Chapter 11: A Rainy Day Keeps a Guest
On his way back from Jiaozhou, Hu Sheng happened to see Qin Tong, the boy who often followed Zhao An to Ruyi House to deliver strawberries, being chased and slapped by a human trafficker.
Lending a hand was a simple matter. He presented the name card of the Jiaozhou Garrison Commander, gave ten liang of silver, and the trafficker respectfully handed the boy over to him.
But when he brought the boy back to the village, he heard the villagers gossiping, calling Zhao An a malevolent star and saying he was ruthless. He knew then that even without his help, Zhao An could have solved this problem on his own.
Then he saw a completely different side of Zhao An. He was no longer the courteous and polite young noble who was even polite to the old woman selling yarn. He held a club in his hand, and at his feet cowered a fat man with his hands and neck bound. But Hu Sheng had to admit, Zhao An was even more handsome than when he had appeared gentle and harmless. His eyes were fierce and lively, like a small leopard leaping and hunting in the mountains.
He certainly admired Zhao An’s actions. To deal with those petty villains who only used underhanded means, one had to use uncompromisingly tough methods.
So he followed the other man home. But he found that the way the other man looked at him was now somewhat unusual, lacking the purity of their first encounter on the street. He had grown to his current age, spending most of his time in the military camps, but he had seen the adoring gazes of young maidens before. Compared to those overly shy girls, this Young Master Zhao seemed very direct, yet without a hint of profanity. At least, when he saw the other’s fervent gaze, he didn’t find it repulsive.
However, his identity was merely that of someone who had broken military law on the northern battlefield, been exiled to the Jiaozhou border army, and then directly deserted. Perhaps one day, when his dear elder brother remembered him, he would send people to kill him. He really didn’t have the leisure to develop a relationship with anyone.
All these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. He looked firmly into Zhao An’s sparkling eyes, stood up from his chair, and cupped his hands in a bow. “I live on the great green mountain behind here. It’s at most a two-ke journey back and forth, so there’s no need to trouble Young Master Zhao.”
[T.N:Ke: An ancient Chinese unit of time, equivalent to about 15 minutes.]
Hu Sheng refused to stay the night, but Zhao An observed that his movements were large, and his gaze never seemed to land on him, as if he were avoiding it. He could clearly feel that this man’s feelings for him were also different. The small bud of affection in his heart seemed about to break through the soil. So he tested the waters, “Since you live so close, I won’t insist. Why don’t you come to my house early tomorrow, Young Master Hu? A batch of strawberries will be ripe then, and you can go with me to Zhao Tongming’s house to get the silver back.”
Hu Sheng hadn’t expected that even after his refusal, Zhao An still wouldn’t give up. He had been taken to the battlefield by the man who fathered him at the age of twelve. At that time, his fairer-than-average skin and unusual looks had attracted a lot of attention, including some officers who coveted his body. Some had backed off after discovering his strength; those who had persisted were long dead now.
But faced with Zhao An’s persistence, he didn’t seem to find it so repulsive. He could only put on a cold face and say, “I have some matters to attend to tomorrow. If Young Master Zhao wishes to give me strawberries, you can deliver them directly to Ruyi House tomorrow. As for the money your cousin owes me, I’ll just stop by and collect it on my way out.”
Being rejected twice in a row, Zhao An couldn’t help but start to doubt himself. He was probably falling for one of the three great delusions of life: he likes me too.
Since he couldn’t make him stay, Zhao An didn’t want to make the scene too awkward. He forced a smile and said, “Then let me see you off, Young Master Hu.”
The other man raised a hand to stop him. “No need.”
“Then take care, Young Master Hu.” Zhao An still maintained his decorum, standing up from his chair to see him off.
Hai Bo, who was boiling water in the back kitchen to make tea for their guest, heard that Young Master Hu was leaving. He quickly ran out and cupped his hands in a bow. “Young Master Hu saved this old man and Qin Tong’s lives. How can you leave without even having a sip of water?”
“It’s getting late. If I don’t go back, my family will worry.” Hu Sheng raised his head, intending to check the position of the moon, but found that the night sky, which had been clear just moments ago, was now covered with dark clouds. The starlight and moonlight were gone, and the sky looked even darker. In this weather, many people with poor eyesight probably couldn’t even see the nearby houses.
But Zhao An’s heart was in turmoil because of his mention of “family.” He gritted his teeth and finally couldn’t resist asking one more question. “May I ask if Young Master Hu is married?” He paused, then made up an excuse. “I happen to have two bolts of brightly colored cloth at home. No one in my family can wear them. Why don’t you take them back for your wife to make a couple of outfits? It would be a small token of my appreciation.”
He had originally intended to casually reply that his wife at home didn’t like to dress up, but then he looked down and saw Zhao An’s tightly clenched fists. After a brief pause, he answered truthfully, “I have been in the army since I was young. I’ve wasted my years and have yet to marry. I’ve become an old bachelor.” He smiled as if in self-deprecation and continued, “It’s just that I accidentally injured myself in the army, and I’m afraid I have no plans to marry in the future. The people at home are just an old couple who once took care of me.”
Injured yourself. The impact of these words was indeed great enough. He couldn’t hear anything else.
He had lived for over twenty years, experienced two worlds, and finally found someone he liked. If he gave up so easily, would he have to wait another twenty years? Maybe he could try taking the initiative.
But Hu Sheng was determined to leave. Even when Qin Tong brought out the freshly brewed tea, he had no intention of drinking it and stepped directly out the door.
Zhao An was still contemplating the question of being active or passive, his mind a little distracted. However, Hai Bo and Qin Tong, having been rescued by Hu Sheng, didn’t notice the strange atmosphere between the two. With great enthusiasm, they swept Zhao An along to see him off at the gate.
However, just as they crossed the small courtyard and reached the gate, a bolt of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky. Immediately followed by a “crack” and a clap of muffled thunder, raindrops the size of beans began to fall with a clatter, drumming against the green tiles of the roof. Hu Sheng stood outside the courtyard wall for only a few moments, and half of his body was already soaked.
A jolt of joy went through Zhao An’s heart. Without thinking, he grabbed the man and pulled him back, only managing to mutter, “It’s raining, it’s raining.”
But what kind of wind, frost, snow, and rain had Hu Sheng not experienced? Yet, with his wrist held, he couldn’t break free. He could only be pulled back. First, the old steward offered him a cup of hot tea. The young boy brought a clean cloth for him to dry his hair.
Zhao An brought him a comb. “Let your hair down first, then dry it slowly.” Then came the clothes. “You can wear my new clothes. I don’t know if they’ll fit.”
