Chapter 62.2: What Happened… to Us?
The early winter nights were already very cold. Song Liangzhuo lifted his hands to rub Xiaoqi"s ears as he asked gently, "Are you cold? Should we head back?"
Xiaoqi shook her head. "Husband said you were going to bring me to see the scenery."
Song Liangzhuo released Xiaoqi and got up, then lifted Xiaoqi onto the bamboo chair before piggybacking her and walking forward. The little path only had slivers of moonlight streaming down, but it was not so bad that they couldn"t make out the path.
Song Liangzhuo moved steadily while carrying Xiaoqi and walked slowly forward. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Are you hungry?"
Xiaoqi leaned her head next to Song Liangzhuo"s ear and shook her head. "Husband, Xiaoqi really like you, really likes, really likes. If Husband didn"t like Xiaoqi, Husband wouldn"t have told Xiaoqi stories, wouldn"t have coaxed Xiaoqi to sleep, wouldn"t have fed Xiaoqi medicine, right? Husband also likes Xiaoqi, so Xiaoqi has to learn to stand at Husband"s side. Mother-in-Law Mom said that we must stand together shoulder by shoulder. Husband, Xiaoqi"s short. Can we not stand shoulder by shoulder? Can we stand in a row?"
The rims of Song Liangzhuo"s eyes were a bit moist and hot. "Alright, if Xiaoqi wants to stand shoulder by shoulder, I"ll just carry Xiaoqi. Xiaoqi is already the best, there"s no need to work hard for anything."
Xiaoqi laughed "hehe". Leaning against Song Liangzhuo"s ear, she blew hard. Song Liangzhuo"s entire cheek felt warmed. He worriedly stopped walking and switched to carrying Xiaoqi in front of his chest.
"Cold? Your cheeks are all cold." Song Liangzhuo said with his brows knitted.
"Husband is hugging me, it"s not cold."
Song Liangzhuo"s brows knitted even more. He hugged Xiaoqi tightly and hurriedly walked towards Song Viewing Pavilion. The stone terrace was very high. Song Liangzhuo had only ascended half of it while carrying Xiaoqi when he became covered with sweat.
Xiaoqi wiped Song Liangzhuo"s forehead and suddenly felt that they were a little like the young married couple that harvested wheat in the field. Husband harvest wheat ah, Wife wipes his sweat. Xiaoqi laughed "heehee" and kicked her feet. "Husband put me down. I want to run for a while."
Song Liangzhuo thought for a little bit, then put Xiaoqi down and held her hand as they climbed up. When they got to the top of the pavilion, he used his body to block the wind as he pointed towards the north. "In this direction, you can see Mt. Song. Towards the west side, you can see Kongtong(a district). To the South, you can see the Ru Tributary(the left tributary of the Huai River) flowing towards the east. I"ll bring Xiaoqi here to see another day when it"s sunny."
Xiaoqi looked at the streets not far away. The star-like dots of streetlights made people feel very content.
"This is also really pretty." Xiaoqi pointed towards the streets of the city beneath them. "Doesn"t it look like the stars in the sky?"
Song Liangzhuo smiled softly. "It does."
"Husband, didn"t you say you prepared pastries for me?"
Song Liangzhuo took Xiaoqi"s hand and walked into a little room at the side. In the moonlight, he found a flint match and lit a candle, then said with a smile, "Don"t eat too much, just enough to fill your stomach a little. When we get back, drink some hot soup."
Xiaoqi automatically nestled in Song Liangzhuo"s embrace and picked a pretty pastry to start eating slowly bit by bite.
When Song Liangzhuo walked out of the government office while piggybacking Xiaoqi, it was already eight in the evening. Xiaoqi had a thick cotton cloak draped over her and lightly swayed back and forth along with Song Liangzhuo"s movements.
Xiaoqi gave a yawn, then pulled the cloak up to wrap around Song Liangzhuo"s shoulders.
"If you"re sleepy, then just sleep." Song Liangzhuo said softly.
Xiaoqi blinked her eyes. "Husband, Xiaoqi likes you."
Song Liangzhuo turned his head sideways and pecked the corner of her lips as he said softly, "I know. I definitely will never turn my back on you!"
The distance between the government office and Song fu was not small. Song Liangzhuo was deep in thought as he carried the sleeping Xiaoqi and walked back step by step. When they got home, it was already quite late in the day. The parents of the Song family had been waiting in the hall this entire time. When they saw the two return unharmed, they both loosened breaths of relief.
Mother Song looked at the Xiaoqi on Song Liangzhuo"s back and smiled. "Since you two have made up, then in the future you guys have to pa.s.s your days well and properly. Don"t have misunderstandings again!"
Song Liangzhuo"s expression was gentle. "Thank you, Mom."
"Silly child, what"s there to thank? Hurry and head to bed."
Song Liangzhuo tugged at his lips, nodded, then carried Xiaoqi back to the small courtyard. Song Qingyun seemed to have been a bit emotionally stirred by Song Liangzhuo"s action and stared after him dazedly the entire time.
Mother Song pounded Song Qingyun"s arm as she humphed. "What? You saw him carry his wife and think it"s inappropriate? Old pedant!”
a person excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning
Song Qingyun shook his head. "It"s not like I haven"t piggybacked before. Seriously!"
"Is that so? How come I don"t remember you having carried me before?" Mother Song lightly laughed.
"That year when you sprained your foot, wasn"t I the one that carried you back?"
"Tss, which year? How come I don"t remember? Besides, Xiaoqi"s foot isn"t sprained. Do you dare to piggyback me again?"
Song Qingyun"s face was a little red. He gave a cough, then put his hands behind his back as he walked forward. "Old woman, hurry up and go to bed."
Unexpectedly, Mother Song with an "aiyo", reached out and grabbed Qiu Tong, then refused to walk.
"It"s really sprained!" Mother Song knitted her brows with a completely serious expression.
Song Qingyun gaped his mouth a little speechlessly. Qiu Tong smiled as she said, "Lao ye, please help out. This servant still needs to prepare warm water for Young Master and Young Madam."
Song Qingyun took over as he glared at Mother Song. Lowering his voice, he said, "Pretend! You truly know how to pretend. It"s been a lifetime already, yet you"re still pretending!"
Mother Song smiled delightfully. "Are you carrying me or not?"
"Ahem, that ah, so many servants are looking."
Mother Song didn"t try to argue anymore and directly tried to sit on the floor. Song Qingyun hurriedly pulled her and took a step forward, then bent his back. "I"ll carry. Haa, I"ve gotten old and still need to head to court. Those are things young people do, what are we, these old bones, messing around with those for?"
"Pshaw! I finally thought through it clearly. If I don"t have you carry me a couple more times, I would"ve taken a huge loss this lifetime. Tell me, how many years has it been already? Have you ever taken me out to play before? You look at other people"s Xiaoqi. From what Xiaoqi said, when they arrived, Liangzhuo brought her around to tour nearly all eight sceneries of Ruzhou. The farthest you"ve taken me was that Song Viewing Pavilion in the government office, and that was only just to accompany you to entertain influential officials."
"Can you compare with Daughter-in-Law? You look at you. Right now you"re so ample, a single can hold up two… aiyo!"
Mother Song ruthlessly pinched and twisted Song Qingyun"s waist. Song Qingyun hurriedly changed his words. "Hehe, ample, it"s not like I said you were fat."
Mother Song laughed "hehe", and the Qiu Tong that was following not far behind them also sneakily laughed with closed lips.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Ocelot
[Chiyomira’s Corner]
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