My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 29 Part 1

Chapter 29

As October neared its end, the morning wind carried a biting chill.  

The bed curtains hanging by the edge swayed slightly, and Ji Taoyu, curled up under the blankets, shivered in response. Instinctively, he hugged his shoulders tighter and burrowed deeper into the warmth.  

Half-asleep, he noticed the room had grown brighter. Then, the bed curtains were parted slightly.  

"Xiao Taozi, time to get up."  

Hearing his mother’s familiar voice, Ji Taoyu mumbled, "It’s so cold. Mother, don’t pull my blankets away."  

Huang Manjing patted the lump under the covers, now nearly rolled into a ball. "I won’t take your blankets, but hurry and get ready. Today, I’m slaughtering chickens and ducks. Come help me."  

The cold outside made Ji Taoyu cling to his bed even more. "I don’t dare slaughter chickens and ducks."  

Huang Manjing chuckled at his muffled protest. "I’m not asking you to slaughter them. Just help me light the fire, it’s warmer by the stove than in bed."  

With that, she stood up. "Get up quickly, or your father will start scolding."  

Ji Taoyu gave a faint acknowledgment from under the covers, nearly dozing off again. But remembering his mother’s words, he forced his eyes open.  

The past days had been sleepless due to the troubles with the You family. Now that the matter was settled, he finally had the chance to rest properly, and the accumulated exhaustion hit him hard. No matter how much he slept, it never felt like enough.  

Ji Taoyu stretched out an arm, trying to grab his clothes from the bedside table without leaving the warmth of the bed curtains. After fumbling a few times without success, he rubbed his eyes and peeked out, only to realize he had left his clothes on the shelf by the window the night before.  

"Ah!"  

Ji Taoyu groaned, his face scrunched in frustration, and retreated back under the covers. He wondered why he had put his clothes so far away last night.

After a struggle, he finally wrapped himself tightly in the warm blankets, dashed out to grab his clothes, and scurried back to bed.  

"Let’s get some fish and shrimp too. Ours are still too small in the pond, buy some from another family."  

Ji Yangzong walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back, eyeing the freshly slaughtered chickens and ducks that Da Niu had already bled and stuffed into a wooden bucket, ready to be scalded for plucking.  

Seeing his wife take out some cured pork heart, liver, and sausages, he added, "Xiao Taozi loves shrimp."  

Huang Manjing nodded. "Fine, buy a few more later."  

As they spoke, a sudden exclamation came from behind them: "Is it New Year’s already? Why so much food?"  

Ji Taoyu stepped into the warm kitchen, greeted by the steaming stove and an array of ingredients laid out, it looked as lively as a festival.  

Ji Yangzong, seeing his ger finally up, said, "This year’s grain taxes for the village are finally collected. After all the recent misfortunes and a month of hard work, we’re having a good meal."  

Ji Taoyu grinned at the prospect of a feast. "You’re the best, Father."  

He immediately moved toward the stove. "I’ll light the fire."  

But before he could take two steps, Ji Yangzong grabbed him. "Actually, I have a task for you. You can tend to the fire later." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Go to the Zhao family and invite Huo Shu over for dinner."  

"Why should we invite him?"  

Ji Taoyu blinked in confusion. "Besides, he’s got work now, learning butchering from Master Qiao and managing the shop. He might not even be home."  

Ji Yangzong waved him off. "Just go. Stop asking questions."  

"Why don’t you go?"  

Ji Taoyu, reluctant to face the cold, protested, "I need to help mother."  

But Ji Yangzong was insistent, pushing Ji Taoyu toward the door. "He helped our family so much, running around for us. Shouldn’t we thank him properly? Da Niu can help your mother. Hurry up and go."  

"So this is a thank-you meal? And here I thought it was to celebrate the tax collection." Ji Taoyu grumbled. "If it’s a proper thank-you, wouldn’t it be more sincere if the family head went?"  

"Your father’s going to Qian Si’s to buy shrimp for you. Just go."  

Pushed outside, Ji Taoyu craned his neck to call back, "Mother, look at Father!"  

This time, Huang Manjing sided with her husband. "Xiao Taozi, just go. Your father has other things to do."  

Ji Taoyu narrowed his eyes at her tone but finally relented. "Fine, fine. I’ll go."  

Ji Yangzong watched his ger disappear into the ink-gray mist before turning back with his hands behind his back.  

"You—scheming like this. Sending Xiao Taozi out in the cold morning to fetch him? Even I think it’s freezing."  

Huang Manjing shot him a look, but Ji Yangzong wasn’t fazed.  

"After what happened last time, everyone else avoided us. Only Huo Shu stepped up to help. I think he’s a rare one. After all, someone who’s old-experienced wind and sand knows how to handle things properly."  

[旧经风沙 (jiù jīng fēngshā): lit. "old-experienced wind and sand"; fig. Someone hardened by life’s struggles]

"Oh? So now you're saying ‘old-experienced wind and sand’? Weren’t you the one complaining he was too old before?"  

Huang Manjing smirked. "Have you changed your mind about matching Xiao Taozi with him?"  

Ji Yangzong stiffened. "When did I say he was too old? I only ever said he was steady. And now I see there’s nothing wrong with a man being steady."  

"Besides, I never said I’d promise Xiao Taozi to him. We can’t rush into things like before and end up with another mess like You Lingxiao."  

He muttered under his breath, "Even if I think he’s decent, who knows if Xiao Taozi would agree?"  

Huang Manjing chuckled. She had a feeling Xiao Taozi might not mind at all.