Chapter 31: Official, Too Warmhearted
Xiao Qi rapidly took a couple breaths and opened that divorce paper to look again.
The divorce paper really did have a stamp. It was red, bright vivid red. The square-shaped big official seal covered those two lines of words. There were only 4 additional words, but the content became completely different.
Song Liang Zhuo and Qian Xiao Qi’s emotional relationship has broken, is false;
Discussing divorce, will fail!
Fuu! Xiao Qi exhaled. No wonder Official Song signed the divorce papers so refreshingly back then. It was only a handful of words yet he split it into two lines, so he was preparing for this later touch from the start. How can Official Song plan so far ahead and be so crafty? Xiao Qi scratched her chin and dumbfoundedly looked at the sky.
Her body was very tired. She sat for quite a while on the carriage, then blindly stumbled around for such a long time, Xiao Qi was starting to become dizzy again. Xiao Qi crumbled the divorce paper into a ball and rushed towards the lake, lifting her hand up, but midway she rethought and lowered her hand, uncrumbling it and refolding it before carefully putting it into her chest.
Xiao Qi’s head was heavy as she went back to the room, after having Lu Liu grind the ink she chased her out. Xiao Qi sniffled her runny nose, unfolded the wrinkled divorce paper, and then separately added another two words at the end. Xiao Qi looked at this paper with satisfaction, attentively blowing it dry before folding it up.
Xiao Qi turned in a circle as she looked around the room. In the end, she stuffed that divorce paper in the pillow.
Perhaps it was because she had personally added those words and exacted a small revenge, or perhaps it was because that terror of being in the water alone was slowly fading, and in addition, Song Liang Zhuo’s expression of goodwill made her heart feel a bit better. Xiao Qi hugged her blankets and shut her eyes, giggling for a long time, and then sleepily drifted off to sleep.
Naturally, it wasn’t only Concave Village that got flooded. Song Liang Zhuo felt a sense of helplessness as he looked at the victims at the city entrance that wanted to enter the city. The previous people from Concave Village and the neighboring villages had already been a.s.signed by him to households within the city, but Song Liang Zhuo knew that the willingness of the people in the city to help the victims also has limits. One household can just barely endure the burden of feeding one or two additional mouths, but once it starts to influence their daily life, not only will they not be able to help the victims anymore, it will also arouse dissatisfaction within the citizens of the city.
But having a large amount of victims be stuffed outside the city wall was also not a solution. Song Liang Zhuo could only have people build temporary thatched cottages on an area about 500 meters outside of the city that had yet to be flooded. A small amount of the materials to build the thatched cottages were contributed by the citizens of the city, Song Liang Zhuo still had to think of some way to get a large amount of it.
The memorial to the emperor that was sent still did not have a reply, Song Liang Zhuo also didn’t ask to borrow money from the Qian family again, but rather gathered several of the rich families in the city, wanting to persuade them to contribute some money. However, after talking with them Song Liang Zhuo discovered after having this marriage relation with the Qian family, wanting to get money from their hands was harder than hard.
The next day Song Liang Zhuo indeed did wake up really early in the morning and personally went to buy the deep-fried breadsticks and soy milk from that shop Xiao Qi mentioned. When he walked to the Qian fu door, he didn’t knock but silently stood next to the stone lion.
He was imagining if he was Xiao Qi, waiting early in the morning like this next to the government gates, with her heart filled with antic.i.p.ation as she waited for the person she liked to come, and even had to gather up the courage to face rejection after rejection. She fell in love with him first, and it was even that much earlier. To her, it probably wasn’t fair at all.
The door of the Qian fu was pushed open, the manservant that was pushing open the door saw Song Liang Zhuo and immediately his eyes when wide as he stammer: “B-Big, Third Guye, why didn’t you knock?”
Song Liang Zhuo just nodded: “Has Third Miss completely recovered?”
“Ah, I-I-I’ll go ask.” The servant turned and ran out, then slightly bending his waist ran back again, saying with a smile: “Third Guye should hurry and come in. If Third Miss finds out she might strip this little one’s skin.”
Song Liang Zhuo lifted his legs and walked in. Because it was early in the morning, he followed the servant and went directly to Xiao Qi’s courtyard.
Xiao Qi was still sleeping. Using a thin blanket she wrapped herself up into a coc.o.o.n and slept until her forehead was full of sweat. Song Liang Zhuo lifted his hand to wipe away the sweat on her forehead, then sat next to the bed, a bit distracted.
Song Liang Zhuo watched the deeply asleep Xiao Qi for a while, then softly said: “I brought you breakfast. Once you wake up have Lu Liu reheat it, I have to go now.”
Song Liang Zhuo’s voice had just fell when Xiao Qi raised her leg straight up in the air and with one burst of effort, sat up. Song Liang Zhuo stared at Xiao Qi that still had her eyes closed and nervously swallowed. It couldn’t be that she has some strange condition now after the fever?
Song Liang Zhuo worriedly gave a soft call: “Xiao Qi?”
No sound.
“Xiao Qi, lie down to continue sleeping, alright?”
Song Liang Zhuo leaned over, waiting to help the upright Xiao Qi lie down, but Xiao Qi opened her eyes in a split second and fiercely stretched out her two claws and opened her ferocious mouth like a beast and howled “ao”!
Song Liang Zhuo inhaled a breath of cool air and abruptly retreated a couple steps, yet Xiao Qi actually slapped the mattress and started laughing heartily.
“Ha ha, coward, ha ha, who asked you to sneak into my room. Serves you right!”
Xiao Qi laughed for half the day but still didn’t hear a sound from Song Liang Zhuo so she closed her mouth, worry finally striking her after the fact. After glancing at Song Liang Zhuo who was still staring blankly, she gave a light cough, her eyes twirled, then with another ‘ao’ she rigidly laid down again.
Song Liang Zhuo was indeed frightened, a breath was pressing on his chest, stifling it and causing it to ache.
Song Liang Zhuo looked at Xiao Qi that had closed her eyes and laid down again, his heart unexpectedly felt a bit more relieved. Clowning around like this with him, afraid she’s probably forgotten she hated him in her half-asleep state.
Song Liang Zhuo sat back next to the bed and grabbed Xiao Qi’s ear. He didn’t use much strength, but when he pulled Xiao Qi’s head couldn’t not lift up. Xiao Qi’s thoughts whirled and with a groan she opened her eyes, looking sleepily towards Song Liang Zhuo and said: “Official Song, when did you come.”
Song Liang Zhuo could not help but chuckle. He pulled Xiao Qi’s cheek and shook it a little, then said: “I’m leaving.”
“Oh. Official Song, take care.” Xiao Qi meekly nodded, sucking in a breath because of the pain from the cheek that was pulled and even pinched.
Song Liang Zhuo rubbed Xiao Qi’s cheek. For some reason he laughed again, Xiao Qi was scared to the point her hair rose up. She snuck a few glances at him, afraid that he would have second thoughts and turn around to hit her again. Song Liang Zhuo saw that her eyes were alert and guarded and wanted to say something, but though he opened his mouth, he didn’t say anything and just patted her head before leaving the room.
Xiao Qi stared at the door for half the day. Then hugging the blanket she laid down and rolled around, sighing a breath of relief while beaming.
Now when she thought about it, Xiao Qi felt that Song Liang Zhuo was actually pretty good again. Xiao Qi thought, he helped her feed Ha Pi, though he was allergic to Ha Pi he didn’t force her to send Ha Pi away. He hugs her while sleeping, and also really didn’t do anything, he even fed her before.
If, if he was just a little bit better. Hehe, then he’d be a good husband! Xiao Qi giggled.
The Qian family set up porridge shop outside the city. The food were pretty top-rate, there were even wheat flour steamed buns during the afternoon. Xiao Qi was the person in charge of the porridge shop. Because they were worried about people looting or causing trouble, they even specially invited several valiant fighters to help maintain order. The chaotic situation at the beginning when they first opened had already slowly became orderly.
These days Song Liang Zhuo and Xiao Qi’s relationship was more subtle. Look, Song Liang Zhuo was carrying two sticks of deep-fried breadsticks and a small jar of soft bean curd as he stood at the entrance of the Qian fu‘s side door. This image was a bit strange, and it was even the Official da ren that usually didn’t really crack jokes. The Qian fu servant had already gotten used to this strange sight, standing at the entrance, he didn’t disturb his bowed head contemplation.
They were both waiting for people, but the moment Song Liang Zhuo stood there, against all reason he could emit an atmosphere other people could not. Xiao Qi who was leaning behind the door watching felt a bit unhappy. She heard Lu Liu say that back then when she stood at the government doors hugging a jar she seemed like a beggar, no matter how you look at it she seemed stupidly dazed.
Xiao Qi’s mouth twitched, her eyes hadn’t even withdraw from the crack in the door when they met with Song Liang Zhuo’s pair of eyes in which the emotions could not be seen. Xiao Qi grinned and made a vicious motion before she, with a jump and a bounce, ran out from behind the door.
Song Liang Zhuo as before, helped her up the carriage, then also got in: “Breakfast, Xiao Qi, you don’t want to switch tastes from time to time?”
You don’t buy different types of things, how can I switch my taste? Xiao Qi silently criticized.
Xiao Qi first drank a couple mouthfuls of the broth in the soft bean curd, then blinked her eyes and said: “Official Song, aren’t you afraid that other people will say things about you?”
“Say what?”
“Say that you don’t properly help the victims settle down and instead stand in front of the Qian family doors everyday. Ahem, thing like that.”
Song Liang Zhuo hooked the corner of his mouth: “To help the victims settle down do I need to eat with them and live with them?”
“That, you don’t have to go so far.” Xiao Qi’s eyes squinted as she smiled: “And ah, today’s lunch there’s meat. White radish stewed pork.”
Song Liang Zhuo nodded. After thinking about it, he said: “Xiao Qi, giving out porridge you should also calculate the expenses. Don’t always just think about whether the food is good or bad. I’ll work to help them resume work as soon as possible.”
Xiao Qi aimed an eye at Song Liang Zhuo with a strange expression: “They didn’t even have time to harvest their wheat before it was directly buried by the water. They lost loved ones and even lost their homes.”
Song Liang Zhuo indicated Xiao Qi should continue speaking. Xiao Qi shot another look at Song Liang Zhuo. Knowing that lately he didn’t seem to humiliate her or give her scary looks, she gathered up her guts and humphed: “Official Song, stingy miser. It’s not like I’m spending your money.”
Song Liangz Zhuo smiled as he reached out to rub Xiao Qi’s ear. Xiao Qi, out of habit pressed her neck.
“Xiao Qi, but have you calculated how much you spend everyday like this?”
“It’s not like I’m having you fish for money.” Xiao Qi muttered.
Song Liang Zhuo shook his head and didn’t say anymore.
“Hey,” Xiao Qi kicked his leg: “Are we having those victims settle in Tongxu?”
“Having victims wandering around everywhere isn’t good. If it’s possible, then they should just settle down like this. If they wish to go home, then after the water goes down we’ll let them return.”
“Then what are they going to do about that cropland?”
“There are several thousand meters of uncultivated land outside the city, they can clear that.”
Xiao Qi knitted her brows as she ate the breadstick. After taking two bites she snuck a peek at Song Liang Zhuo again, then took out a goose egg from her sleeve and handed it over. Song Liang Zhuo took it, holding the warm goose egg his lips tightened.
“It’s salted. Nanny pickled it, she put in green tea and a lot of other really good stuff. It’s really fragrant and also not too salty.” Xiao Qi peeked over again and added: “You can’t buy it in the city.”
Song Liang Zhuo lightly sighed, cracking it on the carriage then carefully peeled off the sh.e.l.l. He changed positions and sat next to Xiao Qi while warming speaking: “Xiao Qi should eat it. It’ll go along well with the breadstick.”
Xiao Qi glanced at Song Liang Zhuo then with a flushed face laughed ‘haha’: “I eat it every day. You should eat it.”
Song Liang Zhuo didn’t quite understand what sort of feeling exactly was in his heart, it was mild and soft, and even moving. Song Liang Zhuo took a bite. The salted goose egg really wasn’t salty, it tasted just right and even had the slight fragrance of green tea as well as some other spices, there was a faint fragrant scent.
Song Liang Zhuo took a couple bites, when the oily juicy egg yolk was exposed he handed it to Xiao Qi again and said: “Xiao Qi, take a bite, it’s really tasty.”
Xiao Qi covered her mouth and giggled with a ‘hehe’, then uncomfortably took a bite and said: “I know it’s tasty. It’s only because it’s tasty that Nanny salted an entire small jar.”
Song Liang Zhuo was silent for a moment before gently asking: “Xiao Qi, you’re not angry with me anymore?”
“Angry!” Xiao Qi retrieved her smile and gave a light humph, throwing a straight face for a moment, she couldn’t hold it anymore and laughed: “Not angry anymore.”
“Why?”
Xiao Qi buried her head in her knees and uncomfortably hummed. Song Liang Zhuo stroked her hair and continued questioning: “Why?”
Xiao Qi lifted her head and pouted: “You’re good to me now. If you’re good to me I’ll be good to you.”
“Just this?”
Xiao Qi pouted and didn’t speak.
Song Liang Zhuo was out of it for a while before he returned to his senses and asked quietly: “Xiao Qi, that divorce paper……”
“Ah!” Xiao Qi suddenly opened her eyes wide and said: “Hehe, I’ve put it away. Official Song, you have to be careful. That is a real divorce paper that I have, it even has a large red official seal stamped on it. If you’re not good to me, hehe.”
Song Liang Zhuo smiled: “If Xiao Qi accepted it you can’t back out anymore.”
“I won’t back out ah.” Xiao Qi thought about those words that she added on and excitedly covered her cheeks.