RMCF: Chapter 22

 

Chapter 22

The two walked on in silence. Neither spoke, nor did they show any intention of stopping.

Zhang Fangyuan gritted his teeth, inwardly cursing himself—I clearly didn't drink today, so why do I feel drunk? What nonsense am I saying? Seeing him show up must have made me lose my mind.

What decent person tries to hold someone's hand before they're even married?

Xu He hadn't spoken for a long time, making Zhang Fangyuan even more uncertain. —Would Xu He think I'm frivolous, the kind of person who acts improperly? He coughed dryly. “Actually, I'm not…”

Before he could finish his sentence, his lips stilled. The ring and pinky fingers of his right hand grew warm, gently grasped.

Zhang Fangyuan's old face flushed slightly, and his breath hitched for a moment. When he realized what was happening, he quickly turned his hand over, enveloping Xu He's tentative one entirely within his own palm.

Xu He was a tall ger, but he still seemed small in front of him. Just like how, although Xu He's fingers were long and slender, Zhang Fangyuan's large hand could still completely envelop them.

They both fell silent again, keenly feeling the body warmth transmitted through their touching hands. The corners of their mouths lifted slightly, their eyes softer than the moonlight.

Xu He suddenly said, “Is my hand not good to hold?”

“Ah?” Zhang Fangyuan was confused. “Why wouldn't it be?” He wished he could weld it to his own hand.

“My hand has many calluses. It's not soft at all.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fangyuan gently stroked Xu He's palm with his fingers. His fingertips indeed brushed over a few hard calluses, but the friction only made his heart wander further.

“In the future, I won't let you do so much work. They'll heal well.”

Xu He paused for a moment, then murmured with a soft laugh, “The work is inherent to my family. How could you possibly manage my family's affairs?”

Zhang Fangyuan suddenly stopped walking. Although he didn't want to let go of Xu He's hand, he released it first. He retrieved a cloth bundle from inside his shirt and carefully unfolded it. Beneath the moonlight, the bracelet gleamed with a silvery light.

“I came to find you today specifically to give this to you.”

He took Xu He's right hand and slipped the bracelet onto his wrist.

Xu He felt a cool, then warm touch. The cold silver bracelet, having rested against Zhang Fangyuan's chest for who knows how long, had absorbed his body heat. The item was valuable—such a large piece, surely weighing three or four liang. It felt heavy on his wrist. Xu He was flustered and panicked. “This is too valuable, I can't…”

“This was left by my mother.”

Xu He was completely flustered. “What do you mean by this!?”

“I want to propose to your family!”

Zhang Fangyuan blurted out the words in his heart urgently. He stopped Xu He's attempt to remove the bracelet and cut off his refusal.

“…”

“You… you want to marry me?”

Zhang Fangyuan quickly said, “Of course!”

For a moment, Xu He was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, then suddenly lowered his eyes. “Is it because you really want to get married, so you chose me…?”

Hearing this, Zhang Fangyuan grew anxious. “I do really want to get married, but I'm not seeking you out just because I want to get married. It's you who makes me really want to get married."

Xu He didn't speak and Zhang Fangyuan felt uneasy. “I… did I explain it clearly? Do you understand what I mean?”

“Why…”

“I've held your hand, of course I have to marry you!”

Zhang Fangyuan said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Why me?” Xu He looked at Zhang Fangyuan. “Is it because you couldn't marry my Second Sister?”

“I want to marry you because I like you! It has nothing to do with your Second Sister!” Hearing such words, Zhang Fangyuan felt angry that everyone only saw Xu Shaochun, making Xu He feel this way. But he had to patiently explain, “Before, I really wanted to get married as soon as possible, so I asked the matchmaker to propose a match, which led to the Guang family. Later, when I realized I liked you, I started thinking about finding proper work so I could go to the Xu family to propose properly.”

Xu He seemed stunned, or perhaps he was pondering the truth of Zhang Fangyuan's words. He remained silent for a long time.

Zhang Fangyuan's mind was in turmoil. The silence was even more agonizing than a direct refusal. “Did I scare you by being too hasty?! It's my Fourth Uncle... Fourth Uncle said if you like someone, you should let them know your feelings. I was too impatient… I was too impatient…”

Xu He's expression didn't change, but inwardly he felt an inexplicable warmth, his eyes holding his complex emotions. “You… why do you like me?” He knew such a question was rather cliché, but… he was different from others. He desperately wanted to know why.

“I've thought about that question too, but I can't quite figure out why. Perhaps it was when I first saw you at your house, I already had different thoughts about you.”

“Or maybe it was when you told me the thief was taking my things, or… when no one believed the Guang family were thieves, you could have chosen not to say anything, but you still defended me…”

There were so many instances… him wiping the blood, bandaging his hand… They were like two people in the vast crowd that no one else noticed or cared for, and then they noticed and cared for each other.

Zhang Fangyuan answered all of Xu He's questions, but his own question still hadn't received an answer. Anxious, he shook Xu He's hand gently. “You still haven't told me, is it alright or not? If it's not alright, I can wait.”

“Alright.”

“What did you say?”

“I said alright!”

Xu He's heart was in chaos, but he couldn't control himself and agreed, so straightforwardly that even he was startled and surprised.

Zhang Fangyuan laughed aloud, then began scratching his head again, restless. “Then I'll go back and tell my aunt, have her go with me to your family to propose. I know what needs to be bought for a proposal now. It'll be soon.”

Listening to his incessant chatter, Xu He felt like he wished to come knocking on their door tomorrow. Regaining some reason, he quickly stopped him. “We need to wait until my Second Sister's marriage is settled. Don't rush now.”

Zhang Fangyuan knew the Xu family's situation and didn't want to make things difficult for Xu He at home, but he also didn't want to wait much longer. “But if your Second Sister takes a long time to find a suitable match, won't that delay our marriage too?”

The words 'our marriage' made Xu He's ears burn with shyness, but he forced himself to remain calm. “The family has already settled on the Fei family. After the county exams, the Fei family will come to formalize the betrothal. It won't take more than two months.”

“Your Second Sister and Fei Lian?”

“Mm.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fangyuan breathed a long sigh of relief. This one sentence resolved two of his worries. “That's great then! I'll go back and prepare properly. You don't need to worry about anything. Just wait at home for me to come and marry you.”

Xu He pressed his lips together, feeling as if his whole body was heating up. He nodded. Then, he took the bracelet off his wrist. “I can't take this back. Just wearing the hair ribbon today caused my Second Sister to complain incessantly. If I take this back, it might end up in my mother's hands.”

Zhang Fangyuan held the bracelet. “But this was left by my mother for her daughter-in-law. You must accept it eventually.”

“Consider it accepted today. You keep it safe for now and  wait… give it to me later.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fangyuan was satisfied. He carefully wrapped the bracelet in the cloth and tucked it back inside his robe. At least redeeming the bracelet wasn't in vain. “Then I'll give it to you when we get married.”

They fell silent again, walking slowly and aimlessly. The scent of wildflowers carried on the night breeze seemed even stronger now.

After a long while, Xu He said quietly, “I can't stay out too long.”

Neither of them wanted to part, but this brief meeting couldn't last forever. They could only endure a little longer; there would be plenty of time to be together later.

“Alright, I'll walk you to the outside of your house.”

Xu He refused. There were too many people outside tonight.

“Then, if anything happens later, come find me. If you're going to town, wait by the roadside for my cart. If you need to buy anything, tell me, I'll buy it for you. If anyone bullies you, you must come and tell me… “ Zhang Fangyuan rambled on and on, then suddenly grabbed Xu He's hand. “Did you hear me?”

Xu He was already somewhat accustomed to his sometimes foolish, sometimes domineering manner. He replied, “I heard you.”

Respecting Xu He's wish, Zhang Fangyuan didn't walk him too far. Once they left Haitang Bay, he watched him head in the direction of his home, while he himself stood in place for a long time, like a stone statue gazing after his wife.

Even after the person had left, he still felt uncontrollably excited. He suddenly jumped high into the air. Presumably, he would be tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep.

He paced in circles for a good while before remembering he should head back. Just as he was about to leave, intermittent voices reached his ears.

“Let me kiss you one more time, just once.”

“Didn't we just kiss?”

“But I still want to…”

Zhang Fangyuan stood in the shadows, watching a tall and short figure entwined not far away, his brows furrowing tightly.

“…”

You could do that?

The foolish grin faded from Zhang Fangyuan's face, feeling it was rather unlucky to witness this. He coughed very impolitely and strode away, making loud walking noises, startling the lovebird couple from the distance into immediately separating.

…

Before returning home, Xu He found the ducks and herded them back. His mind was wandering; his heart was clearly in a mess, which seemed to have reached an extreme, leaving him unable to focus and his eyes vacant.

A long while later, seeing the very bright lights of his own home, he belatedly felt nervousness set in—afraid that his mother had returned home just before him and his second sister had already reported today's events.

Distractedly, Xu He walked to the outside of his family's courtyard gate, before suddenly feeling something was amiss at home—the air seemed unusually restless. He hurriedly pushed the courtyard gate open, went in, and closed the bolt behind him, afraid the ducks would run out again.

Hearing the noise, a sharp voice scolded from inside the house. “He Ger, boil water quickly! Your father injured his leg!”

Upon hearing this terrible news, Xu He quickly dropped the bamboo pole used for herding ducks and rushed inside in a few swift steps.

Xu Changren, who had been away for over half a month, looked disheveled, his hair messy. He was lying on a wooden board in the central hall. One exposed foot was severely swollen, a considerable amount of blood pooled on the floor. Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, Xu Changren's face was ashen, his lips somewhat pale.

Liu Xianglan, tears streaming down her face, was continuously wiping the wounds with clean cotton cloth.

“What happened!?”

Xu He hurried forward to help. Only then did he learn that his father had fallen from a height while helping building a house for a landlord in another village. He was injured all over, and his foot had been mangled by broken blue bricks. The landlord didn't even call a doctor, hastily settled the wages, and only had two men carry his father back, blaming him for being careless in his work.

By now, Xu Shaochun had already gone to fetch the doctor. Their village only had one herbal doctor, whose skills were very average. He usually only treated minor colds, and not necessarily effectively.

Xu He tried his best to stay calm and not panic, and went to the kitchen to boil water.

Not long after, there was movement in the yard. Xu Shaochun called from outside, “The herbal doctor is here!”

After looking at Xu Changren in the central hall for a few moments, the herbal doctor shook his head. Seeing the severe injury, he was afraid improper treatment would bring trouble upon himself.

“The bones and tendons are injured. You need to invite a doctor from town.”

“But it's so late, how can we go to town to fetch one? Even by ox cart, there are none at this hour!” Liu Xianglan covered her face and cried.

The herbal doctor said, “Surely someone in the village has one. Go borrow it. This old man truly has no way. If not handled properly, his leg could become crippled. This old man cannot act rashly. I can only stop the bleeding somewhat.”

Liu Xianglan and Xu Shaochun cried helplessly, distraught. They wanted to beg the herbal doctor, but he had made himself very clear.

“Zhang Fangyuan has a horse. It's faster than an ox cart.”

Hearing this, Liu Xianglan stopped crying and looked back at Xu He, whose face was cold. “But why would he lend his horse?”

After speaking, Liu Xianglan instinctively turned her gaze to Xu Shaochun, thinking that the young man had previously shown interest in her daughter. If she sent her daughter to speak a few pleasant words, there might be some hope. “Shaochun, your father is like this… perhaps…”

Xu Shaochun thought of Zhang Fangyuan's fierce and improper appearance and instinctively shrank back, biting her lower lip without responding.

Although Xu He knew that even if Xu Shaochun went, Zhang Fangyuan might not necessarily agree, seeing his second sister still acting coy at a time like this made him furious. “I'll go.”

Liu Xianglan didn't stop him. But Xu Shaochun, watching the person striding away, chased after him. “He Ger, you mustn't promise him anything involving me.”

Xu He lifted his eyelids—you wish.

*** 

 

T/N

they are so adorable I cannot! also I love their straightforwardness

 

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