Chapter 41.1: Love, You’ve Come ah
Everyone in Qian fu seemed to already know that Xiaoqi would have leave Tongxu sooner or later, so other than expressing their reluctance to part they didn’t make things too difficult for Song Liangzhuo.
Lunch was very sumptuous; a not very large table was filled with the famous dishes in Tongxu City. The Fat Old Man naturally couldn’t bear to part with Xiaoqi and during the entire meal he continuously picked dishes for Xiaoqi. Mrs. Mei’s gaze also drifted towards Song Liangzhuo from time to time.
Meng Yunfei didn’t say much, as if his entire concentration was on the recently pregnant Qian Pandi. He would only occasionally cast a scheming glance at Xiaoqi. The eldest, Qian Zhaodi and her husband Zhou Zhiyuan would occasionally speak a few sentences, asking Song Liangzhuo some things about Ruzhou.
Qian Pandi at some unknown time exchanged a glance with Meng Yunfei, then with a light laugh she said: “Xiaoqi ah, once you leave we don’t know when you’ll be back so can you lend those precious flood management books of yours to your Second Brother-in-Law to read?”
Zhou Zhiyuan was also someone that liked hunting for novelty and so loved books. He actually had some mutual understanding with Meng Yunfei this way. Seeing that Qian Pandi had personally opened her mouth to ask for them, he couldn’t help but ask: “What good books are there again? Why do they all fall into Third Sister’s hands?”
Meng Yunfei smiled as he said: “It’s just a couple flood management books. Big Brother can’t fight over them with this Little Brother.”
“Yunfei took a fancy to them first so they’re naturally yours. But, it’d be okay to lend them to me for a few glances, right?”
Meng Yunfei gave a couple dry laughs: “Taking a few glances is alright, haha, but Big Brother, that 《Qishan County Legends》 book from last time… Haha, when will Big Brother return it to this Little Brother?”
Zhou Zhiyuan also smiled with him: “Yunfei words aren’t correct. The so-called book is not for personal purposes, it should be shared with everyone. Only this way would it allow the goals of the predecessors that record their achievements in writing be realized.”
Meng Yunfei’s mouth twitched. Turning his head to look at Song Liangzhuo, he said: “What does Younger Sister’s Husband think?”
Song Liangzhuo glanced at the Xiaoqi whose face had already started turning black from the moment they started discussing her secret stash, then lightly nodded and said: “What Big Brother said isn’t wrong at all.”
Zhou Zhiyuan clapped his hand as he laughed: “It’s still Third Younger Sister’s Husband that understands the major principles of the world. Haha, then lend Third Younger Sister’s collected books for Big Brother to read, alright?”
Meng Yunfei knitted his brows. Glancing over and seeing that Xiaoqi was already showing signs of being about to explode, he sensibly closed his mouth.
Song Liangzhuo spoke again: “What you said wasn’t wrong, but for the so-called collected books, the emphasis is on the word “collected”. Since it’s “collected” then it must belong to a single person. It can be borrowed, but it can’t be appropriated to oneself (what rightfully belongs to others).”
Xiaoqi happily hugged Song Liangzhuo’s arm and swayed it.
Meng Yunfei lightly smiled: “Younger Sister’s Husband’s wo
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rds are very true.”
Zhou Zhiyuan forced a laugh. Glancing at Xiaoqi, he said: ‘Then, borrowing is fine.”
Song Liangzhuo was just about to speak but Xiaoqi had already slapped the table and said: “Official Song, don’t believe him. He already writes a copy and returns that to me. I already don’t know how many of my good things he’s stolen and sold away!”
Zhou Zhiyuan was a bit embara.s.sed and Song Liangzhuo was rather surprised. He knew that even though this Big Sister’s Husband was in the business field, his ancestor was a renowned scholar so he also counts as having come from a family with a literary reputation. To unexpectedly do this sort of steal a rafter and replace it with a column kind of thing…
Zhou Zhiyuan gave a light cough: “Third Younger Sister, you’re falsely accusing Big Brother ah. When has Big Brother not looked for rare toys and things for Third Younger Sister?”
“Second Older Sister’s Husband says those are all fake, all imitations.” Xiaoqi spoke in a childish and miffed tone.
The moment this was said, as expected Zhou Zhiyuan knitted his brows and charged towards Meng Yunfei. Xiaoqi covered her mouth as she sneakily smiled. At that side, Zhou Zhiyuan and Meng Yunfei had already started arguing noisily.
When Meng Yunfei saw that Xiaoqi was pretty much happy enough, he exchanged a look with Zhou Zhiyuan and rather indignantly slammed his bowl down: “Big Brother is so dishonorable!”
Zhou Zhiyuan lowered his head with an ashamed expression.
Xiaoqi leaned towards Song Liangzhuo, a naively spoilt expression on her face like she got away with her evil schemes.
Meng Yunfei turned towards Xiaoqi and spoke with a tone that had some heartache: “How about this, Third Younger Sister. Second Brother-in-Law will help you look after those books for you. When Third Younger Sister comes back they’ll definitely be returned perfectly intact.”
Xiaoqi’s eyes whirled and whirled. Then, she looked towards Song Liangzhuo. Song Liangzhuo lightly nodded and said: “Borrowing is also fine.”
Xiaoqi then nodded: “You can’t deceive me again. I’m not dumb either.”
Meng Yunfei smiled as he nodded repeatedly and Zhou Zhiyuan followed, making a face of frustrated defeat. Pandi fiercely hit Meng Yunfei with her fist but also didn’t say anything more.
Song Liangzhuo didn’t change his expression as he glanced at the Meng Yunfei who was smiling jubilantly and at the Zhou Zhiyuan whose expression was sad but in reality was happy. He gently patted the Xiaoqi who was leaning against his shoulder and took the soup a servant pa.s.sed over and ladled some for Xiaoqi.
The meal was enjoyed quite fast. Meng Yunfei’s mood became rather obviously better and during the entire meal he kept joking and clowning around.
Mrs. Mei continued to shoot a look towards Song Liangzhuo from time to time with a strange expression. Song Liangzhuo was stared at to the point his back was feeling chills. After the table of people all finished eating, he got up and politely cupped his fist, asking: “Wonder if Mother-in-Law da ren has any instructions?”
Mrs. Mei lightly laughed, then gracefully lifted up: “Third Son-in-Law, come out with me for a while. I really do have some things to say.”
The expressions with which Meng Yunfei and Zhou Zhiyuan looked at Song Liangzhuo with now contained sympathy.
Song Liangzhuo took a step back and waited until Mrs. Mei walked past before following her outwards. Song Liangzhuo took two steps but turned back again to say: “Elder Brothers, Xiaoqi has already given those books as a present to this Little Brother so they are already this Little Brother’s collected books. Elder Brothers can slowly look through them, just return them to this Little Brother after you finish.”
Song Liangzhuo politely bowed before following Mrs. Mei out. The Fat Old Man gave a humph and pointed at the two son-in-laws: “That little trick, humph, if it weren’t….. Who wouldn’t see through it?”
Wasn’t that third daughter of yours unable to see through it? Meng Yunfei knitted his brows as he silently criticized.
“And,” The Fat Old Man shot a glare at Meng Yunfei: “Silent criticism is not allowed!”
“Dad, don’t worry. Second Brother-in-Law doesn’t have those guts.”
Zhou Zhiyuan’s voice had just fell when the Fat Old Man’s pair of knife eyes swooshed over: “You as well, as eldest don’t understand respect (so younger generation doesn’t respect the elder either)!”
After the Fat Old Man finished speaking he led Xiaoqi off to look for treasures, leaving behind the two pairs of son-in-laws and daughters to look at each other.
Meng Yunfei struck the bowl as he sung dragging out the words: “Hear, hear, hear! Hear ah Father-in-Law’s speech, wrecking Son-in-Law’s heart! As Eldest don’t understand respect na! Aaah, you Zhiyuan bro, as eldest don’t understand respect na~~!”
Pandi smacked Meng Yunfei, stifling her laughter as she scolded: “Immature!”
Meng Yunfei lifted his eyebrows towards Zhou Shiyuan, then seized Pandi’s small waist as he got up and continued singing: “Go, go, go. Go look for treasures for that treasured Little Third Sister. The precious the entire Qian family treasured like gla.s.s, with one marriage to become someone’s bride became gra.s.s. Aaah, and it’s even an easily swayed gra.s.s, now it’s following that nefarious wind off to dash!”
“Rascal!” Pandi laughed as she chided.
Zhou Zhiyuan rubbed his chest as if his heart ached and Zhaodi kicked his leg: “Enough, you’ve already tricked Third Little Sister out of plenty of her good things. Let’s go, we should also find something good as a farewell present. Usually even though she doesn’t come back often we still don’t feel it that much, but now hearing that she’s about to leave Tongxu, my heart aches terribly.”
Zhou Zhiyuan lifted his hand to rub Zhaodi’s chest but was chided by Zhaodi and his hand got smacked away with a palm. Zhou Zhiyuan also embraced Zhaodi as they got up and sang using Meng Yunfei’s tune: “Go, go, go. Go look for treasures for that treasured Little Third Sister. Treasures will enter Little Third Sister’s grasp, in a blink it’ll all be for the Official to have. Aaah, and it’s even a shrewd person, won’t even accept being cheated the slightest bit ah!”
Mrs. Mei led Song Liangzhuo all the way to the study. Once they got to the study, she didn’t say anything extra and just set up paper for Song Liangzhuo to write a pledge.
Song Liangzhuo held the brush that was forced into his hand, a bit confused: “What does Mother-in-Law da ren wishes for this little Son-in-Law to guarantee?”
“Not a guarantee, this is the Qian family’s custom. Once a daughter leaves Tongxu there’ll be no one to protect them anymore, so the male must leave behind a divorce paper. If he treats the daughter badly, this marriage will naturally become invalid.”
So it turns out this practice of writing divorce papers was actually a family characteristic. Song Liangzhuo’s brows raised as he silently remarked.
Mrs. Mei turned around and sat at the side. Lifting her orchid finger she delicately but firmly tapped the table: “I’ll say it and you write. You better not write any other words or any wrong words, otherwise it won’t be pretty.”
Song Liangzhuo put down the brush and said: “Mother-in-Law da ren, there’s no need to worry. This little Son-in-Law won’t treat Xiaoqi unfairly.”
Mrs. Mei’s lips curled: “It’d be better to believe that ghosts exist in this world than to believe a man’s lousy mouth! Hurry up and write! Xiaoqi’s always so dizzy and clumsy when she does things, I must at least leave my own daughter a safeguard.”
Song Liangzhuo’s eyebrows jumped. As he watched this Mother-in-Law speak with so many animated expressions, he felt some speechless sweat. This Mother-in-Law da ren was a hundred and eight thousand miles from the composed dignified lady he had seen the first time they met. How could one person have so many faces? Song Liangzhuo thought about the Xiaoqi ten years, twenty years later, and even more sweat drops emerged on his head.
Mrs. Mei knocked on the table again: “Even if you cry it’s useless, you must write this divorce paper.”
Song Liangzhuo’s brows twitched. Controlling his expression, he said: “This little Son-in-Law has already prepared a divorce paper for Xiaoqi. If she is unhappy with this Son-in-Law, she can naturally leave.”
Mrs. Mei’s large eyes narrowed, then in the twinkling of an eye she put on a smile and said: “I’m just joking with Son-in-Law, the main point was to exhort Son-in-Law a little. Haha, Xiaoqi’s dumb, suffering even though she already won it earlier. I as a mother only have this one baby darling, yet she insists on marrying you so I also couldn’t force her to stay at my side.”
Mrs. Mei’s melancholy gradually grow. After pausing a while, she spoke seriously: “If Xiaoqi suffers grievances, I’ll definitely take her back and not let her leave my side. As long as Son-in-Law understands what things are light and what things are heavy, that’s enough. Don’t wait until you make a mistake to start feeling regret. One of the standards for the Qian family’s son-in-laws is that a good horse doesn’t come back to the same pasture(break up, it’s over).”
Mrs. Mei looked at Song Liangzhuo who had his eyes lowered and gave a light cough: “But I know Liangzhuo is a good child, you won’t let Xiaoqi suffer grievances. Haha, just let Xiaoqi bring you around to properly play and eat for these few days.”
Mrs. Mei seemed to feel that her words were getting further and further away from the topic. With a last sentence of “then, Son-in-Law you should look for Qi er”, she ended the lecture.
After Song Liangzhuo left the room he sighed a breath of relief. Even though Mrs. Mei’s tone of speaking didn’t seem like an elder, that “good child” severely made Song Liangzhuo’s lips continuously twitch.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Edited by Ocelot