Back to the Countryside

Chapter 52: 谈话 (Conversation)

Translator: LittleYen

Master Zheng stopped in front of their table, his hands on his back, then he said, "Won't you introduce them to me?"

        Only then did Zheng Yuefeng come back to his senses, he immediately asked the servant to add chairs and bowls, after his father had been seated and introduced to everyone, he looked at his face and spoke deliberately, "Father, what brings you here?"

        Master Zheng had been a businessman for many years, so he naturally had a keen eye. He could understand a person's character by just a few glances but at the moment, he really couldn't see through the one called Qi Yue. It was his son's good fortune to have such a friend.

        He then turned his attention to Xu Hua.This ger was very understanding, he was very nervous when he saw him, but his back was always straight. Yet he didn't show any flattery, he saluted him like he treated an ordinary elder.

        His son's insight was indeed not bad, the other party did have redeeming features, to enter his Zheng family's door, one must indeed have this kind of backbone, "Naturally, I came to eat,then I heard from the shopkeeper that you were also here, so I came up to take a look."

        When he felt his gaze move away from him, Xu Hua let out a shallow sigh of relief. Only today did he find out Zheng Yue Feng's feelings for him, thus he met with the elder from his family so he was naturally uneasy in his heart.

        "That's really a coincidence, coincidence!" Zheng Yuefeng gave him a bowl of chicken soup, but he was apprehensive, his father must have known about him and Xu Hua.Although he understood that his mother had explained that there would be no problem, he was still afraid that his father would have a sudden urge to make things difficult for Xu Hua.

Father Xu watched as Master Zheng took the soup,unhurriedly took a sip of it. His heart felt uncomfortable since he was afraid that the other party would see what was going on and raise difficult questions to his Hua Ge'er. 

Qi Yue took a glance at the strange atmosphere around these several people, as he hooked his lips, it seems that the day to drink Zheng Yue Feng's wedding wine is not far away.

        After taking a few sips of the soup, Master Zheng put the bowl down,raised his eyes and smiled, "My son is used to fooling around and must have caused a lot of trouble for you all.There is no need to be polite today, please have some more!"

        Only when he smiled did Zheng Yue feng feel relieved, it seemed that he had no intention of making things difficult, so he was busy treating his quest, "Yes, yes, don't be polite to me!"

        It was impossible to get the other three to take up Master Zheng's words, so Qi Yue said, "Master Zheng, you are too kind, it is an honour for us to make friends with Zheng Gong zi!"

        "I have often heard Yue Er talk about Qi Gong zi, today I see that he is indeed 'a dragon & pheonix among men'!" Master Zheng gave his appreciation at the right time, Zheng Yuefeng had always done a good job in handling business matters, but he lacked some poise and ease when dealing with people, this was something that the man in front of him had done perfectly, hopefully his son would learn from him.

[人中龙凤 ; a giant among men (idiom)

This saying of a dragon and pheonix among men refers to the outstanding people in the crowd and the extraordinary talented or rare among the people.] 

        After a meal, several people had a better view of Master Zheng, as the saying goes, 'Like father, like son'. From Zheng Yuefeng's temperament, it was clear that his father was not an arrogance man. He was not just older and more experienced but also had more wisdom compare to him.

        As a businessman, there are few people who are not tainted with the stench of copper like Master Zheng, he is indeed an admirable elder, even Qi Yue does not refute this.

Before bidding them farewell, Master Zheng's gaze rested on Father Xu as he gave him a nod, saying, "May I have a word with you?"

        Father Xu was stunned, he had a feeling in his heart that if he wanted to talk with an old man from the countryside like himself, then it must be about the children. It seemed that the other man was already well-aware about what was going on. He sighed and nodded his head in response.

Xu Hua was equally surprised and began to worry, but he was not able to butt in as he wished to, in the affairs of the elders, so he could only watch as the two men went to the side.

        "Hua ge'er, don't worry! My father won't do anything to Uncle Xu!" Zheng Yue Feng saw him clutching his hand uneasily so he came to his side to comfort him.

        It was not that Xu Hua was afraid that Master Zheng would do something to his father, but that he had a vague suspicion of what he was going to say. He didn't have peace of mind in his heart and was afraid that his father would be in a difficult situation. He also knew that he was not good enough for Zheng Yuefeng. He did not want to have anything to do with him either. Moreover, he did not want his father to have worries because of this matter.

"Xiang Gong ......" He Ling also became nervous like Xu Hua, Master Zheng looked quite good to get along with, but if he did not approve of his son marrying a country ger also what if he made things difficult for Uncle Xu?

Seeing him, worry over this matter until his brow is knotted,Qi Yue smiled then he moved to his ear,whispering, "When Zheng Yue Feng gets married, how much 'monetary gift' (usually in red envelope) do you think we should give?"

        He Ling felt that his question was inexplicable, in this situation, how could it be related to the marriage matter?

His own young husband had obviously failed to grasp his meaning,so Qi Yue did not explain any more, in any case, this matter was destined to have a good outcome, let him be a surprise afterwards.

        The two men left for nearly two quarters of an hour before they reappeared before their eyes, Master Zheng looking no different from when they had gone, smiling, but it was Father Xu who looked very much in an absent-minded state. 

        "Father!" Xu Hua greeted him with a few steps, holding his father, whose steps were drifting a little, with great concern.

        "Yue Er, just have a good time accompanying them walking around the town!" Master Zheng patted his son's shoulder thus he untied the money bag from his waist and threw it into his arms, "As the host, you don't even bring money with you!"

        Zheng Yue Feng caught the heavy money bag and was overjoyed, with this money, he would be able to buy things for Xu Hua, "Thank you father, I will treat them well."

        Master Zheng gave Father Xu one last meaningful glance before he said to the crowd, "Then I will leave first."

        Several of the juniors bowed their hands to him as they watched him leave accompanied by the two young servants, each of them with their own thoughts in mind.

        Xu Hua wanted to ask his father what the other party had told him, but Father Xu seemed to have expected it so he patted his hand, "Don't ask me first, you will naturally know later."

        Since he had said so, Xu Hua could only hold back his doubts and did not ask any more questions.

With the silver in his hand, after the midday, Zheng Yuefeng had more confidence so he bought everything he saw that was uncommon and interesting, put it in Xu Hua's hand, when the other party tried to refuse, he gave one to He Ling as well, saying it was a gift for these two gers.

        He Ling understood that he had the intention of giving something to Xu Hua and afraid that he would not accept it, so he included He Ling into taken the present too, so knowing the reason, He Ling accepted it.

        He Ling didn't even refuse, so if he insisted on not accepting it, wouldn't it seem more pretentious?

Xu Hua had no choice but to accept it with a stiff upper lip.

        When it was time to leave, they all had a pile of things in their hands. Zheng Yuefeng reluctantly sends them to the carriage at the entrance of the town.

        Before getting in the car, Father Xu, who hadn't spoken much for a long time, suddenly looked at him and said, "Next time, if you have some free time,come and visit our home more often."

        Zheng Yuefeng, whose whole heart was full of melancholy, immediately energized after hearing the words. He was so happy that he can't find north. "I know, Uncle Xu, I will definitely come!"

[找不著北 :zhǎo bu zháo běi=to be confused and disoriented]

        Xu Hua looked at his father in amazement, from what he knew about him, he was not someone who would say such things.

        His father nodded, without further ado, he turned around thus he got into the carriage.

        "Hua Ge'er, I will come to visit you!" Zheng Yue Feng looked at Xu Hua so seriously for the first time, as if he was saying some kind of vow.

Xu Hua slowly blushed because of being stared at by him as if he was the center of his attention. He lowered his eyes in panic to avoid his gaze and fled to the carriage, but his words echoed in his ears for a long time.

        Zheng Yuefeng gazed at the carriage, which was moving away, then he raised his hand to stroke his heart, which was not calm, revealing a gentle, watery smile. 

The day of getting that person (to fall for him) seems to be closer.

He bought a lot of things in town yesterday, when he came back it was already so late so he didn't sort it out.It was only today that He Ling was able to put everything he needed to put away.

        He took out a portion of the food and supplies which he intended to give them to Lin Sheng's house, as well as some tonic food for pregnant women, which he had bought for Wu Yulan, who had the symptoms of miscarriage earlier and needed some good tonic.

        Qi Yue sat on a stool while he watched him wandering around the house, busy in a pile of items, hooking his lips and smiling, "If we don't go over, they will be eating lunch now."

        "Alright, alright!" He Ling put the last item away, taking the ones he wanted to get to the Lin family, once more he said, "Let's go!"

        Qiyue shook his head with a smile, took all the things and pulled the man out the door.

        Before the two of them got very close to Lin Sheng's house, there was a loud noise coming from it, because the sound was unfamiliar. At first, they thought it was from someone else's house, until they got closer to the Lin family's courtyard wall. Not only did the sound become clearer, they could also see what was going on inside through the half-high mud wall.

"Yulan ah, the doctor in town said that it would cost a lot of money to cure your little brother's injury." A middle- aged woman whom they didn't know, was tugging at Wu Yulan's hand, crying, "Your sister-in-law has just had a baby, her body is still weak, she needs to take tonic, the baby also needs to □□. Where could she get so much money?"

        Wu Yulan was pulled by her, with a tired look on her face,she said, "Mother, what's the use of talking to me about this?"

        Lin Sheng stood beside her, his face not looking good, but considering that she was an elder and a woman, he could not say anything. 

        "Coincidentally, our Yulan had a fetus gas and her body is still weak!" Fang didn't care about that so her words were clearly sarcastic.

        The woman was unhappy in her heart, it was just a case of her having fetus gas. It's been quite long since that day, what else is there to tonic, why is she so delicate? But she didn't say anything in front of them, as if she hadn't heard the words."The doctor said that your little brother's hand will only get better a little even if we spend a lot of money on him. If his hand is going to be crippled.How do you think our family will be able to survive in the future?"

        At this point, the woman was crying with real sadness. She doesn't know who did this to her son, he was the only son in their family ah!

        After hearing all of this, Qi Yue's side had some idea that this woman must be the mother that Wu Yulan had mentioned.It looked like she had come to cry for money? 

        "Brother Qi, Ling Ge'er, what brings you here, why are you standing at the door?" Lin Sheng, who had turned his head away because he didn't want to look at her, happened to see the young couple standing outside the wall.

        Qi Yue smiled and said, "I saw that there seemed to be guests at home, so I felt it was inconvenient for us to come in and disturb."

"What's the matter? (the original text is 什么打扰不打扰了 = what's with this 'disturbing and not disturbing thing?') You two kids, why are you still being polite to us?" When Fang saw them, she immediately greeted them at the door, "If you are polite to me again, auntie won't be happy!"

"Auntie, don't be angry, we can bring you something to show our respects!"

Knowing that she was not feeling well at the moment, He Ling took her hand and shook it, cooperating to please her.

        "Is that so? Then for the sake of this present of yours, I won't be angry!" Fang pretended to be bribed,but seeing the pile of things Qi Yue carried, she still couldn't resist patting his hand, "Spending this much money carelessly again!"

        The family's relatives are always looking for silver from them, but those who are not related by blood with them, want to give them a share of the food they have.This is seriously felt complicated in heart. 

Translator:  I really like this Father Xu's existence as the good parents figure here. He is actually reluctant in term of not the type to talk except it is really necessary but for his child's sakes, he softened his heart and invited Zheng Yue Feng to come for a visit.