When I was young, my dad donated a small portrait of himself to the academy.
He promised to support him in studying and going to Beijing to take the exam as long as he was willing to marry me, and to take care of his family.
Later he passed the imperial examination and became a juren, but our family fell into decline.
I sent in the divorce papers of my own accord, but he didn't say a word to me.
Later on, I worked at the bean curd shop in town to pay back the money.
He was wearing a top scholar's robe and riding a tall horse, and amidst the sound of drums and gongs from the whole street, he stopped at the entrance of the bean curd shop.
He bowed his head and called to me, "My lady, I have come to take you home."
1
Since Li's elder sister passed away, I never thought Li Xingzhou would come back to Puliu Town again.
At the entrance of the narrow alley, there were many people coming and going, and the business of the bean flower shop was very good. I was so busy that I didn't have time to look at his face clearly.
Wearing a school uniform, a girl who was obviously dressed up as a boy called out to me.
"Mate, give this table another wipe."
I took a cloth and leaned over to wipe the table several times before I put the douhua on the table.
Before, these kinds of things were all done by Li Xingzhou for me. He was very patient and every time he would hand me the spoon, wiped clean.
At that time, I thought he was willing to accompany me.
Later I realized that he had always been so considerate, and even if the person he was taking care of wasn't me, he would have been the same with someone else.
Three years have changed day and night, and things are no longer the same.
A scholar said, "Brother Li, I heard that there was a wealthy merchant in the town who insisted on marrying his daughter to you. Is that true?"
Li Xingzhou nodded gently and said "Hmm."
Suddenly the crowd exploded with gossip.
Did you agree? What happened between you and that girl afterwards?
Amidst the clamor, Li Xingzhou remained silent, and the people who teased him waited for half a day without an answer, and became embarrassed.
Everyone quickly changed the topic, before the atmosphere had a chance to liven up again, Li Xingzhou suddenly spoke up:
I agreed, but then she didn't want me anymore.
2
As soon as the words were spoken, the students' expressions were more and more wonderful. They wanted to ask more, but were interrupted by the woman's laughter and scolding.
"You talk too much! That was so long ago, how can childhood jokes be taken seriously?"
"That's right, even the daughter of a wealthy merchant is just a merchant's daughter, how can she compare to the county magistrate's daughter."
"Go, go, go, don't talk nonsense!"
The girl blushed and everyone changed the subject, making the atmosphere lively again.
I got up to greet other guests, and in a hurry I bumped into the corner of the table, hot douhua splashed onto my hand, immediately causing a few blisters, which attracted the attention of everyone.
Sorry, sorry, I'll get you a new bowl!
I apologized repeatedly and awkwardly tried to leave.
The customer at the next table scolded me angrily, and the slender figure stood up and blocked me behind, protecting me tightly.
I moved to the left, and he was there; I moved to the right, and he was still there.
I can't escape, and my heart is filled with sorrow.
A low voice echoed from above:
You are hurt.
I stood still, not daring to look up for fear that he would see my face, and secretly hid my red-hot hands behind my back.
The sound of guests urging one after another rang out, and the boss lady looked this way.
The guests are calling out, hurry up!
I gave a sound in response, and ran away awkwardly.
The boss lady saw my hands and immediately made me put down the work in my hands and hurry to soak in cold water.
"Are you lacking common sense? Don't pick up something so hot with your bare hands."
I will definitely pay attention next time.
"Hey, you're usually quite sharp, why are you so careless today? Those few people reading at that table, they don't look like ordinary people, they're definitely going to be officials in the future. If we offend them, we won't be able to afford the consequences."
The boss lady personally delivered the douhua to them, and I came to the back kitchen, burying my hands in the well water and letting out a comfortable sigh.
No matter who got scalded today, I can't afford to pay for it, so I used my hands to catch it.
No money is a hard life, but it's okay if you get burned, you'll get used to the pain, it will get better eventually.
How could I not recognize Li Xingzhou's figure, I just don't dare to recognize him, nor do I dare to let him recognize me.
I am the daughter of the wealthy businessman they are talking about.
That person who doesn't want him, is me too.
3
Li Xingzhou's family was poor, so the money for him to come to town to study was scraped together by the villagers.
He wore patched-up clothes that didn't fit him, standing out among the other well-dressed students in the academy with his thin and frail body.
He works harder than anyone else, always topping the class in the academy, and his clear, cold eyes are filled with nothing but studying.
I like his unpretentiousness, and his different focus and seriousness with others.
The image of him sitting under the tree and teaching me to read was imprinted in my heart. How sweet it was at first, and how bitter it was when I gave up later.
My dad, who couldn't recognize a single character, traveled east and west relying on his ability to read people's expressions and accumulated a large fortune, becoming one of the well-known and well-off merchants in the town.
The Tang family only has one daughter, me. My dad is very fond of me and spoils me so much that he would never exchange the stars in the sky for the moon.
He shoved me into the academy and said to me earnestly, "You must study hard and not let me down."
」Little Sparrow, you have come at a good time. The court has decreed that girls can now attend school, something I wouldn't have dared to dream of in those days.
"I don't expect you to achieve any great feat, but you should at least be able to read the big characters. As long as you can understand right from wrong in the future, I will be at ease even if I die."
My dad didn't expect it, I hadn't even learned a few characters yet, but I chose Li Xingzhou first.
When I saw Li Xingzhou gnawing on a cold steamed bun again, I stuffed a bowl of chicken legs into his hands.
Li Xingzhou, our family's food is quite delicious, try it! I'll bring it for you from now on.
After a moment, the bowl and chopsticks returned to my hands, but Li Xingzhou politely declined me.
I have always been thick-skinned, the more he refuses me, the more persistent I become, the more determined I am.
My mother said that a strong woman is afraid of being pestered by a man, and it's the same for a man.
I was so close to writing my love for him on my face, and the students in the academy started to make fun of me, but I didn't care at all. The only one I care about is him.
Li Xingzhou didn't come to class, so I waited for him for two days with my bowl of rice. Finally, I couldn't sit still anymore and I asked around until I found Li's village.
Only then did Li Xingzhou know that his sister was sick, and she had been reluctant to see the doctor, which had dragged her into a serious illness.
Li's parents passed away early, and Li Xingzhou was taken care of by his elder sister. The brother and sister had a deep bond, so Li Xingzhou could not leave her alone.
He forgot what he was doing when he saw me coming, and the bucket in the well made a loud "plop" as it fell into the water.
I turned around and ran, all the way back home, and dug out all my lucky money.
He counted the money in the purse, but still felt it wasn't enough, so he looted the jewelry box.
When returning to Li's village, the sky was getting dark. Li Xingzhou's family was so poor that they couldn't even afford to light a lamp, and the courtyard was pitch black.
Without saying a word, I stuffed all the things in my hands to him, smiled innocently at him, and asked him to quickly go and invite the doctor to treat my sister.
Li Xingzhou didn't reject me once, and I thought this was the start of us.
Only later did I realize that I was wrong from the beginning. The unequal relationship was like a thorn, occupying little space but constantly pricking you.
I couldn't hide the fact that I had taken the Chinese New Year money from my dad, but I wouldn't tell him where I had spent it, so as expected I got a good scolding.
After Li Jiejie's illness got better, Li Xingzhou also came back to school.
After school, he went to the store at the corner of the alley to work and earn money for his own food and his sister's medical expenses.
That day in Li Village, Li Xingzhou only gave me a silver hairpin, but when he got to the academy he changed to currying favor with the rich and powerful for money.
The students who originally respected him now looked at him with contempt, even mocking him to his face.
Li Xingzhou was so kind to talk to me a few words, how could I let him suffer such an injustice? I had to fight with those students who mocked him and I was called by his parents.
My dad got a scolding from the teacher, his face lost all color, and he took me home and locked me up for several days.
When I returned to the academy, I found out that my father had funded Li Xingzhou, so he didn't have to work at the shop anymore and could just stay with me.
He became more and more silent, and I thought he was concerned about what others thought of him, so I foolishly comforted him: "You're great at everything, and others are jealous of you."
On the day of the county exam results announcement, Li Xingzhou made an amazing achievement by becoming the top scorer, not only did the county officials come to congratulate him, even the provincial government sent people to congratulate him.
Li Jia Village has never seen so many important figures before, and the atmosphere was suddenly bustling and extraordinary. Guests came and went with joy and happiness.
I stood in the distance, watching Li Xingzhou surrounded by stars, and finally made up my mind, stepping back and leaving one step at a time.
The Tang family fell overnight; my father was swindled of all his wealth in business and had to sell all their possessions to pay off the debt, but it wasn't enough.
I didn't tell Li Xingzhou about this, I just silently watched him go on his way, silently bidding him farewell.
The day when the pearl will eventually be revealed from the dust, if it shows any sign of weakness, it will be nothing.
I silently left Pu Liu Town, doing odd jobs along the way, wherever I could make money.
It wasn't until a few days ago that I returned to Puliu Town.
Li Xingzhou's clothes were clean and tidy, showing that he was doing well in the academy in the state capital.
He had been studying late into the night with little sleep, so his teacher kept him back for three years. Last year, he was finally allowed to take the imperial examination, and as expected, he topped the list.
The state capital's academy was overjoyed to take him as a key protégé, hoping to produce a scholar who could get the top three honors in the imperial examination.
Even the daughter of the county magistrate favors him, how nice.
I looked down at my rough, reddened hands, my eyes stinging at the corners.
Finally, after sending away the last table of guests, the shop was closed.
I moved the tables and chairs into the store, locked the shop door, and the alley was empty of people.
The wind was blowing against the walls, and I hurried towards the alley entrance.
In the pitch-black night, a bright light suddenly appeared in the front, and a familiar figure hid under the eaves, unable to see the expression on the face.
"Tang Que, how long will you keep avoiding me?"
4
In the dark night, Li Xingzhou's face gradually became clear.
Time has not left a trace on his face, still the same cold and good-looking appearance as before, only with a few more wise and profound meanings in his eyes.
Without saying a word, you ran away. I asked everyone who knew you these past few years, but no one knows where you are now. You really are something else.
I... I looked up at him with difficulty, and the words on the tip of my tongue turned into an apology.
Sorry.
Why didn't you tell me about the Tang family in the first place?
My neck bent lower, my head bowed even more intensely.
Is it because I can't help you, Miss Tang?
"No!" I shook my head instinctively.
Why is that?
He suddenly came close and pinned me against the wall, not letting me escape from his embrace.
It's been three years since we last saw each other, and he has become so domineering.
Where have you been in the last three years?
"I have been everywhere on the way south."
Li Xingzhou's breath sprayed in my ear: "No wonder I can't find you."
My neck stiffened unconsciously, thinking of what the children said in the past, and I stammered out:
"You... me... what my father said to you back then were all jokes, you don't need to take it seriously, the princess of the county is very beautiful, you two are very well-matched."
I thought I would be indifferent, but as I spoke, I felt a numb pain in my heart.
I saw them sitting side by side in the bright daylight, and it was no lie that I was not heartbroken. No one knows better than me how good Li Xingzhou is.
It was me who let go first, so I deserve to watch him be happy with someone else.
"Tang Que! Do you think I won't get angry?"
His voice carried a hint of anger, and even his breath was a bit rushed.
He used to be aloof and indifferent all the time, and even when he was occasionally displeased, I couldn't tell, rarely did he show any emotion.
I was flustered and at a loss for words, afraid of saying something he wouldn't like, so I just kept apologizing.
Sorry, sorry, sorry!
He laughed mockingly.
What did you do wrong?
I...
He pulled my hands out from behind my back, my swollen hands with a few scattered blisters exposed in front of him.
The desperate attempt to conceal was suddenly revealed.
Does it hurt?
In his pale, slender palms, my hands seemed even more coarse and clumsy.
I bit my lip and swallowed my grievance.
Why isn't it painful? You get used to it after a while, right?
"Don't go to work tomorrow, come with me."
I looked at him and suddenly smiled.
Thank you for your kind offer, but I cannot go with you.
After I finished my next sentence, Li Xingzhou's angry expression instantly froze on his face.
I'm getting married soon, so if you're free, remember to come.
5
I only help out at the bean curd shop when I'm busy; usually I sell flower garlands at the foot of the mountain in the suburbs.
In the outskirts of Puliu Town, the mountains are filled with flowers, the scenery is pleasant, and it is a great place for officials and nobles to go for a walk.
My hands are skillful, the flower rings I made are delicate and beautiful, and the business is doing very well.
"Look! This flower wreath is so pretty!"
The voice of the county princess Lin Yingying sounded sweetly, and she appeared in front of my booth the next second.
Today she didn't wear her school uniform, instead she wore a beautiful skirt, with light makeup, her temperament was gentle yet with a hint of playfulness.
My heart sank, and I had a bad feeling.
"Hmm, nice."
Sure enough, Li Xingzhou followed behind.
I closed my eyes and smiled with my lips upturned.
Do you want to buy a flower crown? You can give it a try!
What are you doing here?
Li Xingzhou's gaze fell upon me, and he refused to leave.
Sell flowers.
The mountains are full of flowers, spending some time weaving them into beautiful garlands, which can sell for a lot of money in a day.
The flower season of the mountain flowers is short, so we have to get up early in the dark and go up the mountain to pick the freshest flowers in order to make the most beautiful flower wreath.
The mountain road is difficult to walk on, full of thorns everywhere. My body is often scratched and cut, no matter where I go, I get hurt.
It's an endless cycle of getting hurt and then healing, only to get hurt again.
But I don't tire of it, this is currently my most lucrative livelihood.
The Yang aunt from the stall next door curiously looked at us: "Little Sparrow, you still know such a handsome man!"
I looked at the coarse cloth dress with no color on myself, and thought to myself, "I used to know this."
Li Xiangzhou had a hint of anger in his voice as he said, "Just acquaintances?"
I'm confused. Why is he getting angrier and angrier? Wasn't he the one who used to ignore me when I was pestering him?
He pointed to my stall: "I'll take all these flower garlands, but you have to deliver them to my residence."
Lin Yingying looked at him with eyes full of surprise, I clenched my fist tight and then relaxed, and finally put on a bright smile.
Nice!
Who can't get along with money?
As long as I can make money, don't even say let me deliver to your door, even if you let me tailor a full set for Lin Yingying from head to toe.
When I put two bundles of flower wreaths on the ground, Li Xingzhou stayed in the post house and the post house boys all gathered around, curiously looking at me.
"Isn't that the girl who sells douhua? How come she's selling flower garlands now?"
Li Xingzhou had a stoic face as he chased them away and pulled out his money pouch to give it to me.
I received the money and was about to leave, but he stopped me.
Where are you going? I haven't checked the goods yet.
I nodded, urging him: "Hurry up and check, I have other things to do."
It's getting dark soon, do you have anything else to do?
I want to go to the night market.
Li Xingzhou's face was ugly: "It's dark and you're not going home, what night market are you going to? How can you still be so fond of playing?"
I'm going to set up a stall.
His face changed unpredictably in an instant, and he finally stared in disbelief.
6
When my father was around, I was never short of money.
After Li's older sister fell ill, she couldn't do heavy work, so she stayed home and made bamboo baskets to sell at the night market for money.
Later, Li Xingzhou found out and silently took on the job. After dropping out of school, he went to the night market to set up a stall with a shoulder pole.
Amid the students' pointing and discussing in the academy, he remained unflustered and didn't even bend his waist.
Once, my mother took me to the night market and saw someone bargaining aggressively and contemptuously looking down on his poverty.
In my mother's astonished gaze, I angrily chased away the person: "Don't buy if you don't want to! Who treats people so badly!"
Li Xingzhou's expression was very uncomfortable: "It's not that it can't be sold."
No, this is all that Li Jiejie has earned through hard work. The money he has is not even enough for bamboo-leaf money.
Bamboo paper is free.
I crossed my arms and said, "That won't work either."
There were only a few bamboo baskets left on the ground, my mother looked at the bamboo baskets and then at Li Xingzhou, smiling as she paid for them all.
"Take advantage of the night market still being lively and go have fun, the two of you."
I took him to the best tavern in town. My father came back a few days ago and said that there was a new dish there. I wanted to take Li Xingzhou to try it.
He stood at the entrance of the tavern for half a day, and eventually I dragged him in forcibly.
When we were so poor that we couldn't afford to eat, I finally understood the emotion he had been suppressing at that time.
Once I didn't understand him, but eventually I did, only to find that things had changed and he was no longer the same.
Now I'm down and out, while his future looks bright. Those words that make me dream of a better life, I shouldn't take them seriously.
Lowering her eyes to contain her emotions, she rubbed her bruised hands and bent down to gather up the kite she had laid out.
Tonight the wind is strong, and before anyone noticed, the kites on the ground were swept up by the wind one after another.
I caught this one and flew that one, in the end the kite either broke its bones or tore its face.
I worked hard for half the night, but to no avail; not only did I gain nothing, I also lost money.
I wanted to mend the broken kite string, but the splinter pierced my finger and I quickly let go, afraid that the blood would stain the kite.
Suddenly, Li Xingzhou appeared and gathered up all the scattered kites.
I don't know when he came or how long he had been watching me. Unconsciously, I lowered my head and hid my hands behind my back.
He spoke in a low voice, his eyes red at the corners, "Your hand needs to be bandaged."
I waved my hands hurriedly: "It's nothing, I still have to do business."
These are all broken, nobody will buy them.
My handiwork is very good, just need to fix it up a bit, if not I'll just paste it again.
Li Xingzhou's voice unconsciously rose a degree as he said, "You're hurt!"
No, I have to make money.
I give it to you!
I suddenly looked up, wanting to refuse.
"I'll take whatever you're selling, no matter the price!"
7
Li Xingzhou took me back to the station, but I stood outside hesitating and refused to go in.
The county lord's daughter will not be pleased to see it.
What does it have to do with me whether she is happy or not? What are you thinking about all day?
My palm had a gaping wound, and the burn on my back was still unhealed. In the afternoon, I squatted at the foot of the mountain, and the mud on my clothes hadn't been wiped off yet.
Li Xingzhou finally exploded after suppressing his emotions for a long time.
Tang Que, why do you think I would like someone else as much as you do?
You guys...
"There's nothing between me and her," Li Xingzhou put the medicine heavily on the table.
If I have to say what the relationship is, it is that her uncle is my teacher, and I promised the teacher to take care of her.
He was afraid that I wouldn't believe him, so he continued to explain.
The Lin family has relatives here, so she just happened to be visiting them when she came back with me.
Li Xingzhou is usually a silent person, rarely speaking so much.
He hung his head to give me medicine, and I saw that besides books, there was a circle of sugar-dollies on his desk, of all kinds of styles, some of which had been there for too long and had faded in color.
I used to love these little trinkets, my house was filled with sugar dolls.
I asked the boss lady of the tofu pudding shop. He spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
You don't have a fiancé, and before your boss wanted to set you up with her son. Were you lying to me on purpose?
I don't have it.
"None of the people around you have seen your fiancé, so where is he?"
I argued, "Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
Li Xingzhou's face had never looked so bad before. He stood up, placing his hands on the armrests of the chair, and looked down at me with a frown.
He was so close that I could count his eyelashes clearly, and my nape tingled, making me involuntarily curl up into a ball.
What do you want? Money? I'll give you all the money I saved, please don't leave me.
He avoided my hand and embraced me, his cheeks trembling lightly against my neck.
With two hands full of medicine, I was speechless for a moment before I spoke with difficulty:
Li Xingzhou, I'm really getting married.
His fingers deftly hooked out the pendant around my neck.
"Little liar, you're getting married to someone else already, and you still dare to say that you don't have me in your heart even though you're wearing the things I gave you?"
8
The pendant on my neck, strung together with a thin rope, is a small magpie. The craftsmanship is rough, but I have managed to smooth out its edges.
That was the only gift Li Xingzhou gave me.
My father couldn't read himself, but he respected those who could. Even though Li Xingzhou was poor, he was a good scholar.
The year before I had my coming of age ceremony, my father held a birthday celebration and invited the Li family siblings, but they didn't come.
My father originally wanted to take this opportunity to meet Li's sister, and then discuss the marriage between me and Li Xingzhou.
We waited and waited, until the banquet was over and the people in the mansion had all gone away, and there was no one in sight.
My dad is a businessman, and businessmen are all about face. Even though he didn't say it explicitly, it was obvious that he was quite angry.
It was raining at night, but I stubbornly stayed at the gate, determined to wait for Li Xingzhou.
I take on his temper, and also have my own.
He knows how important today is and knows what his father means, yet he still hasn't come.
I'm disappointed in myself and I'm worried that something must have happened to him that prevented him from coming.
The night is cold like water, and the light rain is drifting, my young man is coming late.
He was drenched in rain and cold, his shoulders still carrying an unsold bamboo basket, just like me today.
At that time I had not experienced the suffering of the world, and when I saw the bamboo basket, I couldn't believe that he had delayed coming to give my father a birthday blessing because of selling this thing.
This was the first time we had an argument and tears were streaming down my face. He didn't say a word, but he reached out to touch my face, then let his hand drop, allowing me to vent.
When I was exhausted from crying, he rubbed my head and handed me that rough wooden carved little magpie.
It's obvious that effort was put in, but the craftsmanship is poor, so it's still ugly.
I cried so hard that I hiccupped, clinging to his sleeve and not letting go, asking him to hang it around my neck.
Because of the banquet, my father was so angry that he locked me up at home and didn't allow me to look for Li Xingzhou.
When I was able to go out again, Li Jiejie had already passed away.
I have never seen Li Xingzhou so dispirited, his eyes were pitch-black and there was not a glimmer of light.
Many years later, I found out that on the night of the birthday banquet, Li Jiejie fainted at home. Li Xingzhou called a doctor to stay with her until she woke up, and by then it was already dark.
He is not taking those bamboo baskets he picked for sale.
It was Li's elder sister who stayed up late to carefully weave something for my father, and there were also some small toys for me inside.
She doesn't know if my dad will like it, but she only makes these things.
The Li family is so poor that even the money for medicine is supported by my father. How can she have the face to take my father's money to buy a funeral gift?
She dragged her weak body, carefully and attentively shaving the spiky bamboo strips smooth and clean, doing the work in her hands with her expectations and blessings.
At that time I didn't know anything, but later when I thought about it, my heart always ached faintly.
Li Xingzhou is always silent, but he must have liked me too.
His time was so tight, yet he still found time to carve that magpie for me. His hands should have been holding books, but instead they were full of scars.
He knew I would wait for him, so even though it was so late, he rushed here in the rain.
He struggled between despair and hope in those years, but never bowed his head.
What now?
He held me tightly and begged me not to leave him.
My face was clearly smiling, yet tears were dropping one by one onto his clothes.
The person holding me suddenly stiffened up, helplessly wiping away my tears for me, and only let go of me when I had cried myself out.
Li Xingzhou sighed and looked at me helplessly, "Why are you so slow!"
You are asking for my life.
He took out a new pendant, also a magpie, which was a beautiful green.
The knife-making has improved a lot.
I can do well now, and when I take the imperial exam and become an official, I can save more money to buy better ingredients for you.
He wants to hang it around my neck, replacing the wooden magpie.
Can you not not want me?
He was about to say something when the knock on the door sounded, and the postman said someone was here to see me.
I took the shoulder pole and basket, hurriedly came down the stairs, and saw Qi Shaochu standing at the door with a cane, smiling gently.
"Little magpie, I'm here to pick you up."
9
I went home with Qi Shao and helped him lie down on the bed. I boiled some hot water and wiped his hands and feet.
The long road to the station, his limbs worn out with red marks, I warmed him up with hot water.
Qi Shao's right leg was broken at the thigh root because I didn't have it.
When the Tang family fell into decline, everyone deserted them. My father became ill and soon passed away.
My mother is used to living in comfort, so she can't handle things when something goes wrong, and the whole family is in a mess.
When we were driven out of the Tang family, it was Qi Shao who took us in.
He was originally the shopkeeper of my shop. When the shop closed, the guys all went to look for other ways to make a living, but he didn't leave.
He said, "My grandfather has been kind to me, I can't just leave like this."
Those days, he took me and my mother to hide and run away, afraid that the creditors would find us.
What's the point of being afraid, what's meant to be will still come.
It was ultimately my fault for involving Qi Shao, even though it was not his fault.
Even when we hid in another town, the debt collectors still found us. They forced me to sign a bond and sell myself into debt.
They covered my mouth and nose, pulled me onto the cart, and my mother was crying and chasing after us. Soon, we could no longer see anyone.
Qi Shao hurriedly rushed back to save me; he blocked the carriage by himself, but the coachman wouldn't let him go even though he was whipping the horse with the whip.
He rushed up to grab the carriage, and the debt collector was annoyed and beat him until his skin was broken and bleeding. He still held onto the person's leg and refused to let go.
I took the opportunity to jump off the carriage and run away, but when I looked back, I heard Qi Shao's roar behind me: "You still want to run?"
"Don't look back! Run!"
I listened to his words and kept running without looking back, kept running.
I stayed away for quite a few days before I dared to go back and take a look.
When I got back, I realized that both Qi Shao and my mother were gone.
The neighbor said that when my mother chased after the cart, she accidentally fell off the cliff and died. The debt collector broke Qi Shao's leg and almost caused another death.
I don't know where Qi Shao has gone. How did he leave with only one leg?
Later I went to many places, earning money while looking for him.
Finally, he was found in Puluo Town.
Turning around and around, we all ended up back where we started.
Qi Shao is lying in bed watching me work.
Is Little Sparrow the one you like?
My back stiffened for a moment.
Qi Ge, it's all in the past now, we'll get married in a few days.
What is he going to do?
He has a bright future ahead of him, and there will be a better girl who is worthy of him.
Qi Shao's voice was a bit heavy: "I won't marry you."
Qi Ge, listen to me, the money owed to the Tang family has almost been paid off. I will work hard to pay it off in a few years. Then we can open a shop to do some business, so we don't have to run around in the wind and sun anymore. Then we can have a child...
I won't marry you!
Qi Shao rudely interrupted me again.
I wanted to say something else, but he had closed his eyes and didn't want to listen anymore.
Yes, he doesn't want to marry me, doesn't want to drag me down.
It was already what I owed him.
He can choose not to, but I cannot not repay.
10
After setting up a stall for a long time, one will eventually meet an old acquaintance.
My old friend Zhao Yuan, whom I had befriended in college, recognized me.
She was originally just a daughter of a butcher, but thanks to the tutoring school, she met her current husband and after getting married, they lived a very comfortable life.
She had heard of the Tang family's affairs, but her words were too insignificant to be of any help.
Later when he wanted to look for me, he found out that I had already left Puluo Town.
She invited me to attend her daughter's first birthday party.
That day, there were many people at her house, including many former classmates from the academy.
Zhao Yuan brought her daughter over to show me, and she smiled so much that her eyes started to redden.
"Little Sparrow, I've always been envious of your smooth sailing life."
I smiled and replied to her, "There is no such thing as a smooth sailing life in this world."
After the Tang family had an incident, I went to look for you, but nobody knew where you had gone. Do you know how worried I was for you?
Zhao Yuan pretended to be angry, and lightly tapped my hand back just like before.
I begged for mercy and said, "It's all my fault, it's all my fault. From now on I'll stay in Puluo Town and never leave again."
She burst into tears of laughter, grabbing my hand.
Why haven't you come back in all these years, your dad and your mom...
I lowered my head and tried to hold back, but I couldn't help feeling wronged.
」I have never returned to pay my respects to my parents. At first, I was afraid that the debt collectors would catch me. Later, I didn't believe it, and I deceived myself into thinking that as long as I didn't go back, my parents would be alive, even if only in my heart.
」Yuan Yuan, do you know? When my father left, I felt like the sky had collapsed. People in the mansion scattered and the uncles and aunts I was familiar with all changed their faces and moved our things fiercely.
My mother kept crying, and I wanted to cry too. They had finished packing and were driving us out. The Tang family was gone, but my mother and I still had to live. But then my mother died.
"They say that when a person dies, their debts are gone. Does that mean if I pay back the money, my parents will come back to life?"
Zhao Yuan sighed, "I'm so tired!"
Li Xingzhou was looking for you everywhere at that time, asking around from house to house, and he almost asked every family in Puliu Town.
I was stunned and couldn't believe it.
」He even went to the creditors of the Tang family. You can imagine! Those people wouldn't have anything nice to say. He kneeled down to them and asked them to tell him where you were.
When he found out that your mother had passed away and you were almost sold, he almost went crazy. If it wasn't for the people from the state academy who happened to come and stop him, he would have fought desperately with those people.
You said he was a scholar, but when he gets to work, he can really bear some good fruit.
Later he was forcefully taken away by a Confucian scholar sent by the state government, fearing that he would stay in Puliu Town and eventually cause a big incident.
Zhao Yuan said while crying: "What is all this? Little Sparrow, where have you been all these years?"
I was stunned by her words, like a marionette, and stiffly replied to her, "Okay."
」"I went south, to the south of the Yangtze River, to the coast, and even went out to sea with a merchant caravan, to so many places that I can't remember them all."
He worked hard to make money until he had saved enough to come back.
A woman who has given birth is prone to crying; Zhao Yuan's tears soaked half my sleeve.
」How did you run so far by yourself? How much hardship did you have to endure?
Li Xingzhou always has someone come back to inquire about you and the Tang family every year. He went to the Academy in the provincial capital and buried himself in his studies, and his grades were very good. I heard he wanted to take the imperial examination, but the imperial examination was not a sweet potato from the stove, which meant that it was not easy to get one.
Her words struck my heart, one word at a time, leaving me completely stunned.
At first, Li Xingzhou and I joked, "What if we get separated one day, what should we do?"
"If you stay in the same place, I will definitely find you."
If I'm not in the same place, how can I find you?
I'll stand in the highest and most visible place so you can see me.
At the time I laughed at him: "What is the highest and most conspicuous place? Are you going to take the top scholar exam and ride a horse around the streets?"
11
I thought it would be a good thing for him if I disappeared and stopped bothering him.
He wasn't originally willing to be with me.
Before the announcement of the results of the provincial exam, I went to Li's village to see Li's elder sister without saying hello to Li Xingzhou, and I heard their conversation.
"Little Boat, once you have passed the imperial examination and become a juren, go propose to the Tang family. Don't make Little Magpie wait too long."
Li Xingzhou looked at the book in his hand and said coldly, "Let's talk again."
I was feeling down and dejected that day, so I left with a heavy heart.
I used to think that even if Li Xingzhou was a stone in the snow mountain, as long as I held him tightly, one day I would be able to keep him warm.
At that time I was too young, thinking that whatever I wanted to do in the world, I could do it.
Soon after, Tang's business ran into trouble, with debts piling up. My father's hair turned white overnight from worry.
When Li Village celebrated the success of a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, I couldn't help but go to the village entrance to sneak a peek at my young man, seeing him being adored by everyone and looking so proud.
I stopped the little tiger in the village, gave him two pieces of candy, delivered the divorce papers to Li Xingzhou, and then turned away from his world.
Beyond tomorrow, the sky is high and the sea is wide, may you gallop and soar high.
For those days, I stayed at home, listening to the clamor and noise from the creditors outside the house, while feeling anxious about Li Xingzhou's reaction to the divorce letter.
I have been daydreaming for days, but he has not responded in any way.
Since you didn't try to keep me at the time, what are you doing now looking for my whereabouts?
I'm a bit puzzled. He has a better future ahead of him, so why bother looking back at the unpleasant past.
Each is happy, isn't that bad?
That is... Li Xingzhou!
Zhao Yuan suddenly exclaimed, I was flustered.
Li Xingzhou presented the congratulations and bowed to Zhao Yuan's son-in-law to congratulate the noble family on gaining a daughter-in-law.
When Zhao Yuanpo's family heard the news, they were so happy that they couldn't stop talking. Pu Liu Town was not big and had not produced any famous people.
Li Xingzhou has now won the membership, and he will be an official of varying ranks in the future. Paying him a visit to congratulate him is a great honor.
Facing his old schoolmate, he asked me again: "Do you still remember me?"
"Tangque, would you like to go to the state capital with me?"
Almost everyone present knows about our past, and this is blowing up in our faces right now.
Zhao Yuan's mouth opened so wide that it could fit an egg in.
My toes curled into the ground, I was so nervous that I was stammering.
Li Xingzhou, I have a son-in-law already and we are getting married soon.
No matter if it's genuine or not, I have made up my mind.
You said you were getting married, but you didn't ask your fiancé if he was willing to marry you.
A bunch of gossipy eyes fell upon me, making my heart sink.
He went to look for Qi Shao!
Anger surged in his heart and his voice became a bit hurried: "This is my business, what does it have to do with you?"
"Your business is my business."
"Why don't you make sense!"
Li Xingzhou smiled lightly and looked at me narrowly: "Do you think you know everything?"
I can be even more unreasonable and clingy.
When he said that, I was so mad I couldn't even laugh.
He's bringing up my past behavior!
There are many ways to repay kindness, you don't necessarily have to marry him.
Li Xingzhou lowered his voice and patiently explained the logic to me word by word.
I have never seen him cajole someone so meekly, almost making me soft-hearted.
I almost agreed to go with him.
He is full of spirit now, having escaped from his former predicament, and his face and demeanor are more colorful than ever.
At first, I couldn't help but be moved by him, and now there's even less reason not to be moved.
But I can't, someone has risked their life for me, so I have to take care of him for life.
12
At someone else's banquet, I can't be the center of attention, so I took a bowl of wine and drank it all, apologizing to Zhao Yuan.
My tolerance for alcohol is not good; although I can't drink a whole glass, it's still enough to make me choke.
I don't want to stay here for even a moment, I just want to leave as soon as possible.
I stumbled down the alley, and as soon as I stepped out of the door, Li Xingzhou followed me.
The alcohol slowly surged up, and under the influence of drunkenness I pushed Li Xingzhou hard.
She turned down the corners of her mouth and her voice had a crying tone: "Don't you all love me anymore?"
Why are you only coming now? Do you know how late you are?
His expression suddenly dimmed a bit, and he reached out anxiously to help me. I grabbed his sleeve and started to cry loudly.
」Li Xingzhou, I'm so hardworking! I can't understand the Jiangnan dialect and I'm not used to the food along the coast.
」"Ugh...I'm still seasick!"
」I worked at the dock for a month carrying cargo, but people said I fell more than I carried, so they wouldn't pay me. Woe is me.
」"Making money is so hard! I always get scolded and people say I'm stupid."
」"The bamboo slices are all covered in thorns, and my hands are full of holes from where I got pricked, it hurts so much!"
」I almost fell into the sea and became fish food.
I'm hungry! I want to eat almond cookies from Kuan-Chia-Hsiang... *sighs*.
"Je suis fatigué."I am tired.
I was talking all sorts of nonsense, going off on tangents, and by the end I had no idea what I was saying.
Li Xingzhou held me in his arms and gently patted my back.
After crying until the end, I started to burp, with a strong smell of alcohol, making me even more confused. I couldn't hear a word of what Li Xingzhou said.
I only remember the last thing he asked me before he fainted.
Why do you have to marry him?
My tongue felt like it was tied in a knot as I said, "He... risked his life for me."
If it hadn't been for Qi Shao stopping that group of people, even if I had survived until now, it would have been no different from being dead.
Li Xingzhou was not sure how to answer me, so he just scratched his head in confusion.
He seemed to say, "How do you know I haven't gone all out for you?"
When I woke up, it was already bright outside. I suddenly realized that I was on Li Xingzhou's couch and was so startled that I rolled off.
The tea table was filled with paper-wrapped snacks, and the desk was piled with candy dolls.
Li Xingzhou pushed the door open and walked in, carrying a big box in his arms.
He saw that I had woken up and called me to come and see; inside were all the silk dresses I used to like.
These are all things you used to like, what do you like now? I'll go buy it for you.
I scratched my head, I couldn't figure out how Li Xingzhou, who was so cold and taciturn, could become so annoying.
So much food, is he raising pigs?
He put aside his pride and clumsily tried to please me. He put aside his arrogance and expressed his feelings in front of everyone time and time again.
Just like I used to be with him.
I used to be anxious all the time, feeling like he didn't have me in his heart at all.
I couldn't have imagined that after three years of being apart, in this moment of reunion, I hesitantly asked myself, could he really love me?
The rift between me and him is hard to bridge, besides Qi Shao, there is someone else.
Lin Yingying came up to me, her eyes filled with disdain.
」Since you didn't want him in the first place, don't come back and delay him now. You know the imperial exam is coming soon, yet he still refuses to leave because of you.
My uncle said that he would definitely make a name for himself in this palace exam, and that he might not be able to enter the cabinet afterwards. He is so outstanding, you are not worthy of him.
I was talked into a daze, and then suddenly woke up.
I understand what she means, I don't really deserve Li Xingzhou now.
I'm not very smart, I don't learn quickly, I'm in debt, and I don't have any family background.
Li Xingzhou married me, and it did not help him in any way with his career in government.
Lin Yingying's last words pierced my heart fiercely.
I heard your dad gave him a lot of help at first, and you know this person doesn't like to owe others.
13
I started avoiding Li Xingzhou, keeping out of his sight.
It is precisely because of understanding Li Xingzhou that I am sure what Li Yingying said is true.
In the past, if someone gave him half a steamed bun, he would return a cake in return.
At that time, because of his sister's illness, he took my silver hairpin to pawn, and later he saved up money for a long time and redeemed the hairpin for me.
Previously he was poor and my dad supported him in his studies and treated his sister's illness.
Now that I'm down and out, he's been kind to me and bought me things to help treat my leg ailment.
The same still applies, be fair and principled!
For all these years, I still feel sad for Li Xingzhou, my heart aches like countless ants gnawing at it.
When I helped him at first, I didn't expect him to repay me with anything. I just hoped he would remember me in his heart.
I like him, but I started out by using the wrong approach, making our relationship complicated and mixing in a lot of other things.
Later, they couldn't say any more.
Despite all the gossip and rumors he had to endure, he, being so proud, held out for so long before finally settling his debts.
After the pain, the heart gradually numbs.
When Li Xingzhou found me again, I clearly told him: "No!"
"Don't come looking for me anymore. Even if Qi Shao doesn't want me, I won't marry you."
Take back all the things you bought for me, I don't want them.
Thank you for finding the doctor and the prescription. Qi Shao's leg has improved a lot, and I can't repay you for this, so all I can say is thank you.
Li Xingzhou was almost furious:
"Who wants you to give it back to me! Who wants your thanks!"
I refused to listen to him anymore and just turned around and ran.
My brain isn't working well, but my legs are nimble. He couldn't outrun me before, and it's still the same now.
I handled the goods in my hands, packed my luggage, and persuaded Qi Shao to leave with me.
He treats me like a little sister and won't marry me, but even if we are just siblings, I will take care of him for life.
Little magpie, running away like this is not a solution.
I know this isn't a solution, so what can we do?
I must leave Pu Liu Town before Li Xing Zhou returns.
The imperial examination was imminent, and he could not delay any longer, so he finally went to the capital to take the exam.
Li Xingzhou was born into poverty. Without the subsidies given by the court to various academies, the money collected by the villagers would not be enough for him to study in the academy.
We both received the favor of the government, enabling us to read and understand right and wrong.
Benefiting from the country, one should give back to the country.
Li Xingzhou is well-versed in literature and has great ambitions in his heart. In the future, when he enters the court as an official, he will surely bring benefits to the people and build a prosperous country.
Although I'm not a bookworm, I have seen my dad doing business since I was little, so I have seen a lot of people and I understand something about human nature.
In the officialdom, just like in business, the most important thing is the result and success or failure.
This result could be either money and power, or ambition and responsibility.
If one wishes to do good for oneself, one must have the wisdom of a ruler to discern people.
Otherwise, one would have to struggle in the world of fame and fortune, relying on others for help and taking one step at a time to climb up.
If there is a ladder to heaven to help, the path to the sky will naturally be easier to traverse.
If the mud pit behind me drags me back, this hundred-step ladder is as far away as a moat.
I can't help him, let alone hold him back and stop him from going to a better place and becoming a better person.
My youth is not a creature of the pond, in the future it will surely soar and achieve great things.
At that time, I would stand in the crowd and say I love him amidst the clamor of voices.
The clamor will drown out my voice, but my love will never fade away.
14
It took me some time, but I cleared out all the stuff from my house and gave up the lease.
Originally I thought that with these plus the money I had saved before, it should be enough to pay back some of the debt that Tang's family owed, but I didn't expect that after three years, the interest would be higher than the principal, and it would be a long time before the debt could be paid off.
The debt collector gave me a slimy look, and the scene from three years ago came back to me. I turned to run, but was knocked out in one hit.
When Li Xingzhou and the officials came to find me, I almost got insulted.
Du Jia Lao Ye is an old friend of my father's, and is also a creditor of the Tang family.
He tied me to the bed, tearing at my clothes, a nauseating feeling rising in my heart, and I struggled desperately.
In between his actions, he slapped me and slammed my head hard onto the bed, and blood instantly flowed down from the back of my head, wetting the bedding.
He shouted angrily: "You lowlife, do you think you can get away from me? What kind of thing is your father, thinking he can compete with me in business? Not only will I make his family suffer, I will make sure he dies with his eyes wide open!"
"Did you think your mother really died from the fall? In fact, she lived for a few days after falling off the cliff."
He spoke in a sinister voice close to my ear, "She could have been saved, but I blocked the mountain road so no one could get down. Later, she wanted to die, but I wouldn't let her. I kept her alive, and made her watch her own painful death. Haha!"
Hatred burst forth, my eyes were about to split, my mouth was full of a pungent flavor, I screamed like a madman, a handkerchief blocked my mouth, leaving only fierce sobbing sounds.
Those years, he disguised himself so well, he called my dad his elder brother and warmly called my mom his younger sister.
My dad trusts him so much that he even entrusts his life and property to him.
In the end, he caused my parents to die a miserable death, leaving me to flee with a heavy debt on my back.
Now you still want to destroy me.
My shirt was pulled up to my shoulders and he lunged at me.
After a desperate struggle, the handkerchief in his mouth was knocked off. I bit down hard on his ear and savagely tore it off, my mouth filling with nauseatingly fresh blood.
He gave me several hard slaps, enough to make me dizzy, but he still wouldn't let go.
The door was suddenly kicked open, and a powerful force swept Grandpa Du off me.
I ripped off half of his ear, his face was smeared with fresh blood, and his eyes were filled with madness.
"Kill him! Let me kill him!"
I'm going crazy, and there are people crazier than me.
Li Xingzhou beat Old Du half to death in front of everyone.
Outside the government office, Lin Yingying angrily scolded me:
」Do you know how much suffering and guilt he has endured in order to achieve fame and success? Now, he almost killed someone for you, if this matter gets out of hand, his life will be ruined!
Tangque, you are such a troublemaker! Whoever gets close to you will be unlucky! Don't you want him to fail the imperial exam and stay here with you forever? You are so selfish!
I raised my wounded face and mockingly looked at the person in front of me.
Why are you saying I'm selfish?
I stunned Lin Yingying with a single blow.
What is your relationship? Do you have to come and accuse me on his behalf?
Lin Yingying's eyes reddened and she felt a bit discouraged, "I don't want to live anymore!"
The day my uncle took him back to the academy was the first time I saw him, and I liked him right away. Why did you have to show up if you didn't want him in the first place? If you hadn't shown up, he would have eventually accepted me.
Her directness took me by surprise, but some things just need to be said.
」What do you like about him? Is it the bright future ahead or the fame of being a top scholar?
You don't know, I have been to the state capital, and I have heard something about the Lin family.
Before the words had finished, Lin Yingying's face suddenly lost its color.
15
」"Isn't Lee Hangzhou your first target of admiration?"
Zhu Gongzi, Wu Gongzi, and Chen Gongzi? All of these people were without exception outstanding students of the State Academy.
In the end, they didn't even make it to the second level, and ended up as county magistrates in some remote area.
Lin Yingying's voice was obviously frantic, hastily scolding me: "You idiot, get out of here!"
What nonsense are you talking!
I couldn't stand her tangling me up, so I cut her off directly:
Do I need to say it? You know it in your heart. Whatever you plan to do, I won't interfere. But you shouldn't have the idea of getting together with Li Xingzhou, he's not your kind of person. Without me, he wouldn't accept you.
Lin Yingying was so angry that she became furious, her voice sharp: "How can you show me so little respect!"
What do you think you are? What do you compare yourself to me with? My uncle is the head of the State Academy, my father is the county magistrate of the State, Li Xingzhou married me, and my Lin family is his ladder to heaven...
The yamen suddenly opened from the inside out, and Li Xingzhou appeared before us.
He didn't even glance at Lin Yingying, and strode towards me, embracing me in his arms.
Sorry, I didn't protect you well.
I slowly raised my hand and embraced his waist, clearly feeling him stiffen up.
Li Xingzhou became cold and his words were like knives, hurting people deeply.
Lin Yingying reluctantly left, her back figure was incredibly desolate.
Li Xingzhou not speaking does not mean he is willing to cling to the Lin family.
He hated it when people said he was selling himself out for money back then, and it's even less likely for him to do so now.
Li Xingzhou touched my swollen red face, and the heartache in his eyes was more than words could express.
Does it hurt?
I nodded and couldn't help but burst into tears, and he was in a flurry again.
"Don't cry, Little Ancestor."
I still couldn't hold back my tears when I looked up, and I hiccupped so much that I couldn't catch my breath.
Li Xingzhou sighed and stuffed me into his arms: "You little rascal, why are you so disobedient!"
"What would I do without you if you love to cry so much?"
I don't usually cry!
I protested quietly and asked him hesitantly, "Are you okay? It looks like someone from the Zhao family has come."
Don't worry, I have taken care of it. No one was willing to investigate the Zhao family before, but now I am determined to get to the bottom of it. The government will naturally owe me a favor.
"But they have been cheating and getting away with it for so many years, and now what evidence do we have to convict them?"
He loosened his grip on me and looked down at me, his eyes filled with my reflection.
Do you know when the results of the palace exam will be released today?
"Ah? I haven't had time to go and see yet, what does this have to do with the Zhao family?"
Li sighed and rested his chin on top of my head.
My silly girl, what the government is selling is not my face, but the face of the top scholar.
"Ah! You, you, you..."
I looked up in surprise and bumped my chin, and I quickly reached up to feel it.
I just heard you mention Lin Yingying and thought you knew about it. Oh, so you didn't know.
My mind is a bit muddled right now.
」"Tangque, I'm here, no one will dare to bully you again."
In the future, we will go to many places together, so that the people there can have enough to eat and read, and have a better life.
I don't need a ladder to the sky, I just need you.
My tears suddenly streamed down, and I couldn't stop them no matter what.
I said that Lin Yingying didn't understand Li Xingzhou's heart, but it turns out that I don't understand either.
Puliu Town is very small, but it is not the poorest place.
In even more remote towns, the local government has a budget deficit and many people cannot even afford to eat, let alone learn to read.
When poor, one resorts to stealing to survive, when rich, one becomes unkind, people turn their backs on each other, and the world will inevitably be in chaos.
He has aspirations beyond Beijing, and is looking to the four corners of the world.
The county is rich and the people are happy; only when he fights corruption and helps the weak is his heart's desire.
16
He seemed a bit aggrieved and asked me with puppy eyes, "Why don't you like me?"
"Tang Que, I've been wanting to ask you all these years, why did you leave without a word, not even leaving me a single sentence."
I paused for a moment, somewhat timidly saying, "I had Little Tiger deliver the divorce papers to you without a word."
Li Xingzhou's face suddenly got worse, and his voice got louder: "I said it, I won't go!"
"Is there anything else?"
I was confused by his response: "When you didn't reply to me, I thought you agreed as well."
Li Xingzhou picked me up and put me on the guardrail, looking up at me.
Do you still want to divorce me? I haven't even received it!
He was obviously suppressing his anger, so I didn't dare to provoke him.
He shook his head quickly and stammered, "The marriage proposal was just a joke in the beginning. You agreed to my father because of the circumstances, and you know my family owes a lot of money. If you marry me, your hard-earned life will be ruined."
He was silent for a moment, then tapped my head lightly.
"You never used to think so much before, is that why you won't listen to me?"
I'm afraid of becoming a burden to you.
Excess baggage?
」Li Xingzhou furrowed his brows and said, "Tang Que, my daughter doesn't need to have a family background or to live by the rules. She just needs to be happy every day."
If possible, I wish you could be as happy as before, thinking only about which store's snacks are delicious and which store's skirts are pretty, always innocent and joyful, and I will be here to protect you from all the storms.
Looking at him, baring his heart, I was so shocked I didn't know what to say.
」At first, I took your father's money to treat my sister's illness, and I do owe your Tang family.
So even though I knew it would hurt you, I never responded to your confession of love, because of my poor self-esteem, and I missed out on three years.
He had a crush on me before I did; he found me interesting when my dad threw me into the academy for the first time.
The little girl dressed in round and rolling clothes in winter, like a doll in a New Year painting.
At that time, I was carefree all day, and as soon as I went to class, I would doze off with my eyes wide open, and I would make a funny face even after being scolded by the teacher.
In a place where no one was paying attention, he gave me many looks.
Others said he was poor, but he never paid it any mind.
When I actively approached to show goodwill, he suddenly took notice.
Later, when he took my father's money, he couldn't even stand straight in front of me.
If Li Xingzhou hadn't been so stubborn, he would have settled the marriage with me earlier, and none of the following events would have happened, and we wouldn't have missed these three years.
After Li Xingzhou left, I returned home and saw that I had put the tidied up things back in their original places. Qi Shao smiled and joked with me, "What are you tidying up again?"
"Not leaving again?"
I put the stick in his hand and let him play with it.
Every day I go to the bean curd shop in the narrow alley to help out, because it is closest to the town entrance.
The Du family has collapsed, and I have paid off my debt.
Living debt-free is such a great feeling.
When the people from the capital city arrived that day, the town was bustling with excitement and all the people rushed to the town entrance.
Li Xingzhou was wearing a first-place crown and riding a tall horse. Amid the sound of drums and gongs in the streets, he stopped at the entrance of the bean-flower shop.
She looked at me tenderly and softly called out to me, "Baby, you're back!"
"Daughter, I'm here to take you home."
17
Li Xingzhou made an impressive debut, and the Emperor was delighted to talk with him.
The result was that he was so handsome that he caught the princess's eye and almost became her consort.
He applied for a transfer, and everyone felt sorry for him, but he cheerfully took me with him to his new post.
Later, we visited many counties, some of which were in chaos and the people were living in great hardship.
Li Xingzhou spent a long time dealing with local people's livelihood issues.
He achieved remarkable results in every county he was assigned to, and the local people enjoyed a better life.
Just like him, I worry every day about which store has the best snacks and which store has the best skirts, living a naive and happy life.
I don't rely on him to live, those stores are all opened by me.
At first, in order to supplement my family's income, I picked up my old trade and did some small business.
That's right, even though we are officials, we are still poor.
When Li Xingzhou was at his poorest, he patched up the undershirt that was not visible beneath his official uniform.
When I went to set up a stall, sometimes Li Xingzhou was busy with his work and couldn't see me at home, so he would come to the street corner to look for me and sell miscellaneous goods with me.
He used most of his salary to support the children in the village to go to school, and the family relies on me to make money by selling things to make ends meet.
I don't know if it was because of accumulated good karma, but business gradually got better and better, so I opened a shop, and then one became two.
But we are still poor, and most of the money we earn is donated to the local academy and tribal school.
Although he is poor, every year Li Xingzhou will carve me a small magpie.
Sometimes it is made of wood, sometimes it is made of jade, and sometimes it is made of clay.
In the year we received the sixth magpie, we had our first daughter.
She looks like her dad, thinks like me, a perfect combination of beauty and clumsiness.
Later we had a second child, then a third.
Two people became five people, and the house was filled with chaos all day.
I wrote a letter to Qi Shao complaining about my plight, and he rushed over in the middle of the night to help us take care of the kids. Later, he helped us manage the shop.
Business grew bigger and bigger in his hands, and later he traveled around and opened stores everywhere.
I became a stay-at-home mom, taking care of the kids and supporting the family of five.
Li Xingzhou and Qi Shao's relationship is so good that they can wear one pair of pants and don't mind eating their uncle's leftovers.
He is happily busy every day studying the irrigation ditches with the townspeople, drawing plans, digging mud, and solving the local water supply problem.
Later, news of his political achievements returned to the capital city, and he was rewarded by His Majesty, promoted in his official rank, and appointed as the governor of the prefecture.
Then he stepped back to the capital city, entered the cabinet, and took up the position of Prime Minister's assistant.
He stands taller and taller, and does more and more.
After the children grew up, I opened an academy and Qi Shao funded many poor students, who later became pillars of the country.
Li Xingzhou is going further and further away, but I never worry that I can't keep up with his pace.
Because he will definitely wait for me.
(The whole text is finished.)