My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 3

Chapter 3: Fetching Water

The original owner studied under Scholar Li, who had taken on fifteen disciples, each paying three taels of silver a year. He used to teach at a private school in town, but he returned to his village to care for his ailing mother.

The original owner had studied with Scholar Li for five years and was now twenty-one. Song Changxu thought to himself that he’d actually gained from this; he was twenty-three in his modern life, and now he was two years younger.

The room was spacious. Song Changxu opened the wardrobe and caught sight of three long robes. One was already somewhat faded, while the other two were bright and clean.

On the desk were the Analects and the Doctrine of the Mean. The imperial examinations tested on the Four Books and Five Classics. By memorizing these nine books, one could pass the exam to become a xiucai. Scholar Li had already taught the Four Books, the Book of Songs, and the Book of Documents, leaving the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals yet to be taught.

The Ningxing Dynasty already had movable type printing. The Four Books and Five Classics were required texts for the imperial examinations, so their prices had dropped over the years. The Song family had gritted their teeth and bought a set for their son.

Song Changxu couldn’t find any knowledge from the books in the original owner’s mind. It seemed the original owner hadn’t absorbed anything he’d studied.

He would have to catch up on his own.

“Changxu, it’s time for lunch,” Song Mingyan’s voice called from the main hall.

Song Changxu closed his book and replied, “I’m coming.”

In the Song family’s main hall, Song Ye and Xu Cheng were already seated. Song Mingyan and Liang Su were bringing dishes from the kitchen.

Golden patches of light shone in, dust motes floating like fine threads in the air. A few cracks like spiderwebs spread from the corners of the walls. The family’s table was faded, revealing the wooden legs, and a pot of barley tea on it gave off a faint, fragrant aroma.

Song Ye sat in the main seat, teasing Xu Cheng with a peanut. His face was weathered, but his eyes were gentle as he looked at Xu Cheng.

He was dressed in a short coarse robe, with straw sandals on his feet, caked with mud.

When he saw Song Changxu, his brow relaxed. “What are you standing there for? Come and sit.”

The food was all on the table. Song Changxu picked up a coarse grain bun and started eating. He had expected it to taste bad, but surprisingly, the bun had a light fragrance and a grainy texture that was unexpectedly delicious.

Song Mingyan said, “I didn’t make soup today, just brewed a pot of barley tea.”

Liang Su said, “This is good enough. To have a hot meal and a pot of tea after a hard day’s work, life is comfortable.”

Song Mingyan smiled, pursing his lips. “I’m glad you like it, Mother.”

Barley tea was made by roasting barley and boiling it in water. It was cheap and tasty.

Xu Cheng had a small appetite and was full after one coarse grain bun.

Song Changxu was thinking about his engagement to Xu Zhizhou. The longer this dragged on, the worse it would get. He tentatively said, “I was engaged to Xu Zhizhou yesterday.”

Liang Su remembered this and smiled. “You went to the Xu family with us yesterday. You were more than satisfied. But the wedding is set for the beginning of the sixth month. There are still three months before you can bring him into the family.”

Song Ye thought about his son getting married and having children, which settled his heart considerably. He teased his son, “You can’t rush a marriage. Zhizhou is right here in Qishan Village; he’s not going to run away. It would be best if you could pass the exam to become a xiucai. If you can’t, being able to read and write will still help you find a job in town.”

Working as an accountant in town, or running a small business, was always better than being a farmer like them.

Song Mingyan had learned that the family had arranged the match with Xu Zhizhou. He now had a favorable impression of Xu Zhizhou and already treated him as a future brother-in-law. Seeing that he was about to marry into the family, he considered him one of their own.

The words to break off the engagement were stuck in Song Changxu’s throat. Thinking of the original novel’s ending, and the fact that he was a homophobic straight man, he still forced himself to speak: “The engagement was just settled yesterday. Can we call it off today?”

The main hall fell silent, the only sound being the gurgling of Xu Cheng sipping his tea.

Liang Su glared at Song Changxu. “What are you talking about? You were the one who took a liking to Xu Zhizhou and begged your father and me to go to the Xu family to propose. Now, just one day later, you’ve changed your mind? Do you think this is a child’s game, where you can get engaged when you want and back out whenever you feel like it?”

Song Ye put down his bowl and chopsticks, his face darkening as he scolded, “The betrothal gifts have been given, the marriage contract written, and the birth characters exchanged. Yesterday, I asked you if you were sure about marrying into the Xu family, and you said you were. You, you are so fickle! This engagement cannot be broken. You’d better think it over carefully.”

“If you had been unsure yesterday morning and told Matchmaker Shen not to go to the Xu family, there would have been room for discussion. But now, it’s too late.” Song Ye waved his hand dismissively, his chest heaving, clearly angered.

Song Mingyan couldn’t help but speak up for Xu Zhizhou. “Changxu, if you break off the engagement, you can still find another woman or ge’er. But if Xu Zhizhou’s engagement with you is broken, his reputation will be ruined.”

The world was harsh on women and ge’ers, not as tolerant as it was with men. A broken engagement was a trivial matter for a man, but it was a different story for the ge’er involved.

Song Changxu knew the engagement couldn’t be broken. He said, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to live a good life with him.”

Liang Su said, “The fact that you can think this way means you’ve grown up. But you haven’t even started your life together. How do you know you two won’t have a good life?”

Song Ye also said, “Your mother and I were introduced by a matchmaker too. We didn’t even know each other back then. It was a blind marriage, but we’ve had a good life. You chose Xu Zhizhou yourself, and both our families know each other well. What are you afraid of?”

Song Changxu knew he hadn’t thought things through. But the thought of spending his life with a man was something he couldn’t quite accept, and it would also be unfair to Xu Zhizhou.

Xu Zhizhou wanted to find an ideal husband. With someone like him, the truth would be revealed on their wedding night.

Song Ye: “Let’s eat. Don’t think about these things. There’s no room to break off this engagement.”

Song Changxu: “I understand, Father. I won’t bring this up again.”

After lunch, Song Changxu gathered the bowls and chopsticks to take to the kitchen, but Liang Su shooed him out. “Your mother and elder brother will take care of this. You go rest. If you have nothing else to do, go back to your room and read.”

The marriage was set in stone and couldn’t be changed. He had wanted to break it off by taking all the responsibility himself, but now, after hearing his elder brother’s words, he realized there was merit to them. He hadn’t considered the issue thoroughly.

Xu Zhizhou was, after all, a ge’er.

Thinking of the ending in the original novel, Song Changxu sighed.

He couldn’t judge the people of this time based on a predetermined outcome.

In the afternoon, Song Ye and Liang Su took a short nap before heading back to the fields, with Song Mingyan joining them. Xu Cheng went off to play with the other village children, leaving Song Changxu at home alone to read.

…

After lunch, Xu Sunzheng and Cao Qin took their eldest son back to the fields. Cao Qin instructed, “Zhizhou, remember to fill the water vat and take care of the chickens and ducks.”

Xu Zhizhou: “I know, I know.”

After they left, Xu Zhizhou washed the dishes, complaining, “I’m not stupid. I know how to do these things. Why don’t you trust me? You still have to remind me.”

The sun had shifted. Xu Zhizhou picked up a carrying pole to fetch water. There was only one well in Qishan Village, located just outside the village. The Xu family lived far from the village entrance, so fetching water was a long walk.

When Xu Zhizhou reached the well, he pulled on the hemp rope to draw water. The bluestone rim of the well was uneven, with white marks worn into it by the rope. The well water was clear. Xu Zhizhou’s hand ached.

The bottom of the deep well was not visible. He pulled on the rope to fill two buckets, then bent down to lift the carrying pole.

Xu Zhizhou took a deep breath and hoisted the pole onto his shoulders. Every time he fetched water, he felt it was torture. His palms and shoulders would be rubbed red.

He always procrastinated when it came to fetching water. He still dreaded it now, especially with the sun beating down, which made him even more reluctant.

.

Song Changxu was reading in his room when he heard a frantic knocking at the door. He got up to open the courtyard gate and was met by a fair-skinned, handsome ge’er with his hands on his hips, glaring at him.

Xu Zhizhou was wearing a short green robe today, with flax trousers. His hair was simply tied back with a ribbon, revealing a full forehead and a face as beautiful as a hibiscus flower.

His eyes curved like autumn waters, and his waist was so slender it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand. The corners of his lips were slightly upturned.

“Well, well, I’ve finally caught you,” Xu Zhizhou said in a sarcastic tone.

This was the first time Song Changxu had seen Xu Zhizhou. He hadn’t expected him to look like this. No wonder he was so proud of his beauty.

Song Changxu came back to his senses, his tone puzzled. “What can I do for you?”

Xu Zhizhou stomped his foot. “You have the nerve to ask me? Don’t you know what you did?”

What did I do? I’m more wronged than Dou E.

Xu Zhizhou yelled at him, “Why didn’t you come after me? Don’t you know how much face I lost because of that? Tomorrow, you’re going to town to buy me mung bean cakes! If you don’t, I’ll ignore you, and I’ll tell everyone you’re a heartless scoundrel!”

Song Changxu: “Wait a minute. Just for this little thing? I’m not free to go to town tomorrow. The day after…”

Xu Zhizhou: “I don’t care, I don’t care! I want to eat mung bean cakes! You heartless man, you made me lose face! How am I supposed to hold my head up as a ge’er now? Why am I so unlucky, boo hoo hoo…”

Both of their families were prominent households in the village, but the Xu family had a member working in the county yamen. On top of that, the protagonist shou doted on this younger brother, so Song Changxu had no choice but to give in.

Song Changxu gritted his teeth. “…I’ll buy them.” A wise man submits to circumstances. He was a smart straight man.

Xu Zhizhou looked up, his face completely devoid of tears. Song Changxu felt a slight sense of suffocation at the sight.

“Good that you know what’s good for you. Don’t try to fob me off with some cheap mung bean cakes. I want the ones from the shop on East Street,” Xu Zhizhou said, his mouth watering at the thought.

Song Changxu: “I know.”

Hearing Song Changxu’s words, Xu Zhizhou’s mood brightened. He fidgeted with his fingers and said in a soft voice, “There’s something else I need your help with.”

A sense of alarm rose in Song Changxu’s heart. He didn’t agree immediately, asking cautiously, “What is it?”

Xu Zhizhou shifted three steps to the right, revealing the carrying pole and water buckets behind him.

Song Changxu: “…”

“My parents told me to fill the water vat, but the buckets are too heavy. I can’t lift them. And my hands and shoulders are injured. Could you…” As he said this, Xu Zhizhou glanced shyly at Song Changxu.

“Could you help me fetch water to fill the vat?”

Song Changxu looked at Xu Zhizhou’s hands, which were fair and smooth, without a single scratch. Noticing Song Changxu’s gaze, Xu Zhizhou tucked his fingers into his sleeves.

“Aiya, don’t look at me like that. It’s so embarrassing,” Xu Zhizhou said, his eyes darting around.

Song Changxu noted that he wasn’t blushing.

He said, “Do your own things yourself.”

Xu Zhizhou’s anger flared higher than the sky, but on the surface, he said pitifully, “Can’t you just help me? I’m really tired. You’re a man, so you’re naturally stronger than a ge’er. Fetching water is no effort for you. We’re going to be family soon, so what’s wrong with fetching some water? Song Changxu, are you my fiancé or not?”

His words grew more and more self-righteous.

“If you don’t help me, I’ll block your door,” Xu Zhizhou said, planting his feet firmly on the threshold.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it, alright?” Song Changxu agreed helplessly. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-defined hands, bent down to secure his trousers, and hoisted the carrying pole onto his shoulders, using his arm strength to stand up.

His steps were a bit unsteady at first. The original owner had never done any physical labor, and his body was weak.

Song Changxu was taller than Xu Zhizhou. As he bent down and stood up, he cast a shadow over Xu Zhizhou.

Xu Zhizhou: “We can’t let people see us together. I’ll go home and wait for you.”

Song Changxu: “Go on then.”

Soon, Song Changxu heard the sound of footsteps fading away. If people saw them together, who knows what the villagers would gossip about. There would be more rumors.

The sun was strong, and the wind that blew as he walked was hot. The wind was annoying, and the sun was a nuisance.

Xu Zhizhou returned home.

Not long after, Song Changxu arrived with the water. Xu Zhizhou pointed the way. “The water vat is over here.”

Song Changxu poured the two buckets of water in, but the vat was still far from full.

This body is really weak.

He took a breath, picked up the carrying pole and buckets, and headed back outside the village to fetch more water.

Author’s Note:

Little Song: Weak.

Little Xu: Is there something wrong with his body? [Cracking]

Translator’s Notes

1. Dou E (窦娥): The main character of the classic Yuan dynasty drama The Injustice to Dou E (窦娥冤). She is a famous symbol of a person who has been grievously wronged.

2. Yamen (县衙): The administrative office and/or courthouse in a county in imperial China.