days, and it was only right and proper to express their gratitude. So Deng San Niang smiled and agreed, "Then I'll have to trouble you, elder brother and sister-in-law."
Lunch was prepared quite lavishly. The Deng family were butchers, so meat was never a problem. On the table sat a pot of glistening braised pork, a plate of thinly sliced braised pig's head, and several kinds of seasonal vegetables—considered a very good meal for guests in this small village. It was clear that Brother Deng genuinely cared for his younger sister; he kept putting food on Deng San Niang's plate while eating, saying, "San Xiang, eat up! These are all your favorites!"
Hearing this long-lost nickname that only family members would use, Deng San Niang's eyes welled up with tears, but she still scolded him, "Big brother, I'm a grown woman now, don't call me that."
Brother Deng chuckled sheepishly and readily agreed, "Alright, alright, how about calling her Third Sister instead of Third Fragrance?" He put down his chopsticks and looked at Yu Chengfu, who was standing to the side looking somewhat reserved. His tone was relatively gentle, "Chengfu, when the matchmaker came to propose marriage back then, I didn't really want to agree. Our family was poor then, but we managed to scrape together enough money to find Third Sister a respectable family to marry into, someone who was getting married for the first time. It would be better than her becoming a stepmother and having endless worries."
He sighed and continued, "But Third Sister herself took a liking to you, saying that you are honest, kind-hearted, and reliable. Our parents passed away early, leaving only my brother and me to depend on each other. I... I can't argue with her. Over the years, she hasn't come back to her parents' home much. I know it's because she's happy with her life and doesn't want us to worry."
His gaze fell on Xiuxiu, who was shoveling rice into her mouth and had a round face. A genuine smile appeared on his face. "Now that I see Xiuxiu, she's just like her mother when she was little, all healthy and chubby. I'm relieved." With that, he picked up the rough porcelain bowl in front of him, which was filled with his homemade wine, and raised it towards Yu Chengfu.
Yu Chengfu quickly picked up his wine bowl with both hands. He was clumsy with words and didn't know how to say nice things. His face turned a little red, and he said sincerely, "Brother, don't worry, Third Sister... she's very good. I will always be good to her."
Deng San Niang's eyes reddened as she listened, and fearing she would burst into tears, she quickly said, "Alright, alright, hurry up and eat, the food is getting cold! Why bring up these old stories?"
After the meal, Yu Man took out the gifts she had brought: several bolts of brightly colored, fine cotton cloth, and some pastries and candies bought in the county town. Her voice was clear and melodious, filled with gratitude: "Uncle, Aunt, thank you so much for taking care of Xiu Xiu these past few days. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Sister-in-law Deng's eyes lit up. She took the fabric with both hands, weighing it in her hand to feel its thickness. Her smile became much more genuine. She turned to her eldest daughter, Deng Huixin, who was eating quietly beside her, and said, "Huixin, did you see that? Learn from your cousin Aman. Be sensible and capable, and you'll have a bright future!"
Deng Huixin was about eleven or twelve years old. She was somewhat timid and, upon hearing this, simply lowered her head and mumbled a reply: "Mm."
Yu Man didn't say much, but waved to Xiu Xiu. Xiu Xiu immediately put down her chopsticks and ran to her side, her little hands skillfully grabbing the corner of Yu Man's sleeve. Looking up at her, she exclaimed with delight, "Sister! I can grab your sleeve now!"
Yu Man smiled and pinched her cheek: "Yes, that means you've grown quite a bit taller."
"Really?" Xiuxiu spun around happily and started chattering about the interesting things she had seen at her uncle's house. She didn't stay long at the family's house and said goodbye to go home.
Standing to the side, Deng Huixin secretly watched this scene, her eyes revealing undisguised envy. She was immediately interrupted by her sister-in-law's scolding: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and clean up the dishes and go wash them!"
Brother Deng frowned and put down his pipe: "Why is it always Huixin who cleans up?"
Sister-in-law Deng immediately raised her voice: "Then I have to take care of your precious son too? Would you bear to see him fall or get hurt?"
Unable to argue with her, Brother Deng sighed heavily, put his hands behind his back, and went out to smoke in silence. Deng Huixin silently walked to the table and began to clean up the mess of dishes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother patiently and softly coaxing her younger brother, who had just woken up and started to make a fuss. She quickly raised her hand and wiped the corner of her eye with her sleeve.
...
After bringing Xiuxiu back to their home, everyone felt much more at ease. Yu Man urged Xiuxiu, who was covered in sweat from playing, to wash up. After she washed, Yu Man carefully dried her hair with a towel.
Despite her young age, Xiuxiu was quite precocious. While enjoying her older sister's care, she pouted and whispered, "Sister, I don't like Uncle's family."
Yu Man moved gently and asked, "What's wrong? Are your aunt and uncle treating you badly?"
Xiu Xiu shook her head, then nodded, her little brows furrowed: "Anyway... I just don't like it." She couldn't quite express the subtle feeling of being ignored and being compared to someone else.
Yu Man understood, and had roughly guessed what was going on. She put down the cloth, squatted down, looked Xiu Xiu in the eye, and said in a gentle but firm tone, "Okay, from now on, Dad, Mom, and Sister won't let you stay at other people's houses so easily. Just stay in our own home, okay?"
"Okay!" Xiuxiu immediately beamed and hugged Yu Man's neck tightly.
After a day of rest, Manxin Food Shop reopened amidst everyone's anticipation! Yu Man adjusted the menu, retaining the classic bone broth wontons and multigrain pancakes, and adding refreshing cold dishes and several novel snacks learned from the prefectural capital.
On its opening day, perhaps out of guilt for the previous misunderstanding, or perhaps out of curiosity, the number of customers was even greater than on its busiest days. The small shop was packed, and a queue had formed outside. The kitchen was ablaze with fire, and the front of the shop was bustling with activity. Yu Man, Deng San Niang, Yu Chengfu, along with Aunt Zhang and Li Xiao Er who had returned, were so busy that they didn't even have time to drink water.
It wasn't until the afternoon when the flow of customers subsided that everyone was able to catch their breath. Deng Sanniang was so tired that her face turned pale, and she leaned back in her chair, panting heavily. Seeing this, Yu Man quickly asked her father to fetch a doctor to take a look, while she herself carried several pre-ordered takeout food boxes to deliver to her regular customers in the neighborhood.
When she finished delivering the takeout and returned to the backyard of the food shop with the empty food containers, she found her father, Yu Chengfu, and stepmother, Deng Sanniang, sitting there in a daze. Their faces showed a complex mix of shock, bewilderment, disbelief, and a hint of ecstasy. Even Xiuxiu stood quietly to one side, blinking her big eyes as she looked at her parents.
"Dad, Aunt, what's wrong? Has the doctor come to see you? What did he say?" Yu Man's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward to ask.
Deng San Niang raised her head and looked at Yu Man, her lips trembling, as if she wanted to say something, but didn't know where to begin.
Xiu Xiu couldn't hold back any longer. She ran up to Yu Man, tugged at her clothes, her little face full of excitement and a serious, adult-like expression, and announced in her childish voice:
"Big sister! I want to be a big sister too!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Man froze on the spot, his gaze instinctively falling on Deng San Niang's still flat stomach, then on his father's silly grinning and nodding expression, and he instantly understood.
Aunt Xiang is pregnant!
No wonder she's been looking tired and pale lately.
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