Chapter 229: Memory Loss
Translated by Gumihou
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com
“This young master, y-you know me, right? You really know me! When I saw you, I thought you looked really familiar and just… called out a name. And it’s really your name, ah. Goodness!”
Long Pingzhang also became excited as he squeezed Duan Tingxuan’s hand. He shook his head regretfully, “I- I really can’t remember who I was, or where I came from. Luckily I have Uncle Chu and Xiu’er to look after me. Otherwise, I really don’t know what I should do. If you know who I am, won’t you please tell me about myself?”
Tcheh! Isn’t this the most common dog blood drama with its Hollywood style memory loss trope? Su Nuan Nuan was completely speechless as she stared at this ‘protagonist style’ male character.
Duan Tingxuan was also speechless. He stared at Long Pingzhang, unable to say anything from shock. The other party was still looking at him with fervent eyes. For a moment, nobody seemed to know what to say.
“Are you here to take Brother A-Niu away?”
The first person to break the silence was that pretty young girl. Though that Tingxuan guy called Brother A-Niu something, something Pingzhang, in her heart, this person is her Brother A-Niu. The Brother A-Niu with whom she was about to get married to. Her feminine heart immediately detected threat against her future happiness and she wanted to drag Brother A-Niu away from this place. However aside from this slightly pathetic question, she was unable to bring herself to do anything else.
Long Pingzhang finally came back to himself and gestured at the girl next to him. “This is Xiu’er. It is she and Uncle Chu who found me whilst they were picking herbs in the forest. They are the ones who rescued me and paid for a physician to have a look at me, nearly using up all their savings.” At this, his face flushed slightly as he continued. “We- we are to be married next month.”
“Out of the question!”
Duan Tingxuan blurted out without thinking: Long Pingzhang was an imperial scholar who took second place at the imperial exams, though he was not a son of an aristocratic family, his family was very rich with numerous merits to their name. A proper born son from a proud family who had earned their social status. Moreover, it was said that they were in the middle of negotiating his marriage with a daughter from a great and prestigious family. They were only waiting for him to return from Jiang Nan to finalize the marriage talks. Therefore, how could he talk of taking a fiancée now and getting married in a month’s time?
“What do you mean out of the question?”
Long Pingzhang was immediately suspicious. Right now, he was merely Brother A-Niu, and had no idea just how impressive and scary his background was. Nor was he aware of the difference in social status between himself and this village girl. The term, one in heaven, and one on earth, would not be an exaggeration here.
Duan Tingxuan and Su Nuan Nuan exchanged a look, before sighing together. Finally, Duan Tingxuan said, “Let’s go into the inn first, then we’ll talk.”
“If we just sit for a while, will they charge us money?”
Long Pingzhang said cautiously, still looking warily at Duan Tingxuan. The words nearly caused tears to flow from the little marquis’ eyes. He quickly said, “No, they won’t. Even if they do, I will pay for it. So, don’t worry.”
Su Nuan Nuan remained quiet through this entire exchange, but her mind was busy with theories and speculations [1]:
Surely he’s not a novel character in a love tragedy story, ba?
God of Transmigration, you can’t test my resolve like this, ah. You should know that I can’t just leave things alone, I’m a meddler and a nosy parker through and through. If I see someone being oppressed in front of me, I will not be able to help myself, ah. Especially when romantic love is involved… Ah, well, no point resisting.
While Su Nuan Nuan was busy muttering and debating to herself, Si Ping had gone ahead to make arrangements with the inn to secure a room where they could talk privately. They managed to get a fairly large room with a table and complimentary tea and snacks. [1] As Si Ping served them, Duan Tingxuan proceeded to give Long Pingzhang a brief outline of his own history. Not only Xiu’er, even Long Pingzhang was almost shocked silly by his own past history. Born of a family elevated to high status due to meretricious contribution, ranked second at the imperial exams, a Third Rank Imperial Censor of Jiang Nan at barely 25. Just who is that formidable person, ah? At most, he thought he was some rich young master of some random well off merchant…
Xiu’er was so frightened that she dared not say anything. The most outstanding personage she had ever encountered were the people from Song Jiang House, who were actually pretty outstanding in their own right. However, her home was in the village outskirts, where people could barely read. Having just a single scholar passing the imperial examinations was a cause for great celebration. In fact, the entire village will throw a party to celebrate this ‘great scholar’. To emphasise how difficult the test was, well [1], the last time someone from their village actually passed their exam was nearly a hundred years ago. Now you’re saying that the man beside her took second place in that impossible imperial exams?
And that he held a position many times higher than the county official uncle here?
Such an impressive character, not even the famous young miss from Song Jiang House would dare to raise her eyes to such a prospect, let alone a village girl like herself.
In an instant, the pretty girl’s head drooped.
From the corner of her eyes, Su Nuan Nuan spotted her rubbing the tears from the corners of her eyes. As she watched, the girl gathered her courage, took a deep breath, and smiled brightly at Long Pingzhang, “Brother A-Niu. Ah, no, no, I should address you as Your Excellency Long. It seems silly to think that we ever thought of marriage to each other. Haha. It’s all fine, I won’t blame you. I’m really very happy, it must be fate that led us to meet with Young Master Duan.
Now that you know your real history… how… how lucky that we know it now. Otherwise, if we realised later, we won’t be able to do anything, but just hurt ourselves more. You should go with Young Master Duan, ba. Maybe, when you meet with your family, you will recover your memories. There’s no need for you to feel guilty… Though it’s a little embarrassing, but perhaps you could return the money we used to treat your illness? That way, we’d be even.”
“I can pay it for him.” At this moment, the little marquis who had been mute all this time, found himself in a position to assist Long Pingzhang, piped up. For some reason, his wife suddenly kicked his shins. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he turned a bewildered look at Nuan Nuan, “Nuan Nuan, what was that for? Have I said or done something wrong?”
“You just let His Excellency Long make the decision, why are you in such a hurry to stick your butt into other people’s business?” Su Nuan Nuan sniffed.
Duan Tingxuan said self-righteously, “But, Pingzhang doesn’t have any money now.”
At Su Nuan Nuan’s frown, the little marquis’ defensive form wilted. In a low voice, he said, “I am just trying to help Pingzhang settle a troublesome thing quickly. They are not people who walk the same path, and though you might feel that it’s unfair, you shouldn’t recklessly matchmake either. Leaving aside Pingzhang’s arranged marriage, he still came from a rich and influential family. Do you think a sweet village girl like Miss Xiu’er would be able to live comfortably there? It’s better to just give her a bit more money and let her and her father live a worry-free life. This can be regarded as our thanks to them for saving Pingzhang’s life.”
As he spoke, Si Ping had already proactively brought out a money pouch from his breast pocket. He withdrew a piece of bond paper worth 5,000 silver taels. After all, would the little marquis actually leave for Jiang Nan without plenty of money? He just didn’t have an opportunity to use it before now.
Xiu’er had only learnt a few words in her life, but at the very least, she had the basics down, enough to understand how much the bond was worth. When the amount finally registered in her mind, she jumped back and flapped her hands agitatedly at the piece of paper saying, “No, no, not that much. The medical fees did not even reach a hundred taels.”
“Please take it.” Duan Tingxuan also felt that this young girl was actually not bad, but it’s just a pity that she and Pingzhang were destined to meet, but not fated to be together. He warmly said, “To me, Pingzhang’s life is worth more than just 5,000 taels. Not just myself, but his family members and parents. We can’t thank you enough. So please, at least accept this gift of gratitude.”
Xiu’er bit her lip, but still shook her head, “No, I cannot take it, not this much.”
“I-if I go home, d-does it mean I can’t marry Xiu’er?” Long Pingzhang suddenly asked.
Duan Tingxuan froze, but then nodded slowly.
Long Pingzhang then heatedly declared, “Th-then I don’t want to go home. You can just pretend you never saw me. Pretend that I died! Xiu’er, we’re leaving!”
[Gumihou: Lol, wut?]
[1] Most of the parts marked with [1] are details I put in to make the story flow more smoothly. I ended up going ‘eh?’ a few times and had to read ahead or backtrack for more information. A bit of the details are put in here to supplement what happens at the next two chapters. Haha, I expect the author is in too much of a rush when pumping out the chapters.
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Translated by Gumihou from kitchennovel dot com.
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