Chapter 17
“The fabric has been packed. Should I put it on your carriage?”
When Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu came out, the shop assistant had already neatly packed the cloth and was waiting at the door with a smile.
Huo Shu took the three bundles of fabric and handed them to Taoyu. “Take them back.”
Taoyu was stunned for a moment. When he realized what was happening, he quickly refused. “No, no, if I take them back, my mother will scold me thoroughly.”
Seeing that Huo Shu maintained his gesture and had no intention of taking them back, as if he were unhappy, Taoyu realized he might have refused too directly. He then said tactfully, “Well, you should take them back yourself. Although this fabric isn’t very appropriate for men’s clothing, you can save it for when you propose in the future. It’s quite presentable.”
Huo Shu’s brows furrowed. He was about to say they could just be thrown away, but after hearing Taoyu’s words, he paused and said, “Alright then, I’ll keep them with me for now.”
Taoyu nodded and clasped his hands together happily. “Then I’ll go to Grandpa Zu’s medical clinic.”
“Wait, I’ll go get the horse.”
Taoyu quickly said, “You don’t need to see me off. It’s not far from here, I can go by myself.”
Huo Shu didn’t reply, and followed the shop assistant to the stable.
“Hey!”
Taoyu wanted to say it really wasn’t necessary, but the man’s footsteps were like the wind, and he disappeared in the blink of an eye. He couldn’t help but wonder if they thought he would fall into the river if he wasn’t being watched.
Taoyu sighed and was about to go to the door when he heard a familiar clear voice from the stairs behind him.
“Miss Xue, be careful of the stairs.”
Taoyu subconsciously looked back and saw You Lingxiao at a glance.
“My hem is too long, it’s easy to trip when going downstairs. I’m troubling Brother Lingxiao for your concern.”
A man and a woman came down the stairs, one after the other. The woman was in magnificent clothes, and her skirt spread out on the steps as she walked.
You Lingxiao looked at the hem of the skirt on the steps. He hesitated for a moment, then saw the woman looking directly at him. He immediately hid his hesitation and turned into a gentle smile, bowing slightly to gently hold up the hem of the skirt. “The dress is so radiant and beautiful, even if the long hem is inconvenient when it touches the ground, it can be understood.”
The woman’s eyes slightly closed, clearly satisfied with You Lingxiao’s performance. She then turned her gaze elsewhere with a smile, her tone softening considerably. “If this dress can receive Brother Lingxiao’s praise, then it’s not in vain for its elaborateness. I was worried that by asking Brother Lingxiao to accompany me shopping, I would delay his studies and he would be angry with me.”
“How could that be? Yesterday, there was a banquet in the village. Although the prefect was busy with official duties, he still remembered my small matters and specially sent someone to inquire. I am deeply grateful. Today, I came to express my thanks. The prefect asked me to accompany Miss Xue out for a stroll. I feel greatly honored, how could I be angry?”
As the two of them descended the stairs, Taoyu’s heart pounded, and he quickly hid behind the silk shelves. He saw from the gap that You Lingxiao was holding the woman’s skirt, bending slightly to go down the stairs step by step. Such a subservient posture, yet he was very patient. It was nothing like how he talked confidently in their house, being picky about those he wanted to associate with. He couldn’t help but take a deep breath, suddenly disbelieving his eyes.
“It’s good that Brother Lingxiao isn’t angry. Father saw Brother Lingxiao’s articles yesterday and told me that among all his students, Brother Lingxiao’s talent is the most outstanding. If he has no distractions, he might achieve good results in the imperial examinations.”
You Lingxiao smiled, but still said, “Prefect’s praise for this humble student is undeserved.”
“It’s not just Father who praises you. I’ve also seen Brother Lingxiao’s literary talent.” Xue Hanxue’s face flushed slightly. “I have also read the poems and lyrics Brother Lingxiao gave me repeatedly in the middle of the night.”
You Lingxiao looked pleased yet restrained. “If Miss Xue likes them, I can write more.”
Xue Hanxue didn’t seem happy. She said, “Back at the mansion, Brother Lingxiao used to call me sister, but now you call me Miss Xue outside, which seems distant.” Before You Lingxiao could speak, she added, “I heard that Brother Lingxiao is engaged to someone from the village. It seems it’s true.”
Ji Taoyu listened to their conversation. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but look directly at You Lingxiao. At this moment, he wanted to get an answer more than the young lady beside him.
You Lingxiao paused at her words and slowly put down the hem of the skirt. He said, “I won’t hide it from Miss Xue. There is indeed a matter of engagement.”
Taoyu, hidden in the dark, frowned tightly. However, hearing You Lingxiao admit to the engagement, he still felt a little reassured. He let out a slight breath, but before he could fully calm down, he heard You Lingxiao continue, “I didn’t want to mention those past events. Since I have seen the dawn, why should I be trapped in the past? But since Miss Xue is asking, I cannot conceal it. When I was young, my father passed away from illness, and my uncles and aunts were condescending. Only my mother struggled to support my studies, which was very difficult. The village head is a person who sympathizes with the villagers. He saw the hardships of the orphaned mother and son, and seeing my talent for reading, he took care of me from time to time. The village head not only provided financial assistance but also found me a tutor. I will never forget these kindnesses. The village head’s family is like a second parent to me. I always wanted to repay the village head’s family, so I visited more often. As we interacted more, rumors began to spread. The villagers are vulgar and lack manners. They amuse themselves by discussing others’ private affairs all day, always spreading rumors that I was engaged to the village head’s family. I truly don’t know how to refute. I didn’t expect these rural matters to reach Miss Xue’s ears.”
You Lingxiao’s words were sincere, and his handsome face, when speaking of difficult past events, made people even more moved and sympathetic. Xue Hanxue’s eyes flickered, showing deep affection and pity. “Brother Lingxiao knows how to repay kindness. It must have been hard for you all these years. But now, your hardships have paid off. I hope Brother Lingxiao won’t be bothered by these trivial matters.” She said softly, “My father and I are both waiting for Brother Lingxiao to return after the spring examinations.”
You Lingxiao nodded quickly. “Thank you for the favor from my teacher and sister Hanxue.”
Xue Hanxue curled her lips. “My father and I are just as Brother Lingxiao said, otherwise, we wouldn’t have specially asked Brother Lingxiao to accompany me shopping today. Since those matters in the village are just unfounded gossip, it saves us some trouble. But even if they were true, I believe Brother Lingxiao knows what is best.”
You Lingxiao was slightly taken aback, then said, “Naturally.”
Taoyu, hearing this, could no longer bear it. He remembered how his family had taken care of him over the years, yet he avoided the important things. The engagement agreed upon by both families had now become village gossip. His chest heaved violently. He took a step forward, wanting to throw the betrothal gifts from both families in his face and question You Lingxiao directly about whether their two families had indeed made an engagement. However, as soon as he took a step, someone grabbed him back.
“Why are you pulling me!” Taoyu glared up at the person.
Huo Shu’s brows were pressed down. “Calm down.”
“He’s deceiving both sides. Should I just let him get away with it without exposing him?”
Huo Shu looked at the person whose eyes were red with urgency and sadness, his brows tightening. He softened his tone slightly. “Those are people from the prefect’s office. Do you know what kind of official the Xue family is, and do you know who in the village head’s jurisdiction reports to the prefect’s office?”
Taoyu was stunned by his words, and suddenly, his steps, which were stubbornly trying to run forward, stopped uncontrollably. “Official families would not tolerate such a son-in-law…”
“In the face of profit, what does character count for?” Huo Shu said coldly. “Although there are upright officials in the court who can distinguish right from wrong, there are also officials who are sinister and prioritize profit.” In the army, he had long been accustomed to people with beastly hearts who would do anything to climb higher.
Hearing Huo Shu’s words, Taoyu no longer dared to act rashly. The village heads of the various townships under the prefect’s jurisdiction were supervised by the prefect. The village heads met with the prefect for matters between the prefectural government and the townships. Although the prefect’s position was not as high as the governor’s, whoever managed the common people was their “benevolent elder.” If this Prefect Xue were an upright and just person, it would be one thing. Knowing that You Lingxiao was playing both sides, he might distance himself from You Lingxiao because of it. But if he wholeheartedly promoted You Lingxiao, and Taoyu exposed You Lingxiao today, causing the Xue family’s young lady to lose face and also slapping the Xue family in the face, then if the Xue family held a grudge, it would be too easy for them to target his family.
Thinking of this, he felt even more stifled. It wasn’t just anger at You Lingxiao’s duplicity, but also the recent news of Wu Lianhe and Zhao Changsui. The comparison between the two made him sigh. However, as things stood, he couldn’t even step forward to confront him, and could only watch him like this. Taoyu clenched his fingers, his smooth nails digging into his flesh. He had always been afraid of pain, but at this moment, the pain was not half as bad as what was in his heart.
Huo Shu looked at the person beside him, whose eyes were so red they seemed about to overflow with salty tears. His gaze grew colder.
“Let’s walk around the main hall too. The silk looks very bright.” Xue Hanxue said happily.
“Okay, Sister Hanxue, as long as you enjoy yourself.” You Lingxiao and Miss Xue were chatting happily, their smiles beaming as they walked towards them.
Taoyu immediately hid further back upon seeing this. Huo Shu picked up some needle and thread from the nearby shelf and flicked it subtly.
“Sister Hanxue, be careful. There are also a few steps here.” You Lingxiao bent over and was about to pick up her hem again. However, as soon as he bent down, he suddenly cried out impolitely.
“Oh!” You Lingxiao felt a sharp pain in the back of his thigh. His legs went weak, and he knelt down directly, falling onto Xue Hanxue’s hem. In an instant, he pulled Xue Hanxue off balance, and the two almost fell together. In broad daylight, kneeling on both knees and falling by the entrance, people coming and going couldn’t help but look at them.
Xue Hanxue saw that everyone looking at the fabric had turned their attention to them, and You Lingxiao was still crawling on the ground, unable to get up. She felt quite ashamed. She had never seen the usually graceful You Lingxiao so dishevelled. She quickly urged, “Hurry up and get up.”
You Lingxiao wished he could get up quickly, but his back leg was so numb he couldn’t exert any force. The more he tried to get up, the more flustered he became. Xue Hanxue’s maid saw this and quickly went to help You Lingxiao. Several people fumbled around at the entrance like jugglers before quickly leaving.
Huo Shu turned his head. The young man hiding behind the shelves was already red-eyed, tears flowing like a flood. For fear of being seen, he kept covering his eyes with the back of his hand, but the more he wiped, the more tears flowed, already sliding down to his chin.
Taoyu was also a little flustered. Once he started crying, he couldn’t stop. Even after the urge to cry had passed, his tears still flowed uncontrollably. He might even hiccup, making him seem exceptionally prone to crying and deeply saddened. He knew he had lost his composure, regretting his red eyes from earlier, which was why he couldn’t stop. Just as he feared that after people finished watching You Lingxiao’s juggling, they would see his embarrassment and not know what to do, a familiar plain sash fell onto his shoulder. He sniffled and turned to look at Huo Shu.
Huo Shu looked at the teary-eyed young man, whose eyelashes were stuck together as if he had wiped his face with a wet cloth, like a lotus battered by the rain. His brows were tightly knit. He raised his hand to put it on his shoulder, but as his hand touched him, he finally retracted it. Huo Shu sighed softly. “Let’s go, let’s go back first.”
