Back to the Countryside

Chapter 30:  死人
Dead person

After the four of them had separated, Qi Yue and He Ling bought some food and supplies, returned to the carriage at the entrance of the town then when Mu Yan saw them, it hissed as if complaining that they had been gone too long.

He Ling groomed his sideburns and said, "Is Mu Yan tired of waiting?"

Mu Yan gave a snort, its hooves stamped on the ground as if in response to him.

"He likes to get angry!" Qi Yue patted its head then he said to He Ling. "Let's go!"

He Ling stopped stroking Mu Yan's sideburn, but instead looked at him hesitantly.

Qi Yue knew what he was thinking, and he lifted his chin in a direction where their village's Zhao family's ox cart was parked, "Since they don't like us so much, they'll be more than willing to go back by the Zhao family's ox cart!"

Since there was a way for them to get back, He Ling had no more worries.

Qi Yue helped the person into the carriage,then he jumped onto the shaft and drove the cart out of the town.

When Qian and He Zhen came over, they saw that the place where Qi Yue had parked the carriage was empty,so she was very angry that she directly stomping her feet (in anger)!

        "Forget it, Mother, isn't Uncle Zhao's wagon here?" He Zhen was prepared for such a situation.Today, because of Qian, he was afraid that Qi Yue's impression on him had been further diminished.

        "An ox-carriage is not as comfortable as Qiyue's horse carriage, moreover you have to pay for it!" Qian was very upset, Qi Yue's carriage was very comfortable and spacious, whereas the Zhao family's carriage was crowded with so many people, so bumpy, yet each person had to pay a coin!

        "There's nothing we can do about it,
We can't just...do not go back right? !"
He had blisters all over his body although the cart was worse, but he had to go back.

        Although Qian was reluctant, she knew there was no other way out, so she tugged on He Zhen and said, "Zhen'er, if Qi Yue's side doesn't work, you might as well, want to ask around about the young master we meet today!"

        "Mother, we've offended him today, what can we expect from him?" It's not that He Zhen hadn't thought about it before, the young man looked rich and powerful, if he could marry him, He Ling would be at his mercy* (the raw actually said that he will made He Ling kneaded round and pinched flat) and make Qi Yue  regret for not choosing him! The only thing is that the young lady today seems to be that young master's sister, and mother have made her annoyed!

"If I've offended, you could just make up for it again!" Qian knew that the young lady of a wealthy family could change her face faster than turning over the pages of the book also loved to be flattered by others, at that time they just need to behave, lie low and be small, then not necessary that they couldn't resolve over the grievances.
"I know He Ling's nature, when we back later, we just need to warm up to him and  being friendly with him, I'm sure he'll soften his heart, at that time, we could ask around from him!"

He Zhen is not so optimistic, He Ling is not as timid and weak as before. he must have bad-mouthed him in front of those two, that's why the young lady will take the lead (in defending him) , it was not that easy to coax him!

Actually deep down in his heart, he still wanted to marry Qi Yue more, after all, he was the first man his heart had ever been moved, and it would also give He Ling the taste of the pain of being abandoned by his lover, "Let's talk about that later, right now we have to cure my illness first!"

"Yes, yes, yes, your looks are the most important thing right now!" Her family's ger's  look like this now, no one would like to look at him. "After spending so much money, if it doesn't work, I'll smash the Shengde Clinic!"

He Zhen touched the medicine in his arms, if this medicine was useful, he would have to find a way to get his mother to pay and buy for more!

When he reached home, He Ling breathed a long sigh of relief, no matter how prosperous and lively the town was, he still preferred his village home in his heart.

After the two of them had put their purchased goods in order, He Ling picked out the desserts he had brought for Lin Sheng's family and said, "xiang gong, I'm going to go to Big brother Lin Sheng's house."

Qi Yue had just washed his hands and took a cloth towel to wipe them as he returned. "Let's go together!"

He put the cloth towel back on the shelf and carried the snacks out the door with He Ling.

When they arrived at Lin Sheng's house. It was Fang who opened the door, and Xiaohu, who was also playing in the yard, ran up and called out obediently.

"You've just returned from town?" As she welcomed them in, Fang looked at the snacks they handed over, "Spending money and buying things again!"

"It didn't cost much, I brought some back on the way back from the town." Qi Yue shoved the snack packet into her hand, "It's for Hu Zi,you can't replace him for not taking it!"

Lin Xiaohu had been looking at the snacks for a long time, and when he heard his words, he tugged at the corner of her coat, "Grandma, Uncle Qi bought it to give it to me!"

"Okay, okay, okay! Yours, yours!" Fang nodded at her head and gave him the snack, urging, "Don't eat too much, you hear?"

        "Yes, I know!" Xiao Hu nodded and scurried back inside with the snacks in his arms.

        "Little Ghost Spirit*(小鬼灵精)!" Fang scolded with a smile and moved a stool for the two to sit on.

[小鬼灵精: a clever and mischievous person]

        He Ling sat down on the stool and said, "Little Tiger is a smart boy!"

        "Like it?" Fang gave him a look and teased, "If you like it, then you should hurry up and have one with Qi xiao zi!"

        He Ling instantly made a big red face, Qi Yue hadn't touched him yet because he had to nurse him. If Fang suddenly brought up the matter of having a child, of course he would be ashamed!

        Qi Yue saw that his face was so red as if it was dripping blood, so he thoughtfully changed the subject, "Why don't I see anyone else at home?"

Fang's face changed, sighed and said, "Yulan is picking up the vegetable patch in the backyard, and Lin Sheng is with his father ......"

"Yo, Brother Qi and Ling Ge er are here!" Before Fang could finish her sentence, Wu Yulan walked out of the backyard with her sleeves in order.

They both greeted each other, she moved a stool and sat down beside them, "What are you guys talking about?"l

"I didn't seen you guys, so I asked about it. By the way, where are Big brother Lin and Uncle He?" Qi Yue asked.

Strangely enough, Wu Yulan's face also became a bit off, she looked at the two of them and said, "You guys have gone to town today, I'm afraid you don't know that something has happened in the village!"

"Something happened?"
He Ling didn't understand, what could have happened in the village?

Wu Yulan exchanged a look with Fang, Fang continue her words then said, "This morning, Luo Laizi was found dead at home."

He Ling's face turned pale instantly, after the incident that night, Luo laizi was the last person he wanted to think of, just by thinking of him, he could remember how desperate he was that night. It was his nightmare! But now, Luo laizi had died?

        Qi Yue embraced the person into his arms, "Don't be afraid!"

        Wu Yulan and Fang looked at him with some concern, they knew all the things that the He family had done, they also understood that there was a shadow in his heart, if not for the death of the person, they would not have mentioned it in front of him.

        The warmth of Qi Yue's body made He Ling feel better, he was afraid, first, because of that man, second,because of the dead person in the village, "How did he die?"

        When they saw that he had gotten over it, they relaxed. Wu Yulan sighed a little, "He was found this morning by a child who ran around to play near his house, he fell down in the yard. The chief village reported the case to the authorities, who sent a 'feudal official' to investigate the case, but they did not find out anything, so finally they came to the conclusion that he had died suddenly and left. The village chief thought that it was no good just leaving the man like that, so he thought to find a place to bury him, or at least build a grave for him, so my husband went with my father to help!"

"Alas, we can't say anything now that he's dead, so Ling Ge er, don't think too much about it in the future!" Fang reached out her hand and patted He Ling's leg.

        "I'm fine, I just feel a bit sudden!" He Ling was in a complicated mood, he naturally hated Luo laizi, but he didn't think he deserved to die either!

        Qi Yue hugged him, his hand gently patting his back, no one noticed that his eyes were lowered, there were no waves in them.

        "By the way, how did He Zhen's medical consultation and visit to the town with you today go?" Wu Yulan felt that the subject was too heavy, so she turned to something else.

        He Ling's mood had calmed down a bit, so he nudged Qi Yue then asked him to let go of him because it was embarrassing to keep holding him like this, "I don't know, I went elsewhere with my husband while he was having his consultation."

        "I don't think that his weird disease needs to be treated at all, he's just done too many bad things and got his karma!"
Fang was furious when she thought of what he had done, now he's sick yet he still has the face to ask Qi Yue and He Ling for help!

He Ling didn't want to be involved in He family's affairs in the future, good or bad, it's all their destiny, although they raised him, but he also worked for them so many years, it might be a small return but Qi Yue also gave them an extra 20 taels of silver to help him repay the kindness he had received for so many years, "Retribution or not, it's not really my business anymore.In the future, it won't have much to do with me!"

        "It's good that you think so. If they come again in the future, don't bother!" Seeing he had this attitude, Wu Yulan was also relieved, if He Ling was soft-hearted every time, that family would definitely become more aggressive!

        "Don't worry, I have someone more important now!" He Ling turned his head to look at Qi Yue, who was also looking at him, and the two of them smiled at each other, everything is the best left unsaid*( 盡在不言中)

 (盡在不言中 : speechless)

        After they had talked for a short while, the Lin family's fathers came back and didn't mention anything more about Luo Laizi.

        Fang forced them to stay and eat dinner at their home, before they returned home in the darkening sky.

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Translator's Note : I quite satisfied with the accuracy of my translation although I don't think the grammar is good enough or it is smooth enough. 

I suspect Qi Yue done something to He Zhen and Luo Laizi since he is black bellied Gong he he he