The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Chapter 62

The two of them walked into the main hall holding hands. The main hall was bustling with warmth. The table was already set with steaming hot breakfast. Liang Feng and Father Liang were chatting about village matters. The little lad Yu was playing happily with the puppies in the corner. Mother Liang and Zhang Yun were talking with Su’s mother.

Mother Liang heard the noise, looked up, and saw the young couple walking in clinging to each other hand in hand. Mother Liang smiled teasingly and nudged Zhang Yun to look too. Zhang Yun glanced up, then turned her head and covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

Only then did Su Qingyu realize his hand was still being held by Liang Yu. He tried to pull it back but couldn’t. He looked up and glared fiercely at Liang Yu. Little did he know that this coquettish little look only made one more reluctant to let go.

Seeing that Su Qingyu was truly annoyed, Liang Yu finally let go. As soon as Su Qingyu withdrew his hand, he went to sit on the other side of Su’s mother. Liang Yu followed and sat beside Su Qingyu. Under the table, he hooked Su Qingyu’s little finger and pinched his soft fingertip.

Su Qingyu ignored him. Feeling his little trick, he immediately withdrew his hand so Liang Yu couldn’t pinch it anymore. He turned his face and called out sweetly one by one. “Mother, Mother, Sister in law.”

The three of them smiled and responded. Su Qingyu also greeted Father Liang and Elder Brother. The whole family was harmonious and joyful.

Once everyone was gathered, they started eating. After breakfast, the younger generation had to pay New Year respects to the elders. They each kowtowed to Father Liang and Mother Liang. Su Qingyu and Liang Yu also kowtowed to Su’s mother. The elders all stuffed red envelopes into their hands, laughing happily.

After that, it was the little lad Yu’s turn to pay respects. He kowtowed to each of the adults in turn, his forehead turning red from the kowtowing. He hugged his arms full of red envelopes and smiled happily.

After paying respects, Su Qingyu told Liang Yu he wouldn’t go back to their courtyard with him. Instead, he followed Su’s mother into her room.

Once inside and the door closed, Su Qingyu took out a small rattan patterned gold bracelet from his chest and handed it to Su’s mother. Su’s mother was stunned. Her eyes reddened as she looked at Su Qingyu and said, “Qingyu… what is this…”

Su Qingyu smiled, his eyes also a bit red. “Mother, I saved some silver this year. I’m giving you a gold bracelet to wear. In the past, Father would give you new jewelry every year. Now that Father is gone, you still have me. I have new jewelry to wear, so Mother should also have new jewelry to wear every year.”

Tears fell from Su’s mother’s eyes. She couldn’t help hugging Su Qingyu and crying. Su Qingyu also shed tears.

The mother and son hugged and cried together. After a while, Su Qingyu recovered from his crying, wiped his face, and said with a smile, “It’s New Year. If we cry away all our tears for this year now, then we can’t cry for the rest of the year. We have to live with smiles.”

Su’s mother wiped her face and nodded repeatedly. Su Qingyu chatted with Su’s mother for a while longer before coming out of the room.

Su Qingyu stood in the courtyard to steady his emotions, fixed his expression, and then went to find Mother Liang. Mother Liang was picking out clothes in her room. Seeing Su Qingyu come in, her face broke into a smile. “Qingyu, why have you come?”

Su Qingyu closed the door properly, sneaked over to Mother Liang like a cat, and took out a flat strip gold bracelet from his chest. He handed it to Mother Liang and said, “Mother, this is my New Year gift for you. What husband gave you before was his share. He gave his, and I also want to give you my own share.”

Mother Liang looked at his adorable appearance and laughed hard. She took the gold bracelet, rubbed Su Qingyu’s head, and said, “Alright, our Qingyu is so filial. This gold bracelet is truly beautiful, much prettier than what your father buys. Only Qingyu is so considerate. Mother loves it so much.”

Su Qingyu smiled sweetly. Mother Liang adored him and pinched his face. Su Qingyu buried himself in Mother Liang’s arms and acted spoiled for a while before going out.

Returning to their courtyard, Su Qingyu entered the room. Liang Yu was sitting inside waiting for him. He looked up at Su Qingyu, reached out, and pulled him into his arms. He used the prepared warm water to soak a cloth and wiped Su Qingyu’s face. “All done?”

Su Qingyu nodded, tilted up his little chin to make it easier for Liang Yu to wipe, and then rolled a warm egg over his eyes. There was no trace left of having cried.

After fixing his face, Su Qingyu kissed Liang Yu and buried his soft face into Liang Yu’s shoulder nook, rubbing against him and acting spoiled. “Husband, you are so good.”

Liang Yu wrapped his arm around his waist and held him close. He lowered his head and kissed his hair, letting the person in his arms cling and act spoiled. The fierceness that once marked his brows and eyes was now completely replaced by gentle smiles.

…

Father Liang and Mother Liang had also come through hardship. The Liang family had favored Father Liang’s younger brother. When Mother Liang had just given birth to Liang Feng, before she had even finished her month of postpartum confinement, the Liang family cruelly divided the household. Most of the family property was given to Father Liang’s younger brother. Father Liang, being out of favor, only received a few acres of fields and a dilapidated house from the old family home. The Liang family was pointed at and cursed by the villagers, their spines being the target. In the end, they still divided the household. Father Liang and Mother Liang only managed to barely survive the hardest period thanks to the help from Mother Liang’s natal family.

When Liang Feng was six years old, the family’s situation finally improved somewhat. Father Liang and Mother Liang worked hard and saved up over a dozen acres of fields. Their debts were all paid off, and the family’s food for the year was no longer a problem. Only then did they have Liang Yu.

The trend of imperial examinations was in full swing. Although the villagers didn’t expect their children to achieve any scholarly honors, families with some means would still send their children to begin their studies when they reached the right age. Even if they didn’t seek honors, being able to recognize characters was good enough.

Father Liang had foresight. Although the family no longer worried about food, they didn’t have much saved silver. After discussing with Mother Liang, he still scraped together silver from between his teeth to send Liang Feng to the neighboring village to begin his studies with the Xiucai.

After the village children began their studies and learned to recognize characters, they basically wouldn’t continue studying.

After the initial schooling ended, the teacher specifically sought out Liang Feng and said he had a talent for studying. If he put in serious effort, having a scholarly honor to his name would be good for his future. But Liang Feng knew the family was struggling. Studying consumed a lot of silver, and he didn’t want to burden the family. So he told the teacher he wouldn’t continue. The teacher looked at Liang Feng’s stubborn appearance, sighed, and told him to go back and think it over carefully.

Liang Feng took his small bundle and went home. After a few days, when the teacher didn’t see Liang Feng return, he thought it over and still didn’t want such a good seedling to go to waste. He specifically came to the Liang family and spoke with Father Liang and Mother Liang about Liang Feng’s studies.

The imperial examinations were a bottomless pit. Year after year, silver was scattered out, but how many actually achieved scholarly honors?

After the teacher left, the oil lamp in the room burned through the night. Father Liang, Mother Liang, and Liang Feng sat in the room to discuss. Although Liang Feng was young, he had strong opinions. After Father Liang and Mother Liang made their decision, he still cried and fussed about not studying. Father Liang held him down and spanked his bottom a few times, and he cried. Mother Liang watched and her eyes also reddened.

The next day, Father Liang personally took gifts and brought Liang Feng to the Xiucai’s home. The matter of studying was settled.

When Mother Liang’s natal family heard that Liang Feng would continue studying, fearing they wouldn’t have enough silver, they also sent over some money.

The days passed one by one. When Liang Feng was fourteen, he passed the county level examination. He studied while helping the family farm. Liang Yu was still too young to be a laborer and could only help with odd jobs around the house.

Liang Feng was at the age when he was growing and suffered terribly from overwork. His physical foundation was damaged, and his health was never very good after that.

Liang Feng treasured the opportunity to study. Through diligent and unceasing effort, he passed the Xiucai examination at twenty years old. With the Xiucai honor, the family’s taxes were reduced. Only then did the later substantial family fortune gradually accumulate.

Father Liang’s parents realized they had bet on the wrong horse and regretted it beyond measure. Their reputation was ruined and they had offended Father Liang’s family. Unable to stay in the village, they sold their property and moved the whole family out of the village. No one knew where they went now, but no one cared either.

Liang Feng passed the provincial examination at twenty five years old. After that, knowing his talent was insufficient, he didn’t continue studying. He entered the county yamen to work as a Zan Dian.

…

The green mountains rise layer upon layer. I laugh that the green mountains are as small as a dipper.

Looking from afar, the green mountains reach as high as the sky. Year after year, the sky can be traveled.

As the years grow long, steadfast action leads to distant goals. Mountains can be crossed, the sky can be traveled, and a light boat can pass through ten thousand layers of mountains.