Chapter 045
Author: Feast of Masks
Raws: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3185016
Translated by Pill Bug
Edited by Gumihou
Zhao’er remained stiff until it grew warmer under the quilt, and then she gradually relaxed.
As she relaxed, she realised that the little man behind her was still awake. His breath was like the beating of a butterfly’s wings fluttering gently on her head.
She really did seem to feel a bit better, finally having the energy to think about other matters.
“What happened with Little Aunt’s issue?” she was especially curious because she knew that her little man had been called back due to this incident. So, why hasn’t he said anything about it?
Xue Tingxiang gave a quick recount of the situation.
After hearing everything, Zhao’er said, “If we do it this way, the Zhao family will have no choice but to back down. However, they will remember this slight forever. Little Aunt will surely suffer once she enters that household.”
“There’s no need for you to worry about that. She had to face the consequences of her own actions.”
Zhao’er said nothing for a while. Then, she murmured, “Gou’er, I noticed that you seemed to have changed a lot lately.”
Xue Tingxiang unconsciously stiffened, he asked, “How have I changed?”
Um… Zhao’er thought for a moment before saying, “You talk a lot more now. Before, it was like not even three sticks could beat a fart out of you. You’re more open-minded too. You used to overthink a lot. You also know how to deal with those people from the main house. In the past, you just grew quiet and angry or sulky. Even if you’re quiet now, I know that you have already thought about things and made up your mind.”
So, that was how he used to be.
“Then, do you think these changes are good or bad?”
“They’re definitely good.”
“Well, it’s fine as long as it’s good. I have to grow up eventually, and it’s impossible to stay the same forever,” Xue Tingxiang said, with extra inflexion on ‘grow up’.
Zhao’er sighed softly. The little man truly had grown up.
She snuggled back instinctively, feeling something dig uncomfortably into her and shifted away again. “It’s good to grow up, but you are still too skinny. Look, you just poked me with your ribs.”
He was found lacking.
“I will eat my way to plumpness very soon; I’m already much heavier than before.”
Zhao’er was somewhat sceptical and was about to say something when a sudden cramp in her abdomen made her curl up immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” Zhao’er held her breath, waiting for the pain to pass. But Xue Tingxiang kept turning her around, trying to see where she was hurting.
“Don’t move me around. It’ll pass in a moment.”
“You haven’t seen a physician?”
“What’s the point of seeing a physician? Every girl has to go through this.”
“Still, it’s better to see a physician. When you are feeling better, I will go with you,” Xue Tingxiang said as he reached out to touch her belly, “I’ll help you rub for a bit. You should feel better after a little massage.”
“A massage? Um, I don’t think-” Zhao’er tried to push him away, feeling awkward about having him touch her where it hurt. Unfortunately, he was right behind her and she could not get the correct leverage to move him.
“When I was much younger, didn’t you always rub the aches away just like this?” Xue Tingxiang said as he stretched out his hand to rub gently at her lower belly.
After a few moments of his massaging, Zhao’er felt less uncomfortable and allowed him to continue.
How odd. While she did feel that he had changed quite a lot, he was still quite touchy in general. However, tonight he was unexpectedly… touchy…feely?
Yes, he was being especially touchy-feely.
Her lower belly felt full and tender, as though it might break with a single strong tap. It was a strange feeling, but not uncomfortable. As her belly warmed up, so did the rest of her body.
Warmed and a little dazed, Zhao’er found herself closing her eyes, when she had a sudden thought.
“Gou’er, how did you know that the pain would go away by rubbing?”
Xue Tingxiang’s hands paused for a moment, then resumed again. “I guessed.”
In that dream, Zhao’er had also suffered from this kind of monthly cycle pain. They had seen a physician eventually, and according to the physician, it was due to her hard life during childhood that resulted in a cold womb. She had to take medicine regularly to recover her health. When the pain was too intense, only a heated compress or gentle massage on a certain area could relieve it somewhat.
The more time passed, the stranger Xue Tingxiang felt about his dream. Was it… truly just a dream? Why is it that sometimes he truly felt as though he had lived through that life?
Without realising Xue Tingxiang’s dilemma, Zhao’er had drifted off to sleep. Her breathing eventually settled into a steady rhythm.
Xue Tingxiang continued massaging her belly for a while, then he too fell asleep.
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Zhao’er slept well that night. When she next opened her eyes, she found that the sun was already high in the sky and it was late morning.
She sat up in shock, wondering how she could have slept for so long. What happened to the day’s work of gathering and delivering the vegetables?
She scrambled off the kang and got dressed, vaguely realising that she was moving about nimbly and pain-free. In the past, each time her monthly cycle came, the first two days would be unbearably painful, to the point of making it difficult to go anywhere. To think that she only suffered one night of pain!
Did that massage really help?
With her thoughts all over the place, she pushed open the door and stepped out into the yard. Sun’shi happened to be washing clothes there.
“Finally awake,ah? Don’t worry; Gou’er went out with your Fourth Uncle. He wants you to let you sleep a little longer in your room.”
“How could he do that? He still has to go and study today.”
Sun’shi flashed a look at the main house before saying, “Gou’er said that he already informed the school that he would not be attending today. Since the next day happens to be a rest day, he can be at home these two days. As for you, since you don’t feel well, just lie down on the kang. I’ve left some food for you too. Go back to your room now, Fourth Aunt will bring it to you later.”
“No need, Fourth Aunt, I’ll go and get it myself.”
Sun’shi was already wiping her hands and was nudging Zhao’er back, “Enough, don’t be stubborn. Gou’er left some very specific instructions.
Fourth Aunt is a woman too, so I know just how soul-crushingly painful that time of the month can be. When I was younger, before I had Maodan, I’d suffer monthly pains as well. I even went to see the physician, aside from prescribing some medicine, there was nothing much he could do. Later, he told me that it would get better after I had children. You, ah. Just bear it for another year or two. Once you and Gou’er are properly married, you won’t suffer monthly pain anymore.”
This was the first time Zhao’er had heard such a thing. Moreover, the mention of her marrying Gou’er and having children with him was… before she could form a coherent answer, she was ushered back inside where she was made to climb back onto the kang.
A moment later, Sun’shi returned with a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and some pickled vegetables.
“When you’re done, just leave the bowl on the table. Fourth Aunt will come and collect it later. Gou’er said that you should rest more, so just rest more. Who would have thought that our Gou’er would actually know how to take care of others now, eh?” Sun’shi said meaningfully as bustled about in the room. At the embarrassed look on Zhao’er’s face, she smiled and said, “You take your time, I will get back to my washing now.”
Even after she left, Zhao’er was still wrestling with embarrassment.
How odd, to think that Gou’er actually knew how to take care of others.
The most incredible thing was, it was true! Just the day before, he brought her some warm sugar water and even massaged her belly. She had no idea how long he massaged her belly since she had fallen asleep part way. Then, this morning, he had set out early to collect and sell vegetables on her behalf.
If that was not taking care of someone, then what was?
However, Zhao’er felt odd using the word ‘to care’ for someone. After all, isn’t it only right for the elder to care for the younger? So, how did she end up being ‘cared for’ by her little man?
No matter how hard she thought, she could not think of an answer, so Zhao’er decided to give up on thinking.
When she was done with her meal, she lay back down. In fact, she really did not like moving around too much during her monthly cycle. It felt too uncomfortable to move around too much.
However, she felt much better that day. Feeling a little restless, she took out her little book of accounts and her box of money and started tallying up the money they had collected over the past few days. She wanted to calculate how much profit they had made.
When Xue Qinghuai and Xue Tingxiang returned, Zhao’er still hadn’t finished counting.
First, she tried sorting the coins into piles, with each pile consisting of a hundred coins. However, she still found discrepancies here and there. It felt like the more she counted, the worse her head hurt. The money listed in the book was clear enough, but when it came to counting actual money…
When Xue Tingxiang came in, he found piles of copper coins on the kang table and Zhao’er staring helplessly at the little copper coins.
The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up, “Come here, come quickly and help me count.”
Thus, Xue Tingxiang, who was not even given the chance to brush the road dust off him, was roped into helping her count money.
As he counted, she strung the coins with hemp cords.
A single string consisted of a thousand coins, known as a “diào,” equalled one tael of silver.
In no time, the scattered coins were neatly organized. Zhao’er praised him, “Gou’er, you’re really too clever. Just now, I had spent half the day counting and still couldn’t count them properly.”
Xue Tingxiang looked at her and said, “If you find it difficult to count money, you can just ask me to help. Once you learn how to read and write, you can count them properly yourself. By the way, didn’t I tell you to rest? Why are you doing accounts?”
A little embarrassed, Zhao’er said, “The business has been going on for almost 10 days now, and all the money is with me. However, I still haven’t managed to settle the accounts properly yet. If I can’t settle the accounts and divide up the money properly, who would continue to work properly without getting their pay, ah?”
Hearing that, Xue Tingxiang got off the kang and fetched the ink, brush, papers and inkstone.
“What are these for?”
“To help you keep the accounts. Since this is a joint business, if we don’t keep the accounts straight, it could easily lead to resentment in the future.”
As he spoke, he picked up Zhao’er’s little account book and started flipping through it. He copied the symbols and information on a fresh sheet of paper and started to balance the account. Then, he recorded the figures in Zhao’er’s little booklet.
“From now on, I will help you balance the accounts every 10 days. You can divide up the money every 10 days too. Be sure that the people who receive the money sign and stamp their seal on the amount they receive. On my next rest day, I will teach you how to recognise words, beginning from <<Three Character Classic>>.”
Xue Tingxiang said all of that with his head lowered, brush in hand, completely focused on his work. He looked especially imposing to Zhao’er. It really looked like her little man had suddenly grown up and was giving her the impression that she was facing a young teacher from the academy.
Indeed, scholars are a completely different breed of people.
At that moment, besides nodding in agreement, Zhao’er was unable to do anything else.
[Gumihou: The lack of comments meant Gumi is in awe! Flawless!]
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