My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 16

Chapter 16: Peach Delivery

Xu Sunzheng came to give money. Seeing Song Changxu’s proper demeanor, he couldn’t help but nod in his heart.

After writing Xu Sunzheng’s name, Song Changxu said, “Take care, Uncle.”

Xu Sunzheng went in with Cao Qin and Xu Zhici. Cao Qin also saw Song Changxu. Seeing how outstanding he was, she felt very pleased.

Cao Qin: “Look at the young men in this village. None of them are as handsome as the Song family’s boy. His posture is so proper, and he can even write.”

Xu Sunzheng said, “The Song boy is not bad.”

When choosing a son-in-law, they had considered many factors before choosing Song Changxu. So far, based on Song Changxu’s behavior, both of them were extremely satisfied.

Xu Zhici had brought a bowl. When the feast started, he would fill it for Xu Zhizhou to take back.

The three of them sat together. A villager who didn’t see Xu Zhizhou asked, “Why didn’t your Zhizhou come?”

Cao Qin: “He accidentally fell and hurt his leg. He’s bedridden at home now.”

The woman: “That’s too careless.”

Before long, the table was full. Looking out, it was a sea of heads. It was an open-air feast, and the noise of the crowd was deafening.

Song Ye found two seats for himself and Xu Cheng. The servers were already in place, ready to bring out the dishes.

The feast began, and dishes were served one after another. Song Changxu had to eat with the others who were helping in the kitchen, so it wasn’t time for his lunch yet.

Xu Zhici filled his bowl and started eating. There weren’t many professional cooks in the village; most of the dishes were made by the villagers themselves, and they tasted quite good. The two meat dishes on the table were gone in no time. The villagers rarely ate meat, and with so many people at one table, it was good enough if everyone got a bite.

Xu Zhici had the century egg with chopped chili, as well as a few excellent vegetable dishes like cold sweet potato leaves and stir-fried potato shreds with green peppers. Xu Zhici ate with satisfaction, but there was a hint of regret in his heart. It was a pity that Zhizhou couldn’t eat so many dishes.

Xu Zhici finished eating first. He was about to go home with the bowl when he heard someone calling him before he had even left the Tan family’s gate.

When the Xu family had given money, Song Changxu had known that Xu Zhizhou hadn’t come. This time, when he saw Xu Zhici leaving with the bowl, he handed him two peaches that were on the table.

“The Tan family gave them to me. I don’t like to eat them, so I’m giving them to Elder Brother Xu.”

Although he said he was giving them to him, he was actually giving them to Xu Zhizhou through him. Xu Zhici accepted.

.

Xu Zhizhou was at home, waiting for his elder brother to bring back food. Hearing a noise outside the door, he immediately became eager.

Xu Zhici pushed open the door and handed the bowl and chopsticks to Xu Zhizhou.

“You’re the best, Elder Brother.” Xu Zhizhou held the bowl and chopsticks, his mouth watering at the fragrant aroma. His sharp eyes noticed that Xu Zhici was also holding two large, pink peaches, and his gaze was hesitant.

“Elder Brother, where did these peaches come from?”

The peaches were of such good quality; they couldn’t have been brought back from the feast.

Xu Zhici said, “Song Changxu is the accountant at the Tan family’s. He gave you these two peaches.”

Xu Zhizhou picked at his bowl of rice. Hearing this, he muttered, “Alright, I guess he knows what’s good for him and remembered to bring me something delicious. We’ll split the two peaches, one for you and me, and one for Father and Mother.”

Xu Zhici: “I’m not eating. You can have them all.”

“No, I don’t eat much. I can’t finish a whole big peach,” Xu Zhizhou said, pinching his soft waist and raising his voice. “I can’t gain too much weight.”

After eating, the two brothers shared a peach. The peach was juicy, and the flesh was fresh and fragrant.

“Elder Brother, look at the flower I’m embroidering. I can’t seem to get it right,” Xu Zhizhou said after finishing the peach, showing his needlework to Xu Zhici.

Xu Zhici took it and pointed out a mistake.

Xu Zhizhou had a sudden realization. “I get it.”

Xu Zhici suddenly thought of something and said, “By the way, when your leg gets a little better, we’ll have to go to town to get some cloth to make your wedding dress.”

“This… this is too embarrassing,” Xu Zhizhou said, fidgeting in front of his own brother. “I can manage embroidering shoes, purses, and handkerchiefs, but I can’t embroider a wedding dress.”

Xu Zhici smiled. “Mother and I will help you.”

The villagers were reluctant to spend money. Getting married already cost a lot, so they usually didn’t want to spend money on a new wedding dress and would buy a second-hand one from a ready-made clothing shop. The two Xu elders had savings, and for a marriage, they still had to get new cloth to make a set of clothes. After the wedding day, it was up to Xu Zhizhou whether he wanted to keep the wedding dress as a memento or take it apart for other uses.

Xu Zhizhou breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, his cheeks red. “With you and Mother helping, I’ll be much more at ease.”

He knew his own limitations.

Xu Zhici brewed some barley tea. When Xu Sunzheng and Cao Qin came back, they could take the tea with them to work.

Xu Sunzheng said, “Today, we’ll turn the soil in the fields. After cutting the pig feed, we’ll go back and rest.”

Cao Qin: “Tomorrow, we’ll make fertilizer at home, pick vegetables from the fields, and take the eggs to town to sell.”

The bamboo forest on the back mountain was lush. In the hot summer, they would cut bamboo in the morning and rest at home in the afternoon, weaving bamboo baskets to sell. They had also worn out three pairs of straw sandals, so they needed to weave a few more pairs to have on hand.

Xu Zhizhou was left at home to work on his needlework. He had embroidered two purses, using the leftover cotton cloth from making clothes. He opened the bedside cabinet, and inside was the handkerchief Song Changxu had left for him.

He recalled lying on Song Changxu’s back, their skin touching. His back was really broad and gave a great sense of security. His own hot breath had spread across Song Changxu’s neck, and his fingers had clung to him.

On his back, Xu Zhizhou couldn’t make out Song Changxu’s expression. He could only see his earlobes, his neck, and the profile of his face. He could feel that his steps were steady, which gave him a sense of security.

Xu Zhizhou shook his head. I can’t think about it anymore. If anyone knew he was thinking about a man like this, it would be a disaster.

“If Song Changxu had refused to help me cut the pig feed back then, I wouldn’t have chased the wild chicken. Is he completely without fault?”

.

After lunch at the Tan family’s, there was no one left. Old Madam Tan stuffed a red envelope into Song Changxu’s hand. After eating, he went back with Liang Su and Song Mingyan.

“It seems that being an accountant can also make money,” Liang Su said, wiping the sweat from her face.

The sun was strong, and the three of them quickened their pace. Song Changxu said, “This was just a coincidence. If I were to be an accountant, I’d have to pray for more weddings and funerals, which doesn’t seem likely.”

“That’s true,” Liang Su said with a smile.

They went home, drank some mint tea, and rested. Xu Cheng had already arrived home. When he saw Song Mingyan, he called out to him.

In the afternoon, Song Ye went to work. Liang Su and Song Mingyan stayed at home to embroider clothes. They chatted for a while and then fell silent, their attention focused on their needlework.

The Song family lived in the middle of Qishan Village. At this time, the neighbors on both sides were quiet. Only the occasional clucking of chickens and ducks could be heard in the courtyard.

After embroidering for a while, Song Mingyan got up and went to the kitchen to scoop a bowl of water and pour it into the chicken coop. The chickens and ducks flapped their wings and came to drink.

“It’s too hot. Even the chickens and ducks don’t have much energy,” Song Mingyan said.

Liang Su’s tone was worried. “It’s like this every year. The climate is particularly harsh this year. I just hope we don’t have to face a drought.”

If the climate was really harsh, the crops would be damaged. After paying the taxes, they wouldn’t have much money left at the end of the year.

A few years ago, there was a drought in Yunzhou Prefecture. They were under its jurisdiction, and the situation that year was terrifying. The crops in the fields were about to die of drought, and the well in the village was about to dry up. They could only fetch water from the river, and a round trip of two or three times would take a whole shichen.

The water was not only for their own family to drink, but also to water the crops to prevent them from dying. It was during that time that their family had sold several acres of good land. When times were bad, some people couldn’t bear it and even sold their own children.

They had been able to get through it partly because their family was better off, and partly because the court had exempted them from taxes that year. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to survive.

Liang Su and Song Mingyan continued to embroider. Xu Cheng, being young, went back to his room to sleep.

In the courtyard, quilts, dried peppers, dried radish strips, and beans were laid out to dry. The village dogs panted with their tongues out to cool off, their tails wagging as they left the shade under the eaves. As for the cats, they were less afraid of the heat than the dogs. They lay lazily in the sun.

Song Changxu took a short nap and then got up to review his books. He continued to write out the essay he hadn’t finished, thinking for a while before putting his brush to paper.

Whether it was writing an essay or writing from memory, it had to be done in one go. If he was interrupted, it would be difficult to pick it up again later.

Of the remaining fifteen disciples, besides Song Changxu, who was still diligently studying, a few other students were helping at home, and some had relaxed and were playing. Feng Xin’ou helped with the chores at home and continued to read and write in his spare time.

At this time, the farmers were not busy. Most of them were turning the soil, weeding, repairing farm tools, making fertilizer, digging irrigation ditches, and feeding the chickens, ducks, and other livestock.

.

Song Changxu put down his brush. It was already late. He looked at the sunset through the window and went out to help Song Ye chop firewood.

Xu Cheng held a small pinwheel that spun in the wind.

After finishing his work in the fields, Song Ye had gone to the back mountain and cut a full basket of firewood. He put down the basket, drank some water, and was drenched in sweat.

“Changxu, if you’re tired, you don’t have to chop anymore.”

Song Ye fanned himself with a cattail fan.

Xu Cheng ran over with his beloved little pinwheel to show Song Changxu. “Uncle, look at my pinwheel. Isn’t it pretty? It spins so fast.”

The pinwheel stopped spinning. He poked it with his finger.

Song Changxu said, “If you change direction, it will spin.”

Sure enough, when he changed direction, the pinwheel started spinning again. Xu Cheng was happy again.

Ten days had passed. Song Changxu was going to Lingshui Village to study. Xu Zhizhou’s leg had healed, and he went to town with his mother to sell vegetables.

It was early, and the sky was misty. Xu Zhizhou sat next to Cao Qin. In his basket were the vegetables he had washed last night, which he was taking to town to sell.

When they arrived at Shuibo Town, Xu Zhizhou was visibly happy. He first went to sell the purses and handkerchiefs he had embroidered at home, and then he went to the market to help Cao Qin sell vegetables.

Xu Zhizhou was good-looking. He stood on the side and was not afraid to shout loudly, “Come and buy, come and see! Fresh vegetables and fruits, just dug up from the ground, fresh, clean, and delicious!”

His voice was clear, and he was good-looking. For a moment, he attracted many vegetable-selling women and ge’ers to come and look at his vegetables and ask for the price.

A woman saw that the vegetables were fresh. She picked some and bargained, “Can you give me a better price on these vegetables? If they’re cheaper, I’ll buy more.”

Xu Zhizhou: “Auntie, we’re a small business. We can’t go any lower. If you buy more and support our business, how about I throw in some scallions as a bonus? If you like the vegetables, you can come back next time.”

The woman nodded. “Alright, let’s do as you say.”

Author’s Note:

Little Song: I’m more wronged than Dou E. [Furious]

Little Xu: Come and buy my vegetables. [Pats head]