The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Chapter 37

That day Su Qingyu went to town to sell eggs and bought some needles and thread along the way. On his way back he met Auntie Wang at the village entrance. Auntie Wang pulled him aside for a chat, talking about village matters: whose family had taken a wife, whose family had added a new baby, whose crops were growing strong.

In the end, Auntie Wang lowered her voice and said, “Has the second Liang boy come down from the mountain these past few days?”

Su Qingyu shook his head.

Auntie Wang let out a sigh. “That boy too, he disappears when he gets busy. But you can’t blame him. Spring is the time to earn silver, and those things in the mountains, if you miss the season they’re hard to catch.”

Su Qingyu nodded and didn’t say anything.

Auntie Wang looked at him, sighed, patted his hand, and left.

Back home, Mother Su was sunning herself in the courtyard. Hearing the commotion, she turned her face. “Back?”

“Mm.” Su Qingyu put down his things, pulled over a small stool, and sat beside Mother Su.

The spring sunlight was warm and cozy, falling on the body and feeling wonderfully comfortable. The chickens in the courtyard were scratching for food by the wall, the little pig was grunting in its pen, and the jujube tree was sprouting tender green leaves, a picture of vibrant life.

Mother Su took his hand and patted it gently. “Something on your mind?”

Su Qingyu shook his head. After a while he still honestly nodded, leaned against Mother Su’s shoulder, and said nothing.

Mother Su didn’t ask anymore, just patted his hand again and again, lightly.

After quite a long while, Su Qingyu finally spoke. “Mother, what do you think… when one person is good to another person, what are they after?”

Mother Su was silent for a while before saying, “Some people are after a return, some people aren’t. Some people are after a moment, some people are after a lifetime.”

Su Qingyu didn’t speak.

Mother Su said again, “The second Liang boy is good to you. Do you think he is after a moment, or a lifetime?”

Su Qingyu was startled, his heart beat a little faster, pressed his lips together, and said softly, “I don’t know.”

Mother Su let out a sigh and patted his hand. “Then wait and see. There is still a long road ahead.”

Su Qingyu nodded, leaned against her shoulder, and closed his eyes.

The summer solstice passed, and the days grew hotter by the day.

The peak season for the five poisons on the mountain was over. Those snakes and insects that could sell for a good price, the best ones had mostly been caught by others, and the remaining ones were hard to find, and the small ones weren’t worth much. Liang Yu then gave up that line of work and focused on his hunting trade.

The bottles and jars in the wooden house were put away, the snake cages were cleared out, and only a few newly tanned hides hung on the walls, and a few bundles of medicinal herbs stacked in the corner.

The house no longer had those things that made the little ge’er afraid.

Lying down at night, the mountain was very quiet, only the rustling of wind through leaves, and the occasional distant howl of a beast. Liang Yu turned over, staring at the pitch-black ceiling, and suddenly a person popped into his mind. He didn’t know how that little ge’er was doing now, whether he was eating properly, whether he was… thinking of him.

The day Shuanzi went up the mountain to deliver grain, the sky was overcast, as if it was going to rain.

Liang Yu was in the hut organizing the medicinal herbs he had dug up these past few days: astragalus, codonopsis, and a few not-bad aged fleeceflower roots, spread all over the ground. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, then lowered his head again.

“Second Master.” Shuanzi put down the grain bag, and pulled out a jar, “Young Master Su asked me to bring this pickled vegetable, said it’s newly made, wants you to try it.”

Liang Yu’s hands paused. He washed his hands clean, took the jar of pickled vegetables, opened it and smelled it, salty and fragrant, with a bit of a spicy kick. The corner of his mouth curved up, then he wrapped it up and set it aside.

“How is the Su family?”

Shuanzi squatted to the side and told him about the past few days.

Liang Yu listened, his hands continuing to organize the medicinal herbs, not making a sound.

After Shuanzi finished, he hesitated a bit, then said, “Young Master Su seems to… miss you.”

Liang Yu raised his eyebrows, lifted his head and looked at Shuanzi.

Shuanzi continued, “When I went to deliver things, Young Master Su asked every time, when is Second Master coming down the mountain. After asking he would get embarrassed again, saying it’s nothing, just asking.”

Liang Yu didn’t speak, lowered his head and continued working.

Shuanzi waited a while, seeing he didn’t make a sound, stood up and said it was time to go down the mountain. Walking to the hut door, he suddenly heard from behind, “Tomorrow I am going down the mountain.”

When Shuanzi turned back, Liang Yu had already lowered his head, continuing to organize those medicinal herbs.

The next morning, Liang Yu went down the mountain.

First he returned to his own courtyard in the village, took a bath, changed into clean clothes. He looked in the bronze mirror, raised his hand to touch his chin, stubble had come out, so he shaved it again.

He carried a large basket of mountain goods on his back, medicinal herbs, mountain mushrooms… drove the donkey cart straight to town. He made a round to the familiar medicine shop and mountain goods shop, exchanged them for more than twenty taels of silver. Then he went to sell the accumulated mountain goods and game first, and sold another thirty-some taels. The shopkeeper was an acquaintance, smiling and saying that Second Master Liang had a good harvest this year. Liang Yu responded lazily, put the money away properly.

Coming out of the shop, he wandered around town.

First he bought two large packages of pastries and candied fruit that the ge’er loved to eat, then went to the cloth shop to buy several feet of fine cotton cloth, and picked two pieces of floral cloth, light and soft, suitable for spring and summer wear, all in fresh tender colors, just right to set off the ge’er’s fair and delicate skin.

When he passed by the jewelry shop, his steps paused.

In the display counter were various pieces of jewelry, many styles. There was a small fish jade hairpin that was quite well made, the pinkish-red material was clear and translucent, the carving was so lifelike that in the sunlight it seemed to carry a kind of living spirit.

“This one, let me see.”

The shop assistant handed it over. Liang Yu took it in his hand and looked carefully, the quality was indeed not bad.

“Wrap it up.”

Coming out of the jewelry shop, he remembered something else, went to the medicine shop again and took a few bottles of face cream and put them in his chest.

Carrying large and small packages, when he came out of town, the sun was already tilting west.

Liang Yu drove the mule, slowly heading back.